Episodes
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Join Olly Mann and the gang for our bumper festive extravaganza… Featuring:
🎶 Live music from Sons of Town Hall – the Victorian-inspired duo from the Madmen Cross The Water podcast join us to serenade the season with their folksy harmonies - and test their Anglophiliac credentials with a Mannfan-made ‘citizenship test’…
💸 To Tip or Not to Tip? – Wondering how much to tip your postie, milkman, or the plumber who saved your pipes? Ollie Peart dives into the age-old debate on festive gratuities - and launches his new JUST THE TIP service!
🤪 The XXX-Mas Foxhole Quiz – Things take a turn for the risqué with Alix Fox’s annual laugh-out-loud Q&A… this time involving scented underwear, rubber chickens, and some out-of-context audio erotica…
So, pour yourself a wine (courtesy of our sponsors, Wine52, of course), sit back, and enjoy our modern, mad, magical Christmas celebration! 🎄
We’ll be back with a brand new series on 10th January, 2025.
In the meantime… why not buy us a beer, and help us keep our independent show running into its TENTH anniversary year? https://modernmann.co.uk/beer
Join us on the Modern Mann Discord ➡️https://discord.gg/SKHnY6ZB72
Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Alix Fox, Ollie Peart, Sons of Town Hall, Charlie Hedges, Lucy Fennell, Sue Beere, Sarah McCammon, Sam Shepherd. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: ‘Skies Over Cairo’ by Django Django. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2024
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Being a landlord means trusting strangers to live in your house.
Try as you might, you can't know everything about them. Sometimes, you just have to rely on an instinct that your tenants are good people. Until, that is, you get a knock on the door from the police...
That's what happened to listener Ian from Dublin. In this interview with Olly, he re-lives the moment he became involved in an armed Police sting - and began to regret renting out his property.
This interview first aired in July 2017, in the episode, 'The Accidental Pimp'
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Missing episodes?
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Trashed rooms. Plastic sheeting. Dodgy ductwork. When Mike Senior returned to his rental property in Cambridge, he uncovered a scene straight out of a crime drama.
In this interview with Olly, he reveals how some tenants from Gumtree turned his Dream Home into a landlord’s nightmare…
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Meanwhile, in the Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart investigates the trend for A.I.-assisted recruitment.
Employers, he discovers, are using machine learning to whittle down candidates, read CVs and reduce biases. Applicants are hacking their jobsearch with “prompt engineering”, hidden fonts, and generative interview prep.
… Is it still possible to get a job with inter-personal skills and chutzpah?
And can he uncover a recipe to beat the bots?
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Elsewhere, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox - fresh from the ‘You Me Bum Bum Train’ building site - has advice for a fifty-something Mannfan whose libido has reduced dramatically.
Though physically capable, his emotional and mental energy are drained by health issues, caregiving, and stress. Could counselling, lifestyle changes, and a change of scene help him get his mojo back? And why do so many people seem to believe that if a man can get hard, there’s nothing to worry about?
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Finally, our record of the month is ‘She’s Got A Problem’ from Hastings rock-trio HotWax 🤘
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SUPPORT THE SHOW:
We’re an independent podcast and only exist thanks to your donations.
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JOIN OUR DISCORD!
And help our Mannbassadors make a Mannfan meet-up!
➡️https://discord.gg/SKHnY6ZB72
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CONTACT US
If you have a challenge for Ollie, a question for Alix, or some feedback for Olly; if you’d like to nominate yourself as a Mannbassador, or have a suggestion of a future interview for the show, just fill out our Feedback form:
✍️https://www.modernmann.co.uk/feedback
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… and we’ll see you for our annual Christmas spectacular on December 10th 🎅
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This episode is supported by Readly. Get your exclusive, three month trial of unlimited newspapers and magazines at readly.com/mann
Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Mike Senior, Alix Fox, Ollie Peart, HotWax. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: ‘Skies Over Cairo’ by Django Django. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2024
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Medically assisted dying is legal in Canada, where over 10,000 people end their lives through euthanasia each year, and over 80% of applications are approved.
Robin Farr, from Calgary, watched as her Dad, Mike, developed a rare lung disease that limited his breathing, massively impacting his quality of life. Then he decided to make use of the MAiD (Medical Assistance in Dying) laws.
