This week on The 50kg Drop, Ian sits down with Mark McGowan — known to many as The Artist Taxi Driver — for one of the most raw, unpredictable, and inspiring conversations yet.

Mark’s story spans decades of extremes:

from Millwall hooliganism and 1980s drug culture to a decade living in Ibiza’s club scene, a stay at the Bethlehem Hospital, and a complete transformation through art, activism, and football.

Now 61, Mark has lost over 20kg, swapped addiction for Man v Fat football, and rebuilt his life around creativity, community, and kale. In this episode, he opens up about his journey with brutal honesty, humour, and poetry.

🔥 In This Episode

⚽ If You Don’t Shoot, You Don’t Score — Mark’s viral “Wonder Goal” and rediscovering joy in playing, not just watching.

💊 Addiction & Recovery — from heroin and crack to fasting and football; finding new highs in healthy habits.

🧠 Mental Health & Obsession — how channeling compulsive energy into art and foraging saved his sanity.

🥦 Fasting & Foraging — life lessons from kale, wild salmon, and apple day at the Bethlehem walled garden.

🎨 The Artist Taxi Driver — from pushing a peanut with his nose to performing at Frieze Art Fair.

🧩 Micro Communities & Healing — why helping others is often the best way to help yourself.

🌍 From Violence to Voice — the transformation of a Millwall bushwhacker into a global activist and environmentalist.

Mark’s philosophy is simple but profound: “You can’t change the world, but you can change yourself — and help the people closest to you.”

Follow @50kgDrop on Instagram for clips, transformations, and behind-the-scenes stories.

Find Mark online as The Artist Taxi Driver on Instagram, YouTube, and X.

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