”Naivety is our greatest weapon” — Jamie Laing, founder of Candy Kittens

Our guest today is Jamie Laing, the founder of Candy Kittens, former star of Strictly Come Dancing and Made in Chelsea, and now author of a new memoir: I Can Explain. Jamie is one of the most open and honest and energetic guests we’ve ever had on the show. A natural entrepreneur with infectious enthusiasm, in his early twenties he walked into a meeting with Harvey Nichols to pitch his new business Candy Kittens — and walked away with a £150,000 purchase order, despite never having produced a single sweet. When he was a kid, Jamie’s friends used to joke that everything he touched came with L.A.T: Laing Added Tax. But more than that, he’s a true entertainer — and a thoughtful commentator on topics of mental health, popular culture, and the perils of social media. 

In a wonderful episode of the Gentleman’s Journal podcast, Jamie tells us why he originally thought Made in Chelsea might be the biggest mistake of his life; the problem with the label ‘posh’; how he always used to worry that a swarm of wasps might turn up and ruin the party; and why we should all tell our parents we love them as much as possible.