The Hidden 20%

For two years, Ben Branson has sat in the green interviewer chair - asking the hard questions, holding the space, and speaking on behalf of The Hidden 20% community.

Today, the chair is flipped.

Phoebe De Leiburné - Production Manager and Head Producer of The Hidden 20% steps in as host to interview Ben for the first time.

In this conversation, Ben opens up about what drove him to create The Hidden 20% after being diagnosed Autistic at 39 and ADHD six months later. Together, they look back on 120+ episodes, 250 million social media views, two British Podcast Awards and the thousands of messages from listeners who, often for the first time, finally felt seen. They also unpack the uncomfortable truth sitting underneath everything The Hidden 20% has uncovered: what if the number we’ve all been using around neurodivergence is wrong?

Ben opens up about why continuing as “just a podcast” no longer felt enough, and why The Hidden 20% is now shifting towards a new chapter...and a new name.

This episode is not a goodbye.
It’s a thank you, a reflection, a line in the sand, and a rallying cry for what comes next.

We are not going anywhere.
We are just getting started.
We are here.
We always have been.
And we are not hiding anymore.

JOIN THE MOVEMENT:
https://hidden20.org/mailing-list

● Sign up to our newsletter at https://hidden20.org/mailing-list
● Buy a green dot badge at https://hidden20.org/products/badge - 2 for 1 in support of the charity
● Write to your local MP about neurodiversity - your voice matters
________

Host: Ben Branson
Production Manager: Phoebe De Leiburné
Video Editor: James Scriven
Social Media Manager: Charlie Young
Music: Jackson Greenberg
Head of Marketing: Kristen Fuller

00:00 Introduction
02:08 Why Production Manager & Producer Phoebe Is Interviewing Ben
07:58 The Original Idea Behind The Hidden 20%
11:22 Did Ben Ever Expect The Podcast To Become This Big?
18:42 The Most Emotional Moments From The Green Chair
23:16 The Guest Conversations That Changed Ben Forever
28:04 Listener Messages That Left The Team Speechless
34:18 “We Didn’t Just Build A Podcast - We Built A Place People Felt Seen”
38:10 Why The Hidden 20% Couldn’t Stay “Just A Podcast”
42:56 The Research Suggesting Up To 1 In 3 People May Be Neurodivergent
47:44 The Systems Problem Facing Neurodivergent People
53:28 Why Awareness Alone Is No Longer Enough
57:02 What The Hidden 20% Is Becoming Next
1:01:46 The Campaign Ben Says Could Change Everything
1:07:12 Why The UK Needs A Different Conversation About Neurodiversity
1:12:08 The Hidden 20% Team Behind The Scenes
1:17:42 What Ben Has Learned About Neurodivergent People
1:22:34 What The Audience Means To Ben
1:27:48 “This Is Not Goodbye”
1:31:20 The Future Of The Hidden 20%
1:34:56 Ben’s Green Dot Badge

The Hidden 20% is a charity founded by AuDHD entrepreneur, Ben Branson.

Our mission is simple: To change how the world sees neurodivergence.
No more stigma. No more shame. No more silence.

1 in 5 people are neurodivergent. That’s 1.6 billion of us - yet too many are still excluded, misunderstood, or left without support.

To break the cycle, we amplify voices, challenge myths, and keep showing up. Spotlighting stories, stats and hard truths. Smashing stereotypes through honest voices, creative campaigns and research that can’t be ignored.Every month, over 50,000 people turn to The Hidden 20% to feel safe, seen and to learn about brilliant brains.

With your support, we can reach further, grow louder, and keep fighting for the 1 in 5 who deserve more.

Join us at hidden20.org/donate.

Become a monthly donor.
Be part of our community where great minds think differently.

Brought to you by charity The Hidden 20% #1203348
______________

Follow & subscribe…

Website: www.hidden20.org
Instagram / TikTok / Youtube / X: @Hidden20charity
Ben Branson @seedlip_ben

If you'd like to support The Hidden 20%, you can buy a "green dot" badge at https://www.hidden20.org/thegreendot/p/badge. All proceeds go to the charity.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Psychiatrist, researcher and brain-body medicine specialist Dr. Jessica Eccles joins Ben for a fascinating conversation about the overlooked physical side of neurodivergence - and why ADHD and autism are often talked about as “brain-only” experiences when the body is deeply involved too.

Dr Jess is an Associate Professor in Brain-Body Medicine at Brighton and Sussex Medical School, a Consultant Psychiatrist within the Sussex Partnership NHS Neurodevelopmental Service, and co-leads the world’s first Neurodivergent Brain-Body Clinic. Her pioneering research explores the links between neurodivergence, hypermobility, chronic illness, inflammation, autonomic dysfunction, pain, fatigue and mental health - challenging the long-standing divide between “physical” and “mental” health.

