Hold or Fold

Ben Howard first made an appearance on Hold or Fold when it was exclusive to National Prison Radio. At that point he was in limbo, waiting to see if his crimes would lead him to prison or not.He waited 4 years for his case to land, served his sentence, and came out determined to turn hard lessons into real change. In this episode he talks about how gambling took over his life, the unlikely friendship he formed on the prison bus and the informal research he carried out on his wing to count how many people had been harmed by gambling.USEFUL LINKS:GamcareBetknowmoreReframe CoachingGamble AwareEpic Restart FoundationShannon TrustGambling Harm UKTELL US WHAT YOU THINK BY FILLING OUT THIS QUICK SURVEY - THANKS SO MUCHCall the National Gambling helpline, for free, on 0808 8020 133If you would like to get in touch with Hold or Fold and ask us a question, suggest a topic or start a conversation, you can E-mail us at...📧: Podcasts@prison.radio💬 DM us: @holdorfoldpod on Instagram & Twitter (X) ✉️ Write to us: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XFThis episode is hosted by...Ben Jones & Steve GirlingYou can find out more about the work of the 'Prison Radio Association' and 'National Prison Radio' here:https://prison.radio/

In this raw and powerful episode of Hold or Fold, Nottingham rapper and poet Jah Digga opens up about his battle with gambling addiction, and the creative lifeline that saved him.Behind the viral hit “Addictions”, there’s a deeply personal story; nights spent haunted by visions of cards and chips, insomnia, and the relentless “chase” that drove him to near rock bottom.Raised in a rough neighbourhood, Jah watched his siblings jailed or worse, and vowed to carve out a different path. Through writing, rapping, and poetry, he channeled his pain into purpose, and found an alternative route to the one laid out for himHe talks to fellow Nottingham lad Ben about how gambling impacted his life, how his mental health suffered, and the coping strategies that helped him reclaim his life - From playing 'games' against the casino to building structure with gym routines and art. He also reflects on the power of community, the importance of celebrating real achievements in disadvantaged areas, and why he believes that creativity can be a force for healing and hope.USEFUL LINKS:Jah Digga LinktreeThe Track 'Addictions'The Track 'Dissertation'Reframe CoachingGambling Harm UKGamcareGamble AwareTELL US WHAT YOU THINK BY FILLING OUT THIS QUICK SURVEY - THANKS SO MUCHCall the National Gambling helpline, for free, on 0808 8020 133If you would like to get in touch with Hold or Fold and ask us a question, suggest a topic or start a conversation, you can E-mail us at...📧: Podcasts@prison.radio💬 DM us: @holdorfoldpod on Instagram & Twitter (X) ✉️ Write to us: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XFThis episode is hosted by...Ben Jones & Steve GirlingYou can find out more about the work of the 'Prison Radio Association' and 'National Prison Radio' here:https://prison.radio/

In this powerful episode, we sit down with Mark Murray, co-founder of the mental health and addiction charity Whysup, to unpack a life that could’ve gone very differently. As a teenager, Mark was on the books at Manchester City, a promising football career ahead but everything shifted when he became a father at just 16. To cope with the pressure, Mark turned to gambling. What began as a way out soon spiralled into a 13-year addiction that would leave him drowning in debt, facing threats, and entangled with dangerous people. Mark found help at Gordon Moody, where he rebuilt his life. It’s here that the spark for Whysup was born: using lived experience as the foundation to drive changeUSEFUL LINKS:WhysupGordon MoodyGambler’s AnonymousReframe CoachingGambing Harm UKGamcareGamble AwareTELL US WHAT YOU THINK BY FILLING OUT THIS QUICK SURVEY - THANKS SO MUCHCall the National Gambling helpline, for free, on 0808 8020 133If you would like to get in touch with Hold or Fold and ask us a question, suggest a topic or start a conversation, you can E-mail us at...📧: Podcasts@prison.radio💬 DM us: @holdorfoldpod on Instagram & Twitter (X) ✉️ Write to us: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XFThis episode is hosted by...Ben Jones & Steve GirlingYou can find out more about the work of the 'Prison Radio Association' and 'National Prison Radio' here:https://prison.radio/

On this episode, Steve sits down for an open and honest chat with Martin. Martin tells us how his childhood led him to gambling and what started as fruit machines by the sea soon became spending a full day, on one machine, in a bookmakerMartin also shares how his prison experience changed him, made him better understand himself and taught him to make the best of every situation through embracing the presentUSEFUL LINKS:Gambler's AnonymousGordon MoodyReframe CoachingGambling Harm UKGamble AwareBetKnowMoreGamfamGamlearnBreakevenGamcareTELL US WHAT YOU THINK BY FILLING OUT THIS QUICK SURVEY - THANKS SO MUCHCall the National Gambling helpline, for free, on 0808 8020 133If you would like to get in touch with Hold or Fold and ask us a question, suggest a topic or start a conversation, you can E-mail us at...📧: Podcasts@prison.radio💬 DM us: @holdorfoldpod on Instagram & Twitter (X) ✉️ Write to us: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XFThis episode is hosted by...Ben Jones & Steve GirlingYou can find out more about the work of the 'Prison Radio Association' and 'National Prison Radio' here:https://prison.radio/ 

