Upper Bottom
Activity Overview
Episode publication activity over the past year
Episodes
Time please gentlemen: Who are the big award winners in the final Upper Bottom episode?
28 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
After almost exactly a year of podcasting – spanning 51 episodes – co-hosts Ollie and Cess raise a glass to their favourite episodes, best intervi...
Key learnings from 50 episodes of Upper Bottom: Which one is your favourite?
21 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
With Upper Bottom hitting a half-century of episodes – woo hoo!! – Ollie and Cess list their top 50 learnings from their sobriety journey. These a...
Last orders: Are you an Upper Bottom waiting for a crisis to stop drinking?
14 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Cess and Ollie welcome local south-east London friend Boo Darlison – who is Matron for Personal Cancer Care, Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust – to...
From rock bottom to mountain top: Can ultra runner James Gwinnett's 100-mile inspirational sobriety story change your life?
07 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In the first episode of 2025, Ollie and Cess invite James Gwinnett to discuss his fascinating and insightful story of overcoming depression and alcoho...
Waving goodbye to the year – and to booze: How do you ensure a successful Dry January, and beyond?
31 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
After a one-week break for the festive holiday, co-hosts Cess and Ollie return to discuss how their sober Christmas Days went – Botivo was a big hi...
Festive party season: How to deal with ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future?
17 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In the final episode before Christmas – the hosts will take a break on December 24 – Cess and Ollie consider embarrassing drinking tales from work...
Merry Christmas: How is society’s relationship with booze during the festive period changing?
10 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
With the festive season in full swing, Cess – now a marathon runner – and Ollie explore how norms are changing regarding Christmas drinking. And i...
Setting the ‘right’ example: How does a parent’s drinking habit influence their offspring’s relationship with alcohol?
03 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What was your relationship with alcohol like when growing up? To what extent did how your parents' drinking habits shape your own? And what do today's...
Steps to sobriety: What’s Alcoholics Anonymous like, and do Upper Bottoms need it to kick booze?
26 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
To answer this massive question, Ollie and Cess draw upon their own insights and the straight-talking wisdom of interviewee Gary Mairs – aka soberns...
Avoiding rock bottom: What do drinkers hope to find at the bottom of the glass?
19 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Dr Fiona Dowman, a clinical psychologist and addiction specialist, joins Cess and Ollie and shares many illuminating insights for Upper Bottoms – an...
Rock (bottom) and roll: Is there an indelible link between music and drinking?
12 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Is a rock-and-roll lifestyle a shortcut to hitting rock bottom?Cess invites his musical pals Louis Brennan and Tom Bowen, who both stopped drinking du...
Rising from Upper Bottom: What have we learnt from our podcast journey?
05 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
To mark episode 40, co-hosts Ollie and Cess have a heart-to-heart about the progress of the podcast, which began in February. They've packed a lot in ...
Trick or treat: Is Halloween and the run-up to Christmas your sobriety nightmare?
29 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When Ollie was drinking, "October 31 sounded the starting pistol to a one-person race for which there were no winners – apart from the venues where ...
Spirit level: Can we have a grin and tonic without the booze?
22 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Of no-or-low beer, wine, and spirits, the latter sub-category has most underwhelmed Cess since he started his sobriety journey on January 1, 2023 – ...
From booze to CBD: Are 'functional drinks' redefining sobriety?
15 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Cannabinoid (CBD) drinks and "functional" drinking are on the rise – indeed, the latter is enjoying a 38% year-on-year increase in the UK, according...
Running away with the alcohol-free-beer market: How is Lucky Saint leading the pack – and what's next?
08 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Ollie and Cess join Lou Pollitt, Category and Insights Director at Lucky Saint, for a 5-kilometre run around Regent's Park in London. This is a regula...
Drinkaware research indicates a sobering trend: But are UK drinkers binning the booze?
01 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Over 5,000 adults were surveyed for the annual Drinkaware Monitor – since 2009, the UK’s only national survey that provides an insight into the co...
Smarter sipping: How can the growing "light" alcohol category help Upper Bottom drinkers?
24 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Cess and Ollie invite Cami Vidal, Founder of La Maison Wellness, and Gaby Lamb, Co-Founder (with her husband) of 6PERCENT, to discuss a new alcohol-fr...
Growing pains: What is needed to help the no- and low-alcohol drinks category come of age?
17 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Ollie and Dan have been busy attending various no- and low-alcohol events, and they are wearing Upper-bottom t-shirts, of course. Here, they capture s...
Kicking the cans: What can Upper Bottoms learn from 'ex problematic binge drinker' Jack’s year of sobriety?
10 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The hosts catch up with Jack, aka Kickingthecans on Instagram. He previously featured in one of Upper Bottom's most popular episodes, Final whistle: W...
Post-summer reset: Is September the best time to reboot – and quit booze?
03 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
For many, September ushers in the end of summer and a halt to holiday indulgence. It's the second reset month of the year after January, and that mean...
Dry destinations: Which countries are leading the sobriety trend?
27 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this week's episode, just before schools reopen their doors for the new term, Ollie and Cess reflect on recent overseas holidays and how sobriety a...
Laughter and rhythm without the booze: Can sober events redefine nightlife?
20 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Refreshed after a summer break, Cess and Ollie speak with Martyn Davies, organiser of Sober is Fun (https://www.soberisfun.co.uk/), the UK's first reg...
Munich's sober revolution: Can alcohol-free beer gardens change drinking culture?
06 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Before taking a well-earned summer break, the podcast hosts Ollie and Cess interview Sean Halpin, a 24-year old who divides his time between Munich an...
From office hours to happy hours: Is workplace drinking a recipe for disaster (part three)?
30 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In the third and final episode of the three-part mini-series about work and drinking, Cess and Ollie chat about times when they have been boozing on t...
