PODCAST · health
After Hours with Jimmy Thistle
by Jimmy Thistle
Join Jimmy Thistle for After Hours — the brutally honest, funny and heartwarming podcast that dives deep into alcohol, addiction, and recovery. Each week, Jimmy sits down with real people who’ve faced the highs, lows, and hangovers of drinking culture. Through unfiltered conversation, laughter, and raw honesty, they explore what happens when we start questioning our relationship with alcohol — and what life looks like on the other side. Whether you’re sober, sober-curious, or just wondering if alcohol’s got too much of a grip, this show is for you. Expect real stories, a few laughs, and plenty of lightbulb moments from people who’ve been there. Recorded in the Isle of Man but shared worldwide, After Hours is here to prove that recovery can be real, relatable, and even a little bit funny.
Episodes
-
They Told My Wife to Go In & Say Goodbye — I’d Just Had a Liver Transplant & Now My Stomach Had Burst. I Had a 4% Chance of Survival.
Episode 50 | Will Gordon — Two Transplants, a Perforated Stomach & a 4% Survival Rate: The Season Finale That Will Stay With You In this staggering, life-affirming season finale, Jimmy sits down with Will Gordon — host of the Will Power Podcast, former teacher, liver and kidney transplant...
-
I Got Sober for 10 Months, Told Myself I’d Proved I Had Control — Had One Glass of Champagne at My Birthday & Was Back to Square One
Episode 49 | Beth — 4 Years Sober, the Book She Bought at 23 & Why She Built a Free Community for Women Who Can’t Afford Help In this warm, funny and deeply relatable episode, Jimmy sits down with Beth — co-founder of the SOS Collective (Sober Online Sisters), TikTok sober advocate and...
-
I Took My Bicycle to the Liquor Store Because My Parents Had Taken My Car Keys & My Wallet — I Crashed It Into the Woods
Episode 48 | Kim (Sober Kimbo) — From Blackout at 14 to a Year Sober: The Canadian Dental Hygienist Who Lost Two Phones in Europe & Found AA in Nova Scotia In this warm, funny and genuinely relatable episode, Jimmy sits down with Kim — aka Sober Kimbo on Instagram — a dental hygienist from Nova...
-
I Reached Into the Fridge for a Beer After a Stressful Day & Thought: That’s Probably Not a Healthy Coping Mechanism — So I Never Drank Again
Episode 47 | Will Edwards — 1,360 Days Sober: The NHS Cardiac Instructor Who Quit Before It Became a Problem & Journals Everything In this refreshingly different and genuinely thought-provoking episode, Jimmy sits down with Will Edwards — NHS cardiac exercise instructor, cold water therapy...
-
I Was Drinking Mouthwash Because It Was Cheaper Than Vodka & I Didn’t Feel Shame Buying It — My Family Had to Replace Every Bottle in the House With Alcohol-Free
Episode 46 | Jen Hirst — 12.5 Years Sober: The Minnesota Coach Who Drank Mouthwash, Hid in the Sober Closet for Four Years & Built Lighthouse Sobriety In this warm, searingly honest and deeply relatable episode, Jimmy sits down with Jen Hirst — founder of Lighthouse Sobriety, sober coach, and one...
-
I Got Out of Jail for Drink Driving, Walked to the Minimart Around the Corner & Chugged Two Drinks Before My Stepdad Picked Me Up
Episode 45 | Ryan Kennedy — Rock Bottom With Ryan: Airlifted, Arrested & Almost Out of Time in Washington State In this raw, funny and deeply honest episode, Jimmy sits down with Ryan Kennedy — host of the Rock Bottom With Ryan podcast — whose story spans a chaotic childhood in Seattle…
more -
I Was Standing on Top of a Cliff in Cyprus, Blacked Out on Speed & Alcohol — I Came Round Lying on the Edge & Saw a Vision of My Kids
Episode 44 | Oli Stringer — 1,000 Days Sober: The Bedford Carpenter Who Stood on a Cliff in Cyprus, Saw His Kids & Chose to Come Home In this raw, warm and deeply spiritual episode, Jimmy sits down with Olly Stringer — carpenter, hiker, father and Bedford-based sober advocate just days from his...