Dr Jess explains the growing research linking neurodivergence with chronic illnesses, pain, hypermobility, fatigue, inflammation, eating disorders, nervous system dysregulation and temperature sensitivity. Together, they unpack why so many neurodivergent people describe feeling physically overwhelmed, burnt out or “unsafe” in their own body - and why those experiences are so often misunderstood or dismissed in the healthcare system.

This episode is about joining the dots between brain and body - and understanding why so many neurodivergent people have spent years feeling unheard in healthcare, while quietly trying to make sense of symptoms nobody seemed able to connect.

Join us at hidden20.org/donate.

________

Host: Ben Branson
Production Manager: Phoebe De Leiburné
Video Editor: James Scriven
Social Media Manager: Charlie Young
Music: Jackson Greenberg
Head of Marketing: Kristen Fuller

00:00 Introduction
01:42 Dr Jess Eccles: Why Neurodivergence Is About The Brain AND Body
04:18 ADHD, Autism & Chronic Illness: The Overlap Explained
07:36 Why So Many Neurodivergent People Feel Physically Dysregulated
10:15 ADHD, Autism & Temperature Regulation
12:06 Eating Disorders, ADHD & Autism
16:08 Why Neurodivergent People Are Often Misunderstood In Healthcare
19:42 The Nervous System, Stress & Survival Mode
23:30 Trauma Isn’t Always Psychological
27:12 The Link Between Inflammation & Mental Health
31:28 What Is Hypermobility - And Why Does It Matter?
36:14 Autism, ADHD & Physical Health Research Findings
42:20 Why So Many ND Women Are Misdiagnosed
47:48 The Danger Of Separating Mental & Physical Health
52:09 What Dr Jess Wishes More Doctors Understood About Neurodivergence
56:17 Why Research Takes So Long To Reach The Public
59:12 Inside The World’s First Neurodivergent Brain-Body Clinic
1:05:42 Supporting Your Neurodivergent Nervous System
1:09:38 Dr Jess’s Green Dot Badge

The Hidden 20% is a charity founded by AuDHD entrepreneur, Ben Branson.

Our mission is simple: To change how the world sees neurodivergence.
No more stigma. No more shame. No more silence.

1 in 5 people are neurodivergent. That’s 1.6 billion of us - yet too many are still excluded, misunderstood, or left without support.

To break the cycle, we amplify voices, challenge myths, and keep showing up. Spotlighting stories, stats and hard truths. Smashing stereotypes through honest voices, creative campaigns and research that can’t be ignored.Every month, over 50,000 people turn to The Hidden 20% to feel safe, seen and to learn about brilliant brains.

With your support, we can reach further, grow louder, and keep fighting for the 1 in 5 who deserve more.

Join us at hidden20.org/donate.

Become a monthly donor.
Be part of our community where great minds think differently.

Brought to you by charity The Hidden 20% #1203348
______________

Follow & subscribe…

Website: www.hidden20.org
Instagram / TikTok / Youtube / X: @Hidden20charity
Ben Branson @seedlip_ben
Dr Jess Eccles @drbendybrain
Youtube: @BendyBrainDrJessicaEccles
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/bendybrain

If you'd like to support The Hidden 20%, you can buy a "green dot" badge at https://www.hidden20.org/thegreendot/p/badge. All proceeds go to the charity.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Writer, podcast host and mental health advocate Gemma Styles joins Ben for a deeply honest conversation about ADHD, anxiety, depression and the emotional weight of going through life feeling constantly overwhelmed without understanding why.

Gemma reflects on being treated for mental health struggles long before anyone recognised ADHD, and how her diagnosis reframed years of self-blame, exhaustion and internal chaos. She speaks openly about the experience of internalised hyperactivity - where the mind never fully slows down, even when everything looks calm externally - and the pressure of trying to hold things together while quietly struggling underneath.

Together, they explore rejection sensitivity dysphoria, social anxiety, motherhood, burnout and the emotional toll of living in a world that often rewards productivity while misunderstanding overwhelm. They also unpack the growing public conversation around ADHD in women - including the tension between increased visibility and the backlash that can come with it.

This episode is about the reality underneath the headlines, labels and stereotypes - the lived experience of trying to navigate a world that often misunderstands overwhelm, emotional intensity and difference. And why finally understanding your brain can change the way you understand your entire life.

Join us at hidden20.org/donate.

