School of Rock Bottom

[TW//references to suicide] Love addiction is as a very serious issue with far-reaching consequences. It can lead to broken relationships, career setbacks, parenting challenges, financial difficulties, legal troubles, and health risks like STDs. In extreme cases, it can escalate to tragic outcomes such as stalking, domestic violence, suicide or murder. Today's guest is Darren, a multi-talented cre...

44 years sober. Yup, you read that right. Tom Clarke-Hill is an actor and musician from California and he speaks publically, with raw honesty and TONS of humour, for the first time about what was happening when he was 25 years old suffering from addiction and alcoholism and his life was falling apart. 12 steps later, Tom is happy, joyous and free for over four decades and he shares precisely how h...

[TW//references to suicide] Jon Salmon is an award-winning executive producer, digital pioneer and mental health campaigner. Jon was asked to speak alongside the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry at the launch of the Heads Together mental health campaign. Jon lost his father to suicide as a teenager and soon after he was sectioned and admitted to hospital suffering stress and depressi...

[TW//Drug use, drug dealing] At 16, actor Jennifer Joseph was coerced into a life of drug dealing. Quickly she rose to the very top and was known as The General, travelling the world as a generator and importer of narcotics - with connections to all the major players including "The Cocaine Godmother" Griselda Blanco. Jen thought she was invincible, whilst also battling a daily crack addiction and,...

[TW//Binge drinking, drug use] John Pickard is an actor, producer and filmmaker with a career spanning 25 years gracing the screens of many UK TV classics including 2 point 4 Children & Hollyoaks found himself out of work, depressed and using alcohol and drugs to cope with his emotions and an internal sense of feeling like a failure - hurtled into the dark abyss of periods of not drinking/usin...

[TW//OCD, Intrusive thoughts, extreme anxiety]It was New Year's Eve and actor Georgia Lock's world was about to turn upside down & change forever. In the blink of an eye, as the clock passed midnight, Georgia's (as she puts it) "brain broke". What followed was a cascade of intrusive thoughts, anxiety, worry, compulsions and fear. She didn't feel like she could trust h...

From a young age, actor Danny Kirrane had intrusive thoughts and suffered anxiety, overthinking and imposter syndrome. Acting and food was the perfect escape until his family life fell apart aged 18 which made his conditions snowball and created a food addiction and an unhealthy relationship with food. Danny found the courage to find therapy which has transformed his mindset and career. Although h...

I had the pleasure to have a powerful conversation with Love Island star Malin Andersson. On this podcast, she opens up about things she has never talked about publicly until today - battling alcohol use disorder & binge drinking. [TW] Malin has survived the grief of both parents passing to cancer and the death of her baby daughter, anxiety, depression, bulimia, domestic violence, narcissistic...

[TW//Major depression, panic attacks, anxiety, alcohol abuse] Filmmaker and director Maddie Kitchen was 19 and clinically depressed and suffering panic attacks. At first, alcohol helped relieve her symptoms but years later she found herself suffering a mental breakdown and shaking from alcohol withdrawal every time she tried to stop. Maddie finally surrendered and found recovery through filmmaking...

[TW//Drug Misuse & Violence] Carl Scott suffered childhood abuse, domestic violence and was groomed into a gang at age 13. He's been stabbed 3 times, his best friend died in his arms and at 15 he was living in a hostel addicted to heroin - then onto prison. 7 years ago, Carl changed his life completely and went on a mission to help other people get free of drugs and alcohol and has set up Proj...

The 12 Lies of Addiction - Tools to stay clean & sober and avoid relapse from alcohol & drug addiction. Christmas can be an incredibly difficult time for anyone in recovery from alcohol or substance misuse. The festive season, with its endless social events and alcohol-fuelled celebrations, can make it harder to stay clean & sober. In this episode, I’m exposing The 12 Lies of Addiction...

[TW//OCD, POCD, Obsessions, Compulsions] Actor Ria Fay's anxiety, panic, fear, intrusive thoughts and compulsions were out of control. The pandemic proved to be a challenging period for the world, but it was especially harrowing for those dealing with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Ria has suffered OCD symptoms since aged 5 and today she provides a poignant and powerful account of what it's...

[TW//Crack cocaine use, sex work] Eddy Queens was setting the world alight with her incredible singing, then suddenly was dropped by her label, she fell into a depression and got addicted to crack cocaine. She was instantly hooked and within 2 -3 years Eddy's home was a dangerous crack den that pushed her into sex work, being homeless, estranged from her family, stealing and a 24/7 drug addiction...

