13: Lord Brooke: Power, Addiction & the Road to Redemption

From the House of Lords to the depths of addiction—this is Lord Brooke’s story, unfiltered.
 
Clive Brooke, now Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe, grew up knowing he wasn’t the son his father wanted. That lingering shadow shaped him in ways he only truly understood later in life. Finding his feminine side helped him navigate the world of trade unions and politics, but behind the scenes, he was battling booze, food, and sex addiction—a spiral that nearly destroyed his marriage, his health, and his life.
Then came the wake-up call: a doctor’s stark warning that death was just around the corner. What followed was a fight for survival, redemption, and healing, with an unlikely trio of saviours—a dog, cancer, and the 12 Steps.

Now considered one of the hardest-working peers in the House of Lords, Lord Brooke reflects on public service, marriage, recovery, and why the words "one day at a time" are inscribed on his coat of arms.

A brutally honest, deeply human story of power, pain, and the long road to making things right.