Episodi

  • Snoring: A Sign of a (Not So) Silent Killer? | Thomas A Gionis MD JD MPH

    Snoring: A Sign of a (Not So) Silent Killer? | Thomas A Gionis MD JD MPH
    Oct 6 2026

    Snoring is easy to laugh about.

    But what if it is trying to tell you something?

    Thomas Gionis is a physician, surgeon, public health specialist and lawyer whose career has spanned cardiovascular surgery, emergency medicine, healthcare leadership, public health and telemedicine.

    His interest in sleep apnoea, however, became intensely personal.

    In this episode of TEDx and Talks, Thomas joins Andy Coley for a conversation recorded in Manchester shortly before stepping onto the TEDxNorthernQuarter stage.

    Thomas describes the frightening experience that eventually led to his own diagnosis.

    Despite decades of medical experience, he temporarily found himself unable to recall the name of his wife or the names of his daughters and granddaughters.

    What followed was a search for the cause.

    Eventually, that search led to sleep apnoea.

    Thomas explains what sleep apnoea is and what happens when breathing repeatedly stops or becomes restricted during sleep.

    The consequences, he argues, can go far beyond tiredness, poor sleep or keeping your partner awake.

    Andy and Thomas explore some of the warning signs people may overlook, including loud snoring, gasping during sleep, poor concentration and persistent fatigue.

    And there is one sign that is particularly difficult to ignore.

    Snoring.

    Sleep apnoea is sometimes described as a silent epidemic.

    Thomas has a simple response:

    It isn't really silent if it's snoring.

    The conversation also explores how sleep apnoea can be tested, how testing has changed over the years and why getting investigated does not necessarily mean spending a night wired up inside a hospital sleep laboratory.

    Thomas also challenges one of the assumptions that can prevent people seeking help: that a diagnosis automatically means living with a CPAP mask.

    Different people may need different approaches, and treatment can change over time.

    For Thomas, the most important first step is recognising that something may be wrong and doing something about it.

    The conversation also takes us through his extraordinary medical career.

    Thomas began medical school at 17 and completed his medical degree at 21 before moving into cardiovascular surgery and later emergency medicine.

    As healthcare changed, he continued studying, adding qualifications in business, healthcare administration, public health and law so he could better understand the systems surrounding medicine as well as the medicine itself.

    Thomas and Andy also go behind the scenes of his TEDx journey and the challenge of reducing decades of medical knowledge into one clear 15-minute message.

    His goal is straightforward.

    He wants more people to recognise the warning signs, feel comfortable getting tested and understand that there may be treatment options available to them.

    Because the so-called silent epidemic of sleep apnoea may not be silent at all.

    Sometimes, it snores.

    TEDx and Talks is the official podcast of TEDxNorthernQuarter, taking you beyond the red dot to discover more about the people, stories and ideas behind the talks.

    This episode is hosted by Andy Coley.

    Recorded by THE CLUB MCR in Manchester.

    TEDxNorthernQuarter 2026 took place at Stoller Hall, Manchester on 11 September 2026, bringing together 16 speakers to share ideas worth spreading.

    Find out more about TEDxNorthernQuarter:

    Website: https://www.tedxnorthernquarter.com/
    Podcast: https://podcast.tedxnorthernquarter.com/
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tedxnorthernquarter/
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tedxnorthernquarter/
    TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tedxnorthernquarter

    Connect with Thomas on LinkedIn
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-a-gionis-md-jd-mph-a67a3b201/

    Health note: This episode discusses sleep apnoea, diagnosis and medical treatment for general information only. It is not a substitute for individual medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you are concerned about your sleep, breathing or symptoms of sleep apnoea, speak to an appropriate healthcare professional.

    TEDxNorthernQuarter is an independently organised event under license granted by TED.

    Send us Fan Mail
    Mostra di più Mostra meno
    31 min
  • I Lost My Own Voice | Jess Robinson

