The Club Soda podcast

Trina Gulliver MBE is ten times world darts champion. But drinking nearly ended her career.  Her sport did not disappoint her, though - with the help of Sporting Chance , the charity founded by Ex-footballer Tony Adams, she got the help she needed to make a comeback. In this week's episode of The Next Round, we find that what comes next may be more of what you did before - you just may do it...

Helen Tomlinson is the UK's menopause champion, a role she does alongside her full-time job. And in this episode of the next round, she shares her experience of quitting alcohol during menopause. Like any sales industry, alcohol has traditionally been a big part of the recruitment sector. But as she got older, Helen was feeling the effects of alcohol more. She decided to knock it on the head....

Running a hospitality venue is stressful - but Hari saw the benefits of quitting drinking really quickly.  She has now kitted out a horse box to take her hotel's incredible drinks range to events and festivals. She just has to get through the door first! Welcome to the next round. In this series, we talk to people who have changed their drinking to find out what they did next, from new hobbie...

Lucy got to the point where she was finally ready to change her drinking - but she laid her personal development groundwork first.  Changing her drinking gave Lucy the confidence she needed to share her art and build a community.  Welcome to the next round. Where we discover what people did next after knocking booze on the head, from trying fun challenges to complete life changes - people ended up...

It’s like Piers Burnell is 21 again. He is always busy with new creative projects. But when he tried his hand at stand-up comedy - he did not do that alone. And he is passionate about everyone finding what they love once they have given up booze. In this week's episode of the Next Round, meet Piers Burnell: Radio Marlow presenter, drama teacher and aspiring stand-up. You can also catch him da...

Ex-professional athlete and restauranteur Justin Bone hit rock bottom. But you wouldn't know that to hear him now. He has new business ideas aplenty. Justin is a man on a mission. Fitness was at the core of his recovery, but it was his excitement for business and new ideas that kept him going. In this episode of the Next Found, he talks about his lowest point, how he recovered and how to star...

Ellie Gibson is a journalist, broadcaster and comedian. And yes, she explored her drinking habits by sharing her story with special guests, on a podcast. One half of Scummy Mummies, Ellie has been podcasting for over ten years. But what made her reflect on her changing drinking? In this episode, we talk wrestling names, drinking and podcasting. Some tough rules have helped her discover there are b...

George Anderson has been into fitness all his life. He has even made a career from it. But it wasn't until his late thirties he finally realised quitting alcohol was the missing piece of his performance goals. The aspect he found the hardest was socialising - but just like fitness - practice makes perfect.  Host of the Next Round, Laura Willoughby, went to the same university as George, just...

In the latest episode of the Next Round, Laura meets Ben Tuff. Ben may not have swum much as a kid, but he recently completed a  21-mile swim around Jamestown, something he would never have done if he had not quit drinking in 2012. Ben Tuff was a teacher, father, husband and secret drinker. Swimming long distances became his thing, and Matt Corliss chronicled Ben’s journey to sobriety in the film,...

In the latest episode of The Next Round, Laura talks to Emma Baron, one third of the day club House of Happiness . Emma reached back to her teenage passion when she gave up drinking - but it took some suggestion from a therapist to get her there. Understanding that she dealt with her emotions through alcohol was another key factor in helping her quit. But how did she get from a music-mad, drum-pla...

In the latest episode of the Next Round, Laura talks to Kayla Lyons. Kayla is the author of Soberish, a non-judgemental guide to help millennials and Gen Z create a relationship with alcohol that works for them using evidence-based tools and expert advice. We have also reviewed Soberish on our website . What's next for you after you change your drinking? Discover more about the Next Round . F...

In this new podcast series from Club Soda, Laura Willoughby meets people who've changed their drinking and discovered new passion and purpose. In this first episode, Laura talks to David Hodgson, founder of Zeno Wines. David shares how his background in the wine industry influenced his drinking habits, and how his commitment to sobriety informs his work now in creating alcohol-free wines. Rea...

What's happening for mindful drinkers in NYC? Beyond Booze went on tour to find out. In this week's special bonus episode of Beyond Booze, Noah chats with Aqxyl Storms, founder of Minus Moonshine, a non-alcoholic bottle shop in Brooklyn's Prospect Heights. For more on mindful drinking in New York, check out last week's episode with Shea Gomez of No Booze Babes and sober nutriti...