-
Bonus Content - Stoptober Share
Jimmy Thistle shares his journey and insights on sobriety during "Stoptober," emphasizing the importance of extending sobriety beyond a single month for lasting health benefits. He reflects on his personal experiences, the challenges of staying sober, and the transformative impact of a 90-day...
-
I Was Filming My Brother’s Wedding as a Gift — Got Drunk, Deleted All the Footage & Ended Up Doing Drugs With Homeless People on the Streets of Ottawa
Episode 43 | Tom McLeod — 3 Years Sober: The Toronto Filmmaker Who Almost Partied Himself to Death & Found Out Rooms Full of People Who Did the Same Are Actually Pretty Entertaining Tom McLeod grew up in Calgary — an unpopular kid who had his first drink at 14 at a cool party and immediately…
more -
I Put Vodka in a Starbucks Cup & Drank It at the Mall at 15 — My Friends Didn’t Even Know I Was Drinking
Episode 42 | Lexi — 1,000 Days Sober: The Canadian Wellness Coach Who Got Sober Alone, in Her Room, With No Help — On Exactly Day 1,000 Lexi grew up in Ontario adopted by older, strict parents who she loved but never quite felt connected to. Her first drink at 15 felt like medicine — instant…
more -
I Looked Through My Sister’s Letterbox & the Flat Was Completely Empty — We Found Out She’d Been Repossessed & Was Living on the Streets & She Never Told Us
Episode 41 | Amber Hughes — The Sister Left Behind: How Addiction & Homelessness Took Hannah, & What Amber Built in Her Name Amber Hughes grew up in Oxfordshire with a 16-year age gap between her and her older sister Hannah — close enough that Hannah came to every sports day, every school fete…
more -
I Was in a Taxi on the Way to Work in a Suit & I Asked the Driver If I Could Have the Beer He Had in the Back — My Work Colleague Was Sitting Right Next to Me
Episode 40 | Craig Hewins — 3 Years Sober: The Surrey Sales Guy Who Cold Turkeyed Alone in a Rented Room & Never Told Anyone Craig Hewins grew up in Surrey — happy childhood, no trauma, no excuses as he puts it. Started drinking at 14 in the park with cider, loved the confidence it gave him, and...
-
I Went on Dragon’s Den, Got Investment, Built a Fashion Brand From Nothing — Then Lost Everything & Retrained as a Therapist at 50
Episode 39 | Mike Longthorn — The Alcohol-Free Introvert: Dragon’s Den, Bankruptcy & Finding Out Who He Was Without a Drink Mike Longthorn grew up in a happy home in Anglesey but spent his school years feeling different — quieter than others, struggling in ways he couldn’t name. It was only…
more -
Episode 38 - Jodi Clark
Send us Fan Mail Jodi Clark is the founder of Sober Flourish, a powerful coaching platform and community supporting women who want to change their relationship with alcohol and reclaim their clarity, energy, and purpose. After spending two decades in the corporate world and navigating her own...
-
Episode 37 - Lucy Norfolk
Send us Fan Mail In 2022, Lucy lost her partner, Daniel, whose life was tragically cut short by the effects of alcoholism. Navigating the grief of his passing, she has found strength in sharing their story to raise awareness about the hidden impact of addiction on families. Today, she honours...
-
Episode 36 - Kristen Bear
Send us Fan Mail Kristen Bear is the founder of Creative Sobriety, a multi platform resource for anyone looking to change their mindset on alcohol and its place in their life. As a writer and actor, she sees sobriety as the key to unlocking our full creative potential and a true rebel move in a...
