In this episode of Too Sober For This, recovery advocate Shell Righini and comedian Iain Anderson are joined by sobriety advocate, beer expert, and Instagram's Sober Boozer, Ben Gibbs to discuss...

What actually changes when you quit drinking… and what doesn’t?

From alcohol-free beer to sober Instagram, recovery has never been more visible. People are building communities, sharing journeys online, and redefining what life without alcohol looks like. But is sobriety really the solution to everything… or just the starting point?

Shell, Iain and Ben explore the reality of getting sober in 2026. They talk about mental health, relationships, personal growth, masculinity, and the unexpected parts of recovery that no one really prepares you for. From building a life online to navigating real-world connection, this conversation goes far beyond just “not drinking.”

They get into what sobriety gives you, what it takes away, and why putting down the drink doesn’t automatically make you a better person.

This episode sits right in the tension between self-improvement and self-awareness, questioning what happens when the coping mechanism disappears and you’re left with… just yourself.

In this episode

• Life after alcohol: what actually changes (and what doesn’t)
• Ben Gibbs’ journey and building The Sober Boozer
• Alcohol-free beer, sober culture, and social life without drinking
• Relationships, breakups, and identity in sobriety
• Money, addiction, and shifting from chaos to stability
• Online sobriety vs real-life community
• Masculinity, the manosphere, and modern male identity
• Why sobriety doesn’t automatically fix your behaviour
• Boundaries, choice, and learning how to leave when you want to

If you’ve ever wondered what life really looks like after quitting alcohol, this episode will give you the honest version… not the Instagram one.

Expect sharp observations, uncomfortable truths, dark humour, and a few moments where you realise sobriety isn’t about becoming perfect… and that is ok!

👤 About our guest: Ben Gibbs

Ben Gibbs, also known as The Sober Boozer, has been a beer commentator and sobriety advocate since quitting alcohol in 2022. He’s sampled over 1000 alcohol-free beers, worked with breweries across the UK, appeared on BBC radio, and became the first person in recovery to win a British Guild of Beer Writers award for his work.

👉 Follow Ben:
Instagram: @ sober_boozers_club

Monthly beer subscription box click here

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@toosoberforthispodcast

Shell Righini - @shell_righini Iain Anderson - @iainanderson.comedy

Traumedy Show - https://iainandersoncomedy.com/

Listen to Shell’s podcast We Recover Loudly here on Spotify

This Podcast Is Brought to You By We Recover Loudly Merch

Bold recovery slogans and wearable reminders that recovery doesn’t have to be quiet.

Shop here: www.werecoverloudly.com

@werecoverloudly

Mastered and edited by Unmuted Studios. Podcast production, editing, and creative support.

www.unmutedstudios.com

In this episode of Too Sober For This, recovery advocate Shell Righini and comedian Iain Anderson take on a very 2026 problem:

How is AI changing creativity, work, and the way we think?

From ChatGPT to AI design tools, artificial intelligence is everywhere. It’s writing emails, creating content, generating artwork, and helping people build businesses faster than ever. But is AI making life easier… or slowly replacing creativity, confidence, and human connection?

Shell and Iain explore the rise of AI in the creative industries and everyday life. They share their own experiences using AI for business, content creation, and decision-making; from productivity hacks and support with ADHD, to the unexpected downside of relying on it too much.

They get into the real impact of AI on artists, freelancers, and small business owners, and ask whether we’re entering a world of faster innovation or a sea of sameness.

This episode sits right in the tension between convenience and creativity, questioning what happens when everything becomes quicker, cheaper, and automated.

In this episode

• How AI tools like ChatGPT are changing creative work
• The impact of AI on artists, freelancers, and small businesses
• Productivity, ADHD, and using AI for support and structure
• The downside of AI: comparison, self-doubt, and over-reliance
• AI in content creation, design, and podcasting
• The ethics of AI and what “free” really costs
• Creativity vs automation; what happens to original thinking?
• Why everything is getting faster (and whether that’s a problem)
• Building a business in the age of AI

If you’ve ever used AI to write something, design something, or make life easier then this episode will make you think twice about what it’s really doing.