In this honest, unsparing conversation with Olly, Robin explains how it felt to manage the last couple of days of her father’s life - and reveals the flaws in the system that left her and her family unsupported in a time of anticipatory grief...
Robin volunteers with Canadian support groups Bridge4You and Bridgec14, and recommends the resources at dyingwithdignity.ca and the Swiss organisations Pegasos and Dignitas.
This interview first aired in September 2022, in the episode, 'The Countdown.'
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Sarah McCammon’s upbringing was steeped in evangelical culture—raised as a Charismatic Christian in Kansas City, Missouri, she asked God for salvation at just two years old.
Soon she was ‘street witnessing’, trying to convert strangers to her mega-church; praying at family dinners for the salvation of her atheist grandfather; and crediting Jesus for healing her stubbed toe.
As a teen, she followed the expected path: wearing a purity ring, committing to abstinence before marriage, attending a Christian university, getting married, and starting a family.
But then, she left it all behind.
In this candid conversation with Olly, Sarah—now a national political correspondent for NPR—unpacks the emotional, social, and political forces that shaped her beliefs, and ultimately led her to walk away from the evangelical world.
Offering a compelling insider’s view of life within the movement, she delves into the personal cost of leaving her faith, and explains the deep connection between white evangelicals and their unwavering support for Donald Trump.
Sarah’s book, The Exvangelicals, is out now.
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Meanwhile, in The Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart takes on the challenge of preparing for the Government’s infamous ‘Life in the UK’ test.
Although already a British citizen, Ollie has been swotting up to answer a dozen real-life questions from the extensive pool of questions that aspiring citizens must study. Can he correctly respond to the required 75%?
With topics ranging from British history to culture and law—and a £50 fee per attempt—he and Olly soon realise just how tricky and unpredictable these questions can be…
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Elsewhere, in the Foxhole, Alix Fox - fresh from a surprisingly intimate moment with the Teletubbies - considers the ethics of hiring a sex worker.
Is it ever truly possible to ensure prostitutes have not been trafficked by criminal gangs? What distinctions exist between the proposed decriminalization and legalisation of sex work? And even if women choose to enter the field due to poverty and desperation - does that necessarily mean they are victims?
With the help of sex worker-turned-author and comedian Kaytlin Bailey and the English Collective of Prostitutes, Alix gives this sticky quandary her very best shot…
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Finally, the music Making Us Happy this month… is Jason Derulo’s Make Me Happy 😊
SUPPORT THE SHOW:
We’re an independent podcast and only exist thanks to your donations.
🍺💰👉https://www.modernmann.co.uk/beer
JOIN OUR DISCORD!
100+ Mannfans are there already. At least two of them are jugglers.
➡️https://discord.gg/SKHnY6ZB72
_______
CONTACT US
If you have a challenge for Ollie, a question for Alix, or some feedback for Olly; if you’d like to nominate yourself as a Mannbassador, or have a suggestion of a future interview for the show, just fill out our Feedback form:
✍️https://www.modernmann.co.uk/feedback
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… and we’ll see you on November 10th 📅
Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Sarah McCammon, Alix Fox, Ollie Peart, Jason Derulo. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: ‘Skies Over Cairo’ by Django Django. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2024
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Private Investigator Bob Nygaard specialises in bringing psychics to justice.
Fortune-tellers, offering palm-reading for as little as ten dollars, are a common sight in New York City. But when they swindle their clients out of six-figure sums, it’s ex-NYPD officer Bob on their case…
In this sensational interview with Olly, Bob reveals how the criminals he pursues prey on vulnerable victims, the techniques they use to convince clever professionals to hand-over huge amounts of money, and his fight to convince complacent cops that it’s worth prosecuting and imprisoning these ingenious offenders.
CONTENT WARNING: references to suicide.
This episode first aired in 2019 under the title, "Credit The Con". Now remastered and with an update from Bob from this month, we paired this episode with our most recent: "When People Disappear".
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In a missing persons investigation, the initial hours and days are crucial.
Establishing a relationship with the missing person’s family, absorbing their behavioural characteristics, and managing media interest in the story are all essential parts of the toolkit for officers charged with finding them alive.
