Poetry On The Pavement: How The Chubby Northerner Turned Rejection Into Connection Notes From The Not There Yet podcast

Poetry on the Pavement: How The Chubby Northerner Turned Rejection into Connection

5d ago 1:34:29

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Episode Summary

Guest: Tom Stocks - Actor, Writer, Poet & Founder of Actor Awareness (aka The Chubby Northerner)

From drama-school rejection to chalking poetry across Manchester’s streets — this is the story of resilience, reinvention, and real northern grit.

In this episode, Beth speaks to Tom Stocks, better known as The Chubby Northerner: an actor turned poet and founder of the Actor Awareness campaign — a movement that opened doors for working-class creatives in an industry built on closed ones.

Tom’s journey takes us from Bolton to the West End, from rejection letters to viral pavement poetry, and from self-doubt to purpose. Through his words - and the lives they’ve touched - he reminds us that creativity isn’t about arrival. It’s about connection.

Because sometimes the most powerful stories aren’t performed on stage — they’re written in chalk on the streets.

In this episode:

How Tom turned rejection from drama school into the Actor Awareness movement
The real barriers facing working-class actors - and how he challenged them
What it’s like to have your words go viral across Manchester’s pavements
The evolution from actor to poet - and why poetry still belongs to everyone
Finding purpose in helping others feel seen, heard, and hopeful

Listen if you’ve ever:

Felt like the door wasn’t open for you
Wondered if creativity can really make a difference
Needed a reminder that you’re not alone — and that you’re enough, right where you are

Key Takeaways

You don’t need permission to create. If one door closes, build your own stage.
Resilience beats talent. Grit, connection, and showing up matter more than credentials.
Community changes everything. Real progress happens when you bring others with you.
Art belongs to everyone. From pavements to poetry nights, creativity can meet people where they are.
Keep showing up. Even when you’re not there yet — especially then.

Follow Tom:

Instagram → @thechubbynortherner
TikTok → @chubbynortherner

Companies mentioned in this episode:

3 episodes