Believe in People: Addiction, Recovery & Stigma

In this episode of Believe in People: Addiction, Recovery & Stigma , we conclude our two-part conversation with Andy Woodward , who reflects on the long-term psychological effects of childhood trauma and how those experiences shaped his later struggles with alcohol use, anxiety and identity. Andy shares how a false rape accusation in 2015 became a devastating turning point - stripping away the...

In this episode of Believe in People: Addiction, Recovery & Stigma , we begin the first of a powerful two-part conversation with Andy Woodward , the former professional footballer whose bravery exposed one of the biggest safeguarding scandals in British sporting history. Andy was the first to go public with his experience of childhood sexual abuse at the hands of youth coach Barry Bennell , a...

In this episode of Believe in People: Addiction, Recovery & Stigma , we are privileged to sit down with Taz , whose life story spans racism, identity conflict, culture, trauma, addiction, and the long path to redemption. Born in Britain to Pakistani parents, Taz grew up between cultures – navigating violence, racism, and confusion around faith, masculinity, and belonging. Forced into an arrang...

In this episode of Believe in People: Addiction, Recovery & Stigma , Katie Price and Kerry Katona sit down for a raw, unfiltered conversation about cocaine addiction , recovery, motherhood, mental health, and the double standards women continue to face in the public eye. Recorded live behind the scenes at Hull City Hall during their UK tour, Katie and Kerry speak candidly about ADHD, bipolar d...

In this episode of Believe in People: Addiction, Recovery & Stigma, Mel shares a powerful and deeply honest account of her journey through alcohol misuse , escalating substance use, mental health struggles, and the non-linear path toward recovery. Growing up as a triplet in a family where drinking was normalised, Mel describes early identity struggles, belonging within pub culture, and how her...

In this episode of Believe in People: Addiction, Recovery & Stigma , Emma Hardy MP returns to the podcast to discuss some of the most urgent challenges facing Hull and the wider UK – including rising ketamine harm , worsening mental health pressures, and the city’s ongoing triple flood threat . Recorded during a period of national uncertainty, Emma reflects on the cost of living crisis, social...

In this episode of Believe in People: Addiction, Recovery & Stigma , Elly returns for her third appearance to share more than 30 years of insight from frontline harm reduction and public health work, with a particular focus on eliminating Hepatitis C across the UK. Elly explains how treatment has transformed from long, punishing year-long interferon courses with severe side effects to today’s...

In this episode of Believe in People: Addiction, Recovery & Stigma , we meet Henry Beercock , founder of Hull’s rapidly growing sober movement Alcohull Free . After nearly two decades of heavy binge drinking, Henry made a bold decision that changed his life: he stopped drinking, stepped away from his corporate career, and began rebuilding his health, identity and purpose from the inside out. W...

In this special episode of Believe in People: Addiction, Recovery & Stigma , we present a unique collaboration with Apple Music and the Radio Academy Award-winning podcast Classical Connections , hosted by world-renowned pianist and composer Alexis Ffrench . Originally broadcast as part of the celebrated 60-Second Sonata segment, Alexis invited host Matthew Butler to share a deeply personal re...

In this episode of Believe in People: Addiction, Recovery & Stigma , Young Lee returns to explore what happens after the chaos of addiction — when the substances are gone, the dust has settled, and the real internal work begins. Once seen as a rising talent in the music scene, Young describes how losing everything forced him to rebuild not just a life, but a self . Through daily spiritual prac...

In this episode of Believe in People: Addiction, Recovery & Stigma , Ross shares an extraordinary journey from personal tragedy to public advocacy following the suicide of his father - a traumatic event that deeply shaped his mental health and identity. Struggling to cope with overwhelming grief, Ross turned to alcohol and cocaine to numb the pain, leading to multiple suicide attempts and a pe...

In this episode of Believe in People: Addiction, Recovery & Stigma , Matt speaks with Woody Albrow , the National Connecting Communities Lead at Change Grow Live, who shares an open and deeply personal account of his journey through addiction, spirituality and professional development. Woody reflects on the early signs of substance use during his teens, including butane gas, cannabis, hallucin...

