On The Mend is the podcast where we look back at life’s hardest moments to understand how to move forward, with honesty, heart, and hope. In each episode, Matt Willis explores recovery, resilience, and mental strength through open and honest conversations.
Some episodes feature guests sharing powerful stories of personal transformation. Others bring in expert voices offering practical tools and insights, and in solo episodes, Matt reflects on his own journey through addiction, identity, and healing.
This is a space for anyone navigating life’s challenges. On The Mend is your companion through the highs, lows, and everything in between.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
On The Mend is the podcast where we look back at life’s hardest moments to understand how to move forward, with honesty, heart, and hope. In each episode, Matt Willis explores recovery, resilience, and mental strength through open and honest conversations.
Some episodes feature guests sharing powerful stories of personal transformation. Others bring in expert voices offering practical tools and insights, and in solo episodes, Matt reflects on his own journey through addiction, identity, and healing.
This is a space for anyone navigating life’s challenges. On The Mend is your companion through the highs, lows, and everything in between.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this solo episode, Matt Willis takes listeners behind the scenes of life on tour in “Backstage Battle.” Beyond the excitement of performing, he opens up about the real challenges he faces, managing his mental health, maintaining recovery, and sticking to routines that keep him grounded amid the pressures of life on the road.
Matt also shares how he navigates the adrenaline of nightly performances, stays connected to his family, and celebrates small victories to avoid old, destructive habits. He reflects on revisiting environments that were once difficult, like hotel rooms and touring life, with honesty and self-awareness.
A candid and inspiring look at the ongoing work of recovery, the importance of self-care, and the strength it takes to face your battles when no one else is watching.
Need Support?
Samaritans: Call 116 123 or visit samaritans.org
Narcotics Anonymous: na.org
Alcoholics Anonymous: alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk
Mental Health Mates: mentalhealthmates.co.uk
Shout: giveusashout.org
IAPT: https://www.england.nhs.uk/mental-health/adults/nhs-talking-therapies/
Heights👉 Join Matt in getting your energy back with Vitals. 20% off here: https://highpfrmc.com/OTM
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week’s guest is Larry Lamb, the beloved actor and storyteller who brings a lifetime of wisdom to the table. Known for his warmth and humor, Larry reflects on aging, resilience, and the simple yet powerful ways to live well as the years go by.
In this episode, Larry opens up about the realities of growing older, the aches, the slower pace, and the temptation to dwell on worries, while showing why it’s far more rewarding to focus on gratitude, movement, and joy. From early mornings and daily exercise to his philosophy of “keeping moving forward,” Larry shares how staying active in body and mind fuels vitality and purpose.
This is a candid, uplifting conversation about savouring each day, finding contentment in the present, and embracing the future with an open heart.
Need Support?
Samaritans: Call 116 123 or visit samaritans.org
Narcotics Anonymous: na.org
Alcoholics Anonymous: alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk
Mental Health Mates: mentalhealthmates.co.uk
Shout: https: giveusashout.org
IAPT: https://www.england.nhs.uk/mental-health/adults/nhs-talking-therapies/
Heights 👉 Join Matt in getting your energy back with Vitals. 20% off here: https://highpfrmc.com/OTM
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this solo episode, Matt Willis reflects on parenting through the lens of recovery in “The Parent I’m Trying To Be.” With honesty and vulnerability, he shares how fatherhood has shaped his growth, from owning up to mistakes to breaking cycles from his own upbringing.
This isn’t a guide to perfect parenting, but a candid reflection on presence over perfection, the value of everyday “junk time,” and allowing children to fully feel their emotions. Matt reflects on how parenting continues to shape him, teaching consistency, gratitude, and connection, while inviting listeners to share their own stories along the way.
A heartfelt and relatable look at the imperfect but transformative journey of parenthood.
Heights 👉 Join Matt. Whatever you’re mending, Heights has you covered. 20% off all products here: https://highpfrmc.com/otm-combo-au
Need Support?
Samaritans: Call 116 123 or visit samaritans.org
Narcotics Anonymous: na.org
Alcoholics Anonymous: alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk
Mental Health Mates: mentalhealthmates.co.uk
Shout: https: giveusashout.org
IAPT: https://www.england.nhs.uk/mental-health/adults/nhs-talking-therapies/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Deryck Whibley joins Matt for a powerful and unfiltered conversation about addiction, recovery, and the lessons hidden in life’s hardest moments.