    I Lost My Own Voice | Jess Robinson
    Sep 29 2026
    Send us Fan Mail"I lost my own voice."Jess Robinson has built a career using hundreds of other people's voices.A multi-award-winning impressionist, singer, comedian, broadcaster, actor, author and voice artist, Jess is known for BBC Radio 4's Dead Ringers, Spitting Image, live comedy and cabaret, voiceover work and a career that has taken her from television and radio studios to the Edinburgh Fringe and major corporate stages.But behind all those voices was a period when Jess realised she had stopped using her own.In this episode of TEDxNorthernQuarter: TEDx and Talks, Jess joins Andy Coley for a conversation recorded in Manchester the day before she stepped onto the TEDxNorthernQuarter stage.Jess shares how years of trying to be the 'good girl', avoiding tension and making herself smaller for other people's comfort gradually affected the way she communicated, challenged unfairness and stood up for herself.The surprising tool that helped her begin changing that was something she had been doing professionally for years: impressions.Rather than hiding behind somebody else's voice, Jess realised she could deliberately borrow a quality she admired in another person and use it to access something that was already available within herself.From that came a simple three-stage process:Borrow. Repeat. Become.BRB.Borrow a quality you need. Repeat it in everyday situations. Keep practising until it becomes something you can access as yourself.Jess and Andy explore why this isn't about pretending to be someone else, but about using the same instinct for modelling that human beings have used since childhood to unlock confidence, courage and behaviours we may not yet completely trust in ourselves.The conversation goes deeper into the difference between borrowing and hiding, the masks we learn to wear, people-pleasing and the physical and emotional cost of continually keeping the peace at the expense of our own.Jess shares one particularly revealing moment when a producer joked that he hoped she wasn't "a diva like most singers". Despite being classically trained and having been paid to sing professionally for years, Jess immediately played down her own ability simply to avoid creating tension.It became part of a pattern she knew had to change.Andy and Jess also explore what happens when we change and the people around us are still expecting the old version of us, from personal relationships to somebody being promoted into leadership and suddenly having to manage former peers.The conversation moves into creativity, discomfort and Jess's acclaimed Elton Reimagined show, including what she has learned about creating from joy rather than trying to second-guess what an audience or an industry wants her to be.Jess also takes us behind the scenes of Dead Ringers, revealing the extraordinarily fast process of creating a topical radio comedy show and how performers can sometimes have only hours to learn a completely new impression.And she explains how her own career as an impressionist began with a rather bold strategy: telling somebody she was brilliant at impressions before she actually knew whether she was.That willingness to say "yes" opened the door to Little Voice, Dead Ringers, Spitting Image and a career built around one of Britain's most distinctive collections of voices.The conversation then turns to Jess's memoir, Life Is Rosi: Grandma, Me and Our Diaries at 23, which places Jess's own diary at the age of 23 alongside the newly translated diaries of her German Jewish grandmother Rosi at the same age.Rosi's life was being transformed by Nazi persecution in 1938, eventually leading her to Britain through the Kindertransport. Eight decades later, Jess's diary tells a very different story of a young woman trying to establish a career and understand who she was.Through those parallel voices, Jess explores identity, family, inherited patterns, trauma and what gets passed between generations, intentionally or otherwise.Ultimately, this is a conversation about finding the confidence to stop shrinking yourself for other people.You don't need to become someone else.Sometimes you just need to borrow something for long enough to discover that it was already inside you.TEDx and Talks is the official podcast of TEDxNorthernQuarter, taking you beyond the red dot to discover more about the people, stories and ideas behind the talks.This episode is hosted by Andy Coley.Recorded by THE CLUB MCR in Manchester.TEDxNorthernQuarter 2026 took place at Stoller Hall, Manchester on 11 September 2026, bringing together 16 speakers to share ideas worth spreading.Find out more about TEDxNorthernQuarter:Website: https://www.tedxnorthernquarter.com/Apply to Speak : https://www.tedxnorthernquarter.com/applyPodcast: https://podcast.tedxnorthernquarter.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tedxnorthernquarter/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tedxnorthernquarter/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tedxnorthernquarterConnect with Jess ...
    Mostra di più Mostra meno
    41 min
  • The Cost of Being Seen | Jsky

