Addiction, Breakdown and Finding Persevilience: Rory Interviews Alastair

  • The Rest Is Politics

  • 16 October 2026

  • Posted by Alastair Campbell

  • 2

How has Alastair managed to come back from some of the darkest places in his life, overcoming a breakdown while in the public eye? Is his obsession with work unhealthy, or necessary to achieving great things and what does it cost his family and those around him? And, beyond the personal, could the word he invented, “Persevilience”, be the antidote to populism, polarisation and post-truth?



Listen to Rory Stewart interviewing Alastair Campbell for part one of Persevilience where they discuss all of this and more.


Producer: India Dunkley

Video Editor: Louis Mealing

Social Producer: Emma Jackson

Executive Producer: Bella Soames

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2 responses to “Addiction, Breakdown and Finding Persevilience: Rory Interviews Alastair”

  1. Good Evening Alastair.
    I Love All Your Podcasts. And Have A Lot Of Time For Your Opinions And Love Your Talks With Rory.
    But I Have Just Listened To Your Podcast With Rory. About Addiction And It Really Hit Home With Me
    About 12 Years Ago I Had A Breakdown And I Ended Up Having To Spend Time In My Local Mental Health Hospital
    If It Was Not Not For My Brother Who actually Called 999 I would Have Been Sectioned
    But The Main Thing That Got Me Was When You Said To The Police You Wasn’t Right
    Because I Will Never Forget Seeing The Police And Ambulance I Said To Them
    I Need Help. I think saved Me from Being Sectioned
    This Breakdown Was About 20 Years In The Making
    Was Diagnosed With Depression For 20 Years.
    After My Breakdown I was Then Diagnosed Bipolar 2
    Which I Understand Now
    I Would To Talk To You Privately
    To A Person I Really Respect
    Because Things Are So Up In The Air For Me At The Moment
    And I You Could Help

    Kind Regards

    David Steeper

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