WOMAN: 'For 26-year-old|Surrey lad Tom Bull,
life is all about friends,|fun and football.'
(ALL TALK AT ONCE)
'But behind his super-fit|sportsman exterior,
Tom hides an embarrassing secret -
he's addicted to beans and chips.
Nothing else will do.'
I don't know why or how I started|eating baked beans and chips.
I just remember that's all|I've ever really eaten.
That's been my main meal every day.
'And he washes it all down daily with|an incredible four pints of milk.
Anything else is strictly|out of bounds.'
Don't!
(MUMBLES INDISTINCTLY)
The thought of eating other foods
scares the life out of me,|to be honest.
'Helping Tom to beat the beans will|be nutritionist Charlotte Watts
and psychologist Felix Economakis.
Over the next four weeks, they'll|give him just the push he needs...'
(LAUGHS)
'..make him see his dire diet's|not funny anymore...'
I'd actually like you to do|a very quick stand-up routine.
No way!
'..force him to confront|some home truths...'
I have to grow up and|start doing things for myself.
You've come to that conclusion|yourself?
No, I come to that|conclusion with help.
'..and encourage him to face the|foods he's spent a lifetime avoiding.
But after 26 years of freaky eating,|it's not gonna be easy.'
(COUGHS AND RETCHES)
THEME MUSIC
ROCK MUSIC
'26-year-old Tom Bull|is a single bloke
living at home with his mum and dad,|Jill and Simon.
He has a successful career as|an IT consultant and is footy mad,
playing at least four times a week.
But one thing he's not|so passionate about is food.
Tom has spent his life|surviving on a bizarre diet
of nothing but beans and chips.
And even Tom's beloved beans and|chips must conform to strange rules.'
I like to keep 'em separate.
I don't really like it|with the beans touching the chips.
Like, the chips would all be|covered in the beans juice.
'When he can't get hold of|his mainstays,
he fills up on litres of milk...'
Probably have about|two of these a day.
'..and yet more potatoes.'
Got all my crisps in here.|I eat about eight bags a day.
'Fruit and veg don't get a look-in.'
What about the salad?|No thanks.
I don't want to eat leaves.
When someone says, "Why|don't you try this instead?",
I just think, "No"!",|cos last time I tried something
I felt all uncomfortable, hot,
started sweating|and sort of panicking
and just feeling really nervous.
'Having never moved on|from his childhood diet
means Tom still|even eats like a child.'
26 years old, I should know how|to use a knife and fork properly,
but I only need a fork for my|baked beans and a fork for my chips.
'And if that wasn't bad enough,|even chewing is a struggle.'
I've tried chewing beans before,|but it doesn't feel natural to me,
so I just swallow them.
I can't help it. I put them in my|mouth, in they go, and they're gone.
Sound like a right pig.
'Tom's freaky eating started|when he was a baby
and refused to eat most solid foods.'
It was from milk, basically,|to things like a packet of Skips,
and then beans.
'Tom has two younger sisters|who grew up eating a normal diet,
but his parents fought a losing|battle when it came to Tom.'
I mean, I remember|a few traumas at the table,
having to try and encourage him|to eat some different foods,
but it just never happened.
It isn't the fact that
he started eating meat or cheese|or anything like that.
He's NEVER started.|He's NEVER tasted those things.
'Growing up, even Christmas|and birthdays had to be chips.'
We'll all sit down|and have a Christmas meal,
and he'll sit there|with his happy chips.
'Tom may be 26, but his mum|still looks after her little boy.'
I always make sure that|in the house,
we have the foods that he will eat.
'But outside the home,|his mates are less supportive.'
TOM: You just feel like|everybody's looking at you,
and to be out and feel like|that is not comfortable.
And what can I get for...?
Can I just have|a side order of fries, please?
Freak!
'It's even started to|affect his work,
forcing him to lie to get out of|professional lunches with clients.'
I make up stories all the time.
When people say, "Should|we go and get some lunch?",
I'll say, "I'm not really hungry."
"I've been ill," I've said before.
And I'll be starving, but I'll|put it off till the end of the day
when I know I can get|something I want to eat.
'At mealtimes, it's not just food|he's uncomfortable around,
preferring to eat alone,
and his freaky eating is taking|its toll on those closest to him.'
When we want to go out for|special occasions with the family,
we have to make provision for Tom|or just not invite him.
It would be lovely for us all to be|able to just go out and eat together
and not have that horrible feeling -|for me - because...
(BREATHES SHAKILY AND SIGHS)|Oh, sorry.
I'm sorry.|I can't do that bit. Sorry.
'It's make or break time for Tom.'
I want to do it|for my health reasons.
I want to do it for my friends|and my family.
I want to see|what I'm missing out on,
and I want to be able to enjoy|all these situations
where you should be able to eat.
'It's day one.
Felix and Charlotte|have invited Tom to London
to kickstart|his battle of the beans.'
Hey, Tom.|Hey, Felix. Nice to meet you.
Hello. Charlotte - hello.
Hi, Charlotte. You all right?|Yeah, good.
How you doing so far?|Bit nervous.
Yeah? Well, it's natural|to have some nerves.
That's to be expected, isn't it?|But you're in safe hands.
Are you ready?|Think I am, yeah.
OK, let's go.|OK.
SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC
Now, we're looking to help you|change the habits of 26 years here.
We've got a lot of work to do.
Yeah, I know.|So, we'll leave you to watch this.
And then we'll come back|and have a chat to you, OK?
Yeah, sure.|Cheers.
'Tom begins by listening to|a few home truths
from his fearful family and friends.'
Tom, we're all really proud of you|for taking this first step.
It would be nice if you could|enjoy a meal with us
and actually enjoy|the time we spend together
and not have to worry about|running off as soon as you can.
