H-Hour

Dean Stott MBE returns to H‑Hour for a long‑form sit‑rep on life after the Special Boat Service. We dig into evacuations in Israel and beyond, the “ground truth” versus the media monster, the reality of being PNG’d by MOD, and why outdated secrecy policies are still shaping the lives of ex‑SF operators. Dean talks surfing and fighting at 49, cycling 14,000 miles, celebrity routes for ex-SF, and ho...

This 20‑minute icebreaker with Dean Stott MBE warms you up for the full H‑Hour conversation in Episode 289. Patron‑submitted questions go straight for the deep end: lizards and BBC war‑crime allegations, SAS/SBS selection myths, resilience in chaos, jungle weapon safety, and whether “good enough” is ever actually good enough. It’s short, sharp and a bit spicy, and it rolls directly into the main e...

What happens when your “office” is a helicopter and your job is to bring an emergency room to the streets of London in under seven minutes? In this episode I sit down with Adele Dobler, a helicopter air ambulance pilot with London’s Air Ambulance, to unpack what it really takes to fly lifesaving missions over one of the world’s busiest cities. We get into how Adele went from dreaming about helicop...

Join the H-Hour Patron Community at patreon.com/hkpodcasts ***** For this Icebreaker with helicopter pilot and author Adele Dobler, I put patron questions to her about arriving on people’s worst days, fear, and decision-making under pressure before rolling into the full episode. She explains how she compartmentalises trauma on London’s highest-priority trauma jobs, separating “keeping the aircraft...

 In this powerful follow-up conversation, Frank returns to share the extraordinary story of how he survived a life-threatening accident on the M3, lost his leg, and fought his way back from the edge of death. He speaks candidly about the split-second decisions, the long road through recovery, and the sheer force of mindset, training, and instinct that kept him alive. The discussion also goes far b...

Join the H-Hour community at https://patreon.com/hkpodcasts ***** For H-Hour #286, I welcome Jacob Lockwood, Coldstream Guards and founder of Lockwood Smocks, for a wide-ranging conversation on military life, entrepreneurship, and the challenge of building something real in an increasingly fake-feeling world. We talk about how his time sat in cold, wet OPs drove him to design better waterproof kit...

Join the H-Hour community at https://patreon.com/hkpodcasts ***** For this Icebreaker with Jacob Lockwood, I welcome him for a punchy patron Q&A ahead of the full episode, where we get into the attitudes, scars, and humour that sit behind the man and the brand. We talk about his feelings about missing Afghanistan, the old-school Para culture of calling people “crap hats,” his biggest military...

Join the H-Hour community at https://patreon.com/hkpodcasts ***** For H-Hour #285, I welcome Pasha Munro, ex Royal Marine and Special Forces operator, for a wide-ranging conversation on military culture, transition, social class divides, and navigating civilian life after elite service. We discuss Marines vs Paras social backgrounds — I pose my theory that Marines generally come from middle-class...

Join the H-Hour community at https://patreon.com/hkpodcasts/ ***** For this Icebreaker with ex Royal Marine and Special Forces operator Pasha Munro, answering patron-submitted questions he tackles UK special forces whistleblowers — arguing operators should be left to do their job within ROE and law, but wrongdoing must be called out — and defends UKSF as a moral organization where "bad apples...

For H-Hour #284, I welcome Rohan Byfield, former Paratrooper with 24 years in 1 Para and SFSG, now founder of R2Bean2 coffee (try his signature Dark Lord Reserve blend), for a wide-ranging conversation on military life, mindset, leadership, and transitioning to civilian success. We discuss SFSG's origins from ad-hoc support ops like Exercise Chameleon to formalizing after Iraq rescues (includ...

For this Icebreaker with former paratrooper Rohan Byfield, founder of R2Bean2 coffee, answering patron-submitted questions he defines cowardice as not owning your mistakes — like Paras making excuses for getting caught with drugs — and shares when he's taken the "cowardly route" by holding back harsh truths to spare feelings. He defends the Paras' elitist mindset as essential f...

Join the H-Hour Patron Community at patreon.com/hkpodcasts ***** For H-Hour #283, I welcome martial artist Joe Brooks for a wide-ranging conversation on his path in combat sports, his recent Total Kombat world title, and what makes the promotion feel different from the usual MMA startup. We dig into the fight itself — the range battle, the clinch exchanges, the scoring system, and what he felt he...

Join the H-Hour Patron Community at patreon.com/hkpodcasts ***** For this Icebreaker with martial artist Joe Brooks, answering patron-submitted questions he reflects on how being a trained fighter makes him far less likely to get into street fights, because competition gives him the confidence not to “prove yourself” outside the gym. He talks about the mindset behind combat, including how he visua...

