What happens when some of the darkest moments of your life eventually become fuel for making other people laugh?Jimmy O’Neill, better known as The Wigan Joker, joins me for a raw, funny and at times incredibly difficult conversation about the man behind the comedian.Find Jimmy Here - https://www.instagram.com/the_wigan_joker?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsi=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==Growing up in Wigan, Jimmy’s childhood was overshadowed by violence, instability and a complicated relationship with his father. He speaks openly about witnessing domestic violence at home, having his confidence shattered at a young age and the lasting impact those experiences had on the person he became.But this isn’t simply a story about trauma.Jimmy takes us through the unlikely journey from a quiet, damaged kid to standing on stage making rooms full of people laugh. We explore why comedy seems to attract people carrying their own pain, where the Wigan Joker persona ends and Jimmy O’Neill begins, and the period when Jimmy became convinced that being a great comedian meant being a tortured one.We also get into the changing world of comedy.Jimmy shares his thoughts on cancel culture, political correctness, being blacklisted from parts of the comedy circuit and why he believes comedy should remain one of the few places where almost anything can be explored through humour.We talk about the craft of telling a joke, the rise of social media and independent creators, the changing route into entertainment and why comedians no longer need the traditional gatekeepers to build an audience.Underneath all of it is a fascinating conversation about trauma, resilience, identity, forgiveness, self-destruction and the extraordinary ability to turn painful experiences into something that makes other people smile.Jimmy may be known as The Wigan Joker.This episode introduces you to the man behind the laughs.🎙️ The Talking Tradesman Podcast

Simon Ibekwe’s journey to becoming one of Britain’s most exciting heavyweight prospects has been anything but conventional.Just three weeks after getting the call, Simon stepped into the ring in Thailand on the undercard of Tyson Fury’s final fight and produced the biggest moment of his career so far. 28 seconds. One devastating knockout. A moment that went viral and put the heavyweight division on notice.Find Simon Here -https://www.instagram.com/simon_ibekwe?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsi=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==But this episode isn’t just about the knockout.We get to know the man behind the boxer.Simon opens up about growing up in Tottenham, his family and faith, his journey from football into teaching and eventually professional boxing, and the setbacks and cancelled fights that tested his patience long before the world started paying attention.We also break down exactly what happened against Daniel Bear, the game plan going into the fight, the moment Simon knew his opponent was hurt, and how life has changed since that knockout exploded across social media.Now unbeaten and with momentum firmly behind him, Simon talks about the opportunities ahead, why he refuses to get carried away by the hype, and his determination to turn one huge moment into a serious career at the top of the heavyweight division.Is Simon Ibekwe the next genuine threat in British heavyweight boxing?This is the story behind the 28 seconds everyone saw, and the years of work they didn’t.🎙️ The Talking Tradesman Podcast with Simon Ibekwe.Available now on YouTube, and all major podcast platforms.

In this powerful episode of The Talking Tradesman Podcast, Russell sits down with boxer Corrie Mustafa for a raw conversation about neurodiversity, childhood trauma, family, identity and finding purpose through boxing.Find Corrie here https://www.instagram.com/coza_boxing?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==Diagnosed with ADHD, Asperger’s and Tourette’s from a young age, Corrie opens up about growing up feeling different, being heavily medicated and struggling to understand why his mind worked the way it did. He talks candidly about bullying, emotional dysregulation and the impact medication had on him, describing periods of his childhood where he felt numb and disconnected from himself.Corrie also takes us inside a complicated upbringing. From being raised partly by his grandmother in Hackney to feelings of abandonment, difficult family relationships and being made to feel like the “problem child”, he reflects on experiences that continued to affect him long into adulthood.But this is also a story about finding an outlet.Boxing gave Corrie somewhere to put the chaos.What began as a way of channelling his energy and emotions became a source of discipline, identity and purpose. We talk about his journey into the fight game, his experiences as a boxer, his ambitions for the future and the lessons the sport has taught him about himself.Corrie also explains how understanding his neurodiversity as an adult has completely changed his perspective. Traits he once saw as weaknesses have, in many ways, become some of his greatest strengths.This is a brutally open conversation about what can happen when a child who feels different grows into an adult determined to finally understand himself.In this episode:• Growing up with ADHD, Asperger’s and Tourette’s• Being heavily medicated from a young age• Bullying and feeling like an outsider• Emotional dysregulation and anger• Childhood trauma and complicated family relationships• Abandonment and the search for belonging• Finding boxing as a positive outlet• How boxing gave Corrie discipline and purpose• Understanding neurodiversity as an adult• Corrie’s boxing career and ambitions for the futureIf Corrie’s story resonates with you, share the episode with someone who needs to hear it.The Talking Tradesman Podcast explores the conversations that often go unspoken, from mental health and addiction to adversity, identity, resilience and the experiences that shape who we become.Subscribe for more honest conversations and new episodes of The Talking Tradesman Podcast.