The singer-songwriter opens up about why he chose to write his book entirely in his own words, valuing authenticity over polish, and reflects on the role of memory, mistakes, and vulnerability in personal growth. He also shares openly about his struggles with addiction, the courage it takes to face dependency, and the idea that even injury and adversity can be unexpected gifts.
From the importance of focusing on positivity and taking responsibility for your own happiness, to embracing uncertainty and letting go of old grievances, Deryck’s journey is a reminder that recovery is not just about survival, it’s about renewal, connection, and the courage to face the unknown.
Heights 👉 Join Matt. Whatever you’re mending, Heights has you covered, 20% off all products here: https://highpfrmc.com/otm-combo-au
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
What if failure was the key to success?
In this solo episode, Matt Willis opens up about his own fear of failure, from the nerves of launching a new season to the deeper anxieties that have shaped his life. Drawing on Simon Sinek’s ideas and his own lived experience, Matt explores why fear of failure is universal, how it can hold us back, and how it can also drive us forward.
With raw honesty, he shares practical ways to reframe failure as growth and explains why embracing it is essential for creativity, resilience, and real progress.
Heights 👉 Join Matt. Whatever you’re mending, Heights has you covered, 20% off all products here:
Audio Link: https://highpfrmc.com/otm-combo-au
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week's guest is Gary Stevenson, a former top trader who knows firsthand what happens when success becomes an addiction. At the height of his career, he was winning big, but behind the scenes, his health, happiness, and humanity were breaking down.
Gary pulls back the curtain on the trading world, revealing why “money = happiness” is a dangerous lie, how high-stakes trading mirrors gambling, and the hidden addiction spreading fast among young men. He shares the mental toll of life in a relentless game where even relationships become power plays, and the deep depression that can hide behind outward success.
This is a raw, unfiltered look at the addictive side of ambition, and the personal cost of chasing wins at all costs.
Heights 👉 Join Matt. Whatever you’re mending, Heights has you covered, 20% off all products here: https://highpfrmc.com/otm-combo-au
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this raw solo episode, Matt Willis shares the untold side of his journey, from Busted fame to hitting rock bottom, and why real recovery only began when he stopped trying to do it alone.
Matt opens up about the power of vulnerability, the fear of rejection, and the moment he had to admit relapse to his wife. He explores why connection is the one thing that saved him, and why healing isn’t possible without it.
From the fear of rejection to the power of forgiveness, this is a raw and personal reflection on why we can’t do recovery alone, and how connection can change everything.
Partners:
Heights 👉 Join Matt in getting your energy back with Vitals 20% off here: https://highpfrmc.com/OTM
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
After decades in the spotlight as a broadcaster, comedian, and writer, Iain Lee found himself in a moment that would change and possibly save, more than one life.
In this powerful episode, Iain recounts the night a caller to his late-night radio show shared that he had taken an overdose. What followed was a raw, real-time crisis that showed the power of being present and how connection, even through a radio line, can save someone’s life.
Iain opens up about how that moment led him to retrain as a counsellor, his experience living with ADHD, and what it means to sit with people in their darkest moments. With vulnerability, insight, and deep empathy, this episode is a reminder that healing starts with being heard.
Partners:
Heights👉 Join Matt in getting your energy back with Vitals 20% off here: https://highpfrmc.com/OTM
Need Support?
Samaritans: Call 116 123 or visit samaritans.org
Narcotics Anonymous: na.org
Alcoholics Anonymous: alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk
Mental Health Mates: mentalhealthmates.co.uk
Shout: https: giveusashout.org
IAPT: https://www.england.nhs.uk/mental-health/adults/nhs-talking-therapies/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
We’re back! In this brand new season of On The Mend, Matt Willis opens up about what he’s been up to recently, alongside his struggles with overwhelm and the ongoing work of recovery. He shares what’s been helping, from hobbies to gratitude and sets the tone for a season full of raw, real conversations with guests, experts, and you.
Expect new segments, deeper honesty, and powerful stories about what it really means to move forward.
Need Support?
