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

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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.

In this special anniversary episode, Ben sits down with Head of Production, Bella, to reflect on an extraordinary first year of The Hidden 20%.

From the thrill of winning Gold at the British Podcast Awards to unpacking the most raw and emotional conversation on the show, we revisit the moments that shaped us and changed the way we think.

In this chat with Bella, Ben unpacks the three words that define our mission—"I feel seen"—answers listener questions, and bravely shares his extraordinary journey from homelessness to hosting this podcast.

Join us as we celebrate a year of speaking to great minds that think differently, and look ahead to what's next!

___________

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 & Joe Grace

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

Bella Neale @bella_neale

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.

Professor Amanda Kirby has been a leading voice in the neurodivergent community for over four decades. With a PhD in Education and a background as a GP, her extensive career spans academic research, medical practice, and consultancy. She’s the author of 10 influential books, including the award-winning Neurodiversity at Work and her latest publication, Neurodiversity and Education.

In this chat with Ben, Amanda delves into the evolution of neurodivergence awareness, highlights the often-overlooked overlaps between ADHD and Traumatic Brain Injury, and critiques the siloed research and diagnostic processes that are creating serious challenges. She also shares innovative ideas that could potentially save the government billions!

___________

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 Kirby @progamandakirby

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 2019, Clare Seal hit a breaking point in her life, facing £27K debt with no safety net. But after being diagnosed with ADHD, she rebuilt her relationship with money, becoming a certified financial coach, building a community of over 100k Instagram followers, and writing three books to help others manage their money.

In this chat with Ben, Claire opens up about the moment she hit rock bottom, how her ADHD hijacked her bank account and how she went on to use it to rebuild her career, all whilst inspiring others to do the same. From practical tips on tackling Impulse Spending to Self Assessment Tax Hacks, Clare gives some incredible take-aways on how to put your money where it matters.

__________________________________

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: Joe Grace

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

Clare Seal @clare.seal

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.

CW: Mental Health, Gore, Blood

Marjolein Robertson, celebrated for her raw, relatable humour has taken the comedy world by storm. With widespread acclaim at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and a coveted spot on The List Hot 100, she has cemented her place as a rising star in comedy.

In this episode, Marjolein opens up about being overlooked in the healthcare system, unpacks the link between neurodivergence and PMDD, Adenomyosis, and Endometriosis, and shares the story of her near-death experience. She also reflects on how as an ADHD comedian, the stage is the only place she has control of time.

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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

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

Marjolein Robertson @marjoleinrobertson

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.