From office hours to happy hours: Is workplace drinking a recipe for disaster (part two)?
23 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
For the second instalment of work drinking, Cess and Ollie speak with Liam McNulty – aka Whiskey Richard – who is based in Tokyo. He explains all ...
From office hours to happy hours: Is workplace drinking a recipe for disaster (part one)?
16 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Boozing on the job is certainly not advised, but what if drinking is ingrained in work – or at least after-work - culture? To help answer this puzzl...
Reaching new heights: An Upper Bottom success story – how empowering is sobriety?
09 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A bone-fide Upper Bottom success story! Cess and Ollie visit the home of Simon – who is now three months sober – and his partner, Jadis.Simon, who...
A sobering shift: Will the UK's new government change drinking culture like it did with smoking?
02 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It became illegal to smoke in all enclosed workplaces across the UK between March 2006 (first in Scotland) and July 2007 (England) – and no one thou...
Glastonbury unplugged: Is sobriety the new headliner at festivals?
25 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On the eve of one of the biggest field-based parties in the world – 200,000 revellers are expected at Worthy Farm – Ollie and Cess speak with DJ D...
Booze and the call of the wild: Can we access our primal selves without a drink?
18 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Now for something a little different ... In this thought-provoking episode, unveiled on the eve of the summer solstice, Cess and Ollie are joined by g...
Cheers to Dad: Is Father's Day more meaningful without alcohol?
11 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This week, Cess and Ollie discuss the relationship between alcohol and Father's Day. After attending a low- and no-alcohol event facilitated by KAM I...
Final whistle: Why is watching football so boozy, and what's it like sober?
04 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Navigating sobriety at a football match can be extremely challenging for people seeking to take back control of their alcohol consumption. For gritty ...
Mapping out drinking in the UK: How are attitudes towards sobriety changing?
28 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A bumper episode! In booze news Cess and Ollie discuss mocktails, partying in Ibiza without alcohol, and sober parties. That's followed by two fascina...
Creating the best pub – what are the vital ingredients for boozers and non-drinkers?
21 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Ollie and Cess debate what elements make the perfect pub. Drawing inspiration from George Orwell's classic essay on his ideal boozer, the Moon Under W...
Campfire confessions: How do you navigate camping without booze?
14 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Is a smelly, sweltering tent the worst place in the world to have a hangover? What is it about camping that brings out people’s wildness? How did ...
Club Soda special: How can sober venues boost mindful drinking?
07 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In a podcast first, Ollie and Cess record out and about. They visit Laura Willoughby, MBE, founder of Club Soda UK, at Club Soda's HQ in Covent Garden...
Miles better: How can running can be a substitute for drinking?
30 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In the afterglow of the London Marathon, Ollie and Cess discuss the relationship between running and giving up drinking. They explore how running can ...
St George's Day special: Does England have a healthy relationship with beer?
23 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Time to slay some dragons!Ollie and Cess discuss St George's Day celebrations – have you had your "dragon's blood" cocktail yet? – with beer afici...
How much alcohol consumption is really too much according to an expert?
16 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Friend of the pod Paul Walker, a digital engagement practitioner at the charity Change Grow Live, discusses his experience working in online support f...
What are the best alcohol-free drinks in the world right now according to the experts?
09 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The hosts interview Chrissie Parkinson and Chris Losh, who established the World Alcohol Free Awards to address the lack of recognition and understand...
What does a year without booze feel like and how do sober movements of the past compare to the present?
02 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Ollie – who now boasts a year without booze – and Cess discuss various topics related to alcohol consumption and abstinence. They...
Delicious alcohol-free wine that's not sugary: Does such a thing exist? (Spoiler: YES!)
26 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Pour away the sickly grape juice! Amanda Thomson made it her mission to create a range of great-tasting non-alcoholic wines, including a sparkling Cha...
Legless liability: What's the most dangerous thing you've done when drinking alcohol?
19 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Taking a break from interviewing guests, Ollie and Cess discuss their experiences with alcohol and the life-threatening situations they have found the...
St Patrick's Day special: Do the celebrations lose their fizz when not drinking?
15 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Ahead of St Patrick's Day, Ollie and Cess speak to three Irish people to better understand what it's all about.Catherine Doogan offers some historical...
What is Mothering Sunday's relationship with booze like in 2024?
12 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Ollie and Cess speak with Bethan Higson, Founder of Mother Root, an alternative – and delicious – grown-up "switchel" drink, and the trio discuss ...
Extending Dry January: What does two months sober feel like?
05 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Ollie and Cess ask two friends of the pod, Natalie and Ryan, who have been sober for two months, to discuss their experiences with extending Dry Janua...
What is a "Dry Drinker" and can sober people really have as much fun on nights out?
27 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Stuart Elkington, Founder of drydrinker.com, the UK’s top-rated independent low-alcohol and non-alcoholic drink specialist, joins Ollie and Cess for...
Do you remember the first time you tasted alcohol – and what's it like to be five years sober?
20 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Julia Linehan*, Founder and CEO of B2B adtech PR agency The Digital Voice, joins Ollie and Cess to talk about SPILL – Sober Party Industry Lads and ...
What is "cheat mode" and how can you navigate early sobriety using an air balloon?
13 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Hosts Ollie and Cess reveal their early challenges with going sober – and offer a useful analogy of pals being lifted away on a hot air balloon – ...
What exactly is an "Upper Bottom" – and are you one?
08 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Ollie and Cess open up about what tipped them into their sobriety journeys, reflect on the rising popularity of Dry January and the trend for younger ...
Introducing... Upper Bottom
07 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Are you tired of tragic tales of people hitting rock bottom thanks to booze? Join hosts Ollie and Cess as they explore sobriety through embarrassing d...