John Robins: Thirst - In Conversation

John Robins, who has short dark hair, sits with his fingertips touching in front of his face and elbows resting on a grey table in front of him.

What is an alcoholic?

John will be heading out on tour to celebrate the publication of his beautifully written, moving and darkly funny forthcoming memoir, Thirst. He will tell the story of his life through the lens of alcohol, the drinks that made him, and those that broke him. From his earliest drinking experiences – pretending to be drunk after a sip of champagne aged five, spraying aftershave into his mouth at the school play afterparty, and university nights spent downing red wine alone in his room – to his last drink in 2022 and the journey into sobriety that followed, John will explore our relationship with alcohol through reflections on decades of his own drinking.

From hazy memory to sudden clarity he sheds light on subjects from mental health to friendship, from creativity to the lies we tell ourselves, and answers questions such as: are alcoholics born or made? How can we make sense of youthful missteps? And can Buddhism provide relief when dealing with haemorrhoids?

John will share insights and epiphanies from the world of addiction and recovery, blending his trademark raw honesty and hilarious digressions with the collective wisdom of alcoholics and those around them to offer a compelling, powerful and morbidly funny narrative for anyone who has ever asked 'why do we drink?', 'why do I drink?' or 'do I drink too much?'.

This event will include a special guest interviewer at each event, a rare opportunity for you to put your own questions to John and a chance to purchase a signed copy of Thirst.

JOHN ROBINS is a radio presenter, comedian, Taskmaster champion, and podcaster (How Do You Cope?, The Elis James and John Robins Show, Beef's Golf Club, The Moon Under Water). John has won the prestigious Edinburgh Comedy Award for 'Best Show' (2017); ‘Funniest Show’ at the ARIAS for his Radio 5 Live show with Elis James (2020); ‘UK Podcast of the Year’ for the mental health podcast How Do You Cope? (2021).

Throughout his stand-up and radio career he has gained a reputation for speaking candidly and hilariously about his own mental health. In 2024 he won the ‘Radio Times Moment Of The Year’ award at the ARIAS after revealing his struggles with alcohol on How Do You Cope?. His conversation with Adrian Chiles on abstinence vs moderation was one of the most shared articles on The Guardian website and his 2024 nationwide tour, Howl, about addiction and recovery received critical acclaim.

Thirst: Twelve Drinks That Changed My Life will be published by Viking on 7th May 2026

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