The fact of the matter is, if you|carry on eating chips and beans
like you do, it can't|be healthy for you.
I mean, we can tell that|by the fact that
you take these knocks|and you get really badly bruised.
And, to be quite honest|with you, mate,
I'd like to know you|for many years to come.
We really think this is a chance|for you to actually change now.
You're 26.
If it's not gonna happen now,|I don't think it ever will.
And we do worry about your health,
and we do want you|to experience other things.
We find it very difficult sometimes|to work things around you.
I'm sure once|you've got over that problem,
we can share a lot more as a family.
PROJECTOR WHIRRS
Hello. How was that for you?
It's quite powerful,|isn't it, really?
Yeah, I thought so.
I thought your dad|was particularly moving in there.
Yeah, my dad was a bit...
He's never really said|anything like that to me,
whereas my mum's like that|all the time,
and I think that's the thing
that got me feeling a bit awkward|about it, or upset about it.
Men don't always know|how to express it, do they?
But it doesn't mean|they don't feel it.
No, I know, yeah.
So, what can you take|from what you've seen today, Tom,
that will help you down the line?
Like, everything that|people have just said then.
They care about me and they|want me to be there, you know?
Like, one of my friends, Daniel,|just said then, you know,
"I want to spend|many more years with you,"
and when people say it like that,|you realise, like,
how much...how much it affects them.
So, if you do want to change, we need|to start by really looking your diet
and really work out|where we can go from here.
Are you ready?|Ready, yeah.
OK, let's go.|OK.
'But will facing up to|the stark reality of his diet
be enough to make him change?'
(CHUCKLES)
Look at all this.
Yeah. There's a lot, isn't there?
You've been eating|chips, beans and milk
day in, day out|for the last 26 years.
It's all the same, isn't it?|It's like a little kid's party.
Tom, you're a free man.|Yeah.
You've got a choice. And this is|what you're taking into your body.
It's pretty...well,|disgusting, really.
Yeah.
POWERFUL MUSIC
'If that's not bad enough,
there's still Tom's|greasy crisp habit to look at.'
You eat eight packets a day?|Yeah.
That's over 3,000 packets a year.
That's over 22,000 grams of fat as|represented by the lard over there.
Eugh.|Yeah.
Mmm.
That presents|a real heart disease risk.
It's concerning, really,|when you talk about
how much fat and everything|that I'm putting through my body,
and especially when you start|talking about my heart.
It really does make you worry.
And I think just because|this is what I do every day,
I don't think about the impact|what it's gonna have long-term.
Yeah.
And then, when you|put it all out in front of you,
you just think,|"God, that's a lot of junk."
Yeah.
So, what we need to know from you -
so that we can help you|work towards this -
is what you want to achieve|at the end of the four weeks.
I'd like to get onto|more healthier food, obviously.
OK.
There's a very specific goal|that we're gonna aim towards.
You're gonna sit down with your|family and have a varied meal.
Yeah.|Good.
And how strongly are you|committed to that goal right now?
More than ever,|standing around all of this.
SCARY MUSIC
The health aspect seemed to be|the most shocking aspect for him,
and that's gonna work|really well for me,
but it's also incredibly clear|that he knows nothing about food,
and he wants to be educated.
So it's all positive, but it's clear|he's got a really long way to go.
'As Tom heads back to Surrey, the day|has given him food for thought.'
22,000 grams worth of fat|that goes into my body a year
is just disgusting.
That's been going on for 26 years.
Just made me realise how bad...|what bad shape my body must be in,
even though I exercise a lot,
and it made me realise how much I've|got to work on changing my diet.
'He's not the only one|who thinks it's time for a change,
as Tom gets a grilling on his return|home from friend JP and his mum.'
I know how much everyone cares,|so like that,
and I know how much|it affects everybody
and how they want me to change|for my health reasons.
Do you, though? Do you know that?
Because we don't know|whether you actually...
Yeah, I do know.|..take that on board.
No-one's ever actually|told you how they feel,
have they, really, deep down?
No.|None of us have.
Me, Adam, Dan - none of us...
No, you always say,|"I'd like you to eat," yeah.
We've said it, and then it's all|been, like, sort of brushed off.
Now you've sat there|and you've watched that
and you know how we all feel,
you know, really,|deep down seriousness,
that, you know, it's gotta change,|really, hasn't it?
Yeah, and then with that...I'd say|that and seeing all that food
and how much of that fat, and how|much problems it could cause me...
Clog up your arteries.|Yeah.
And when I was talking to her,|like, off the camera,
like, when we were just|standing there chatting,
my arms...hands were|going all pink again.
Like, you know, sometimes|they go purply-pink?
She was explaining,|you know, it's bad liver,
not through drinking|or anything like that,
through all the fat in my diet.
My body's toxicated,|so it's trying to clear out
through, like, sweat or circulation.
Do you think the next step's|gonna be easier?
No, I don't think it's gonna be|easier, but I think it's achievable.
Good.
I feel like I can...I can do it now.
'The root of Tom's eating problem|remains a mystery to his family.
Today, Felix will be|doing some psychological digging
to see what secrets|his past might hold.'
What's your earliest possible memory|with regards to eating this way?
I don't ever remember|eating anything different.
It's always been milk|and then chips, baked beans.
I don't remember|eating baby food, ever.
And your mum|can't shed any light on it?
She never said once you had|a severe reaction, or you threw up?
No, there's no reaction.
She just said it was difficult to|move me through the different food.
And there's nothing else|back there you can think,
"Oh, well, you see,|I won't like that food."
"I can't like it" because of
some other kind of worry|or tension around it?
OK.
I don't know what it is|that stops me.
All right.
But I know that when food does come|out, I dismiss it straightaway.
Right.
And just tell me a little bit about
how your family has sort of|reacted to you historically.