________

Host: Ben Branson
Production Manager: Phoebe De Leiburné
Video Editor: James Scriven
Social Media Manager: Charlie Young
Music: Jackson Greenberg
Head of Marketing: Kristen Fuller

00:00 Introduction
04:30 Gemma Styles on ADHD, Mental Health & Public Perception
05:35 “My ADHD Was Completely Missed”
06:40 Depression, Anxiety & Knowing Something Else Was Going On
07:17 The Relief of Finally Understanding Your Brain
08:32 Why Talking About ADHD Publicly Matters
09:12 ADHD, Boundaries & Being Online
12:41 Late Diagnosis Grief & “What If I’d Known Earlier?”
13:45 Why So Many Women With ADHD Were Missed
14:13 ADHD in Adults: The System Wasn’t Looking For It
19:00 What Inattentive ADHD Feels Like Internally
20:00 ADHD Brains in Crisis Mode
28:05 Therapy, Overthinking & Anxious Thought Loops
29:37 ADHD & Anxiety: “It Never Fully Switches Off”
30:18 Social Anxiety, Fame & ADHD
31:27 Can You Be Authentic Online Without Oversharing?
32:20 Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria & ADHD
34:15 Motherhood, ADHD & RSD
40:32 “ADHD Doesn’t Feel Like a Superpower To Me”
42:57 Writing a Book With ADHD
52:23 ADHD Community, Visibility & Feeling Seen
53:02 ADHD Social Media & The Attention Economy
56:41 Motherhood, Work & Stepping Back From Social Media
57:43 What Gemma Styles Finds Frustrating About ADHD Discourse
1:00:00 Gemma’s Green Dot Badge

The Hidden 20% is a charity founded by AuDHD entrepreneur, Ben Branson.

Our mission is simple: To change how the world sees neurodivergence.
No more stigma. No more shame. No more silence.

1 in 5 people are neurodivergent. That’s 1.6 billion of us - yet too many are still excluded, misunderstood, or left without support.

To break the cycle, we amplify voices, challenge myths, and keep showing up. Spotlighting stories, stats and hard truths. Smashing stereotypes through honest voices, creative campaigns and research that can’t be ignored.Every month, over 50,000 people turn to The Hidden 20% to feel safe, seen and to learn about brilliant brains.

With your support, we can reach further, grow louder, and keep fighting for the 1 in 5 who deserve more.

Join us at hidden20.org/donate.

Become a monthly donor.
Be part of our community where great minds think differently.

Brought to you by charity The Hidden 20% #1203348
______________

Follow & subscribe…

Website: www.hidden20.org
Instagram / TikTok / Youtube / X: @Hidden20charity
Ben Branson @seedlip_ben
Gemma Styles @gemmastyles

If you'd like to support The Hidden 20%, you can buy a "green dot" badge at https://www.hidden20.org/thegreendot/p/badge. All proceeds go to the charity.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dyslexic entrepreneur and Talamo co-founder Jamie Wace joins Ben for a conversation about why so many children with dyslexia are still being missed - and how technology could radically change access to support.

Jamie reflects on his own experience of school, including being told not to pursue subjects he loved because his dyslexia was misunderstood. He shares how years working in tech and entrepreneurship eventually led him to question why dyslexia assessment systems remained so inaccessible, expensive and outdated.

Together, they explore the emotional impact of unidentified learning differences, why schools often rely on “wait until they fail” models, and how understanding a child’s cognitive profile can shift the conversation from blame to support. Jamie also unpacks the future of assistive technology, overlapping neurodivergent conditions, and why early identification could change life trajectories for millions of children.

Join us at hidden20.org/donate.

________

Host: Ben Branson
Production Manager: Phoebe De Leiburné
Video Editor: James Scriven
Social Media Manager: Charlie Young
Music: Jackson Greenberg
Head of Marketing: Kristen Fuller

00:00 Introduction
01:30 Jamie Wace’s Dyslexia Story
05:07 Being Told Not To Take History GCSE Because of Dyslexia
06:00 Has Awareness of Dyslexia Actually Improved?
08:31 Why Schools Need To Understand Cognitive Profiles
08:48 How Talamo Was Created
09:54 The Statistic That Changed Everything: 80% of Dyslexic Children Go Undiagnosed
10:21 Why Traditional Dyslexia Assessments Don’t Scale
19:19 Dyslexia, ADHD & Understanding The Whole Child
29:24 The Future of Assistive Technology For Neurodivergent Students
31:16 Dyslexia, Schools & Assistive Technology In The Classroom
40:32 Early Dyslexia Screening & Why Schools Are Changing
44:24 Why Dyslexic People Often Make Great Communicators
46:20 Dyslexia, ADHD & Neurodivergent Overlap
50:51 Building Talamo For Impact, Not Profit
55:46 Jamie’s Green Dot Badge

The Hidden 20% is a charity founded by AuDHD entrepreneur, Ben Branson.

