The Show People Podcast With Andrew Keates

From Rocky to the bridge of the Enterprise, Michael Dorn joins Andrew Keates for a candid, laugh-filled conversation about the craft, character and determination behind an extraordinary screen career.
Recorded live at The Two Brewers in Clapham, Part One goes behind the prosthetics to explore Michael’s journey into acting, the creation of Worf and the enduring connection between Star Trek and its fans. Expect Hollywood lessons, affectionate cast memories, questionable Klingon hairstyles and rather too much prune juice.
Episode Highlights Include:
• Life 2.0: Michael introduces his independent science-fiction feature with Marina Sirtis, Michelle Hurd and Dominic Keating.
• Becoming Worf: the last-minute audition, Gene Roddenberry’s advice and finding that unmistakable voice.
• Before the Enterprise: music, early screen work and lessons learned watching Sylvester Stallone on Rocky.
• Behind the scenes: life on The Next Generation, from the makeup chair to the cast’s sense of humour.
• Beyond the uniform: representation, imperfect heroes and the impact Worf has had on fans.
• Friends across generations: memories of Whoopi Goldberg, Tony Todd, Nichelle Nichols and DeForest Kelley.
In Memory of Brett Jones
Andrew dedicates this episode to his late friend Brett “B” Jones of the Sci-Fi Ball.
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Support Us
If you enjoy the podcast, please consider making a donation to help us nurture LGBTQIA+ theatre-makers and proudly tell Queer stories, by visiting www.queertheatre.co.uk/support-us.
Sponsors & Supporters:
Theataccounts: The entertainment industry's trusted accountants, looking after thousands of clients across theatre and performance. Connect at www.theataccounts.co.uk
Videography | Ned Wakeley of The Showreel Company
Photography | Henry-Morgan De Witt
Audio & Stage Management | Liam Chaplin
Hair Styling | Louis Wilson
Special Thanks
Oliver Blatherwick, Rhys Godfrey and the staff of The Two Brewers.
Queer Theatre
This podcast is proudly produced by Queer Theatre, committed to LGBTQIA+ storytelling and nurturing Queer talent. Discover more about our acting classes, Queer Play Reading Club, showcases, live events and community.
Connect at www.queertheatre.co.uk
Follow The Show People Podcast
Instagram: @theshowpeoplepodcast
www.queertheatre.co.uk
Follow Andrew Keates
Instagram: @MrAndrewKeates | TikTok: @andrewkeates | X: @andrewkeates
www.andrewkeates.co.uk
Follow Michael Dorn
Instagram: @officialmichaeldorn
Life 2.0
Official film website

Join host Andrew Keates for The Show People Podcast - the podcast that shines a spotlight on the performing arts and those dedicated to their craft - recorded live from The Two Brewers in Clapham.
Cheryl Fergison returns for Part Two: an intimate, funny and deeply moving conversation about EastEnders, George Michael and her extraordinary resilience.
Episode Highlights Include:
• From five episodes to five years: becoming Heather Trott
• Creating Heather and Shirley’s friendship with Linda Henry
• The moving story behind Heather’s headbands
• June Brown’s humour, kindness and fierce attention to character
• The Steve McFadden Cheryl knows away from Phil Mitchell
• Challenging jokes about Heather’s eating and sharing her own struggles with food
• George Michael’s gifts, their first meeting and remembering his kindness
• Performing through grief and the press confusing Cheryl with Heather
• Celebrity Big Brother, financial betrayal, tax debt and cancer
• Leaving abuse, finding community and her bond with her son, Alex
Like and Subscribe
Make sure you like and subscribe to be notified the moment Part Two is released!
Support Us
If you enjoy the podcast, please consider making a donation to help us nurture LGBTQIA+ theatre-makers and proudly tell Queer stories, by visiting www.queertheatre.co.uk/support-us.
Sponsors & Supporters:
Theataccounts: The entertainment industry's trusted accountants, looking after thousands of clients across theatre and performance.
Connect at www.theataccounts.co.uk or Instagram: @theataccounts.
Videography by Ned Wakeley of The Showreel Company
theshowreelcompany.com | Instagram: @theshowreelcompany_
Photography by Sean Lindsell
@skl.photog on Instagram
Audio and Stage Management by Liam Chaplin
@djliamchaplin on Instagram
Cheryl and Andrew’s Hair Styled by
Louis Wilson
Special Thanks
Oliver Blatherwick, Rhys Godfrey and the staff of The Two Brewers.
Queer Theatre
This podcast is proudly produced by Queer Theatre, committed to LGBTQIA+ storytelling and nurturing Queer talent. Discover more about our acting classes, Queer Play Reading Club, showcases, live events and community.
Connect at www.queertheatre.co.uk
Instagram: @QueerTheatreUK
TikTok: @QueerTheatreUK
Threads: @QueerTheatreUK
Follow The Show People Podcast
Instagram: @theshowpeoplepodcast
X: @ShowPeopleUK
www.queertheatre.co.uk
Follow Andrew Keates
Instagram: @MrAndrewKeates
TikTok: @andrewkeates
X: @andrewkeates
www.andrewkeates.co.uk
Follow Cheryl Fergison
Instagram: @cherylfergison1
Behind the Scenes by Cheryl Fergison is available now in print and audiobook editions.

