Growing Up During Section 28 and AIDS Crisis

Dancer and TV personality Louie Spence opens up in one of his most honest and emotionally revealing interviews to date. From growing up in a working -class household where love was present but rarely shown, to the sacrifices his parents made to support his talent, Louie reflects on the early experiences that shaped his independence, anxiety and drive to perform.

Louie speaks candidly about living with panic attacks for most of his life, how anxiety followed him through fame and success, and the private battles behind his larger-than-life public persona. He opens up about touring the world with the Spice Girls, sudden celebrity, family addiction, and the grief of losing his mother - sharing moments he’s never spoken about publicly before.

Now, Louie reflects on what it’s taken to slow down, sit with difficult emotions, and keep going - even on the days when the fight feels internal.

Louie shares:

◽ Growing up feeling loved, but rarely shown affection

◽ The sacrifices his parents made - and the pressure that came with it

◽ Living with panic attacks and anxiety from a young age

◽ What life on tour with the Spice Girls was really like

◽ How fame amplified his anxiety rather than fixed it

◽ The impact of addiction inside his family

◽ Losing his mum and processing grief years later

◽ Why the most important conversations he’s had are with himself

Louie Spence, We Need To Talk

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(00:00) Intro

(01:36) Louis’ Working-Class Upbringing and His Relationship With His Parents

(10:41) Louis’ Experience of the 1980s and Article 28

(15:28) Gay Life Today vs the 1980s

(17:41) The Beginnings of Louis’ West End Career

(18:59) Louis’ Experience as a Backing Dancer for the Spice Girls

(25:25) How Louis’ Anxiety Limits His Life

(31:34) Where Louis Believes His Anxiety Comes From

(36:30) How Louis Manages His Anxiety

(41:14) Why Louis Started Working at Pineapple Dance Studios

(42:49) The Pineapple Dance Studio TV Show and Louis’ Rise to Fame

(43:58) Does Louis Know How Many TV Shows He’s Been On?

(44:38) Is Louis’ TV Persona His True Personality?

(45:33) Shopify Ad

(46:36) Louis’ Experience on SAS: Who Dares Wins

(53:50) Why Louis Left SAS

(57:32) Louis’ Experience of His Mother’s Alcoholism and Her Passing

(01:15:08) Most Memorable Conversation

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