In this episode of You Can Do Hard Things, Jenny Melling sits down with Ashley Watson, Olympian, British athlete and member of the Jamaican Bobsleigh Team at Beijing 2022.

Ashley shares the real story behind his Olympic journey, from growing up in Peterborough and chasing football dreams with Peterborough United and Norwich City, to the disappointment of rejection, moving into athletics, discovering bobsleigh and eventually representing Jamaica on the Olympic stage.

The conversation explores resilience, identity, self-coaching, sacrifice and what it really takes to keep going when the obvious route doesn’t work out.

We also talk about the reality behind the famous Cool Runnings image of Jamaican bobsleigh, and what life in the sport actually looks like behind the scenes.

Please forgive the audio issues that kick is part way through - if anyone can fix it - holla at me!

In Part 1:

• Football trials with Peterborough United and Norwich City
• Being released as a young footballer
• Sprinting and athletics ambitions
• Discovering bobsleigh almost by accident
• GB Bobsleigh and Olympic qualification
• Funding struggles in elite sport
• Balancing training, business and a Masters degree
• Why representing Jamaica meant so much

Hosted by Jenny Melling. Podcast: You Can Do Hard Things

Part 2 coming soon - want to know what really happens in the Olympic Village? Best subscribe so you dont miss out!

He didn’t run away… he ran towards it.

In Part 2, Tom Gray (That Guy Gray) opens up about being at the centre of the London Bridge terror attack in November 2019, where he was one of the people who helped stop the attacker.

But this isn’t just about that day.

It’s about what it says about you when everything kicks off. How you process it. And how life just carries on afterwards.

We also get into something very real between us… After I cut Tom’s future short on The Summit, can you actually build a genuine bond after something like that? Does he blame me? And the question I had to ask — do I regret it… and am I sorry?

In this episode, we talk about:

• Tom Gray’s first-hand experience of the London Bridge attack
• Why he ran towards danger
• What happened in those moments on the bridge
• How he processed it afterwards
• Why he never wanted to use it for attention or “clout”
• The reality of being recognised as “That Guy Gray”
• Whether there’s any bad blood after The Summit
• Regret, decisions and living with the choices you make
• Dealing with pressure, failure and self-worth
• Why happiness isn’t always what we think it is

This is Part 2 — if you haven’t seen Part 1 yet, go back and watch it first. There’s more coming as well.

I genuinely appreciate every single person who watches, listens, shares or messages me about these. I do this because I love it — and because I hope these conversations resonate, make you think, or help you feel a bit less alone.

At the end of the day, we’re all just people.

And something someone said to me recently really stuck:

You are your superpower. No one else can be you. So own it, be proud of it, and live your life — your truth.

#TomGray #ThatGuyGray #LondonBridgeAttack #LondonBridge #YouCanDoHardThings #TheSummitUK #Resilience #Mindset #PodcastInterview #MentalHealth #SelfWorth #TrueStory #UKPodcast #RealTalk

Thomas Gray, also known online as That Guy Gray, joins me for Part 1 of our You Can Do Hard Things conversation.

You might know him from The Summit UK, his viral “As You Were” videos, his automotive content, or his very impressive moustache… but this episode goes far beyond the online persona.

In this first part, Tom talks openly about where That Guy Gray came from, how “As You Were” became his signature phrase, building a following of around 800,000 people, imposter syndrome, mental health content, self-doubt, relationships, dating apps, and what really happened during his time on The Summit UK.

We also get into the behind-the-scenes reality of The Summit, including the first challenge, the edit, the cast dynamics, Dockers, Patrick’s lack of screen time, Tom’s fear of heights, and the moment he knew he was probably going home.

This is funny, honest, awkward in places, and properly human.

What happens when the person who's always supposed to save the day… can't?

In this powerful episode of You Can Do Hard Things, I sit down with Joel Fearon. Olympian, Team GB athlete, one of Britain's fastest sprinters, and a contestant on BBC's The Summit UK. What started as a conversation about reality TV quickly became one of the most honest and emotional discussions I've had on the podcast.

Joel is often seen as someone who stays strong under pressure. But behind the medals, elite sport and television appearances is a story of loss, identity, resilience and the constant search for purpose.

We explore what really drives high performers, why success doesn't always bring happiness, and how growing up with ADHD and dyslexia shaped Joel's determination to prove himself.

Joel also shares the devastating story of losing his sister, the guilt he still carries, and the moment he realised he couldn't "save the day". A moment that completely changed the way he sees himself, his family and his future.

Along the way, we also lift the lid on what really happened behind the scenes of The Summit UK, discussing the cast, the friendships, the strategy, the votes and how everyone's relationships changed once filming ended.

