Stop My Stutter

Finding the right words to say how you feel can sometimes be hard,

but what if you're one of Britain's 600,000 stammerers?

THIS PROGRAMME CONTAINS SOME STRONG LANGUAGE

Stammering is a debilitating affliction

which impacts their lives every single day.

He is so nervous about saying his vows

and doing a speech at the wedding.

I need, I need a voice. I need to be heard.

But now, to tackle their stammers head on...

Stammer... Stammerer. I can't even say it.

..they've enrolled on an intense four-day speech therapy course

run by Gareth Gates.

Hit these sounds. Imagine you're knocking these words down.

At the end of the course, they'll have to face an audience

and deliver a fluent speech.

Er... Er...

Gareth's job is to make that happen.

Don't give a shit about anybody.

It's about you now and it's about you overcoming this.

But can he teach them to break a habit of a lifetime...

For ... sake.

I understand how frustrating it is, I completely understand.

..And confront their greatest fears...

SHE SOBS

..To transform their lives for ever?

I...genuinely really want this.

This programme contains some strong language.

My name is... Sim...

m-m-m-m...

..mon

R...

HE CONTINUES TO STAMMER

Robinson.

Simon has had a severe stammer his whole life.

Sometimes I felt as though I've...

been through hell and...

hell and...

back with this.

That's really good, Libby, that's lovely. Try again.

Print it straight away again.

25-year-old Sarah Webster has also stammered since early childhood.

It has affected every aspect of her life,

including her decision to become a nanny.

For me, it's about the interaction with the ch-ch-ch-children,

and when I'm with them, I'm just so much more at ease.

That's come out well.

I feel that my stammer d-d-d-does

not play such a large...

does not affect me so much at all.

But even her choice of job is not without complications.

There are certain words that I know that I will stammer on,

for instance the word n...

n-n-n-n-n...

I can't say it.

N... Nannying.

I try and use... Well, I try and avoid that word

so that I don't have to embarrass myself.

But now Sarah and Simon are embarking on

an unusual speech therapy course called the McGuire Programme.

I've had quite a few years of s...

speech therapy,

and it hasn't ever helped.

This r...

..really is m...

..my last hope.

The programme takes a radical approach to speech therapy.

Its courses are just four days long

and are run exclusively by people who stammer themselves.

Sarah and Simon's course leader is the actor,

singer and voice coach, Gareth Gates.

The course is a very intense four-day programme,

and it's about us giving these guys everything they need

to help gain control of their stammer.

Gareth also grew up with a stammer.

It was the McGuire Programme which turned his life around.

The thought of a stammerer helping to coach and teach other stammerers

to speak is quite mind-blowing,

and I reached a certain level on the programme

where I thought, maybe it's time to give back, and I absolutely love it.

Joining Sarah and Simon on the course

are students from across the country,

including Matthew, Rory, and Mohammed.

My challenge is to take these people and to equip them

with the tools and techniques that they need to transform their lives.

Thank you. Welcome, new students.

This is the last time that you guys will be speaking like this,

and from this moment on, you're going to be speaking with so much control.

Am I nervous about it? Of course.

There's a lot of pressure on me, but I want it to be a success

because I know how much of a difference in life it will make.

It's the night before the course begins.

In four days, the new students will be expected

to deliver a fluent speech in front of an audience.

But right now, that seems like a long way off.

Do you have any brothers or sisters?

Yes. I have...

three br-br-br...

b-b...

I, um...

Two sisters and three b-b-brothers.

Um, I... I'm...

I'm...

I am 20 years old.

My address is f-flat...

55.

I am...

HE STAMMERS

..L...

Live in Skip...ton.

Well done, mate. Well done, fella!

APPLAUSE

I tensed up and...my eyes shut.

I found it hard.

Really hard.

Simon lives in North Yorkshire

with his partner, Sarah, and their two children.

Ride l...

like the wind, Bullseye.

Being a parent who stammers brings its own worries.