    The Cost of Being Seen | Jsky
    Sep 22 2026
    Send us Fan Mail"Ego craves attention. Human nature is to be understood."Jsky is a singer, songwriter, broadcaster and creative whose career has moved across music, fashion, television and Manchester's cultural scene.But after spending around 15 years being visible, both online and in the real world, he has started questioning what visibility is actually worth.In this episode of TEDx and Talks, recorded ahead of TEDxNorthernQuarter 2026, Jsky joins Simran Whitham for a candid conversation about social media, success, identity and the hidden cost of being seen.Jsky explains why his TEDx talk focuses on the way we increasingly use followers, views, likes and engagement as measurements of success, despite those numbers being easier than ever to manipulate and increasingly shaped by algorithms, bots and artificial intelligence.Having built much of his career alongside the rise of social media, Jsky has experienced both sides of online visibility. He talks about trolling, the pressure he has seen creators experience trying to maintain a successful-looking life, and why the version of somebody we see online can be very different from reality.The conversation also asks a more uncomfortable question: even if we never post anything ourselves, are we still responsible for the internet we are creating?Every video we watch, every piece of content we linger on and every interaction we make teaches an algorithm what to show us next. Jsky argues that anonymity does not remove us from that system. Simply consuming content means we are participating in shaping it.Jsky and Simran explore whether social media can still be a force for good, the dangers of mistaking access to information for genuine understanding, and why being permanently exposed to the world's problems can sometimes make us quicker to judge rather than better informed.The conversation then moves into Jsky's own unconventional career.After growing up believing he was supposed to choose one path, he decided instead to pursue everything that interested him. Music led into fashion, fashion created new opportunities, and what initially frustrated him about being labelled a "fashionista" eventually became part of the identity that helped him stand out.Jsky reflects on professionalism, treating people well and why today's most visible person can quickly become yesterday's news. He also explores the important difference between being seen and genuinely being understood, arguing that attention may satisfy the ego for a moment, while understanding can have a much deeper and longer-lasting effect.The pair discuss the boundaries between a public persona and private life, how much of ourselves we should give to social media, and why Jsky deliberately maintains a life that could continue even if his online platforms disappeared tomorrow.The conversation also goes behind the scenes of his TEDxNorthernQuarter journey, from receiving the call telling him he had been selected from more than 200 applications to working with his speaker coach, accepting difficult feedback and transforming his original idea into a deeply personal TEDx talk.Ultimately, Jsky's message comes back to accountability.It is easy to blame social media for what we dislike about the online world. But collectively, we are social media.If we want something better, Jsky believes we all have a part to play in creating it.TEDx and Talks is the official podcast of TEDxNorthernQuarter, taking you beyond the red dot to discover more about the people, stories and ideas behind the talks.This episode is hosted by Simran Whitham.Recorded by THE CLUB MCR in Manchester.TEDxNorthernQuarter 2026 took place at Stoller Hall, Manchester on 11 September 2026, bringing together 16 speakers to share ideas worth spreading, applications for the 2027 event are open until the 30th November 2026.Find out more about TEDxNorthernQuarter:Website: https://www.tedxnorthernquarter.com/Apply for 2027 : https://www.tedxnorthernquarter.com/applyPodcast: https://podcast.tedxnorthernquarter.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tedxnorthernquarter/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tedxnorthernquarter/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tedxnorthernquarterConnect with Jsky:X: https://x.com/jskychat Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jskychat/TEDxNorthernQuarter is an independently organised event under license granted by TED.
    Mostra di più Mostra meno
    44 min
  • You Don't Have to Be Unbreakable | Asia Sharif

    You Don't Have to Be Unbreakable | Asia Sharif
    Sep 8 2026
    Send us Fan Mail"You do not have to be unbreakable to survive your life."Asia Sharif is a multi-award-winning software engineer, mentor, public speaker and DE&I advocate whose journey has taken her from foster care and a non-traditional route into technology to becoming an influential voice for diversity, resilience and representation.In this episode of TEDx and Talks, Asia joins hosts Andy Coley and Simran Whitham ahead of taking to the TEDxNorthernQuarter stage in Manchester.Asia shares how she originally studied law before dropping out of university, moving to London and eventually deciding during lockdown to challenge herself by learning something completely new. Starting with Python and committing time every day to teaching herself to code, she transformed her career and within a year had secured her first software engineering role and won her first award. The conversation explores representation in technology, challenging stereotypes and why Asia deliberately chose to become visible in an industry where women of colour remained significantly underrepresented. She talks about wanting other women and girls to see somebody who looked like them succeeding in engineering, and why breaking down society's expectations has become a recurring theme throughout her life. Asia then opens up about the experience that would completely reshape her understanding of strength.Three years ago, she was diagnosed with stage 4 Hodgkin lymphoma. After multiple relapses, gruelling treatment and eventually a stem cell transplant, Asia found herself confronting vulnerability in a way that professional success had never required her to do. She talks about the difficulty of asking for help, the fear of being perceived as weak and why eventually allowing her community to support her became one of the most powerful lessons of her life. Asia speaks candidly about the physical and emotional reality of cancer treatment, losing her hair and much of her sense of identity, spending almost a year barely leaving her apartment and ultimately reaching a point during her stem cell transplant when she genuinely feared she might die.During those darkest moments, one thought kept returning. She prayed simply for the chance to see one more sunrise.Having made it through, Asia has spent the time since travelling, experiencing the world and appreciating the ordinary moments she once feared she might never experience again. The conversation also explores faith, foster care, community, goal setting and the small daily actions Asia believes can help us continue moving forward even when life feels overwhelming.Her TEDx talk challenges what she calls "the myth of strength", the idea that being strong means putting on a brave face, dealing with everything alone and never asking for help. Instead, Asia argues that vulnerability, community and knowing when to let other people in can be forms of strength in themselves. Ultimately, Asia's story is about refusing to allow circumstances, stereotypes or adversity to decide what comes next.You do not have to be unbreakable to survive your life.TEDx and Talks is the official podcast of TEDxNorthernQuarter, taking you beyond the red dot to discover more about the people, stories and ideas behind the talks.Hosted by Andy Coley and Simran Whitham.Recorded by THE CLUB MCR in Manchester.TEDxNorthernQuarter returns to Stoller Hall, Manchester on 11 September 2026, bringing together 16 speakers to share ideas worth spreading.Find out more about TEDxNorthernQuarter:Website: https://www.tedxnorthernquarter.com/ Podcast: https://podcast.tedxnorthernquarter.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tedxnorthernquarter/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tedxnorthernquarter/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tedxnorthernquarterConnect with Asia Sharif:Website: https://www.asiasharif.co.uk/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/asia-sharif-60616b150/Content note: This episode contains candid discussion of cancer, chemotherapy, serious illness, homelessness and difficult personal experiences.TEDxNorthernQuarter is an independently organised event under license granted by TED.
    Mostra di più Mostra meno
    41 min
  • Hospitality Saved My Life | Matty White

