Paul Mort is known for his energy, honesty and no-nonsense approach to business and life, but behind the success is a story very few people know.

In this episode, Paul opens up about building a business from nothing, surviving depression and suicidal thoughts, rebuilding his life, and the mindset shifts that changed everything.

He talks about learning to sell, embracing discomfort, becoming alcohol-free, and why personal responsibility has been the biggest catalyst for change.

Along the way, we also dive into football, South Shields, Greggs orders, public speaking, social media, and why humour has always been one of his greatest strengths. It’s raw, hilarious, emotional and packed with practical wisdom.

Whether you’re an entrepreneur, struggling with your mental health, or simply looking for a reminder that it’s never too late to rebuild your life, this is a conversation you won’t forget.

What happens when you lose everything, and have to rebuild your life from the ground up?

In one of our most powerful conversations yet, Claire Liddle shares her extraordinary journey from childhood trauma and alcohol addiction to prison, recovery, and building a thriving bakery business that’s changing lives.

Claire speaks with remarkable honesty about growing up with abuse, the spiral into addiction, serving 22 months in prison, and why prison ultimately became the turning point that saved her life.

She reflects on forgiveness, accountability, football as therapy, and discovering a passion for baking that gave her a new purpose. Today, Claire is the founder of Cakeaholics, creating award-winning cakes while proving that our past doesn’t have to define our future. This is a story about redemption, resilience, second chances, and finding hope when everything seems lost.

It’s raw, funny, emotional, and ultimately incredibly inspiring.

This week on the Local Heroes Podcast, Chris and Dan sit with Carley Armstrong of Sunderland - producer, filmmaker, and one of the hardest-grafting people in North East film right now.

She's gone from runner to script supervisor to producer the hard way, building her own company while refusing to leave the region that made her. Hendon born, Hendon loyal - the kind of place she can still knock on any door for a cup of sugar.

There's the young lass who heard Carley on BBC Radio Newcastle, messaged her on Instagram, turned up to set with her own car, and was working at the BBC five weeks later.

As Carley says, an email can change your life. There's the philosophy from our Sunderland filmmaker + a proper deep dive into 50 Cent's The 50th Law as a survival guide for the industry.

There's the moment she first found filmmaking and felt genuine love, family and belonging - keeping her loyal to the industry family ever since. She talks about thinking in decades not days, the strange loneliness of rising when the people who cheered you up the hill go quiet at the top, arts disappearing from schools, and why the North East only wins when we stop competing and start collaborating.

And, as is tradition on Local Heroes, Carley reveals her last meal - and it's about as Sunderland as it gets.

Saveloy Dip from Dicksons + a Muller's pink slice + a chip sandwich with Lurpak and red sauce.

Then the Greggs order.