Tom's Talks

Tom Dickinson
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Welcome to the Tom's Talks Podcast, where we explore the unique stories that shape extraordinary lives.Join me, Tom Dickinson - public speaker, mindset coach and mental health advocate, as I sit down with inspiring individuals from all walks of life. In each episode, we delve into personal journeys, uncovering the pivotal moments, triumphs and challenges that have defined them. The Tom's Talks Podcast offers raw and authentic conversations that remind us we're all on our own unique path.Tune in to be inspired, enlightened, and empowered to embrace your own story.

  1. 3 days ago

    How Gambling Nearly Cost Him Everything | Dan Kent on The Tom's Talks Podcast

    The Tom's Talks Podcast is a place where we speak to a vast array of people from different walks of life and find out what makes them them. We will speak about their unique journey and delve into the highs and the lows which ultimately define them.  ⚠️ This episode discusses addiction and suicidal thoughts. If you're struggling, Samaritans are available 24/7 on 116 123. Dan's dad taught him to gamble before he was old enough to understand what it was. Fruit machines as birthday presents. Horse racing meetings as father-son days out. It was the only way the two of them knew how to bond — and it also planted the addiction that would nearly destroy Dan's life. By 25, he'd spent close to £50,000. He was stealing to fund bets, pawning his own laptop, gambling through work shifts, and staying up until 5am chasing losses he'd never win back. A year ago, he watched a video Tom posted about losing his brother Liam — and it became the turning point that got him into his first GA meeting. This episode is Dan's first time telling this story in full — the environment that shaped him, the father he lost, the rock-bottom night with a bottle of gin, and what it actually takes to rebuild a life around vulnerability instead of secrecy. What we get into: Growing up around gambling — and how it became the only language he and his dad shared Placed in an environment "constantly around it," and why he doesn't blame his parents for it The first bet with real money at 16 — and the £500-a-day habit he built at university Stealing, pawning laptops, and running out of people to borrow from The night before he decided to stop: a laptop, a bottle of gin, and "one more, one more, one more" The breakdown in his mum's doorway at 11pm — and finally saying "I can't gamble ever again" Walking into his first GA meeting at 25 and not knowing how he'd ended up there Why he says he lost time, not money — and how gambling stole his presence from every relationship he had The moment watching Tom's video about Liam gave him the push to actually change Losing two relationships to the person gambling made him — inconsistent, absent, unreliable His dad's sudden death after a routine hospital procedure, and the guilt he still carries over a decision he couldn't have changed Working in social media for a gambling company while secretly relapsing — and what finally broke the cycle The biggest lie every gambling addict tells themselves: "I can win it tomorrow" Nearly a year gamble-free, and building Podcast Room Brighton with his two best friends — the space that's now helping him give back Plus Tom on losing his brother Liam to a ketamine addiction, the argument he still regrets, and how showing up vulnerably on this podcast has quietly changed someone else's life without him ever knowing it — until now. An honest, at times funny, and genuinely moving conversation about addiction, grief, fatherhood, and what happens when you finally stop hiding. If gambling is affecting you or someone you love, support is available through GamCare: 0808 8020 133 If you found value in this episode: 👍 Like the video 💬 Comment your biggest takeaway 🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations that matter Subscribe for weekly conversations with inspiring guests sharing real stories about resilience, growth and overcoming life’s challenges. It would mean the world to me if you were to like, comment, subscribe on my videos whilst I share my ongoing journey. Check out my website: https://toms-talks.co.uk/ Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/toms.talks__/ Proudly sponsored by: https://osiofficefurniture.co.uk/ Support the show Check out my website: toms-talks.co.uk Follow me on Instagram: toms.talks__ Follow me on TikTok: tomstalks Subscribe on YouTube: TomsTalks

  2. 9 Sept

    Father's Promise to His 6 Year Old Son With Cancer | Ceri Menai-Davis on Tom's Talks Podcast