Simon often gets scared that it'll affect the children's speech,

like reading bedtime stories.

He prefers me to do things like that because it'll take him

so much longer, and I can see him getting frustrated with himself.

It does upset me as well, how frustrating it must be for Simon.

Shall we...

..colour some more?

Next year, Simon and Sarah are planning to get married.

He's nervous about saying his vows and doing a speech at the wedding,

but he can't give up on doing things just because of his stammer.

To infinity and b...beyond!

To overc-c-come

and be able to...

control...my...

stammer, it would m...

mean everything.

It's day one of the course.

This morning, Gareth will begin to rebuild the new students' voices.

But first, he has to break down their old ones.

Now is a brand new start. We're going to strip back everything.

We're going to learn to talk again,

starting with learning a new way of breathing.

Every time somebody speaks, it starts with a breath,

so that's what we'll address first and teach them a new,

more powerful way of breathing that will assist a new speaking technique.

To help the new students get a feel for this,

they wear belts around their chests.

When we breathe in, the ribs move out.

We breathe out, the ribs move in.

So we breathe when we want to breathe.

We speak when we want to speak. We're no longer dictated by our stammers.

This technique is called costal breathing.

So breathe in three, two, one, and breathe.

If they can master it, Gareth believes the most severe stammer

can be brought under control.

Really fill those lungs so they can't be filled any more.

But it involves reprogramming everything they know about speech.

For so long, the stammer's dictated who they are

and when they speak and how they speak.

ALL BREATHE DEEPLY

Now it's about those individuals taking control themselves.

ALL BREATHE DEEPLY

The new students will spend up to 12 hours working on this new technique.

ALL BREATHE DEEPLY

Good.

It's really important that we just start to be disciplined

and committed to ourselves, and we start to follow directions.

So nobody talking at all.

It's important that the new students do not talk

because it's just second nature for them

to talk the way they've spoken all their lives.

So we ask them not to talk at all

so that they don't slip back into those old habits.

Living with a stammer is real hard work.

It's frustrating, soul-destroying -

you can't be the person that you want to be.

I made out I didn't know the name of my school for years...

People would ask me, "What school do you go to?"

"Oh, I can't remember,"

..to save the humiliation of going L-L-L-Lower Fields, you know?

And I'd rather look stupid and dumb and thick

as opposed to stammer in front of people.

And again, that's quite hard.

I...

really want to help people who are...um...um...

..who are really in need.

Gareth has come a long way since the 17-year-old schoolboy

first stepped onto our screens.

'My name's...'

er...

-Aw, come on!

-Just take your time.

"Gareth Gates" is what I was trying to say.

And watching that, I hardly recognise myself.

When you're ready.

# Everybody's looking for that something... #

You are 100% coming to London.

-Yes!

-Yes!

CHEERING

Gareth's overnight success was a dream come true,

but it also put his voice under the most intense pressure.

I've always had great confidence in delivering a song,

but it was the everyday life stuff that I struggled with.

He enrolled on the McGuire Programme...

I...

..and has never looked back.

Life for me these days is much better than ten years ago,

and I can now be the person I want to be.

So on the board there is this basic cycle of speaking.

This is what we follow every time we speak.

Once they've got to grips with the new way of breathing,

we will add sounds to that, but there's a perfect timing point

and if they miss that, the technique won't work.

The perfect timing point where we speak is now. OK?

In three, two, one...

-ALL:

-Ah.

-Good.

We'll say every sound of the alphabet

so that it affirms to themselves that they can say every sound.

-ALL:

-Kuh.

Juh. Puh.

Good. Hit these sounds. Imagine you're knocking these words down.

-ALL:

-Alpha. Foxtrot.

India. Juliet.

Mike.

Good. You can say every sound.

So it's not a physical defect.

It's just the building up of negative experiences,

negative associations.

Stammering is thought to be brought on by a number of different causes.

For some, it's to do with the way the brain processes speech.

For others, it could result from trauma,

but in some cases, it may also be hereditary.

