Irvine Welsh: We’re More Addicted Now Than in Trainspotting

From the high-rises of Muirhouse to the heart of countercultural
Britain, Irvine Welsh has built a literary universe fuelled by
punk energy, dancefloor euphoria, and radical empathy. In this
episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien meets the novelist and
cultural icon to trace a life shaped by rebellion, recovery, and
relentless storytelling.


They discuss Irvine’s early years in working class Edinburgh, his
brushes with heroin and grief, and the accidental discipline
learned on a council computer that helped turn his chaotic
brilliance into a career. The pair unpack the emotional weight
behind his new book Men in Love, why he believes we’re living in
a post-cultural age, and the creative lessons of rave, romance,
and rock bottom.


Sharp, soulful, and defiantly untamed, Irvine reflects on
belonging, addiction, and the mad joy of letting characters run
the show.


Find out more about Irvine Welsh’s book, Men in Love here