-
Episode 35 - Ashton Sheppard
Send us Fan Mail Ashton has spent most of her adult life escaping reality with addiction to alcohol and drugs. When she hit 30 years old she realised her life had to change, now 6 months sober and still working as a bar manager, working with pure willpower she stays sober. Helping others through...
-
Episode 34 - Tash
Send us Fan Mail Tash is 39, and she’s been sober for 7½ years. Tash started drinking at 13, and by her late 20s, she was drinking daily, passing out most nights, and battling drug addiction, failed relationships, financial struggles, and even periods of homelessness. Her mental and physical…
more -
Episode 33 - Rickey Franks Jr.
Send us Fan Mail Rickey Franks lives in Alabama. His sobriety date is 9/21/22 and has been in some stage of addiction his entire adult life. Alcohol is a liar! Rickey found himself waking up to drink at 2 A.M. every morning because he would have started withdrawing. The absence of alcohol would...
-
Episode 32 - Victoria Vanstone
Send us Fan Mail Victoria Vanstone is the host of Sober Awkward, a popular comedy podcast. Victoria became a renowned over-sharer on her blog drunkmummysobermummy.com. Originally from Reading in the UK, Victoria now lives on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland with her brood of uncontrollable...
-
Episode 31 - Luke Jones
Send us Fan Mail Luke Jones is a sober transformation coach, ICF-accredited Life Coach, and NLP Master Practitioner who helps dads quit alcohol for good and become the role models their kids deserve. After a wake-up call from his son, Luke made the bold decision to get sober, move his family to…
more -
Episode 30 - Marcus Jones
Send us Fan Mail Marcus Jones – Alcohol-Free Coach, Ultra Runner, and Mental Health Advocate Following a turbulent divorce and years of using alcohol to cope, Marcus Jones turned his life around through sobriety, discipline, and relentless self-development. What began as a personal reset evolved...
-
Episode 29 - Adriana Cavallo
Send us Fan Mail Adriana, is the voice behind The Adge of Sobriety. She started drinking when she was 15, and by 30, Adriana had almost died from liver failure and was diagnosed with cirrhosis. Even that wasn’t enough for her to stop. She kept struggling on and off for another 8 years, trying to...
-
Episode 28 - Jade
Send us Fan Mail Jade is a mum of two and the creator of Scottish and Sober, an Instagram account dedicated to making sobriety feel honest, accessible, and empowering. Sober since 2021, she shares real-life reflections on identity, motherhood, mental health, therapy, and life beyond alcohol....
-
Episode 27 - Derek
Send us Fan Mail Derek was a daily drinker whose life was spiraling out of control. It was impacting his work, relationships, health and finances. There was no controlling it, and despite some attempts at sobriety nothing seemed to last. Finally wanting a change for himself, he got sober in 2011...
-
Episode 26 - Victoria
Send us Fan Mail Victoria has been proudly alcohol-free since January 2022, following a decade-long career at the country’s leading pub company, where she was events manager. Her journey into sobriety has been transformative, allowing her to embrace a lifestyle rooted in wellness, creativity, and...
-
Episode 25 - Paul Harris
Send us Fan Mail Paul has just turned 11 years sober! With his exceptional lived experience he is helping people regain control over their lives & overcome alcohol addiction with personalised support Addiction recovery tips & Inspo..... Hear his story here… You can get Paul on his insta:...
-
Episode 24 - Erica Eschman
Send us Fan Mail Erica is 37 years old and living in Oregon with her husband and their two-year-old son. She’s been sober from alcohol for seven years now and it has changed her life in every way giving her clarity and a deeper connection to the people she loves. Life these days is sweet and…
more -
Episode 23 - Laura Starky
Send us Fan Mail Laura is a trauma-informed somatic therapist and certified yoga and meditation teacher with over 25 years of experience – 19 of those specialising in mental health, trauma and substance misuse. After years of living in disconnection and using alcohol to numb anxiety, quiet the...
