Nearly two years on, Binge Drinking & Me continues to make an impact
Nearly two years after the release of Binge Drinking & Me, presenter Hazel Martin has joined the World Health Organization’s podcast to discuss “The conversations we’re not having about alcohol.”
It is the latest chapter in the continuing impact of a film that showed how personal storytelling, underpinned by rigorous journalism, can become a catalyst for real-world change.
Presented by BBC Scotland journalist Hazel Martin, Binge Drinking & Me investigated the rise in alcohol-related liver disease across Britain—particularly among women under 40—through the lens of Hazel’s own diagnosis.
Combining her deeply personal experience with leading medical expertise, the documentary challenged long-held assumptions about who is at risk from alcohol-related harm. Most importantly, it encouraged people to seek help before it was too late.
Following the broadcast, healthcare professionals reported a significant rise in requests for liver-function tests and FibroScan examinations. Hospitals secured funding for additional FibroScan machines to help meet the increased demand.
Hundreds of viewers also contacted Hazel after the film prompted them to seek medical advice. Many were subsequently diagnosed with liver disease and believed the programme had led to potentially life-saving early intervention.
The conversation soon moved beyond the screen. Professor Debbie Shawcross, President of the European Association for the Study of the Liver, invited Hazel to speak at the 2025 EASL Congress in Amsterdam. There, she helped launch the organisation’s Alcohol Health Alliance alongside clinicians, researchers and representatives from the World Health Organization.
In 2026, Hazel joined WHO Europe’s EVID-ACTION programme in Copenhagen, contributing to discussions about the future of alcohol policy across Europe alongside health ministers, clinicians and people with lived experience.
Now, her appearance on the WHO podcast is carrying that conversation to another audience—almost two years after the documentary first aired.
It is a powerful reminder that the life of a film does not end with its transmission. By bringing lived experience into public debate, Binge Drinking & Me continues to challenge misconceptions, influence policy and encourage people to take action over their own health.
Listen to “The conversations we’re not having about alcohol.”