For this episode of the Real Podcast, we sat down with Tim Etherington-Judge, a man who needs no introduction if you’re in the world of spirits and cocktails. A former brand ambassador for a well-known whiskey label, Tim’s life was the stuff of dreams for many people. It was literally his job to fly around the world, go to bars and drink whiskey. Some kind of Instagram heaven, right?
Apparently not. As you might imagine, that kind of lifestyle is going to take its toll. As Tim explains with brutal honesty and openness in our interview, his mental health took a sudden nosedive and he ended up alone in a hotel room in a very dark place indeed.
However, through hard work and with a lot of support from his international friends network, he has come out on top. In the months following his breakdown, Tim realised that his sole purpose from here on in had to be helping others in the hospitality world to reach out when they need support. He set up an organisation called Healthy Hospo which offers people involved in the alcohol industry a way to improve their relationship with drink and turn towards a more rounded and healthy lifestyle.
But it’s far better if you hear it from him. We’ll be chatting about all that, as well as getting his thoughts on why the world’s best mixologists and bartenders are making sobriety far more sexy.
Get yourself comfy. We’re going in.