School of Rock Bottom

What if losing everything was the beginning of truly living? In this awe-inspiring episode, I sit down with one of my recovery heroes, Pax—a man who believes that losing his legs was the divine intervention that saved his life. Once living the high life, Pax’s descent into alcoholism left him homeless and battling life-threatening frostbite. But at rock bottom, he discovered a deeper purpose and f...

Is Happiness a Choice?! Can you stop overthinking and just live in the now?! Today's quick thought is with Jonathan Goodwin, "The Daredevil," as he shares his incredible journey. A world-renowned escape artist and stunt performer, Jonathan survived life-threatening stunts before a 2021 accident left him paralysed. Despite this, his resilience and positive mindset have been truly inspiring. Jonatha...

Anorexia isn't just about body image, social media and even control. Today, I welcome anorexia survivor Sophie Anderson who was hospitalised for months aged 12 for anorexia and is now 15 years in recovery! Today we uncover the hidden truths, damaging myths & misconceptions about anorexia and find recovery in the connections to addiction, trauma, family dynamics, genetics, emotional pain and fi...

Can you be happy & sober? In this powerful conversation with actor and Torchwood star Kai Owen, we delve into his journey of breaking free from alcohol and discovering true happiness without drinking. On this quick thought, Kai shares how he overcame binge drinking, found joy in sobriety, and learned to be present for his family, friends, and career. This clip is perfect for anyone questioning...

Thinking about doing Dry January or even a dry 2025? Maybe you're sober curious or your drinking has become problematic? Either way, this episode is for you! Sober Dave needs little introduction... Sober Dave, a trauma-informed alcohol recovery specialist, speaker, and host of the Top 10 podcast One for the Road & has amassed a following of over 140k on Instagram alone. Dave shares his incredi...

Thought 5: Andy Jeffery on Healing Childhood Trauma & PTSD. Author Andy Jeffery shares his extraordinary journey of overcoming childhood abuse, severe PTSD, and alcoholism. In this powerful thought, he reveals how equine therapy, acceptance, and even forgiveness became the foundation of his healing. Despite enduring unimaginable pain, Andy's story is a remarkable testament to the human capacit...

Gab Stone is an entrepreneur and talent agent whose skyrocketing career managing Olympic athletes came crashing down in one of the UK’s most infamous gambling stories. Gab takes us behind the scenes of his high-pressure life during the London 2012 Olympics, where he managed 22 athletes, 13 of whom medaled, while privately battling a gambling addiction that eventually led to financial ruin and pris...

Thought 4: Georgina White on Anxiety, Alcohol & 'Hovering Above Rock Bottom'. Actor Georgina White shares her powerful story about how anxiety shaped her life. When she tried alcohol at 12, it felt like a solution—giving her the confidence and calm she craved. For years, she believed she didn’t have a problem; after all, she didn’t drink daily, and sometimes not heavily. But behind the scenes,...

[TW//References to suicide & sexual abuse] Former actor Maike Mullender's life is a powerful story of resilience and self-discovery. In this extremely frank conversation, she opens up about the devastating loss of her father to suicide, a shocking and traumatic family secret, and the unanswered questions that haunted her past. She takes us through the mental health battles, the perfectionism,...

Thought 3: Living with Bipolar Disorder and Alcoholism – Mark Lockyer's Recovery Journey. In this powerful third episode of "Quick Lessons," actor Mark Lockyer shares his deeply personal journey through untreated bipolar disorder and alcoholism. From the chaos of undiagnosed mental illness to the hope of long-term recovery, Mark reveals the challenges, turning points, and lessons he’s learned alon...

"I spent 2 million pounds on cocaine!" Martin John went from poverty to millionaire status—and almost lost his life in the process. At the height of his addiction, he was spending £5,000 a week on cocaine, even eating it off a spoon when his nose gave out. In this no-nonsense episode, Martin pulls no punches, sharing how his drive for wealth and success spiralled into a nightmare of addiction. He...

Thought #2: How a Recovery Coach Helped Me Overcome Bulimia. In this second quick thought, we explore the difference a recovery coach can make in eating disorder recovery, especially when traditional therapy methods like CBT & OA fall short. My guest Kelly Wenham shares her personal journey of overcoming bulimia, finding new perspectives on food and self-worth, and breaking free from black-and...

