Radio Host Tyler West Describes Mental Health Struggles After Witnessing Fatal Stabbing at Age 14

Tyler West, a 30-year-old host at KISS FM, shared details of a traumatic childhood experience during an appearance on Pete Wicks' Man Made podcast. At age 14, West witnessed a fatal stabbing outside his family home on the St Helier council estate in south London. The incident involved two men using a 12-inch blade to attack another man, slashing his neck before the victim collapsed.

West described observing the attackers attempt to place the body in a bag before they retreated into a nearby flat. He and his mother then rushed outside to assist the wounded man, with his mother applying towels to the wounds. West called emergency services, but police did not arrive for more than 10 minutes.

The experience left West unable to function normally for two years, during which he remained almost entirely in his bedroom. He developed severe obsessive-compulsive disorder, creating rituals he believed would protect him from harm. These included keeping his bedroom in total darkness by not opening the blinds and avoiding the use of a knife and fork at dinner.

West explained that he became terrified that failing to make his bed would lead to something terrible happening to him. He avoided walking on the same side of the street where the attack occurred and believed anyone drinking alcohol near him posed a threat. Depictions of violence on television triggered him, and his anxiety caused him to miss significant amounts of school.

Three years after the incident, at age 17, West stood in the middle of a bridge spanning the A217 near his home in the early morning hours. His phone had died, and he described not knowing what he was doing there, with dark thoughts entering his mind. , a passing motorist sounded a car horn, which West said brought him back to his senses.

West has since built a career in radio and television, including competing on Strictly Come Dancing in 2022 and presenting showbiz segments on Lorraine. He is engaged to EastEnders actress Molly Rainford, with whom he began a relationship in 2023 after meeting on the BBC dancing competition. The couple announced their engagement last August following a proposal during a holiday in Greece.

West expressed frustration over his treatment as a witness in the subsequent court proceedings. He was exposed to graphic evidence, including photographs of the crime scene. The podcast appearance provided West an opportunity to discuss these events publicly.