Chewing the Crust with The Pie Eating Man

This is Luke Mortimer's story. But it has never been Luke's story alone.Behind Luke is the Mortimer family: dad Adam, mum Christine and brother Harry. A family whose lives changed beyond recognition in 2019, and who have faced everything that followed together. Christine and Harry have also been involved in the family's challenges and fundraising.In this episode of Chewing the Crust, I'm joined by Luke and his dad Adam to talk about the family behind a story that has inspired people across the country.Luke contracted meningococcal meningitis and septicaemia in December 2019 and survived catastrophic sepsis, ultimately losing all four limbs. But this conversation isn't simply about what happened to Luke. It's about what happened afterwards.We talk about family, humour and adapting when life changes overnight. We talk about the small victories that nobody else sees, the difficult days, giving something back, and what happens when a family refuses to allow the worst thing that's happened to them to become the thing that defines them.There have been some extraordinary moments along the way. Luke has raised money for other children and disability-related causes, received a Prime Minister's Point of Light award and won the Pride of Britain Child of Courage Award, which resulted in a rather special surprise meeting with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.And now the Mortimers are looking forward again with Luke's Big Push, an extraordinary challenge involving Adam and a team pushing a specially prepared Peugeot 207 more than 130 miles from Sheffield Children's Hospital to Silverstone for CarFest.What struck me most during our conversation wasn't simply Luke's courage.It was the family around him.The humour. The determination. The love. And their decision to take something unimaginably difficult and use it to make life a little better for somebody else.This is Luke and the Mortimer family.And I think you'll rather like them.Support Luke's Big Push:lukesbigpush.ukIf you enjoy the conversation, please like, subscribe and share it. Every share helps us introduce another person to Luke, the Mortimers and what they're trying to achieve.Look after yourselves and each other.

What do a 300-acre Canadian farm, professional boxing, and a podcast called Dildo Dilemma have in common?Lita Mae Button.In this episode of Chewing the Crust with The Pie Eating Man, Mark sits down with Lita Mae Button, a professional boxer, coach, and founder of Punch Positive, to explore a life shaped by resilience, adversity, and transformation.After becoming a young mother, facing an abusive relationship, and navigating her son’s life-threatening medical diagnosis, Lita found something unexpected…Boxing.Not as aggression, but as discipline, control, and healing.Today, she helps people over 50 reclaim their health through her F.I.S.T method, and hosts the podcast Dildo Dilemma, using humour and storytelling to raise awareness and drive action around violence against women.This is a conversation about:• Turning trauma into strength• Boxing as a tool for mental health• Surviving abuse and rebuilding confidence• Why it’s never too late to start again• Humour as a way to face life’s hardest truths• The power of community and personal growthAs Lita says:HOPE = Hold On, Pain Ends🎙 Watch more episodes here:Chewing the Crust with The Pie Eating Manhttps://www.youtube.com/@ThePieEatingMan🥊 Follow Lita Mae Button:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/libuttonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachlita/YouTube (Punch Positive): https://www.youtube.com/@punchpositive📘 My Book:The Pie Eating Man’s Guide to a Healthy Mindhttps://amzn.eu/d/9jNqAjB💬 If this episode resonated, share it with someone who needs it.#BoxingSavedMe #TraumaRecovery #WomensHealth #Podcast

This episode marks one full year of Chewing the Crust with The Pie Eating Man.And it felt right to sit down with someone who represents exactly what this podcast is all about.Si King, best known as one half of the Hairy Bikers, joins me for a conversation about friendship, food, and what life looks like when it doesn’t quite go the way you expected.Together with Dave Myers, Si travelled over 650,000 miles on motorbikes, sharing food, laughter, and one of the most genuine friendships ever seen on television.But this conversation goes beyond the bikes and beyond the food.We talk about:• Friendship, and what it really means• The moments that shape us• Mental health and finding your feet again• Life after loss, and moving forward• And the kind of laughter you only ever share with your closest matesIt’s warm, it’s honest, and it’s exactly the kind of conversation this podcast was built for.So settle in, grab a brew, and join us.

