Autism is back in the political spotlight in the U.S., as Donald Trump and his Health Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., announce a major study to “find the cause” of autism — reviving the long-debunked claim that vaccines may be to blame. The move has sparked concern among scientists, advocates, and the autistic community.

In this episode, Ben is joined by Independent journalist, Washington correspondent, and author Eric Garcia to unpack what’s really at stake. They explore the dangers of anti-vax politics, the truth behind the so-called autism “epidemic,” and the billion-dollar autism industry — including who really profits. 

As one of the few openly autistic reporters in Washington, Eric also explains why he fears for autistic people across the country.

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00:00 Introduction

1:54 What is Happening in the USA?

2:23 Anti Vaxxers & Autism

5:01 Setting the Facts Straight: Business Profits VS Facts

7:04 The World of Autism in the 2016 Former Presidency

7:45 “Autism Is An Epidemic” VS The Facts Behind The Numbers

10:57 Looking For Someone To Blame: Autism is Not a Disease

12:35 Why is Autism a Priority in the USA?

14:06 The Autism Industry in the USA: How Big Is It and Who Profits?

16:00 What’s it like to be Autistic in the US? - A personal perspective

17:06 Parents of Autistic Children in the USA: The Fear is Real

19:08 Autism in America Under Joe Biden: What Was Happening?

20:13 Why Eric Love’s Politics

21:00 Why Don’t We Hear About Other Neurotypes?

22:05 ‘Aspie supremacy’ & Elon Musk: Debunked

23:53 Two Narrative Extremes: Eliminate Autism VS Supreme Autistic Beings

24:30 How Does This All End?

25:41 Victor Perez: The Killing of an Autistic Teen in 12 Seconds

27:16 Why Eric Wrote His Book: Creating Autistic Acceptance

29:10 Connection: The Invisible Autistic String

30:37 Eric’s One Wish For the Future

30:51 Green Badge Segment

__________

On "The Hidden 20%," host Ben Branson chats with neurodivergent [ADHD, Autism, Dyscalculia, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Tourette's etc.] creatives, entrepreneurs, and experts to see how great minds.. think differently.

Host: Ben Branson

Head of Production: Bella Neale

Assistant Producer: Phoebe De Leiburné

Video Editor: James Scriven

Social Media Manager: Charlie Young

Music: Jackson Greenberg

Brought to you by charity The Hidden 20% #1203348

_____________________________________

Follow & subscribe…

Website: www.hidden20.org

Instagram / TikTok / Youtube / X: @Hidden20podcast

Ben Branson @seedlip_ben

Simon Baron Cohen @sbaroncohen

If you'd like to support The Hidden 20%, you can buy a "green dot" badge at https://www.hidden20.org/thegreendot/p/badge. All proceeds go to the charity.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you’ve binge-watched a British teen classic, you’ll know Kimberley Nixon — from Wild Child to Angus, Thongs & Perfect Snogging and Fresh Meat. But it’s her off-screen honesty that’s truly resonated.

In this chat with Ben, Kimberley shares her raw and harrowing journey through perinatal OCD — a time when she felt trapped in “the Upside Down from Stranger Things,” her mind flooded with the darkest thoughts imaginable. They explore motherhood, mental health, and the compulsive need for repetition. Together, they unpack the overlaps between OCD, autism, and ADHD — and how Kimberley is helping shine a light on the struggles so many experience in silence. 

00:00 Introduction

1:54 Kimberley VS Her Brain

3:07 How Other People Think

4:10 Autism And Brains That Work Differently

4:52 The Brain VS OCD

5:39 OCD Stereotype VS The Reality: Hurricane Kimberley

6:47 Who Flagged Perinatal OCD?

8:04 Perinatal OCD: What We Need To Know?

9:36 Examples of Perinatal OCD

11:44 Intrusive Thoughts: Am I a Secret Serial Killer? Is My Brain Broken?

17:28 How Does Perinatal OCD Manifest?

18:45 Kimberley’s Husband VS Her Perinatal OCD

20:12 Autism & ADHD NHS Diagnosis Assessment Wait List

23:27 Ben’s Podcast Catalyst for Getting an AUDHD Diagnosis

25:43 The Cross Overs of OCD, Autism & ADHD Traits

30:40 Celebrating That Everyone’s Brain Is Different

31:20 How Does Kim’s Autism Show Up?

31:43 Opening Up To Friends & Family: “You’re Not Autistic!”

