The Speakmans (TV Series 2014)

The Speakmans (TV Series 2014)is a TV series hosted by Nik and Eva Speakman, treating patients with a range of problems such as eating disorders, PTSD, phobias, OCD, addictions, and fears.Many celebrities, like Holly Willoughby, who used to be afraid of flying, have benefited from their assistance in overcoming phobias.

Episodes

The Season contained 20 x 1hr episodes. Every episode centers on someone whose issue is interfering with their life and who comes to the Speakmans in an attempt to find a solution.

Episode one: Fear of Vomiting

Becky is terrified of being ill and vomiting. Her phobia has completely taken over her life, to the point where she now rarely leaves the house. Her phobia has ruined her love of horse riding, and her relationships with her family and friends.

Episode two: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Ashlea is addicted to biting objects. Ashlea was diagnosed with OCD at the age of 15, and she now feels totally out of control, as she believes 'bad things' will happen if she does not repeat her rituals.  

Episode three: Trichotillomania

Danielle has suffered from Trichotillomania for the last 18 years, pulling out her hair and then biting the roots. Danielle now having several bald patches, this has also caused her to have a serious lack of confidence.

Episode four: Fear of swallowing

Dave is unable to swallow solid foods. His phobia started when he went out for dinner and choked on a piece of meat. Since then, Dave’s diet has consisted solely of soft foods and soup only. As a result of this, he’s lost 44lbs in the last year alone.

Episode five: Post traumatic stress disorder

Seven years ago, Karlette was brutally assaulted by two women in an unprovoked street attack. Since, Karlette has lost her confidence, and has flashbacks of the attack on a nightly basis. She also struggles with anxiety whenever she leaves her home and she picks her skin.

Episode six: Agoraphobia

Georgia has hardly left her family home in over four years. She believes this fear started when she was 16 and she was studying for her GCSEs. Georgia’s parents are at breaking point and are terrified for her future.  

Episode seven: Dental phobia

Ashlee has a terrifying phobia of the dentist and as a result her teeth are rotting. Born with a calcium deficiency when she was 8, Ashlee had all her baby teeth removed since she was 14 and had to have an adult tooth removed, she has not been to visit a dentist since.

Episode eight: Shark phobia

Danni says the ocean is her spiritual home and she lives within a few miles from the beach. Danni’s phobia of sharks prevents her from ever visiting and from being able to go swimming with her daughter.

Episode nine: Arachnophobia

Julie’s phobia of spiders is so extreme that she cannot be alone in her home. If Julie has to be left alone, she will literally wait outside until a member of her family returns. Julie’s husband has to check her clothes for spiders on a daily basis, and if she wakes in the night needing the toilet, he has to go first to check for spiders.

Episode ten: Social phobia

Karen has suffered with social anxiety and general anxiety for over ten years and is terrified of people. Karen hasn’t even seen her own grandchildren for over a year, even though they only live four minutes down the road.

Episode 11: Fear of enclosed spaces

Sandra suffers with extreme claustrophobia. Sandra has refused MRI scans, will not go into public toilets, and has never been abroad as she can't get on a plane or boat.  

Episode 12: Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Marion's sister was murdered and buried in a shallow grave. Marion feels incredibly guilty as she was meant to visit her sister on the day she was murdered. Once a confident woman, Marion now hates confined spaces, has flashbacks, suffers anxiety and as a result she struggles to travel.

Episode 13: Dog Phobia/Dermatillomania

Part 1:

Bryony is terrified of dogs. Bryony even has to get a lift to the train station (less than 5 minutes away from her house) each day, just in case she encounters a dog. Bryony hates living her life in fear and just wants to be able to go outside and feel comfortable.

Part 2:

Charlotte has left her body covered in scars after plucking and picking at herself for the last seven years. She now hates leaving her home as she feels that everyone is looking at her.

Episode 14: Phobia of medicine

Amanda cannot swallow tablets or even take medication in liquid form. Her phobia is literally killing her, as she is in desperate need to take medication as 25 years of dialysis has taken its toll on her body, and she struggles to walk without a frame. Amanda can't even be in the same room as a tablet as she is so petrified of them.  

Episode 15: Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder

Ross has had a problem with food for as long as he can remember. He will only eat chicken products, potato products and bacon. Ross is very worried, as he is not only very overweight, but his health is suffering too.

Episode 16: Driving phobia

Caroline passed her driving test nine years ago. Only a year later, whilst driving over a high road, she suffered a panic attack, and has become increasingly nervous on the road ever since. Her fear is now so bad she spends £100 on taxi's every week, even though she has a car on her drive.

Episode 17: Fear of flying

Alison is so frightened of flying that she can't even look at a plane in the sky. Her last flight was 3 years ago and she hated every second. Alison's daughter moved to Dubai 18 months ago, however Alison has no chance of visiting her as she refuses to get on a plane.

Episode 18: Phobia of veins

Claire’s phobia is so extreme, she hasn't even looked at her own legs in 3 years because of her varicose veins. She hates her legs so much due to her vein phobia that Claire has investigated travelling abroad to have her legs amputated.

Episode 19: Mysophobia OCD

Jo has suffered from a fear of germs for 17 years and now has a severe OCD. She insists that her 3 children shower immediately once they get home from school, and she will not allow anyone in her home apart from her husband and children. Her mother has only been to her house once in the last year.  

Episode 20: Post traumatic stress disorder

Due to being paralysed in a car accident Joanne is now in a motorised wheelchair. She has accepted her disabilities, however flashbacks from the accident have stopped her from sleeping, and she can only travel a short distance as she suffers from panic attacks when travelling. Her family live over 3 hours away and she has been unable to visit them since the accident.

Release

The Speakmans that aired on ITV in 2014.