The Modern Mann

Blaine Harrison, lead singer of Mystery Jets, is also a ‘property guardian’, who lives and works in the capital’s empty commercial premises. For a while the entire floor of an office block on London’s Strand was his home. Each weekend he had a front-row seat as NHS marches, Brexit protests, Extinction Rebellion demos and Tommy Robinson rallies made their way past his window. In this thoughtful interview with Olly, he explains how what he saw on the streets inspired his songwriting. Mystery Jets’ new album, A Billion Heartbeats, is released April 3. --- Meanwhile, in The Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart considers how the current lockdown has prompted an unlikely rebirth for retro-gaming, VR, quiz apps and even ancient gaming platform Second Life. There’s also some chat about deckchair storage... If you have a suggestion of a trend Ollie can test - from his home in Dorchester, for now - get in touch via the Feedback form on our website, modernmann.co.uk. Thanks to our sponsors, Blue Microphones: we recorded this edition of the Zeitgeist on Blue Yeti X mics. --- Elsewhere, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox advises a listener who wants to know what issues may present themselves if he sources the HIV prevention drug PrEP from online suppliers based abroad. Alix consulted with the activist team at PrEPster, IWantPrepNow and Terrence Higgins Trust, and, for more about this topic, highly recommends checking out the work of Nathaniel Hall – who wrote a compelling play about contracting HIV via his very first sexual encounter – and following Jason Domino on Twitter. If you have a question of sex for Alix to answer in a future edition of the show, just visit our website, modernmann.co.uk and click Feedback. You can remain anonymous if you wish. --- Our Record of the Month is Bittersweet by Lianne La Havas - and, if you like that, get ready for the album, which drops 5th June. --- Wanna be a Mannbassador? Buy us a beer, or leave us a review on Apple Podcasts - and then send us an email to tell us about yourself. The Modern Mann is an independent podcast, and we rely on listener contributions to continue. If you can afford to support us financially, please send us a donation via our website, modernmann.co.uk - we’d massively appreciate it. Stay safe, keep well, and we’ll see you on May 1st. --- Presenter: Olly Mann. Producer: Matt Hill. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix Fox, Blaine Harrison, Lianne LA Havas. Theme Music: Django Django. Graphic Design: Jenny Mann Design. Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann, 2020. This episode of The Modern Mann is supported by Beer52. To get a free crate of ten delicious beers delivered straight to your door, visit Beer52.com/Modern See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scammers took £160,000 from Nick’s father in just eighteen months. He believed, in return, they’d send him gold, or stocks and shares, or even come to his home in Cyprus and begin a relationship with him. Instead, they just kept the cash. In a reflective, revelatory conversation with Olly, Nick recounts how he confronted his Dad, to prevent him burning through his pension - and the moment he realised that not all was as it seemed… Continuing the financial theme, in the Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart investigates the FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) movement. If he saves 50% of his earnings, can he live on his passive income? And, in the Foxhole, Alix Fox - fresh from a rope bondage class - advises a listener who wants to squeeze and stretch her boobs in the bedroom, without causing any long-term damage. Music this month comes from Mann-fan Sebastian Schub (himself interviewed on the show in Sep 2019), with his excellent debut single, Paradise. If you have a story to share in a future edition of the show, a challenge to set Ollie, or a question of sex for Alix, just visit our website, MODERNMANN.CO.UK, and click Feedback. If you’d like to be a Mannbassador, buy us a beer or leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and then send us an email to tell us about yourself. The Modern Mann is an independent podcast, and we rely on listener contributions to continue. If you can afford to support us financially, please send us a donation via our website - we massively appreciate it. --- Presenter: Olly Mann. Producer: Matt Hill. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix Fox, Sebastian Schub. Theme Music: Django Django. Graphic Design: Jenny Mann Design. Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann, 2020. This episode of The Modern Mann is sponsored by Beer52. To get a free crate of ten delicious beers delivered straight to your door, visit Beer52.com/Modern See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Layla Moran MP is fighting to keep her seat. There are trolls, there are threats, there are hostile journalists. And throughout the journey, as she campaigns in the 2019 general election... we are at her side. In this Modern Mann exclusive, host Olly Mann and producer Matt Hill accompany the Liberal Democrats’ rising star as she pounds the streets, battles her opponents, and goes public about her sexuality. From campaign launch to vote count, we learn what it takes to face the electorate in a divided nation. And, quite by accident, find ourselves documenting someone who may yet become leader of one of Britain’s major political parties... Elsewhere this episode, Ollie Peart tries out a trio of health trends in this month’s Zeitgeist - getting seriously sweaty at CrossFit, bouldering his way round a climbing course in Poole, and trying his hand at Ayurvedic massage. You’ll never dress your salad with sesame oil again. Meanwhile, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox advises a listener affected by inflammatory skin condition Lichen Sclerosus. Can a body-mapping app keep the heat in his relationship - even as he applies emollient to stop the burning? Perhaps, if he can uncover the ‘tiny everyday thrills’ of daily sensuality... (For more support about sex with LS, Alix recommends Sam Evans’ blogs for Jo Divine, and the Facebook group LS UK Awareness). Our record of the month is ‘Your Light’ by The Big Moon, from the album ‘Walking Like We Do’ - follow-up to their Mercury Music Prize nominated debut, ‘Love In The 4th Dimension’. If you enjoy this episode, please tell your friends - we’re @themodernmann on Twitter - or leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. And, if you can afford to support us financially, please buy us a beer. As an independent podcast, we can only make the show thanks to the generous support of listeners like you. Links on our website, MODERNMANN.CO.UK. We’ll be back on March 1 with a brand new episode. Happy February! Presenter: Olly Mann. Producer: Matt Hill. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix Fox, Layla Moran MP, Randa Moran, James Moran, Neil Fawcett, The Big Moon. Theme Music: Django Django. Graphic Design: Jenny Mann Design. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio Ltd 2020. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Clare Pooley gave up a booze-fuelled job in advertising - complete with a bar in the office and a massive expenses budget - when she became a full-time Mum to her three kids. But as she left the ladette lifestyle behind, she didn’t find herself drinking any less. In fact, she was polishing off ten bottles of wine per week, as she tells Olly in this confessional, compelling conversation... Clare’s book, ‘The Sober Diaries’ is out now. If YOU have a story you would like to share on a future edition of the show, contact us via the Feedback form on our website. Meanwhile, for this month’s Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart has been digitising the Prime Minister and trawling through clips of Olly on the Alan Titchmarsh Show to create a terrifying ‘deep fake’ hybrid. Is misinformation the future of news? And can AI services like Lyrebird and Resemble contribute something positive to the world of podcasting? If YOU would like to suggest a trend for Ollie to test out, contact us via the Feedback form on our website. Elsewhere, Alix Fox kicks off the one hundredth edition of The Foxhole with THE perennial penile puzzler: can pumps or pills give you greater length and girth down-below? She meets the man behind one of the world’s most popular extenders, and considers whether, sometimes, size concerns aren’t just about ‘locker room syndrome’, but may be a healthy expression of kink. If YOU have a question of sex for Alix to answer in a future edition of the show, just fill in the Feedback form on our website. Music this episode comes from Cavetown, with his charming song ‘Things That Make It Warm’; indisputably our first record of the month about birds building nests. Find the complete playlist of every song we’ve ever selected on our website. Remember, The Modern Mann is an entirely independent podcast, funded in part by your generous donations. If you’ve enjoyed our first one hundred episodes for free, and can afford to give financially to the show, follow the links on our website, MODERNMANN.CO.UK. See you for our next edition on 1st Feb. Happy New Year! Presenter: Olly Mann. Producer: Matt Hill. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix Fox, Clare Pooley, Cavetown, Hamish Grierson. Theme Music: Django Django. Graphic Design: Jenny Mann Design. Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2020. * This episode is sponsored by Thriva, the health-tracking finger prick blood test you do at home. Get 50% off your first kit by visiting Thriva.co and using the code Mann50. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Slade. Wizzard. Wham! When it comes to Christmas songs, we know what we like, and we like what we know. But is there a magical formula to writing a festive hit? Can a novice, armed with the right chords, instruments and lyrical motifs, unlock the secret and crack the Christmas charts? Last year, our very own Ollie Peart attempted to give it a go. This is his story. Including footage never previously broadcast, Olly Mann tracks Ollie’s journey in this feature-length documentary, as he consults music journalist Chris Lochery and songwriter Philippe-Marc Anquetil to discover the role of ‘freewriting’, the significance of writing in a major key, and the importance of ‘finding the line’. 'The Sounds Of Christmas' was released in December 2018 - but we’ve never announced its final chart position - or revealed how much money it made for charity - until now. There’s also a BRAND NEW 2019 MIX OF THE SONG for you to buy. Get it HERE: https://awal.lnk.to/vZwo1lF3 As before, Ollie’s share of the publishing rights, and every penny of artist royalties, go to Samuel’s Charity. Samuel's Charity work with underfunded children's wards in the UK to provide support and comfort to families. From supplying decent meals and internet access, to medical kit that makes children's live that much more comfortable, Samuel's Charity makes a positive difference to hundreds of family's lives at a very stressful time. If, after hearing Olly's interview with Samuel’s dad, Martin, you’d like to make the charity a festive donation, please do so HERE: https://www.totalgiving.co.uk/donate/samuels-charity Big thanks to all the podcasters who gave their time and participated in the song, including The Guilty Feminist, Do The Right Thing, Answer Me This!, Wannabe, The Tip Off, The Comedian’s Comedian, The Beef and Dairy Network, Fun Kids Radio, and For F1’s Sake. Remember, this whole mad enterprise began when Jim Taylor, occasional member of Reverend And The Makers, sent Ollie a challenge by filling in our Feedback form. If YOU have an idea of a trend for Ollie to investigate in our next season of The Modern Mann, contact us now at MODERNMANN.CO.UK - where you can also see the video Ollie made for the song, featuring Mann-fans from around the world. This episode is supported by Beer52.com - the UK’s No.1 beer club. Mannfans can claim a FREE case of beer, worth £24 at beer52.com/mann. Presenter: Olly Mann. Producer: Matt Hill. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Philippe-Marc Anquetil, Podcast All-Stars. Thanks: Louise Adams, Dani Linder, Mark Goodier. Theme Music: Django Django. Graphics: Jenny Mann Design, Terry Saunders. Copyright Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2019. