"There’s no expiration date on your dreams. I’m 49 now, and I still train as hard as any 20-year-old. Sure, they might outrun me, but I’m giving it my all, 100%"

 

 

Paul, your journey from joining the Metropolitan Police to your impactful community work is both inspiring and profound. Could you share with us the key experiences and moments from your early career that shaped your approach to policing & also influenced your broader mission to mentor and transform lives?

 

Ok, so at 21, straight out of college, I joined the Metropolitan Police. During those early years, I was drawn into the intensity of street crime, particularly knifepoint robberies in North London. It was a relentless surge of crime that I faced head-on and I joined a new unit specifically created to combat this epidemic. Our efforts turned what was a series of daily robberies into a series of successes that led us to become the most successful robbery squad in London at the time. The work was exhausting, both physically and mentally. I remember nights where we’d bring the count, right down to zero, feeling both the triumph and the absolute total burnout.

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One incident that stands out vividly in my mind was when we faced an armed gunman trying to hijack a London taxi. In a split second, as he aimed his handgun and tried to make his escape, I had to act. I drove the car forward, pinning him down without taking his life. It was a moment of intense pressure where I realised the importance of precise, calm action under stress. It was also a turning point for me personally, as I started to see the role of fate and intuition in my work. People used to say I had a guardian angel, especially after incidents like this where the gunman ran out of bullets just as we faced off.

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These experiences were deeply reflective, pushing me to explore the deeper connections between our actions and the outcomes we face. It led to commendations for my efforts, but more importantly, it shaped my philosophy on life and duty. The need to help and save others became a core part of who I am.

This drive led me to initiate a boxing project for underprivileged youth. I saw the potential to change lives on an estate known for its hostility towards police and high crime rates. By introducing boxing as a form of discipline and an outlet, I was able to transform not just individual lives but the entire community’s outlook. We brought crime and antisocial behaviour down to nearly zero and, more importantly, we built a bridge between the police and the community.

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Through all these roles, I’ve learned invaluable lessons about human behaviour, resilience, and the power of positive intervention. Now, as I mentor young police officers and continue my work with young people, I’m focused on imparting these lessons, showing that with the right mindset and support, anyone can overcome adversity and turn their life around.

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This clearly matters to you, Paul. There’s a clear sense of wanting to make a positive impact.

 

Yeah, all of this really matters to me. There’s something profoundly impactful about guiding people, showing them a different way to approach life and work, rather than just dictating actions and creating barriers. It’s about inspiring change and resilience, not enforcing it.

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But you know, while I was out there, making a difference, achieving all this success in my professional life, my personal life was taking a hit. My marriage, unfortunately, didn’t survive the strain. I was always at work, always stressed, and never home. It’s something I’ve had to come to terms with, accepting my part in how things turned out.

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There's this notion of 'manning up' and pushing through without addressing your problems, but that approach started to take its toll on me. It led to a point where internally, things were going downhill because I refused to acknowledge the stress and trauma building up inside.

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So, after nearly 17 years with the Met, which I left at the end of 2012, I felt empty. The service was changing, and it seemed like there was no longer a place for officers like me who were dedicated to making a real difference on the ground. We were stopping the bad guys, sure – taking on those doing smash and grab robberies, making life hard for them, stopping them from influencing and recruiting young kids into their criminal activities. We were there, making sure that every time they turned around, they’d see us waiting, ready to hold them accountable. But it was exhausting, utterly draining.

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This journey, with all its highs and lows, has shown me the importance of being there for others, but also the necessity of looking after my own well-being. It’s about making a difference, yes, but also about understanding and managing the personal costs that come with it.

 

You’re best known for your role as a Hunter on Channel 4’s Hunted. What prompted that change in direction?

 

Among everything else I was doing, I’d actually been trying to break into TV for a long time.  I initially got involved with Hunted almost by accident. I received an email from Channel 4’s casting director, asking if I wanted to be a fugitive in the first series of the show. So there I was, on camera, chatting with the producer about my background, all the years with the Met, the things I'd done, really getting into the nitty-gritty of my career.

