British journalist, podcaster and presenter Josh Smith has gained international recognition for his signature empowering interviews, innate warmth, and humour.
His Glamour UK cover interviews (sitting down with everyone from Nicole Kidman to Kylie Jenner) gained a cult following and his podcast and video interviews now have a reach of 12 billion and counting. Josh’s interviews put self-discovery and self-acceptance at the heart of intimate conversations. With unparalleled access to the world’s most in-demand celebrities, his signature is creating a safe space for the most powerful people and his hit podcast, Reign sees the biggest names on the planet open up like never before from Kate Hudson to Cara Delevingne. Each week Josh is joined by a celebrity guest for a down-to- earth chat about their journey to success. Josh’s charisma encourages a truly unfiltered dialogue between him and his guests, allowing them to comfortably share their personal stories to inspire listeners. After launching in January 2021, Reign is already in its seventh season and has come to life through live and virtual live stream events, and sits in the top 1% of podcasts globally. The podcast has charted in 101 countries on Apple Podcast charts, sitting within the top 1% of podcasts globally. Reign has reached #1 in UK, gone top five in 35 countries, including #5 in USA and hit the top ten in a further 62 countries. The podcast has also amassed a lot of press attention and has been covered by the likes of Vanity Fair, Variety, Harper’s Bazaar, BuzzFeed and Elle, amongst others.
Josh has also written features and cover stories for The Sunday Times Style, The Telegraph, InStyle and GRAZIA and is a proud ambassador of the UK’s leading children’s mental health charity, Place2be. He recently hosted a series of interviews with the charity’s celebrity supporters which was shared by the Princess of Wales, the charity’s royal patron across social media.
Why the REIGNbow edit was made….
For me, pride month is the most wonderful time of the year but the Reign podcast stands for being proud of who you are, living authentically as yourself – no matter how you identify – 365 days of the year! The Gel Bottle, a salon nail polish brand for nail technicians and it’s at home nail polish sister brand, Peacci stand for exactly that and expressing yourself your way which beauty is such an intrinsic part of that. So together we came together to create the Reignbow edit which includes 11 empowering nail colours, one for every single stripe in the pride flag, because everyone should feel seen and be able to express themselves.
I loved working with GelBottle Inc. to create this REIGNbow collection because….
I *LOVE* making a statement whether that is with your lewks or by using your voice and the 11 empowering shades are all about making a statement. The names of the polishes are highly camp too (like me) from It’s Britney Bit*h pink to Clueless yellow.
What’s so special about this nail collection is…
One of the most important things we can do as a community is show allyship towards one another and support each other where we can. So aside from the fabulous shades I am so proud that 25% of sales from the REIGNbow edit are going to the charity, Switchboard, who support our LGBTQIA+ community in their time of need.
The Reign Podcast is best known for…
Reign is all about empowering conversations and each week we are joined by a celebrity guest who opens up about their route to finding their power. The podcast is best known for creating a safe space for people to open up, which in turn inspires our epic community of listeners and, even myself, to open up in return. With our guests talking freely we have covered so many topics from mental health to fertility, relationships to periods. You name it, we have talked about it.
My biggest achievement to date is…
I am always asked, ‘who was your favourite guest?’ But my biggest achievement is always when the conversations resonate with someone I have never met and it helps them feel seen and heard in a new way. When we had Joe Locke and Kit Connor on the podcast talking about the LGBTQIA+ Netflix show, Hearstopper I had SO many messages from people who felt inspired to either come out or it made them feel prouder of their identity. That means everything to me, because I needed that representation and that reassuring voice when I was growing up.
Three highlights from the podcast have been….
I really believe every conversation you have in life can be a lesson to you and teach you something about life if you are willing to listen and ask questions. So, every episode on the podcast has been a highlight in its own way but if I had to pick three highlights it would be: Kate Hudson, Jodie Comer and Lily Collins. Lily changed my life by being the first guest on the podcast, Jodie is always inspirational (and hilarious) and Kate taught me some valuable life lessons. Run to the podcast to hear them!
What’s trending in the LGBTQIA+ community this month is…
One word: PADAM PADAM. IYKYK but in case you don’t it’s Kylie Minogue’s comeback single!
My favourite place in the world to skip the crowds is…
Formentera, an island just off Ibiza. I love to skip the crowds but I like to know there is a party around the corner so the island is perfect for that!
My favourite same-sex wedding of all time was…
Does a fictional wedding count? If so, it has to be Stanford and Anthony’s wedding in Sex and The City 2. There were actual swans and Liza Minnelli, it doesn’t get gayer or more fabulous than that. Oh, and Carrie Bradshaw wearing a headpiece in stunning tailoring as the Maid of Honour was the cherry on top of a very queer cake.
And finally, what’s next for The Reign Podcast…
We are about to start a series sponsored by Nike, celebrating Women In Sport! We are going to be joined by sporting game changers from icons to Lionesses and I can NOT wait to share the conversations as we talk a lot about what hurdles still need to be overcome for true gender parity and sport is such an important and game changing space for representation. So I really hope it sparks some important conversations or just encourages you to get out there and move your body for your own wellbeing.
Discover the REIGNbow Collection here.
REIGN With Josh Smith Podcast.
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