Mar 29, 2019
As one of the world's top specialists in counter terrorism, kidnap and personal security Will Geddes, aka ‘the Real James Bond or the real bodyguard’, has worked in hostile environments including Iraq, Afghanistan and… Hollywood. He felt most scared on the road from Basra to Baghdad, most happy in New York City and a relaxing break form work turned into a search and rescue operation in the 2004 tsunami. With close and personal connections to so many famous people, none of whom he can tell us about it’s an insightful yet delightful conversation with Will Geddes.
On this episode we cover:
Will having just come from breakfast with an action movie star
Celebrities’ failed disguises
Reece Witherspoon in the gym
A-listers blending into the crowd
Security needing to blend into the crowd
The ‘man mountain’ bodyguard
Policemen looking a lot smaller
Chubby police!
Accidental fat shaming
Being a child of the 70s being brought up on Spam
Mince and potatoes and flying saucer sweets
How to get into the bodyguard business
Always wanting a Blue Peter badge
How to get into the Moulin Rouge
Fighting with Legionnaires in Paris
How most Legionnaires are Scousers
Being ‘the real James Bond’
And the ‘the real Bodyguard
Roger Moore versus Daniel Craig and Idris Elba
Ian Fleming and Jamaica
Being good at diverting the conversation
Cloning Lisa’s identity to go shoe shopping for his wife
Being invaded by the security service as we speak
Not being in the military
Military men going into security
Taking him a long time to get some credibility
Studying martial arts from age 7
His Dad being a boxer and in the army
The brutal nature of Judo at school in the 70s
Training in Hong Kong, Japan and Indonesia
Leaving school with only four o-levels
Getting involved with an ex-parachute regiment partner
Developing corporate self defence training
Female-dominated industries like PR and advertising
Dar Es Salaam, Cape Town
Recruiting legendary ex-military and SAS for bodyguards
Growing in international corporate protection
Now having bases in over 42 countries
Bad timing when travelling
How a relaxing holiday turning into a tsunami rescue in Thailand in 2004
The force of the the tsunami sweeping him off his feet
The Amanpuri and The Laguna Beach in Phuket
Being on Sky News live from the tsunami
Watching the waves come in from the top of the hill
Searching for the missing and the dead
Escaping death in the hotel where everyone was killed
Identifying bodies in temples
Becoming hardened working in his industry
‘What is seen can never be unseen’
The traumatic recording of the Christchurch terrorist attack
Fearing for his own safety
Training executives for dangerous encounters overseas
How the veterans are often a bigger risk than the newbies
The danger of becoming complacent
West Africa’s risk of kidnapping
The six month rule
The importance of ‘situational awareness’
Emboldened travellers in India, Sri Lanka and Indonesia
How corporations keep quiet about kidnapping
How companies keep quiet about having kidnap insurance!
The most hostile environment he’s been in
Balham in London and Stretford in Manchester
Growing up in Catford and Forest Hill
Having safe havens in Iraq in 2003
How the Iraq liberation was the beginning of the chaos
Travelling from Basra to Baghdad on a weekly basis
Driving the MSR Tampa (like the M1!)
Running away from highway bandits waiting to ambush them
Like being in a scene in Mad Max 2
Stopping at Pizza Hut in Basra
SAS scoffing pizza
John Simpson’s and Levison Wood’s tales from Iraq
How the liberation process was ridiculous
The Art of War by Sun Tzu
Lawlessness amongst all sides leading to shallow graves
The Blackwater incident raising the profile of private contractors
Some of the shameful activities of private contractors in Iraq
Understanding how potential extremists were influenced
Owning Bengal cats
Being nursemaid and father confessor to Hollywood stars
Not being able to admit to knowing Matt Damon
Working with very big names
Working on movies with Gerard Butler
Trading movie stories with Andy McNab
London has Fallen with Gerard Butler, Morgan Freeman, Aaron Eckhart, Angela Bassett, Charlotte Riley (Tom Hardy’s wife)
Threatening Gerard Butler into coming on the podcast (well, Lisa wants him to)
Gerry – we’re coming after you
Rebuilding St Paul’s Cathedral in Bulgaria
Gerard Butler persuading Will’s wife on the phone
Quick fire
Whether he has a gun
Having a ‘grab bag’ by the door so he fly abroad at any given moment
How all you need is a passport and a credit card
How travelling with hand luggage in insecure markets is a good idea
How to spot a criminal at an airport
Lisa carrying flowers and chocolates
Using your instinct to identify threats
Being ‘situationally aware’ not paranoid
How we are too absorbed in our devices
Evasive driving techniques
Look at the furthest point down the road
‘Tyres on tarmac’ for a quick getaway
Feeling most happy in New York
Channelling Princess Di Taj Mahal
Being happy to lie on a sunbed for two weeks in the Maldives
Doing the Marathon de Sables ultra marathon through the Sahara
His top tips for travelling safely
Getting through the secure areas as quickly as possible
His brilliant overhead compartment tip!
Lisa’s travel PR’s bikini tip
Photos of Will in a bikini
What is seen can never be unseen
The Colombo question
Being a soul boy at heart
How the music question really reveals who Will is (you HAVE to listen to this one)