So at some point they've thought
you're a young kid,|you'll grow out of it.
I think...
..I'm Mum's only boy.
Mmm.
And I think that's|quite obvious sometimes.
How?|She lets me get away with murder.
Does she?|Well, yeah.
NARRATOR: 'With Tom drawing blanks|round his eating memories,
Felix moves on to football.
Age 13, Tom achieved|every boy's dream
when he was scouted by professional|football club Crystal Palace.
However, a knee problem at 16|forced him to take time out.
A year later, Tom was able|to return to football,
but he chose to join|a local club with friends
where he felt more comfortable.'
When did you start|playing football again?
Think I was...|17-and-a-half, about 17.
So, you only stopped for a year?
Year and a bit, yeah.
Weren't they interested|in you trying again when you...?
No, cos I don't think I would have|been good enough then.
And also...
How do you know that?
Well, I would have missed|quite a bit of important time out.
But I didn't think I personally|would have been good enough.
And I was enjoying it where I was,|I suppose, with my friends.
So, no-one...no external authority|told you, you know,
"Sorry, you're past it,|you've missed...?"
No, no, no. I don't think I...I don't|think I believed in myself anymore.
And I just...I think I was...|maybe worried about failing again.
Again, compared to what?
Not doing it the first time round.
Well, that kind of fear,|that fear needs to be strong
to stop you doing a dream|when you had a real chance to do it,
and what is that fear?
You said fear of failure -|is it that? Is it something else?
I don't know.
Maybe I accepted it and just thought,
"This is good enough for me|where I am now."
I don't know.
"This is good enough for me|where I am now"?
It's a bit like food.|Yeah, maybe.
"Well, I could have better,|but this is good enough for me."
Maybe I didn't think about|how much better it could be again.
Yeah.
Maybe I just went, "I'm enjoying|this. Let's just keep enjoying this."
For my part, there's still|quite a lot of unanswered questions.
Yeah.
So I look forward to us|working together again
and filling more pieces|of this puzzle.
Yeah, sure.|OK.
Tom's problems with food|seem to have stemmed from
fairly typical childhood|fussy eating behaviour,
but now, as an adult, he's stuck|in these childhood patterns
and he's using food as a way
of avoiding his adult|insecurities and fears.
So I need to look at|the origins of Tom's fears
and try to find more clues as|to how his eating problems started.'
It's very difficult|when people are asking you,
"How do you think you felt|back then?"
I can't remember what I was like when|I was five and what I was thinking,
or when I was three,
so trying to get into my head|when I was three years old
to work out why I'm like I am now,|I found it very difficult.
For me, I don't need clarification
to say, "Oh, it was that|that stopped you."
I just need to know how to deal with|getting over my fear of eating.
'Charlotte wants Tom to start eating|a new, healthier diet,
so her first challenge to him|is to ditch the crisps.'
Oh, I never thought|I'd do this. (CHUCKLES)
Say goodbye to my crisps. (LAUGHS)
I love my crisps, and I've got all|my favourite ones in here as well!
I want to cry!
This was actually the only thing|that I enjoyed eating.
I know it's not good for you, but...
..it was the nicest bit of the day.
'Tom will need all his determination
if he's to get through|his next session with Charlotte.
Today, he'll have to face
a table full of food|he has never tried before.'
The fact that Tom|goes days without food
and skips many, many meals|and exercise an enormous amount
means that he really is|almost in famine mode.
His body's in crisis.
So I need to see|what his relationship is
when presented with new foods|so that I can start the process.
'It'll be a big challenge|to get Tom to try anything.'
This is the first big step, really,
because I need to make sure|that I can eat something,
otherwise I'm going to feel like|I'm not going to progress.
So, it's the food part.
The worst part.
What has stopped you|trying new foods in the past?
Every time I think|I'm gonna try something,
I think, "Oh, it's gonna|make me feel sick."
Do you mean feel sick,|or actually vomit?
Oh, no. I feel sick NOW.|Right, just being...?
Might be butterflies.|Yeah.
And knowing that|I'm gonna try something,
cos I AM gonna try something, so...
You are? You definitely have this|"I'm ready now"?
I'm ready to start, try.
Do you want to pick up some|of the cucumber to start with then?
OK. Do you want me to use a fork?|Yeah.
(CHUCKLES) That's|another thing for me.
NARRATOR: 'After a lifetime|of eating beans and chips,
Tom has never had to|use a knife and fork together,
so after a crash course,|it's back to the food.'
So, you put it down|and cut with the knife.
Just a little bit. Cos I'm gonna|have to eat this, aren't I?
Yep. (CHUCKLES) Well anticipated.
OK.
(GULPS)
So, that looked hard.|Yeah, it was quite hard.
Your face was really kind of...|All the muscles were...
Yeah, going|all over the place, yeah.
But I kept chewing and chewing.
I was thinking,|"Now, right now, swallow."
And it was just|sort of getting stuck there.
So, so much, this is about...|not the taste.
It's the...|No.
I guess it's the chewing, isn't it?
I've never thought of it,|like, this way, really.
Should we go to the tomato?
OK.|Work up to it how you want.
I'll take it with the knife,|cos I'm shaking.
You're shaking?|Yeah, cos...I'm nervous.
'It's a result for Tom and Charlotte.
For the first time ever,|he's eating new food,
but it's still only baby bites.'
Oh, this doesn't look like|it's gonna be fun at all.
Get it on the fork.
Oh.
You are taking|incredibly small mouthfuls.
I would go like this.
I would go...like that,|a little bit of that,
and I'd probably have a bit of that,|and I'd get that, and then...
Yeah. It's a whole mouthful,|isn't it?
That's a decent... (CHUCKLES)
(LAUGHS)
Yeah. And what I'm doing|is, like, baby sizes, baby steps.
