Drugs Episodes
67 | Young Lee: Recovery vs. Recovered - Fatherhood, Identity & the Spiritual Path
In this gripping return to Believe in People, Young Lee opens up about what happens after the chaos of addiction — when the drugs are gone, the dust has settled, and the real work begins. Once a rising star in the music scene...
66 | Ross McAndrew: Suicide & Sobriety – From Losing His Father to Leading With Andy’s Man Club
Ross joins the podcast to share his powerful journey from personal tragedy to public advocacy, following the suicide of his father - a traumatic event that profoundly shaped his mental health. We explore how Ross turned to al...
65 | Woody Albrow: Butane, Breakdown & Belief – A Journey Through Trauma & Transformation
Matt speaks with Woody, the National Connecting Communities Lead at Change Grow Live , who shares a candid account of his journey through addiction, recovery, and professional development. Woody reflects on the early signs of...
64 | Chris De Banks: Not Saints, 90s Drugs & The Creativity Myth – Building a Sober Music Scene
Matt speaks with Chris De Banks, founder of Not Saints - the UK’s only not-for-profit record label supporting musicians in recovery - to explore the powerful intersection of music and sobriety. From navigating the drug-fuelle...
63 | Daniel Ramson: Addiction Is Not A Disease - Talk2BigDan, Pervert Powder & Psychosis
In this raw and controversial episode, Matt sits down with TalkToBigDan - aka Daniel Ramson - to explore his unapologetic, tough-love approach to recovery. Rejecting conventional services, Dan shares how he went from partying...
61 | Paul Haley: Heroin, Healing & the Imposter Within – From Lived Experience to Leadership
Paul Haley’s journey from the depths of heroin and crack cocaine addiction to national leadership is a powerful testament to resilience, transformation, and purpose. After a near-fatal injecting injury became his rock bottom,...
57 | Sarah Hicks: Gaslighting, Grief & Generational Pain – Surviving Trauma & Reclaiming Life
In this in-depth two-part episode, Matt sits down with Sarah Hicks for a raw and reflective conversation that spans addiction, trauma, abusive relationships, grief, and recovery. Sarah opens up about her early experiences wit...
58 | Sarah Hicks: Assault, Advocacy & The Fight To Change Systems – Violence Against Women
In the second part of this powerful two-part episode, Matt continues his conversation with Sarah Hicks as she reflects on her journey through trauma, justice, and recovery. Sarah shares her experience of surviving sexual assa...
56 | Zoe: Substances, Sabotage & ADHD – British Youth, Hospitality Culture & the Road to Recovery
Matt speaks with Zoe, whose powerful story charts a path through substance misuse, undiagnosed ADHD, and trauma toward recovery and renewal. Growing up in an environment where drug use was normalised, Zoe began using cannabis...
55 | Chris Tait: Detroit, Drink & Disconnection – Electric Six, Sobriety & the Music Industry Reckoning
What happens when the highs of the music industry collide with the depths of addiction? In this compelling episode, Matt speaks with Chris Tait - keyboardist for Electric Six and founder of Passenger Recovery - about his jour...
53 | Tom Norcliffe: Psychosis, Paranoia & Cocaine – Battles with the Bottle & The Will To Live
Join Matt for a gripping and emotional conversation with Tom, a former talent agent whose high-flying lifestyle in central London masked a devastating struggle with cocaine addiction. Tom recounts the harrowing moment he real...
52 | Ollie Dent: Cannabis, Withdrawal & Waking Up – Isolation & the Quiet Strength of Recovery
Matt is joined by Ollie for a raw and introspective conversation tracing his journey from early childhood trauma to recovery. After losing his mother at just eight years old and navigating the fallout of his father’s 22-year ...
51 | Andre Edmund: Murder, Addiction & 31 Years Inside – Gang Violence, Redemption & Corruption
Join Matt for an extraordinary conversation with Andre, whose story spans over three decades in a Los Angeles prison following convictions for armed robbery and murder. Opening with a raw account of the grief, addiction, and ...