Expect honest conversations, sharp observations, dark humour, and a few moments where you realise… you might be outsourcing more than just your workload 😬.

MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE :

AI tool Goblin Tools - https://goblin.tools/

The band Angine De Poitrine - https://www.instagram.com/anginedepoitrine/

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@toosoberforthispodcast

Shell Righini - @shell_righini Iain Anderson - @iainanderson.comedy

Traumedy Show - https://iainandersoncomedy.com/

Listen to Shell’s podcast We Recover Loudly here on Spotify

This Podcast Is Brought to You By We Recover Loudly Merch

Bold recovery slogans and wearable reminders that recovery doesn’t have to be quiet.

Shop here: www.werecoverloudly.com

@werecoverloudly

Mastered and edited by Unmuted Studios. Podcast production, editing, and creative support.

www.unmutedstudios.com

In this episode of Too Sober For This, recovery advocate Shell Righini and comedian Iain Anderson take on a very 2026 problem:

Why does everyone sound like a therapist now?

From TikTok to group chats, therapy language has gone mainstream. Words like “boundaries”, “triggers”, “narcissist”, and “holding space” are everywhere. But are they helping us understand ourselves… or just helping us win arguments?

Shell and Iain unpack the rise of wellness culture and the explosion of self-help language online. What started as tools for healing are now often used as shields, weapons, and personality traits. They explore how therapy-speak is being misused, overused, and sometimes completely stripped of its meaning. From calling people “toxic” instead of having hard conversations, to diagnosing exes with zero qualifications, to setting “boundaries” that are actually just control.

This episode gets into the grey area between genuine growth and performative self-awareness, and asks whether we’re becoming more emotionally intelligent… or just better at sounding like we are.

In this episode

• Why therapy language is everywhere right now
• The difference between real boundaries and control
• How words like “narcissist” and “triggered” are being misused
• Wellness culture and the business of self-improvement
• Social media, identity, and performative healing
• When self-awareness becomes avoidance
• The fine line between growth and superiority
• Why not everything needs a label
• What actually helps vs what just sounds good

Get ready for uncomfortable truths, sharp observations, dark humour, and at least a few moments where you’ll wonder if you’ve ever said “I’m protecting my energy” and really meant “I don’t want to deal with this.” 😅

Connect With Us

@toosoberforthispodcast

Shell Righini - @shell_righini Iain Anderson - @iainanderson.comedy

Traumedy Show - https://iainandersoncomedy.com/

Listen to Shell’s podcast We Recover Loudly here on Spotify

This Podcast Is Brought to You By We Recover Loudly Merch

Bold recovery slogans and wearable reminders that recovery doesn’t have to be quiet.

Shop here: www.werecoverloudly.com

@werecoverloudly

Mastered and edited by Unmuted Studios. Podcast production, editing, and creative support.

www.unmutedstudios.com

In this episode of Too Sober For This, recovery advocate Shell Righini and comedian Iain Anderson take on one of the internet’s most controversial and confusing topics: the manosphere.

What even is it? Where did it come from? And why are so many young men being pulled into it right now?

From Louis Theroux documentaries to viral TikTok creators, the manosphere has exploded into mainstream conversation. But beneath the headlines is something far more complex; a mix of loneliness, identity, community, and a search for meaning that’s gone… sideways.

Shell and Iain unpack the origins of the manosphere, from men’s rights movements and fatherhood struggles to the darker corners of online culture : Incels, red pill ideology, and the rise of influencers selling power, money, and “truth.”

They explore the uncomfortable reality that this didn’t come from nowhere.

There are conversations about masculinity, vulnerability, addiction, and what happens when people feel disconnected, unseen, and desperate for belonging. Plus the role of social media, self-help culture, and whether we’re all being shaped by the same systems.