This episode is about how, when life throws everything at you, the choice to keep going can change everything. Gareth Berliner opens up about living with Crohn’s disease, short gut syndrome (short bowel syndrome) and ADHD. After enduring years of surgeries, pain, and battling severe depression, Gareth reached his breaking point. In a moment where life or death was on the line, an unexpected realis...

Thought #1: Alcoholic Denial & Love Addiction. In this first quick thought, actor David Schaal (known from The Inbetweeners and The Office) shares how Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) shaped his understanding of alcoholism and influenced his relationships and journey through love addiction recovery. Discover his insights into alcoholic denial and the power of self-awareness. About the “THOUGHT” serie...

Did you know 1 in 5 people are affected by a parent's drinking? In this powerful episode, we hear from TEDx speaker Sammy Kingston, who lost her mother to alcoholism in 2018. After being estranged for 10 years, Sammy had just 10 minutes with her mother before she passed from stage 4 liver disease. This life-changing moment led Sammy to get sober and dedicate herself to helping children of alcoholi...

[TW//Suicide] Ben Akers on Male Suicide Prevention: Men’s Talking Group & registered charity "Talk Club" Saving Lives in the UK. Ben Akers, a filmmaker and mental health advocate, lost his best friend, Steve, to suicide. Like many men, Steve was unable to express his feelings due to societal pressures to "man up." This loss inspired Ben to create a documentary that evolved into a life-saving n...

Brandon has a light that can fill any room—his energy is infectious. But behind that light is a story of survival. At just 7 years old, his world collapsed when his mother became addicted to crack. Homeless and hungry, Brandon took on the role of protector for his younger brothers, every day a fight for survival. By 10, he found stability in a loving foster family, but the grip of addiction linger...

For the first time, I'm finally telling my story—a story of how alcohol slowly destroyed my life, leaving me physically and mentally powerless addicted & suicidal. I used to be a weekend-only drinker, fully focused on my career but one "hair of the dog" turned into drinking all week and, before I knew it, I was trapped in alcoholism. I was diagnosed with chronic and severe alcoho...

Who struggles with addiction? Is it only the person you see drinking on a park bench at dawn, or could it also be a respected judge, or perhaps a Muslim grandfather? Addiction does not discriminate—it affects people from all walks of life, regardless of age, culture, or background. In today’s episode, I am honored to welcome Raffa, a seasoned professional with over two decades of experience in the...

Theatre critic Mark Shenton discovered his sexuality via a porn mag in Soho aged 16, that quickly turned into an addiction alongside sex addiction which escalated to him hiring porn stars by the hour. Now 12 years into his recovery, Mark found a way out of a living hell that ended in a deep, dark depression and a stark feeling of hopelessness. Mark Shenton is a very well known theatre critic but t...

[TW//Coercive Control & Abuse] Today, I welcome singer/songwriter Smilee. At 18, she entered a relationship with a man who was 24 years older which started off with a lovely holiday abroad only to be trapped in relationship with regular menacing threats, humiliation, manipulation, isolation, stalking, intimidation, gaslighting & even examples of financial and physical abuse. Unfortunately,...

Actor Rupert Hill was a very high functioning and pleasant drinker who could hide his alcoholism behind a successful career as an actor and publican which also helped fuel the denial. Over decades, Rupert's drinking became more and more unstainable - he found himself wanting a drink before going on stage and even in the middle of the night. Rupert decided to announce that he was sober on social me...

[TW//reference to suicide] Livvie May is an actress from Bristol and lives in East London with her cat, Carole. After the break up of her first serious realtionship, Livvie tried to take her own life and thankfully survived. This started a destructive cycle of toxic relationships & encounters that lasted a decade. A friend suggested she attend Sex & Love Addiction Anonymous and her life im...

[TW// References to suicide, intrusive thoughts, OCD & depression] Oly spent a decade battling severe mental illness, losing his former confident and outgoing self to severe negative thoughts, OCD, anxiety and depression. One day, in his darkest hour, he pulled out a gym kit and went for run and he has run every day since! Through running he regained confidence and self-belief and for the firs...

From rehab, alcohol addiction & alcoholism at 21 to sobriety and success! Issy Hawkins is an actor and content creator with over 100,000 followers on social media. Issy walks us through getting sober at 21 and covers topics for anyone who is sober curious right through to full blown alcoholism including sex and dating, partying, following your dreams, how to live your best life sober & for...