50 | Emma Plant: Ecstasy to Overdose – Heroin, Maternal Struggles & Naloxone Awakening
Join Matt as he sits down with Emma, whose powerful and unflinching account traces a journey through addiction that began at just 11 years old. Growing up in a family shaped by substance use - her father’s addiction and her g...
49 | Johnny Borrell: Razorlight & Recovery – Teenage Heroin & Championship Manager
Johnny Borrell - guitarist, singer, and frontman of Razorlight - joins Matt for an honest and introspective conversation about teenage heroin addiction, the road to recovery, and the stigma surrounding substance use in the mu...
47 | Ambrose Brown: Hep C, Heroin & Hope – Prison, Peer Support & The Micro-Elimination Mission
Matt sits down with Ambrose, a leading voice in the recovery community, for a powerful conversation tracing his journey from severe substance misuse to health, purpose, and advocacy. Ambrose candidly shares his experience wit...
#46 - Harriette: Alcohol Aged 10, Self-Harm Survival, Sexual Abuse, Discovering Autism, Overcoming Trauma & A Future In Conservation
WARNING: This episode contains discussions of sexual assault, including graphic descriptions of violence and trauma. Starting to drink at just 10 years old, Harriette bravely recounts her youth in a household shattered by her...
#45 - Chris Sylvester - Heroin Aged 12, Crime, Trauma, Accountability, Hepatitis C, Cocaine, Manipulation, Homelessness, Drug Dealing, Working the 12 Steps & The Power of Second Chances
Matt is in conversation with former child heroin addict and Getting Clean founder, Chris Sylvester, whose descent into addiction began at just 12 years old. Chris shares his candid experiences, revealing the allure and grip o...
#42 - Kirsty: Escaping Abuse, Overcoming Addiction, Building Self-Worth & Paying Her Lived Experience Forward
WARNING: This episode contains discussions of sexual assault including graphic descriptions of violence, trauma & abuse Matt explores Kirsty's journey through amphetamine addiction and the challenges of navigating complex rel...
41 | Young: Heroin, House Music & Healing – Smuggling, Acid House & Spiritual Surrender
Matt is in conversation with Young, whose powerful and chaotic journey through addiction began at just 11 years old and spiralled into a life fuelled by crack, cocaine, alcohol, and eventually heroin. Immersed in the Acid Hou...
#33- John: Heroin Addiction, Trauma, Stigma, Prison, Withdrawal, Harm Reduction & Injecting Heroin Into His Penis
Matt delves into a heartfelt conversation with John, a resilient Hull native whose journey transcends addiction to embody the essence of resilience. Now serving as a Harm Reduction worker, John's decade-long battle with heroi...
#28 - Elly: Harm Reduction, Crack Use, Snowballing, Safer Injecting, Cannabis, Ketamine & Drug Myth Busting
Matt and Elly embark on an exploration into the realm of harm reduction. With nearly three decades of invaluable experience in the Drug & Alcohol sector, Elly provides insightful perspectives that shed light on the complexiti...
#27 - Maizie Williams, Ongina, Tinchy Stryder & Ash Palmisciano: Mental Wellbeing, Challenging HIV Related Stigma, Pride in Hull, Boney M, Emmerdale, Black Mirror & Transgender Awareness
Matt is backstage at Pride in Hull 2023. With over 50 years in the industry and an original member of Boney M, Maizie shares insights into her career with Matt as well as maintaining her mental well-being, and discusses Boney...
#21 - Bea: Transgender, Neurodiversity, Addiction, Recovery, Wheelchair & Living with Tourette's
Matt is joined by Bea, a Transgender woman, former Miss Transgender UK, and activist for Trans, neurodiversity, and disability rights. In this candid conversation, Bea opens up publicly for the first time about her struggles ...