32:40 Taking Off The Mask

35:28 Physical Compulsions in Perinatal OCD

36:56 The Journey of Recovery: Being Kinder To Yourself

41:03 Literal Autistic Brains VS April Fools Day, Reading Between The Lines & Acting

44:09 Taking Off The Autism Mask & Becoming Yourself

45:22 OCD Therapy: Learning To Stop Enabling Reassurance

47:43 Why Did Kim Decide To Go Public With Her Perinatal OCD Crisis?

49:56 The Leading Cause of Death in Mother’s The First Year After Birth

50:33 Are You Born With OCD?

51:22 Avoiding Smoking & Drugs Due To Addictive Traits

52:37 The Power of Familiarity & Autism: Kim’s Secret Audio Book Safe Place

55:49 Autism, Motherhood & Resistance to Change

59:19 Ben’s Unofficial Autism Diagnosis

1:00:20 Perinatal OCD: Facing The Never Ending Nightmare

1:01:47 Excuses VS Explanation

1:08:08 The Benefits of Autism & A Career in Acting

1:10:17 What Does it Mean To Be Neurodivergent in Today’s Society?

1:16:49 Intrusive Thoughts: You Are Not Alone

1:17:43 Kimberley’s Promise

1:19:15 Kimberley’s Green Light

__________

On "The Hidden 20%," host Ben Branson chats with neurodivergent [ADHD, Autism, Dyscalculia, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Tourette's etc.] creatives, entrepreneurs, and experts to see how great minds.. think differently.

Host: Ben Branson

Head of Production: Bella Neale

Assistant Producer: Phoebe De Leiburné

Video Editor: James Scriven

Social Media Manager: Charlie Young

Music: Jackson Greenberg

Brought to you by charity The Hidden 20% #1203348

_____________________________________

Follow & subscribe…

Website: www.hidden20.org

Instagram / TikTok / Youtube / X: @Hidden20podcast

Ben Branson @seedlip_ben

Simon Baron Cohen @sbaroncohen

If you'd like to support The Hidden 20%, you can buy a "green dot" badge at https://www.hidden20.org/thegreendot/p/badge. All proceeds go to the charity.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Ben sits down with Sir Simon Baron-Cohen, one of the most influential yet controversial leading figures in Autism research. As the director of Cambridge’s Autism Research Centre, Simon has spent 40 years shaping how we understand autism, from pioneering diagnostic tools to exploring the genetics behind neurodiversity.

Together, they dive into some of the most hotly debated aspects of his work, confront some uncomfortable truths, and explore the link between autism and unique talents. They also unpack fascinating research into why women with PCOS are more likely to have autistic children.

This is Part 2 of a two-part episode — if you missed it, be sure to catch Part 1 from last week!

00:00 Introduction

1:54 Can You Become Autistic?

3:47 Autism: What Has Simon Proven?

4:39 Why Women With PCOS Are More Likely to Have a Child With Autism

5:48 The Role of Hormones in Autism

6:45 Autism: What Has Simon Changed His Mind On?

7:37 Simon’s Thoughts on His Controversial Work: Genetics

9:00 What is Mind Blindness?

10:58 Why Did Some Not Like This Concept?

12:23 How Simon Deals With Criticism

13:20 Ben: What Could Have You Done to Improve that Situation & How Much Were Autistic People Consulted?

14:26 How Much Do We Know About Autism?

15:53 Autistic Statistics: Autism: Some Dark Home Truths

19:06 Autism Assessment Waiting List Crisis VS Suffering Adults

20:07 Comorbidities VS Neurodivergence

21:58 Autism: What Are The Top 3 Questions That We Need To Know?

23:05 Mortality Rate VS Autism

24:04 Autism VS The Need For Further Research

25:22 Ben The Inventor: Unpacking ‘The Pattern Seekers’ & Autistic People

31:08 Neurodiversity VS Lack Of Role Models

32:40 Autism: Where Will We Be In Ten Years Time?

34:20 Simon’s Green Light Choice

__________

On "The Hidden 20%," host Ben Branson chats with neurodivergent [ADHD, Autism, Dyscalculia, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Tourette's etc.] creatives, entrepreneurs, and experts to see how great minds.. think differently.