    The Tom's Talks Podcast is a place where we speak to a vast array of people from different walks of life and find out what makes them them. We will speak about their unique journey and delve into the highs and the lows which ultimately define them. ⚠️ This episode discusses child loss and suicidal thoughts. If you're struggling, Samaritans are available 24/7 on 116 123. Hugh was born on his dad's first wedding anniversary. He had the bluest eyes, the blondest hair, and a personality to match. Two weeks after his sixth birthday, he died - after a ten-month battle with a rare form of cancer that took hold in the middle of a Covid lockdown, while the family hid the diagnosis from almost everyone they knew. Six days before Hugh passed away, he made his dad promise something: "Go run it, daddy. Go get the medal." Ceri kept that promise - running the London Marathon days after burying his son, crying for five and a half of the six hours, then placing the medal around Hugh's neck at the funeral home himself. In this episode, Ceri sits down with Tom for one of the most raw, unflinching conversations this podcast has ever had - about watching a child fight cancer with more bravery than most adults could summon, the total absence of support for parents in that situation, and how he turned devastating grief into a campaign that's already changing UK employment law. What we get into: The moment a routine "tummy ache" became a cancer diagnosis, and the surreal 3am phone call that started it all Life on a children's cancer ward - the bravery, the "beads of courage," and why Hugh accumulated over 2,400 of them Why the physical treatment isn't the hardest part - it's the complete lack of support given to parents while their child is dying The promise made six days before Hugh passed, and running the London Marathon with his son's shoes tied around his neck Burying Hugh with the marathon medal - and what "turning pain into purpose" actually means when you live it Founding the charity "It's Never You" - and the specific ways it supports parents financially and emotionally, including 48-hour crisis counselling Hugh's Law: the campaign to give parents of seriously ill children the legal right to be at their bedside - and why it currently doesn't exist for children over one year old The businesses (including Premier League football clubs) already backing the campaign, and what's blocking it from becoming law Why nearly 50% of couples who lose a child split up - and how Ceri and his wife stayed together The disclosure most parents are afraid to say out loud: is it selfish to ask for help when your child is the one who's sick? What he wishes he'd known in Hugh's final two weeks, and the one thing - Legoland - he still regrets not doing Giving up drinking, going to trauma therapy, and the small, physical tools he still uses to manage PTSD years later What a "good life" means to him now, and the advice he gives every grieving parent who reaches out Plus Tom on losing his brother Liam, the words he still regrets, and why he believes life happens for you, not to you. This conversation will stay with you. Whether you've experienced loss, know someone going through it, or just need to hear from someone who found a way through the unthinkable — this is essential listening. If you found value in this episode: 👍 Like the video 💬 Comment your biggest takeaway 🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations that matter Subscribe for weekly conversations with inspiring guests sharing real stories about resilience, growth and overcoming life’s challenges. It would mean the world to me if you were to like, comment, subscribe on my videos whilst I share my ongoing journey. Check out my website: https://toms-talks.co.uk/ Follow me on Instagram:   / toms.talks__  Proudly sponsored by: https://osiofficefurniture.co.uk/ Support the show Check out my website: toms-talks.co.uk Follow me on Instagram: toms.talks__ Follow me on TikTok: tomstalks Subscribe on YouTube: TomsTalks

  3. 30 Aug

    Two Hip Replacements By 23: “I Was Told to Wait Until I'm 40" | Jack Brennan

    Jack was five years old when he was diagnosed with Perthes disease - a rare condition that stops blood flow to the hip joint. By eighteen, his hips had essentially given up on him. He was told he'd need a double hip replacement eventually - but not until he was in his forties. He wasn't willing to wait that long. He couldn't. In this episode, Jack takes us through five years of chronic pain, being turned away by specialist after specialist, and the moment he broke down in an appointment and finally heard a surgeon say yes. He's brutally honest about what nobody tells you — the physical grief of learning to walk again, the mental collapse that hit once the physical pain finally lifted, and why "but you're so young" might be the most frustrating sentence he's ever heard. Support the show Check out my website: toms-talks.co.uk Follow me on Instagram: toms.talks__ Follow me on TikTok: tomstalks Subscribe on YouTube: TomsTalks

  4. 23 Aug

    The Hard Truths About Discipline, Money & Getting In Shape | Morgs Cox

    "Happiness is a choice." Morgs Cox on the hard truths most people don't want to hear — about discipline, money, your environment, and why getting in shape is 90% mental. Morgs is a fitness coach who built his brand from offering free sessions at 22 to running a team and coaching business out of Dubai. He's also one of Tom's closest mates, which is why this one gets more honest than most. We get into the mindset shift that changed everything for him, why he stopped chasing the outcome and started obsessing over the inputs, and why he believes the biggest investment you'll ever make is your own health. We talk about outgrowing friendships when you're on a different path, what actually happens to people who set New Year's resolutions, and the entrepreneur's curse of never feeling like you've done enough. Support the show Check out my website: toms-talks.co.uk Follow me on Instagram: toms.talks__ Follow me on TikTok: tomstalks Subscribe on YouTube: TomsTalks