Samaritans: Call 116 123 or visit samaritans.org
Narcotics Anonymous: na.org
Alcoholics Anonymous: alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk
Mental Health Mates: mentalhealthmates.co.uk
Shout: https: giveusashout.org
IAPT: england.nhs.uk/mental-health/adults/nhs-talking-therapies/
Partners 🚨 Heights 👉 Join Matt in getting your energy back with Vitals. 20% off here: https://highpfrmc.com/OTM
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week’s guest is the musician, actor, writer, and podcaster Jordan Stephens.
Jordan’s probably best known for Rizzle Kicks, the chart-topping duo he formed with his friend Harley Alexander-Sule, back in 2008.
He's since released music as a solo artist, starred in various TV and film projects, published a children’s book, and now he’s written a memoir: Avoidance, Drugs, Heartbreak and Dogs.
In this conversation the pair discuss education, the impact of overnight success, ADHD, medication and self-medication, as well as their shared interest in psychedelics and Jordan’s journey towards healthier relationships.
For more information on some of the subjects Jordan mentioned, there are links below (including more on Professor Nutt and that toad venom).
And Jordan WILL return to On The Mend. These two just have too much in common.
Related links:
Jordan’s website
Rizzle Kicks on Instagram
Matt’s interview with Jordan on MTV Faces
BRIT School bursaries
Alan Watts on education
The Anxious Generation by Joanthan Haidt
Johann Hari’s episode of On The Mend
Professor David Nutt and drug classification
A 2002 overview of the link between football hooliganism and ecstasy
The effects of the inhalation of dried toad secretion containing 5-MeO-DMT
The ongoing study at King’s College, London
The Esther Perel quote was incorrectly attributed but she’s a fan of the person who said it, Terry Real: “Under patriarchy, you can be connected, or you can be powerful, but you can't be both at the same time because power is power over, not power with, it’s dominance. So, if you move into power, you lose connection. If you move into accommodation, you lose your power. I want to break that binary.”
Donna Lancaster & The Bridge Retreat
(01:02) Jordan’s childhood
(05:28) BRIT School and creative education
(11:48) Rizzle Kicks, Busted and dealing with overnight success
(16:36) ADHD: from voice notes to diagnoses (plural)
(20:34) ADHD: medication and self-medication
(27:40) Pattern recognition and relationships
(29:07) Sobriety and overcoming writer’s block
(30:54) Managing social media use
(35:52) Psychedelics (including dried toad secretion)
(45:43) Pressure to achieve vs connection
(47:02) Educating the next generation about relationships
(54:15) Matt’s conclusion
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This week’s guest is the entrepreneur and mental health advocate Dan Murray-Serter.
Dan has ten years’ experience of building up businesses but, also, of winding them down. He’s spoken publicly about his failures, as well as his personal experience with anxiety, insomnia, depression, burnout, body dysmorphia and bulimia. And the steps Dan took towards improving his own mental and physical health, led him to a new business in nutrition and supplements.
Dan and Matt get quite deep in this conversation, which covers spirituality, mental health, ayahuasca. and much more.
Related links:
The Power Of Now by Eckhart Tolle
The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Height
(01:28) The benefits and joy to be found in a regular walk
(04:43) A few of Dan’s favourite non-fiction books
(06:10) Finding fulfillment and embracing spirituality
(11:18) Dan on his upbringing and what he learned from his father
(18:44) Living in the present and getting the balance right as an entrepreneur
(20:26) Dan’s own mental health history (including insomnia)
(24:02) Dan’s life-changing visit to a dietician
(33:51) Dan’s experience with bulimia
(42:38) Assisted psychedelic therapy and ayahuasca
(56: 02) Finding your purpose (with a small p)
(01:02:28) Managing comparison and social media
(01:07:09) Matt’s outro
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Gabby was the first female football anchor on terrestrial television and she’s perfected the art of asking great questions, while covering a wide range of international sporting events.
In this episode, Matt turns the tables on Gabby, and she speaks with great honesty, sharing moments and insights from her life and career.
Sporty and very driven from an early age, Gabby competed at the Commonwealth Games when she was still a teenager. But when her gymnastics career came to an abrupt end, she had to find a new direction. And this big change was followed by the shocking loss of her brother Daniel, when he was just 15 years old.
Gabby talks about the impact of grief on her family and how she found the support to deal with her own. She shares how she found confidence as a broadcaster and learned to accept the competitiveness that was forged in a sporting environment.