This episode explores the links between gambling harm in Black communities and the Criminal Justice System. Ben is joined by Ryan Taylor-Hines & Kiki Marriott from BetKnowMore to unpack how culture, targeted industry practices and social inequality shape gambling risk - And what community-led responses like “Breaking the Cycle” actually do on the ground to help address the problem and raise awarenessUSEFUL LINKS:BetknowmoreRyan Taylor-Hines Kiki MarriottEpic Restart FoundationGamble AwareGamcareReframe Coaching Gambling Harm UK TELL US WHAT YOU THINK BY FILLING OUT THIS QUICK SURVEY - THANKS SO MUCHCall the National Gambling helpline, for free, on 0808 8020 133If you would like to get in touch with Hold or Fold and ask us a question, suggest a topic or start a conversation, you can E-mail us at...📧: Podcasts@prison.radio💬 DM us: @holdorfoldpod on Instagram & Twitter (X) ✉️ Write to us: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XFThis episode is hosted by...Ben Jones & Steve GirlingYou can find out more about the work of the 'Prison Radio Association' and 'National Prison Radio' here:https://prison.radio/ 

It's another episode of 'Hold or Fold: Worldwide' - Where Ben speaks to people in other countries to find out how their experience of gambling and prison was different, or similar, to his ownWhat starts as a seemingly innocuous £1 bet spirals into a life-shattering obsession. In this riveting episode, we speak with Tony O’Reilly - Once a trusted post office manager, later a headline-making gambler, then a prisoner, and now a leading voice in the fight against gambling harm.In this conversation, he tells us:• How addiction can start innocently and accelerate into something uncontrollable.• What drove him down the road to crime - and what it did to those around him.• What it’s like to hit rock bottom, to face imprisonment, and to rebuild from the wreckage.• How he now works as an accredited addiction counsellor and speaks in schools to expose the hidden dangers of gambling. • How he doesn't have regrets and his time behind bars was largely positiveUseful Links:Tony 10 - Tony's BookTony O'ReillyReframe CoachingGambling Harm UKGamcareGamble AwareBet Know MoreBreakevenGamfamGamlearnGambler's AnonymousTELL US WHAT YOU THINK BY FILLING OUT THIS QUICK SURVEY - THANKS SO MUCHCall the National Gambling helpline, for free, on 0808 8020 133If you would like to get in touch with Hold or Fold and ask us a question, suggest a topic or start a conversation, you can E-mail us at...📧: Podcasts@prison.radio💬 DM us: @holdorfoldpod on Instagram & Twitter (X) ✉️ Write to us: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XFThis episode is hosted by...Ben Jones & Steve GirlingYou can find out more about the work of the 'Prison Radio Association' and 'National Prison Radio' here:https://prison.radio/

We’re back with Series 5 of Hold or Fold - The podcast that explores gambling harm through the lens of the Criminal Justice System.In this episode, we're joined by Clarke Carlisle, former Premier League footballer, ex-PFA Chair, and mental health advocate. This is a raw and moving discussion about Clarke's journey through football, gambling, depression and how he rebuilt his life after hitting rock bottom.In This Episode• Clarke opens up about his football career and the pressure to impress both on and off the pitch.• How his gambling began, escalated, and eventually spiralled out of control.• The moment everything came to a head and what helped him find a way back.• Life after football: Clarke’s transition from the pitch to a new purpose at Gordon Moody, supporting others facing gambling harm.• A heartfelt conversation about identity, recovery, and hope, proving that no matter how deep the hole, it’s never too late to climb out.Content Warning & SupportThis episode contains discussion of suicide, depression and gambling harm.If you’re struggling or need someone to talk to, please reach out:Samaritans (UK & ROI) – Free, 24/7Call 116 123 or visit samaritans.org.You are not alone. Help and hope are always availableUSEFUL LINKS:SamaritansGordon Moody Gambler's AnonymousReframe CoachingGambling Harm UKBreakevenAndy's Man ClubMindTELL US WHAT YOU THINK BY FILLING OUT THIS QUICK SURVEY - THANKS SO MUCHCall the National Gambling helpline, for free, on 0808 8020 133If you would like to get in touch with Hold or Fold and ask us a question, suggest a topic or start a conversation, you can E-mail us at...📧: Podcasts@prison.radio💬 DM us: @holdorfoldpod on Instagram & Twitter (X) ✉️ Write to us: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XFThis episode is hosted by...Ben Jones & Steve GirlingYou can find out more about the work of the 'Prison Radio Association' and 'National Prison Radio' here:https://prison.radio/ 

In the final episode of the series, Ben & Steve hear from Neil. Neil had a transformative experience in prison where he took time to work out what he wanted from life – He has since gone back in to prisons helping others as a liaison worker for Gambler’s Anonymous and now works for Breakeven who we featured on the previous episode Neil has a great way with words and quite a different perspective to the ones we usually hear, both on gambling and prison.Ben & Steve also discuss their series highlights and air a previously unheard clipUSEFUL LINKS:BreakevenGambler's AnonymousGamcareReframe CoachingGamble AwareBetKnowMoreGamfamCall the National Gambling helpline, for free, on 0808 8020 133If you would like to get in touch with Hold or Fold and ask us a question, suggest a topic or start a conversation, you can E-mail us at...📧: Podcasts@prison.radio💬 DM us: @holdorfoldpod on Instagram & Twitter (X) ✉️ Write to us: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XFThis episode is hosted by...Ben Jones & Steve Girling