School of Rock Bottom

What does it really mean to call yourself an alcoholic? Why is that word still so difficult to say out loud? In this next quick thought, I revist a conversation with Mary-Kate Harrington as we explore whether embracing the word "alcoholic" can actually reduce shame, break denial and help normalise conversations around addiction and recovery. We discuss stigma, identity, sobriety and why...

"I was smuggling drugs inside my body. I was passing out most nights. I hated my life." Eight years ago, Tash Peacock was a mum of two battling alcohol, cocaine and speed addiction. She was depressed, anxious, isolated and trapped in a cycle she couldn't escape. Addiction had taken her further than she ever imagined, leading her to take huge risks just to keep going. Then one morning...

If you've ever believed alcohol is what makes nights out, parties or social events enjoyable, this conversation may completely change the way you think about drinking. What if the confidence, laughter and connection you've been giving credit to alcohol were actually there all along? In this next quick thought, I revisit a conversation with William porter and the surprising psychology behind social...

DJ Fat Tony has spent over four decades at the centre of British nightlife. He has DJed for Madonna, Prince and Elton John. He has played Glastonbury, Ibiza, and everywhere in between. He is one of the most recognisable figures in the global party scene. And for nearly three decades, he was also dying. By the time he reached his breaking point, he had almost no teeth left, weighed barely seven sto...

Are triggers and cravings real, or have we misunderstood what’s actually happening in addiction and recovery? In this next thought, I revisit a brilliant conversation with Pax as we challenge one of the most commonly used ideas in recovery: that external triggers cause relapse. For many people early in sobriety, it feels obvious. Certain places, people, stress, even cities become labelled as “the...

Sean Willers was homeless as a teenager, served in Afghanistan, became an international DJ playing some of the biggest clubs in the world, and then woke up in a hospital bed with no memory of how he got there. That moment didn’t just end a night out, it ended an entire identity. In this episode of School of Rock Bottom, we explore what happens when success and self-destruction start to overlap, an...

Anorexia isn’t just about food, weight, or body image. In this next thought clip, I revisit a conversation with Sophie Anderson about the deeper reality behind eating disorders, trauma, control, anxiety, family dynamics, and the hidden emotional pain that so often sits underneath them. My guest speaks with remarkable honesty about living with anorexia, the dopamine cycle of restriction, the terror...

If you can imagine a life built around music, parties, friendship and a sense of total freedom, you start to understand the world Dan Charles lived in for over a decade. But that world came to a sudden stop in Ibiza in 2018 when a life-threatening medical emergency left him in a coma after a series of critical complications. What followed was not only survival, but a complete rebuilding of identit...

What does sobriety actually mean once the alcohol is gone? In this next thought, I revisit a moment with Sober Dave for a discussion about addiction, identity, dopamine and emotional sobriety. Dave opens up about drinking from the age of 14, reaching 21 stone, hating the person staring back at him in the mirror, and the moment he realised quitting alcohol was only the beginning. If you’ve ever str...

If you think you enjoy drinking too much to ever stop, this episode will challenge you. Today I'm joined by Hattie Underwood from Sober Happy Free to talk addiction, sobriety, cocaine use, ADHD, anxiety, and what really happens when drinking stops working. From secretly drinking on Christmas morning with a newborn baby to nearly five years sober, this is a raw, honest look at alcohol addiction...

Many people struggling with alcohol and drug addiction dream of one day being able to drink or use normally again — to have one or two, enjoy it, and stop there. But what if that fantasy is part of the trap? In this next quick thought, Oliver Mason explores relapse thinking, cravings, sobriety, moderation myths, and why many problem drinkers do not truly want one or two drinks at all. They want th...

If you think you’re in control of your drinking, listen to this. Today I sit down with Leanne Bayliss, who went from cocaine and alcohol addiction to raising a disabled child alone while rebuilding her life sober. This is not a journey about one period of struggle. It’s about what happens when you hit bottom repeatedly, and the moment you realise it’s live or die. Leanne speaks about the reality o...

Addiction doesn’t care what the substance is. In this next quick thought, I revisit a conversation with Gab Stone, as we strip back the illusion that gambling is somehow different to alcohol or drugs. What you’ll hear might challenge everything you think you know. The same patterns, the same brain chemistry, the same spiral. If you’ve ever told yourself “this isn’t as bad” or “I can control it,” t...

