Head Game

This week, we're taking a look back at the people who have lived through the unthinkable. First up, a look back at Ant's very first Head Game guest, Beaconsfield mine disaster survivor Todd Russell. Then Jackson Warne on the day he received the call that his father Shane had passed away, and how he pulled himself through the heartbreak. And finally, Jason McCartney on the horror he endured during the 2002 Bali bombings.
LINKS
Listen to the full interview with Todd Russell here
Listen to the full interview with Jackson Warne here
Listen to the full interview with Jason McCartney here
Follow Ant on Instagram, X, and Facebook
Learn more about Ant on his website antmiddleton.com
Follow Nova Podcasts on Instagram for videos from the podcast and behind the scenes content – @novapodcastsofficial.
CREDITS
Host: Ant Middleton
Editor: Adrian Walton
Executive Producer: Damien Haffenden
Managing Producer: Ricardo Bardon
Nova Entertainment acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land on which we recorded this podcast, the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation. We pay our respect to Elders past and present.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we're taking a look back at the people who put their lives on the line each day to keep us safe. Bruce ‘Hoppo’ Hawkins is known around the world thanks to the hit TV series Bondi Rescue, but what has kept him on the beach for more than 30 years? Plus fifth generation serviceman Heston Russell opens up about the military operation that has left a permanent mental scar. And former cop Danni Brooke on what it takes to go undercover and take down dangerous criminals.
LINKS
Listen to the full interview with Heston Russell here
Listen to the full interview with Dannii Brooke here
Listen to the full interview with Hoppo here
Follow Ant on Instagram, X, and Facebook
Learn more about Ant on his website antmiddleton.com
Follow Nova Podcasts on Instagram for videos from the podcast and behind the scenes content – @novapodcastsofficial.
CREDITS
Host: Ant Middleton
Editor: Adrian Walton
Executive Producer: Damien Haffenden
Managing Producer: Ricardo Bardon
Nova Entertainment acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land on which we recorded this podcast, the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation. We pay our respect to Elders past and present.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we're taking a look back at the stars who live their life in the spotlight, but were vulnerable enough to give us a peek behind the curtain at the challenges who have made them who they are. Aussie music icon Pete Murray, NRL legend turned podcaster Matty Johns, and rapper 360 all opened up about the grit and pain behind their success, and how they dug deep to keep going.
LINKS
Listen to the full interview with Pete Murray here
Listen to the full interview with Matty Johns here
Listen to the full interview with 360 here
Follow Ant on Instagram, X, and Facebook
Learn more about Ant on his website antmiddleton.com
Follow Nova Podcasts on Instagram for videos from the podcast and behind the scenes content – @novapodcastsofficial.
CREDITS
Host: Ant Middleton
Editor: Adrian Walton
Executive Producer: Damien Haffenden
Managing Producer: Ricardo Bardon
Nova Entertainment acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land on which we recorded this podcast, the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation. We pay our respect to Elders past and present.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The challenges in Paul Hockey's life started just weeks after he was born. His mother discovered a lump on his arm, which turned out to be cancer. The only option was to amputate little Paul's arm at the shoulder to save his life. Never one to play the victim, Paul would ditch his prosthetic arm at school, took up martial arts and even rode a motorcycle. But his biggest challenge came when he decided to climb Mount Everest. And in 2005, he became the first person with a disability to climb Mount Everest from the north side.
In this episode, Paul opens up about growing up being different, how he challenged societal norms with one arm, and what fuelled his passion to climb one of the most notorious summits.
LINKS
More on Paul here
Follow Ant on Instagram, X, and Facebook
Learn more about Ant on his website antmiddleton.com
Follow Nova Podcasts on Instagram for videos from the podcast and behind the scenes content – @novapodcastsofficial.
CREDITS
Host: Ant Middleton
Editor: Adrian Walton
Executive Producer: Damien Haffenden
Managing Producer: Ricardo Bardon
Nova Entertainment acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land on which we recorded this podcast, the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation. We pay our respect to Elders past and present.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nicholas Gibbons was still a teenager when was deployed to Afghanistan as a Royal Marine. One night while on patrol, an IED blast claimed the lower half of his right leg. After enduring five operations to repair the remainder of his limb and rehabilitation, Nick was fitted with a prosthetic leg and put his uniform back on, returning to training just three months later. He was deployed as an amputee to a non-combat zone, even competing in the Warrior Games. But after he was eventually medically discharged from the military, Nick lost drive and direction, finding himself in prison.
In this conversation, Nick details the warning signs he ignored that led him to spiral after leaving the Marines, how he has now turned his life around, and the process of finding a renewed purpose in life.
LINKS
More on the 'Once, We Were Warriors' documentary
Follow Ant on Instagram, X, and Facebook
Learn more about Ant on his website antmiddleton.com
Follow Nova Podcasts on Instagram for videos from the podcast and behind the scenes content – @novapodcastsofficial.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.