Join the H-Hour Patron Community at patreon.com/hkpodcasts ***** For H-Hour #282 I welcome Monique Etienne, a Muay Thai fighter and dominatrix, for a wide-ranging conversation on masculinity, relationships, censorship, and national identity. We discuss the rise of figures like Andrew Tate - does it reflect young men feeling attacked or undervalued? We debate chivalry and evolutionary sex differenc...

Join the H-Hour Patron Community at patreon.com/hkpodcasts ***** For this Icebreaker with Muay Thai fighter Monique Etienne, answering patron-submitted questions she breaks down the hardest part of Muay Thai—its brutally full-contact nature—contrasting it with junior karate where you had to pull strikes and she was once disqualified for making contact. She reflects on her two losses, including a 2...

Join the H-Hour Patron Community at patreon.com/hkpodcasts ***** In this episode I welcome Annasley Park - a British adventurer and former elite cyclist who, after overcoming career-ending injuries and an eclectic journey through sports and global exploration, became one of only nine women ever to row solo and unsupported across the Atlantic Ocean. https://annasleypark.com/ We discuss Park stumbli...

Join the H-Hour Patron Community at patreon.com/hkpodcasts ***** Live-streamed to H-Hour patrons, this Icebreaker introduces Annasley Park - a British adventurer and former elite cyclist who, after overcoming career-ending injuries and an eclectic journey through sports and global exploration, became one of only nine women ever to row solo and unsupported across the Atlantic Ocean. https://annasle...

Join the H-Hour Patron Community at patreon.com/hkpodcasts ***** In this H-Hour episode, I chat with actor and ex-Queen’s Royal Hussars Officer Alex Brockdorff about breaking into film/TV via commercial crew work—starting as a runner and becoming a location manager to “keep a roof over my head” while pursuing acting—and why set life suits ex-military planning, teamwork, and initiative. Brockdorff...

Join the H-Hour Patron Community at patreon.com/hkpodcasts ***** Live-streamed to H-Hour patrons, this Icebreaker introduces returning guest Alex Brockdorff and runs through patron questions about his Army career and acting work. Alex explains that Sandhurst is designed as a training course—selection should mean candidates can pass—though passing out isn’t proof of “excellence,” and new officers s...

Join the H-Hour Patron Community at patreon.com/hkpodcasts ***** For H-Hour #279 I welcome back “Bags,” a former Royal Tank Regiment officer and military advisor for film, TV, and theatre, where we discuss reviving TV/film episodes—starting with a tank-film theme—and how cavalry and tank regiments evolved from WWI to today. Bags discusses his ongoing advisory role on Rogue Heroes (including season...

Join the H-Hour Patron Community at patreon.com/hkpodcasts ***** In this H-Hour Icebreaker, I welcome back Bags Simmons after roughly 18 months since his last appearance on the show. Answering questions submitted by H-Hour Patrons, Bags explains that the British didn’t deploy tanks to Afghanistan, but used heavily protected armoured vehicles like Mastiff/Cougar variants, describing restricted visi...

Join the H-Hour Patron Community at patreon.com/hkpodcasts ***** Freddie Kemp returns to the H-Hour studio after three years to dive into his latest endeavors in the film industry. Kemp talks about his advisory role in the upcoming film 'Fuze,' the increasing dominance of streaming platforms in content creation, and the resilience required in acting careers. He recounts gripping untold m...

Join the H-Hour Patron Community at patreon.com/hkpodcasts ***** In this H-Hour Icebreaker episode, Freddie Kemp answers questions from H-Hour patrons. Topics explored include the perceived respect for reservists in the military, the discipline and commitment required of reservists, and the effectiveness of German military strategies in World War II. Freddy shares his experiences of serving in the...

Join the H-Hour Patron Community at patreon.com/hkpodcasts ***** H-Hour #277 Lee "Frank" Spencer. In this podcast, Lee 'Frank' Spencer, a former human intelligence operator with extensive experience in Afghanistan, shares his nuanced perspective on the conflict. The discussion covers the operational dynamics from 2006 to 2012, differences in military tactics between US and Brit...

Join the H-Hour Patron Community at patreon.com/hkpodcasts ***** In this H-Hour Icebreaker, Lee 'Frank' Spencer joins Hugh to discuss his journey through military service and his remarkable achievements post-injury. Lee talks about the mental and emotional challenges he faced, including his experience rowing solo across the Atlantic despite losing a leg. The conversation covers essential...