Kiss FM presenter Tyler West has bravely revealed the profound and lasting trauma he experienced after witnessing a man being stabbed to death outside his home when he was just 14 years old.
A Childhood Trauma Unveiled
The 29-year-old DJ from south London shared the harrowing details of the incident and its knock-on effect on his mental health during an episode of the BBC One reality programme, Celebrity Race Across The World. While participating in the show with his girlfriend, EastEnders actress Molly Rainford, West opened up about his deep-seated need for control, linking it directly to the traumatic event from his teenage years.
Speaking to Rainford during the forest conservation task, West confessed, "I always like to be in control of things, or know what I'm getting myself into." He explained that this need stems from a desire to look after any given situation as best he can, a coping mechanism forged in terror.
The Horrific Incident
In a later confessional, West recounted the specific details of the day that changed his life. "I was coming home from school one day, and there was like these three men having an argument outside my house," he recalled.
The situation escalated violently when one of the men produced a weapon. "One of the men had a 12-inch kitchen knife in his hand," West said. "All of a sudden, it was like me standing there at my bedroom window at 14 and just seeing this man get like stabbed to death. It was one of the most horrific moments of my life."
The Aftermath and Lasting Scars
The trauma did not end with the attack itself. West described the fear of testifying at the Old Bailey, the central criminal court in London. "I just remember being there at the Old Bailey, just being petrified of so many factors, like will all these people be able to see me? Will they know that I'm testifying?"
He revealed the severe impact the event had on his adolescent life, stating, "I just didn't really know how to process it, and it had such a knock on effect to my mental health. I was indoors for like two years." West concluded that the experience "matured me really quick, and it… it was just really hard."
On the show, which sees celebrities and their companions race 3,670 miles through Central America, West and Rainford currently trail behind their competitors. The most recent episode saw the teams diverted to Liberia, Costa Rica, after filming permission in Nicaragua was revoked. The leaderboard is currently headed by Derry Girls actor Dylan Llewellyn and his mother Jackie, followed by radio presenter Roman Kemp and his sister Harley, and then presenter Anita Rani with her father Bal.
