Shows
Believe in People70 | Henry Beercock: Binge Drinking, Business, Burnout & AlcoHull Free - Join the Sober RebellionIn this energising and unfiltered conversation, we meet Henry Beercock, founder of Hull’s growing sober movement Alcohull Free. After nearly two decades of heavy binge drinking, Henry made a bold decision: he gave up alcohol, left his corporate career, and radically transformed his life from the inside out.What followed was more than personal recovery, it was the beginning of a cultural shift. Alcohull Free was built for people who are tired of drinking culture but still want to connect, socialise, and celebrate without compromise. It’s a movement that challenges outdated ideas about sobriety and crea...2025-07-141h 19
Ponies 24/7 The Radio MagazineDylan Davis, Thoroughbred Jockey / Gunnar Lindberg, Jockey & Racing Steward / Jim Lawson, Woodbine Executive ChairToday, Larry goes one on onewith Jockey Dylan Davis, who talks about what it is like to be part of the family business, the Davis family who are all Jockeys. He also mentions the path he took to becoming a Jockey and what was the best advice his father, Robbie Davis gave him on becoming a full time rider. Dylan also discusses how impressed he was with the Woodbine Turf Course when he had an opportunity to ride some stakes events both last season and just recently; Gunnar Lindberg, who discusses his career as a Jockey and talks...2025-07-051h 03
Believe in People69 | Alexis Ffrench x Believe in People Podcast Collaboration: Classical Connections, Apple Music & BelieveApple Music x Believe in People: A Classical Connections FeatureIn this special collaboration, Believe in People host Matthew Butler is featured on Classical Connections, the Radio Academy Award-winning podcast hosted by renowned pianist and composer Alexis Ffrench. Originally broadcast on Apple Music, this episode forms part of the acclaimed 60-Second Sonata segment, where Alexis listens to a personal story and responds by composing a bespoke piece of music. Inspired by Butler’s reflections on trauma, addiction, and hope, Ffrench created a new original composition titled “Believe” - a pia...2025-07-0314 min
Believe in People68 | Andy Woodward - The Whistleblower Who Changed Sports History Forever (Part 1)In the first of a powerful two-part conversation, Andy Woodward joins Believe in People to recount the beginning of a journey that would ultimately expose one of the biggest scandals in British sporting history. A former professional footballer, Andy was the first to go public with his experience of childhood sexual abuse at the hands of Barry Bennell, a youth coach whose crimes were concealed for decades by a culture of silence within football.With striking honesty, Andy describes how predators like Bennell groom not only children but entire families, building trust to e...2025-07-011h 19
Believe in People68 | Steve Haigh: Royal Marines, Heroin & Salvation - Addiction, Prison & Spiritual RecoverySteve joins Believe in People to reflect on a life reshaped by shattered dreams, addiction, and spiritual awakening. Once set on joining the Royal Marines, a sudden medical disqualification derailed his path, sending him into years of heroin use, criminality, and methadone dependency.What followed was a long drift through the Acid House scene, multiple prison sentences, and deep grief after losing his mother. But at rock bottom, Steve experienced a vivid dream that marked a turning point. That moment sparked a journey of faith and service that continues to guide his recovery today.2025-06-2753 min
Believe in People67 | Young Lee: Recovery vs. Recovered - Fatherhood, Identity & The Spiritual PathIn 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, Young shares how losing everything forced him to rebuild from scratch — not just a life, but a self. Through daily spiritual practice, honest service, and the quiet discipline of presence, he’s found a deeper kind of freedom — one rooted not in status or success, but in being truly useful.This isn’t just a story of s...2025-05-271h 11
Believe in People66 | Ross McAndrew: Suicide & Sobriety – From Losing His Father to Leading With Andy’s Man ClubRoss 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 alcohol and cocaine to suppress overwhelming grief, endured multiple suicide attempts, and reached a pivotal moment of clarity during hospitalisation. His recovery story is rooted in the transformative impact of sobriety and the critical role of peer support. Through his involvement with Andy’s Man Club, Ross found a renewed sense of purpose in creating space for men to speak openly, confront tr...2025-05-231h 15
Believe in People65 | Woody Albrow: Butane, Breakdown & Belief – A Journey Through Trauma & TransformationMatt 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 substance use in his teens and the emotional undercurrents that led him to rely on substances as a coping mechanism. He discusses his progression through various drugs, including butane gas, cannabis, hallucinogens, and ultimately alcohol, which became his most destructive dependency.Woody describes the personal impact of addiction on his life, including strained family relationships, disconnection from his children, and the loss of...2025-04-101h 02
Believe in People64 | 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-fuelled 90s music scene to building a sober creative community, Chris shares his journey through addiction, recovery, and the founding of Not Saints. Together, they unpack the myths that link creativity with substance use, challenge the glamorisation of addiction in pop culture, and spotlight how stigma can be dismantled through storytelling, sober events, and authentic musical expression. Click here to text our host...2025-03-1842 min