In this episode

• What the manosphere actually is (and why it’s not new)
• How it evolved from support spaces into something more extreme
• Why young men are being drawn into it
• Loneliness, identity, and the need for belonging
• The role of influencers, money, and online manipulation
• Masculinity, role models, and the pressure to “be a man”
• The impact on women and the growing divide
• Why outrage sells… and who benefits from it
• Community vs isolation: what actually helps

Expect uncomfortable questions, strong opinions, dark humour, and a lot of moments where things get very real.

NEXT EPISODE QUESTION — GET INVOLVED

Next week we’re talking about the wellness industry and how wellness and self help can be weaponised as a way for people to put others down or to control.

So we want to hear from you: What are your opinions and experiences of the wellness industry?

Send us a DM on Instagram @toosoberforthispodcast or WhatsApp +44 7343 057171 with your thoughts and we might feature your opinion in the next episode of Too Sober For This.

Connect With Us

@toosoberforthispodcast

Shell Righini - @shell_righini Iain Anderson - @iainanderson.comedy

Traumedy Show - https://iainandersoncomedy.com/

Listen to Shell’s podcast We Recover Loudly here on Spotify

This Podcast Is Brought to You By We Recover Loudly Merch

Bold recovery slogans and wearable reminders that recovery doesn’t have to be quiet.

Shop here: www.werecoverloudly.com

@werecoverloudly

Mastered and edited by Unmuted Studios. Podcast production, editing, and creative support.

www.unmutedstudios.com

In this episode of Too Sober For This, recovery advocate Shell Righini and comedian Iain Anderson take on one of life’s most loaded topics: money.

From growing up with complicated financial narratives to navigating freelance life in recovery, this is an honest, funny, and at times uncomfortable conversation about what money really means, and why so many of us avoid talking about it.

Shell and Iain unpack their own relationships with money, shaped by addiction, shame, survival, and sobriety. They explore the chaos of spending in active addiction, the fear of financial instability, and the strange reality that even when things are “better,” money can still feel overwhelming.

There are conversations about debt, earning, self-worth, and the emotional weight money carries plus the reality of trying to build a creative life without a safety net.

They also dig into the contradictions: feeling more comfortable with nothing than having money, trusting everything will “work out” vs actually planning for the future, and whether chasing money is success… or just another addiction.

In this episode

• Why money feels so uncomfortable to talk about (even in recovery)
• How addiction shaped their early relationships with spending and debt
• The fear of financial insecurity even when things are “going well”
• Freelance life, feast-and-famine income, and the reality behind “doing what you love”
• The link between money, self-worth, and shame
• Why having nothing can sometimes feel safer than having something
• Trust vs avoidance: is “it’ll all work out” healthy… or delusion?
• The impact of money on relationships, partnerships, and independence

Expect uncomfortable questions, strong opinions, dark humour, and plenty of laughing at things we probably shouldn’t.

Because sometimes, even in sobriety… money still makes absolutely no sense.

If you’re struggling with debt, you don’t have to do it alone.
You can get free, confidential help from StepChange Debt Charity:
👉 https://www.stepchange.org

NEXT EPISODE QUESTION — GET INVOLVED

Next week we’re talking about the manosphere.

So we want to hear from you: What are your opinions and experiences of the manosphere?

Send us a DM on Instagram @toosoberforthispodcast or WhatsApp +44 7343 057171 with your thoughts and we might feature your opinion in the next episode of Too Sober For This.

Connect With Us

@toosoberforthispodcast

Shell Righini - @shell_righini Iain Anderson - @iainanderson.comedy

Traumedy Show - https://iainandersoncomedy.com/

Listen to Shell’s podcast We Recover Loudly here on Spotify

This Podcast Is Brought to You By We Recover Loudly Merch

Bold recovery slogans and wearable reminders that recovery doesn’t have to be quiet.