In this episode we discuss:

• What it's really like to compete as an Olympian and Team GB athlete

• Life as one of Britain's fastest sprinters

• The pressure of always being "the strong one"

• Growing up with ADHD and dyslexia

• Losing his sister and the guilt that still follows

• Survivor's guilt and learning to live with grief

• Why success never quite feels like enough

• The reality behind elite sport and chasing validation

• What happens when your identity is built on being needed

• Finding purpose after trauma

• Mental resilience and overcoming adversity

• The truth about life behind the scenes of The Summit UK

• Trust, friendships, strategy and difficult decisions on reality TV

• The lessons Joel has learned from sport, loss and life

This is a conversation about resilience, purpose, grief, identity and what it really means to keep moving forward when life doesn't go to plan.

It's raw, honest and, at times, uncomfortable... but it's exactly what You Can Do Hard Things is all about.

If you enjoy conversations about resilience, mental health, elite sport, personal growth, ADHD, grief, Olympic athletes, reality TV and extraordinary life stories, make sure you follow You Can Do Hard Things for new episodes

What does it really take to build a life online… and what happens when it all disappears overnight?

In this episode of You Can Do Hard Things, I sit down with Patrick — content creator and my fellow cast member from The Summit — for a conversation that’s as honest as it is entertaining.

We go behind the scenes of the show and beyond the highlight reels to talk about:

• The real journey from engineering degree to 400K+ followers
• How social media actually works (and how he turned it into a full-time income)
• Trolling, online hate, and why “the comments are brutal”
• Losing his TikTok account and the reality of relying on platforms you don’t control
• What really happened on The Summit — including the injury that forced him out
• The mindset it takes to keep going when things don’t go to plan

Patrick also shares how he built brand deals from scratch, why not everyone is cut out for content creation, and what he’s building next — including plans to take things to YouTube in a big way.

This is a raw, funny, behind-the-scenes look at both reality TV and the creator world — and a reminder that doing hard things doesn’t always look the way you expect.

Sean Heath joins me for a raw, honest and surprisingly funny conversation about what it really means to be underestimated.

You may know Sean from The Summit UK, but this episode goes far beyond the mountain.

We talk about how he ended up on the show, what it was like being judged before people really knew him, and the reality of pushing himself through one of the toughest experiences of his life. But we also get into the things that matter far more than TV.

Sean opens up about discovering his identity at a young age, the darker side of being groomed, the grief of losing family members in quick succession, the toll that took on his mental health, and what rebuilding life has looked like since.

This is a conversation about resilience, loss, confidence, humour, survival and learning to back yourself when other people do not.

In this episode, we cover:

• Sean’s journey onto The Summit UK
• Being constantly underestimated
• Identity, sexuality and growing up
• Grooming and vulnerability at a young age
• Grief, family loss and depression
• What success really means
• Why sometimes just getting through the day is enough
• The mindset that helped him keep going

Sean is warm, open, hilarious and brutally honest in all the best ways. This episode is for anyone who has ever been written off, misunderstood or forced to find strength the hard way.

Miranda first came into the public eye on ITV's The Summit, but this conversation goes far beyond reality television.

She shares the shocking moment a persistent mouth ulcer became a life-changing cancer diagnosis, the surgery that followed, and how the experience completely changed her outlook on life.

We also lift the lid on what really happens behind the scenes of The Summit, the friendships formed in New Zealand, why resilience is about so much more than physical strength, and why being underestimated has become one of Miranda's greatest advantages.

This is an honest conversation about courage, recovery, friendship and discovering that life's toughest mountains are often the ones nobody else can see.

In part two of Jenny Melling’s conversation with Lyle Taylor, the discussion goes deeper into football, identity, injury, reputation, and what comes next after the game.

Lyle speaks openly about leaving Colchester, joining Chelmsford City, the realities of dressing room culture, how football shapes the person you become, and why stepping away from playing could be one of the hardest things he ever has to do.

This episode also explores ego, leadership, success, Pink October, life after football, and the difference between how people see a footballer and who that person really is away from the pitch.

An honest, funny and thoughtful conversation about football, change, ambition, and doing hard things.

In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, I sit down with Lyle Taylor for a brutally honest chat about football, mindset, reputation and what it really takes to keep going when people doubt you.

We talk about the drive that shaped his career, the pressure of professional football, dressing room culture, proving people wrong, and the challenge of building an identity beyond the game. Lyle also reflects on key moments from his journey and opens up about success, ambition, failure and the mentality that kept him moving forward.

This is a thoughtful, sharp and revealing conversation with someone people often think they know, until they actually hear him speak.

In this episode of You Can Do Hard Things, Jenny Melling speaks to Iain Crawford about football, business, family, and resilience.

With deep links to Peterborough United, involvement in football ownership, and a background as a former professional golfer and entrepreneur, Ian shares the journey that brought him to where he is today. From his relationship with Darragh MacAnthony and favourite Posh memories, to his involvement with Spalding United, business lessons, retirement at 45, and the realities of success, this is an honest and thoughtful conversation with plenty of humour along the way.

This episode covers:

• Peterborough United and life around football
• co-owning a football club
• football stories, players, and Wembley memories
• business, risk, and entrepreneurship
• resilience, illness, and family
• what success really looks like

A real conversation about doing hard things, on and off the pitch.

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