Gabby also reflects on the challenges and the joy she’s experienced raising her own family; and the wisdom and life-changing lessons she’s gained through her own podcast, The Mid.Point.
(01:40) Gabby’s sporty childhood
(04:01) Owning competitiveness
(07:24) British self-deprecation vs. the mentality in the US
(09:06) Honesty vs. brutal honesty
(10:28) Gabby’s love of order and finding compromise as a family
(12:33) Gabby’s gymnastics career (and finding a new direction when it was gone)
(15:27) The death of Gabby’s brother, Daniel, when he was just 15
(18.28) The impact on Gabby’s family (and varied ways of dealing with grief)
(21:30) The negative consequences of avoiding grief
(26:35) Her father’s self-destructive behaviour and the challenge of providing support
(38:26) Gabby’s mentor Ed Percival, NLP, and finding confidence at work
(44:06) Meeting her husband Kenny
(45:16) Wim Hoff and trying cold water therapy on Freeze The Fear
(48:03) Gabby’s podcast, The Mid.Point
(53:14) The importance of exercise and being truly present at family time
(55:34) Writing The Midpoint Plan
(56:44) Matt’s outro
Related links:
The Mid.Point: The Prostate Episode, with Kenny Logan
NHS guidance on prostate cancer
Gabby’s new book: The Midpoint Plan
Gabby’s memoir: The First Half
Gabby takes the plunge on BBC One’s Freeze The Fear
The Sports Agents podcast
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This week Matt is sharing the top 3 books that have shaped his life and his journey as a recovered addict. He’ll be breaking down exactly why they mean so much to him – and why you should consider checking them out too!
Matt has sprinkled some bonus honourable mentions, plus some feedback from all of you lovely listeners! We recently asked Matt’s Instagram followers to recommend their life-changing reads, and boy did you guys deliver. We’ll be sharing some of the most popular mentions in this episode.
So pop on your reading hat, prepare for a trip to your local bookstore, and get ready to soak up these must-reads!
Did we miss your favourite book? Leave a comment and let us know!
Related links:
How To Be Your Own Therapist by Owen O’KaneAlcoholics AnonymousThe Chimp Paradox by Professor Steve PetersThe War Of Art by Stephen PressfieldChasing The Scream by Johann Hari
0:00) Intro
(0:11) Gratitude list
(0:39) Spending time in Ibiza
(1:03) Struggling with sleep
(1:38) Matt on getting to work with his wife Emma
(2:09) Gratitude for the On The Mend team
(3:15) Struggling to read
(4:42) How To Be Your Own Therapist by Owen O’Kane
(5:16) Alcoholics Anonymous
(11:23) The Chimp Paradox by Professor Steve Peters
(13:33) The War Of Art by Stephen Pressfield
(16:35) Dr Gabor Mate
(17:13) Johann Hari
(18:26) What books do the On The Mend listeners recommend?
(21:40) What to do if you don’t like reading
(22:28) Outro
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This week’s guest is Johann Hari, whose books and TED Talks on depression, anxiety, and addiction have reached millions of people.
His 2015 talk Everything You Think You Know About Addiction Is Wrong had a huge impact on Matt, changing how he thought about his own recovery.
Matt then devoured Johann’s first book Chasing The Scream which looked at the war on drugs, through the story of Billie Holiday. While writing this book, Johann travelled the world to find out how different countries and cultures are dealing with addiction. Because, when it comes to treatment, prevention and enforcement, some countries have got it nailed... and some really haven't. In fact, many countries (including the UK) have got a lot to learn when it comes to our attitudes towards drugs and addiction.
This conversation dives into Billie Holiday’s story and the legacy of Harry J Anslinger’s war on drugs; the importance of connection and compassion in addiction recovery; and what we can learn from innovations in countries like Portugal and Switzerland, and, at the community level, in Vancouver.
