Tyler West Opens Up About The Traumatic Event Age 14 That Shaped His Life

We Need To Talk with Paul C. Brunson

FlightStory

Relationships, Society & Culture, Leisure

4.7 • 1.2K Ratings

🗓️ 23 December 2025

⏱️ 103 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Radio DJ and Presenter Tyler West sits down with Paul for a raw and emotional conversation about the life-defining moments that have shaped him. From witnessing a brutal attack at just 14 years old to his rise on Strictly Come Dancing and his relationship with girlfriend Molly Rainford, Tyler shares the untold stories of the struggles he’s overcome and the resilience he’s built in the face of unimaginable challenges. Tyler opens up about the harrowing impact of witnessing a violent attack right outside his bedroom window and how it shaped his mental health for years. For the first time, he talks about the dark thoughts he kept hidden from his mum. He reflects on his journey from the streets of Sutton to landing a spot on CBBC, eventually competing on Strictly Come Dancing, where he met the love of his life, Molly Rainford. Tyler reveals the struggles that followed the high of Strictly, including the emotional crash that no one talks about after the limelight fades. Tyler shares: ◽The shocking details of a crime he witnessed and how it haunted him for years ◽His relationship with his brother and how they communicate their emotions openly ◽How he met girlfriend Molly Rainford on Strictly and fell in love ◽The crash he faced after Strictly and the hidden realities of fame ◽The truth about their time on Race Across The World with Molly ◽How he's feeling about taking over the KISS Breakfast Show ◽Why he believes mental health awareness is crucial and how he’s advocating for change Tyler West, We Need To Talk This conversation includes discussion of suicide and suicidal ideation. If you’re struggling, you’re not alone. We’ve included support charities below: Samaritans: https://g2ul0.app.link/xghDmmYV4Wb Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM): https://g2ul0.app.link/npaQKXUV4Wb Follow me here: https://www.instagram.com/needtotalk https://www.tiktok.com/@weneedtotalkpod (00:00) Intro (01:56) Paul and Tyler's Connection Through Sutton (02:37) What Was the Sutton Tyler Grew Up In Like? (06:27) What Did Tyler Learn About Love From His Family? (08:22) Paul Shows Tyler a Photo of Him as a Baby (09:06) Tyler's Relationship With His Mother as a Child (11:19) Tyler's Relationship With His Brother Growing Up Through to Adulthood (14:25) Paul Surprises Tyler With a Letter From His Brother (17:29) How Tyler's Father Re-Entered His Life at 14 Years Old (18:53) Tyler Discusses the Murder He Witnessed as a Teenager and How It Affected Him (26:55) Tyler's Lowest Ebb After His Traumatic Experience (30:43) Statistics on Knife Crime (31:40) Tyler's Experience of the Ensuing Court Case (34:26) What Could Have Made Tyler's Experience Better? (35:58) Top Things Tyler Thinks Could Change the Knife Crime Epidemic (38:07) Tyler's Experience Growing Up Mixed Race in the UK (43:21) How Tyler Found His Voice and Began His Presenting Career (51:17) Paul and Tyler Talk About Authenticity in Front of the Camera (54:12) Adobe Express Ad (55:26) Huel Ad (56:40) Tyler's Experience of Being on Strictly (01:01:20) Tyler's Experience of Being on Race Across the World (01:11:38) How Tyler First Met His Partner Molly (01:21:13) Paul Shows Tyler a Message From Molly (01:24:24) Tyler’s Advice for Anyone Struggling to Open Up and Find Their Voice (01:29:22) Tyler’s Relationship With King Charles III and The King’s Trust (01:32:37) Tyler’s Proudest Moment of His Career (01:33:55) The Future for Tyler and Molly (01:36:23) Most Memorable Conversation (01:40:19) Paul’s Takeaways Sponsored by: Adobe Express: https://ADOBE.LY/PAUL Huel: https://uk.huel.com/WNTT with code WNTT Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	There's a reason we re-watch Home Alone every year.
0:03.0	Merry Christmas, you filthy animal.
0:05.0	It's because the best stories stay with you.
0:08.0	And Disney Plus is where you'll find your next great story.
0:12.0	Whether it's Fantastic Four First Steps.
0:15.0	We will protect you.
0:16.0	High-power drama, All's Fair.
0:18.0	Tell us your story.
0:19.0	Or brand new Percy Jackson. That that was just the beginning a lifetime
0:22.9	of great stories awaits on disney plus now streaming 18 plus subscription required teas and sees apply
0:30.0	when i was 14 i witnessed a murder my brother's screaming i had the police let me up let me off
0:35.2	my brother thought it was me. It was me. So it was me, my mom and my brother growing up.
0:41.3	It's just pure working class.
0:44.3	But what was going on in your world?
0:48.3	My mum, she'd cry her eyes out all night because that's all she could afford.
0:52.3	Now I've got a big reason to keep on going because I owe it to her.
0:58.0	How it actually panned out was like I was working like 40 hours at McDonald's
1:02.0	and then I was like traveling up to see BBC on a Thursday night,
1:05.0	recording the show on a Friday morning and then that would be it.
1:08.0	But who would have thought from where I started I would ever end up in Buckingham Palace? But I'm still working it out. Everybody always looks at you and goes, oh yeah, Ty, you're the confident one. Oh, you was on Stripby, swear down. But I'm still with that 14 year old self that's like, I absolutely shook. I went through like two years of pain, which led into some of the best accomplishments in my life.
1:28.3	I've met love and my life.
1:30.3	I count my lucky star.
	...

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