'Before he leaves,|Charlotte wants him to try
some of the more challenging foods.'
The fish, to me, is...|would be harder for me to try
than the chicken,|and the chicken's a no.
The fish is a no-no. (LAUGHS)|Whoa.
That's broccoli, isn't it?|That's broccoli.
Everyone keeps telling me how good|broccoli is, but they all hate it.
SCARY MUSIC
Oh.
What bit should I eat, though?
Well, it's usually good
to eat a bit of the stalks|and the leaves at the same time.
Oh, I can't do that much.|Just...about that much is all.
(RETCHES)
Eugh. I'll keep going.
No.
That was too much for me.
Well done, though.
Oh, it's too much in my mouth.
Yeah, I think the reason|I tried stuff today
was cos she didn't let me do all|the normal things that I would do,
like start judging it.
I've just taken baby bites|of different foods today.
I need to be taking|platefuls of that,
or having a decent portion of that,
so, a million miles away from where|I need to be, or where I want to be.
LAID-BACK MUSIC
'Tom has been eating|so little up till now,
he has been virtually|starving his body.
Charlotte wants him|to work up to three regular meals,
starting with breakfast.'
"Try a bowl of whole wheat cereal,
some wholemeal toast,|muesli or porridge.
All right. This is gonna|be hard work.
That's banana, so I'll|try and not look at that bit.
'But after the taster table,|cereal is easier than expected.'
It's all right. Not bad.
26 years of me saying|I'm not gonna try it
and not even attempting it|cos I thought I was gonna be sick -
now I know I'm not gonna be sick,
I'm quite willing to try food,|so it's quite exciting.
'Today, Tom will meet|Dr Pixie McKenna,
a GP with a special interest|in eating disorders.'
What Dr Pixie can provide today is
exactly the extent|of what his diet is doing to him
and how he needs to change that,
and I think he needs those specifics|to motivate him.
'Although sports-mad Tom|seems super-fit,
his restrictive diet means|he suffers from easy bruising,
shaky hands and bad circulation.
Dr Pixie has run medical tests on Tom|and has the shocking results.'
When we looked at your blood,
you've got some problems|with your blood cells.
You've got big, fat red blood cells.
In fact, you've got the red blood|cells of an alcoholic...
Oh, right, OK.
..someone who lives on|a really, really poor diet
and only gets their calories|from alcohol.
Yeah.
'Although Tom only drinks moderately,
his diet is wreaking havoc|with his blood cells,
and therefore his bone marrow.'
This is a nice, healthy|bone marrow of a cow.
You're just not putting|the right stuff into the recipe.
If this stops working,|you're in trouble.
'Bone marrow produces red and|white blood cells and platelets.
Healthy red blood cells are essential
because they carry oxygen around|the body and give you energy.
For Tom to improve|his fat red blood cells,
he needs to eat red meat,|leafy greens and citrus fruits.'
Adding in the fact
there's absolutely no vitamin C|in his diet at all,
and that all adds to easy bruising,
because your ability|for your veins to be integral
and continually repairing themselves|is very much compromised.
'Another potential problem|is Tom's habit
of swallowing|his baked beans whole,
which could affect|his digestive system.'
As a long-term scenario,|that's gonna cause damage.
It's gonna cause inflammation in|your oesophagus, in your food pipe.
Then you're passing all this|undigested stuff into your gut,
so it's putting pressure|on the muscle walls here.
The muscles are gonna become weaker
because they've got|too much work to do,
and they're gonna start to bulge,
and you'll become very unwell
with stomach pain,|diarrhoea, temperature.
Yeah, I don't really want|all them, do I?
The body's incredibly adaptive,|but it needs certain fuels...
You need to give it a chance, yeah.|..and nutrients to do that.
Are you gonna give it a shot?|I'm going to give it a shot.
Good.
I've always sort of known that|what I'm doing's not good for me,
but I've never really known|the effects.
Like, I have the, like, little things|like hand shake and stuff,
and I think, "Well, it's only|my hands shaking,"
but when the doctor explains|what it all relates to
and shows you, like, the insides and|what's gonna happen in the future,
it makes more sense and it makes you|think, "Cor, got to do it now."
NARRATOR: 'To help Tom change,
more clues about the cause|of his eating problems are needed.'
(BOTH EXCHANGE GREETINGS)
'Charlotte is visiting his mum
to see if she can shed any light|on his early years.'
Can you remember what happened when|he first started to eat solid food?
He didn't...
He had trouble|going onto solid food.
Right.|That was the problem.
What did you try?
Basically, you know,|you would sit there
and you would have an array|of different fruits and things,
and just take it at his time to|see whether he would try anything,
because if you tried to say, "Oh, go|on," you know, encourage him,
just flat refusal,|and he would just go off and play.
So, what did you do|when he did that?
Well, generally gave in, you know.
I haven't...|Probably I was just too soft.
Cos by this time, as well,|I'd had another child.
Right.
His sister is only a year|and 10 days younger than him.
And then, you know,|Katie would get upset
and say, "Oh, no, Mum,|please don't, don't!"
And so she'd cry and say, "Don't|force him," so she would get upset.
Then you'd think,|"What do we do now"?
Yeah.
How much have you been|involved in his diet, then,
since he's, essentially,|been an adult?
I must admit,|I haven't forced him to eat,
or I haven't encouraged him to|eat anything in the last few years,
because I've always felt|it's got to come from him now,
cos it won't make any difference|what I do.
So, he's set this context that
him just eating|chips and beans is normal,
and basically, everyone has|kind of fallen into line with that?
Yeah, yeah, I think so.|Yeah, basically, yes.
He's trained you all.
He has trained us all|very, very well.
BOTH: Mmm.
I am slightly worried about|whether or not
Tom has got the chance here|to grow up or not.