What does cutting your toenails at the dinner table have to do with phone addiction?In this episode of Chewing the Crust with The Pie Eating Man, I’m joined by bestselling author and screenwriter Emmy Laybourne for a bold and honest conversation about screen addiction, creativity, and reclaiming your focus in a world designed to distract you.We explore:• Why phone addiction is not a personal failure• The science behind distraction and the default mode network• Creativity, boredom and brain health• Parenting in the digital age• How to reset your relationship with your phone without shameEmmy shares her own rock bottom moment with mobile gaming and how that experience led her to create practical tools to help others fight back.🎧 Chewing the Crust with The Pie Eating Manhttps://www.youtube.com/@ThePieEatingMan #PhoneAddiction #DigitalDetox #MentalHealth #Podcast #ScreenTime #podmatch

Addiction does not affect just one person. It affects the entire family.In this episode of Chewing the Crust with The Pie Eating Man / @thepieeatingman I’m joined by Jennifer Chase, a woman in long term recovery, life coach, daughter of an alcoholic, and mother of a recovering addict.Jennifer has experienced addiction from every angle. She grew up around it. She struggled with it herself. And she faced the devastating moment of discovering her son had become addicted in her own home.We talk openly about:• Addiction as a family disease• Generational trauma and breaking cycles• Codependency and control• Setting boundaries with someone you love• Recovery beyond sobriety• Shame, guilt, and self trust• Healing without losing yourselfThis is an honest, serious conversation about what addiction really does to families, and how recovery is possible even when it feels impossible.If this resonates, please like, subscribe, and share. It genuinely helps the podcast reach people who may need it.Jennifer’s website:https://www.riseaddictionlc.com🎧 More conversations about resilience, mental health, and life pivots:Chewing the Crust with The Pie Eating Man / @thepieeatingman 📘 My BookIf traditional self help has never felt written for you, my book The Pie Eating Man’s Guide to a Healthy Mind is for everyday people living real lives.Available here:https://amzn.eu/d/9jNqAjB#AddictionRecovery#FamilyAddiction#RecoveryJourney#Codependency#MentalHealth#Healing#BreakingTheCycle#Podcast#ChewingTheCrust#Podmatch

What happens when a 7 year old child is “rescued” from civil war by their father, only to be placed into slavery?Pamela Michaux was sent from the Democratic Republic of Congo to Belgium at the age of seven, promised safety and a better life. What followed was years of abuse, racism, exploitation and silence.In this conversation, Pamela shares how survival became normal, how identity was fractured, and how healing only began once the truth was faced.Her book, Mundele Diaries, is not written to shock or accuse. It is written to reclaim a voice, to break generational cycles, and to speak for anyone who has ever felt unseen, unwanted, or trapped in survival mode.This episode of Chewing the Crust with The Pie Eating Man is an honest conversation about trauma, resilience, forgiveness, and the courage it takes to choose a different ending.🔗 LINKS📘 Mundele Diaries, Pamela Michaux👉 https://amzn.eu/d/5keIA8R🎙️ Chewing the Crust with The Pie Eating ManYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ChewingTheCrustSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0kaXkXpvAn3OiGPBugrmIC?si=d62bb48ad6a14b0fBook (The Pie Eating Man’s Guide to a Healthy Mind): https://amzn.eu/d/9jNqAjB👤 Pamela MichauxInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mundelediaries/Website: https://mundelediaries.com/#ChewingTheCrust#RescuedIntoSlavery#PamelaMichaux#MundeleDiaries#MentalHealth#LifeStories#TraumaRecovery#Healing#Resilience#Podcast#PodMatch#ModernSlavery#Slavery#Abuse#racial abuse#race#strongwomen#inspirationalwomen

If you’re feeling flat, overwhelmed, or just a bit worn down by life, this conversation might help you breathe again.In this episode of Chewing the Crust, I’m joined by Cathy Nesbitt, educator, environmentalist, and laughter yoga leader, for a warm, honest conversation about laughter, nature, mental health, and why feeling better does not always need to be complicated.Cathy’s journey is anything but ordinary. From building a business around worm composting, to working in mental health, to discovering laughter yoga as a powerful tool for wellbeing, her story is full of unexpected turns and gentle wisdom. We talk about boredom, phones, play, being present, reconnecting with our bodies, and why laughter can be one of the fastest ways to shift how we feel.This is not about forcing positivity or pretending life is easy. It’s about permission. Permission to pause, to breathe properly, to play, and to remember that we are human first.If you’ve ever felt disconnected from yourself or the world around you, I hope this conversation helps you feel a little lighter.Find Cathy here: Cathy Nesbitthttps://www.cathysclub.comMy bookThe Pie Eating Man’s Guide to a Healthy Mindhttps://amzn.eu/d/9jNqAjBPodcastChewing the Crust with The Pie Eating ManAvailable on YouTube and all major podcast platforms#FeelBetterStraightAway#FastestHappinessHack#MentalHealth#Wellbeing#LaughterYoga#MentalHealthPodcast#FindingJoy#ChewingTheCrust#ThePieEatingMan#PodMatch