For 16-year-old Rory Melly, stammering runs in the family.

Rory's been stammering since he was three years old.

It was like all of a sudden in one sentence one day.

He was trying to ask me something and he just started stammering.

And coming from a family who stammer, it was quite a shock.

There's one very special person that guides the orchestra. Who is he?

Rory.

Is... Is it the...?

-I'm sorry. The conductor.

-The conductor. Excellent.

'On various occasions at school, I have been called a few names.'

A recurring one is...

...Stutterhead. And another one is...Stammerboy.

And another one is Mr Beatboxer. You know?

As a beatboxer would go, chucca-chucca, and stuff like that.

But like Gareth,

there's one area of Rory's life where he is remarkably stammer-free.

Hey there, teenage Baltimore! Don't change that channel,

because it's time for the Corny Collins Show.

'I take my acting on stage'

as...as...a bit of an escape, really.

An escape from who I am.

'When I'm performing on stage,

'I'm not playing Rory Melly, a little stammerboy,'

I'm playing someone else completely different

with a different background, a different history, different feelings

and different thoughts.

# Oh, they drive to the coast and leave the squares behind

# And they shiggy, shiggy, shiggy like they're losing their minds... #

It's great because he's, like,

totally fluent on the stage, speaking,

and the last play he was in, I thought,

"It'd be great if he could just speak like that the whole time."

It doesn't work like that, unfortunately.

I really want to make a career

ou-out of singing and acting,

but my fear is that if... if my stammer doesn't improve,

then...then employers won't hire me.

# Kids in town. # ALL: Woo!

It's the end of day one.

When the students arrived yesterday, Gareth videoed them all.

Last night, we asked you guys to tell us your name,

to which all of you struggled.

My name is S-S-S...

Sar-Sar-S...

Sarah Web-Webster.

But since then, Gareth has been drilling the new technique solidly.

So now we're going to give you new students

an opportunity to stand up and cancel out that situation.

Whenever you're ready, there's no order again.

Sarah Webster.

Well done. Well done. Stay stood.

Well done. Incredible. Well done, Sarah.

Rory Melly.

Simon Robinson.

Stay stood. Stay stood.

Well done. What a transformation. Well done, mate.

Today was long hours. It was hard work.

And they've made a great improvement,

but I don't want them to think that, "Ooh, I've done it now,

"so I can sit back and relax and become complacent."

I just need to continue... to work hard

..and hope that...

..I'll be able to get...

..s-s-s-s.

S-s-s... Oh, I can't say the word.

I can't take this. Sorry.

The new students have taken the first step

towards finding their voices.

Are you finding you're gradually getting used to the technique?

Yes, slowly.

'It's important to highlight that this method is certainly not a cure.'

It's something they'll continually need to work on,

like I do, every day,

'and that's what will determine

'whether they have continued success or not.'

-ALL:

-Ah.

-Good.

-ALL:

-Guh.

-Good.

What we want you to do is try and speak in a controlled way.

Exaggerate it.

It's all about using this new method, this new way of speaking.

Let's not use any more than four words per breath. No more.

Go now, please.

I...

hope to become...

a sp-sp...

sports therapist.

Mohammed is a trainee physiotherapist.

Whenever I'm in the practicals, I'll get nervous

and then I'll probably just, like, stammer.

Talking to patients is an essential part of the job.

If Mohammed can't do that, it might mean a change in career.

-How's your day been?

-Yeah, OK. Lots of teaching today.

-That's good.

I know what I'm doing, but it's just the struggle of trying to say it,

and if I can't say it,

then they think that I don't really know it.

I do, but then my stammer gets in the way.

We'll mainly focus on the hamstrings and the...er...the...the...

..quadriceps and maybe do the IT band as well.

To overcome my stammer would really help me with my...with my...

with my...career, cos I could do the jobs that I want to do.

'But if I didn't, it would make me get a job'

that doesn't involve talking, and that would be it.

The students are continuing to work hard on their technique.