Host: Ben Branson

Head of Production: Bella Neale

Assistant Producer: Phoebe De Leiburné

Video Editor: James Scriven

Social Media Manager: Charlie Young

Music: Jackson Greenberg

Brought to you by charity The Hidden 20% #1203348

_____________________________________

Follow & subscribe…

Website: www.hidden20.org

Instagram / TikTok / Youtube / X: @Hidden20podcast

Ben Branson @seedlip_ben

Simon Baron Cohen @sbaroncohen

If you'd like to support The Hidden 20%, you can buy a "green dot" badge at https://www.hidden20.org/thegreendot/p/badge. All proceeds go to the charity.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Ben sits down with Sir Simon Baron-Cohen, one of the most influential yet controversial leading figures in Autism research. As the director of Cambridge’s Autism Research Centre, Simon has spent 40 years shaping how we understand autism, from pioneering diagnostic tools to exploring the genetics behind neurodiversity.

They unpack the history of autism diagnoses, why prevalence has risen, and the shifting perception from ‘disorder’ to celebrating a different way of thinking. Plus, they dive into some of the most debated topics in autism research - The complexities of empathy and the ethical challenges of genetic studies.

This is the First of a Two Part Episode - tune in for some groundbreaking research next week in Part Two!

00:00 Introduction

2:08 Ben’s Child Asks Simon: 'Are You REALLY the World's Top Autism Expert?'

2:50 Back In Time: Autism 40 years Ago

4:08 Autism Diagnoses Then vs. Now: How Children & Adults Were Diagnosed 40 Years Ago

4:45 The Moment Autism Prevalence Began to Rise

5:21 Autism Diagnostic Criteria & Disappearance of Aspergers

10:42 The History of Autism

11:48 What Sparked Simon’s Interest in Autism?

13:44 Societies Beliefs and Understanding of Autism 40 Years Ago

15:07 Genetics and The Hidden 20%

17:05 Why Autism Isn’t 100% Genetic

17:34 Ethical Minefields: Genetics Research VS Autism

20:42 Were Scientists Trying to 'Cure' Autism 40 Years Ago?

21:57 When We Started Celebrating Autistic Strengths

23:23 Brains That Think Differently: The Birth of Neurodiversity

24:26 Autism VS Closing The Gender Gap

26:39 Brains That Systemise VS Brains That Empathise

28:32 Autism & Empathy: Cognitive Empathy VS Affective Empathy

35:33 Do Vaccines Cause Autism?

36:37 Why Are the CDC Investigating the Correlation Between Autism and Vaccines?

39:43 Changing The Way We See Autism: Celebrating the Differences

__________

On "The Hidden 20%," host Ben Branson chats with neurodivergent [ADHD, Autism, Dyscalculia, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Tourette's etc.] creatives, entrepreneurs, and experts to see how great minds.. think differently.

Host: Ben Branson

Head of Production: Bella Neale

Assistant Producer: Phoebe De Leiburné

Video Editor: James Scriven

Social Media Manager: Charlie Young

Music: Jackson Greenberg

Brought to you by charity The Hidden 20% #1203348

_____________________________________

Follow & subscribe…

Website: www.hidden20.org

Instagram / TikTok / Youtube / X: @Hidden20podcast

Ben Branson @seedlip_ben

Simon Baron Cohen @sbaroncohen

If you'd like to support The Hidden 20%, you can buy a "green dot" badge at https://www.hidden20.org/thegreendot/p/badge. All proceeds go to the charity.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Made in Chelsea reality star turned author and entrepreneur, Millie Mackintosh has spent years in the spotlight while secretly grappling with undiagnosed ADHD, Dyspraxia and a complex relationship with alcohol.

In this chat with Ben, Millie opens up about late diagnosis, the blurry overlap between ADHD and Dyspraxia, and how alcohol became both a crutch and a crisis to escape from rejection, grief, social anxiety and self-doubt. She shares how motherhood reshaped her perspective, the realities of sobriety, and why she’s questioning if she might be autistic too. 

From EMDR therapy to people-pleasing, sensory overload, and parenting with ADHD - Millie gives her top tips for navigating life with late diagnosed ADHD.

00:00 Introduction 

1:47 Dyspraxia Diagnosis: How, What, When & Why?

3:45 Dyspraxia & ADHD Traits Overlap

4:30 History of ADHD Diagnosis in Society 

5:00 Late Diagnosis in Women: “She’s Dyspraxic and has a vision problem”

5:35 Being Bullied & Trying to Fit in As a Neurodivergent Person 

7:20 Dyspraxia VS Alcohol 

10:52 Reflecting on Undiagnosed ADHD: The Toxic Escapism

12:01 Finding the ‘Millie’ Wild Party Girl Persona

15:27 Easily Influenced and People Pleasing as a Neurodivergent Person

16:36 Millie’s Daughters: “I don’t want them to go through what I went through”

19:18 Pre Diagnosis: “What did you know about ADHD?”