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The legendary Foxhole XXXMas Quiz is the high-voltage highlight of our 2019 festive special, as Olly, Alix and Ollie gather round the Yuletide fire with special guest JC Stewart, some VR headsets and a crate of beer. Alix has outdone herself this year, with cheeky games involving gin and tonic lubricant, a haunted Fleshlight, and a harrowing round of ‘Squirtual Reality’. Meanwhile, in the Zeitgeist, Ollie reveals exactly how much money he can make pimping out his services on Fiverr, and investigates the trend for video-game coaching. Our record of the month, performed live under the mistletoe by JC Stewart, is ‘The Wrong Ones’, out now. We’ll be back to normal service on Jan 1 (with a special bonus Xmas episode on Dec 16). Until then, a very HAPPY CHRISTMAS to all the Mann-fans, everywhere. This one’s for you. Presenter: Olly Mann. Producer: Matt Hill. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix Fox, JC Stewart. Theme Music: Django Django. Graphic Design: Jenny Mann Design. Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2019. This episode is brought to you in association with Beer52, the UK’s No.1 craft beer club. Claim your free case of beer NOW at beer52.com/mann. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can martial arts save your life? Self defence instructor Kriss Pyke says they can - not just because the moves themselves offer protection in a skirmish, but because the physical confidence you gain deters opponents in the first place.Kriss’ views and teaching style are shaped by his own experiences at the sharp end of a vicious street attack, as he recounts to Olly in this month’s middle feature. In the Zeitgeist this episode, Ollie Peart investigates the trend for insect-based pet food, and prepares Olly a three course, insect based meal. How will the pair fare tasting their way through cricket onion bhajis, grasshopper green curry and mealworm Krispie cakes? Meanwhile, in this month’s Foxhole, Alix Fox announces her new role judging an adult toy competition - and tackles a question from a bisexual student teacher about to begin work at a conservative Catholic school. Are his liberal views on LGBTQ+ lifestyles compatible with Christian scripture? Music this month comes from pop-soul band The Foreign Arm. Hailing from San Antonio, Texas, their debut EP, The Reach, is out Nov 22nd.Remember, this show is supported by listeners like you. Please ‘buy us a beer’ - links on our website, MODERNMANN.CO.UK. Whilst you’re there, reach out via the Feedback form if you have a question of sex for Alix, a challenge to suggest to Ollie, a guest you’d like Olly to interview, or you’d like to become a Mannbassador. See you next when our CHRISTMAS SPECTACULAR drops on Dec 1st! This episode is brought to you in association with Thriva, the at-home fingerprint blood test. For £30 off your first Thriva kit visit thriva.co and use the code Mann30. Presenter: Olly Mann. Producer: Matt Hill. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix Fox, Kriss Pyke, The Foreign Arm, Hamish Grierson. Theme Music: Django Django. Graphic Design: Jenny Mann Design. Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2019. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Adrenalin, stress and composure is in the job description for a trauma surgeon. But how do doctors cope with routinely operating on patients with devastating injuries? Does it ever get easy to deliver difficult news?In this intimate conversation, Olly meets Dr. Allan Philp, chief trauma surgeon of Allegheny Health Network, Pennsylvania, and Mr Shehan Hettiaratchy, trauma lead surgeon for Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, to discuss alleviating anxiety, performing amputations - and how both men’s military background in Afghanistan has informed their work with civilian casualties. Elsewhere, in this month’s Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart investigates the trend for escape rooms - by designing and building his own, complete with terrifying deployment of ancient technology. Luckily, he’s roped in the services of escape room champion Sarah Dodd. Just watch out for those party poppers... Meanwhile, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox advises a couple with wildly different libidos on how to get their sex schedule back on track. Along the way, she considers couple’s counselling, dirty diaries, and ‘bossy massage’.Finally, our record of the month is ‘In Time’ by Self Esteem, solo project of former Slow Club singer Rebecca Taylor. It’s ace.Remember, this show is supported by donations from listeners like you. If you can afford to, please ‘buy us a beer’ - information on our website, MODERNMANN.CO.UK. Whilst you’re there, just reach out via the Feedback form if you have a question of sex for Alix, a challenge to suggest to Ollie, a guest you’d like Olly to interview, or you’d like to become a Mannbassador.See you when our next episode drops on November 1st.This episode is brought to you in association with Thriva, the at-home fingerprint blood test. For £30 off your first Thriva kit visit thriva.co and use the code Mann30. Presenter: Olly Mann. Producer: Matt Hill. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix Fox, Allan Philp, Shehan Hettiaratchy, Self Esteem, Hamish Grierson. Theme Music: Django Django. Graphic Design: Jenny Mann Design. Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2019. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sebastian Schub was 19 when he first experienced erectile dysfunction. But he wasn’t a big drinker. There was no clear medical cause, such as heart disease. However - like most men his age - he was an avid user of porn tube sites.Googling his symptoms, he discovered the Reddit ‘no-fap’ community, and diagnosed himself with PIED (‘porn-induced erectile dysfunction’). Spurning masturbation, he attempted to ‘reboot’ his brain… as he recounts to Olly in this frank, fascinating interview.Elsewhere this edition: Ollie Peart has been fishing, kayaking, foraging, wild-swimming, cliff-jumping, fire-building, and sleeping outside… all because Mann-fan Stefan in Coventry asked him to. Will his attempts at micro-adventuring inspire him to have a new outlook on life? Or did those poor fish die in vain?Meanwhile, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox meets the 'Queen of Farts', and considers how best to make a written approach to a professional dominatrix. (Offering a deposit, apparently, is a strong start.)Finally, our record of the month is ‘Love Song Too Late’, from 70s-inspired folk trio Moorby Jones. It’s from their album 'Past Continuous', out now. If you have a question of sex for Alix, a challenge to suggest to Ollie, or guest you’d like Olly to interview, please reach out via the Feedback page on our website, MODERNMANN.CO.UK Wanna be a Mannbassador? Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and/or buy us a beer - details on our website.See you when our next episode drops on October 1st! Presenter: Olly Mann. Producer: Matt Hill. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix Fox, Sebastian Schub, Moorby Jones. Theme Music: Django Django. Graphic Design: Jenny Mann Design. Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2019. This episode is brought to you in association with Beer52, the UK’s No.1 craft beer club. Claim your free case of beer NOW at beer52.com/mann. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With zero experience of beer-making, Tommy Barnes quit his safe, corporate London job to start his own beer business. As if that weren’t precarious enough, he located it in the Loire Valley - the heart of French ‘wine country’. In this entertaining conversation with Olly, Tommy recounts how he followed his business dreams, balanced the books and perfected his beer recipe - even in the face of en masse Gallic shrug. Tommy’s hilarious memoir, A Beer In The Loire, is out now (Muswell Press, £8.99). Elsewhere, in this month’s Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart prizes open his motherboard with a cheap screwdriver. Can he reboot his broken iPhone 4S, single-handed? Can the online fix-it community come to his aid? Or will this challenge go the way of his short-lived kefir concoctions? Meanwhile, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox advises a couple of lady listeners with cancer diagnoses how to recover their mojo post-chemotherapy. Alix also investigates the world of ‘squirting’ records, in particular the work of ‘super soaker’ Lola Jean. It’s nothing if not varied. Music this month comes from singer-songwriter LION and her haunting track, ‘Wolf’, out now. If you have a question of sex for Alix, a challenge to put to Ollie, or a guest suggestion for Olly, just reach out via the Feedback form on our website, MODERNMANN.CO.UK. If you’d like to become a Mannbassador, leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and/or buy us a beer - full details on our website. This episode is brought to you in association with Beer52, the UK’s No.1 craft beer club. Get a free case of beer now at beer52.com/mann. See you when our next episode drops, on September 1st. Presenter: Olly Mann. Producer: Matt Hill. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix Fox, Tommy Barnes, Lion. Theme Music: Django Django. Graphic Design: Jenny Mann Design. Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2019. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Private Investigator Bob Nygaard specialises in bringing psychics to justice. Fortune-tellers, who offer 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 who’s 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. Elsewhere this episode, Ollie Peart - fresh from stunning crowds with a hanky at London’s Underbelly - investigates the trend for contemporary magic in The Zeitgeist. Can he convince passing punters that he’s the next Dynamo? (When those punters are elderly boardwalkers in Weymouth, and the power of selective editing is harnessed effectively, it turns out that yes, he can). Meanwhile, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox advises a couple trying for a baby. Is it possible to combine romance, kink and conception? Alix reveals all. And then goes considerably further, with a NSFW story about a lady’s bottom. Music this month comes from atmospheric alt-rockers Palace, whose new album, Life After, is released July 12. The single is called ‘Running Wild’, and it’s out now. If you have a question of sex for Alix, a challenge to suggest to Ollie, or guest you’d like Olly to interview, please reach out via the Feedback form on our website, MODERNMANN.CO.UK. Head to our website now to see all the astonishing Mannbassador maps created by our listeners. If you’d like to become a Mannbassador, just leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and/or buy us a beer. This episode is brought to you in association with Thriva, the at-home fingerprint blood test. Get £25 off your first test at Thriva.co by using our code MANN. See you when our next episode drops on August 1st. Presenter: Olly Mann. Producer: Matt Hill at rethinkaudio.com. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix Fox, Bob Nygaard, Palace. Theme Music: Django Django. Graphic Design: Jenny Mann Design. Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2019. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jen Bricker was abandoned at birth by her biological parents. Due to a genetic defect, she had been born without legs. Her adoptive family showered her with love and self-belief. Inspired by her idol, Olympic gold-medalist Dominique Moceanu, she pursued gymnastics. She competed against able-bodied entrants at the Junior Olympics. She won a state championship. But an astonishing family secret was about to rock her world… Now 31, Jen is a gifted aerialist and trampolinist, who's performed in stadiums around the world and toured with Britney Spears. Her book, Everything Is Possible, has been translated into ten languages. --- Meanwhile, for this month’s Zeitgeist, Olly heads off to NYC with Ollie Peart to sample the trend for ube ice cream and experiment with real-time crime monitoring app, Citizen. If you’d like to see Ollie mess up a magic trick for his next challenge, come to the Best of British Podcast Awards show at The Underbelly in London on 16th June. --- Plus, what’s the best way to get kinky when you live in a small community? In this month’s Foxhole, Alix Fox assists a listener who wants to put together a voyeuristic MMF threesome - in the Isle Of Man... --- Finally, our Record of the Month is ‘The Cracks’, the second track taken from Another Sky’s upcoming EP Life Was Coming In Through The Blinds, out 14th June via Fiction Records. --- If you have a question of sex for Alix, would like to suggest a challenge for Ollie, or propose a guest for Olly to interview, please reach out via the Feedback form on our website, MODERNMANN.CO,UK. If you’re enjoying the show, please tell your friends on social media, or leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. And, if you’re able to support us financially, please buy us a beer - every penny goes back into making the show. Links on our website. --- • Speaking of beers - remember to get your free case of eight delicious beers from our sponsors Beer52 - just visit beer52.com/mann. • This episode is brought to you in association with Thriva, the at-home fingerprint blood test. Get £25 off your first test at Thriva.co by using our code MANN. --- Presenter: Olly Mann. Producer: Matt Hill. