Alcohol Episodes
Alcohol, one of the most socially accepted substances, often blurs the line between casual use and dependency. This category examines the unique challenges posed by alcohol addiction, exploring the societal normalisation of binge drinking, the physical and mental health impacts of excessive use, and the cultural narratives that influence drinking behaviours. Featuring personal stories, expert insights, and discussions about treatment options, these episodes provide listeners with a nuanced perspective on alcohol-related issues and the paths to recovery for those affected.
30
June 9, 2026
Carole Boss Watson: TikTok Sober Queen, 45 Years in Addiction, Gangster Dad and Sobriety
The TikTok sensation known to millions as "Sober Queen" joins us on Believe in People. Carole Watson's story is unlike anything we've featured before. Her addiction began at just ten years old and continued for more than 45 years through drugs, alcohol, crime, prison, abusive relationships, health scares and repeated brushes with death. Known online for her brutally honest recovery content, humour and storytelling, Carole has built a huge following on TikTok as @carolebosswatson, inspiring pe...
29
May 27, 2026
Kaitlin Reeve: Motherhood, Cocaine, 12 Steps & How Mums Can Ask For Help Without Losing Their Children
In this episode of Believe in People , Kaitlin Reeve , known online as Sober As A Mother Focused , joins us to discuss motherhood, addiction recovery, trauma, shame, and the unique barriers women face when seeking support. Kaitlin shares her deeply personal journey from childhood trauma and early substance use to cocaine addiction, cannabis dependency, and ultimately long-term recovery. We explore the fear many mothers experience around disclosing addiction, concerns about social services involv...
26
May 12, 2026
Melissa Love: Trauma, Healthcare Stigma and a Nurse’s Journey Into Recovery Services
Melissa Love joins Believe in People to share how working as a nurse in addiction services challenged her own hidden fears, internalised stigma and understanding of dependency. Through personal reflections on her brother’s addiction, family trauma and her father’s rejection, Melissa explores how these experiences reshaped her view of recovery, compassion and what real care looks like. This episode explores addiction recovery, trauma, stigma in healthcare, family dynamics, mental health and the i...
14
Feb. 20, 2026
Believe in People EXTRA: Recovery vs Recovered - Why Identity Still Matters
This episode of Believe in People Extra explores one of the most debated ideas in addiction: being recovered rather than simply in recovery . Young Lee unpacks the difference between cured and recovered, explaining the “twist of the mind” that precedes relapse and why the real powerlessness isn’t the first drink - it’s the thought that comes before it. Using a simple Terminator analogy, he describes how addiction doesn’t say “I might be back” - it says “ I’ll be back .” Young also reflects on be...
13
Feb. 12, 2026
Lucy Rocca: Grey Area Drinking, Wine Culture & Alcohol Dependence
Lucy Rocca joins Believe in People to share her candid story of alcohol misuse, trauma, and recovery, and the creation of Soberistas , one of the earliest online sobriety communities for women. Lucy takes us back to the 1990s, the rave scene, early drug use, and the beginnings of binge drinking that quickly became unsafe. She explains how alcohol escalated in adulthood, how motherhood and “outward stability” can hide the reality of harmful drinking, and why shame keeps so many people silent. A k...
8
Dec. 31, 2025
Believe in People EXTRA: Alcohol & Anxiety - When Drinking Makes It Worse
In this episode of Believe in People Extra , Amy Jo Johnson shares why she chose to stop drinking - not because her life had fallen apart, but because alcohol was making her anxiety louder and everyday life harder to manage. She shares the simple mindset shift that helped her most: giving herself permission to drink, and realising she didn’t actually want to. Amy Jo also reflects on how not drinking changed her friendships, why some social situations stopped feeling fulfilling, and how having su...
7
Dec. 24, 2025
Joe Sealey: Cocaine, Fame & Football Legacy - Recovery Behind Reality TV
In this episode of Believe in People: Addiction, Recovery & Stigma , Joe Sealey joins us to discuss cocaine addiction, alcohol misuse, grief, and recovery. Known to millions as a cast member on The Real Housewives of Cheshire , Joe shares the story that existed long before the cameras - the career-ending injury that ended his football dream, the sudden death of his father, and how trauma and loss of identity pulled him into addiction. We explore themes of addiction recovery, trauma, peer support...
6
Dec. 12, 2025
Believe in People EXTRA: The 12 Steps - Why Rehab Wasn’t Enough
In the first episode of Believe in People Extra , our new spin off miniseries, Michelle Heaton speaks openly about what it feels like to want to stop drinking and not be able to. She explains the medical dangers she didn’t understand, the shame that kept her stuck, and why addiction isn’t about a lack of willpower. Michelle shares the moment that changed everything: seeing someone else in recovery who had what she wanted - and realising she didn’t have to do this alone. This short episode explor...
5
Dec. 5, 2025
Patti Clark: Alcohol, Relapse & Women’s Recovery - Breaking Generational Patterns
In this episode of Believe in People: Addiction, Recovery & Stigma , Patti reflects on a lifetime shaped by silence, trauma, and survival. Growing up in a dysfunctional home in 1970s San Francisco - marked by alcoholism, emotional neglect, and parents who barely spoke - she began using alcohol and drugs at just 13 to escape overwhelming pain. By 16 she had lost her mother to alcoholism, a loss that profoundly shaped her understanding of addiction, identity, and generational trauma. Patti shares ...
3
Nov. 21, 2025
Andy Woodward: Childhood Trauma, Football Abuse and the Silence That Hid a Predator
In this episode of Believe in People: Addiction, Recovery & Stigma , we begin the first of a powerful two-part conversation with Andy Woodward , the former professional footballer whose bravery exposed one of the biggest safeguarding scandals in British sporting history. Andy was the first to go public with his experience of childhood sexual abuse at the hands of youth coach Barry Bennell , a predator enabled by a culture of silence that protected reputations instead of children. With striking h...
2
Nov. 13, 2025
Taz Hussain: Racism, Culture & Addiction - Recovery as a British-Pakistani Muslim
In this episode of Believe in People: Addiction, Recovery & Stigma , we are privileged to sit down with Taz , whose life story spans racism, identity conflict, culture, trauma, addiction, and the long path to redemption. Born in Britain to Pakistani parents, Taz grew up between cultures – navigating violence, racism, and confusion around faith, masculinity, and belonging. Forced into an arranged marriage, his life spiralled into addiction, offending, and prison before honesty, therapy, and self-...
29
Oct. 1, 2025
Mel Barrett: Cocaine, Alcohol & Boxing - Identity, Recovery & 12 Steps
In this episode of Believe in People: Addiction, Recovery & Stigma, Mel shares a powerful and deeply honest account of her journey through alcohol misuse , escalating substance use, mental health struggles, and the non-linear path toward recovery. Growing up as a triplet in a family where drinking was normalised, Mel describes early identity struggles, belonging within pub culture, and how her use escalated in Brighton – from drinking to dangerous encounters with dealers and a chaotic lifestyle ...
26
July 14, 2025
Henry Beercock: Binge Drinking & Sobriety - Building an Alcohol-Free Movement
In this episode of Believe in People: Addiction, Recovery & Stigma , we meet Henry Beercock , founder of Hull’s rapidly growing sober movement Alcohull Free . After nearly two decades of heavy binge drinking, Henry made a bold decision that changed his life: he stopped drinking, stepped away from his corporate career, and began rebuilding his health, identity and purpose from the inside out. What started as a personal recovery journey quickly evolved into something bigger. Alcohull Free became a...