What if addiction isn’t really about drugs - but about the feeling that you never truly belonged anywhere? Today, I sit down with Kyle Hall, whose story moves from growing up in an alcoholic home to crystal meth addiction, psychosis, and eight years of relapse before finally finding a way out. Kyle describes being a kid who didn’t fit in anywhere—not with the popular crowd, not even with the “weir...

Addiction is a liar. It convinces you that a drink or a drug will make you feel better — but that promise is one of the most dangerous lies in recovery. In this week’s quick thought, Oliver Mason explores why “feeling better now” is addiction’s most powerful trick, how relapse works, and why short-term relief always comes at a long-term cost. It’s a bit like a toxic ex who comes back promising thi...

The rock bottom myth can be dangerous because it sells the idea that everyone has to to wait for one dramatic, Hollywood moment. But what if it’s actually a slow burn… gradually losing yourself without even realising? Today I sit down with Emily Horwood to look at the reality of alcohol addiction, sobriety, relapse, and recovery. From blackouts as a parent, mixing alcohol and coke, to building a t...

In this next thought, I revisit a previous conversation with Martin John about cocaine addiction, denial and the reality of where the road can lead. After nearly four decades around cocaine, Martin estimates spending close to £2 million on drugs and the lifestyle that came with it. What follows is a brutally honest reflection on how casual use can quietly escalate, why so many people convince them...

What role does spirituality play in recovery, and is it possible to stay sober for decades without it? Today, I sit down with Nigel to explore alcoholism, ego, fear, and the deeper search for meaning that often lies beneath addiction. At 38, Nigel had everything most people would call success - a family, a good job, a comfortable life. But inside, he was empty. Alcohol had been part of his life si...

Addiction tells one of its most convincing lies long before recovery even begins: that the problem will never leave you. In this next thought, Oliver Mason challenges the fear that sobriety means a lifetime of daily battle. If you’ve ever wondered whether recovery actually gets easier - or whether the voice in your head ever quietens - this conversation cuts straight through myth, shame and miscon...

Harrison Ward, also known as Fell Foodie, drank more than 20 pints a day, smoked like a chimney, battled clinical depression in silence and reached a moment where he believed there were only two ways out. Today I sit down with the man behind the outdoor cooking phenomenon to unpack addiction, withdrawal, mental health and the decision that saved his life. Harrison shares the reality behind addicti...

This episode is for anyone who has tried to stop drinking and found themselves right back where they started. In this next quick thought, I -Oliver Mason - revisit a conversation with Issy Hawkins on what relapse actually looked like for me, why “relapse is part of recovery” never rang true for me, and the moment when the fight finally stopped. What unfolds is not a neat recovery story but a real...

When I first saw Johnny Lawrence’s documentary The Slavery of Addiction, I knew I had to speak with him. Johnny grew up in fear - beaten by his father, bullied for his skin colour and convinced he’d never be enough. Alcohol seemed to be the perfect medicine. Together we explore one of the most misunderstood aspects of trauma and addiction: acceptance. Johnny shares a deeply personal account of con...

In this next quick thought, I revisit a conversation with rehab manager Raffa as we challenge the stereotype of what “rock bottom” really means. It’s not always losing your job, your home, or your relationships. Sometimes it’s quieter — a loss of self-respect, a look of disappointment from someone you love, or the moment you realise you can’t keep living the way you are. Drawing on decades of fron...

He technically died twice. He survived Borstal, homelessness, decades of speed and cocaine, five heart attacks, and 29 days in a coma after a triple heart bypass went wrong. His life was saved by Dr Hasnat Khan, who was close to Princess Diana, and he came back sober, creative, and unstoppable. This is Garry Johnson, the punk poet, street journalist, and man who discovered the Stone Roses, telling...

In this next thought, I revisit a simply amazing conversation with Mark Shenton as we explore the essential conversation around pornography, sex addiction, dopamine, and the search for validation. Drawing from lived experience, this episode examines how early exposure to porn can quietly shape identity, self-worth, and behaviour, and why so many people struggle in silence. If you’ve ever questione...