In this episode, Matt and Ed sit down with explorer and rope access specialist Waldo Etherington for a conversation that moves from childhood to the edge of survival.Waldo grew up with almost nothing materially, raised by his mother and sister in Dorset, yet surrounded by unconditional love and a deep connection to nature. That combination shaped a life driven not by comfort, but by curiosity and risk.What follows is a journey into:How early freedom, boredom, and unsupervised play shape resilienceThe absence of a father and redefining masculinity through vulnerabilityThe tension between passion and practicality when choosing a life pathThe reality of building a career from obsession, not a planExtreme expeditions, close calls, and the psychology of riskThis is not a story about luck. It is about persistence, identity, and choosing your own path when there is no obvious roadmap.
What does it actually mean to be a man today?This is Boys Will Be Boys, a new podcast with Matt Pycroft and Ed Jackson, where we sit down with the best men we know to explore masculinity through proper stories.This isn’t a podcast about telling you what to think. It’s about hearing honest conversations and deciding for yourself.Our first guest is Jim Hamilton, former Scotland international, host of The Big Jim Show, and one of the most physically imposing players of his generation.But this conversation isn’t about rugby. It’s about what happens after the identity disappears.In this episode, we get into:Growing up without a father and finding identity through violence and sportThe reality of aggression in men, and whether it should be suppressed or understoodFatherhood, responsibility, and what it means to raise good menThe transition out of elite sport and the loss of purpose that followsLoneliness, relevance, and why so many men feel lost right nowMarriage, respect, and the role women play in shaping better menWhy “providing” still matters, and what that actually means todayThis is raw, unfiltered, and at times uncomfortable. Exactly how it should be.This episode sets the tone for everything that follows.We’re not here to lecture.We’re on our own journey, to better understand ourselves.If you’re trying to figure out your place in the world, or what kind of man you want to be, this is for you.Listen / Follow / SubscribeNew episodes weekly.