-
Episode 22 - David Wilson
Send us Fan Mail David Wilson – Trauma-Informed Coach, Public Speaker & Bestselling Author David Wilson is a Trauma-Informed Coach, Accredited Grey Area Drinking Coach, and Public Speaker dedicated to empowering individuals to transform their lives, overcome personal challenges, and embrace...
-
Episode 21 - Darren McGarvey
Send us Fan Mail Darren McGarvey, is a Scottish social commentator, journalist, author and tv presenter on hard hitting documentaries. McGarvey was brought up in Pollok on the south side of Glasgow, Scotland. Between 2004 and 2006, he wrote and presented eight programmes about the causes of...
-
Episode 20 - Louisa Evans
Send us Fan Mail Louisa was a nearly nightly bottle of wine drinker and had been since her 20's. When Louisa became a mother, the pressure to cope with motherhood with 'wine o'clock' increased and it seemed like the most natural thing in the world to turn to a glass of wine or two (or three) at…
more -
Episode 19 - Sam Lowry pt. 2
Send us Fan Mail At 29, Sam was on his knees, physically, mentally and spiritually shattered. He hated himself and wanted to die. This coupled with a life of chronic alcoholism of which his journey began at a young age, was a tragedy in waiting. His name is Samuel, and by the grace of some…
more -
Episode 18 - Sam Lowry pt. 1
Send us Fan Mail At 29, Sam was on his knees, physically, mentally and spiritually shattered. He hated himself and wanted to die. This coupled with a life of chronic alcoholism of which his journey began at a young age, was a tragedy in waiting. His name is Samuel, and by the grace of some…
more -
Episode 17 - Gary Mairs
Send us Fan Mail Gary was in a rut with his drinking, at the end it was all consuming and despite having a good job, being well traveled and having met the love of his life. It was all falling away, he would drink daily and not care about anything else, losing friends and his love he finally...
-
Episode 16 - Leanne Bayliss
Send us Fan Mail Leanne is a solo parent, she has been sober almost 5 years. Loud and proud. She now works in therapy with people in addiction or substance use. Leanne is also a writer and the book From Cocaine to Rice Cakes will be out soon. Since getting sober Leanne has devoted her time to...
-
Episode 15 - Sam Courtney
Send us Fan Mail Sam is from the valleys in South Wales. After leaving school, he spent many years working in call centres. Bouncing between extreme binge drinking and dependency. The play hard attitude of working in the city really brought his drinking problem to light. And his drinking just...
-
Episode 14 - Thea Ozenturk
Send us Fan Mail Thea is the Chief Operating Officer at Motiv8 Addiction Services on the Isle of Man and is wealth of knowledge surrounding addiction and recovery support. In 2025, Thea celebrated 33 years of working in the IOM local addictions field. As well as managing services, she continues...
-
Episode 13 - Marissa Cherepanova
Send us Fan Mail Marissa is a renowned leader in the female empowerment movement and a dedicated advocate for women in leadership. As the CEO and visionary of the No Girl Left Behind Organization, she drives global initiatives that inspire and empower women through transformative workshops and...
-
Episode 12 - Henry Beercock
Send us Fan Mail Henry, still a young man and decided that his life would be so much better without alcohol and after years of issues and dark days he finally managed it.. Listen to Henry's story here... You can find Henry at: https://www.instagram.com/zen__hen Find Henry's details and other...
-
Episode 11 - Chris
Send us Fan Mail Another incredible story of insanity and then hope, dealing with the things that life throws at you and dealing with them sober. Listen to Chris' story here... You can find Chris at: https://www.instagram.com/sober_bow And the Midland Sober Society is here:...
-
Episode 10 - George
Send us Fan Mail I met George in the rooms of NA a few months after I got sober and we were great support to one another in those early days and although we haven't seen each other for a few years now we have kept in touch and you will hear here, just how incredible George's life has become since...
