In this episode of How It Is, international rugby referee Ben Whitehouse shares the raw, unfiltered truth of life behind the whistle, blending resilience, high-stakes policing, and a battle for survival. We unpack the "car crash" games that led to death threats, the reality of working 12-hour police shifts in Newport, and the harrowing moment Ben developed sepsis and was told a day longer would have been "game over." You’ll learn how to survive the poison of social media, the humility found in refereeing a local kids' game, and the physical toll of Crohn’s disease. We cover the surgery that left a scar from chest to waistband, the mental toughness required to handle elite pressure, and how refining your inner circle is the only way to stay sane in business and sport. If you’ve ever felt the weight of public criticism or faced a life-changing setback, this is your field manual for resilience.

Why watch: A masterclass in resilience from a leader who’s lived through the extreme mental health tools, survival frameworks, and the gritty reality of what it takes to perform when the world is watching.

Find more from Ben Whitehouse:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ben_whitehouse_/

🎧 Listen & Subscribe:

👉 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/14YEU0UkAOGpdWbazdZ19W?si=QFJhoDO2Q7CrcYDHiMaMEA

🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx6rha39hiiHtbGoHVFnTGA

🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-it-is/id1783785566

🎞 Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/e12b1c97-e5d0-4d11-8fcd-ca31a0ea12a1/how-it-is

What you’ll learn:

- How Ben Whitehouse went from a police officer to referee

- How Bens career in the police prepared him as a ref

- Surviving Sepsis: The surgery that opened him from chest to waistband

- Managing Crohn’s Disease: The moment his shift turned life-threatening

- How Rugby rules differ between kids and adults

- The "Fire Your Audience" rule: Surviving social media poison