Join host Andrew Keates for The Show People Podcast, recorded live from The Two Brewers in Clapham.
This is Part One of a funny, heartfelt and wonderfully candid conversation with actor, singer and author Cheryl Fergison.
Known to millions as Heather Trott in EastEnders, Cheryl has a lifetime of stories beyond Albert Square. In this first half of their conversation, she and Andrew explore the experiences that shaped her: a working-class childhood, finding humour in the face of bullying, a passion for community theatre and an unpredictable journey into the West End, television and the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Cheryl discusses why queer spaces matter, her lifelong LGBTQIA+ allyship and the enormous pride she takes in her son, Alex. She reflects on writing her autobiography, recovering from a stroke and learning to embrace who she is. There’s also a glimpse of the television series she and Alex are writing together, alongside her excitement about the film Tits Up.
From training at Rose Bruford to arriving at Wigan Pier expecting a seaside theatre, Cheryl shares the unexpected beginnings of her professional career. There are tales of learning the cello for Chicago, her mother meeting Peter Bowles, working with Kenneth Connor and Alec Guinness, and an RSC audition that involved improvising Shakespeare — without realising Trevor Nunn was in the room.
Along the way, Cheryl and Andrew speak openly about body image, class, belonging and the masks we learn to wear. Andrew reflects on his own ADHD diagnosis, while Cheryl describes fighting for support for her son. The conversation also explores the craft of making a small role memorable, with reflections on ’Allo ’Allo!, Doctor Who, Little Britain and Beadle’s About.
Warm, irreverent and full of laughter, this is a conversation about finding your voice, standing up for other people and discovering that a career can take you to places you never imagined.
Episode Highlights Include:
Why queer venues, Pride and knowing LGBTQIA+ history matter to Cheryl
Motherhood, her bond with Alex and the television series they are writing together
Writing her autobiography, turning 60 and finding perspective after a stroke
Childhood bullying, body image and learning to use humour to fit in
Working-class identity, belonging and the different faces we show the world
Training at Rose Bruford and her love of community theatre and workshops
A first professional job at Wigan Pier — with an unexpected shortage of seaside
Learning instruments for the stage, including the cello for Chicago
ADHD, Andrew’s experience of diagnosis and Cheryl’s determination to get her son support
Memories of Peter Bowles, Kenneth Connor and Alec Guinness
Improvising Shakespeare at an RSC audition and failing to recognise Trevor Nunn
Creating distinctive characters in small television roles, from Doctor Who to Little Britain
Like and Subscribe
Make sure you like and subscribe to be notified the moment Part Two is released!
Support Us
If you enjoy the podcast, please consider making a donation to help us nurture LGBTQIA+ theatre-makers and proudly tell Queer stories, by visiting www.queertheatre.co.uk/support-us.
Sponsors & Supporters:
Theataccounts: The entertainment industry's trusted accountants, looking after thousands of clients across theatre and performance.
Connect at www.theataccounts.co.uk or Instagram: @theataccounts.
Videography by Ned Wakeley of The Showreel Company
theshowreelcompany.com | Instagram: @theshowreelcompany_
Photography by Sean Lindsell
@skl.photog on Instagram
Audio and Stage Management by Liam Chaplin
@djliamchaplin on Instagram
Cheryl and Andrew’s Hair Styled by
Louis Wilson
Special Thanks
Oliver Blatherwick, Rhys Godfrey and the staff of The Two Brewers.
Queer Theatre
This podcast is proudly produced by Queer Theatre, committed to LGBTQIA+ storytelling and nurturing Queer talent. Discover more about our acting classes, Queer Play Reading Club, showcases, live events and community.
Connect at www.queertheatre.co.uk
Instagram: @QueerTheatreUK
TikTok: @QueerTheatreUK
Threads: @QueerTheatreUK
Follow The Show People Podcast
Instagram: @theshowpeoplepodcast
X: @ShowPeopleUK
www.queertheatre.co.uk
Follow Andrew Keates
Instagram: @MrAndrewKeates
TikTok: @andrewkeates
X: @andrewkeates
www.andrewkeates.co.uk
Follow Cheryl Fergison
Instagram: @cherylfergison1
Behind the Scenes by Cheryl Fergison is available now in print and audiobook editions.

