182: The Good Listening To Show with Chris Grimes - Episode 182182: The Good Listening To Show with Chris Grimes - Episode 182
UK Health Radio Podcast
Photographer Andy “One Shot” Gotts shares how a working-class upbringing, key mentors and years of persistence took him from Norfolk to photographing his acting heroes. Host Chris Grimes guides a warm, humorous conversation about graft, humility and long-term creative goals.
45:10•15 Aug 2026
One Shot, One Dream: Andy Gotts’ 36-Year Journey Behind the Lens
Episode Overview
- A strong work ethic and family stability can shape a lifetime of creative discipline.
- Clear themes and reasons behind a project help turn initial rejection into progress.
- Mentors and small chances, like a teacher’s recommendation or one supportive actor, can change a career path.
- Staying humble and refusing to chase fame keeps the focus on the craft rather than the spotlight.
- Long-term goals, like a decades-long wish list, can be realised through patience, persistence and incremental connections.
“Never chase fame. I’m a photographer. I’m not a celebrity.”
How do people find strength in their journey to sobriety? Sometimes it’s by hearing how others keep showing up for the long game, even in completely different fields. This episode of The Good Listening To Show shines a light on photographer Andy “One Shot” Gotts and his 36-year mission to photograph 150 actors from a dream list he wrote as a young student.
Hosted by Chris Grimes, the conversation has an easy, chatty feel, with plenty of humour and some properly jaw-dropping name drops. You’ll hear how a working-class kid from Norfolk, whose dad was a milkman and mum a waitress, went from college darkrooms to being described as “Hollywood’s favourite photographer”. Andy talks about the graft behind the glamour, paying tribute to his parents’ work ethic and the teacher who slipped him into a brand-new photography course.
As he puts it, the last thing his dad ever said to him was that he was proud, and the last thing his mum said was that she loved him. There’s a strong thread of perseverance. Andy recalls writing 300 letters with zero replies, being rescued by a single yes from actor Joss Ackland, and learning from that setback to create a clear theme for his work.
His patient pursuit of subjects like Gary Oldman shows how long-haul persistence can quietly pay off. He also shares the origin of his nickname, when Paul Newman declared, “You really are One Shot Gotts,” after Andy finished a shoot in four minutes flat. Along the way, there are stories about Stephen Fry, Kenneth Branagh, Monty Python and Bryan Cranston, all framed by Andy’s refusal to chase fame: “I’m a photographer.
I’m not a celebrity.” If you’re looking for a reminder that steady effort, clear intention and staying “on the flipping bus” can change a life, this conversation might be just the nudge you need. What dream list could you start today?
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