On The Mend

This week’s guest is Davinia Taylor, who challenges the traditional narrative of addiction and opens up about her journey from shame and self-doubt to embracing recovery on her own terms.

In this episode, Davinia talks candidly about her realisation that addiction isn’t always tied to trauma, and how understanding the biochemical and genetic basis of her struggle, low dopamine, ADHD, and even Viking ancestry, helped remove the s...

This week’s guest is Sam Ryder, someone who knows the struggle of chasing a dream for years, only to face the crushing reality of near-misses and setbacks. For over 15 years, Sam toured the world in tiny vans, scraping by with borrowed hope, never knowing if success would come. But when the door finally cracked open, it did so with an unexpected, life-changing shift.

In this episode, Sam talks candidly about the long grind and h...

Recovery isn’t a straight line, and Matt Willis reflects openly on what that reality has meant for him.

In this solo episode, Matt speaks candidly about addiction, recovery, and the long process of learning to live differently. He explores the moments that forced him to confront himself, the challenges of trying to change alone, and the ongoing work required to stay well.

Rather than offering simple answers, Matt discusses th...

This isn’t just a conversation, it’s a live experiment.

TJ Power challenges Matt Willis in real time to face the invisible addictions quietly draining his energy and to decide, on camera, what he’s willing to let go of to feel fully alive again.

From nicotine and endless scrolling to constant stimulation, Matt confronts habits he no longer enjoys but feels unable to escape. TJ also explains how these dopamine loops trap the brain, le...

When the structure that’s held your life together disappears, what are you left with?

In this episode, Jason Fox talks about the moment everything collapsed after leaving the military, not gradually, but instantly. Twenty years of purpose, belonging, and identity ended overnight, and the relief he expected never came. Instead, he felt more broken than ever, realising too late that the thing he thought was damaging him had actual...

This week’s guest is Tj Power, lead neuroscientist and founder of the DOSE Lab, who helps us understand what’s really happening in our brains when we feel overwhelmed, burnt out, glued to our phones, or stuck in patterns we can’t quite explain.

In this episode, TJ breaks down mental health in a way that feels human, not clinical. He talks about why so many of us feel constantly on edge, how modern life quietly rewires our brains...

This week’s guest is Lulu Kennedy-Cairns, a woman who has spent a lifetime living between two selves, and learning what it costs to keep parts of yourself hidden. Known to the world as Lulu, she grew up as “Marie”, a child shaped by chaos at home, silence, and shame, long before she was told she needed to become someone brighter, cleaner, and easier for the public to love.

In this episode, Lulu speaks with striking honesty ...

This week’s guest is Peter “Tubes” Dale, someone who knows how quickly things can unravel when drinking, shame, and identity start feeding off each other. Known publicly as the funny one, the lad who could always carry it, Tubes was privately stuck in a cycle of blackouts, panic, and self-loathing, watching the distance grow between who he was and the person he became when alcohol took over.

In this episode, he pulls the curtain...

Ruby Wax has spent decades making people laugh, but this conversation is about what happens when the jokes stop working.

In this episode, Ruby speaks with rare honesty about living with depression, relapse, and the exhausting work of trying to hold yourself together when your mind won’t cooperate. She talks about coming off antidepressants to explore psilocybin therapy and ending up in a mental health ward, the shame that can cr...

This week on On The Mend, I’m sitting down with Jordan Stephens, someone who knows exactly how quickly life can unravel when addiction, shame, identity, and survival all get mixed together. From the outside, things looked great. Behind the scenes, Jordan was stuck in cycles that were blowing up his relationships and pulling him further away from the person he actually wanted to be. 

In this chat, Jordan takes all the armour...

Roxie Nafousi joins Matt for a powerful and deeply personal conversation about addiction, healing, and the long journey toward self-worth. She speaks candidly about how her search for confidence and belonging led her into a cycle of shame, isolation, and rock-bottom moments, and how she came to believe there was no way out.

What makes Roxie’s story resonate is her understanding that struggle is universal. She explains that pain,...

This week’s guest is Scott Thomas, whose journey to sobriety has become a powerful example of how one person’s change can transform the lives of many. By being open about his struggles and creating a safe space for honest conversations, Scott has inspired friends, family, and even strangers, to confront their own challenges and pursue a different path.

In this episode, Scott talks about the battle between his public persona and ...

This week’s guest is Russell Kane, the award-winning comedian and writer whose life and work span far beyond the stereotypes people often place on him. Despite growing up with expectations about who he should be and what his background meant for his future, Russell carved his own path, challenging labels, breaking cycles, and proving that your starting point doesn’t have to define your destination.

In this episode, Russell talks...

In this solo episode, Matt Willis opens up about his past and the years spent in active addiction. He talks candidly about the contrast between public success and private struggle, the exhausting effort of keeping up appearances while quietly falling apart behind the scenes.

Matt revisits memories that are often blurred or painful to recall, reflecting on how addiction affected his relationships, his sense of self, and his abili...

Comedian, writer and actress, Rosie Jones, brings her trademark honesty, humour, and heart to a conversation about difference, self-acceptance, and finding strength in vulnerability. She talks openly about what it means to feel out of place, the pressure to meet others’ expectations, and how she’s learned to stop comparing herself to anyone else’s version of success.

Rosie doesn’t shy away from the hard stuff, she discusses faci...

Recorded literally backstage, Matt Willis sits down with Harry Judd and Dougie Poynter for a candid, funny, and surprisingly heartfelt conversation about life on the road, friendship, and everything in between.

Between playful banter and a spontaneous “backstage set list” game, the trio open up about the chaos of touring, the lessons fame taught them, and how they’ve each learned to stay grounded through recovery, fatherhood, an...

Calum Scott joins Matt for a moving and honest conversation about the battles that often stay hidden behind success. From depression and body dysmorphia to self-acceptance and sexuality, Calum opens up about the moments that brought him to the edge, and the strength it took to rebuild.

He also talks about the power of speaking openly, seeking support, and taking small steps toward healing, reminding us that recovery is never lin...

In this solo episode, Matt Willis explores what it really means to control your own narrative. He opens up about moments in his life when others tried to define him, through fame, addiction, or public perception, and how losing control of his story left him feeling misunderstood and disconnected from who he truly was.

Matt also shares personal experiences, including how winning I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! changed how th...

This week’s guest is Richard Madeley, the broadcaster and writer whose career has spanned decades of conversations with people from all walks of life. Behind the fame and public recognition, Richard has faced his own personal challenges, including addiction, grief, family complexities, and the pressures of life in the spotlight.

In this episode, Richard discusses the importance of authenticity and honest connection, reflecting o...