But Gareth has noticed

some are finding it more difficult to adopt than others.

Simon Robinson.

Simon on Wednesday was the most overt.

'But often they're the easiest to crack,'

because there's less things happening up here

and it's more just, "This is how I am.

"It's very clear that I've this real problem so I'll just do anything."

"Show me what to do." Whereas, I think, with Sarah,

she's always managed to be fluent in situations in life.

When you say a word, so like buh,

and then "breakfast",

why don't you just stop on the word

when you know it's going to be difficult?

'I can see her questioning - "Why are we doing this?'

"Is this much better than how I was speaking before?"

Well, right now, maybe not, because it's quite mechanical,

but it's a means to an end.

Cos then people are going to know... still know you stammer.

She's not vocalising that yet, but I can see it.

And covert stammerers do that.

Gareth decides to take Sarah to one side for some individual coaching.

The way that you're using the technique is great.

I still feel you can be...

MORE exaggerated, LIKE I'm being now.

Gareth Gates.

Bradford.

Sarah Webster.

-Suffolk.

-Good.

What sort of muh...

music do you like?

All...

-..k...

-Release the air.

..kinds of music.

-KINDS again.

-KINDS of music.

-Good.

I just can't do... Can't get...can't get...to grips...

With the breathing?

With... Sounds...

so mechanical. But I'm trying to.

Good. Well, that's all we're asking just now.

It's harder to take those steps backwards

and speak mechanically, of course it is,

because you've spent years of trying to make people think you're fluent

and you don't have this problem and this affliction.

And I understand how frustrating it is. I completely understand.

We've all been there.

Trust me, if you persevere with this,

you will see results.

-Thank you.

-Cool.

As a covert stammerer, Sarah tries to conceal it from others,

especially around her family and boyfriend - carpenter Will.

I've l-l-l-learnt to live with a stammer now for 25 years.

So a couple more.

'She's become quite good at hiding it'

and very good at thinking on her feet

to try and find different words.

'It's obviously not a great way of dealing with it

'cos quite often her sentences don't make the best of sense'

when she's desperately searching for a different word

rather than use a word she'd struggle on.

But hopefully with the programme, she can get past that

and use any word she wants to use.

'I'm quite happy when I'm speaking to my friends and family

'and I'll be able to speak quite fluently, really.

'I'll just have the odd stammer here or there.'

But I just want to be able to speak fluently at all g-g-g...

given times, not just when I'm in my c-c-comfort zone.

As a nanny, Sarah works with children every day,

but her real dream is to become a teacher.

When I first came out of university

this t-t-teacher said to me,

"You'll never be able to become a teacher because of your stammer.

"You'll just be..."

They said, your life will be a m-m-m-misery

because you'll be r-r-r-r...

SHE CONTINUES TO STAMMER

..ridiculed by the children.

So to be able to over...

to be able to not have this stammer -

that would just be amazing.

Another long day on the course has reached its final session.

One of our biggest challenges and fears is the phone.

And so we're going to really focus on facing that fear head on.

When the students leave the course,

they will be expected to make phone calls every day.

Until now, 28-year-old Londoner Matthew Oghene

has avoided the phone at all costs.

Would you like to make a phone call for us?

Would you ask for...

-Somerfield's supermarket in Birmingham?

-OK. OK.

-Thank you.

-It's ringing now.

He-hello. Is it...

p-p-possible to have the phone number

for the S-S-Somerfield's

in B-B-B...

HE CONTINUES TO STAMMER

Oh, for fuck's sake. ..in B-B-BBirmingham, please?

That's enough, mate. Thank you. What do you do for a living?

I work as a...

professional artist's m-m-model.

And what does that involve?

That basically involves me

posing for artists in the nude.

Are you warm enough?

-So you must work out, then?

-I do. I do. I do work out a lot, yeah.

Matthew has been modelling for eight years.

Finding a job where his body could do the talking came as a revelation.

I thought, "Well, I don't have to speak here."

"I'm just laying down nude on the sofa or sitting on the chair."