19:58 The ADHD Moment of Realisation 

21:00 My Sober Mental Breakdown

22:14 Millie’s ADHD & Medication Journey

25:45 The Best Bits of ADHD

26:30 Hyper-fixation VS Cream Loungewear

27:21 ADHD & The Keto Diet

30:05 Routine VS ADHD

31:08 Personal and Public Reactions to ADHD Diagnosis

31:56 Navigating Parental Resistance to ADHD Diagnosis and Finding Resolution

33:38 Coming Out As Sober VS Revealing ADHD Diagnosis

34:32 The Challenges of ADHD: Navigating Parenting and Overwhelm

38:10 The ADHD Battle With Emotional Regulation and Parenting 

42:21 Hugo the Husband VS Millie’s ADHD

43:52 Millie: “I’m ADHD But Am I Autistic As Well?”

44:25 Empathy VS Autism

46:40 The Effects of Rejection & ADHD

47:32 Made In Chelsea 

48:47 Health Anxiety & ADHD

51:07 The Power of EMDR: From ADHD Panic Attacks on Planes to Yawning 

51:51 Social Anxiety & ADHD

58:11 What do you say to Late Diagnosed Female ADHD’ers?

1:00:51 Millie’s Top Tips for Managing ADHD

1:01:40 “Do My Kids Have ADHD?”

1:02:25 Spreading Dyspraxia Awareness

1:04:12 Millie’s Chosen Person For The Green Badge of Honour

__________

On "The Hidden 20%," host Ben Branson chats with neurodivergent [ADHD, Autism, Dyscalculia, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Tourette's etc.] creatives, entrepreneurs, and experts to see how great minds.. think differently.

Host: Ben Branson

Head of Production: Bella Neale

Assistant Producer: Phoebe De Leiburné

Video Editor: James Scriven

Social Media Manager: Charlie Young

Music: Jackson Greenberg

Brought to you by charity The Hidden 20% #1203348

_____________________________________

Follow & subscribe…

Website: www.hidden20.org

Instagram / TikTok / Youtube / X: @Hidden20podcast

Ben Branson @seedlip_ben

Millie Mackintosh @milliemackintosh

If you'd like to support The Hidden 20%, you can buy a "green dot" badge at https://www.hidden20.org/thegreendot/p/badge. All proceeds go to the charity.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In light of recent government proposals to cut £5 billion annually from disability benefits by 2030 , it might seem like an odd moment to celebrate neurodivergence—but that’s exactly why we must. In a world where neurodivergence is often used as a pawn in culture wars, it’s more important than ever to pause, raise awareness, and share the reality of thinking differently.

For Neurodiversity Celebration Week, Ben revisits some of the podcast’s most powerful moments—from Kit Harington on ADHD & addiction to Tylan Grant on autism & social anxiety, ADHD Love on relationships, and eye-opening conversations on Tourette’s, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, and more. Busting myths, challenging misconceptions, and honouring the resilience of the ND community.

_____________________________________

On "The Hidden 20%," host Ben Branson chats with neurodivergent [ADHD, Autism, Dyscalculia, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Tourette's etc.] creatives, entrepreneurs, and experts to see how great minds.. think differently.

Host: Ben Branson

Head of Production: Bella Neale

Assistant Producer: Phoebe De Leiburne

Video Editor: James Scriven

Social Media Manager: Charlie Young

Music: Jackson Greenberg

Brought to you by charity The Hidden 20% #1203348

_____________________________________

Follow & subscribe…

Website: www.hidden20.org

Instagram / TikTok / Youtube / X: @Hidden20podcast

Ben Branson @seedlip_ben

If you'd like to support The Hidden 20%, you can buy a "green dot" badge at https://www.hidden20.org/thegreendot/p/badge. All proceeds go to the charity.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Urban gardener, TV producer and author Martha Swales shares how gardening soothes her busy ADHD mind. After producing MasterChef and Nigella Lawson’s Cook, Eat, Repeat, she found viral fame inspiring millions to embrace nature.

In this chat with Ben, Martha explores the contrast of her powerhouse producer persona who is always on time and in control VS her messy, sometimes late, fast-moving ADHD mind. She shares how gardening fosters mindfulness, soothes sensory overload, and why getting your hands dirty is the ultimate therapy. Martha also reveals her top beginners tips for budding urban gardeners!

00:00 Introduction

1:50 How Does Martha Describe Her ADHD brain?

