After Hours with Jimmy Thistle

About After Hours with 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.

Publisher

Jimmy Thistle

Category

health & fitness

Language

en

Explicit

Yes

First episode

17 Jan 2025

Latest episode

14 Nov 2025

Latest episodes

52 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   14 Nov 2025

   Episode 50 - Will Gordon

   Will Gordon is an emergency liver and kidney transplant survivor who spent 15 years as a middle and high school teacher, shaping young minds while quietly battling a secret that almost ended him: alcohol addiction that left him with just two weeks to live at age 35. Hiding bottles and spiraling into isolation, he lost friends, his job, and nearly everything. Until a miracle transplant gave him a raw second chance.That rock bottom became a turning point, where he learned that recovery isn't a straight line or a highlight reel; it's about facing the hard truths, leaning on support when you're at your weakest, and rebuilding with honesty and patience, one day at a time. Today, Will hosts The Willpower Podcast; dropping raw, unfiltered episodes every Friday on YouTube, where guests like athletes, mentors, and fellow survivors share their real stories of grit, trauma, and finding strength in sobriety when life feels overwhelming. He's created a global sober-mentoring program that's supported over 100 people through their most challenging moments, speaks at schools and events about transforming vulnerabilities into quiet resilience, and offers one-on-one coaching with the straightforward empathy he's gained from his own journey. Catch the pod on: YouTube @TheWillpowerPodcast Instagram @thewillpowerpodcast TikTok @thewillpowerpod X @thewillpowerpod, or reach out with “SOBER” for sober mentorship. Will's story is a reminder that we're all in this together, and small steps forward can lead to something truly meaningful. My Instagram is: https://www.instagram.com/recovery_jimmy And you can find all my other links at: https://linktr.ee/jimmythistle Buy me a coffee… https://buymeacoffee.com/afterhourswithjimmyt

2. 

   7 Nov 2025

   Episode 49 - Beth

   Beth began drinking as a teenager in the 1990s, using alcohol to ease the social anxiety she had felt for as long as she could remember. What started as a way to feel confident and connected quickly became a pattern that followed her into adulthood. After her mother died when she was 17, her drinking escalated, and by university she had become known as the party girl, hiding behind a confident exterior that masked deep insecurity. As the years went on, her relationship with alcohol shifted into what is often called grey-area drinking. She drank to manage loneliness, stress, and self-doubt, convincing herself it was normal. During lockdown, her drinking reached a point where she knew she needed to stop. Finding an online sober community changed everything, showing her that recovery could be built on honesty, connection, and shared experience rather than shame. A later diagnosis of ADHD helped her understand the impulsivity, emotional intensity, and constant search for stimulation that had fuelled her drinking. With this understanding came self-compassion and a new sense of purpose. Now over four years sober, Beth shares her story through her Click Sober platforms and volunteers within the sober community, helping women question their relationship with alcohol and find support. She is also the co-founder of The SOS Collective, a free online community for women. You can find Beth on instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/click_sober Beth’s Linktree: https://linktr.ee/clicksober?fbclid=PAdGRleAN4PVVleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA8xMjQwMjQ1NzQyODc0MTQAAafzlIxv_0A-hfL5li-FIKQF7kCeIb1kBQyfUCnXDTljlajPJTxSfEPfcSOjvw_aem_pe-oq35n271r5Fx4v_QooQ Drinking a Love Story - Caroline Knapp https://amzn.eu/d/55fBMhP My Instagram is: https://www.instagram.com/recovery_jimmy And you can find all my other links at: https://linktr.ee/jimmythistle Buy me a coffee… https://buymeacoffee.com/afterhourswithjimmyt

3. 

   31 Oct 2025

   Episode 48 - Kim

   Kim began drinking around the age of 14. From the very start, she sensed that alcohol and she wouldn’t mix well. Still, she loved the way it made her feel—less awkward, more confident, and seemingly more comfortable in her own skin. Yet even early on, alcohol brought more chaos than comfort. Despite the warning signs, Kim kept drinking whenever the opportunity arose. Over time, blackouts became common, hangovers stretched into days, and she often woke up consumed by regret and anxiety. This pattern repeated for years. Deep down, Kim knew something wasn’t right, but she couldn’t imagine life without alcohol. Sobriety felt impossible, even unthinkable. Every so often, Kim would have what seemed like a “normal” drinking experience—one that convinced her she was in control. But she wasn’t. Each brief success only delayed the truth she didn’t want to face. Alcohol took nearly everything from her, more than once. Still, Kim was determined to manage it—to prove she could handle drinking like everyone else. She pushed past the pain, ignored the consequences, and pretended everything was fine. Eventually, things hit a breaking point. Kim decided to quit on her own, and for a few months, she managed to stay sober. But when summer arrived, she returned to drinking—and quickly learned what so many in recovery say is true: it always gets worse. The relapse nearly cost her everything again. That was the turning point. Kim walked through the doors of Alcoholics Anonymous, desperate but willing. There, surrounded by people who truly understood, she began to see that a life without alcohol was not only possible—it could be beautiful. With the support of her recovery community, she started rebuilding her life from the inside out. Today, Kim calls her sobriety the best decision she’s ever made. Each day, she continues to work on her recovery and self-discovery. Over the past year, she’s finally gotten to know herself without alcohol—and, for the first time in her life, she genuinely likes who she is. Kim once believed alcohol added to her life, but in reality, it was slowly stealing pieces of her soul. Sobriety gave her a second chance—one filled with peace, clarity, and purpose. Finding a sober community, both online and in person, has been life-changing. She encourages anyone questioning their relationship with alcohol or drugs to reach out, listen to others’ stories, and take that first brave step toward recovery. Kim’s journey is a reminder that healing is possible, recovery is powerful, and life truly begins when you stop running from yourself. You can find Kim on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/soberkimbo?igsh=MThveTByeHE4Y3k3dQ== Love Warrior - Glennon Doyle https://amzn.eu/d/2JgVoPo Unexpected Joy of Being Sober - Catherine Gray https://amzn.eu/d/iTdXAaR Beautiful Boy - David Sheff https://amzn.eu/d/2NIBoo6 Beautiful Boy - Film https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1226837/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk My Instagram is: https://www.instagram.com/recovery_jimmy And you can find all my other links at: https://linktr.ee/jimmythistle Buy me a coffee… https://buymeacoffee.com/afterhourswithjimmyt

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Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.