And that sort of ap-appealed to me.

Matthew's lack of confidence in his voice

could hardly be in starker contrast to his life as a model.

He even takes bookings for hen parties.

Having my clothes off, I have a sense of power

that I can't get when I'm speaking.

-You're very muscular.

-Thank you. I get that a lot from people.

His career may be flourishing,

but his ambitions stretch further than disrobing.

I feel that I'm...

I'm, like, using this as a sort of...

you could say a d-d-distraction, in a way.

It's, like, how I look can only get me so far.

If I had more control over my speech, I would go into acting,

but I need...I need a voice.

I need to be...to be...heard. Yeah.

How are you?

Well, thank you.

Matthew Oghene.

Simon Robinson.

My last holiday was in...

The Isle of Wight.

I'm excited.

I love cooking.

Once a fortnight.

Well, thank you for calling.

It's been nice.

-Bye for now.

-Bye for now.

Bye for now.

'Bye for now, cheers, bye.'

That call was like a dream.

It was like it wasn't me speaking.

But it... Cancel that. But it...

C-c-c-c...

C-c-c-c...

Cancel that. But it was me speaking.

It's day three of the course.

Gareth wants to take the new students and their fledgling voices

to a more challenging environment.

Speaking in the room now is becoming a comfort zone for them.

They're getting used to it. It's familiar. It's the same faces.

Now what we're going to do is take them out of that

and place them out on the street.

Today, the new students will each have to approach

and speak to 100 members of the public.

Does anybody know the way?

Not an easy task if you've spent your whole life

shying away from strangers.

Guys, this is the moment that we put all of our hard work into practice.

This is what we've been working up towards.

What we're essentially asking these new students to do

is walk up to someone and say, "I have a problem.

"I have a stammer." And it's really tough, but it's necessary

and it's what has to be done.

If you have problems - which I'm sure you will in the first few -

just persevere and allow your coach to coach you through that.

I have every faith that all of you are going to really, really shine,

and this is your moment to shine, OK?

Each new student has been paired

with a more experienced member of the programme,

but it's up to them to do the talking.

-You don't know...

-You need to be a little bit more assertive.

..what people are going to say or how they're going to react.

I've been dreading coming out here

and admitting to people that I stammer.

Excuse me, please.

I'm a recovering stammerer... stammerer...

I'm trying hard with the technique

and....and...

I'm still f-finding it hard

to a-a-accomplish it.

Stammerer. Stammer. Stammerer.

I can't even say that word. I'm a recovering stammerer. Stammerer.

I'm just so nervous for Sarah at the minute.

She's having problems and struggling using the method,

and I think she's still battling

with whether this is a better way of speaking

than her old way of speaking.

I didn't think it would be this difficult. I thought I could do it.

You've only done two. It's going to get easier.

Can I have a few minutes?

Sarah's not the only new student finding it difficult.

Obviously not.

Do you have a second, please?

I'm on a s...

You can't even talk, man.

Excuse me, ladies, I'm trying to find the KFC.

How are things going, Matthew?

It's tough, man. I just need to accept

that some people are just not going to talk to me.

Excuse me, ladies.

And I am finding it hard to deal with it.

Excuse me?

No. Thank you.

Could I have a moment of your time, please?

My name's Rory.

The thing I am most nervous about today...

'is people laughing at me.'

The programme teaches people...

how to cope with their stammers.

Happy with that?

A bit discouraged that they laughed.

There's one student who's in his element.

Excuse me? Do you have the time, please?

'Simon's just flying.'

He really, really is.

And now that he's found his voice, you can't shut him up!

Do you have the time, please? I'm on a speech therapy course.

'All of his life he's been bottling it up,'

and for him to actually be the strongest out here today

is just incredible.

Thank you for your time. Thank you very much.

Absolutely brilliant.

-How good was that?

-Excellent.

-Well done.

Just down the street, Mohammed has also hit his stride

and come up with a cunning way to reach his 100 contacts.