Believe in People63 | 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 with rock stars and being sectioned to becoming one of Europe’s most in-demand addiction coaches. Drawing from lived experience, he challenges the disease model of addiction, advocating instead for radical accountability, discipline, and structure. From drug-induced psychosis to family fallout, Dan pulls no punches in a conversation that will provoke, divide, and spark vital debate on what recovery really means. Clic...2025-03-0448 min
Believe in People62 | John Levesley: Booze, Binge & Botox – Solitude, Social Media & Seeking the Real Self John’s story is one of quiet transformation - trading binge drinking and chaotic nights for clarity, creativity, and connection. After a 5am moment of reckoning, he chose sobriety not because he identified as an alcoholic, but because alcohol no longer served the life he wanted to build. In its place, he discovered a passion for photography and launched Hull and Yorkshire Daily, a widely followed platform capturing the beauty and grit of his surroundings. Through candid reflection, personal growth, and even physical transformation, John has reshaped his life from the inside out - challenging drinking culture, redefining authenticity, and...2025-02-161h 03
Believe in People61 | Paul Haley: Heroin, Healing & the Imposter Within – From Lived Experience to LeadershipPaul 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, Paul made the courageous decision to rebuild his life. Nearly two decades later, he now serves as Change Grow Live’s National Service User Involvement Lead, using his lived experience to challenge stigma, empower others, and drive systemic change in treatment services. His story goes beyond abstinence - it's about reclaiming identity, proving the value of lived experience, and showing that recovery can lead not just...2025-01-311h 08
Believe in People60 | Amy Goldberg & Caitlin Morrison: Believe in People America – Matthew Butler Meets the Matthew Perry FoundationIn this powerful transatlantic collaboration, Believe in People host Amy Goldberg welcomes our UK counterpart Matt Butler into the guest seat alongside special guest host Caitlin Morrison - sister of the late Matthew Perry and driving force behind the Matthew Perry Foundation - for a deeply personal conversation on recovery, resilience, and legacy. Together, they explore how storytelling dismantles stigma, how lived experience shapes advocacy, and how one man’s journey - from working behind the scenes in addiction services to becoming a podcast host - reflects a broader mission to inspire hope and change. L...2025-01-2234 min
Believe in People59 | Tom Fitzsimons: 3,073 Miles to Redemption – Alcoholism, Ultramarathons & Cowboy Pastors Matt sits down with ultramarathon runner Tom Fitzsimons, whose extraordinary journey from alcohol addiction to running 3,073 miles across the U.S. in 100 days is a powerful testament to human resilience. Through candid storytelling, Tom shares how running became his lifeline—a way to reclaim identity, process trauma, and inspire others. From training in front of a fireplace to surreal encounters on America’s loneliest highways, he reflects on the emotional toll of addiction, the healing power of movement, and the strangers who shaped his path. This episode challenges stigma and celebrates recovery, reminding us that purpose can be found in ev...2025-01-141h 20
Believe in People58 | 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 assault and the lasting psychological impact it had on her life, speaking with unflinching honesty about the systemic barriers she faced in seeking justice. As she recounts the challenges within legal and investigative systems, Sarah also highlights her transformation into a passionate advocate, working with the Violence Against Women and Girls Independent Advisory Group and serving as a lived experience coordinator. This episode is a s...2024-12-2052 min
Believe in People57 | 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 with substance use, the damaging effects of coercive control, and the emotional toll of loss and abandonment. Together, they explore how generational patterns, societal norms, and codependency shaped her understanding of love and self-worth. With honesty and insight, Sarah shares her path through pain, the complexities of motherhood, and her eventual journey toward healing and transformation. This episode offers a deeply nuanced look at the intersection o...2024-12-2057 min
Believe in People56 | Zoe: Substances, Sabotage & ADHD – British Youth, Hospitality Culture & the Road to RecoveryMatt 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 at 12, later turning to alcohol, pills, and toxic relationships as coping mechanisms. She reflects on the pressures of working in high-stress kitchens, where substance use was embedded in the culture, and shares how a domestic violence incident and the temporary loss of contact with her child became a life-altering turning point. Through therapy, self-reflection, and support, Zoe has begun to break intergenerational cycles and...2024-12-1934 min
Believe in People55 | 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 journey from self-destruction to community-driven transformation. Chris reflects on his teenage use of alcohol as a coping tool, the culture of excess that permeates the music industry, and the pivotal moments that led him to seek recovery. Now the founder of Passenger Recovery, a Detroit-based organisation supporting musicians and creatives in sobriety, Chris channels his lived experience into advocacy, peer support, and p...2024-11-281h 24
Believe in People54 | Shev Nuttall: Pints, Parenthood & Patterns – Pub Culture & the Rise of Sober FestivalsMatt jumps straight in at the deep end as Shev opens up about the weight of adult responsibilities thrust upon her from a young age, including becoming a mother at just 17. In this heartfelt and unflinching conversation, Shev reflects on the emotional wounds of abandonment, the complexity of family relationships, and how addiction quietly took hold while working in the pub industry. She challenges the stigma of single motherhood and shares her determination to rewrite her narrative, finding strength through community, family support, and the rising sober movement. This episode is a powerful exploration of identity, resilience, and how...2024-11-2355 min