In this episode of Chewing the Crust, Mark Grimes talks with Rob René, whose entire life changed in an instant after a serious accident. What followed was a powerful journey through faith, recovery, and a deep exploration of health, intention, and transformation.Rob shares how the accident shifted his identity, how he rebuilt his life, and how he began studying frequency, nutrition, and the role belief plays in healing and resilience. This conversation blends science, spirituality, curiosity, and personal growth.Together Mark and Rob explore:• The accident that changed everything• How faith helped Rob find purpose again• The physical and emotional recovery process• Why intention may influence the body• What frequencies meant in Rob’s research• The importance of nutrition and hydration• Open-mindedness when exploring new ideas• Why community and knowledge matter• How trauma shapes identity• What Rob hopes to pass on to others• Small daily habits that create powerful changeThis is a thoughtful, personal, and inspiring conversation that invites listeners to reflect on their own journey.👉 Available on YouTube, Spotify, Amazon Music, and wherever you get your podcasts.

This conversation changed the way I think about caffeine.In this episode of Chewing the Crust, I speak with Steve Frazier, author of Release the Coffee Cuffs, Winning the Battle with Caffeine. Steve literally broke up with coffee after decades of heavy use, business stress and family health challenges… and the results surprised even him.We dig into:☕ Why caffeine doesn’t give you energy, it borrows it🧠 Cognitive dissonance and why we defend certain habits😴 The neuroscience of adenosine and sleep quality👶 The impact of caffeine on pregnancy🧬 Hormones, testosterone and anxiety🔥 Why caffeine is a trillion-dollar industry🧠 How to reduce caffeine safely💡 The day Steve said, “I’ve had enough.”Website: releasethecoffeecuffs.com 📘 Steve's Book : Release the Coffee Cuffs – Winning the Battle with CaffeineLinkedIn: Steve Frazier – Founder | Coach | Author 🎙 Quote from the episode:“Sometimes the first step to waking up… is putting something down.” Steve Frazier transcriptThis isn’t anti-coffee, it’s pro-choice, pro-knowledge, pro-health. What if we just gave it a try and measured the difference?💬 If this conversation resonates, please like, subscribe, and leave a comment — it genuinely helps others find these powerful stories.📗 Mark’s Book: The Pie Eating Man’s Guide to a Healthy Mind👇 Would you try 7 days without caffeine? Let me know in the comments.Your answers help more people see this video.00:00 Intro, Steve’s story02:00 The poem, The Cup That Never Empties 04:00 Steve’s entrepreneurial journey ✦ restaurants ✦ coaching ✦ family09:00 The health scare that changed everything13:00 Caffeine, brain fog and sleep cycles17:00 Cognitive dissonance, why we defend coffee22:00 Caffeine vs adenosine explained simply29:00 Why exhaustion is now normal34:00 Circadian rhythm & hidden sleep disruption37:00 Testosterone, anxiety & belly fat47:00 Pregnancy, fertility & caffeine concerns54:00 Caffeine withdrawal vs tapering safely59:00 Habit, identity & peer pressure1:03:00 Alcohol, caffeine & unusual choices1:12:00 Why we resist change1:19:00 What have we got to lose?

Paul Cooper, known to millions as Martin Mucklowe from the BAFTA-winning comedy This Country, joins Mark Grimes on Chewing the Crust for an inspiring and deeply human conversation about creativity, purpose, childhood, peace, and resilience.Far from being a lifelong actor, Paul didn’t begin acting until he was 60 years old — proving it is never too late to reinvent yourself or step into the life you were meant to live.In this episode, Paul and Mark explore:• Growing up in North Devon with a free-range, joy-filled childhood• Why unstructured play makes kids happier, smarter, and more resilient• Football as a bridge for peace and understanding• The work of the Children’s Football Alliance and global Peace Field Projects• Creativity in children, teens, and adults• The resilience and joy of refugee children• Generational wisdom, family identity, and the value of history• The emotional reality behind hoarding and how trauma drives it• Mental health, empathy, and community support• How one moment of encouragement can change a child’s entire life• What it really means to start again later in lifePaul’s reflections on childhood, creativity, hoarding, hope, parenting, and purpose make this one of the most wide-ranging and meaningful episodes we’ve recorded.🔗 LINKS & RESOURCESChildren’s Football Alliancehttps://www.childrensfootballalliance...Peace Field Projectshttps://www.childrensfootballalliance...Mark’s BookThe Pie Eating Man’s Guide to a Healthy Mindhttps://amzn.eu/d/9jNqAjBPodcastChewing the Crust with The Pie Eating ManAvailable on YouTube, Spotify, Amazon Music, and wherever you get your podcasts.