Deep Diving with Eoghan McDermott

Derry Girls is a cultural phenomenon. Focused on the lives of four teenage girls growing up in 1990's Northern Ireland, it navigates their teenage tribulations against the backdrop of sectarian violence. Nicola Coughlan plays Clare, a nerdy and uptight swot, who also happens to be gay. Nicola talks about her own struggles personally, professionally and mentally before the show changed her life, as well as her activism, body-shaming and her late father Martin. 

Bradley Simpson is lead singer of multi-platinum band The Vamps. He chats to Eoghan about managing ego, money, fame, mental-health and nose-bleeds! 

The Script have sold over 35 million albums. Drummer Glen Power navigates the rise of the band and reconciling his own personal demons before they cost him. 

Joe McElderry won the X Factor in 2009 when nearly 20 million people watched him take the crown. Within 18 months he had released an album been dropped, been outed as gay and already started making plans to move on, under the unforgiving glare of the media spotlight. Here we talk that journey, the press, body shaming and re-inventing himself as a new type of star. 

In episode two, singer songwriter RuthAnne, who has written songs for Britney Spears, Niall Horan, Martin Garrix, Bebe rexha and JoJo looks behind the curtain of the songwriting industry. She talks moving to Los Angeles at 17, being mentored by The Script, making huge money very young, Michael Jackson and her #MeToo moments. 

In episode one, Eoghan chats to singing sensation and social media court jester Lewis Capaldi about growing up in Scotland, auditioning on TV talent shows, adapting to his new found fame and a new appreciation for Justin Bieber. 

Eoghan chats to Fitness YouTuber Rob Lipsett about building an empire from nothing, the personal cost of being always "on", why influencers have such a bad reputation and life inside the Love Island villa. 

This episode discusses how a singular police raid on a gay bar in New York in the 1960's led to what we now now as the Pride celebrations all around the world. Mark Stern from Slate Magazine in Washington talks us through the history of Pride and the commercialisation of the festival by big companies.

Eoghan chats to mother of Billie Eilish, Maggie, about her daughter's explosion to world fame in a matter of 18 months, navigating fame, her brushes with depression, her decision to homeschool and the challenges of fame.