REAL LIVES

TRIGGER WARNING: Child Sexual Abuse When Jeanette was a child, she survived sexually assaults by two different predators, neither of them have ever been held to account and walk free. But Jeanette reached out because she wanted to share an important message, one that centres around healing and finding a way to let go of the trauma and control her abusers had over her life. This is REAL LIVES. If y...

When Steve Phillip's phone rang on the 4th of December 2019, he didn't know that phone call would change his life forever. His son's partner told him that Jordan, his second born child, had died by suicide. He was 34 years old. Steve now runs The Jordan Legacy, a suicide prevention charity, and he is here today to share his story and what he hopes to achieve in Jordan's honour. This is REAL LIVES....

When Sanjay met his ex-partner, red flags started to emerge shortly after they became a couple. She was rude to his family, tried to cut him off from his family and would verbally and physically abuse him. His family would get the police to conduct welfare checks on him, fearing he was in real danger of being seriously harmed. Sanjay started to recognise that he was being abused and told her that...

When Steph was working in a mental health facility, she was also dealing with the break down of her marriage. So when a patient who was preparing for release started showing her attention, she entered into a relationship with him. One that would leave her expecting his child and facing a prison sentence.... This is REAL LIVES. If you'd like to support the show and join me over on Patreon, please s...

Today I want to share an episode of a podcast that I am the co-creator and producer of - 'The Affair... with Anna Williamson'. In the first episode Anna talks to Becky, a woman who has lived through the unthinkable. In this story of the ultimate double betrayal, Becky takes us through her journey of finding out that her husband and best friend were expecting a baby together and how she began to he...

In this very special podcast, hosts Naomi Channell (from the ‘REAL’ and ‘REAL LIVES’ podcast) and Lala (aka @Lalalaletmeexplain from the ‘Block, Delete, Move On’ podcast) are joined by Zoe Watts, a survivor of systematic drug facilitated abuse at the hands of her former husband and one of the founders of the #endeyecheck campaign.  Zoe tells her story and the message and change she hopes to a...

From the outside looking in, Elaine was raised in your average household - Mum, Dad and 2 children. But as Elaine grew older, she started to realise that her mother was being emotionally abusive towards her. She's here today to share her story and to explain why she chose to cut-off from her family for good. This is REAL LIVES. If you'd like to support the show, you can join Patreon here, thank yo...

Holly Budge is a modern day wonder woman. She started out as an adventurer, she was the first woman to skydive Mount Everest and she has jumped out of a place thousands of times. But when she came across the plight of wild animals, especially elephants, in Africa, and the thousands of poachers who illegally kill them every year for their ivory and other materials, she knew she wanted to be part of...

On the 11th of September 2001, Michael Dorian, dressed in scrubs, raced towards the pile of debris that was now all that was left of the twin towers. He knew people would assume he was a doctor, but he wasn't, he was a veterinary technician. Whilst he was there, he helped many firefighters and volunteers. In the years that followed, Michael became unwell. He had skin cancer, caused by wading throu...

Trinity grew up in a household that was void of love and care, her mother hadn't wanted children and she looked forward to the day she could start her own family and pour her love into them. But now she has found herself estranged from 2 of her children and she want's to speak out, to help make sense of her plight and to help others who might be going through something similar. This is REAL LIVES....

Todd's life was going well, he had just joined the police, he'd met a woman he loved and he doted on her young son. But just after they saw in the new millennium - Todd's world changed in an instant. And the tragic event from that day, led him to becoming an undercover cop... who didn't care if he lived or died. Todd's story is raw, real and inspiring and now he is turning his pain into purpose an...

For the last 25 years, Paula Rhone-Adrien has represented thousands of clients in UK family courts. From child abductions to cases involving domestic violence, Paula is here today to bust some of the myths that can be assumed when it comes to family law and how allegations of crime within the home are more common than we realise. To follow Paula on social media, see here: https://www.instagram.com...

Former murder detective Colin Sutton has achieved something only few can say they have done in their lives. He caught one of the UK's most violent serial killers ans well as one of the country's most depraved predators. In this episode, we hear directly from Colin about the highs and lows of his career and the moments that stuck with him. This is REAL LIVES. If you'd like to support the show, you...