Our mission is simple: To change how the world sees neurodivergence.
No more stigma. No more shame. No more silence.

1 in 5 people are neurodivergent. That’s 1.6 billion of us - yet too many are still excluded, misunderstood, or left without support.

To break the cycle, we amplify voices, challenge myths, and keep showing up. Spotlighting stories, stats and hard truths. Smashing stereotypes through honest voices, creative campaigns and research that can’t be ignored.Every month, over 50,000 people turn to The Hidden 20% to feel safe, seen and to learn about brilliant brains.

With your support, we can reach further, grow louder, and keep fighting for the 1 in 5 who deserve more.

Join us at hidden20.org/donate.

Become a monthly donor.
Be part of our community where great minds think differently.

Brought to you by charity The Hidden 20% #1203348
______________

Follow & subscribe…

Website: www.hidden20.org
Instagram / TikTok / Youtube / X: @Hidden20charity
Ben Branson @seedlip_ben
Jamie Wace @jamiewace

If you'd like to support The Hidden 20%, you can buy a "green dot" badge at https://www.hidden20.org/thegreendot/p/badge. All proceeds go to the charity.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Content creator and author Luke Grosch joins Ben for an honest conversation about late-diagnosed autism, emotional overwhelm, grief, identity and learning to understand yourself in a world that often misunderstands autistic people.

Luke reflects on losing his dad at a young age, and how many of his autistic traits - meltdowns, sensitivity and shutdowns - were mistaken for grief rather than signs of neurodivergence. Diagnosed in 2019, he shares what changed once he finally had language for the way his brain works, and why being openly emotional online has become such an important part of his work.

Together, they explore masking, burnout, relationships, loneliness, internet culture and the pressure many autistic people feel to appear “fine” while struggling internally. Luke also opens up about writing his first book based on diary entries and emotional reflection, and why vulnerability can be a form of connection rather than weakness.

Join us at hidden20.org/donate.

Buy Luke's new book 'Diary of a Neurodivergent' at https://dashbook.com/book/diary-of-a-neurodivergent

________

Host: Ben Branson
Production Manager: Phoebe De Leiburné
Video Editor: James Scriven
Social Media Manager: Charlie Young
Music: Jackson Greenberg
Head of Marketing: Kristen Fuller

00:00 Introduction
01:08 Luke Grosch’s Late Autism Diagnosis Story
03:42 Losing His Dad Young & Missing The Signs of Autism
07:15 When Autism Traits Get Mistaken For Grief
10:54 What Finally Led Luke To Seek a Diagnosis
14:02 Late Diagnosed Autism: “Everything Started Making Sense”
17:40 Masking & Pretending To Be Fine
21:18 Emotional Overwhelm, Shutdowns & Internal Struggle
25:11 Why Luke Shares Vulnerably Online
28:45 Autism, Loneliness & Feeling Misunderstood
32:04 Burnout & The Pressure of Social Media
35:27 Relationships, Friendship & Communication Differences
39:18 Why So Many Autistic Adults Feel Exhausted
42:56 Writing a Book Through Diary Entries & Reflection
46:21 What Luke Wishes More People Understood About Autism
50:12 The Power of Emotional Honesty
54:30 Luke’s Green Dot Badge

The Hidden 20% is a charity founded by AuDHD entrepreneur, Ben Branson.

Our mission is simple: To change how the world sees neurodivergence.
No more stigma. No more shame. No more silence.

1 in 5 people are neurodivergent. That’s 1.6 billion of us - yet too many are still excluded, misunderstood, or left without support.

To break the cycle, we amplify voices, challenge myths, and keep showing up. Spotlighting stories, stats and hard truths. Smashing stereotypes through honest voices, creative campaigns and research that can’t be ignored.Every month, over 50,000 people turn to The Hidden 20% to feel safe, seen and to learn about brilliant brains.

With your support, we can reach further, grow louder, and keep fighting for the 1 in 5 who deserve more.

Join us at hidden20.org/donate.

Become a monthly donor.
Be part of our community where great minds think differently.

Brought to you by charity The Hidden 20% #1203348
______________

Follow & subscribe…

Website: www.hidden20.org
Instagram / TikTok / Youtube / X: @Hidden20charity
Ben Branson @seedlip_ben
Luke Grosch @lukegrosch

If you'd like to support The Hidden 20%, you can buy a "green dot" badge at https://www.hidden20.org/thegreendot/p/badge. All proceeds go to the charity.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.