In this powerful and deeply emotional episode of our men’s mental health podcast, we sit down with John McCullum, who bravely shares his lifelong journey of surviving childhood sexual abuse, PTSD, depression, and suicidal thoughts.

From a very young age, John was sexually abused by his own father, with the abuse continuing throughout his childhood and teenage years. John stayed silent for years, driven by fear of not being believed and a desperate desire to protect his mother from the truth. Tragically, John was also sexually abused by his father’s best friend — an attack that lasted several hours before John managed to escape. Once again, he carried this trauma alone.

At just 15 years old, John finally confronted his father and told him the abuse had to stop. While the abuse ended, the emotional damage followed John into adulthood. He turned to alcohol, drugs, and violence as coping mechanisms, while his unresolved trauma deeply affected his relationships. John avoided becoming a father for years, haunted by the fear that he might become like his abuser.

John’s mental health deteriorated further, leading to psychiatric care and multiple suicide attempts. When John bravely spoke out about his faher friend and saw justice in court, John still remained silent about his own father. It wasn’t until later in life — after rebuilding his life, becoming a father himself, and losing his mother — that John finally disclosed the abuse to his siblings, only to face disbelief.

Today, John speaks openly about his experiences with male sexual abuse, PTSD, and depression, using his voice to encourage other men to break the silence, seek help, and know they are not alone.

We are also joined briefly by John’s son, Kieran, who shares what it’s like growing up with a father living with PTSD and depression — offering a rare and honest perspective on intergenerational trauma and healing.

⚠️ Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussions of sexual abuse, suicide, PTSD, and addiction.

If you or someone you know is struggling, please seek professional help or reach out to a trusted support service.

In this powerful episode, Andy sits down with Jacob Guy — a mentor who helps fathers prepare for fatherhood and navigate the emotional, physical and mental challenges that come with it.

Whether you’re an expecting dad, a new father, or facing the realities of co-parenting, this conversation delivers raw honesty, valuable insights, and practical support.

Jacob opens up about:

👶 The excitement and fear of expecting a child

💪 Supporting your mental and physical health as a father

❤️ How relationships can change when a baby arrives

⚠️ What to do when a relationship breaks down with a child involved

⚖️ His personal journey through the family court system and fighting for custody

🙌 The lessons, joys and life-changing moments of becoming a dad

This episode is packed with advice for dads who want to show up as their best selves — emotionally, mentally and physically.

In this powerful episode, we sit down with Matthew Norford, a former Manchester gang leader who transformed his life after growing up in extreme trauma, experiencing ruthless gang warfare, and losing his brother in the most shocking circumstances.

Matt grew up in a single-parent household where he faced harsh discipline, emotional neglect, and constant comparison to his older brother Gary. Despite representing Manchester and England in youth basketball, and being on track for a U.S. scholarship, Matt never received the love or support he desperately needed.

Instead, he followed Gary into the drug trade—dealing crack and heroin, carrying guns as a teenager, and becoming deeply involved in violent gang conflicts. Matt openly shares how he manipulated young teenagers into the lifestyle and the reality of shootings, leadership in the gang, and the £2,000-a-day criminal life.

Everything changed when, during one of Matt’s prison sentences, Gary attempted to rob a shop and was stabbed and killed—one of the attackers being Matt’s own father. This loss forced Matt to confront the life he had built and the pain he had been running from since childhood.

Today, Matthew Norford is the founder of a successful mentoring organisation, using his past to inspire young people, prevent gang involvement, and break cycles of violence.

This is one of the rawest, most honest, and most transformative stories you will ever hear.

In this powerful episode of From Rock Bottom, we sit down with Adi Harper, who shares his raw and inspiring journey from a childhood of neglect, rebellion, and guilt, through the pressures of military life, to facing a moment where he nearly ended his life.

Adi opens up about:

• Growing up with material wealth but no love or affection

• The guilt he carried after his father’s heart attack

• Struggles in relationships and hiding anxiety behind a military uniform

• The breaking point that led him to a suicide attempt

• How he transformed his pain into purpose, helping men heal and thrive

This episode is a must-listen for anyone seeking hope, understanding, and practical insight into men’s mental health, trauma recovery, and personal transformation.

