Tom Dwan Interview: Inside His Experience at a London Psychiatric Facility

Tom “durrrr” Dwan has broken his silence for the first time since he was involuntarily hospitalized in a UK psychiatric facility in late April. The in-depth conversation was conducted by Argentinian crypto streamer and software engineer Abril Zucchi, and it offers the most comprehensive account of the incident to date.

Watch the full video interview with Tom Dwan on Abril Zucchi’s X profile.

Once regarded as one of the most feared online poker players in the world, Dwan spoke in detail about his time at the Park Royal Centre for Mental Health, how he ended up there, and the factors that may have contributed to what doctors described as an “acute psychotic episode.”

According to Dwan, the ordeal began with an incident on an airplane, after which he was taken into psychiatric care near London.

“I was definitely processing some versions of details or reality wrong at some point,” he said. “What I’ve been told that means is I had what you would call an acute psychotic episode.”

Doctors pointed to two possible causes: an underlying psychiatric condition or the influence of substances. Dwan denied having taken anything voluntarily and suggested that if substances were involved, someone else must have administered them — though he admits neither explanation fully adds up.

“Neither really makes sense. I’m still trying to process what that was.”

Dwan criticized PokerNews and its Managing Editor Will Shillibier for what he described as a manipulative and inappropriate visit during his confinement. Dwan explained that he initially thought Shillibier was a doctor, only to discover mid-conversation that he was a journalist.

“A few minutes in, I realized he’s actually a PokerNews reporter, and I’m like, ‘Are you f***ing kidding?’”

He said the meeting was arranged without his consent by hospital staff, and he described the interaction as manipulative. In later social media posts, Dwan hinted at legal action unless a proper apology is issued.

The visit preceded a brief PokerNews video update on April 30, in which Shillibier stated that Dwan appeared physically fine and had “spoken at length about what he believes he experienced.”

As detailed in our May 22 article, Dwan’s situation became public after a series of frantic social media posts between April 28 and 30. He tagged public figures such as Donald Trump and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, claiming he had been assaulted, denied medical care, and unlawfully detained by British authorities.

In a now-deleted post, he wrote, “Finally feeling a bit better,” but later claimed he had been pressured by hospital staff to publish it in an effort to calm the situation. In a follow-up tweet, he wrote:

“They took my phone and devices… didn’t give in to repeated requests for medical care or legal rights… and did what they could to bar me from all contact.”

Dwan remained offline for nearly three weeks before returning to social media on May 18. He has since returned to the United States, taking time to recover and reflect on what happened.

Dwan has indicated he plans to pursue formal complaints and legal action.

“I’ll be filing complaints, lawsuits, and also making some public statements,” he wrote in May.

His account offers a rare window into a personal mental health crisis — one that raises questions about how such situations are handled, especially when they involve public figures. While many details remain unresolved, one thing is clear: the incident left a lasting mark.

The once-smiling, confident high-stakes phenom has appeared increasingly withdrawn and erratic since returning to the Macau scene. This latest episode may be the most serious indication yet that something has changed — and it likely won’t be the last time we hear from him about it.

If you're unfamiliar with Dwan's earlier career, read our in-depth profile covering his rise, impact, and controversies in high-stakes poker.