2:17 Strengths VS Weaknesses of an ADHD Busy Mind

3:21 Tears of Tiny Pond Joy

4:12 ADHD: Excessive Quietness VS Uncontrollable Babble

4:37 The Beauty of The Tiny Details

5:43 ADHD VS Nature’s Natural Patience

7:00 Unlocking The Potential of Nature

10:22 Martha’s ADHD Diagnosis Journey: Mum Knows Best

12:00 The Voice of ADHD Truths From The Best Friend

13:23 Martha's Post-ADHD Diagnosis Distress

13:39 ADHD Acceptance

14:18 Being Kind to your ADHD Mind

15:40 Peeling Back The ADHD Onion Layers

16:45 ADHD VS Primary School

18:06 How a Neurodivergent Diagnosis Can Affect Our Loved Ones

19:02 The ADHD Girlfriend Laundry Agreement & Reciprocal Altruistic Bats

21:11 When Martha Is At Her ADHD Best

22:58 The Firecracker Senior TV Producer VS Being Late To Meet Friends & Getting Lost

27:37 I Need Gardening For My ADHD Brain

29:40 ADHD Sensory Soothing: Ben’s Moment with his Silver-birch & Martha’s Love of Whittling

32:09 Connecting To The Land

32:53 Martha’s Top Growing Tips For Beginners

35:59 Why Should ADHD’ers Get Gardening?

36:54 Cooking & Gardening for Busy ADHD Minds

38:18 The Perfect Storm: Cooking, Gardening & ADHD

41:16 The Graveyard of ADHD House Plants

41:41 What Martha Would Have Done Differently: The Garden VS The Allotment

43:43 What Is The Biggest Challenge For An ADHD Gardener?

45:28 Martha’s Book: Give It A Grow

47:12 The ADHD Cucumber Killer

48:37 Praise From The Greats

49:53 Martha’s Badge Of Honour & Gratitude

___________

On "The Hidden 20%," host Ben Branson chats with neurodivergent [ADHD, Autism, Dyscalculia, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Tourette's etc.] creatives, entrepreneurs, and experts to see how great minds.. think differently.

Host: Ben Branson

Head of Production: Bella Neale

Assistant Producer: Phoebe De Leiburne

Video Editor: James Scriven

Social Media Manager: Charlie Young

Music: Jackson Greenberg

Brought to you by charity The Hidden 20% #1203348

_____________________________________

Follow & subscribe…

Website: www.hidden20.org

Instagram / TikTok / Youtube / X: @Hidden20podcast

Ben Branson @seedlip_ben

Martha Swales @marfskitchengarden

If you'd like to support The Hidden 20%, you can buy a "green dot" badge at https://www.hidden20.org/thegreendot/p/badge. All proceeds go to the charity.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Best friends and podcast hosts Kat and Jack bring their signature honesty and humour to a candid conversation about ADHD. Jack, founder of Beautiful Strangers—the creative team behind hit podcasts NewlyWeds and The Girls Bathroom, joins Kat to share what they’ve learned in the year since launching their ADHD podcast, Distracted.

In this chat with Ben, they dive into their biggest bugbears with the ADHD community, the reality of private vs. NHS diagnosis, and the fine line between distraction and procrastination. They also explore an often-overlooked topic: how ADHD sensitivity manifests differently in men and women—and why that matters

1:45 ADHD: Does like attract like?

2:58 Finding Your Neurodivergent Squad

3:53 Kat’s ADHD Realisation

5:00 Jack’s Mid-Haircut ADHD Realisation

5:28 The Journey of an ADHD Diagnosis

6:16 Going Private VS 22 Year Waitlist VS ADHD Self-Diagnosis

6:52 The Human Experience through an ADHD Lens

7:20 Undiagnosed & Needing Medication VS Formally Diagnosed ADHD

7:49 Why Kat & Jack decided to start ADHD Podcast, ‘Distracted’

9:05 Double ADHD Teamwork is the Dreamwork

9:36 Kat & Jacks Advice for starting a Podcast

10:12 What inspires Kat & Jack’s ADHD Podcast Topics?