🎧 Tune in to hear Adi’s full story and learn how to overcome trauma, embrace vulnerability, and reclaim your life.

In this deeply emotional episode, Dean Simpson-Humphreys shares his extraordinary true story of love, tragedy, and resilience.

After a breakup, Dean took a solo trip to Ibiza where he met Gary — a chance encounter that blossomed into a beautiful romance. What started as a holiday fling soon turned into fate when they discovered they’d be living just streets apart back home. They fell in love, moved in together, and married — but their fairytale life took a devastating turn.

Their home was destroyed in an arson attack, they were burgled while sleeping, and Gary courageously fought off an intruder — naked. Soon after, Gary’s health began to decline, and doctors discovered a spinal tumour that left him paralysed. Despite the countless challenges — from rebuilding their home to navigating life in a wheelchair without government support — Dean never stopped caring for the man he loved.

When Gary passed away, Dean was left to face unimaginable grief, mental health struggles, and the painful reality of life after loss. In this interview, Dean opens up about:

• Meeting his soulmate in Ibiza 💕

• Surviving an arson attack & burglary 🔥

• Caring for a paralysed partner 🦽

• Facing mental health battles & suicidal thoughts 💭

• Learning to live again after loss 🌅

This is a powerful story of love, resilience, and hope — and a reminder that even in the darkest moments, light can be found.

🎧 Listen now and be inspired by Dean’s strength.

🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more real-life stories of courage and healing.

In this powerful episode, former professional boxer Luke Paddock opens up about the highs and lows of his life — from growing up in a tough area and chasing glory in the boxing ring, to the night that changed everything.

After a mass brawl broke out during his final pro fight, one of Luke’s fans tragically lost their life. Haunted by guilt, Luke spiraled into drugs, alcohol, and depression, losing his passion and direction.

Luke talks candidly about:

🥊 His boxing career from amateur to pro

⚔️ The tragic night that ended his fighting dream

💔 Blaming himself and battling addiction

🚪 Working as a doorman while losing control

👩‍👦 Getting clean to spend time with his dying mom

🧠 Failing his comeback due to a brain scan

🔥 Finding new purpose as a personal trainer and role model

This episode is about more than boxing — it’s about resilience, redemption, and rebuilding your life when you hit rock bottom.

🎧 Listen now to hear how Luke Paddock turned his pain into power, and what he’s doing today to inspire others.

In this powerful episode, Andy sits down with Mickey Bushell MBE, a Paralympic gold medalist and record-breaking athlete who defied every expectation life threw at him.

Born with a rare condition, Mickey’s parents were told he’d never move or live independently. But Mickey had other plans. From walking on his hands as a child to breaking world records in wheelchair racing, his story is one of pure resilience, determination, and heart.

Mickey opens up about:

• The pressures of being the best in the world

• His struggles with mental health after facing sepsis

• The stigma of being in a wheelchair and how society often gets it wrong

• Why he believes the government fails new wheelchair users

• What it really takes to achieve greatness—and keep going after setbacks

🎧 Listen as Mickey and Andy have an honest, emotional, and deeply inspiring conversation about overcoming obstacles, mental resilience, and what success really means.

If you’ve ever felt limited by what others think you can do — this episode will change your mindset.

He was a champion, a leader, and one of British boxing’s brightest hopes. Andy Flute captained Team England, sparred with Eubank Sr., Nigel Benn, and Joe Calzaghe, and lived the high life.

But behind the glory was darkness.

At 17, alcohol crept in. By 30, crack cocaine had taken everything — his career, his family, his freedom.

Stabbed in a street fight. Locked up for violence. Spending £150,000 in three months on drugs.

Andy Flute’s story is a brutal descent into addiction, chaos, and despair.

In this raw interview, Andy opens up about his darkest moments — the nights he nearly died, the prisons, the overdoses — and how he finally found a way out.

🎧 Watch until the end. This is more than a story — it’s a warning, and a miracle.