12/9 - An Abortion

“There’s a huge amount of guilt about the decision that I didn’t feel that I had an option but to make.”

LISTEN: Apple // Spotify // Google // MP3 // RSS // TuneIn

Pippa spent eight months struggling to conceive her second child. Then, on the brink of beginning IVF, she discovered she was pregnant.

But, at ten weeks, she discovered there was a more than 99% chance that her foetus had Down's Syndrome. She and her husband Joe had already decided that, in this situation, they would have an abortion.

In this brutally honest conversation with Olly, Pippa explains how the experience left her feeling guilty, compromised, and unsupported; and how she still struggles to reconcile the fact that she chose to terminate the baby she had wanted so much…

The NHS has a page offering support for those considering termination for foetal anomaly here.

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Meanwhile, in the Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart, fresh from accruing sixty (60!) followers on Spotify with his musical pseudonym Captain Spronk - has spent the past month learning to knit.

Is this trend for young men taking up knitting limited to influencers like Tom Daley and Ryan Gosling? Where do hipsters go to discover the latest patterns? And can Ollie make an actual full-length SCARF on his first attempt?

With the help of Mann-fan Tom Adkins, Wool and the Gang, and some ancient episodes of The X Files, Ollie will reveal all…

If YOU would like to challenge Ollie to test out a trend on a future edition of the show, submit it via our feedback form.

Ollie catches up with The X Files

Ollie with his baby beanie AND snood!

The Zeitgeist is sponsored by Manscaped, the only men’s brand dedicated to below the waist grooming. Get 20% Off + Free Shipping, with the code ‘Mann’ at Manscaped.com

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Elsewhere, in the Foxhole, Alix Fox  is intrigued by the release of a male contraceptive device, the ‘Andro-Switch’ ring - and tackles a listener query from a lady who wants to know how she and her partner should refer to her vagina in bed.

Is there a catch-all term that’s fit for purpose? How should a couple begin an erotic conversation? And is ‘willy’ an acceptable designation for men?

If YOU would like to ask Alix a question of sex - you can remain anonymous if you wish - submit it via our feedback form.

The Foxhole is sponsored by Handy - a WiFi-enabled sex toy for men, designed and developed in Norway. For free express shipping, use our code ‘Foxhole' at TheHandy.com.

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Finally, our record of the month is the surprise new drop from Biffy Clyro - an epic six minuter! It’s called ‘Unknown Male 01’ 👇

This show is free to download, but it isn’t free to produce.

If you can afford to, please buy us a beer once per month - or as often as you like - using our secure, customisable form here. Thanks!

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We’ll see you again on October 10th.

LISTEN: Apple // Spotify // Google // MP3 // RSS // TuneIn

8/3 - The Unlucky Ones

Jo and Steve Peck with twins Harriet and Barney, May 2018

Miscarriages are the most common form of pregnancy loss - yet rarely get talked about in public.

Jo and Steve Peck suffered not one, not two, but recurrent miscarriages over the course of four years, before seeking private treatment.

In this searingly honest, compelling interview with Olly, they reveal the toll this took on their marriage, their work and their mental health - as they watched their friends begin families - gradually realising it may never happen for them.

LISTEN NOW:

• MP3

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Elsewhere, in this week’s Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart heads off for a ‘sound bath’ at the behest of Mann-fan Nicola Kelly, and learns about Tibetan bowls, crystal trance and his Chakra alignment.

Meanwhile, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox advises a gay teenager with I.B.S about his options for anal sex, and uncovers some unexpected titbits about Viagra.
 

The Foxhole is proudly sponsored by our friends at mycondom.com.
Use the code ‘FOXHOLE’ at Checkout to get 15% off your cart!

This week’s Lifehack comes courtesy of Matthew Brown, ‘Productivity Ninja’ at ThinkProductive.co.uk. His Top 3 tips on making the most of your time at work? Unchain yourself from email, keep your head down 9-6, and start the day with a book…
 

The Lifehack is sponsored by Podcast Lounge - the new podcatcher app for Windows 10 devices. Get your free trial at the Windows App Store now.
 

Finally, our Record of the Week is ‘Cacophony’ by Halona King. Enjoy:

Got a story for the show? A trends challenge for Ollie Peart? A sex question for Alix? An idea of a future guest? Get in touch using our Feedback form.

Love the show? Support us! Buy us a beer to say thank you. We use the money to make thirty quality episodes of the show every year and deliver them direct to your phone.

See You Next Tuesday!

* If you’ve been affected by miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy or molar pregnancy, the Miscarriage Association offers support and a pregnancy loss helpline: miscarriageassociation.org.uk/

7/10 - Hands-On Dad

Ben Ryan’s two year-old son, Sol, was born with a blood clot in his arm.

Following amputation, the medical advice was to wait until Sol’s third birthday before fitting a prosthetic that grabs. But former psychology teacher Ben saw the developmental benefit of acting much sooner...

In this astonishing interview with Olly, he recalls his rollercoaster of emotions when Sol was born; the sponge ‘arm’ he initially bodged together with cotton wool and Micropore tape; and how he learned to use 3D printing and CAD software to help Sol and other children around the world.

LISTEN NOW:

• MP3

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• Spotify

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• Stitcher

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Ben’s business, Ambionics, involves parents in early rehabilitation and ultimately aims to develop printable hydraulic arms for babies at low clinical cost. He’s a finalist in the 2018 Nesta Inventor Prize, and is currently seeking more funding.

Meanwhile, in this week’s Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart investigates the real meaning of his SMS exchanges with Olly, using ‘texting relationship analyzer’ app Crushh; tests out Sandow's fizzy cold brew coffee; and explores the trend for ‘fashion drops’. If you have a challenge for Ollie to try for our next season, reach out via our Feedback form.

Elsewhere, in an especially NSFW edition of The Foxhole, Alix Fox provides an erotic review of podcasts and audiobooks designed for aural foreplay. On the menu: Rose Carraway’s ‘Kiss Me Quick’; Girl On The Net’s audio hub; Peach Booth podcast ‘Sugarcast’; Bijoux Indiscret’s Orgasm Sound Library, and the Reddit Gone Wild collection. If you have a question of sex for Alix, submit it via our Feedback form today - you can remain anonymous if you wish.

Many thanks to MyCondom.com for their sponsorship of The Foxhole throughout this series. They have an incredible range of toys, lube and contraceptives at great value prices, and they dispatch in discreet packaging. Remember, you get 15% OFF your entire order if you use our discount code, ‘FOXHOLE’.

For this week’s Lifehack, food and drinks journalist Johanna Derry offers up her Top 3 tips on how to get the best meal when eating out - check the quality of the ingredients, don’t put up with a snooty atmosphere, and ignore the hype! 

Our record of the week, 'Next Day' from solo artist Inner Tongue, is out soon on Mount Silver Records. But you can check out his other great work now... here's the video for 'Teeth', also off his forthcoming debut album:

If you would like to sponsor a future edition of the show, or if you have a suggestion for a future guest, please be in touch via the Feedback form.

And, if you enjoy the show, please consider buying us a beer - you can do it monthly, as a one-off amount or via PayPal. Your donations keep us going, thirty episodes per year. Thanks!

That’s it for this season of The Modern Mann - we’ll be back for our eighth season on June 26th.