The Monster Downstairs
Seriously...9 Apr 2019

The Monster Downstairs

Life for the child of an alcoholic can be lonely, locked inside a house of secrets.

A code of silence means they don't want to talk to friends, or neighbours, or even their brothers and sisters.

Journalist Camilla Tominey, whose mother was an alcoholic, hears their stories.

Since having her own children, Camilla has longed to travel back in time and ask her, mother to mother: "What made you start drinking before noon?" Here, she and her two brothers sit down for the first time in twenty years to talk about their memories.

Alcoholism is by no means a one-size fits all experience. It cuts across class lines and manifests itself in many different forms. We hear stories from people across Britain. How have they been changed by their experience and what has helped get them through?

The Monster Downstairs features intimate, wrenching stories - of young people and adults - as they talk about an unpredictable existence.

Producer: Caitlin Smith

Episoder(484)

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Battle Grounds: Culture Wars in the Countryside - Vegans

Battle Grounds: Culture Wars in the Countryside - Vegans

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24 Nov 202315min

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The Reinvention of Italy

Anne McElvoy goes on the road in Italy in the latest in her series exploring the convulsions of political and cultural change sweeping through Europe’s great nations. The election last September of th...

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Military Ink

Military Ink

Glasgow’s west end is home to the Primrose Path Tattoo Society where ex-service men & women have gravitated to reflect, celebrate and sometimes come to terms with their lives in the military, all whil...

17 Nov 202328min

How to Spot Potential - Sporting Success

How to Spot Potential - Sporting Success

Kate Mason looks at how potential can be assessed in the world of professional football with Brentford FC player Michael Olakigbe and talent spotter Lee Dykes. From cycling, Dan Bigham tells us how th...

13 Nov 202315min

Archive on 4 - The Greyhound Diaries 2023

Archive on 4 - The Greyhound Diaries 2023

American singer-songwriter Doug Levitt expected his tour to last just the six weeks printed on the face of the Greyhound pass he bought. The idea was to compose a fuller portrait of the United States ...

10 Nov 202357min

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How Safe is Maternity Care?

In 2013, broadcaster and journalist Krupa Padhy, one of the presenters for BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour, lost her first child because of medical negligence in a London Hospital. Legal action was taken. ...

7 Nov 202337min

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