I mean, it's something|he clearly needs to grab.
Everyone is pleased|that he's doing this,
but he needs to be given the space|to grow up, be an adult on his own.
If he doesn't get that,|then he doesn't necessarily
have a reason|to push himself forward,
and he really needs to do that now.
'To keep up the pressure on Tom|to try new foods,
Charlotte has sent him|his second hamper.
She wants him to start eating lunch,
but he's never even made a sandwich,|let alone eaten one.'
Oh, that's a lot of ham.
Well, I suppose I'd better|fill it up with these, hadn't I?
Not used to doing this.
I think that looks horrible.|I don't want to eat that.
Eugh.
So, here we go.
(RETCHES)
(COUGHS)
'After only one bite,|Tom jacks it in.
It looks like the next three weeks|are going to be hard work.'
'The following evening|Tom meets with Felix,
who's got a funny feeling he can help|with Tom's food phobias.'
One of the suspicions I have|in working with Tom
is that he might have|a bit of a fear of failure,
so he's got a very strong security|base with his family and friends,
and they're always there|kind of buffering him.
I want him to do some things|on his own, to take some risks,
so what I've designed|for him today is something
that I really don't think|he's gonna like.
I think it's gonna really push him|up there through his fear barrier.
But I'm hoping he'll learn something|from this which will really help him
to unblock those fears he has|around food.
OK, just through here.
So far, you've been using humour|as a kind of mechanism
to avoid things that you should do,
and I really want you|to start using humour
as a way to confront what's|holding you back and those fears.
I'd actually like you to do|a very quick stand-up routine.
No way! (LAUGHS)|I wouldn't know what to say!
Yeah.
How are you doing right now?
I'm hating it.
'Tom will join other first-timers|at an open mike night,
and on hand to give him|a crash course in stand-up
is comedian Martin Besserman.'
It's gotta come from you.
It's gotta be your story, OK?
Like, I've got funny habits,
like I've never eaten|with a knife and fork before?
That's funny, and you should|write that down.
'After working on a routine together,
he can only wait for|his curtain call.'
Welcome to Monkey Business!
(PEOPLE CHEER)
(FALSETTO) Sir, when|would you like to travel?
(DEEP VOICE) This summer.|(ALL LAUGH)
(FALSETTO) OK, and how many of you|are travelling?
(DEEP VOICE) One.
I feel sick, physically sick,
but just got to hold it down|and get on with it.
Actually, I'd rather try food|than do this.
I'm not gonna be good.|I'm not gonna be funny.
Ladies and gentlemen, this man has|never, ever done stand-up before.
Please give a very warm welcome|to Tom Bull!
(ALL CHEER)
Hello.
Basically, they've told me
I've got to stand up and|talk to you guys for five minutes
and, being a bloke, you know you're|gonna get one or two minutes,
so you're not gonna...|(LAUGHTER DROWNS SPEECH)
I'm just gonna...
Anyway, my phobia is about eating,|so I don't really eat very well.
All I eat is chips, beans,|and that's it.
That's all I've eaten in my life,
so they're trying to scare the|(BLEEP) out of me by putting me here,
and I'd rather go for a curry|right now, to be honest.
(ALL LAUGH)
It's just nothing|I've ever done, so...
I'm just gonna tell you a few|stories, how it's hard for me.
Say we go out to a restaurant.|We order.
The waitress comes round,|she takes everyone's orders.
"What would you like|for your starter?"
I've never had a starter in my life.|(SOME LAUGH)
So I just said, "Chips."
And then I thought, "Oh, that's it.|My work here's done."
She comes back round and says,|"What do you want for your main?"
I just went, "Chips."|I didn't know what to say.
And then she said, "Dessert?"|I said, "Well, you know the answer."
(ALL LAUGH AND CHEER)
Tom Bull! One more time|for Tom Bull!
(CROWD CHEERS AND APPLAUDS)
(CONTINUES INDISTINCTLY)
HUBBUB
Tom, I'm so impressed with|what you just did.
What I'd really like you|to realise here
is the difference between|expectation and then reality.
Your expectation was this was gonna|be an awful experience.
The actuality was...|It wasn't too bad.
I feel pleased that I did that.
I'm glad I didn't|run away from it, basically.
And what will you take away from|this experience?
I've gotta do the same with foods.
I've just gotta get up there|and go for it.
So I think after that, he realises,|"I CAN do this stuff," you know.
"I don't have to think of myself|as unable to do these things,
and I need to ask my friends|to help me.
I can do amazing things on my own."
And that's the first step|to sort of growing up
and being an independent|adult human being.
EXCITING MUSIC
'24 hours later, and Tom is back|with his friends.'
Not enough meat.|Not enough iron in your diet.
Not enough iron.
I walked upstairs and there's|all these chairs laid out.
You gotta stand up|and do comedy? No!
I had to do a five-minute set|as a stand-up.
Shut up!|They gave me half an hour notice.
And I had to get up on the fourth act|and do that, yeah.
What, in front of all these people?
About 40 people.|How does that help your eating?
Getting over the fear.|Oh, right.
Cos I'm scared of food but, you know,|it is a fear to me,
so it's trying to get me over|that fear, overcoming fears.
'Then, with his newfound confidence,
he manages a slice|of cheese and tomato pizza,
and there are no chips in sight.'
Do they not give you|something to cut it?
It's already cut.|OK, cool.
I want this one. This is mine.
What have you got on yours?
Peperoni.
Hot, innit?|Mmm. It's just been cooked.
Is this bad for me?
It's not something|you'd eat every day,
but, you know, as a treat|you can have it.
To see him actually eat a pizza|and to eat it that quickly,
it was unbelievable.
Can't believe it.
'Tom may be trying new foods,
but he's still a long way from|eating a whole meal.'
