New programme for the Sounds app

Comedian Jacob Hawley has made a podcast series for BBC Sounds  looking into drug culture 

In this eight episodes he speaks to law makers, scientists, drug dealers and  the families of those who have lost their lives to drugs as he probes the debate around legalisation and the attitudes towards narcotics among our law enforcers.  

Guests will include Kidulthood actor Adam Deacon, fellow comedians Jack Barry and Carl Donnelly,  Professor David Nutt, who lost his job as a  government advisor for urging a relaxation of drug aws, and campaigner Elizabeth Burton-Phillips, who lost one of her identical twin sons, to heroin addiction in 2004.  

Hawley said: ‘Drug culture is something that has always fascinated me; I’ve experimented with drugs recreationally, I’ve used those experiences as inspiration for comedy, but I’ve also seen friends lose their way with it and in some cases even lose their lives.

‘In this podcast I want to speak to people who can educate me further on the way drug culture effects Britain, to get people thinking and talking about the debate around drugs, and hopefully get people laughing too.’ 

The former BBC New Comedy Award finalist spoke about his own prodigious ketamine use during his Edinburgh show last year, Howl.

Jacob Hawley on Drugs was launched on BBC Sounds today, with other episodes following weekly.

Published: 26 Jun 2019