  5. 16 Aug

    My Ex Killed My Children | Claire Throssell

    Claire Throssell lost both her sons, Jack and Paul, in the most unimaginable way — after a family court granted their father contact. This is her story, and her warning. ⚠️ Content warning: this episode contains discussion of domestic abuse, coercive control, and the deaths of children. Please look after yourself while listening. In this episode Claire sits down with Tom and talks with extraordinary honesty about what she survived, what she lost, and what she has spent the years since fighting to change. We talk about how domestic abuse actually begins — not with violence, but quietly, in ways that are almost impossible to see from the inside. Claire explains coercive control and love-bombing in a way that will make a lot of people recognise their own relationship. We talk about being disbelieved. About what the family court did, and why she has campaigned so hard to change it. And about how she carries Jack and Paul with her every single day. Claire's campaigning helped change the law. If you take one thing from this conversation, let it be that the warning signs are subtle — and that saying something early matters. This is one of the most important conversations we have had on this podcast. Support the show Check out my website: toms-talks.co.uk Follow me on Instagram: toms.talks__ Follow me on TikTok: tomstalks Subscribe on YouTube: TomsTalks

  6. 9 Aug

    The Biggest Lie in Fitness Nobody Wants to Admit | Josh Blue

    "There will be times where I sit there and go — I can stop now, and nobody would know or probably even care." That’s the moment most people quit. And according to Josh, it’s the exact moment discipline really starts. Josh is a competitive bodybuilder and online physique coach who walked out of a cinema at 16, called a boxing club the next morning, and has trained ever since. He came dead last at his first bodybuilding show. Ten years later, he’s competing as an open heavyweight — and he’s learned a lot about discipline, mindset, body image and what the fitness industry gets wrong along the way. This conversation goes beyond motivational quotes and hustle culture. We talk about what real discipline looks like when nobody is watching, the sacrifices behind competitive bodybuilding, the pressure to constantly improve your physique, and where the line sits between healthy discipline and becoming your own harshest critic. Because sometimes the habits we call “discipline” can come from a much more complicated place. An honest conversation about ambition, self-worth, body image, resilience and what it really takes to keep showing up. Support the show Check out my website: toms-talks.co.uk Follow me on Instagram: toms.talks__ Follow me on TikTok: tomstalks Subscribe on YouTube: TomsTalks

  7. 2 Aug

    The Alton Towers Smiler Crash 11 Years On | Joe & Leah

    Everybody saw what happened on the ride. Nobody ever asked what happened in their parents' living room. On 2nd June 2015, Leah Washington and Joe were on one of their first proper dates when The Smiler crash changed their lives forever. Leah lost her leg, Joe suffered life-changing injuries, and both were trapped four metres in the air for four hours. Now, 11 years later, they're married. In this powerful episode, they share the untold story behind the headlines - from the impact on their families and relationship to the long road of recovery. Joe also opens up for the first time about his recent mental health struggles, including depression, therapy, and the conversation with his dad that changed everything. A raw, honest conversation about trauma, resilience, love, and hope. Support the show Check out my website: toms-talks.co.uk Follow me on Instagram: toms.talks__ Follow me on TikTok: tomstalks Subscribe on YouTube: TomsTalks

  8. 24 Jul

    She Lost Her Leg on Her Dream Holiday, What Happened Next? | Sian Lord

    The Tom's Talks Podcast is a place where we speak to a vast array of people from different walks of life and find out what makes them them. We will speak about their unique journey and delve into the highs and the lows which ultimately define them.  Sian Lord was 24 years old. It was her second day in New York. She was on the pavement, drink in hand, talking to her best friend - exactly where she was supposed to be. Then a taxi driver mounted the kerb. He severed her left leg below the knee, never got out of the cab to check if she was alive, and was never charged. Sian spent six weeks in hospital in America, had four back-to-back surgeries, and flew home to rebuild a life that looked nothing like the one she'd planned. Twelve years on, Sian is a model, motivational speaker, and one of the most honest voices on disability, body image and resilience you'll find. In this episode she holds nothing back — the physical recovery, the mental battle that was harder, the years of hiding her leg, and the moment she finally stopped. Plus Tom opens up about motivation, discipline, and why without a reason why most people never follow through. Whether you're going through something that's changed your body, your plans, or your sense of self — or you just need to hear from someone who's been through the worst and come out the other side - this one is for you. Support the show Check out my website: toms-talks.co.uk Follow me on Instagram: toms.talks__ Follow me on TikTok: tomstalks Subscribe on YouTube: TomsTalks

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About

Welcome to the Tom's Talks Podcast, where we explore the unique stories that shape extraordinary lives.Join me, Tom Dickinson - public speaker, mindset coach and mental health advocate, as I sit down with inspiring individuals from all walks of life. In each episode, we delve into personal journeys, uncovering the pivotal moments, triumphs and challenges that have defined them. The Tom's Talks Podcast offers raw and authentic conversations that remind us we're all on our own unique path.Tune in to be inspired, enlightened, and empowered to embrace your own story.

Information

  • Creator
    Tom Dickinson
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    84
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Tom's Talks
  • Show Website
    Tom's Talks