The Ballad of Scout and the Alcohol Tag

Winner of the Gold Aria for Creative and Technical Innovation 2025
Winner of the Gold Audio Production Award for Sound Design 2025
Winner of the Rose D’Or for Audio in 2025 
Winner of the Gold New York Festival Awards for Craft 2025
Nominated for the Prix Europa
Nominated for the Press Guild Award 

In 2023, Scout Tzofiya Bolton entered a grocery store in the small town where they lived, carrying a toy gun. The only thing they know about what happened next is what they’ve seen on CCTV footage - they pointed the toy gun at the person behind the counter and shouted to give them the money or they'd shoot. A few hours later, four police officers knocked at their door and took them away. They didn't return home for six months.

Scout was released from prison wearing a 'sobriety tag' – a tool increasingly being used to help people control their problematic alcohol use. This is the story of Scout's relationship with alcohol, and with the tag that monitors them, told through Scout's dazzling poetry.

Scout has a long history of psychosis combined with alcoholism. This was the first time they had been sent to prison. The lead-up was a prolonged psychotic episode, characterised by 'grandiose' behaviour. Scout believed they were a famous celebrity. They would wear ballgowns and walk up and down the high street. Everyone was looking at them – because, they believed, they were famous. In the grocery store, they believed they were making an action scene in a film. They’d called up friends to tell them it was going to be a great day's filming.

Scout needed help. They found it in prison. For the first time ever, Scout had an extended conversation with a forensic psychiatrist who got to grips with their complex needs.

Music and words: Scout Tzofiya Bolton
Producers: Andrew Wilkie and Ellen Orchard
Sound design: Micky Curling
Executive Producer: Phil Maguire
A PRA production for BBC Radio 4