Local Heroes Podcast

On this week's Local Heroes Podcast, your average hosts Chris and Dan talk to the electric and entrepreneurial Steffi Smith - a true North East legend and one of the region’s most inspiring business role models.
As the founder of The Chocolate Smiths, she has built not just an iconic brand, but a blueprint for creativity, resilience, and modern entrepreneurship. Steffi opens up about discovering her ADHD later in life, how it shaped her path, and how embracing it became one of her greatest strengths.
She takes us from the early days of making chocolate bars in her kitchen with a microwave, to becoming a social media favourite, earning a viral shoutout from Joe Wicks, and navigating the overwhelming pressures that came with rapid growth.
Steffi speaks with rare honesty about burnout, self-doubt, and the moment she nearly walked away — before rebuilding her business with more clarity, courage, and conviction than ever.
From designing bespoke moulds, elevating her brand, and switching to ethically sourced Colombian chocolate, to investing deeply in her team and leading with creativity, Steffi demonstrates exactly why she’s become such an incredible entrepreneurial example for emerging founders everywhere.
Packed with laughter, spills, wild ideas, breakfast-and-brainstorm sessions, and even a call for a Greggs × Chocolate Smiths collab, this episode showcases the brilliance, passion, and heart that make Steffi a local hero in every sense.
If you love powerful founder stories, creativity, neurodiversity, or just really good chocolate — this conversation will stay with you.
 
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This Week on the Local Heroes Podcast, the inflexible Chris and Dan Meet Jo Hutton - yoga teacher, creator of Yoga for Tired People, accidental viral sensation, and proud North Eastener.
From ASMR mishaps and camping confessions to deep chats about mental health, self-talk, and the realities of wellbeing, this one has everything: laughs, nostalgia, local banter, and powerful insights.
Jo shares her journey from drama school burnout to running a Newcastle yoga studio for a decade, then unexpectedly blowing up online with an 8-million-view neck stretch video.
She talks honestly about why yoga isn’t just for flexible people, how shame stops us from starting, and why tiny habits matter more than perfection.
You’ll also hear:
- Greggs orders and fish-and-chip philosophies 🍟
- Memories of Metroland, the pop man, and broken biscuit shops
- Why the North East sometimes resists new ideas
- and why that’s changing
- How to calm your mind when life is chaotic
- The truth about self-discipline, burnout, and doing what you can with what you've got Whether you’re a yoga newbie, a stressed-out parent, a lover of nostalgia, or just here for a laugh and a stretch, you’re going to love this episode.
Sit back, relax, and enjoy this deeply chilled episode with yet another one of our Local Heroes.
 
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Local Heroes Podcast - Special Edition: Ivanna Fundraiser 8-Hour Pod-A-Thon
Live and in collaboration with Arrow Strength in Sunderland in aid of raising money for a 4yr old Ivanna, a local girl who needs a heart operation in Boston. 
Please donate: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/arrow-ivanna-potts
This special edition of the Local Heroes Podcast takes you inside our 8-hour live Pod-A-Thon - a full day of conversations with the real heroes of our local community. 
From illustrators and motivators to bakers, restaurateurs, community gardeners, mental health and fitness advocates, and even a surprise cameo from the crew at Gym Possible, it was a celebration of the people who keep Sunderland’s spirit alive.From ice creams that kept us cool, to donuts that kept us going, to pink slice bites that kept the sugar levels high.
Oh, and a nostalgic conversation about monkeys blood (aka raspberry sauce) - if you know, you know.
The wheels turned. The conversations churned. The energy never dropped.
With vibrant storytelling and live illustration from Hannah Graham, and smooth behind-the-scenes production from Flat White Alice and Lottie, the Pod-A-Thon captured the creativity, grit, humour, and heart of our community.
Jump in and experience a full day of community spirit, connection, and proper Local Hero energy.