SoulsortsThe Soulsorts Record Room '24 on Starpoint Radio - 17 NovemberThe Soulsorts Record Room 2024Broadcast live on Starpoint Radio on Sunday 17th NovemberPlaylist:Arkose – Ecliptic Love – Album: Ecliptic (2024)Jafunk & the Triple H Horns feat. Adi Oasis – Yellow Daze (Opolopo Remix) (2024)Julian Jonah feat, Robbie Love – Let's Not Say Goodnight (2024)Skip Martin – Do Not Disturb (2024)The Baker Brothers feat. Frankie Connolly – Western Morning – Album: The Next Last Party (2024)Tommy Davidson feat. Earth Wind & Fire – Stronger (2024)Felece Tillman – I Can't Forget – EP: SoulFul Tales (2024)Felece Tillman – Jus...2024-11-182h 06
Believe in People53 | Tom Norcliffe: Psychosis, Paranoia & Cocaine – Battles with the Bottle & The Will To LiveJoin 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 realised he was using drugs while bringing his new-born daughter home - a wake-up call that forced him to confront the grip addiction had on his life. Reflecting on his own childhood, Tom explores the psychological toll of drug-induced psychosis, self-blame, and the destructive cycle of addiction. With honesty and vulnerability, he shares the painful road to recovery, from despair and relapse to the intervention that...2024-11-151h 04
Believe in People52 | Ollie Dent: Cannabis, Withdrawal & Waking Up – Isolation & the Quiet Strength of RecoveryMatt 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 prison sentence at fifteen, Ollie turned to cannabis as a coping mechanism - eventually becoming heavily dependent and identifying as a self-proclaimed “weed connoisseur.” He candidly reflects on how his rationalisation masked the deep mental health toll, including psychotic episodes and profound emotional isolation. Smoking from morning to night, his life became shaped by addiction. Now in recovery, Ollie challenges the widesp...2024-11-121h 11
Believe in People51 | 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 desperation that drove his actions, Andre offers a gripping exploration of life inside the U.S. prison system—marked by gang violence, racial segregation, and institutional corruption. What sets this episode apart is Andre’s profound introspection, as he reflects on the choices that shaped his past and the spiritual awakening that helped him survive. Now living in the UK after deportation, Andre speak...2024-11-011h 11
Believe in People50 | Emma Plant: Ecstasy to Overdose – Heroin, Maternal Struggles & Naloxone AwakeningJoin 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 grandmother’s role as a local drug dealer - Emma’s path quickly escalated from early experimentation to heroin and crack cocaine dependency by 23. She shares pivotal and harrowing moments, including a public overdose and being revived with naloxone, offering a stark portrait of addiction’s physical and emotional toll. With honesty and insight, Emma confronts the deep shame and stig...2024-09-271h 02
Eating For FreeSharpening The Mr. Beast GuillotineIn which we talk about our live show in Brooklyn, "The Sims" movie, Pharrell's weird politics, Eric Robert's new biography, and how Mr. Beast and Jake Paul want to feed the children About: Hosted by journalists Joan Summers and Matthew Lawson, Eating For Free is a weekly podcast that explores gossip and power in the pop culture landscape: Where it comes from, who wields it, and who suffers at the hands of it. Find out the stories behind the stories, as together they look beyond the headlines of troublesome YouTubers or scandal-ridden A-Listers, and delve d...2024-09-191h 28
Believe in People49 | Johnny Borrell: Razorlight & Recovery – Teenage Heroin & Championship ManagerJohnny 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 music industry. Johnny shares the emotional fallout of being removed from his band due to drug use and how a combination of supportive relationships and the unlikely refuge of Championship Manager helped him begin to rebuild. Reflecting on the intense pressures of recording Razorlight’s debut album, he discusses a subsequent relapse and the broader misconceptions about addiction in the music world, particularly within the fe...2024-08-3026 min
Believe in People48 | Adam Maxted: Life After Love Island, Steroids & Wrestling - Big Flex Fame, WWE & Mental Health AdvocacyAdam Maxted - professional wrestler and Love Island reality TV star - joins Matt for an unfiltered conversation about life in the spotlight, the pursuit of physical perfection, and the emotional complexities behind public success. From his early days navigating a limited wrestling scene in Ireland to the explosive fame that followed his appearance on Love Island, Adam shares the highs and lows of a career shaped by sudden recognition, body image pressures, and the creation of his larger-than-life persona, “Big Flex.” He opens up about the impact of steroid use, missed opportunities like a WWE contract, and the chal...2024-07-261h 23
Believe in People47 | Ambrose Brown: Hep C, Heroin & Hope – Prison, Peer Support & The Micro-Elimination MissionMatt 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 with a wide range of substances - including alcohol, cannabis, ecstasy, LSD, amphetamines, benzos, and heroin - initially used to cope with social anxiety and emotional discomfort. His story unfolds through a series of devastating lows, from incarceration and relationship breakdowns to suicidal ideation, ultimately revealing the complex and layered nature of addiction. A turning point came through the power of peer support, which Ambrose credits...2024-07-261h 03