The Talking Tradesman

What does it take to step into a bare-knuckle boxing ring just days after losing your father?This week on The Talking Tradesman Podcast, heavyweight bare-knuckle boxer Aaron Ashton, AKA El Gringo Mandingo, returns for one of the most emotional and powerful conversations we’ve had on the podcast.Find Aaron herehttps://www.instagram.com/el_gringo_mandingo_?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&vrfl=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==It’s been a turbulent year for Aaron. Cancelled fights, personal setbacks, family heartbreak and the devastating loss of his father. But through it all, he’s continued to demonstrate extraordinary resilience, determination and strength.Aaron opens up about the final weeks of his father’s life, the conversations they shared, and the heartbreaking decision to honour his commitment to fight Brad Donovan at London’s O2 Arena just days after his dad passed away.From walking out to his father’s favourite T. Rex song to finding the strength to compete while carrying unimaginable grief, Aaron shares a deeply personal account of love, loss and the bond between a father and son.But this episode isn’t just about grief.We discuss how Aaron channelled his loss into something positive, helping raise approximately £12,500 towards a sensory room at the care home where his sister Sam, who has cerebral palsy, lives.We also get into the brutal world of bare-knuckle boxing, including Aaron’s incredible first-round victory over third-ranked heavyweight Mark O’Neill after accepting the fight on just one week’s notice. Aaron describes the frightening scenes that followed the stoppage, his concern for his opponent, and the relief of learning that Mark had recovered.Now, with his sights firmly set on BKB heavyweight world champion Gustavo Trujillo, Aaron discusses what comes next and what it will take to reach the very top of the sport.In this episode, we discuss:* Losing his father and navigating the reality of grief.* The emotional decision to fight Brad Donovan just days after his father’s death.* The importance of saying goodbye and having those final conversations with loved ones.* How adversity, trauma and painful experiences can become a driving force for positive change.* Raising £12,500 to support his sister’s care-home community.* The reality of bare-knuckle boxing and the dangers fighters face.* Defeating Mark O’Neill on just one week’s notice.* His ambition to become BKB heavyweight world champion.This is far more than a conversation about fighting.It’s about family, love, loss, resilience and finding a reason to keep moving forwards when life throws everything it has at you.Whether you’re a boxing fan or someone who’s experienced grief, adversity or difficult times, there’s something in this conversation for everyone.The Talking Tradesman Podcast. Built by the trades, for everyone.

Behind the viral videos, the humour and the success on social media, there’s a side of life that rarely makes it onto our screens.This week on The Talking Tradesman Podcast, Russell Payne sits down with Harrison, better known as The Benchin Bricky, for an incredibly open conversation about men’s mental health, depression, divorce, fatherhood and the pressures of modern life.Find Harrison herehttps://www.instagram.com/benchin_bricky?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&srtk=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==From growing up in an environment where men rarely spoke about their feelings to navigating relationship breakdowns, personal struggles and rebuilding his life, Harrison shares the experiences that have shaped the man he is today.We explore the darker side of social media, the damaging culture of comparison, and why so many men feel pressured to appear successful even when they’re struggling behind closed doors.But this conversation goes much further.We challenge the stigma surrounding careers in construction, question an education system that overlooks practical life skills, and discuss why working harder doesn’t always mean living better.Harrison also opens up about therapy, becoming a father, finding purpose after rugby and learning to let go of the emotional weight he’d carried for years.Because sometimes the strongest thing a man can do is admit he’s struggling.This episode is about understanding yourself, taking responsibility for your future and recognising that everyone is fighting battles we might never see.An honest, thought-provoking conversation about life, masculinity and the importance of looking beyond what we see on social media.🎙️ The Talking Tradesman Podcast. Real people. Real stories. Real conversations.Chapters00:00 Meet Harrison, the Plymouth bricklayer and creator05:03 Growing up in masculine spaces with no mental-health language17:28 The rewards and mental cost of going viral19:44 Keeping content, partnership, family, and work in balance24:53 Why Harrison keeps bricklaying alongside content creation27:22 The craft behind a distinctive construction video31:30 Burnout, hustle culture, and working more sustainably34:00 From coasting at school to applying himself36:16 Why trades should be presented as a real career choice41:37 Financial literacy and practical education for young people45:36 Trades, critical thinking, and respect within the industry48:20 Psychology as a foundation for better coping49:19 Therapy expands the mental-health toolbox50:10 How old-school ideas about masculinity silence men51:24 Depression after rugby and the loss of structure53:11 Opening up, rejection, and a marriage in crisis55:34 Isolation, COVID, and masking grief57:55 Reconciliation, relocation, and feeling alone again01:00:28 Friends can support you, but you must take the next step01:02:23 Ending the marriage and rebuilding from home01:04:24 Divorce, fatherhood, and the pain of an empty house01:08:20 Keeping children out of the conflict01:10:15 The challenges and responsibilities of step-parenting01:14:31 A new father's emotions don't follow one script01:18:34 Fatherhood, unconditional love, and leading by example01:23:17 Impossible standards and learning to enjoy progress01:28:51 Why Harrison finally chose therapy01:32:38 Mental fitness takes practice, just like physical strength01:35:07 Showing the hard parts behind social-media success01:37:18 The brick metaphor: don't carry problems indefinitely01:40:34 The hope of helping one family avoid suicide loss01:42:40 Comparison, control, and getting through today#TheTalkingTradesman #TheBenchinBricky #MensMentalHealth #MentalHealthAwareness #ConstructionIndustry