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I remember I was mic'd up for the interview, and after we wrapped up, I went home and realised I'd accidentally taken the mic pack with me. I rang them up, a bit embarrassed, and said, 'Look, I've got your mic pack. Can I drop it off?' So, I headed back the next day to return it.

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And this is where it gets interesting. When I got there, it turned out a spot had just opened up — they wanted a hunter and a fugitive. They'd already cast the show, but there I was, being asked which role I'd prefer. And, you know, I couldn’t believe it. I said, 'I’d absolutely love to be a hunter.' It was like a dream coming true right in front of me.

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So, I was cast as a hunter in the series and have been doing it ever since. After years of knocking on doors, trying to break into TV, facing rejection after rejection, this was it. I went from dreaming about being on TV at 17 to finally getting my break at 40. That’s 23 years of pushing, hoping, and trying to figure it out, facing so much rejection and then suddenly, here it was.

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You could say it was luck, persistence, being in the right place at the right time — whatever you call it, it all came together. But I always think, if I hadn’t joined the Met, if I hadn’t had those experiences, none of this would have happened. My whole journey, everything I went through, it all led to this moment and my career on TV.

 

Do you believe there was an element of fate wrapped up in this or was it all genuinely hard work and determination?

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I really do think it's a bit of both. I’m a big believer in the idea of a flow state. It’s like being an athlete in the zone — you’re training hard, it’s tough, but something in your gut just tells you it’s right. When you’re in that state, it feels like everything aligns, and the effort you’re putting in is just part of the journey, not the whole grind.

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But let me tell you, it’s not just about being in the right place at the right time. If you’ve got dreams, be ready for a rough ride. Expect to be laughed at, ridiculed, put down — that’s just part of it. You’ve got to have the grit to keep pushing through, no matter what. It took me 23 years from dreaming about being on TV to actually making it happen. So, if someone says you can’t do it, remember it’s not about overnight success. It’s about perseverance, day in and day out.

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And you know, there’s no expiration date on your dreams. I’m 49 now, and I still train as hard as any 20-year-old. Sure, they might outrun me, but I’m giving it my all, 100%. Age, time — those are just numbers. People start businesses, new relationships, new careers at any age. 

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So, yeah, I’d say my journey to Hunted was a mix of fate and sheer stubbornness. There was definitely a bit of fate in how it all came together — forgetting the mic pack, getting called back, being asked if I wanted to be a hunter. But it was my years of grinding, learning, facing down the tough stuff that made me ready for it when the chance came.

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So don’t listen to that voice telling you it’s too late or you can’t do it. That’s nonsense. Push through, believe in your path, and sometimes, just sometimes, fate will step in to help you along. But it’s your hard work that’ll make you ready to grab that opportunity.

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How then, did your experience working in the Met Police shape your approach to the challenges you faced on Hunted?

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My time in the Met was all about studying human behaviour, getting into the minds of the people we were after. I'm fascinated by what drives people, what makes them tick. In the Met, it was about reading a room, picking up on the smallest details, and understanding someone’s trigger points. That skill is what I love most about being on Hunted.

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You know, my favourite part isn’t the physical chase — it's the psychological game. I love sitting down and really getting to know someone during an interview. I scan everything, pick up every detail, and use it to build a profile in real-time. I look for inconsistencies in their story, compare their body language against what I know to be true, and figure out where they're lying or hiding something. And when I spot something, I 'bank' it — keep it in my mental file to use when the time is right.

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This approach comes directly from my police work. We always had to be on our toes, reading people, situations, looking for that break in someone's armour. And on Hunted, it’s no different. I get into their heads, using everything I learned from the Met. Whether it’s the way someone avoids eye contact or how their narrative doesn’t match up — these are the things that tell you the real story.

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Even the way I handle confrontations on the show comes from my time in the Met. I learned that the loudest one in the room is often the weakest. So I stay quiet, keep my voice low, and maintain eye contact. It messes with their psychology. They start wondering, 'Why isn’t this getting to him?' And just like that, I flip the script on them.

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It’s not just about being a profiler; it’s about the psychology of human behaviour. Whether I’m using neuro-linguistic programming techniques or just old-fashioned intuition, it’s all about understanding and anticipating what someone will do next. That’s what I did every day in the Met, and that’s what I bring to every episode of Hunted.

