Crisis What Crisis?

After a 22-year battle with anorexia, Sir Trevor Phillips' daughter Sushila died aged 36 in April 2021. Now he's calling for a radical shift in how we talk about mental illness – and he's not holding back.
The broadcaster, writer, and equality campaigner joins Crisis What Crisis? to explain why banning social media for under-16s is "preposterous," why celebrity "mental health struggles" make him furious, and what the "seventh circle of hell" really looks like in an eating disorder ward.
Trevor also talks to us about his remarkable upbringing and career across media, business and politics - all of it etched with resilience.
⚠️ Please note: This episode contains frank discussions of anorexia, eating disorders, mental illness, and grief that some listeners may find distressing.
WHAT YOU’LL HEAR:
The brutal reality of a 22-year battle with severe anorexia
Why mental illness and sadness are NOT the same thing
Trevor's message to celebrities who conflate difficulty with trauma: "F*** off"
Why removing friction from children's lives destroys resilience

LESSONS YOU'LL LEARN:
Separate mental illness from sadness: stop confusing clinical illness with being "a bit fed up"
Teach resilience, don't remove pain: you can't take friction out of the human condition
The good guys can win: but you have to fight for it
Know what you cannot do: in crisis, understand your limitations
Light a candle: don't curse the darkness

IN THIS EPISODE:
00:00 – Introduction: Sir Trevor Phillips' remarkable life
21:23 – What Britain should learn from its racial progress
27:10 – What real resilience looks like in a crisis
31:26 – The Leadership Lesson: knowing what you can't do
33:06 – Shushila: A 22-year battle with anorexia
44:39 – How grief changed everything
49:27 – Mental Illness vs. Feeling Sad: "stop conflating them"
57:12 – Why banning under-16s from social media Is "preposterous"
01:04:30 – What immigrants can teach Britain about resilience
SUPPORT & RESOURCES: If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder: Beat Eating Disorders - www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk
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In 2021, the UK energy market collapsed. More than 30 of the big energy suppliers went under. But, the business Greg Jackson founded, Octopus Energy, didn't just survive, it grew.
In this bonus Crisis Compass episode of Crisis What Crisis?, Greg shares with us the four anchors he relies on when pressure mounts and uncertainty takes over.
In this segment, Andy asks Greg for:
1) A person who shaped his perspective
2) A piece of advice he returns to
3) A source of comfort
4) A daily habit he refuses to give up
This is Part Two of a longer conversation with Greg. If you enjoyed this episode, you can listen to the full interview on our podcast homepage.
Follow Octopus Energy
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TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@octopusenergy
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TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

Greg Jackson, founder and CEO of energy giant Octopus Energy, is perhaps one of Britain’s most innovative CEOs.
In 2021, the British energy market collapsed. Wholesale gas prices surged six-fold, thirty suppliers went under in months, while millions of families faced impossible bills.
Rather than sticking his head in the sand, Greg went public, putting his own credibility on the line to explain why prices were rising. He cut his own salary to minimum wage, provided £150 million in bill relief packages, and became the face of the energy crisis when everyone told him not to.
The result? Octopus became the UK's largest energy supplier during the worst energy crisis in a generation, now valued at over £7 billion.
Greg is an entrepreneur who's built multiple businesses by doing exactly what everyone else refuses to do – a true lesson in why fortune really does favour the brave.
LESSONS YOU'LL LEARN:
Character matters more than ability.
When you see something clearly, don't hesitate.
Fortune favors the brave, zig when others zag!
Being smart isn't enough. The combination of being smart and working hard is critical.
Communicate relentlessly, especially in crisis.

FOLLOW OCTOPUS:
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TikTok – www.tiktok.com/@octopusenergy?lang=en
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Johnnie Boden, founder of Boden, reveals how he survives crisis as a business leader.
In this Crisis Compass bonus episode of Crisis What Crisis?, Johnnie shares the person, piece of advice, the daily habit and comfort that he uses to navigate life under pressure.
This is the second part of a longer conversation with Johnnie – if you enjoyed this be sure to check out the full episode on our podcast homepage.
Whether you’re an entrepreneur, CEO or leader, this episode offers a snapshot personal insight into the mindset of one of Britain's most successful fashion founders.
FOLLOW BODEN:
Instagram – www.instagram.com/boden/?hl=en
TikTok – www.tiktok.com/@boden_clothing
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For three decades, Johnnie Boden has turned cheerful prints, quality fabrics, and unmistakable English charm into one of Britain's most distinctive retail brands – worn by royals, loved internationally, with nearly 2 million active customers and the second-biggest British clothing business in America. But as Johnnie so candidly reveals, his success has been far from linear…
In this business special of Crisis What Crisis? we delve deep into the challenges of starting and running a multinational fashion label offering lessons that apply to almost every founder, entrepreneur and leader.
LESSONS YOU'LL LEARN:
Hire people who complement you, not clone you.
Match paranoia about people with confidence about your core idea.
Ask the stupid questions.
Listen intensely.
Admit failure fast.

FOLLOW BODEN:
Instagram – www.instagram.com/boden/?hl=en
TikTok – www.tiktok.com/@boden_clothing
FOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?
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TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod