In today's episode, host Anna Donaghey sits down with the insightful Adrian Chiles, a British writer and television & radio presenter. He openly documented his close relationship with alcohol in the BBC documentary "Drinkers Like Me" and he is also the author of "The Good Drinker, How I Learned to Love Drinking Less."

Adrian shares his personal journey of realising the need to re-evaluate his drinking habits and the transformation that ensued. Together, he and Anna delve into the discrepancies between idealised marketing images of alcohol and the harsh realities of drinking, challenging conventional notions and offering alternative perspectives. Join us as we unravel the thought-provoking conversation on mindfulness, moderation, and the profound impact of drinking culture in the creative industry. 

Here are the highlights:

• 00:01 The British drinking culture.
• 04:48 The choices Adrian made regarding alcohol moderation.
• 09:19 Re-evaluate drinks for enjoyment, not obligation or habit.
• 10:21 Mindful drinking prompts thoughtful and conscious consumption.
• 20:55 TV advertising distorts the reality of alcohol consumption.
• 25:29 Admitting past habits, seeking validation in career.
• 29:55 Alcoholism as a disease is an unhelpful categorisation.
• 38:48 Moderating drinking is harder than stopping completely.
• 40:51 Drink less, enjoy life more.

About Adrian Chiles:

Adrian is a familiar face on our televisions and a recognised voice on our radios. He has been a presenter on BBC Radio 5 live since the day it started in 1994. On BBC television, he launched and presented ‘Working Lunch’, ‘Match of the Day 2’, ‘The One Show’ and ‘The Apprentice, You’re Fired’. He was also lead football presenter for ITV. He has a weekly column in The Guardian and writes regularly for the Sun and The Tablet.

About the host, Anna:

Anna is a certified Alcohol Mindset Coach, trained by Annie Grace of This Naked Mind. Drawing on her own journey out of alcohol addiction, she now helps others explore and control their drinking. With a career spanning 25 years as a Strategist in the Advertising industry, she combines her own lived experiences, with great insight into what makes us tick and what influences us to behave the way we do.

Connect with Anna:

Website: thebeliefscoach.com

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/annadonaghey

Facebook: facebook.com/thebeliefscoach

Instagram: instagram.com/bigdrinkrethink

Produced by winteraudio.co.uk