    Hospitality Saved My Life | Matty White
    Sep 1 2026

    Send us Fan Mail

    "Hospitality saved my life."

    Matty White has spent more than two decades building a career across radio, television, live events, food, drink and broadcasting, becoming one of the most familiar faces in Manchester along the way.

    But the journey to becoming a presenter, broadcaster, DJ and now host of TEDxNorthernQuarter started somewhere very different.

    In this episode of TEDx and Talks, Matty joins hosts Andy Coley and Simran Whitham ahead of taking on hosting duties at TEDxNorthernQuarter 2026 in Manchester.

    The conversation starts, naturally, with Manchester. Matty shares what he loves about the city, why he believes its friendliness, togetherness and willingness to support people makes it special, and how Manchester helped him build a life when he arrived with very little.

    He also talks about authenticity and why, whether he is on the radio, television, social media or standing on a stage, he has always tried to simply be himself. For Matty, audiences can tell when someone is playing a character, and genuine connection comes from allowing people to see the real person underneath.

    The conversation explores why some of the most interesting stories do not come from celebrities at all, but from the ordinary people we pass every day. Matty reflects on his years interviewing people across Manchester and why "everyone's got a story" has become such an important part of how he looks at people.

    Matty then speaks candidly about experiencing homelessness when he was younger and why supporting efforts to tackle homelessness in Greater Manchester has become deeply personal to him.

    He shares how a charity eventually helped him find somewhere to live, how getting a job in hospitality gave him a second chance, and the moment he realised he could begin building something more. From there came college, university, a move to Manchester and eventually an opportunity answering phones at the BBC that opened the door to a broadcasting career.

    Matty also looks back further, to childhood memories of radio and exchanging cassette tapes with his grandfather, revealing some of the early experiences that sparked his love of presenting and storytelling.

    The conversation turns to ambition, purpose and why Matty still wants more from life despite everything he has already achieved. He talks about learning the craft of live presenting, what being completely present on stage feels like, and offers some characteristically straightforward advice to the TEDxNorthernQuarter speakers.

    Finally, Matty reflects on failure, resilience and legacy. Having failed far more times than he believes he has succeeded, his message is simple: if you are not prepared to fail, you cannot win.

    And when asked what legacy he ultimately wants to leave, his answer has little to do with television, radio, Manchester or his career.

    He simply wants his children to remember having a good dad.

    TEDx and Talks is the official podcast of TEDxNorthernQuarter, taking you beyond the red dot to discover more about the people, stories and ideas behind the talks.

    Hosted by Andy Coley and Simran Whitham.

    Recorded by THE CLUB MCR in Manchester.

    TEDxNorthernQuarter returns to Stoller Hall, Manchester on 11 September 2026, bringing together 16 speakers to share ideas worth spreading.

    Find out more about TEDxNorthernQuarter:

    Website: https://www.tedxnorthernquarter.com/
    Podcast: https://podcast.tedxnorthernquarter.com/
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tedxnorthernquarter/
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tedxnorthernquarter/
    TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tedxnorthernquarter

    Connect with Matty White:

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattyfwhite/

    Content note: This episode contains strong language and candid discussion of homelessness and difficult personal experiences.