-
Episode 9 - Ian Marks
Send us Fan Mail Ian has a quite similar story to me and although he was in-between an oblivion drinker and grey area he still saw it as a massive negative issue on his life and so set out to do something about it! You can find Ian at: https://www.instagram.com/sober_retake The films we discussed...
-
Episode 8 - Ade
Send us Fan Mail Ade has just reached 500 days of sobriety but it has taken him a lifetime of debauchery to get there and he is starting to realise that this is the best way of life. Listen to his amazing story here... You can find Ade at: https://www.instagram.com/thesobercleanpoet My Instagram...
-
Episode 7 - Michael Sargood
Send us Fan Mail Michael had gotten to the point where he thought about taking the unthinkable route out of his hell. He didn't and now he is here to tell us his story! Some triggering topics discussed, so please take care when listening... You can find Michael at:...
-
Episode 6 - Olivia Taylor
Send us Fan Mail Incredibly powerful conversation with Olivia Taylor, the extremes of her addiction from a very early age to educating herself on recovery methods and now working full time helping others. A real powerhouse of a story! This is a very candid chat and there are some triggering...
-
Episode 5 - Martin
Send us Fan Mail Had a great chat with Martin today about his addiction to heroin and other substances from an early age. We discuss his childhood trauma and then his subsequent recovery and the help and support that he provides in the community. This is a very candid chat and there are some...
-
Episode 4 - Danny Konik
Send us Fan Mail Danny is right at the start of his Sober Journey and I get the chance to chat with him on 31 days sober! You can find Danny at: https://www.instagram.com/dannykonik My Instagram is: https://www.instagram.com/recovery_jimmy And you can find all my other links at:...
-
Episode 3 - Kate Turner
Send us Fan Mail Kate is a mother, she has three children and was a grey area, binge drinker who had a tough childhood but decided one day on a hike to give up alcohol completely. She has 145 days under her belt and is looking forward to living a sober life. You can find Kate at:...
-
Episode 2 - Kate Taylor
Send us Fan Mail Kate Taylor is a professional writer who has lived in London, New York and Rome and for companies like Disney and the United Nations. She is a big voice on Instagram where she talks openly and with humour about her journey from drinking a bottle of wine a night for 20 years to...
We're indexing this podcast's transcripts for the first time — this can take a minute or two. We'll show results as soon as they're ready.
No matches for "" in this podcast's transcripts.
No topics indexed yet for this podcast.
Loading reviews...
ABOUT THIS SHOW
Join Jimmy Thistle for After Hours — the brutally honest, funny and heartwarming podcast that dives deep into alcohol, addiction, and recovery.
Each week, Jimmy sits down with real people who’ve faced the highs, lows, and hangovers of drinking culture. Through unfiltered conversation, laughter, and raw honesty, they explore what happens when we start questioning our relationship with alcohol — and what life looks like on the other side.
Whether you’re sober, sober-curious, or just wondering if alcohol’s got too much of a grip, this show is for you. Expect real stories, a few laughs, and plenty of lightbulb moments from people who’ve been there.
Recorded in the Isle of Man but shared worldwide, After Hours is here to prove that recovery can be real, relatable, and even a little bit funny.
HOSTED BY
Jimmy Thistle
CATEGORIES
Loading similar podcasts...
Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does After Hours with Jimmy Thistle have?
After Hours with Jimmy Thistle currently has 51 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is After Hours with Jimmy Thistle about?
Join Jimmy Thistle for After Hours — the brutally honest, funny and heartwarming podcast that dives deep into alcohol, addiction, and recovery. Each week, Jimmy sits down with real people who’ve faced the highs, lows, and hangovers of drinking culture. Through unfiltered conversation, laughter, and...
How often does After Hours with Jimmy Thistle release new episodes?
After Hours with Jimmy Thistle has 51 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to After Hours with Jimmy Thistle?
You can listen to After Hours with Jimmy Thistle on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts After Hours with Jimmy Thistle?
After Hours with Jimmy Thistle is created and hosted by Jimmy Thistle.
URL copied to clipboard!