A West Cumbrian man – who was the youngest person to win TV franchise Survivor – is taking a stand for young men and boys.
Matthew Haywood, 22, of Seaton was crowned winner of the BBC show in 2023. The former Workington Academy pupil is now on social media platform TIkTok and has amassed 231,000 followers.
He said he wanted to use his influence to inspire young men and boys.
According to figures from the Office for National Statistics, over 5,000 men take their own lives each year in the UK, and young men aged 15-29 are at particular risk.
Homelessness is also rising among men and Matthew said he felt an urgent need to reach people.
He said: “I want to show that anything is possible. The pressure on young men to conform is immense. We need to break the stigma surrounding mental health, homelessness, and the pressure to fit into a specific mould.
“I’ve been shocked to learn about the number of young men committing suicide and becoming homeless in my area. We need to open up the conversation.
“The recent Netflix show Adolescence and figures like Andrew Tate highlight the urgency for positive male role models. I want to stand in stark contrast to that. Men should know it’s okay to be vulnerable and seek help.”
He has already talked to youngsters at six schools.
Matthew said he was passionate about creating engaging content on his TikTok channel. He said: “Adventure and the outdoors are vital to my life. From skydiving to wild campaign, I want to encourage others to live fully and just try stuff out.
“It might be that thing you love, that ends up giving you a focus and sense of self-confidence to see you through. I often say that it’s okay not to have everything figured out. Life’s pressures can be immense, but we need to support one another. I believe every young man should know they can be anything they want to be.”
Matthew added that he wanted to encourage all young men and boys everywhere to embrace their uniqueness and feel able to open up.
He added: “We don’t need to put on a façade. It’s brave to be yourself. Together we can create a community that allows for open dialogue and support. Let’s show each other that it’s okay to reach out, share struggles, seek help, and most importantly, be there for each other.”