[TW//Anaphylactic Shock, Near Death, Hospitalisation, Stress] Matt Follows was a workaholic, addicted to stress, adrenaline, cortisol and an unhealthy lifestyle. Matt worked in advertising and was obsessed with winning awards and nothing else. Eventually he paid the price when he had a massive anaphylactic shock on the set of a Diet Coke shoot. Luckily for Matt, they were filming opposite Middlese...

[TW//Near Death Shooting, Serious Injury] South African Justin Govender was shot in the back by the police and he became a paraplegic at 17 years of age. What was a tragic moment at the time was to become one the most remarkable journeys of a lifetime. Justin hurtled into the abyss of feelings of hopelessness and despair waiting for a miracle to happen - only to hit rock bottom and realise he had...

[TW//Divorce, anxiety, depression] Today I welcome acting royalty - the incredible BAFTA award-winning Cathy Tyson! Following the breakdown of her marriage in her 20s, Cathy suffered from anxiety and her self-esteem plummeted. She branded herself a 'failure' which resulted in bouts of extreme misery, loneliness, isolation, the breakdown of relationships and feelings of shame which lasted years. Ca...

[TW//Sexual abuse, sex addiction, criminal acts, drug and alcohol use] In 1993, author Michael Emmett found his name in the headlines when he was nicked for a £13million drug bust and sentanced to 12-and-a-half years in prison. Today we are going on a journey of recovery from crime, prison, drugs, the love of money and sex addiction. Discover the shocking and hugely inspiring life of Michael Emmet...

[TW//Postnatal Depression, Suicidal Thoughts] 80% of mothers experience "baby blues" but 10% have a dramatic increase in symptoms that lasts beyond the usual 1-3 weeks and can develop into postnatal depression. These symptoms were horrific for my next guest, actor Carryl Thomas, who experienced suicidal thoughts and a breakdown. She found the strength to ask for help and is now a hugely positive v...

[TW//Crystal Meth, Intravenous Drug Use] Today I welcome Olivier Award nominated actor Robert Hands who trained at Bristol Old Vic and has been an actor for 35 years appearing in leading roles in film, theatre, television and West End musicals. Robert quit alcohol in his late 20's but many years after was offered to smoke methamphetamine and within three months he was injecting crystal meth. Rober...

[TW//Sudden death of a parent and grief] 8 million people suffered from the sudden death of someone close to them last year. Since the pandemic, 1 in 8 have experienced bereavement and 10-20% will go on to suffer from complex grief or prolonged grief. Today I welcome T.M/O who is a multidisciplinary artist, notorious wordsmith, and an exceptionally inspirational character! UK based T has been perf...

[TW//Drug Misuse, Suicidal Thoughts] Today I welcome singer, songwriter and author of the Amazon bestseller The Joy of Addiction, Sebastian Wocker. Aged 17, Wocker landed the principal part of Woof in the 1983 European tour of the musical Hair where, suffering teenage angst, low self-worth and low self-esteem, he went into a deep depression and had to throw in the towel after two months. He return...

[TW//Food Addiction, Bullying] At least 5% of the world's population are addicted to foods full of fat and sugar which can supercharge the brain’s reward system similarly to the way addictive drugs do leading to a multitude of health problems, including: Obesity, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, sleep apnea, depression, osteoarthritis, cancer,...

[TW//Clinical Depression, Suicidal Thoughts] 5% globally have depression or a depressive illness. Depression/anxiety has become a leading cause of disability. By 2030, the World Health Organization predicts the disorder to be the main contributor to the global burden of disease. In The UK, in March 2020 prevalence was 10% rising to 21% during the pandemic and now sits at round 16% or 1 in 6. Today...

[TW//Near Death Accident, Serious Injury] Jonathan Goodwin has been called “the closest thing we can boast to a real life superhero”, and “the worlds greatest theatrical stunt performer”. The judges of both Britain's Got Talent and America's Got Talent described him as ''the most dangerous act in the world." Jonathan has been hanged, buried alive, locked in a box while covered in 200,000 bees, att...

[TW//Gambling, Love Addiction, Alcohol Dependence, Trauma, Abuse] Today I welcome actor and former magician Nicole Hall as we discuss how genetics and environment may have impacted her journey into love, gambling and alcohol addiction. Nicole generously shares how she used fantasy as a way to escape the negative memories and emotions from childhood trauma. Then Nicole discovered she was very gifte...