Jon Culshaw: The Impressionist Who Fooled the Prime Minister

Long before Dead Ringers or Spitting Image, Jon Culshaw was a schoolboy with a knack for mimicry and a fierce determination to escape into voices- finding freedom, fun, and a future through the radio dial. In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with Jon to explore how a shy kid from Lancashire became one of the UK’s best-loved impressionists. They trace his early love of radio, his first gigs as a hospital DJ, and the key moments that transformed a quiet obsession into a celebrated career. Jon reflects on the emotional intelligence behind impersonation, how he’s always felt a sense of companionship in voices, and what he learned by studying the characters he came to embody- from Boris Johnson to David Bowie Endearing, reflective and full of rich storytelling, it’s a portrait of an artist who built a career out of listening- and reveals how sometimes, speaking in other people’s voices can lead you closer to your own. Find out more about Dead Ringers 25th Anniversary tour here