But, 27 years ago, when Charlie Hedges MBE was assigned his first missing persons case, such protocols did not exist. He found institutional inertia and complacency where there should have been dedication and service - and set out to right that wrong.
In this compelling conversation with Olly, Charlie looks back over his career finding missing people - including Dr David Kelly, April Jones and Ashya King - and reveals the techniques and temperament necessary for the job, especially in these days of internet sleuths and social media speculation.
Charlie’s book, Missing, is out now, published by Hachette.
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Meanwhile, in The Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart channels his inner James Martin to kick up a storm in Olly’s kitchen: specifically, a five-course meal made entirely using air fryers.
With the help of AirFryerGirl and ProCook, Ollie impresses with a delicious molten Camembert and honey-mustard pork - but is frankly rather let down by his raw carrot crisps.
Along the way, the boys consider whether the popularity of air fryers will last beyond the cost of living crisis, uncover which tabletop gadgets will become the next kitchen must-haves, and ask why Tiktokers don’t provide recipe PDFs…
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Elsewhere, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox uncovers the trend for ‘CEI’ humiliation videos, and assists a Mann-fan whose daughter wants to reject the HPV vaccine - because she’s a lesbian.
In collaboration with gynaecological cancer charity The Eve Appeal, Alix discovers why the HPV vaccine is important for all young people, regardless of orientation; explains how the virus can be transmitted; and reveals the efficacy of the vaccine and the common myths surrounding it.
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Finally, we’re going hip-hop for our Record of the Month, ‘Passion’, from LL COOL J’s first album in 11 years, THE FORCE 🔥
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SUPPORT THE SHOW:
We’re an independent podcast and only exist thanks to your donations.
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JOIN OUR DISCORD!
100+ Mannfans are there already. At least two of them are jugglers.
➡️https://discord.gg/SKHnY6ZB72
_______
CONTACT US
If you have a challenge for Ollie, a question for Alix, or some feedback for Olly; if you’d like to nominate yourself as a Mannbassador, or have a suggestion of a future interview for the show, just fill out our Feedback form:
✍️https://www.modernmann.co.uk/feedback
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… and we’ll see you on October 10th 📅
Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Charlie Hedges, Alix Fox, Ollie Peart, LL COOL J. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: ‘Skies Over Cairo’ by Django Django. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2024
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CONTENT WARNING: Suicide, child abduction.
This episode is supported by:
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Scratch mittens, strained relationships and GP-sanctioned fingering
Nine years ago, comedians Stuart Goldsmith and Tom Price joined Olly to discuss their impending fatherhood.
What impact will it have on their respective relationships? Why does society appear to offer such a lack of support to men embarking upon their first baby? Do men need to know about the mucus plug?
They discuss all this, plus some bad taste jokes, with little understanding of what was in store for them over the next nine years... which makes this the perfect accompaniment to our latest episode, How To Be A Dad, Part 10.
🍷 This episode is sponsored by Wine52, bringing beautiful wines from around the world to your door. Get your free case now and support the show at https://wine52.com/mann
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Playing with knives, navigating the ‘Dad Race’ at Sports Day, and getting a ‘backstreet assessment’ for dyslexia are on the conversational menu as comedians Tom Price and Stuart Goldsmith reunite with fellow father Olly Mann to discuss the pleasures and pains of parenthood.
Now aged 8, their boys are dealing with TikTok addiction, grappling with the instant gratification of Amazon deliveries, and trying to hack the marble jar.
Meanwhile, our trio of Dads are learning how to transition from ‘performative parenting’, moderating the YouTube content on their smart TVs, and facing the inevitable spectre of turning into their own fathers...
This is the tenth instalment of our annual ‘How To Be A Dad’ series. Catch up with all previous episodes HERE.
🎧Tom’s podcast is My Mate Bought A Toaster; and Stuart’s is The Comedian’s Comedian. Listen wherever you get your podcasts.
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Meanwhile, in The Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart is off to Harley Street to investigate the trend for hair transplants. What do they cost, how do they work, and do they last?
Also, how can you tell if you’ve got decent ‘donor hair’ in your ‘harvest area’? Why do a million men per year travel to Turkey to look like Wayne Rooney? And can you ever regain the hair you had as a teenager?
With the help of The Wimpole Clinic’s Consultant Neurosurgeon Dr. Ismail Ughratdar, Ollie investigates…
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Elsewhere, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox assists a Mann-fan who can’t explain why - each time he reaches climax in bed with his wife, and only then - he visualises a HOUSE 🏠.
Could it be… repressed trauma? A Freudian sense of self coming to the fore, in an unguarded moment? Or, er, a supernatural glimpse of his future?
With input from behavioural optometrist Bhavin Shah, longevity mental health coach Susie Masterson, and spiritual psychotherapist Melissa Amos, Alix is on the case…
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Meanwhile, our Record of the Month marks a hands-in-the-air return for The Offspring, whose new track Make It All Right comes from their 11th studio album, Supercharged, out this October.
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SUPPORT THE SHOW:
We’re an independent podcast and only exist thanks to your donations. THANK YOU.
🍺💰👉https://www.modernmann.co.uk/beer
_______
JOIN OUR DISCORD!
100+ Mannfans are there already. Go on:
➡️https://discord.gg/SKHnY6ZB72
_______
CONTACT US
If you have a challenge for Ollie, a question for Alix, or some feedback for Olly; if you’d like to nominate yourself as a Mannbassador, or have a suggestion of a future interview for the show, just fill out our Feedback form:
✍️https://www.modernmann.co.uk/feedback
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… and we’ll see you on September 10th 📅
Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Tom Price, Stuart Goldsmith, Alix Fox, Ollie Peart, The Offspring. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: ‘Skies Over Cairo’ by Django Django. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2024
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🍷This episode is supported by Wine52, bringing beautiful wines from around the world to your door. Get your free case now and support the show at https://wine52.com/mann
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Paul Watson realised he would never play football for England - so attempted, instead, to be recruited by the worst international team in the world. His quest lead him to Pohnpei, Micronesia; and, although he never realised his dream of becoming an international soccer star, he ended up coaching them instead...
What's it like training a team 9000 miles away from home, in a country with no football culture? What is the beautiful game's secret at bringing communities together? And how can one recover after a defeat against the Guam Crushers?
This interview first aired in 2017 - hear the full episode here - now remastered with new sound design, we've paired with our latest episode, I ₿ought A Football Club.
Paul wrote a brilliant book about his adventures, Up Pohnpei, which you can buy here. Thanks to Mannfan Tom Cotton for suggesting Paul as a guest - if you have an idea for a future edition of the show, just get in touch using our Feedback form.
Paul's two podcasts are:
The Sweeper: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-sweeper-a-world-football-podcast/id1557926870
False Economy: https://shows.acast.com/false-economy
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Peter McCormack, Bedford’s ‘budget Ryan Reynolds’, is on a mission to take his local team all the way to the Premier League ⚽️
When he bought Bedford FC in 2021, they were in the tenth tier, and unknown outside the town.
After rebranding them as Real Bedford, securing investment from the Winklevoss twins, and internationalising his business model, the Bitcoin guru has achieved back-to-back promotions for his club - despite having zero experience in professional football.
How has he done it? With a mix of chutzpah, arrogance, planning and perseverance… as he explains to Olly in this compelling, funny and insightful interview.
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Meanwhile, in a French-flavoured edition of The Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart investigates the trends taking Paris by storm, including Loop earbuds, androgynous fashion, and, erm, a giant croissant 🥐
Can French chef Philippe Conticini’s coffee shops conquer Britain? Will London’s trend for hipster Pétanque spread across the country? And what does the French election tell us about the City hosting the Olympics? Ollie reveals all…
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Elsewhere, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox chomps down on an English culinary classic, and asks if, in the age of the hook-up app, casual sex can transcend perceptions of being transactional and meaningless 🏩
Is it possible to find a ‘vanilla’, non-kinky partner, who isn’t seeking a long-term relationship? And might seemingly niche apps like Feeld and Fab Swingers provide the answer? Alix investigates…
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Meanwhile, music this month comes from lo-fi American popstress Clairo, and her 70s-influenced Summer single, ‘Sexy To Someone’ 📀
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SUPPORT THE SHOW:
We’re an independent podcast and only exist thanks to your donations. THANK YOU.
🍺💰👉https://www.modernmann.co.uk/beer
_______
JOIN OUR DISCORD!
100 Mannfans and counting! Sign up:
➡️https://discord.gg/SKHnY6ZB72
_______
CONTACT US
If you have a challenge for Ollie, a question for Alix, or some feedback for Olly; if you’d like to nominate yourself as a Mannbassador, or have a suggestion of a future interview for the show, just fill out our Feedback form:
✍️https://www.modernmann.co.uk/feedback
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… and we’ll see you on August 10th 📅
Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Alix Fox, Ollie Peart, Peter McCormack, Clairo. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: ‘Skies Over Cairo’ by Django Django. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2024
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🍷This episode is supported by Wine52, bringing beautiful wines from around the world to your door. Get your free case now and support the show at https://wine52.com/mann
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In the wake of the Brexit referendum in 2017, Wes Streeting had only been an MP for two years... and had won two elections in as many years. In this month's Playback, we take you back to that time - away from the election spin of 2024 - to understand the man most likely to be Britain's new health secretary.
Would you be an MP, at a time when public trust in politicians has fallen to the lowest level in living memory? Could you dedicate yourself to your constituents, yet also make time for your family, fighting fires on social media and keeping the media on-side?
Wes Streeting, Labour MP for Ilford North since 2015, entered the fray in time to experience the Brexit vote, the murder of his colleague Jo Cox, and the Palace of Westminster coming under terrorist attack.
In this candid interview with Olly, he lifts the lid on day-to-day life as a young MP in the House of Commons, from his experiences adapting to the weird traditions of voting and speaking in the House, to the perils of navigating Westminster’s gossipy backstairs bars and their modern-day digital equivalents on WhatsApp...
Like politics beyond the headlines? Then discover what it's like on the campaign trail, as Olly spends a month with Lib Dem candidate Layla Moran for the 2019 election: https://www.modernmann.co.uk/new/candidate
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Sex scenes are a feature of modern filmmaking, yet require meticulous planning and sensitive handling in a post-#MeToo world.
Enter intimacy coordinator Lucy Fennell - whose credits include True Detective, All Of Us Strangers, and Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story. Navigating Hollywood power dynamics, she assists storytellers, whilst also protecting performers in their vulnerable moments.
In this eye-opening conversation with Olly, she reveals the techniques that prevent unwanted physical contact during simulated sex, explains how male and female directors sometimes react differently to her presence on-set, and considers what happens if and when an actor gets an erection…
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Meanwhile, in The Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart investigates BookTok, the TikTok subculture where users share book recommendations and reviews.
How significant has its impact been on the publishing industry? How has BookTok revived interest in older books? And can it be manipulated?
With the help of Literary Death Match’s Suzanne Azzopardi and creative consultant Miriam Robertson, Ollie reveals all… and puts their advice to the test.
Armed with a Ladybird classic, can Ollie establish a BookTok presence, self-publish his own opus (generated by AI, of course), and become the next Colleen Hoover?
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Elsewhere, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox fails to find out why comedian Sofie Hagen hasn’t had sex for eight years, but comprehensively answers a complex listener question: How does one train to become a sex therapist?
With the help of Jo Coker, Director of Therapy and Training Standards at COSRT, sex educator Gigi Engle, sex and relationship coach Lucy Rowett, and therapist Chantal Gautier, Alix unpicks the demanding training process psychosexual therapists undergo; discovers the broad range of issues their clients can present with; and explains why therapists must manage their own biases and emotional reactions to provide effective support.
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Finally, our Record of the Month showcases the soulful vibes of Jaz Karis, with her sultry Summer single ‘Tequila’, feat. Reekado Banks.
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SUPPORT THE SHOW:
We’re an independent podcast. We’re professionals. We only exist thanks to your financial contributions. THANK YOU.
🍺💰👉https://www.modernmann.co.uk/beer
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JOIN OUR DISCORD!
Olly is going to be answering your questions this month over on our Discord server. Sign up and join the MannFan community:
➡️https://discord.gg/SKHnY6ZB72
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CONTACT US
If you have a challenge for Ollie, a question for Alix, or some feedback for Olly; if you’d like to nominate yourself as a Mannbassador, or have a suggestion of a future interview for the show, just fill out our Feedback form:
✍️https://www.modernmann.co.uk/feedback
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… and we’ll see you on July 10th!
Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Alix Fox, Ollie Peart, Lucy Fennell, Jaz Karis. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: ‘Skies Over Cairo’ by Django Django. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2024.
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THIS EPISODE IS SUPPORTED BY READLY, the UK’s largest digital newsstand.
Discover thousands of top magazines, alongside Olly's favourites, with an exclusive THREE MONTH free trial, at https://readly.com/mann
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What’s it like when the person you’re closest to in the world isn't who you think they are?
Elizabeth* spent a year dating a man who provided only sketchy details about his life, but ingratiated himself into her friendship circle, her family and her home.
In this interview with Olly, she reveals how it felt to discover he was living a double-life, and how it’s affected her trust ever since...
This episode first appeared in March 2017. Now with an update from Elizabeth and remastered, we have paired this episode with our May 2024 episode, My Real Identity. Go listen now!
*we have changed her name to protect her identity
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Amazing, original true stories, trends and relationship advice from the multi-award winning podcaster Olly Mann. Plus a record of the month. What's not to like?
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Patricia never knew her birth parents. And she didn’t care to: adopted by a white family in Toronto, she felt awkward and embarrassed when people perceived her as Korean.
But, in her twenties, at the insistence of family and friends, she began a journey of discovery to uncover her roots: a bumpy ride that would take her to the other side of the world, into the arms of dubious private investigators, a fistfight, and institutional corruption.
In this poignant interview with Olly, Patricia explains how her sense of identity as a trans-racial adoptee has radically shifted - and reveals why, despite so much heartbreak, she considers herself lucky…
The Adoptee Mentorship Society are on Instagram @adopteementorship.
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Meanwhile, in the Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart ventures beyond his four walls to explore the trend for Forest School education.
What are the barriers preventing all parents and schools from embracing outdoor learning? How can society address the knowledge gap around nature-based education? And how does ‘risky play’ contribute to children's mental and physical well-being?
With the help of Mann-fan Katie, Ollie has the answers!
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Elsewhere, in a classic question from the Foxhole vaults, Alix Fox considers the best way to get kinky when you live in a small community. How can you best put together a voyeuristic MMF threesome… in the Isle Of Man?
If you have a trend you’d like to challenge Ollie to try, or a relationships question for Alix, submit it via the Feedback form on our website, https://modernmann.co.uk/feedback
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Finally, we’re getting ready for Summer with our Record of the Month, Belong Together by Mark Ambor 😎
Remember, our monthly magazine show relies on your support - so, if you enjoy our independent podcast, and want to help us to keep making it, please BUY US A BEER 🍻using the secure links on our website, https://modernmann.co.uk/beer
… and we’ll see you on 10th June!
x Olly, Alix, Olle & Producer Matt
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Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Alix Fox, Ollie Peart, Patricia Krijgsman-Wentzel, Mark Ambor. Producer: Matt Hill. Thanks: Maya Cederlund. Theme Music: ‘Skies Over Cairo’ by Django Django. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2024.
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Smuggling marijuana from Thailand to Alaska; trading illicit fuel in Nigeria; evading the law in France - Robert Stone did it all.
From one small fishing boat in the Bahamas he built up a veritable fleet of vessels - including a 6000-tonne oil tanker - devoted to his businesses empire.
In this incredible interview with Olly, Robert reveals what it was like to be making a million dollars per month, switching between dozens of aliases and risking his life on the high seas...
This interview first aired as Diving To Adventure in August 2018. We've paired it with I Was A Drug Dealer from this month - check it out now.
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Stu Otten was raised on a tough Liverpool estate, where drug-taking was rife, and established crime families enacted violent retribution.
Aged 17, he became a bar-room bouncer - and soon found himself dealing drugs, protecting human traffickers, and defending his territory in a turbulent turf war.
In this raw, insightful interview, Stu reveals to Olly the self-loathing, drug-induced hallucinations and spiritual awakening that led him away from his marriage, his city, and organised crime - and into seeking forgiveness from those he’d hurt the most.
Stu now works for Causeway, stepping in to prevent today’s young people from echoing his mistakes. Find out more about his work, and donate, via their website, https://www.wearecauseway.org.uk/
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Meanwhile, in the Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart examines how, in this election year, the war for our votes is being fought online - from A.I.-generated memes to disinformation campaigns.
How do MPs stay on top of fake news? How can social media users research who’s targeting them? And - eight years on from Donald Trump’s first Presidential election - how come foreign entities are still able to buy their way on to our Facebook feeds?
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Elsewhere, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox discovers ‘fraysexuality’, and asks if some men get off on… having STI swabs.
If urethral sounding does give you a kick, what’s the safest way to introduce it to your sex life? What are the downsides of a ‘doctors and nurses’ fetish? And IS ‘Cotton Eyed Joe’ by the Rednecks really about syphilis?
With the help of Sophie Cohen from House of Vixens and Dr Kareem Mahmoud from Flo, Alix has the answers…
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Finally, in music corner, our Record of the Month comes from Aberdeen punk rockers Cold Years, and their not-very-aptly-for-a-podcast-named new track, ‘Radio’ - from their forthcoming album, ‘A Different Life’.
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Thanks so much for listening! Our monthly magazine show relies on your support - so, if you enjoy our independent podcast, and want to help us to keep making it, please BUY US A BEER 🍻using the secure links on our website, https://modernmann.co.uk/beer
… and we’ll see you on 10th May!
x Olly, Alix, Olle & Producer Matt
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Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Alix Fox, Ollie Peart, Stu Otten, Cold Years. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: ‘Skies Over Cairo’ by Django Django. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2024.
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Dr Stuart Farrimond was a disillusioned Junior Doctor. Night-shifts, the grim reality of hospital life and emotional exhaustion were all taking their toll - but he was in denial about what might be killing him.
In this extraordinary interview with Olly, he explains how an eating disorder and an unexpected diagnosis derailed his career and his marriage - but also how, in the most desperate of circumstances, his life could still change for the better…
This interview first aired in 2018. Now remastered and with an update from Stuart, we've paired this episode with Am I Autistic? - if you have an episode from our past you'd like to recommend, let us know at modernmann.co.uk/feedback
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Lexi struggled to ‘read’ faces. She walked on her toes. She craved routine. She didn’t like her food to touch on a plate, and she was sensitive to light and sound.
But, until she was 27, she didn’t know she was autistic.
Lexi only took a test when - as a paramedic, grappling with erratic shifts and sleep disturbance - she sought help with anxiety and depression.
In this candid conversation with Olly, she considers the ‘trigger points’ for her struggles, explains her support system, and reveals how adjustments have seen her progress in her career and romantic relationships.
Content Warning: self-harm.
Find out more about autism from the National Autistic Society
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Elsewhere, in The Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart investigates the intersection of eSports and motor racing. Can platforms like iRacing truly replicate the physics, design, and engineering of real-world cars? Why don’t they use VR headsets? And how come more people don’t know about Max Verstappen’s gaming side-hustle?
With the help of Paul Crawford, Head of eSports at Motorsport UK, and sim-racer Jonny Elliot, Ollie discovers how (relatively) affordable home simulators might produce the next Will Byron…
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Meanwhile, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox - fresh from visiting Dennis Severs’ house in Shoreditch - tackles a bearded listener’s question of grooming… how can he minimise friction and tickles whilst going down on his wife?
With the help of ‘Celebs Go Dating’ sexpert Dr Tara, Alix considers the options - from flavoured lubes to beard oils - and explains why a German toy, Belou, might provide a viable alternative…
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Finally, our Record of the Month comes from the Isle of Wight’s Lauran Hibberd, whose single ‘2nd Prettiest Girl (In The World)’ is out now.
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GET IN TOUCH
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Thanks for listening! If you can afford to support the show financially, please buy us a beer - we put every penny back into producing this independent podcast just for YOU.
… and we’ll see you with a brand new episode on April 10th. x
Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Alix Fox, Ollie Peart, Lauran Hibberd. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: ‘Skies Over Cairo’ by Django Django. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2024.
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