Hi, Charlotte.|Hello.
'Charlotte has arranged|to meet him in a cafe
to hone his sandwich-making skills.'
Why is this not going down?
'Then they retire|for a cosy lunchtime date.'
Oh. Master chef.
OK.
OK, you're off.
'Tom is quick to start,|but can he persevere
and finish his meal this time|instead of just giving up?'
Difficult.
Difficult to eat.|OK, that's fine.
We've got time.
'But Tom is taking|one very small step at a time.'
'After 40 minutes of baby bites,|he finally tries a bigger mouthful.'
All right. (CHUCKLES)|(LAUGHS)
I carried on chewing it.
It just got stuck.|Oh!
But, you know what? No harm done.
No, yeah, no harm done.|Yeah, no harm done.
Part of the reason that you managed
to finish more than|you've ever finished.
Cos I sat here for longer.|Yeah.
Sat here for longer,|and much more relaxed,
and therefore you were able to chew.
Cos the only way that|you're gonna train yourself
to bring up to larger meals|is to eat more slowly.
Just because|I've started trying food,
it doesn't mean that|it's still easy.
It's still gonna be really hard,
and I think today|brought that to my eyes.
So it's gonna be tough, but|I've gotta keep pursuing at it.
'With less than three weeks to go,|Charlotte thinks he's ready
to wave goodbye|to his greasy best friends.'
Tell me it's time|to ditch the chips?
"Here are some alternatives|to help you go cold turkey."
I've gotta get rid of them forever.
I think this is number seven.
Can you believe that I beat number|seven before it beat me? (CHUCKLES)
It's gone!
'Having made it to half-time|in his dietary makeover,
Tom takes time out|on the footy field.'
(ALL SHOUT)
'But when faced with temptation,|Tom just can't resist.'
Maybe if the sandwiches were|something different, I'll try 'em,
but it's that white, soft bread|again, isn't it,
which I don't get on with.
'Team-mates are quick|to volunteer their own theories
about his freaky eating.'
This is how I see it -|I think it's the parents' fault.
And I don't mean to say that|about your parents.
No, cos my other sisters eat.|But they tried to force me to eat.
I don't know. I mean...|You're one of these people...
If you were like me,|you'd need clarification
of what it was, wouldn't you?
You'd need to know|what it was that stopped you...
That's why all people|are different, aren't they?
I don't need to know, see?|Yeah.
I'm not bothered about that.
I'm just bothered about|how it's gonna make me eat.
Sort of come off the rails|a bit yesterday.
Yeah, it weren't|a good day yesterday.
One bad day is not|the end of the world.
I've just got to stay positive,|forget about that now
and carry on trying to get onto|healthy foods.
'With Tom's commitment|to the cause wavering
and less than two weeks to go,
it's time he confronted|the cause of his eating problem.'
Unless you understand the past,
you're stuck making the same|mistakes in the future as well,
so the aim of today|is to get him to look at the past
and see how there's other issues|going on here
that, if we can understand them,
they're gonna actually|unlock his future.
'Felix has brought Tom to the|Plantation Garden in Norwich.
Using the steps up the terracing|to represent Tom's life,
he wants to demonstrate how key|events may have affected his eating.'
These beautiful steps provide
a wonderful metaphor|for life's development.
OK.
And I think...|Here we are at the first zigzag.
I think what may have happened is|you were an only child for a while,
and then suddenly your sister|was born 13 months later,
which is quite a close gap, yeah?
And sometimes there's|sibling rivalry around that.
Your mum said that when she was|first presenting you with new food
and you didn't like it,|you'd get a bit upset.
Tantrums.|You'd have a tantrum.
But then your sister would get upset|at you being upset,
and in order to pacify your sister,
your mum would actually|give you what you wanted,
and that way she sort of|kept the peace with both of you.
Yeah.
It's a bit sad, really, isn't it,
because my sister's|a year younger than me,
and then I've stayed at her level,
but she's been able to advance,|and I didn't.
Well, I think|that's a really good point.
There's one more reason|why I think that may have happened,
which represents|a second zigzag here,
so let's go up to that one.
It seems to me from what|we've discussed in the past
that your mum was|quite indulgent to you as a boy,
and then your sisters|and your friends
also seem to be|quite mothering as well.
Yes. Everybody's sort of|looking out for me.
Exactly.
But I think this has led to you
feeling safe,|or in your comfort zone,
needing your family,|or then your friends around you.
And you told me once|when you were 13,
you were playing for a team,
you actually got scouted|by a professional football team.
Now, that would be|every young boy's dream,
but what you told me is that
you felt really uncomfortable|being with a different team,
and that's what really|put you off it.
Yeah. I can see how it relates.|Mmm.
But I...like you were saying,
I haven't stepped out of|that safety net.
Here we come to the third.
Let's take a vantage point.
Over here, Tom, this is the course|of your metaphorical development,
walking up these steps.
12 months. (CHUCKLES)
Yeah, 12 months,|and then as a teenager,
and then all the way|to when I first worked with you,
and what I saw was a 26-year-old man|on this kiddie diet.
Mm-hm.
So something has not developed|in an adult way there.
You weren't allowed to train your|independence muscle, so to speak.
Then this is what happens.
Yeah, so that's why I stuck with|exactly that diet.
I never wanted to try anything new|because I didn't know...
It felt, to me, unsafe.|Yeah.
How would you like|to see your future, Tom?
I would like to, in the future,|move out of home,
have a family, couple of kids,
and progress to the next levels|at work as well.
Let's go up to your future and|feel what it's like for you here.
How does it feel out here?|Yeah, feels good.
Feels really good, doesn't it?
And in order for you|to make that future a reality,
as you look back on your life,
what was needed at 26|to make this future become true?
For me to finally admit to myself...