    TEDxNorthernQuarter is an independently organised event under license granted by TED.
    Mostra di più Mostra meno
    44 min
  • I Lost Myself for 10 Years | Scott Thomas on Identity, Purpose & Reinvention

    I Lost Myself for 10 Years | Scott Thomas on Identity, Purpose & Reinvention
    Aug 26 2026

    Send us Fan Mail

    For ten years, Scott Thomas says he lost himself.

    Known to millions from Love Island, Scott has since built a career as an entrepreneur, podcaster and motivational speaker, but behind the public profile was a period in which he says he became disconnected from the person he really was.

    In this episode of TEDx and Talks, Scott joins hosts Andy Coley and Simran Whitham ahead of taking to the TEDxNorthernQuarter stage in Manchester.

    Scott speaks openly about his years in nightlife, drinking, drugs and chasing a version of success that looked right from the outside but did not feel aligned on the inside. He shares the turning point that made him realise something had to change, and why rebuilding his life was not about becoming somebody new, but about reconnecting with who he had always been.

    The conversation explores identity, self-belief, sobriety, family, friendship and personal transformation, including why the people closest to us can sometimes struggle when we change, and the "lonely chapter" that can happen when you no longer fit into your old life but have not yet found your new community.

    Scott also talks candidly about modern masculinity, emotional openness and why he believes men do not have to choose between being driven and being vulnerable.

    The conversation then goes behind the scenes of his TEDx journey, from months of coaching and rewrites to the work required to turn a deeply personal idea into a fifteen-minute TEDx talk.

    Ultimately, Scott describes reaching a place where his work, relationships and ambitions finally feel aligned, and finding a purpose centred on helping other people reconnect with their own potential.

    TEDx and Talks is the official podcast of TEDxNorthernQuarter, taking you beyond the red dot to discover more about the people, stories and ideas behind the talks.

    Hosted by Andy Coley and Simran Whitham.

    Recorded by THE CLUB MCR in Manchester.

    TEDxNorthernQuarter returns to Stoller Hall, Manchester on 11 September 2026, bringing together 16 speakers to share ideas worth spreading.

    Find out more about TEDxNorthernQuarter:

    Website: https://www.tedxnorthernquarter.com/
    Podcast: https://podcast.tedxnorthernquarter.com/
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tedxnorthernquarter/
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tedxnorthernquarter/
    TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tedxnorthernquarter

    Connect with Scott Thomas:
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scott.thomas/
    Website: https://www.scottthomas.co.uk/
    TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@scott.thomas

    Content note: This episode contains strong language and candid discussion of alcohol, recreational drug use and gambling.

    TEDxNorthernQuarter is an independently organised event under license granted by TED.
    Mostra di più Mostra meno
    33 min
  • Welcome to TEDxNorthernQuarter: TEDx and Talks

    Welcome to TEDxNorthernQuarter: TEDx and Talks
    Aug 22 2026

    Send us Fan Mail

    What happens when the conversation continues beyond the TEDx stage??

    In the first episode of TEDxNorthernQuarter: TEDx and Talks, co-organisers Andy Coley and Simran Whitham introduce the vision behind the new podcast series and explore why Manchester is the perfect place to bring it to life.

    Recorded at THE CLUB MCR, Andy and Simran discuss Manchester’s distinctive personality, its creative communities and its history of producing innovators, entrepreneurs, artists, academics and people with ideas capable of changing the world.

    They also explore why TEDx should be about more than a single 15-minute talk. While the stage gives speakers an opportunity to share a powerful idea, the podcast creates space to understand the person behind it: what shaped them, what motivates them and where their ideas could lead next.

    You’ll hear why the series will feature not only TEDx speakers, but also coaches, organisers, supporters, industry leaders, creatives and members of the wider community. The aim is to make more ideas accessible, encourage thoughtful and civil conversation, and give a platform to remarkable people whose voices may not always be the loudest.

    Andy and Simran also reveal how podcasting will become part of the wider TEDxNorthernQuarter experience, including conversations recorded around the event and opportunities to capture the experiences of speakers and audience members.

    TEDxNorthernQuarter: TEDx and Talks brings you thought-provoking conversations that go beyond the red dot, uncovering the ideas, stories and experiences shaping our future.

    🎤 Hosted by TEDxNorthernQuarter
    🎙️ Produced in partnership with THE CLUB MCR
    📍 Recorded in Manchester, United Kingdom


    Subscribe for new episodes and exclusive conversations with inspiring voices from the TEDx community and beyond.


    Follow TEDxNorthernQuarter:


    📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/TEDxNorthernQuarter
    💼 LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/tedxnorthernquarter/
    🌐 Website: https://TEDxNorthernQuarter.com


    TEDxNorthernQuarter is an independently organised TEDx event.
    Mostra di più Mostra meno
    16 min