I'll start with this end. Mohammed Shafi.

Nice to meet you.

Mohammed Shafi.

How you getting on, Mohammed?

Mohammed Shafi.

It's really good. 'Mohammed Shafi, nice to meet you.'

I'm building confidence every time. 'Mohammed Shafi, nice to meet you.'

99% of the people that I've talked to

have been really positive with me.

Excuse me, please.

The new students are gradually finding their voices,

but Sarah is still battling her nerves.

Excuse me, please.

-Oh, my god!

-Don't worry, don't worry. You said, "Excuse me..."

They just think I'm strange.

Deep breath. Nobody thinks you're strange.

Don't give a shit about anybody.

It's about you now, OK? And it's about you overcoming this.

So don't care what people think. The task is for you, OK?

I just felt that they...

Some people, because I'm speaking in this way, they think I'm odd.

Is that any odder than...? HE STUTTERS

Believe in yourself. I'm so excited. I'm so excited for you.

But it has to be like that every time.

-OK.

-OK again. Louder.

-OK.

-Good. OK. Have fun.

-Right.

-We're just going to go for it.

We're going to jump over the edge of the cliff, yeah?

Oooh, I'm nervous.

Don't worry. I felt sick on my first one. Like, absolutely...

-I just want to walk away.

-Yeah. But that's avoiding,

and that's what we've been doing all our lives.

So now's the time to do it. Yeah?

Finally we're starting to see some courage being plucked up

and it's really, really good.

-Do you want to try it first?

-I've got to do it.

-Just do it.

Excuse me, please.

I'm a recovering stammerer...

working hard on my speech.

Can I introduce myself, please?

Of course you can.

Sarah Webster.

-It's nice to meet you, Sarah.

-Thank you for your time.

You're very welcome.

-Oh, wow.

-They were nice.

-That was amazing.

So proud of you. I've been watching you. Well done.

Incredible. Well done.

Once she's got over that first hurdle, there's no stopping her.

Excuse me, please.

I'm a recovering stammerer working on my speech.

C-Can you tell me where Tesco's is?

She even plucks up the courage to announce herself to an entire shop.

Excuse me, please!

I'm a stammerer,

and I've been set a challenge to sp...

speak to 100 p-people

to reduce my f-fear of speaking.

Can I tell you all my...my name?

Sarah Webster.

Thank you for listening.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

-That was...

-That was good.

Quite a relief to get... I managed to get everyone's attention.

It was a big thing.

It's the final day of the course,

and there's one remaining task facing the new students.

How are you feeling?

Quite nervous now.

No holding back.

That's the one.

The last four long days of focus and concentration

have been building up to the students delivering a speech

in front of an audience,

which includes members of their families.

You will be fine. You really will be fine.

And for some, the pressure is just too much.

SHE SOBS

I can't. It's too intense.

I just can't do it, but I'm trying.

I can see why you're upset. Absolutely.

Do you want to use the method?

-I do.

-OK, so you're not just saying, "I've had enough of this.

-"It's not working for me. I'm going to jack it in."

-I want this, yes.

OK, cool. What are your concerns?

People back home thought

I didn't even have a stammer because I did such a good job of hiding it,

and now it's going to be so obvious.

So you're scared you're always going to have to speak like this?

-Yes.

-Very mechanical.

I don't speak like...that... all the time any more.

Why? Because I've been on the course ten years.

You've been on three days, OK?

This is the start of a long, long process.

I...genuinely really...want this

and I really don't want to go back to...

Wednesday night.

That's what I'm scared of.

'She's obviously going through a lot,'

and there's lots of torment in her mind still.

She's still asking lots of questions,

even though she's proven to herself that it works.

Yeah, she's still having doubts, and I just feel for her.

Back in the room, the audience are waiting for the speeches to start.

For the first time for some of you guys,

you'll see your loved ones speak and have a voice

and be the person that they've always wanted to be.

So welcome Matthew.

APPLAUSE

In the past...

people have looked down on me

because of my stammer.

