Episode 6: Jessie Stride from The Traitors

The nation fell in love with Jessie Stride when she took part in the latest season of the hit TV show The Traitors. Now, a Hull girl herself, Jessie joins our podcast 'Moving Minds' and chats about how she looks after her own mental health.

Jessie, a hairdresser in her day job, also speaks about raising awareness of stammering – a type of speech disorder where the flow of spoken words is altered by repetitions or prolonged sounds.

Find information and support for your mental health on the NHS website or contact Samaritans who offer help 24 hours a day, 365 days a year at samaritans.org

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:07

Hi, Jem Rotan here, and this is your latest episode of Moving Minds, the Whole Trains podcast. And this time we've got Jessie from the Traitors. I am so excited. By day a hairstylist, but has come to our attention overnight with her massive, massive appearance in this year's traitors. We can't wait to have her on board. Grab your copper. Jessie, I am so excited to have you with us today. Hello. On the moving lines all through. Also, we didn't even learn about this, but we've kind of like We're matching. Well, we've got our greens. Yeah. We've got our greens and then green trousers. But I did have an orange scarf on.

SPEAKER_00 0:46

You did have an orange scarf.

SPEAKER_01 0:47

On the pink for you as well.

SPEAKER_00 0:48

I love it. Brightens it up a bit, does it?

SPEAKER_01 0:51

I love it. How I don't even know where to start. Right. I watched you, as did millions of others, and you were amazing. Thank you. Like absolutely amazing. Like, not only from like a whole standpoint and a whole point of view, but going straight in there, no element in the room, the stammer. Yeah. Like, I ended up getting to the point where. How do I say this without no, I'm just gonna say it. It was just normal.

SPEAKER_00 1:20

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:20

I know what you mean. It didn't, it didn't stand out in any way, shape, or form, and I just thought, wow, how incredible is is that. Was that one of the motivations that got you to want to apply for the traitors? Or am I just jumping the gun there? Because in my head, what you've done is incredible. It was, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:42

Just because stammering doesn't get much representation, and I just hoped that you know me being on it would help just to normalise it a bit. And yeah, that was my aim of it all, really, just to get that out there as as hard as it is, because when I just got there, I was a bit like, what the heck am I doing? Why am I here? I'm scared, yeah. But I just hoped that it would help um other people who are like me, and just give them a little bit of hope, you know, that we can do it, yeah, it's hard, it can be a bit of a pain, but it doesn't have to hold us back. Yeah. So yeah, that was what kind of pushed me a little bit to do it.

SPEAKER_01 2:56

It's amazing, it's amazing what you've done. I mean, let alone how brilliant you were. I was like, can you all just start this next? Sorry, I know I was gonna do it. I was a girl to do it. Stop listening to Justin because she's got it, she's on point. I know. Um, like sorry about spoilers, everybody. Like, but you were on it with with Rachel, with um Stephen. Stephen, or per Stephen, he had it tough, he had it rough. But you were right.

SPEAKER_00 3:25

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 3:25

Do you where do you think that instinct comes from? Do you think it's part part and parcel of like the hull in us where you I think it is, you know.

SPEAKER_00 3:34

Do you don't mess with hull? Like, we're not daft, like we're on it, and that was just it because all I had was instinct. Like you kind of pick at little bits of uh well he he did this or he did that, but it's hard, and because all of us got on, yeah, that made it harder, yeah, because all of us just like bonded well and are on this high and pain, we have to then vote out you, you know, mates, and it is hard.

SPEAKER_01 4:19

Yeah, but there's a lot of tears and emotions in it, and you could tell that they were real, you could tell that they were authentic, like yes, it's a game, but actually it it felt like it was quite painful, like it wasn't. And there were a few moments where you I was watching you going, I just want to give her a hug. And uh, I needed a hug. You see, you see, even though you're around people, I can imagine it's quite isolating as well. Like, I know we can't like delve into sort of like behind the scenes and how it works because it's the trait, it's a football, and it's it's got to be a magic, yes. But like, how did you cope with that like mentally in terms of like I don't know, I don't know if you're like me, but if I'm away from my comfort zone, even though it's ridiculous because I'm an actor and I put myself out there, yeah. But when I'm away from my comfort zone and I can't get to my mum and dad, yeah, especially, yeah, like how how do you cope with that when you was on it?

SPEAKER_00 5:14

It was hard big because I wasn't able to um contact my um mum who is my total rock that was hard, but I just I don't know. I just kind of jumped in and just hoped that I could could um do e enough on um my own, I guess, and you've just got to do your best and just hope that that's good enough, really. Well, you definitely won the heart of the nation.