Join host Andrew Keates for The Show People Podcast, recorded live from The Two Brewers in Clapham.
This is part two of an in-depth conversation with comedian, writer, actor, presenter, children’s author, documentary maker and charity founder Rosie Jones.
One of the boldest and most distinctive voices in British comedy, Rosie has appeared on The Last Leg, Live at the Apollo, QI, Taskmaster, Question Time, 8 Out of 10 Cats and many more. She is also the creator, co-writer and star of the Channel 4 sitcom Pushers and the founder of The Rosie Jones Foundation.
In this urgent, candid and frequently riotous second instalment, Rosie reflects on the television appearance that changed her career and the complicated pressure of being expected to represent disabled people through her comedy. She charts her journey from feeling that every joke had to address her disability, through a period of refusing to discuss identity altogether, to finding a balance that allows her to be funny, political and unapologetically herself.
Rosie speaks powerfully about appearing on Question Time, the ableist abuse and death threats that followed, and why she eventually stepped away from social media to protect her mental health. She discusses therapy with a counsellor who also has cerebral palsy, the importance of surrounding herself with supportive people, and the strength she has found in admitting that living with a disability can sometimes be extraordinarily difficult.
The conversation also explores Rosie’s experiences working with The Last Leg, the urgent need for more disability-led television and the creation of her Channel 4 sitcom Pushers. Rosie explains why she fought for a predominantly disabled ensemble, meaningful representation behind the camera and an access coordinator who could ensure that every member of the company felt heard and supported.
Rosie then shares the deeply personal mission behind The Rosie Jones Foundation, which provides people living with cerebral palsy with counselling delivered by therapists who share that lived experience. She discusses the stigma surrounding mental health support, the Foundation’s extraordinary achievement in funding 1,000 counselling sessions and why this work may ultimately become the proudest achievement of her life.
In a moving final section, Andrew and Rosie discuss recovery, shame, addiction, community care and the forces that divide queer and disabled people. Together, they consider what it means to look after one another, speak up during a hostile political climate and become the adults their younger selves so desperately needed to see.
Content note: This episode includes discussion of ableist language, online abuse and death threats, mental health, addiction, suicidal thoughts and discrimination.
Episode Highlights Include:
• Rosie’s first appearance on 8 Out of 10 Cats and the television moment that changed her career
• The pressure of representing disabled people and finding a balance between comedy, identity and activism
• The ableist abuse and death threats that followed her Question Time appearance
• Why Rosie stepped away from social media to protect her mental health
• Finding transformative support from a counsellor who also has cerebral palsy
• Working with The Last Leg and the urgent need for more disability-led television
• Creating Pushers with a predominantly disabled ensemble and meaningful representation behind the camera
• Why accessible working practices make television better for everybody
• The mission of The Rosie Jones Foundation and its lived-experience-led counselling
• Funding 1,000 counselling sessions for people living with cerebral palsy
• Andrew and Rosie on mental health, recovery, shame, community care and refusing to remain silent
• What the younger Rosie would think of her life today, and her definitive answer about disabled people having sex
Like and Subscribe
Make sure you like and subscribe to be notified the moment our next episode is released!
Support Us
If you enjoy the podcast, please consider making a donation to help us nurture LGBTQIA+ theatre-makers and proudly tell Queer stories, by visiting www.queertheatre.co.uk/support-us

Sponsors & Supporters:
Theataccounts: The entertainment industry's trusted accountants, looking after thousands of clients across theatre and performance.
Connect at www.theataccounts.co.uk or Instagram: @theataccounts.
Videography by Ned Wakeley of The Showreel Company
theshowreelcompany.com | Instagram: @theshowreelcompany_
Photography by Sean Lindsell
@skl.photog on Instagram
Audio and Stage Management by Liam Chaplin
@djliamchaplin on Instagram
Special Thanks
Oliver Blatherwick, Rhys Godfrey and the staff of the Two Brewers.