..the changes that|I needed to make in my life,
like I needed to stop|everybody looking after me
and me...me take my own|responsibility for my eating.
And not just my eating - just me|in everything, in everyday life.
I think today's session|was very useful for Tom.
He seems to have realised that|it's about themes in his development
rather than one specific incident.
He's beginning to join all those|dots together today and realise that
what's been holding him back is|this baby-fying aspect of his family
that he's colluded with.
Dunno - it feels|a bit awkward, really,
cos you think, "26 years old,|I've wasted so much time,"
like, a good eight, 10 years.
Just gotta, you know, gotta grow up,|I suppose. I don't know.
NARRATOR: 'Tom's been trying new|foods, but in less than a week
he will have to face an entire meal|in front of his family.
Before he can take on the challenge,
he still has one final hurdle|to overcome.'
Tom is making real progress,
and we had a breakthrough|in our last session,
but I feel that Tom's parents|are part of the problem,
so today I've got something in mind|that will help them to let go
and allow Tom|to start taking control of his life,
and therefore his eating.
'Felix is meeting Tom and his parents|for one last session.'
The reason|I've brought you here today
is for you to learn|to override your instincts
while you watch Tom|doing something really scary.
Right.
Tom, how do you feel about this|at the moment?
Yeah, fine, yeah.|Yeah, I'm quite happy to do it.
This is the plane|he's gonna go up in.
He's gonna jump out. Tandem jump.
Mmm.
And it's not something|that must be easy
for a parent|to watch their child do.
Not really.|No, not really.
Yeah? So this is really|a learning exercise.
For us.|(ALL CHUCKLE)
MAN: Are you nervous at all, Tom?|Not really.
Not really? Do you know|how high we're gonna go today, Tom?
Probably about 15,000ft.
About 13,000ft, yeah,|two-and-a-half miles straight up.
All right. Cool.
'Tom might be relaxed|about the skydive
but, watching from the ground,|his parents are anything but.'
Oh, gosh,|did you see that? (GASPS)
Come back. Come back.|Come back to earth.
(GASPS)|There he is.
Whoa! Oh, gosh!|That's high, isn't it?
(LAUGHS)
'Tom's having the time of his life,|but mum Jill isn't so keen.'
Seems to be an awful long time.
TOM: That's unreal.
Look at that.|I don't want to come down!
(ALL LAUGH)
Just...easy.
Oh, good. (LAUGHS)
Oh, well done, Tom!|Tom, you daredevil, you.
Eh?|Yeah, it's good fun!
The best bit's the bit|where you jump out the plane.
When you're just, like,|with the parachute up,
like, I'd just be,|"Oh, I could just stay up here."
'Having survived the skydive,|it's time for a scarier prospect -
confronting his parents.'
Walk me through|what was going through your minds
when you were watching Tom get up|in the plane and then jump out.
I was scared for him, I think, to|begin with, you know. Bit fearful.
When you were sitting in the plane,|I thought to myself, "Ooh!"
I felt for him there.
I didn't really particularly think|that this is a good idea.
Do you experience something similar|when you see Tom struggle
in other areas of his life,|especially around food?
Yes.
If you know he's uncomfortable|in a situation,
you'll try and perhaps help him|get out of the situation, you know,
so that he doesn't|feel uncomfortable, mmm.
We need his family and his friends|to realise that if they step in,
loving intentions, to save him,
it's actually not training him in|the healthiest way down the line.
Basically, the whole summary|of it all is that
I have to grow up|and start doing things for myself
and stop letting everybody|take care of me.
You've come to that conclusion|yourself?
Well, I've come to that conclusion|with help,
but it's my conclusion, really.
Yeah, I think perhaps we don't|actually see it like that,
because we're just saying,
"Well, Tom doesn't like|to eat any other kinds of foods
and this is what Tom's like, and if|he wants to change, he'll change,"
without realising that, actually,|we're stopping him from changing.
And we've got to be strong,|to actually turn round and say,
"No, you've got to do this,"
because when he hasn't got support|that he's having at the moment,
then, you know, he could just|drift back into what he was before,
and I don't want that|to happen at all.
It felt good telling my parents that|I need to sort of cut the strings,
but it also made me feel|quite embarrassed, really,
because I shouldn't be|having to say that at this age.
I should have said it years ago.
Or I shouldn't have had to say it -|I should have done it.
By having to tell them,|it was almost like,
"God, I've really got to say this,"
and the true fact is that
I did need to tell them|and I do need to grow up.
NARRATOR: 'For Tom and his parents,
Felix's words|are starting to hit home.'
You know, we are approachable. We...
I never, like,|thought that you weren't, yeah.
It's just that I just think|I don't really want to sit down
and have that conversation,|whereas now I don't mind.
That's what I mean.
You put up this wall|where you wouldn't tell...
You wouldn't express how you felt
because you didn't want to get into|it, because you always thought...
I'm sure you must have thought
we were gonna either|be critical about it or moan.
Not really.
I just thought...|just the conversation
that I don't really want to have,|because it just sort of...
It didn't interest me,|talking about it.
Now, I don't mind. I understand.
You talk about things that you think
are a bit painful or a bit boring|or whatever,
and then they're|really not that bad.
Like, same with the food and stuff.
'The morning of the final challenge.
Four weeks ago, Tom was surviving|on a freaky diet
of baked beans, chips and crisps,
and he would make any excuse|to avoid family meals.
Today, he's about to face|his biggest challenge ever -
a sit-down turkey dinner|with all of the Christmas trimmings.'
The worst possible outcome would be|that I can hardly eat anything
and that I'm still sitting there|with pretty much a full plate.
Then I'll be really disappointed.
I'll be annoyed with myself,
feel like I let myself down|and everybody else down.
I think Tom's really nervous|about today.
He's not saying he is. He said|he's fine, but I don't think he is.