When Bernie was told his sister had been murdered by her partner in 2012, he never could have predicted the way his life was going to change forever. Bernie now runs 'What Makes A Man' - an innovative enterprise that teaches men and boys about masculinity and how to end violence against women and girls. This is REAL LIVES. To support the show, you can do so here, thank you: https://patreon.com/REA...

When Suzanne was growing up, she was close to her big sister. But when she was 17, Suzanne's parent's told her her sister had accused Suzanne of the ultimate betrayal and 30 years on, the sisters continue to be estranged. Suzanne's here today to tell her story and how one vicious rumour almost ruined her reputation and meant that she never spoke to her again. This is REAL LIVES. If you'd like to s...

When Deb Cullen started writing letters to a violent prisoner in a psychiatric prison as a teenager, she didn't expect that her would soon be her husband. Deb had been a law abiding citizen, but when her husband got out of prison, it wasn't long before she found herself in one too.... This is REAL LIVES. To support the show and get add free access to REAL LIVES and REAL for £2 a month, plus other...

In October 2024, six-year-old Ruby Rose Trussler became ill. Her family thought she had a sickness bug, but the reality was far worse. Ruby died after contracting sepsis following an operation she had 7 months prior. Their lives have been forever changed and now they have launched an independent charity called The Ruby Rose Foundation - a charity committed to education around sepsis, bereavement s...

When actress Nicola Holt received a message from a film director called Kevin on social media, she was excited to get her teeth into some new projects. Their relationship became romantic and Nicola was hopeful for the future. But something was niggling her and after some digging she discovered that Kevin had a long term partner and that he was living a double life. The relationship ended and Nicol...

When Mandy met her ex-partner, she thought he was the one. But after six months, she started to see a completely different side to him and soon she found herself in a controlling and extremely violent relationship. Mandy was subjected to severe violence and she was terrified to leave, she even moved her son out of the home to keep him safe. But after a brutal assault by the man who claimed to love...

On this episode, I am joined by a woman who we are calling 'Natalie' to protect her identity. Her brother is serving a natural life order for killing two people and Natalie is here to give insight in to what it is like, grieving the loss of her brother, not through death, but through his incarceration. With approximately 300 people jailed for murder every year in England and Wales, the families of...

When journalist Anke Richter moved to New Zealand, she wanted to explore more of life. So she joined an organisation that promised to help her explore sexuality. But it was a chance encounter with a cult survivor that she was writing a journalistic piece on that she realised that she was also in a cult. Anke is now one of the worlds most respected 'cult journalists' and advocates and she's here to...

In this episode of REAL LIVES, Jay Flynn MBE tells the extraordinary story of the two years he spent homeless, sleeping rough and living without certainty. It was a deliberate decision that would go on to shape his life, his career, and his sense of purpose. But then something changed... Jay was offered help from The Connection at St Martin's charity and now he's the Nation's Favourite Quizmaster,...

Tad Nelson is one of Texas' most successful criminal defence attorneys. With Texas being a death penalty state, Tad has saved lives but also defended some of America's most dangerous criminals. He's worked on over 500 jury trials and has a plethora of qualifications under his belt, including certificates in forensic science. In this episode, Tad tells us what being a criminal defence attorney is r...

TRIGGER WARNING: This episode contains references to domestic violence and suicide. Whilst the descriptions are not explicit, please take extra care whilst listening. In March 2023, Danielle Haggarty was found unresponsive in the flat of a man she was dating on and off for eight years. The circumstance's in this case revealed a disturbing fact - it's not a crime to witness someone dying and not ca...

When Ellen De Meyer delivered her baby girl, she was over the moon to give her son a baby sister. But when her daughter Pia was just 3 months old, Ellen noticed that something was wrong with Pia's movement and strength. Pia was diagnosed with SMA Type 1, which can be life-limiting. There was a medicine that could save her, but it cost over £1.5m. And what happened next, is enough to restore anyone...