Now, I have a voice

and I'm very, very proud of that.

Matthew Oghene, recovering stammerer.

CHEERING

I feel more in control of my voice now.

And on Wednesday night...

it seems like that was a different person.

APPLAUSE

Good afternoon, everybody.

Throughout my life, I couldn't even say my name.

I was ashamed to talk to people.

I've also been scared to do what I'm doing right now.

These are big achievements that I never imagined doing.

I can't shut up now.

THEY CHUCKLE

This is the proudest moment of my life.

Mohammed Shafi. Thank you.

CHEERING

'After today, I'll be going out into the real world,'

so I hope this is a step in the right direction.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

This time last week...

my only true place of comfort...

was on the secondary school stage.

But beyond the stage, I was very scared.

I would like to thank... Gareth Gates...

..who I have looked up to ever since I was six.

Thank you very much.

CHEERING

Next to speak is Sarah.

Ever since I...remember,

I have struggled

and been embarrassed

about my stammer.

And hopefully one day, with sheer determination,

I will become a more confident and eloquent speaker

and do what I want to do.

Thank you for listening.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

'I'm a really determined person,'

so I really want to stick... stick with it,

but it's a technique where I have to put my all into it

and strip it right back to the bare basics

before I can progress any further.

The final student is Simon.

Four days ago, his stammer was so severe

he blocked over every word he said.

Can you tell me your name, please?

Um...um...

My...name is...

Simon Robinson speaking.

A few days ago...I would never have imagined myself...

being in full control of my stammer.

I have learnt how to...sound sexy.

'It just feels so magical.'

Now that I can control... everything I say.

But most of all, I can now...say my wedding vows.

Thank you.

APPLAUSE

Over the past few days, I have held back a few tears,

but looking back...

it's been worth every second.

For the children to be able to sit at night

and have their daddy read a book to them, it's just...

amazing.

I can't describe how...

Those goodbye speeches were just incredible.

This is just the start of the process for them, though,

and I know we keep on saying it over and over again,

but they have to put the work in now.

I'm just so proud.

It's been a month since the course.

In North Yorkshire, it's nearly bedtime for Simon's children.

"That's a proper trumpet sound, Macca Pacca.

"Boo wee boo wee woof.

"Oopsie daisy, are you going to dance?

"Macca Pacca, are you going to join in?"

The last few weeks have been great, actually,

especially reading to...the kids.

I mean, that's something I've never been able to do properly.

It's given me this whole new...me, really.

And there's one more thing that Simon needs to do

to make family life complete.

You look good. Do you feel like you look good?

I scrub up well.

THEY LAUGH

Now that I am able to say "I do" on my actual wedding day,

I do feel great.

I mean, before the course,

it's something I would have never imagined saying fluently.

I think I do.

No!

I never, ever thought it would be possible

for Simon to speak fluently.

Even now, I still get emotional that he can speak fluently,

but to be able to do that on our wedding day,

it's going to be amazing. I can't wait.

I might just go and buy a Hawaiian shirt and just wear that.

Don't you dare!

It means the absolute world to me. It really does.

I think that this will make such a big difference, it really will do.

I mean, beforehand, I was blocking on every single word I spoke,

and now I can say what I want fluently,

and it's going to be fantastic, it really is.

I just cannot wait for the actual wedding day now. Really can't.

I do.

Is it bad or is it just light pain?

Mohammed has also found a renewed self confidence since the course.

Today, he's on duty with his university football team.

This is what I want to do one day for a real football team

such as Manchester United, which is my favourite team.

Because that is my dream job, so I'm gaining the experience right now.

Before I would have... been scared to do this.

As long as I keep putting the effort and the hard work in,

it should pay off.

It's really down to me to achieve what I want to do in life.

There is still... quite a long way to go.

Oh, good goal.

That's 2-1 now. That's a good goal.

Two good goals.

In Scotland, it's been back to school for Rory.

The bothy ballads were sang by the male farmers singing about...