She’s shared her story on podcasts before. But Anastasia Severn describes this as her most emotional interview yet.In this deeply personal episode of The Talking Tradesman, Anastasia Severn opens up about her extraordinary journey through childhood struggles, addiction, criminality and prison, and the experiences that ultimately led her towards a very different path.Find Anastasia Herehttps://www.instagram.com/adhdqueen7?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&mdxt=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==From a promising young county-level swimmer to a life that spiralled into cocaine use, destructive behaviour and incarceration, Anastasia reflects on the decisions she made, the circumstances that shaped her and the emotional consequences of her past.But this conversation is about far more than the mistakes she’s made.Anastasia speaks candidly about her mental health, the impact of her mother’s stage-four cancer diagnosis, her experiences with therapy and recovery, and the difficult process of understanding herself.She also discusses why she believes lived experience has such an important role in supporting people who are struggling, particularly those who feel misunderstood or disconnected from traditional support services.Today, Anastasia is using her experiences to create something positive through Diamond in the Rough, a community-led mental wellbeing initiative supporting women and children through connection, understanding and shared experiences.It’s a remarkable story of accountability, vulnerability, resilience and the possibility of change.In this episode, we explore:* Anastasia’s childhood and the experiences that shaped her.* Her descent into addiction, criminal behaviour and prison.* The emotional impact of her past on herself and her family.* Why conventional recovery approaches didn’t always work for her.* The importance of lived experience in mental health conversations.* Her journey towards self-understanding and personal accountability.* The creation of Diamond in the Rough and her mission to support others.Having already appeared on several podcasts, Anastasia describes this conversation as her most emotional yet.Sometimes the most important part of someone’s story isn’t where they’ve been, but what they choose to do next.Welcome to another honest, unfiltered conversation on The Talking Tradesman.#TheTalkingTradesman #AnastasiaSeven #MentalHealthAwareness #PrisonToPurpose #LivedExperience