11:16 The Most Surprising Thing About ADHD: One Year On

12:14 Discovering the Undiscovered: Spreading the Word About ADHD

12:46 ADHD in Women VS ADHD in Men

13:32 Kat & Jack’s World of ADHD Bugbears

15:20 Autism Stigma VS ADHD Stigma

15:50 Why Jack Decided Not To Use ADHD Medication

17:04 Kat & Jack’s Key Strategies for ADHD's Toughest Challenges

18:29 Kat’s Top Tips for Tackling ADHD Procrastination

19:03 Distraction VS Procrastination

19:24 The Twenty Minute ADHD Game

20:32 Letting Go of The ADHD Shame

21:04 Brilliant ADHD Brains

21:48 The Beauty of ADHD Emotional Extremes and RSD

22:52 Intuitive Empathy VS Physical Empathy

23:37 When RSD Can Take Over Rationality

24:11 Celebrating Women’s ADHD Sensitivity & Shining a Light on Men’s ADHD Sensitivity

25:57 Embracing The Power of A Good Cry

26:23 Jack’s Dry Years

26:58 Kat & Jack’s ND Badges of Honour

___________

On "The Hidden 20%," host Ben Branson chats with neurodivergent [ADHD, Autism, Dyscalculia, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Tourette's etc.] creatives, entrepreneurs, and experts to see how great minds.. think differently.

Host: Ben Branson

Head of Production: Bella Neale

Assistant Producer: Phoebe De Leiburne

Video Editor: James Scriven

Social Media Manager: Charlie Young

Music: Jackson Greenberg

Brought to you by charity The Hidden 20% #1203348

_____________________________________

Follow & subscribe…

Website: www.hidden20.org

Instagram / TikTok / Youtube / X: @Hidden20podcast

Ben Branson @seedlip_ben

Distracted @distracted.podcast

If you'd like to support The Hidden 20%, you can buy a "green dot" badge at https://www.hidden20.org/thegreendot/p/badge. All proceeds go to the charity.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Record-breaking Arctic explorer and ocean conservationist Pen Hadow achieved the impossible—trekking solo to the North Pole. Now, on his 63rd birthday, he bravely opens up for the first time about his ADHD diagnosis, reflecting on how it shaped his risk-taking, resilience, and focus—for better and worse.

In this chat with Ben, Pen unpacks the puzzling contradictions of ADHD—being able to laser-focus on extreme expeditions yet struggling with simple tasks like taking out the bins. They explore how ADHD made him one person at work and another at home, its impact on his family and self-esteem, and why embracing different ways of thinking is crucial for the future of our planet.

___________

On "The Hidden 20%," host Ben Branson chats with neurodivergent [ADHD, Autism, Dyscalculia, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Tourette's etc.] creatives, entrepreneurs, and experts to see how great minds.. think differently.

Host: Ben Branson

Head of Production: Bella Neale

Assistant Producer: Phoebe De Leiburne

Video Editor: James Scriven

Social Media Manager: Charlie Young

Music: Jackson Greenberg

Brought to you by charity The Hidden 20% #1203348

_____________________________________

Follow & subscribe…

Website: www.hidden20.org

Instagram / TikTok / Youtube / X: @Hidden20podcast

Ben Branson @seedlip_ben

Pen Hadow @penhadow

If you'd like to support The Hidden 20%, you can buy a "green dot" badge at https://www.hidden20.org/thegreendot/p/badge. All proceeds go to the charity.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Ben sits down with Amanda Perry, ADHD business mentor and author, to discuss the UK government’s Access to Work scheme and the controversy sparked by a recent Daily Mail article. The piece claims that influencers labeled "sickfluencers" are driving a surge in applications, particularly from self-diagnosed ADHD’ers. Amanda, one of the individuals named in the article, joins Ben to share her side of the story.

In this chat with Ben, Amanda discusses the purpose of the scheme, who it truly benefits, why ADHD is often misunderstood, and how the media can influences people's views on it.

NB: We reached out to the Daily Mail / Mail Online for a response to this podcast but received no reply. The invitation is still open.

___________

On "The Hidden 20%," host Ben Branson chats with neurodivergent [ADHD, Autism, Dyscalculia, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Tourette's etc.] creatives, entrepreneurs, and experts to see how great minds.. think differently.

Host: Ben Branson

Head of Production: Bella Neale

Assistant Producer: Phoebe De Leiburne

Video Editor: James Scriven

Social Media Manager: Charlie Young

Music: Jackson Greenberg

Brought to you by charity The Hidden 20% #1203348

_____________________________________

Follow & subscribe…

Website: www.hidden20.org

Instagram / TikTok / Youtube / X: @Hidden20podcast

Ben Branson @seedlip_ben

Amanda Perry @amandaperry

If you'd like to support The Hidden 20%, you can buy a "green dot" badge at https://www.hidden20.org/thegreendot/p/badge. All proceeds go to the charity.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.