This week, Chris and Dan sit down with James Dixon, the creative force behind Lines Behind - the instantly recognisable artwork that’s become a true North East success story. Inspired by Keith Haring - immediately scoring points with Chris - James takes us on a journey from his early days working with global brands like LEGO and Nickelodeon to building his own independent creative studio that now collaborates with everyone from Fenwick and Chilly’s Bottles to Newcastle United.
What began as a small stall at Tynemouth Market has grown into a thriving brand rooted in community, collaboration, and unmistakable style. James opens up about the defining projects that have shaped his career - from designing the Great North Run finisher shirt and medal to creating bespoke artwork for NUFC’s cup final, a piece that went viral and even raised over £4,000 for charity.
He also shares the story behind his partnerships with major retailers like Fenwick, the surge in demand that saw his products reselling online for hundreds, and the huge response to his collaboration with Jade Thirlwall on a limited-edition Cancer Connections charity T-shirt that sold out in hours and brought his work to a global audience.
But beyond the commercial success, this episode is a heartfelt look at what drives James: his commitment to giving back, running art workshops with the Newcastle United Foundation, supporting students at Newcastle College, and inspiring the next generation of North East creatives. He talks about staying humble, keeping positive through challenges, and building a legacy that celebrates local culture and community.
Looking ahead, James reveals plans for two large-scale public sculptures to mark the ten-year milestone of Lines Behind, and his ambitions to take the brand global - from Saudi Arabia to Japan - while staying true to his Geordie roots. His message is simple but powerful: hard work, kindness, and creativity open doors you never see coming.
And, of course, Chris and Dan couldn’t let him leave without diving into the essentials: the “picky tea” philosophy, pineapple on pizza, butter bans, and the all-important Greggs order.
It’s an episode packed with positivity, local pride, and plenty of laughs - a perfect celebration of what makes a true Local Hero.
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This week, Chris and Dan meet sisters Coleen and Karen, two remarkable women who turned one of Britain’s most shocking romance fraud cases into a story of strength, survival, and hope. For years, they were caught in the lies of Greg Wilson - a conman who called himself “James Scott”, a supposed firefighter, devoted fiancé, and local hero. Behind the uniform was a man living multiple lives, manipulating emotions, stealing money, and weaving an astonishing web of deceit.
Coleen and Karen open up about discovering the truth, the media storm that followed, and how they fought back against victim-blaming, online abuse, and trauma. They share how they reclaimed their story through bestselling books (Playing with Fire, Healing from the Burns), the hit BBC podcast Love Bombed, and a new screenplay now in the works. It’s an extraordinary conversation filled with honesty, humour and heart.
From police investigations and courtroom revelations to late-night breakdowns, cancer battles, and ultimately the courage to rebuild their lives, Coleen and Karen talk about what it takes to survive the unthinkable - and how to find laughter again in the darkest places.
Powerful, warm, and surprisingly uplifting, this episode explores how two sisters turned deception into defiance and used their voices to help others recognise the red flags of coercive control and emotional abuse.
After everything they’ve endured, it’s the laughter that lingers. By the end of the chat, talk of fake wedding menus, pulled pork flashbacks and Greggs sausage rolls becomes something more than small talk. Even after betrayal, heartbreak and public scrutiny, Coleen and Karen can still share a joke, raise a smile, and reclaim their story on their own terms. It’s proof that humour can heal, and that even the darkest chapters can end with coffee, cake, and a good laugh.
Trigger warnings: romance fraud, coercive control, emotional abuse.
Proceeds from Coleen and Karen’s books support Women’s Aid.
 
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What happens when a fisherman swaps the North Sea for a mission to preserve his hometowns heritage? In this lovely conversation, Terry McDermott, chair of the North Shields Fishermen’s Heritage Project, takes Chris and Dan from diesel-scented decks and 40-foot waves to statues, school trips and a living legacy on the North Shields Fish Quay.
He recalls the 800 Years of North Shields celebration - 300 schoolchildren singing on the quay, 30 boats parading the Tyne, tugboats spraying arcs of water under the Lord-Lieutenant’s command - gathering people, honouring workers, and keeping stories alive. Founded in 2015 by Terry and the late Henry Howard, the project began with a child’s question: “Where’s the statue for fishermen, Grandad?” From cold calls to potential funders to learning how to do things “by the book,” Terry shares a fundraising journey built on passion and persistence.
Fishing runs in his family - his Granda worked the boats, and so did he. He’s lost friends to the sea and speaks candidly about the danger, laughter and loyalty that defined life on deck. Dyslexia shaped his path too; school failed him, but the sea - and later, community work - gave him the purpose that drives him today. We explore the creation of the “Fisherman” and “Herring Girl” statues and the untold history of the women who followed the herring down the coast, gutting fish for pennies and singing through exhaustion.
For Terry, it’s not nostalgia - it’s education. He wants children to grasp the industry’s reality: trawl models in classrooms, trips to working quays and fisheries, and memories that last a lifetime. North Shields Fish Quay is changing - from fishing to food vendors, trawlers to taverns- but Terry welcomes progress as long as its roots stay visible.
The project now preserves memory through a hand-turned Book of Remembrance and the Key Master’s Diaries, soon to be digitised for schools.
And yes, there’s time for the usual Local Heroes banter: haddock over cod, curry with chips, vinegar on mushy peas, and a toast to the Low Lights Tavern, where the North Shields community still thrives.
This episode is a warm, salt-soaked love letter to people, place, hard work and purpose - and a masterclass in turning community passion into lasting impact.
Patreon - patreon.com/LocalHeroesVI

