What happens when you want to go to prison… and the system never lets you leave?

In this powerful episode of Hope in Hell, Ricky tells the unfiltered story of growing up surrounded by violence, being drawn into crime from childhood, and receiving an IP(Imprisonment for Public Protection) sentence that changed his life forever.

Raised in the North East, Ricky was exposed to prison culture before he was even a teenager. Violence felt normal. Prison felt inevitable. What he didn’t expect was an indefinite sentence that would follow him long after release, through strict licence conditions, recalls, mental health struggles, and the constant fear of being sent back inside.

Ricky speaks candidly about:

• Growing up where violence was everyday life
• Wanting to go to prison – and deeply regretting it
• Life inside some of the UK’s most dangerous prisons
• The psychological toll of IP sentences
• Addiction, recall, and the trauma of loss
• Finding purpose, redemption, and saving lives through fitness

Now a husband, father of four, and founder of RuthlessFitness, Ricky has helped transform hundreds of lives, both in person and online. His story is raw, uncomfortable, and deeply human – but it is also one of hope.

This episode shines a light on the real impact of IPsentences, the failures of the justice system, and what rehabilitation actually looks like when it works.

⚠️ Content warning: This episode contains discussions of violence, prison life, mental health, suicide, and substance misuse.

Dan’s story is one of wild partying, chaos, denial - but what does it take to finally change?

For Dan, it was waking up in a police cell after crashing his car whilst heavily intoxicated—with his children in the back. That moment destroyed the last of his denial… but also became the start of an entirely new life.

In this episode of Hope in Hell, Dan speaks with astonishing honesty about:

• Growing up craving acceptance
• Heavy drinking, drugs, and the thrill of chaos
• The mental health spiral during lockdown
• Suicide attempts, homelessness, and losing everything
• The lifeline offered by AA, Renew, and Liaison & Diversion
• Rebuilding relationships and finding purpose in helping others break free from addiction

It’s a powerful reminder that recovery is possible, even when everything seems lost.

If you know someone who needs hope, share this with them.

A Curious Matter Production

#HopeInHellPodcast #HopeDiesLast #LivedExperience #RecoveryJourney #Rehabilitation #MentalHealthMatters #AddictionRecovery #LeadershipThroughAdversity #EmpathyInAction #SocialImpact #HumanResilience

Life Begins at 40 - I Nearly Got Life

In this episode of Hope in Hell, Steve shares apowerful reflection on trauma, addiction, and transformation.

His early experiences of domestic violence and unresolved PTSD set him on a path of self-destruction that culminated in imprisonment for attempted murder. Yet within that environment, he found something unexpected - recovery, purpose, and a belief system that reshaped his life.

Steve speaks candidly about fear, courage andaccountability:

“Courage comes in spite of fear. Within pain, there’s alwayscourage - and that courage can become a skill.”

Now approaching ten years of sobriety, he mentors othersthrough Rethink Mental Illness and other support networks, proving that recovery is not just possible - it can become a way of life.

A Curious Matter Production

#HopeInHellPodcast #HopeDiesLast #LivedExperience #RecoveryJourney #Rehabilitation #MentalHealthMatters #AddictionRecovery #LeadershipThroughAdversity #EmpathyInAction #SocialImpact #HumanResilience