Farm workers, yeah.

After having the stammer for so long, I feel fantastic

that I can just speak freely.

One of my friends told me that not only do I sound more confident...

..but I look a lot happier as well.

Our final answer is Gaelic, though?

-Yeah.

-OK, then.

-Scottish ballad.

-Are we sure that that's in English?

-Yeah.

And it makes me feel...really empowered to just keep going on.

A few months ago, Matthew had given up on becoming an actor.

But now, his dream is alive.

This morning, he's in London's West End for an acting class.

You're going to be improvising a scene.

Two lovers sitting having dinner

and the last line is going to be, "I'm leaving you".

So how was your day?

Long day, yeah. Like always.

Nine to five, you know. Hard work.

-It's been tough at work for you.

-Very tough. Very, very tough.

What about you?

'It's been a revelation.'

I don't even realise that I'm using the technique now,

and it feels so good, yeah.

Gareth has come along to offer some moral support.

I think you need to get out of the house and do more work.

That's really kind of you to say so.

Well, I'm being honest, actually, you know?

I'm leaving you.

APPLAUSE

-Well done, mate.

-Thanks, Gareth.

It was really, really fantastic. How did you find it?

It's been amazing. I am starting to get used to the breathing now.

Even in this environment, it's still holding up OK. Yeah, it's good.

Any particular roles that you'd like to play?

Um, yeah, I can see myself as a policeman,

I don't know, on EastEnders.

Brilliant. Working out what roles you want to play, that's good.

In terms of dreams and ambitions, it's important that we have these,

and I think with a little bit more work and a bit more dedication,

I think you'll definitely be able to achieve some of yours.

-Maybe one day we will see you on EastEnders.

-One day!

-As a policeman!

-One day, yes.

Of all the students,

it was Sarah who found the course the most challenging.

We had some real ups and downs on the course.

How have you found things since then?

It's been a tough few weeks, but I know it's going to take time

to progress with my speech and move on from this mechanical form.

Absolutely. We all have good and bad days.

It's certainly not going to vanish, this stammer, all of a sudden.

Sarah originally joined the course to give her the confidence

to become a teacher.

Teaching is something I've... always wanted to do.

I'm feeling nervous, but I'm really keen to get in to...a classroom

and see how my technique holds up.

Today, she's got that opportunity.

I love broccoli, too!

It looks like a tree.

I'm sure the fear is still very, very high.

We have literally thrown her right in to the deep end,

but she obviously has that determination.

She wouldn't be here now if she didn't have that.

Now, I've brought with me today, the story Fidgety Fish.

"Tiddler was always fidgeting.

"He wriggled and squiggled.

"He trembled and shivered

"and he shook and he quivered.

"And out shot Tiddler!"

I did it. Wow.

Yeah, that felt really good.

I relaxed into it,

and I surprised myself.

Well done, that was absolutely incredible.

Seeing you there being with the kids and being so natural with the kids,

it was really, really amazing to see.

I built up all this worry and fear in my head,

and I didn't have to spend time thinking of what words to avoid.

It just took all that weight off my shoulders.

-I'm so glad that I went out and did that.

-Sure.

And...able to prove to myself that...I can do it.

It's very smooth inside, isn't it?

In case Sarah has any doubts, Gareth has brought something to show her.

Can you tell me your name, please?

My name is...

S-S-S-Sarah

W-W-Webster.

I'm a n-n-n...

na-na-na...

a nanny.

You know, all that tension, it's hard to watch, right?

And so that's why I urge you to not ever give in on this,

because clearly it really, really works for you.

So please don't ever give in. Please persevere.

Yeah, stick with it and, yeah...

Good. It's all about you now and how much you want it,

-because you can do it and you WILL do it.

-Hm. Yeah.

Now for Sarah and for all the guys,

it's about how they apply themselves in the real world.

How much they practice. How much work they put in.

Doing it every day, like I do, even now.

They can achieve it and they WILL achieve it if they want it,

and if they put that hard work in.

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