From childhood trauma and addiction to suicidal thoughts, sobriety and ultimately finding salvation through Jesus Christ — Joshua Hammond’s story is one of pain, accountability, faith and extraordinary personal transformation.Find Joshua here -https://www.instagram.com/jhdecoratingltd?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&dlrf=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==In this deeply personal episode of The Talking Tradesman Podcast, Russell Payne sits down with Joshua Hammond for an honest and emotional conversation about the experiences that shaped his life, the destructive path that followed and the profound spiritual encounter that changed everything.Growing up with an absent father and a mother battling addiction, Joshua experienced a childhood marked by instability, abandonment and emotional pain. For years, he carried the weight of those experiences, struggling with addiction, resentment and his own mental health.But eventually, Joshua came to a difficult realisation: while he couldn’t change his past, he could take responsibility for his future.“When you spend years blaming everyone else while you ain’t doing well… where is the ownership and accountability in that?”Joshua opens up about his journey into recovery, the fear of relapse and the daily practices that helped him maintain sobriety. Yet even after 18 months without drugs, he recognised something was still missing.“I was sober, but I hadn’t changed.”Despite his progress, Joshua continued to battle anger, emptiness and suicidal thoughts. Material possessions, external validation and attempts to control his circumstances couldn’t provide the peace he was desperately searching for.Then came an experience that would redefine his entire understanding of life, love and forgiveness.Joshua describes a profound spiritual encounter with Jesus Christ, an experience he believes freed him from the emotional burdens of his past and gave him a completely new sense of purpose.“Nothing in my life is ever, ever compared to the love of Jesus Christ.”Throughout this conversation, we explore:* Childhood trauma, abandonment and the lasting impact of family addiction.* The destructive cycle of substance abuse and the challenges of recovery.* Why sobriety doesn’t automatically mean emotional healing.* Taking personal accountability without dismissing the impact of childhood experiences.* Depression, suicidal thoughts and the importance of seeking support.* The mental health challenges facing men working in construction and the trades.* Joshua’s spiritual awakening and his relationship with Jesus Christ.* The power of forgiveness, redemption and finding purpose through faith.Whether you’re religious, spiritual, questioning your beliefs or have no faith at all, Joshua’s story offers an opportunity to reflect on the importance of personal responsibility, human connection, hope and the possibility of change.At its heart, this episode is about a man who reached some of the darkest places imaginable and found a reason to keep going.You don’t have to share someone’s beliefs to recognise the power of their story.🎙️ The Talking Tradesman Podcast, hosted by Russell Payne, creates space for honest conversations about mental health, adversity, resilience and the experiences that shape us.If this conversation resonates with you, please consider sharing it with someone who might benefit from hearing Joshua’s story.Subscribe, follow and join us as we continue breaking the silence surrounding mental health.A note on mental health: This episode contains discussions of addiction, childhood trauma and suicidal thoughts. If you’re struggling, please reach out to someone you trust or seek professional support. In the UK, Samaritans are available free, 24 hours a day, on 116 123.#TheTalkingTradesman #JoshuaHammond #MentalHealthAwareness #AddictionRecovery #ChristianFaith

What happens when you spend years believing there’s something wrong with you, only to discover that your brain simply works differently?In this episode of The Talking Tradesman, I sit down with ADHD coach Sam Beresford for an open conversation about ADHD, addiction, identity, recovery and learning how to work with your brain rather than constantly fighting against it.Find Sam Here - https://www.instagram.com/samberesford_coaching?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&stkn=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==Sam was diagnosed with ADHD at 28.For him, that diagnosis didn’t excuse the things that had happened previously in his life — but it finally gave him clarity.We talk about what it’s like reaching adulthood without understanding why you behave, think and react in certain ways, and how receiving a late ADHD diagnosis can suddenly make years of your life begin to make sense.But this conversation goes much deeper than ADHD alone.Sam speaks openly about his relationship with alcohol and drugs, his experiences with meetings and rehabilitation, and the realisation that changed the way he viewed addiction:“I’m not addicted to the substance, I’m addicted to what it gives me.”We explore the connection between ADHD, stimulation and unhealthy coping mechanisms, and why simply removing a substance doesn’t necessarily address what someone was trying to escape from, regulate or replace in the first place.Sam also talks about reaching the point where he knew he couldn’t continue living the way he was, the importance of friends recognising when somebody is struggling, and the difficult reality that changing your life can sometimes mean leaving people behind.Going sober changed his relationships.Understanding his ADHD changed his relationship with himself.And eventually, the same mind that had contributed to periods of chaos became something Sam learned to channel into business, coaching and helping other people.We also discuss why ADHD shouldn’t automatically be viewed through the lens of deficiency.Creativity. Energy. Hyperfocus. Risk-taking. Problem solving. The ability to become completely absorbed in something that genuinely interests you.When directed towards the right thing, some of the characteristics that can make conventional environments difficult can become enormous strengths.That leads us into the world of construction and the trades.We discuss why hands-on careers, self-employment and creative environments can suit some people with ADHD particularly well — giving them the freedom, stimulation and variety they may struggle to find elsewhere.Sam now uses his own lived experience alongside his work as an ADHD coach to help other people better understand themselves and build lives that work with the way their brains operate.From being told he wouldn’t amount to anything, through addiction and recovery, to building a business and helping others — this is ultimately a conversation about understanding yourself.Because where you are right now doesn’t have to be where you stay.🎙️ The Talking Tradesman Podcast