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So, yeah, my years with the Met Police weren't just about chasing down criminals; they were about building this deep, intuitive understanding of people. And that’s exactly what shapes how I tackle the challenges on Hunted.

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Paul, you've faced and overcome significant adversity from disarming gunmen, to dealing with personal health challenges. How have these experiences shaped your philosophy on resilience and performance under pressure?

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One of the most critical lessons I've learned through all the highs and lows is that it's not about the situation you're in; it's about how you respond to it. Whether it's a high-tension scenario with a gunman or battling my own health challenges, the key insight is that I am the master of my reactions. No one else.

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When you're in the thick of it, whether facing a criminal or a personal demon, you can feel like you're at the mercy of those circumstances. But here's what I figured out: you become a prisoner to whatever or whoever is trying to unsettle you only if you let them dictate your emotions and actions.

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I've come to understand that I control my emotional state, my resilience, and my performance under pressure. It's about making a conscious choice. You could be pushed to the edge, but if you decide not to let that control you, then you've taken the first step towards true resilience.

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For me, resilience is about this proactive choice. I've faced moments, both in the Met and in personal life, where the intensity of the situation could easily overwhelm anyone. But learning to keep my head, to not give in to the immediate emotional response, has been my biggest win. It's about saying, 'You don't get to control how I feel or react.'

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And it’s in these moments, these decisions, that you find the shift. It’s not what's happening to you; it’s about how you respond. I teach this to everyone I mentor: the power lies in your response. If someone is trying to provoke you and you react automatically, they own you for that moment. If you pause, choose your response, you keep your power.

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It’s a simple idea, but transformative. You’re not enslaved by the events or people trying to trigger you. You own your space, your mind, your path forward. That's the essence of the resilience I've built and the performance level I maintain under pressure. It’s not about denying the difficulty of situations but about not letting those situations dictate your state of mind or your actions.

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We’ve mentioned intuition a few times during our chat, and I get a sense that it truly runs deep with you. 

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Absolutely, intuition is something that's been a part of me for as long as I can remember, and it's only grown stronger over time. I wouldn't say it's just about the meditation, though that's a part of it. It’s more about this deep, spiritual connection I feel with the world around me.

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I've looked into quantum physics, tried to understand how people are connected beyond what we see. There’s something about energy, about how we interact with the world in ways that aren’t always visible. Like, you make a phone call halfway across the world, and there’s this instant connection – you can’t see it, but you know it’s there. That’s how I feel about intuition; it’s this unseen but very real force.

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I've had these moments, you know, where my gut just screams that something isn't right. And more often than not, it turns out to be spot on. I remember this time when I felt really anxious about a business deal, couldn’t put my finger on why. Then, the guy I was dealing with accidentally revealed his true intentions over an accidental call. It was like the universe was saying, 'Paul, you were right to trust your gut.'

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And it’s not just about picking up on bad vibes. It’s about those positive, unexplainable synchronicities too. Like Carl Jung said about synchronicity, it's these meaningful coincidences that seem to guide us, show us we’re on the right path.

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But here’s the kicker – intuition isn’t just about these big, dramatic moments. It’s in the everyday choices, the subtle nudges that guide you away from trouble or towards opportunities. And sure, sometimes I've ignored these feelings because I wanted to believe the best in people, and I've had to learn some hard lessons because of that.

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I think the universe has this way of teaching us, showing us the same lessons over and over until we get it. And for me, that’s what intuition is all about. It's learning to listen to those lessons, to that inner voice, and letting it guide you. It's an ongoing journey, one where I'm still learning, still growing. But one thing's for sure – my intuition has never led me astray when I've truly listened to it.

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Paul, it has been an absolute pleasure to chat with you. I know your audiences will gain so much from your engagements & we're looking forward to all that lies ahead for you. Thank you! 

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Next Steps...

To book Paul as your next keynote speaker and bring his unique blend of real-world experience, intuitive insights, and motivational storytelling to your audience, contact us today. We can tailor his presentation to your specific needs and help create an unforgettable experience for your event.

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