Don’t Hawd Yer Weesht

In this episode I am catching up with Andrew Brock, a former high school class mate from Lenzie Academy back in the 90's.We discuss Andrew's journey to date. A career in Stockbroking/Banking. The heart breaking loss of his dearest friend. A quite astonishingly toxic & abusive relationship & his new career path as a Life Coach, which is way more than a job.Andrew is amazingly open & honest in his accounts & again, we at the 'Don't Hawd Yer Weesht' podcast show that no one has to suffer in silence.

Episode 24 sees me catch up with Jack McGuire, a lad from Banknock, which is a small village within the Falkirk Council area. I first met Jack around a year ago through the 'Max Kolbe Movement' which is a mental health support group which partakes in everything from boot camps to hill walking to cold water therapy.On my outings with the group, I've found Jack to be a prominent figure who has a presence & self confidence which inspires others. Mentally & physically strong I was intrigued to know more of Jack's story & his journey to date.We discuss his thoughts & fears as a young boy, his first experience of substance abuse & ultimately his road to a suicide attempt & being admitted to a mental health ward in hospital which is where Jack's road to recovery would begin.

Episode 23 sees me catch up with former British & Commonwealth Champion Kash Farooq. Kash originated from Pakistan, before arriving in the UK as a 6yr old boy with his parents & 2 siblings, firstly to Croydon, London, before moving North of the border to Glasgow.We discuss Kash's early memories of adjusting to life in Glasgow, his route into Boxing as a 14yr old kid & his fantastic but short professional career, which saw him win Scottish, British & World Level titles.Unfortunately devastation would strike at just 25 years old forcing Kash into early retirement & the bright lights of Las Vegas snatched away in the most cruellest of circumstances.An honest, admirable & inspiring interview from the man they called ‘The Untouchable’.

The 2nd Episode of 2022 is here & it is well worth the wait folks. I catch up with an amazing gentleman called Gerry Murphy. Gerry was raised in the Gorbals in Glasgow as one of 7 children from a single parent household & grew up in a life of poverty, fear & violence. By the time he reached his mid 30's, Gerry had been in out of several mental institutions as well as prison & had made several attempts at taking his own life. He was gripped with fear & suffered from drink & drug addiction & things were severely bleak. However, despite tragically losing 3 close family members in quick succession, Gerry found an inner strength to turn his life around & we discuss that process & some of the amazing work he has done to help others over the past 25 years.Despite not being able to read or write in his mid 30's Gerry went on to gain several qualifications such as Diplomas & Degrees before realising he still hadn't educated himself & truly found happiness within.He has since portrayed this in his own book 'Now I Understand' which we discuss in great detail & cover topics such as the Innocence of a child, Learned Behaviours, Expectations, Power of our thoughts, Acceptance & Fear.A real informative & educational episode that you simply cannot be better off for having listened. Enjoy!

The first Episode of 2022 is here as I catch up with former professional Boxer Mitch Prince. We discuss Mitch's upbringing in Johannesburg, South Africa & the sudden passing of his father. Moving to Glasgow as a 13yr old kid. His amateur career which included the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games & a total of 66 bouts. We also chat Mitch turning Pro & fighting Willie Limond, a scrape with the authorities in Las Vegas & a chance meeting with "Mommy's Boy" Denis Douglin. I ask Mitch for his thoughts on some upcoming bouts such as Eubank Jr v Liam Williams, Kell Brook v Amir Khan & the current mix up in the Heavyweight Division. A must listen for Boxing enthusiasts.

The year was 1984 & at 1yr old, a delightfully plump Andrew Smith was sat on the chair beside his brother for a Nursery photoshoot. Fast forward to 2021 & a full 37 years later & again I am on the chair but this time at the other side of the microphone.For this years 'Xmas Special' I've teamed up with the 'Did Ye Aye' Podcast with Liam posing the question of just who is 'The Man Behind The Mic'?Listen in as I hope to give my listeners an insight into myself, my upbringing, my reasoning behind the Podcast & aspirations for it.Have a Merry Christmas everyone & a Happy New Year. x

Stephen Law is a 36yr old lad from a small village which lies between Cumbernauld & Kilsyth known as Croy. We first touched base just one week ago when a mutual friend suggested we hook up & record an Episode together. I was ensured Stephen was a charismatic guy, full of positive energy & would make a great guest. He didn't disappoint.Stephen's main objective for the episode was to discuss his journey into recovery from years of drink & drug abuse & how he feels the 12 step recovery program has ultimately saved his life.We discuss Stephen's upbringing, the teenage years of designer clobber & clubbing. The partying & the excessive drug abuse & ultimately the impact that would have, which would lead him to several attempts at taking his own life.A real honest, energetic & powerful episode, with plenty laughs & banter along the way.

Episode 18 is here & sees me catch up with Ross Makein, a 39yr old lad from Cupar in Fife. Ross has recently launched his own clothing brand, Find Your Voice (FYV) with a concept of raising mental health awareness & breaking down stigmas. This is something which is close to Ross' heart, not only for his love of fashion but more importantly from self experience as someone who has suffered greatly from depression & anxiety for over 30 years & was unable to speak out until recently.A real powerful, emotional episode, which comes from the heart as Ross shows tremendous courage in speaking about his troubles & an event from his childhood which would have devastating consequences for the rest of his life.

Mary McClung was raised in 'the scheme' in Kilmarnock. A notorious housing estate previously depicted in an infamous documentary highlighting its poverty, violence & drink & drug culture. It was previously declared one of the worst places in Scotland to raise a family. However from a very young age Mary recalls having a determination not to allow this to hold her back & had a drive & ambition to succeed. This success would come around at a very young age & in the form of athletics. Mary discovered she had a real talent as a runner & this would see her head to The University Of Georgia in the USA for a scholarship in Athletics.Listen as Mary reminisces of her Uni days, the highs & lows of her running career, her brief stint working with the police force & her career today as a highly successful Mental Fitness Expert & High Performance & Transformational Coach.Mary currently works with Elite Athletes in helping them fine tune their success from a psychological & emotional perspective. She has a Masters Degree in Performance Psychology.A very interesting & informative Episode. A must listen.

We're back! The first Episode of Series 2 sees me catch up with Comedy Writer/Actor Mr Stuart Hay. Stuart is best known for his hilarious sketches mocking fans of the Old Firm (Rangers & Celtic).We chat his upbringing in Coatbridge, his love of music, some of his mundane jobs he's fulfilled & ultimately his path into comedy.Stuart's work in recent years has seen him become a bit of a social media sensation with sketches going viral, some having millions of hits. This has undoubtedly been a positive as his career progresses, however there has also been a more sinister, negative reaction to his works.Stuart currently works for the BBC & has recently written sketches for the well known football show 'Only An Excuse'.