This week on the Local Heroes Podcast, Chris and Dan welcome David Hall, a proud North Easterner and former MasterChef contestant, for a raw, funny, and deeply human conversation about food, the fading spotlight, and finding yourself again. From the smell of Bovril on cold match days at St James’ Park, the conversation is a heartfelt tour through growing up in the North East - its rivalries, humour, and unbeatable sense of community.
David reflects on his time in the MasterChef kitchen, where his love for regional dishes like panackelty and leek pudding won the heart of the judges at the same time as meeting the harsh realities of TV production. He lifts the lid on the emotional toll of the experience, how it shaped his mental health, and what he’s learned since about resilience and recovery. Chris also admits that David was the person who first ignited his own career in food and his commitment to celebrating the local, whilst David goes on to deliver a masterclass in North East food heritage, tracing the origins of Be-Ro - the classic home-baking brand born in Newcastle — and revealing the story behind the original pink slice, a true staple of regional baking.
There’s plenty of banter too - from David’s admiration for the late, great Keith Floyd, whose chaotic charm shaped his approach to cooking, to Dan’s less-than-glowing views on Jamie Oliver and the modern TV food machine. Together, they explore how authenticity has been lost in contemporary media - and how men, especially in the North, are learning to talk more openly about struggle, pride, and purpose.
With stories of cold-water dips, and rediscovering joy through cooking, this is a moving, funny, and unfiltered conversation about what it truly means to be a Local Hero.
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This week on the Local Heroes Podcast, Chris and Dan sit down with Laura Pidcock - political powerhouse, awesome activist, and all-round good human. Born and raised in Northumberland, Laura’s North East roots run through everything she does, grounding her politics in honesty, fairness, and fierce compassion.
As the former Labour MP for the historic heartland of North West Durham, she brought her community’s voice to Parliament with unapologetic conviction, never shying away from calling out injustice or standing up for those too often ignored. In this episode, she reflects on her whirlwind years in Westminster during the chaos of Brexit, the cost of sticking to her principles, and what it really takes to hold your ground in a system that would rather you stayed quiet. Laura talks openly about the disconnect between Parliament and the people it’s meant to serve - how power protects itself, how working-class voices are too often silenced, and why real politics happens far from the cameras. Yet her optimism, humour, and humanity shine through.
With warmth and clarity, she shares how her North East upbringing taught her the strength of solidarity and the value of speaking plainly. For Laura, politics isn’t about ambition; it’s about community, dignity, and the belief that change begins when ordinary people act together. Since leaving Parliament, she’s channelled that same fire into RISE, the grassroots movement she helped build to reconnect politics with real life. Laura talks about moving beyond Westminster and rediscovering power in local action - through tenants’ unions, mutual aid, and collective organising. It’s a passionate, hopeful vision rooted in the belief that no one is coming to save us - but together, we can help each other.
This conversation is a reminder that true politics, at its best, is about community, courage, compassion and absolutely refusing to give up on people. And, of course, it wouldn’t be Local Heroes without a few food-related rabbit holes and a dash of Local Heroes anarchy.
Chris, Dan, and Laura wander from politics to pescetarianism, swapping stories about North East life, family wisdom, and why Laura believes Greggs are great business.
Funny, fiery, and full of heart - this conversation captures everything Local Heroes stands for: real people, real places, and the kind of honest chaos that makes life, and politics, worth talking about.
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This week, Chris and Dan are joined by Chris Nicholas, founder of The Ice Guys - a men’s mental health community built on banter, bad jokes, and cold water therapy - almost in that order. What started as a few lads taking a dip for a laugh has turned into something genuinely life-changing.
Chris opens up about the ups and downs of sobriety, and laughs about how, in the past, he’d find himself halfway through a Twitter row wondering why he’d even started - these days, he just walks away (usually to the sea).
He also shares his ethical vegan struggle of living with meat-eating cats - a moral dilemma that could test even the Dalai Lama.
It’s a brilliantly funny, down-to-earth chat about finding balance, ditching ego, and remembering that community doesn’t have to be complicated. "We just wanted to make a space where good people can do good things.” So pour yourself a hot brew, wrap up warm, and enjoy this openhearted dive into what happens when humour, honesty, and a bit of freezing water brings people together.
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This week on the Local Heroes Podcast, your increasingly average hosts, Chris and Dan, sit down with Sunderland’s own Tom A. Smith, a 21-year-old already making waves on the UK music scene.
Tom’s story is anything but ordinary.
He started playing live shows at just eight years old, found himself on stage at Glastonbury by the age of ten, and has already clocked up over a thousand gigs. Now signed to Fiction Records, Tom talks us through the whirlwind of festival slots, record deals, and what it feels like to finally be stepping into his own as both a songwriter and a performer.
But this isn’t just about the music. Tom shares how performance, visuals, and identity matter just as much as the songs themselves - drawing inspiration from the likes of Bowie, Talking Heads, and The Cure, while carving out his own style alongside his band (which now even includes his sister Hannah).
We get into the highs and lows of writing music under pressure, the reality of streaming versus live shows, and the power of building a community of fans - including the infamous “Weirdos” WhatsApp group.
We hear about Dave Stewart casually walking on stage mid-set, Robbie Williams leaving a crowd without Candy, the nightmare of being forced to eat a prawn cocktail crisp sandwich live on TV (spoiler: Tom actually hates crisps), and his all-important Greggs order.
This conversation bounces between ambition, identity, and the pure joy of creative freedom.