Rosie’s Hair Styled
Louis Wilson
Queer Theatre
This podcast is proudly produced by Queer Theatre, committed to LGBTQ+ storytelling and nurturing Queer talent. Discover more about their acting classes, Queer Play Reading Club, showcases and events.
Connect at www.queertheatre.co.uk, Instagram: @QueerTheatreUK, TikTok: @QueerTheatreUK, @Threads @QueerTheatreUK.
Follow The Show People Podcast
Instagram: @theshowpeoplepodcast, X: @ShowPeopleUK
www.queertheatre.co.uk
Follow Andrew Keates
Instagram: @MrAndrewKeates, TikTok: @andrewkeates, X: @andrewkeates
www.andrewkeates.co.uk
Follow Rosie Jones
Instagram: @josierones
www.rosiejonescomedy.com
www.rosiejonesfoundation.com
Until next time - love always, Ax

Join host Andrew Keates for The Show People Podcast, recorded live from The Two Brewers in Clapham.
This is part one of an in-depth conversation with comedian, writer, actor, presenter, children’s author, documentary maker and charity founder Rosie Jones.
One of the boldest and most distinctive voices in British comedy, Rosie has appeared on The Last Leg, Live at the Apollo, QI, Taskmaster, Question Time and many more. She is also the creator, co-writer and star of Channel 4 sitcom Pushers, the author of The Amazing Edie Eckhart, founder of The Rosie Jones Foundation, and the driving force behind the powerful documentary Rosie Jones: Am I a R*tard?.
In this candid, moving and frequently riotous conversation, Rosie discusses growing up in Bridlington with ataxic cerebral palsy, the love and encouragement of her family, and her experiences of ableism from a very young age. She charts her journey from working behind the scenes as a television researcher and joke writer to finding her own voice as a stand-up comedian.
Rosie also explores the extraordinary precision behind her comedy, the performers who shaped her work, and how she transformed the rhythm of her speech into one of her greatest creative strengths. In a deeply personal conversation, Andrew and Rosie discuss coming out, internalised ableism, the absence of positive queer-disabled representation, and learning that everyone deserves to be seen, celebrated and loved.
Episode Highlights Include:
• Growing up in Bridlington with ataxic cerebral palsy
• How Rosie’s parents encouraged her to believe she could become anything she wanted
• Her close relationship with her brother Oliver and his instinctive refusal to judge others
• Experiencing ableism from the age of four and understanding its impact later in life
• Why Rosie chose to confront the power of the R-word in her Channel 4 documentary
• Living with daily ableist abuse and refusing to allow cruelty to diminish her
• How the circumstances of her birth shaped her ambition and determination to live fully
• The assumptions people make about physical disability and intelligence
• The teachers who recognised Rosie’s talent and the importance of accessible education
• Her lifelong admiration for children’s author Jacqueline Wilson
• Working behind the scenes as a television researcher and joke writer
• Writing lies for Would I Lie to You? and jokes for major comedy programmes
• Her spontaneous first stand-up performance in front of eight people at a small comedy club
• How Victoria Wood, Billy Connolly and Tig Notaro influenced her comic voice
• Rosie’s “jigsaw” theory of joke-writing and why she considers every single syllable
• Turning the natural rhythm of her speech into a powerful comedic advantage
• The three questions comedians should ask before making a joke about somebody else
• Her gradual journey towards coming out as a gay, disabled woman
• How a lack of queer-disabled representation affected Rosie’s belief that she was worthy of love
• Overcoming internalised ableism and finding a happy, loving relationship
• Andrew and Rosie on shame, visibility, resilience and living unapologetically
• And many stories about comedy, writing, identity, disability, queerness and finding your voice
Like and Subscribe
Make sure you like and subscribe to be notified the moment our next episode is released!
Support Us
If you enjoy the podcast, please consider making a donation to help us nurture LGBTQIA+ theatre-makers and proudly tell Queer stories, by visiting www.queertheatre.co.uk/support-us

Sponsors & Supporters:
Theataccounts: The entertainment industry's trusted accountants, looking after thousands of clients across theatre and performance.
Connect at www.theataccounts.co.uk or Instagram: @theataccounts.
Videography by Ned Wakeley of The Showreel Company
theshowreelcompany.com | Instagram: @theshowreelcompany_
Photography by Sean Lindsell
@skl.photog on Instagram
Audio and Stage Management by Liam Chaplin
@djliamchaplin on Instagram
Special Thanks
Oliver Blatherwick, Rhys Godfrey and the staff of the Two Brewers.

Rosie’s Hair Styled
Louis Wilson
Queer Theatre
This podcast is proudly produced by Queer Theatre, committed to LGBTQ+ storytelling and nurturing Queer talent. Discover more about their acting classes, Queer Play Reading Club, showcases and events.
Connect at www.queertheatre.co.uk, Instagram: @QueerTheatreUK, TikTok: @QueerTheatreUK, @Threads @QueerTheatreUK.
Follow The Show People Podcast
Instagram: @theshowpeoplepodcast, X: @ShowPeopleUK
www.queertheatre.co.uk
Follow Andrew Keates
Instagram: @MrAndrewKeates, TikTok: @andrewkeates, X: @andrewkeates
www.andrewkeates.co.uk
Follow Rosie Jones
Instagram: @josierones
www.rosiejonescomedy.com
www.rosiejonesfoundation.com
Until next time - love always, Ax