SPEAKER_01 6:02

You absolutely did. You were Oh really? Honestly, you were a breath of fresh air and just so so authentic and wonderful. Yeah. Um just going back to the the stammer, as somebody I I was gonna start delving and going down a little rabbit hole with Google and and like but then I thought, you know what, I don't want to do that, I want to talk to Jessie about it. Yeah. And forgive me if I'm being naive. No, ask. But when when does when did the stammer become apparent? Is it something that you can detect when you first start talking as a as a as a child, or is it something that progresses and happens like as you get older? Like what was it like for you and in general, like can you explain it to me or anything listening?

SPEAKER_00 6:47

Um I have had it my whole um my whole life. My um mum noticed it around the age of four and then it just kinda got worse and when I noticed it more and kind of um noticed that I was a little bit um different with the other kids, that was when I would then hide it, which is hard because you cannot hide it, that is just how it is. But yeah, kind of um being judged by other kids was hard, and then it just kind of got worse, and yeah, yeah, it is how it is, but as I'm older, I have just earned it a little bit more, and this is just how I am, and that does help because I just can't hide it. That is who I am, and it does help just to earn it and just to go, yep, this is um me. Bear with me when I'm speaking, because I do have days and it is really good, then I have days when it is just really bad, and I cannot get any any words out at all, which is a bit of a pain, but you just to ride it out and just hope and pray to the stammering gods that you're gonna have a good day and just wing it really.

SPEAKER_01 8:37

Have you ever had any um help with your speech, like any any speech lessons or speech therapy? Because I know that I um I've had speech therapy before. Oh really? Yeah, yeah, yeah. I had really bad nodules. Um so I I went to so nodules if if you're not aware, like they're like blisters on your vocal cords. Right, oh blummy there. So um I went to a speech therapist and gosh, it it was so hard, I found it. Really? So draining. So I but it did help me in the end, but you have to put the work in. Yeah. Have you ever had any experience of that as well? Or have you just kind of been your master of your own sort of health and and you know how you were able to get through things?

SPEAKER_00 9:20

Yeah, I was on the NHS from the age of I don't know how old, about eight-ish. Then I kind of left that when I was about 12 because I was a bit like uh I don't need it, like, you know, a bit I didn't want it, like I kind of hoped it would just go, and then when I was 18 I um I was a bit part of a sp speech course that um Gareth Gates went on, which helped. Um that kind of taught me a different technique of how to speak, and then I was probably on that up until lockdown, and then that just made it all weird, lockdown, and then I just kind of left it and I was just a bit like, well, I can do this, like I've had help, which has helped, but now I'm kind of happy just to kind of do it and just earn it.

SPEAKER_01 10:50

Yeah, yeah. No, I mean it must have been like a real turning point in a way to not only have got the chance to go on traitors, yeah, but like when you watch, did you watch it back? I did, yeah. Then watching it back and and sort of like, did that give you any more confidence? I mean, I know you you're telling me now, like you own it and everything, but that must have been like a real special moment to go, oh my god, like yeah, no, this is this is me, and this is alright. And yeah, do you know what I mean? Like that must have been quite deep for you.

SPEAKER_00 11:27

Yeah, and it has helped just how um nice people are and have just accepted that it is a part of who I am and it isn't all of who I am, but it is a little bit and that has helped. Like if if people are just um nice about it, that helps a lot. But yeah, it was quite deep, like oh my god, I like like I was on it and I did it and I did well, and it it is hard to be with lots of people and having to s speak, but I but I did like it, like it just pushed me, and yeah, I just hope that it has given others hope that well if I've done um this, you know, others can do this or this or yeah, so I hope it has helped a lot of people.

SPEAKER_01 12:36

I'm sure it has, and and it's really strange that I was thinking about when like meeting you properly because I bumped into you a couple of times at all. Yeah, I know. And I'm like, I think I think kind of like accosted you and I went, Jesse, I was like, you don't know me, but yeah, but come on the whole trades podcast. Yeah, and I was like, oh my gosh, yes, yeah, get me on. So you hear you here, and I was thinking about it, and I was thinking, have you heard I'm I'm sure you have, but the film I swear in Robert Aroneo from Hull is uh John. Yeah. Have you seen the film? Yes, I have. I was I know Tourette's and the stammer are very different, but I was kind of thinking they're very similar in a way as well. And yeah, just ironic that we've got Rob Araneo from Hull championing that and then yourself, like did you resonate much with that with that film?

SPEAKER_00 13:26

Um I did a lot, and and how he had kind of been um misunderstood that did hit deep um and that did help just to educate educate other people on on to Rhets and how it is and how it impacted impacted him and yeah, it it is kind of right it it is it is different, but I guess to pretz and a stammer are kind of linked a bit. Yeah, yeah, and that did help a lot.