(01:10) Johann’s funeral song (a surprising choice, but perhaps not for Busted fans)
(02:44) The impact of Johann’s Ted Talk on Matt
(04:45) Johann’s motivation for researching addiction
(08:43) The Rat Park experiment and the importance of connection
(13:26) The U.S. vs. Billie Holiday and what this story teaches us about the war on drugs
(27:36) Addiction treatment in the prison system
(32:32) Shame and stigma in addiction (and the importance of looking at multiple factors)
(43:40) The impact of junk values in contemporary society
(51:00) Looking for, and fixating on, negative feedback
(53:36) The different approach to addiction in Portugal
(59:07) Andrew Sullivan, gay marriage, and important cultural change
(01:01:59) Decriminalisation vs. legalisation and the Swiss approach to addiction
(01:06:22) The power of ordinary people in cultural change
(01:07:54) What we can learn from Vancouver (Bud Osborn and Philip Owen)
(01:14:24) Concluding thoughts from Johann and Matt
Related links:
Johann’s books
The film adaptation of Chasing The Scream: The United States vs, Billie Holiday
Billie Holiday’s Strange Fruit
Bruce K Alexander’s Rat Park experiment
Professor Tim Kasser’s The High Price of Materialism and his experiment with Nathan Duncan
Portugal’s Dr João Goulão
Virtually Normal by Andrew Sullivan
Former President of Switzerland Ruth Dreifuss
The Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users: VANDU
Former Vancouver Mayor Philip Owen
NHS: Getting Help for Drug Addiction
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Matt dives into the world of hypnosis with the psychiatrist Dr David Spiegel.
In this episode, Matt finds out just how susceptible he is to hypnosis, with results that truly blow him away, and he gets some practical tips on how to reduce anxiety.
Dr Spiegel is the Director of the Center on Stress and Health at Stanford University School of Medicine and a leading authority on hypnosis. He has 50 years experience in this field and he uses hypnosis as a problem-solving tool to treat physical and mental issues - including pain, addiction, anxiety and trauma.
He talks to Matt about this fascinating therapeutic tool and how he’s giving more people the opportunity to use self-hypnosis, to better manage their minds and bodies, through his Reveri app.
Related links:
The Reveri app use the code MATT20 for a 20% discount
More on Dr David Spiegel
Dopamine Nation by Dr Anna Lembke
(01:46) Dr Herbert Spiegel (David’s father and a pioneer in hypnosis)
(04:38) What is hypnosis and how does it work?
(05:46) Dr Spiegel’s first experience of using hypnosis
(09:41) Is hypnosis safe?
(11:54) How cyclic sighing calms your body and improves your mood
(15:56) The many conditions hypnosis can help (including migraines and phobias)
(19:52) Differing levels of hypnotisability
(21:44) Dr Spiegel tests Matt’s hypnotisability
(27:40) Hypnosis and addiction (including smoking)
(30:00) Hypnosis and trauma
(40:18) Relapse prevention (and the role of dopamine in addiction)
(42:08) The Reveri hypnosis app
(45:09) Hypnosis and anxiety (including practical tips for performers like Matt)
(53:01) Matt’s outro (he’s both amazed and more relaxed)
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Matt chats to the BAFTA Award-winning YouTube star, and campaigner, Nikki Lilly.
At the age of six, Nikki was diagnosed with a high flow craniofacial AVM (Arteriovenous Malformation). A rare condition which causes life-threatening nose bleeds and extreme swelling. Since then, Nikki’s had almost one hundred medical procedures, as well as therapy, to help process the trauma and pain.
When Nikki started vlogging two years later, she was spending a lot of time at home. She often felt disconnected from the world, from her peers, and she was looking for something to do. But her YouTube channel had an unexpected impact – helping her reach millions of people, while covering a range of topics, from online bullying, to chronic illness, mental health, and make-up (a big passion).
Nikki was only 19 at the time of recording this conversation but she has wisdom and strength beyond her years. And she’s determined to make a positive difference by sharing her story and films.
Related links:
Nikki’s YouTube Channel
Nikki’s award-winning BBC documentary: Born To Vlog
(01:35) Nikki on her BAFTA Award (and fear of public speaking)
(04:16) Posting her first YouTube video (and dealing with negative comments)
(18:49) Nikki’s time in hospital and disconnection from her peers
(22:02) What is AVM? (Arteriovenous Malformation)
(26:33) How therapy has helped Nikki
(35:02) Dissociation and how Nikki grounds herself
(37:37) Importance of alone time
(42:45) Parental support
(45:36) The power in make-up
(51:36) Being an inspiration and advocate for visible difference
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