I can tell by the way he's acting|that he's really nervous.
I can't see Tom finishing the plate.
I'd be amazed just seeing him|put a few morsels in and chewing it.
'Felix and Charlotte are on hand
to offer Tom some|final words of encouragement.'
Hi, Tom.|Hi, Felix. How are you?
How are you? Nice to see you again.|And you. Hi, Charlotte.
Hello. Yes.|You good?
Yeah. How are you?|Not too bad, actually.
Yeah?|Little bit nervous.
Yeah?|What are you nervous about, Tom?
All my family are here,|and I want to do well
as a way of sort of saying thank you|and not let them down,
and let them see|that I actually can do it.
Do you know what you're doing,|what you do a lot here, which is...
Thinking too much.|Oh, God, yeah.
Just simplify it down, you know.
I'm just gonna relax and|just take it as another meal.
Yeah, thank you. Do that.
You've already conquered your fears.|You've already eaten new foods.
You know you can do it,
and if you relax into it,|it's gonna be even easier.
Thanks a lot.|Take care. Good luck.
Enjoy your food, and we'll catch up.
Yeah, will do. Thanks. See you.|'Bye.
If he can overcome his nerves,|then he's gonna do well.
I hope he can do it.|I hope he can enjoy it.
'Christmas dinners used to|fill Tom with dread.
While everyone else|tucked into turkey roast,
he was left munching through|a plate of chips and beans.
Today, he'll be joining them.'
"What do you expect to have|for your dinner today?"
(OTHERS LAUGH)|"And will you enjoy it?"
No, but I'll give it a go.
'They're being served up a turkey|dinner with brussels sprouts,
roast potatoes,|sausages and stuffing.
Tom has never tried|anything on the plate.'
I'm expecting chips and beans|to come out, to be honest.
Ooh, this isn't what I expected.
(FALSELY) Oh, it looks yummy.
(OTHERS LAUGH)
SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC
Eh.|(OTHERS LAUGH)
'That's one bite down, but|he still has a whole plate to go.'
SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC
You're doing really well.|I know.
It is strange seeing you eat, Tom.
Do you think, really?|Yeah. Very unusual.
This has never happened before.
I've never seen you|with a plate in front of you.
'40 minutes later,|everyone but Tom has finished.
But for him, this meal is about|more than just the food.'
There's the bigger picture|to it all, isn't there?
Like, I want to be able to|join in with things like this
and not feel like|I want to run away.
Like, now I sit down
and have a conversation|with Mum and Dad at dinnertime.
'Tom has managed to eat|over half his plate of food.
He's done better|than his family ever expected.'
(ALL TALK AT ONCE)|That's all right.
No, thanks for all coming.|I've enjoyed it.
Yeah. Yeah, you've done really well.
Hello.|Excuse us.
You all right?|Hello, hello.
How are you doing there?
I ate quite a bit of the turkey.|I ate a whole potato.
I didn't like the...|Brussels sprouts, yeah.
I tried the stuffing.
I tried the stuffing and I ate|the two sausages covered in bacon.
You ate in front of other people|in this setting,
which is unusual, isn't it?
And... Oh, hello, hello.
Yeah, sorry. I am listening.
I was just looking|at everybody else's plate
to see, like, how I compared.
OK.
I mean, you know,|people do leave stuff,
so you're absolutely|on the right track here.
So, I'd just like to get some|feedback from the family.
What's it like for you to see|Tom eating with you this way?
It's lovely to see him actually|sit down and eat what we're eating
and, for me, not to actually feel
he's, you know,|sitting there suffering.
The next step is for, like,|I've been cooking, isn't it
Oh, yes, yeah.|I've got you a present.
It's like an early birthday present,|and I made it myself.
"Tom Bull's Dining Room.|Mum's Menu."
Oh!
'Tom has given his mum an invitation
to a gourmet meal cooked by himself|for her birthday.'
It's really nice that he's actually
picked out everything that I like|on the menu,
which is... (SOBS QUIETLY)|..very nice.
Sorry.
Thanks, dear.
Yeah, I think you've done|incredibly well.
Just really proud of you and|really amazed. It's fantastic.
Well, we did it all together,|really, didn't we?
Yeah, I know.
Tom, you should be proud of yourself.|Now everyone else is as well.
(ALL AGREE)
And I think you deserve|a round of applause.
Yeah, I mean, for my parents,|you know, especially,
both my mum and dad,|I've never heard my dad, like,
say, "I'm proud of you"|as much as he did today,
and same with my mum, in a way.
So, yeah, it was really good.
(EMOTIONALLY) And it's, like,|I don't know.
It's just something|I haven't really felt before.
But, yeah, it was good.
'One month on, and|Tom's kicked his kiddie diet
and discovered|a grown-up passion for food.'
(LOW-LEVEL CONVERSATION
I'm eating a lot of pastas,|steak and mixed grills.
Anything they put in front of me,|I'm quite happy to sit down
and try it, and I don't fear it -|I look forward to it.
Good evening.
My friends come over. When they|come over, I cook for them.
So, what have we got, then?
Duck l'Orange, is it?
Everyone calls me a fat feeder now,
cos I just want to|cook for everybody.
Dinner is served. (CHUCKLES)
It looks like he's coming out of|himself more and he's all bubbly,
and I think he's conquered|something pretty big for himself,
and I think he's|feeling happy about it.
'Home life has improved,
and his future is looking rosier|in more ways than one.'
Through changing his eating habits,
he's also changed|his whole personality
and seems to have grown up|a lot more.
Now that I've learnt that if I|really want to do something, I can,
it's just made me, as a person,|feel more relaxed and more positive.
Whereas before it was just eat|to survive, now it's an enjoyment.
Closed Captions by CSI -|Debbie Coughlin