SPEAKER_01 14:22

Well, I mean, with both of them, it's not your fault. That's it. It's not something you can control. Yeah, and that's the whole thing about and I know like a stamina isn't a mental health illness, but like I'm sure there's a lot of links with anxiety and situations that you're in. And you know, Tourette's it's it's a mental health illness, but it's also a physical health illness. And I think that's that's where I I I do believe that we still need to keep pushing for that equality between the two. Yeah, you know, like nobody chooses to have nobody chooses to get diagnosed with cancer, like my fact I didn't choose to um develop an eating disorder, you didn't choose, and I think it's that thing of like that understanding around everybody going, these aren't choices, but we can actually be kind and that's it, make the best of it. Yeah, that's it. So it just helps a lot. What's next for you, Jesse? Like coming from hair salon to creators.

SPEAKER_00 15:19

It's been a bit wild. Um, well, I have an agent now, which is very weird. Honestly, when I say that out loud, I'm like, what the heck is going on? Why do I have an agent? But um yeah, that'll help a lot just to pitch more of work, and I'm hoping that I'll get more out of this and and help with stammering, which by the way, that is the worst word ever. The word stammer. Like, who who makes these rules? The word stammer somewhere as well. So every time I'm on these interviews, I'm like, I'm gonna have to talk about stammering and I'm gonna stammer on the words. Oh anyway, we're like, I love you. I'm hoping that I can raise more awareness on stammering. If if I have air left in my lungs after all this, I'm hoping that I can do that, and then just maybe um help with kids. I love like I have had the best pre the best the best reaction reaction off of um the kids, and I just love it and I hope that I could do more there. And yeah, I have an open mind, but I'm just making most of it really. I love it.

SPEAKER_01 16:48

No, it's it's you can tell, like, it's really exciting for you, and I am both. I feel like a big sister to you. I was saying this like with books. You are like you're you're 28 and you've got the world at your feet and you've been through what you've been through, and I just feel like maybe this is your time to just like grasp every single opportunity. Yeah, it is. Oh, I'm sure it is. I've got put it out into the manifest, yeah, yeah. Manifest. Now, to wrap up, yeah, a couple of quick fires. Oh, I love this, okay. Yeah, I'm ready. So we'll start with the easy one. Okay. Well, like it could be easy, it might not be. Okay. Your travel hack. What is your travel hack? Yeah, your travel hack. Maybe if on a train, like what's your one thing that you go, right? I can't go and get this train without a cup of tea.

SPEAKER_00 17:35

Mm-hmm. Cup of tea. Um I do like to eat when I'm on a train. Uh I don't know. But I didn't get you any biscuits. I know what's going on. This is a disgrace. Juice of Sam. Yeah, um, biscuits, chocolate, a cup of tea, and yeah. Bang it. 10 out of 10. Yeah. No matter how big on the journey it's unless you've got tea. Oh, yeah, that's it. That does help a lot. And then, yeah, uh a um nap, maybe a little nap. I like these head rests on the bat. I was like, oh, this is very poshed. I love this. What a treat. Do you have third? Do you know what I've realised? Blummy neck, they come out. Oh, stop it right now. You you just hope though that you don't have anyone else next to you. I hate when there's a person sat next to you. I'm like, oh no.

SPEAKER_01 18:30

There's my head and my clevel hack. And then and then last but not least, about what your um mental health hack. Like, say if you get up in the morning and you're sort of like thinking, this isn't the one, like everything's off. Yeah. What what is one hack that you have in your back pocket that you use to try and just get you through that that first start of the day, or or not?

SPEAKER_00 18:57

Like some people just go with it, like some people try and yeah, I do have um the odd day, and I'll wake up and I'm just a bit like I cannot do this, like life is hard, but it helps if I just get up, I get washed, I eat as well. I know I keep going going on about eating, but I eat, and if it's you know, just a bite of like an apprain pulled, that helps, and then I just kind of look at um life and just kind of take a step back and just to go, right, I've got good health, or I've got my dogs, or I've got this, and that just helps to give a little boost, and then once I'm up and out, that does help a bit, and then I'm a bit like oh I've done that, that was hard, right? Next I've got this and this, and yeah, that just helps a lot. I love that, I do that.

SPEAKER_01 20:04

Like, it's just sometimes it's just like right, operation one, that's it.

SPEAKER_00 20:08

Go to toilet, operation two, that's it. Make the bed, operation three. Yes, make the bed. That just breaks it up because a whole day can just be a bit daunting, like, but just break it up like right. Get out of bed, washed, eat, cup of tea, and I keep gonna mount tea, but cup of tea makes it well. It gives you a little boost, like, yes, I've got this, and then that just helps a lot. That that well, it helps um me, yeah, anyways.

SPEAKER_01 20:44

Well, I think a lot of people can take from definitely. Yeah, yeah, I hope they can. Jesse, thank you. Oh, I've loved this. But Mark, you are brilliant. I mean we can carry on. Yeah, let's just carry on. Do you want to come down to London? Go out and have a party.

SPEAKER_02 20:58

Yeah, can we dance and just come on, let's get off this train. Thank you, sweetheart. Thank you very much. I've loved it. Thank you.

unknown 21:08

Yay! Yay!