Shop here: www.werecoverloudly.com

@werecoverloudly

Mastered and edited by Unmuted Studios. Podcast production, editing, and creative support.

www.unmutedstudios.com

In this episode of Too Sober For This, recovery advocate Shell Righini and comedian Iain Anderson tackle one of life’s biggest questions: does true love actually exist?

Recorded just after Valentine’s Day, and shortly after Iain announced his engagement, the conversation quickly turns into an honest, funny, and occasionally uncomfortable exploration of love, relationships, and how sobriety changes the way we think about them.

Shell and Iain talk about the expectations we grow up with around romance, the reality of dating as adults, and how recovery forces you to confront your feelings instead of hiding from them.

They explore everything from messy past relationships and emotional unavailability to the idea that maybe real love isn’t about someone completing you; rather it’s about two people who already have their own lives choosing to build something together.

In this episode

• Iain shares the story of how he proposed to his fiancé
• Why Shell has become deeply cynical about the idea of true love
• How childhood expectations shape the way we approach relationships
• The difference between love, attachment, and codependency
• Why friendships can sometimes offer deeper connection than romance
• The importance of learning to like, and eventually love yourself first

Expect uncomfortable questions, strong opinions, dark humour, and plenty of laughing at things we probably shouldn’t.

Because sometimes, even in sobriety we find… we are definitely too sober for this.

NEXT EPISODE QUESTION — GET INVOLVED

Next week we’re talking about money.

So we want to hear from you: Why does talking about money feel like dirty talk?

Send us a DM on Instagram @toosoberforthispodcast or WhatsApp +44 7343 057171 with your thoughts and we might feature your opinion in the next episode of Too Sober For This.

Connect With Us

@toosoberforthispodcast

Shell Righini - @shell_righini Iain Anderson - @iainanderson.comedy

Traumedy Show - https://iainandersoncomedy.com/

Listen to Shell’s podcast We Recover Loudly here on Spotify

This Podcast Is Brought to You By We Recover Loudly Merch

Bold recovery slogans and wearable reminders that recovery doesn’t have to be quiet.

Shop here: www.werecoverloudly.com

@werecoverloudly

Mastered and edited by Unmuted Studios. Podcast production, editing, and creative support.

www.unmutedstudios.com

In the very first episode of Too Sober For This, recovery expert Shell Righini and comedian Iain Anderson introduce themselves, explain how they met in the comments section of a DJ Fat Tony post, and why two sober people decided to start a podcast about life’s chaos.

Before this podcast existed, Shell actually interviewed Iain on her recovery podcast We Recover Loudly, and that conversation is where the idea for this show really began.

Listen to that episode here : We Recover Loudly Season 3 Ep 9

In This Episode

• How Shell and Iain first connected online
• Shell’s journey through addiction and burnout in hospitality
• The moment that led her to recovery
• How We Recover Loudly began
• Why they decided to start Too Sober For This
• What topics the podcast will explore going forward

Expect uncomfortable questions, strong opinions, dark humour, and plenty of laughing at things we probably shouldn’t.

Because sometimes, even in sobriety we find … we are definitely too sober for this!

NEXT EPISODE QUESTION - GET INVOLVED!!

Next week we’re talking about true love. So we want to hear from you:

Does true love actually exist?

Send us a DM on Instagram (@toosoberforthispodcast) or WhatsApp +447343057171 with your thoughts and we might feature your opinion in the next episode of Too Sober For This.

Connect With Us

@toosoberforthispodcast

Shell Righini - @shell_righini Iain Anderson - @iainanderson.comedy

Traumedy Show - https://iainandersoncomedy.com/

Listen to Shell’s podcast We Recover Loudly here on Spotify

This Podcast Is Brought to You By We Recover Loudly Merch

Bold recovery slogans and wearable reminders that recovery doesn’t have to be quiet.

Shop here: www.werecoverloudly.com

@werecoverloudly

Mastered and edited by Unmuted Studios. Podcast production, editing, and creative support.

www.unmutedstudios.com