Victoria Derbyshire's Unbelievable Britain – Details, episodes & analysis

Divine Ampofo grew up in Walthamstow, sharing a cramped flat with his mum and three siblings in a neighbourhood shaped by poverty, violence and survival. By the age of thirteen he had been pulled into “the game”, a street culture where respect came through fear, drugs and violence. As a teenager he was shot, involved in stabbings and narrowly escaped death more than once. Surrounded by conflict and constant danger, the life promised money and status but delivered paranoia, loss and the very real prospect of prison or death. From childhood racism and isolation, to the pull of street identity, to the turning point that forced him to walk away from the life he once believed was success. Today he is an author, speaker and the founder of KIS4LIFE, working with schools, councils and youth organisations to prevent gang exploitation and knife crime. Victoria Derbyshire has spent decades as one of the UK's most trusted journalists, breaking major stories and leading some of the most powerful interviews on radio and television. Now with Unbelievable Britain, she'll prove the most unbelievable stories aren’t fiction… they’re happening right here. Extraordinary people with stories that reveal who we really are as a nation, surprising, inspiring, and sometimes hard to believe. Unbelievable Britain shares remarkable personal stories from across the country, told by the people who lived them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Paul Cooper is a campaigner, writer and actor whose life has followed an extraordinary and unconventional path. He is also the father of Daisy May Cooper and Charlie Cooper, and has spent decades championing children, creativity, and people on the margins. Later in life, he found wider recognition through his role as Martin Mucklowe in This Country, a breakthrough that brought his lived experience and humanity to the screen. Long before his acting career, he was involved in child led football activism, global peace initiatives, and frontline work supporting people living with hoarding disorders, always driven by a deep belief in community and compassion. This episode explores a life shaped by activism, setbacks, reinvention, and an unwavering commitment to doing good. Victoria Derbyshire has spent decades as one of the UK's most trusted journalists, breaking major stories and leading some of the most powerful interviews on radio and television. Now with Unbelievable Britain, she'll prove the most unbelievable stories aren’t fiction… they’re happening right here. Extraordinary people with stories that reveal who we really are as a nation, surprising, inspiring, and sometimes hard to believe. Unbelievable Britain shares remarkable personal stories from across the country, told by the people who lived them. Subscribe for new episodes every week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Twenty years ago, Emma Sayle launched a women-led sex club that challenged everything people thought they knew about desire, power and who gets to set the rules. Many thought she was brave, others thought she was mad and it was certainly headline grabbing. Two decades on, Killing Kittens has grown into a global movement. Emma joins Victoria to talk about how it started, the backlash and misconceptions, what has changed for women since, and why female-led spaces around sex, confidence and choice still matter more than ever. Victoria Derbyshire has spent decades as one of the UK's most trusted journalists, breaking major stories and leading some of the most powerful interviews on radio and television. Now with Unbelievable Britain, she'll prove the most unbelievable stories aren’t fiction… they’re happening right here. Extraordinary people with stories that reveal who we really are as a nation, surprising, inspiring, and sometimes hard to believe. Unbelievable Britain shares remarkable personal stories from across the country, told by the people who lived them. Subscribe for new episodes every week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Unbelievable Britain, Victoria Derbyshire sits down with Ryan Stevens to explore the reality of living with Tourette’s. From physical tics that have caused serious injury to the invisible toll of suppressing emotion, he shares what it’s really like when your body feels out of your control. He speaks about tic attacks that surge through his body, the pressure to stay “level” to prevent episodes, and the quiet challenge of feeling like a burden to the people he loves. He also reflects on representation, public misunderstanding, and why Tourette’s looks different for everyone. Victoria Derbyshire has spent decades as one of the UK's most trusted journalists, breaking major stories and leading some of the most powerful interviews on radio and television. Now with Unbelievable Britain, she'll prove the most unbelievable stories aren’t fiction… they’re happening right here. Extraordinary people with stories that reveal who we really are as a nation, surprising, inspiring, and sometimes hard to believe. Subscribe for new episodes every week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jihyun Park escaped one of the most oppressive regimes on the planet, and she did it twice. She survived famine, human trafficking, forced labour and imprisonment in North Korea before escaping across borders to rebuild her life in the UK. She was betrayed, sold as a bride in China and later dragged back across the border to a labour camp. The second time, she risked everything to find her son and begin a journey that would finally lead to freedom. Victoria Derbyshire has spent decades as one of the UK's most trusted journalists, breaking major stories and leading some of the most powerful interviews on radio and television. Now with Unbelievable Britain, she'll prove the most unbelievable stories aren’t fiction… they’re happening right here. Extraordinary people with stories that reveal who we really are as a nation, surprising, inspiring, and sometimes hard to believe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Katy Morgan-Davies was born into one of Britain’s most secretive cults. Despite living in Brixton, one of London’s busiest neighbourhoods, she was completely cut off from the outside world and controlled by a man who called himself Comrade Bala. For thirty years, she lived under his abusive control, knowing almost nothing beyond the walls of that house until her dramatic escape. Victoria Derbyshire has spent decades as one of the UK's most trusted journalists, breaking major stories and leading some of the most powerful interviews on radio and television. Now with Unbelievable Britain, she'll prove the most unbelievable stories aren’t fiction… they’re happening right here. Extraordinary people with stories that reveal who we really are as a nation, surprising, inspiring, and sometimes hard to believe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sean Langan spent years on the frontline, chasing stories most of us would run from. He’s been shot at, threatened, and even kidnapped by the Taliban... This is his extraordinary story. Victoria Derbyshire has spent decades as one of the UK's most trusted journalists, breaking major stories and leading some of the most powerful interviews on radio and television. Now with Unbelievable Britain, she'll prove the most unbelievable stories aren’t fiction… they’re happening right here. Extraordinary people with stories that reveal who we really are as a nation, surprising, inspiring, and sometimes hard to believe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Britain’s Toughest Fighter Opens Up to Victoria Derbyshire. Luke Dyson is a fighter in every sense. From care homes and a chaotic childhood to one of Britain's most prolific fighters with hundreds of boxing and MMA bouts across the country. His story is one of anger, survival, and how discipline can grow from chaos. Victoria Derbyshire has spent decades as one of the UK's most trusted journalists, breaking major stories and leading some of the most powerful interviews on radio and television. Now with Unbelievable Britain, she'll prove the most unbelievable stories aren’t fiction… They’re happening right here. Extraordinary people with stories that reveal who we really are as a nation, surprising, inspiring, and sometimes hard to believe. A Joy Peddler's Studios Production Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

New podcast incoming... Thursday January 15th @ 4pm Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Locked inside her body, Kate could hear and see everything but could tell anyone. A worst nightmare. Kate Allatt was a fit and healthy mother of three when her life changed overnight. After being sent home from hospital with severe headaches, she collapsed and fell into a coma. When she woke, she was diagnosed with Locked-In Syndrome. Fully conscious, but unable to move or speak. From the first flicker of an eye and against all expectations, Kate slowly relearned how to communicate, walk again, and rebuild her life. Sixteen years on, her story is one of extraordinary determination and hope, and today, she shares it with us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices