15/7 - I ₿ought A Football Club

“As long as I stay alive, I will get this club into the Premier League. Within two decades.”

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 in a French-flavoured edition of The Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart investigates the trends taking Paris by storm, including Loop earplugs, 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 - via Simon Kuper’s new book?

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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?

Amongst the possible solutions… seemingly niche apps like Feeld and Fab Swingers; Plenty of Fish, who have banned photo filters; and sex positive app Pure.

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Finally, music this month comes from lo-fi American popstress Clairo, and her 70s-influenced Summer single, Sexy To Someone from her new album, ‘Charm’ 📀

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15/6 - Negotiating Nudity: The Intimacy Coordinator

“I don’t look after people. I empower them to look after themselves”.

Sex scenes are a feature of modern filmmaking, yet require meticulous planning and sensitive handling in our 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 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 trade 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?

Lucy Fennell with Olly Mann, June 2024

📺 Watch Ollie’s TikTok debut here…

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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 tackles 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.  👇

SUPPORT THE SHOW:

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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:

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15/5 - My Real Identity

“Who's lying to me here? Am I being lied to now? Was I being lied to then? How do I even know this is true?”

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 can be found on Instagram @adopteementorship.

Thanks to Maya Cederlund for her help producing the interview.

Partricia came to her adoptive family in a cardboard box, on the first Korean Air flight to Canada, 1989.

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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 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 our Feedback form.

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Finally, we’re getting ready for Summer 😎 with our record of the month, Mark Ambor’s Belong Together 👇

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… And we’ll see you again on June 10th.

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This episode is sponsored by Readly.

Get your exclusive, three month trial of unlimited newspapers and magazines at readly.com/mann

This episode includes a paid advertisement for BetterHelp.

Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/mann and get on your way to being your best self.

15/4 - I Was A Drug Dealer

“I enjoyed the contact of it. I enjoyed punching other people just as much as I enjoyed being punched.”

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/ 

Stu Otten and Olly Mann, April 2024.

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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, in 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 Eye 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… 

If you have a question of sex you’d like Alix to answer, fill in the Feedback form. You can remain anonymous if you wish.

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Finally, for 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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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 🍻

… And we’ll see you again on May 10th.

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15/3 - Am I Autistic?

“I’m not ‘abnormal’! There’s something I can put a name to. There was a sense of relief.”

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.

This episode is sponsored by Readly, who are offering Mann-fans an exclusive, three month trial of unlimited newspapers and magazines. Get yours at readly.com/mann

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Meanwhile, 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…

The Zeitgeist is sponsored by our friends at BBC Maestro. Use the code MANN to get your 40% off your favourite video course or 40% off a subscription at https://bbcmaestro.com. Let the greatest be your teacher!

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Elsewhere, in 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… 

If you have a question of sex you’d like Alix to answer, fill in the Feedback form. You can remain anonymous if you wish.

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Finally, for 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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… And we’ll see you again on April 10th.

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