In a special bonus episode, Noah Villeneuve reports on his summer adventures in the USA. Following his visit to Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans, he spent time exploring the mindful drinking scene in New York City. Noah is joined for this special episode by co-host and Club Soda co-founder Laura Willoughby. He interviews Shea Gomez of No Booze Babes and sober nutritionist Dr Brooke Scheller, f...

In the Beyond Booze season finale, Noah meets Netflix Drink Masters champion LP O'Brien and her co-founder Alex Jump, the forces behind Focus on Health. Focus on Health offers health and wellness training in the drinks and hospitality industry. Both LP and Alex have built formidable reputations in the drinks industry, and their joint venture was born out of their shared hope that with proper...

Episode 13 of Beyond Booze features Imme Ermgassen, co-founder of Botivo. Prior to trying and falling in love with the complexity of Botivo, Imme was the last person anyone expected to rave about a non-alcoholic drink. Coming from a background in consumer strategy and insight, Imme has become a fierce advocate for healthy hedonism. Botivo is breaking new ground among alcohol-free drinks, leaning i...

Creator of All The Bitter, Ian Blessing, is Noah's guest for episode 12 of Beyond Booze. Ian and his wife Carly met while working together as sommeliers at one of the world's finest three Michelin-star restaurants, The French Laundry, in Napa Valley. After having kids, they decided that alcohol wasn't in their plan anymore, and immersed themselves in alcohol-free alternatives. Surpr...

Lucky Saint founder Luke Boase is our guest for episode 11 of Beyond Booze. Luke's journey to creating Lucky Saint started with two simple questions. How do you make a great-tasting alcohol-free beer? And how do you build a brand that will attract people? After two years of development, Lucky Saint launched in 2018. Luke's dogged determination to Lucky Saint has seen the brand's rep...

Inspirational bartender, writer and wellness coach Derek Brown is our guest for episode 10 of Beyond Booze. Derek began work as a bartender in 2000. He went on to establish The Columbia Room, an award-winning bar that shaped Washington DC's cocktail culture for over a decade. Derek's personal relationship with alcohol took a turn following the birth of his son. He no longer drinks, and h...

Episode 9 of Beyond Booze explores the magic of camellia sinensis with Adrian Hodgson of REAL Drinks. Adrian's PhD studies focused on the health benefits of tea. Looking for an alternative to wine, he set up REAL with his co-founder David Begg to find complexity in drinks through non-alcoholic fermentation.  The result is REAL's range of sparkling teas, designed to pair with food and fil...

Dash Lilley of Three Spirit talks to Noah Villeneuve on this week's episode of Beyond Booze. Dash has been developing drinks brands since 2012 and created Three Spirit in 2018. Fascinated by the functional benefits of food and drink, and wanting to avoid alcohol, Three Spirit was created to offer a mood-enhancing alternative. In this interview, Dash shares his experience of creating Three Spi...

This week on Beyond Booze, we meet Amanda Thomson, the creator of Noughty alcohol-free wines. Amanda founded her company Thomson & Scott following a career in broadcasting and the arts. Loving the buzz of champagne, she set out to create alcohol-free alternatives. The company now has a portfolio of alcohol-free wines. In her interview with Noah Villeneuve, Amanda talks about her background, he...

On this week's Beyond Booze, Noah Villeneuve explores life as a sober bartender with Davide Segat. Born in Venice, Davide came to London in 2003, working in bars and restaurants. After a lucky break into luxury hotels, he's built a career as a highly respected hospitality professional. But when his social drinking tipped into using alcohol to cope, Davide decided to quit drinking. Subscr...

Ellie Webb, the creator of alcohol-free spirit Caleño , is Noah Villeneuve's guest this week for episode 5 of Beyond Booze. Ellie was working for an alcohol company and doing dry January when inspiration for her solo business struck her. Inspired by the vibrant colours of Colombia, she created Caleño with an emphasis on fun. And having pushed on through hard times in setting up her business,...

Episode 4 of Beyond Booze introduces Chris Wilfred Hughes, creator of Wilfred’s Aperitif . Chris had always been passionate about creating drinks and eventually turned his hobby into a business. Wilfred’s is a carefully crafted blend of natural rosemary, bitter orange, rhubarb and clove to create an unusual but unmistakably British drink. Subscribe now to get the latest episodes of Beyond Booze ea...