In this episode of Believe in People: Addiction, Recovery & Stigma , Matt speaks with Chris De Banks , founder of Not Saints - the UK’s only not-for-profit record label dedicated to supporting musicians in recovery. Through Chris’s lived experience, we explore the powerful intersection of music, addiction and sobriety , and the realities of navigating creative life without substances. Chris re...

In this episode of Believe in People: Addiction, Recovery & Stigma , Matt sits down with Daniel Ramson, known online as TalkToBigDan, for a raw, provocative and unapologetically direct conversation about recovery, responsibility and the limits of traditional services. Dan charts his journey from partying with rock stars to being sectioned, surviving drug-induced psychosis, and navigating the f...

In this episode of Believe in People: Addiction, Recovery & Stigma , John shares a powerful story of quiet transformation - a shift from binge drinking, late nights and emotional exhaustion to clarity, creativity and meaningful connection. After a 5am moment of reckoning, John made a life-changing decision: to stop drinking. Not because he identified as an alcoholic, but because alcohol no lon...

In this episode of Believe in People: Addiction, Recovery & Stigma , Paul Haley shares his extraordinary journey from the depths of heroin and crack cocaine addiction to a position of national leadership within Change Grow Live. After a near-fatal injecting injury became his rock bottom, Paul made the courageous decision to rebuild his life - a decision that would ultimately shape his future a...

In this powerful transatlantic collaboration of Believe in People: Addiction, Recovery & Stigma , host Amy Goldberg welcomes UK host Matt Butler into the guest seat, joined by special guest host Caitlin Morrison — sister of the late Matthew Perry and a driving force behind the Matthew Perry Foundation. Together, they explore the intersections of recovery, resilience and legacy through an intim...

In this episode of Believe in People: Addiction, Recovery & Stigma , Matt sits down with ultramarathon runner Tom Fitzsimons , whose extraordinary journey from alcohol addiction to running 3,073 miles across the United States in 100 days stands as one of the most powerful testaments to human resilience and purpose. Through raw, candid storytelling, Tom shares how running became his lifeline -...

In this episode of Believe in People: Addiction, Recovery & Stigma , Matt begins the first part of a deeply personal two-part conversation with Sarah Hicks , whose story spans addiction, trauma, abusive relationships, grief and the long journey back to self-worth. Sarah reflects on her early experiences with substance use, unpacking how emotional neglect, generational patterns and unhealthy fa...

In this episode of Believe in People: Addiction, Recovery & Stigma , we continue the second part of a powerful two-part conversation with Sarah Hicks , who shares her courageous journey through trauma, justice and long-term recovery. Speaking with clarity and unflinching honesty, Sarah reflects on her experience of surviving sexual assault and the profound psychological impact that followed. S...

In this episode of Believe in People: Addiction, Recovery & Stigma , Matt speaks with Chris Tait - keyboardist for Electric Six and founder of Passenger Recovery , a Detroit-based organisation supporting musicians and creatives in sobriety. Together they explore what happens when the highs of the music industry collide with the depths of addiction. Chris reflects on using alcohol as a coping m...

In this episode of Believe in People: Addiction, Recovery & Stigma , Matt jumps straight into a heartfelt and unflinching conversation with Shev , who reflects on the emotional weight of adult responsibilities placed on her from an early age - including becoming a mother at just 17. Shev speaks candidly about the wounds of abandonment, the complexity of family relationships, and how alcohol us...

Matt is joined by Ollie for a raw and introspective conversation tracing his journey from early childhood trauma to recovery. After losing his mother at just eight years old and navigating the fallout of his father’s 22-year prison sentence at fifteen, Ollie turned to cannabis as a coping mechanism - eventually becoming heavily dependent and identifying as a self-proclaimed “weed connoisseur.” He...

Join Matt for an extraordinary conversation with Andre, whose story spans over three decades in a Los Angeles prison following convictions for armed robbery and murder.  Opening with a raw account of the grief, addiction, and desperation that drove his actions, Andre offers a gripping exploration of life inside the U.S. prison system - marked by gang violence, racial segregation, and institutional...

Join Matt as he sits down with Emma, whose powerful and unflinching account traces a journey through addiction that began at just 11 years old. Growing up in a family shaped by substance use - her father’s addiction and her grandmother’s role as a local drug dealer - Emma’s path quickly escalated from early experimentation to heroin and crack cocaine dependency by 23. She shares pivotal and harrow...