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix Fox, Jen Bricker, Another Sky. Theme Music: Django Django. Graphic Design: Jenny Mann Design. Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2019. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ben used to be a secondary school teacher. He isn’t anymore. In a brutally honest feature interview, he tells Olly his compelling story. Trigger warnings: see end of show notes Meanwhile, in this month's Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart takes Olly - and Milo, his faithful Jack Russell/Chihuahua - for a walk round Regent’s Park, to test out the trend for dog subscription boxes Tails and Buster, and training app Dogo. Elsewhere, down The Foxhole, Alix Fox explores a world of adoption alternatives, including surrogacy, egg-freezing, womb transplants and even artificial wombs. Our Record of the Month comes from veteran east London grime MC Ghetts, and his Ivor Novello-nominated track, Black Rose ft. Kojey Radical. If YOU have a story to share on a future edition, a sex question for Alix, a challenge to set for Ollie, or a letter to be read out on the show, just visit our website, MODERNMANN.CO.UK and click Feedback, and we'll be back with more on June 1st. • This episode is brought to you in association with Gazelle, the self-service phone recycling kiosk. • Enjoy the show? Support the show! Visit our website and click 'Beer Money'. Presenter: Olly Mann. Producer: Matt Hill. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix Fox, Ghetts. Theme Music: Django Django. Graphic Design: Jenny Mann Design. Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2019. Trigger warnings: suicide, grooming • If you’ve considered taking your own life, please remember that support is out there for you. In the UK, the Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tom Price and Stuart Goldsmith join Olly Mann once again to discuss the dilemmas faced by the modern Dad. How can you control a toddler who has no concept of time? Why aren’t Dads as good as Mums at making friends? When does your role as educator impinge on their imaginations? In this fifth instalment of our ‘How To Be A Dad’ series, our trio - whose sons are now three years old - swap stories about potty training, faith schools, Spotify playlists, and the ‘self-deleting baby years’ that repeat on you when your second child arrives... Want to hear more from Tom and Stu? Catch Tom hosting ‘Weekend Breakfast’ on Magic, and comedy panel show ‘The Leak’ on BBC Sounds; and subscribe to Stuart’s excellent podcast ‘The Comedian’s Comedian’ for an insight into comedy-writing and performing from some of the country’s top stand-ups. You can also catch-up with all four previous episodes of ‘How To Be A Dad’ at modernmann.co.uk/dads. Meanwhile, in the Zeitgeist, new homeowner Ollie Peart updates us on his car-wrapping and song-writing adventures, and sends off his DNA for analysis. Along the way, he discovers new relatives, reviews his tolerance for data breaches, and reveals how closely his genetics are shared with Olly’s… perhaps. Elsewhere, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox celebrates the arrival of ‘Januhairy’, advises a married couple about opening up the ‘back door’, and ponders why anal sex has become a habit for many heterosexuals. And, over in music corner, our Record of the Week is ‘High’ by Lokki, out now on Wolf Tone. That’s it for this season - we’re taking an extended break until the late Spring. But - if you have a suggestion for a guest we should interview, a trend Ollie should test, or a question Alix should answer in Season Ten, please head over to our website, MODERNMANN.CO.UK and fill in our Feedback form. Whilst there, click ‘Beer Money’ to support our show with a recurring or one-off donation. It’s only thanks to listeners like you that we can run this independent podcast - so, if you love the show, please chuck us some cash! See you in the Spring. Presenter: Olly Mann. Producer: Matt Hill. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix Fox, Tom Price, Stuart Goldsmith, Lokki. Theme Music: Django Django. Graphic Design: Jenny Mann Design. Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2019. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s Christmasssss!... well, nearly: so time is running out for our charity single, ‘The Sounds of Christmas’, to crack the UK festive Top 40. In this week’s Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart reveals the surprise celebrity friends who’ve added their weight to the campaign, whilst a generous Mann-fan blows our fundraising target out of the water. Meanwhile, Olly heads to St Andrew’s Church, Islington, to meet Reverend Jessica Swift, an inner-city vicar managing a diverse congregation; some reliant on food banks, others living in million-pound homes. As she explains, for the modern-day parish clergy, the Christmas season is as much about meetings and bookkeeping as it is miseltoe and wine. Elsewhere, in our very festive Foxhole, Alix Fox welcomes Ollie and Olly to sample some Lovehoney crackers, play a round of ‘Bango’, and a memorable game of ‘What’s That Smell?’ You’ll never look at a bag of popcorn in the same way again. Finally, our Record of the Week is a certain song by Podcast All-Stars called ‘The Sounds of Christmas’. You can and should support Samuel’s Charity by buying it now... We’ll be back in the first week of January (with our annual How To Be A Dad episode) - but, until then, Happy Holidays to all Mann-fans, everywhere. Presenter: Olly Mann. Producer: Matt Hill. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix Fox, Reverend Jessica Swift, Podcast All-Stars. Theme Music: Django Django. Graphic Design: Jenny Mann Design. Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2018. (e See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Actors with dwarfism rarely get cast in title roles, but in panto season there’s an obvious exception: the many major productions of ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarves’ staged across Britain. But what does the prevalence of this pantomime do to affect the lives of ordinary people with dwarfism, who aren’t performers? Activist and writer Eugene Grant, who has achondroplasia, believes if the first time most people see someone with dwarfism is on stage as a fairy-tale stereotype, it has a directly detrimental effect - as he explains to Olly in this insightful interview. Meanwhile, the moment has finally come: Ollie Peart presents the world premiere of ‘his’ Christmas single, ‘Sounds of Christmas’. He reveals the full list of podcasters taking part, details the extraordinary publishing rights, and explains his strategy to crack the UK Top 40. The single comes out on Friday, in support of Samuel’s Charity - and, as soon as it’s out, we’ll post a link on Twitter @themodernmann. Meanwhile, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox pays tribute to the doyen of homemade bondage furniture, and answers a question from a listener curious about exploring the world of ‘dub-con' - specifically, the simulation of non-consensual sex under the influence of drugs. Even if both parties want to go ahead, is there any safe and legal way to proceed? Finally, our record of the week is ‘Kitty Kitty’ by De Staat, out now. Enjoy the show? Support us! We’re an independent production and need your help to keep cranking out new content. Please consider buying us a beer via our website, MODERNMANN.CO.UK - just click ‘Beer Money’. And, whilst you’re there, if you’d like to share YOUR story on the show, if you have a challenge for Ollie, a question of sex for Alix, or anything else - just fill out the Feedback form. See You Next Tuesday! Presenter: Olly Mann. Producer: Matt Hill. Contributors: Eugene Grant, Ollie Peart, Alix Fox, De Staat. Theme Music: Django Django. Graphic Design: Jenny Mann Design. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2018. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Samuel was nine years old when he first asked his Dad, Martin, to raise some money for the other children on his ward to have some nicer meals. Samuel’s Charity is now registered, and has raised over £200,000 for under-funded children’s wards. In this moving interview with Olly, Martin explains why small charities are so very necessary, how even teaspoons and toasters can make a dramatic difference to the lives of unwell children, and how Samuel’s mission helps him cope with his grief. To donate to Samuel’s Charity, and find out more, visit samuelscharity.co.uk. Elsewhere, in The Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart has ventured on down to Shoreditch to test out the latest health fad… vitamin drips. And, as the competition for Christmas No.1 gets ever more intense, it’s time for him to lay down his vocals for ‘The Sounds of Christmas’. Shudder. Meanwhile, in this week’s Foxhole, Alix Fox advises a listener with a predilection for promiscuity. How should he manage his fantasies of ‘pozzing’ and ‘bug-chasing’ - engaging in deliberately unsafe sex to contract HIV - when in the cold light of day he’s disturbed by his risk-taking and concerned for his health? Finally, our record of the week is the ‘Marlow’ by Leytonstone alt-pop band Banfi. It’s available to stream now. Enjoy the show? Support us! We’re an independent production and need your help to keep cranking out new content. Please consider buying us a beer via our website, MODERNMANN.CO.UK - just click ‘Beer Money’. And, whilst you’re there, if you’d like to share YOUR story on the show, if you have a challenge for Ollie, a question of sex for Alix, or anything else - just fill out the Feedback form. See You Next Tuesday! Presenter: Olly Mann. Producer: Matt Hill. Contributors: Martin Leib, Ollie Peart, Alix Fox, Banfi. Theme Music: Django Django. Graphic Design: Jenny Mann Design. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2018. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Don’t you hate it when you forget a face? Spare a thought for the 1.5 million people in the UK suffering from developmental prosopagnosia - facial blindness. In its most acute form, they’re unable to recognise their friends, their family… even their own reflection. Dr Rachel Bennetts, psychology lecturer at Brunel University, specialises in researching facial processing disorders. In this fascinating interview with Olly, she explains what life is like for those who can’t follow the narrative of TV shows or recognise their colleagues - and why their brain is letting them down. Elsewhere this week, Ollie Peart tests out the latest home fitness trends in the Zeitgeist, including yoga-training app Asana Rebel, and on-demand fitness class Fiit. Plus, he updates us on his attempt to reach Christmas No.1. Can he get a record label to release ‘The Sounds Of Christmas’ in time for the festive charts? Meanwhile, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox - fresh from handcuffing herself to a shower in the interests of bodily pleasure - considers a question of self-exhibitionism from a Mannfan who loves to share nudie pics. What are the risks he exposes himself to when he, um, exposes himself? And is there a safer way to get a thrill than using sites like Tumblr and Temporarily Exposed? Our record of the week comes from all-new girl group 303. The track is called Whisper and it's available to stream now at our website: modernmann.co.uk/music. Enjoy the show? Support us! We’re an independent production and need your help to keep cranking out new content. Please consider buying us a beer via our website, MODERNMANN.CO.UK - just click ‘Beer Money’. And, speaking of beer - remember to get your free case of eight delicious beers from our sponsors Beer52 - just visit beer52.com/mann. If you’d like to share YOUR story on the show, if you have a challenge for Ollie, a question of sex for Alix, or anything else - just fill out the Feedback form on our website. See You Next Tuesday! Presenter: Olly Mann. Producer: Matt Hill. Contributors: Dr Rachel Bennetts, Ollie Peart, Alix Fox, . Theme Music: Django Django. Graphic Design: Jenny Mann Design. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2018. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do you win a game-show? Olly’s assembled a dream-team to find out: Fifteen To One grand finalist Will Howells, Chase question-setter Julia Hobbs and serial quizzer Jason Hill, who’s appeared on 14 shows including Pointless, Eggheads and Countdown. What’s the best way to get chosen by the production team? How do you swot up before the big day? How should you calm your nerves under pressure? How do you refine your strategy - and win big money? And what is the most coveted prize in quizzing? In this lively conversation, these three stalwarts from the Quiz League of London reveal their entertaining insider tricks and tips on everything from beating the wall on Only Connect to winning big cash via live-gaming apps like HQ and Cash Show. Elsewhere this week, Ollie Peart’s challenge to write a Christmas song has finally borne fruit, thanks to the excellent work of his ‘co’-writer Philippe Marc Anquetil. But can ‘The Sound of Christmas’ become a number one chart hit? Ollie has a plan… And, on this week’s Foxhole, Alix Fox takes an emotional HIV test, and advises a tall man who wants to have shower sex with his shorter wife - what are the best positions, toys and alternatives for them to get wet? Finally, our record of the week is ‘Tummy’ by Tamino, whom you can catch playing live in London on December 3rd. Remember, our show is free to download, but it isn’t free to produce. If you can afford to support us by buying us a virtual pint of beer - or a monthly donation via PayPal - just visit our website MODERNMANN.CO.UK and click ‘Beer Money’. Or, if you have a story you’d like to share on a future edition of the show, click ‘Feedback’ - the same place to head if you have a question of sex for Alix, a challenge for Ollie, or would like to nominate yourself as a Mannbassador. See You Next Tuesday! Presenter: Olly Mann. Producer: Matt Hill. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix Fox, Will Howells, Julia Hobbs, Jason Hill, Tamino. Theme Music: Django Django. Graphic Design: Jenny Mann Design. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2018. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Martha Adam was raped. For a week afterwards, she couldn’t even say the word. Couldn’t tell her parents what had happened to her. But she did report the assault - and faced hours of courtroom questioning that both embellished and undermined her trauma. In this wide-ranging conversation with Olly, Martha explains how these events restricted her lifestyle, affected her relationships, and made her question her own sanity. It’s what nobody tells you about rape. Elsewhere, for this week's Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart heads to Rotterdam to investigate the burgeoning trend for pod hotels - and learns exactly how many records you need to sell to be a Christmas No.1. Meanwhile, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox smells fondants in the bedroom (all a result of synesthesia, not gluttony), and advises a listener seeking out eco-friendly menstrual aids. And our record of the week is ‘Swim’, the debut single from Ontario quartet, Dizzy - and it's out now. If YOU - like Martha - have a story you’d like to share on the show, just visit MODERNMANN.CO.UK and click ‘Feedback’. That’s the same place to head if you have a question of sex for Alix, a challenge for Ollie, or would like to nominate yourself as a Mannbassador. And, whilst you’re there, click ‘Beer Money’ to help support the production of our independent podcast - all for the price of a pint of beer. Cheers! If you’ve been affected by the issues raised in today’s interview, Martha recommends the following organisations: Rape Crisis offers online resources and has a network of centres where survivors can access support: https://rapecrisis.org.uk/ My Body Back Project run clinics giving access to sexual health services for survivors. http://www.mybodybackproject.com/ Presenter: Olly Mann. Producer: Matt Hill. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix Fox, Martha Adam, Dizzy. Theme Music: Django Django. Graphics: Jenny Mann Design. Copyright Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2018 (edited) See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Suspended from 100 helium balloons, Tom Morgan flew 15.5 miles across South Africa, seated in a collapsible camping chair. And now he wants YOU to do it, too. Could this hare-brained scheme really be the future of adventure travel? Or is there more hope for his other concept - getting travellers to build their own biplanes out of plywood, to fly over the Pacific? In this chat with Olly, Tom explains how his serendipitous, risk-taking approach to travel begat the Mongol Rally - an event now entered by 400 teams each year - and his company The Adventurists. Meanwhile, in the Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart heads off to Poole in his trusty Peugeot 206 to investigate the trend for car-wrapping, and recruits a top-class Aussie music producer in his quest to reach Christmas Number One. And, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox enjoys an entertaining evening pondering vaginismus, and advises a listener who’s concerned she climaxes too quickly during penetrative sex. Our record of the week is the perky, synthy ‘U Got Me’ from East London foursome Free Money, out now on Communion Records. If YOU have a question of sex for Alix, a challenge for Ollie, or would like to suggest someone Olly should interview in a future edition of the show, just visit MODERNMANN.CO.UK and click ‘Feedback’. And, whilst you’re there, click ‘Beer Money’ to help support the show - for the price of a pint of beer. Cheers! Thanks to our sponsors, Beer52.com - the UK’s No.1 beer club. Mannfans can claim a FREE case of beer, worth £24, just by visiting beer52.com/mann. See You Next Tuesday. Presenter: Olly Mann. Producer: Matt Hill. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix Fox, Tom Morgan, Free Money. Theme Music: Django Django. Graphics: Jenny Mann Design. Copyright Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2018 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Shouting at Prime Ministers was off-limits at BBC Westminster before Paul ‘Gobby’ Lambert. He was the Producer who cried, ‘ANY MONEY IN THE BOX, CHANCELLOR?’ at George Osborne on Budget day and got Bill Clinton to talk to the News Channel by shouting, ‘OI, BILL!’. In this interview with Olly, Paul recalls how his inspired pursuit of Cherie Blair made several front pages, bemoans the current crop of journos who’d rather seek out sources on Twitter, and reveals how the murder of Milly Dowler affected his attitude to doorstep interviews. Meanwhile, in this week’s Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart test out the trend for home-made kefir, and uncovers the golden musical formula for Christmas hit-making. Perhaps. And, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox enjoys a ‘sex jog’ of London, and offers some sensational advice to a Mannfan who wants to bring sub/dom pursuits to the bedroom - without degrading or hurting her boyfriend. Our record of the week is the evocative and haunting ‘Put The Word Out’ by Joseph J Jones, out now on Communion Records. If YOU have a story to share, a challenge for Ollie, a sex question for Alix, or anything at all you’d like to send in for our consideration, please visit our website, MODERNMANN.CO.UK and click ‘Feedback’. Whilst there, click ‘Beer Money’ to send us a voluntary donation via PayPal or MoonClerk - we’re an independent production and every penny goes back into making the podcast. If you can afford to send us £3.60 per month - the average cost of a pint of beer in Britain - we’d sure appreciate it. And remember, the best way to support the show is to tell your friends all about us. We’re @themodernmann on Twitter, and, if you leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, that’s a great way to help others discover what we’re up to. See You Next Tuesday! Presenter: Olly Mann. Producer: Matt Hill. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix Fox, Paul ‘Gobby’ Lambert, Joseph J Jones. Theme Music: Django Django. Graphics: Jenny Mann Design. Copyright Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2018. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Stuart’s latest book, The Science of Spice, is published by Dorling Kindersley. He can be found on Twitter @RealDoctorStu. If you’ve been affected by an eating disorder, Dr Stu recommends these organisations, who may be able to help: BEAT: https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/- Anorexics and Bulimics Anonymous: http://aba12steps.org/aba-meetings/meetings/united-kingdom/ Men Get Eating Disorders Too: mengetedstoo.co.uk Meanwhile, in the Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart returns from diving into the North Sea, naked, with six hundred other people - and embarks upon his biggest challenge yet: can he record a Christmas song before the end of the series? Elsewhere, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox plays show-and-tell with a sexual souvenir from South Korea, and offers up her ‘Beginners’ Guide to Threesomes’ - plan ahead, ‘normalise tea-breaks’, and take along a pocket-watch… Our record of the week is ‘Better Late Than Never’, a perky slice of power pop from Mann-Fan Tim Jackson. It’s available to stream now. If YOU have a story to share, a challenge for Ollie, a sex question for Alix, or anything at all you’d like to send in for our consideration, please visit our website, MODERNMANN.CO.UK and click ‘Feedback’. Whilst you’re there, click ‘Beer Money’ to send us a voluntary donation via PayPal or MoonClerk and keep the show on the road. We’re an independent production and every penny goes back into making the podcast. If you can afford to send us £3.60 per month - the average cost of a pint of beer in Britain - we’d sure appreciate it. And remember, the best way to support the show is to tell your friends all about us. We’re @themodernmann on Twitter, and, if you leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, that’s a great way to help others discover what we’re up to. See You Next Tuesday! Presenter: Olly Mann. Producer: Matt Hill. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix Fox, Dr Stuart Farrimond, Tim Jackson. Theme Music: Django Django. Graphics: Jenny Mann Design. Copyright Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2018. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sperm donors are anonymised in British clinics. Recipients don’t even get to see a photo of the man who will father their child. Donor-conceived kids can only discover the identity of their biological father upon reaching adulthood themselves. But Mitch Kennedy is a private donor. His sperm has been used by 23 couples - and he’s met them all. In most cases, he’s slept in their spare room during the conception. He has around 40 children. In this fascinating interview with Olly, Mitch explains the logistics of his bespoke donation process, the legalities of his paternal responsibilities, and the ‘dark cloud’ that deters him from donating to hetrosexual couples. Elsewhere, Ollie Peart weighs up the benefits of low-impact exercise in this week’s Zeitgeist, putting the trends for ‘backwards running’, trampoline parks and Bouncersise under the microscope. Meanwhile, in this week’s Foxhole, Alix Fox chooses her top sex subscription boxes from Boxx, Project Lingerie, The Pink Parcel and Lovehoney. And Ollie and Olly try whipping each other with a ‘50 Shades’ keychain. It’s all very erotic. In this week’s Lifehack, Josh Ebsworth of Howard’s Meat Co offers up his Top 3 tips on how to make a great barbeque. And finally, this week’s Record of the Week is ‘Wildin’, by Berhana, available to stream now. That’s it for this season of The Modern Mann, but if you enjoy the show, please SUPPORT US in one of three great ways: Subscribe A Friend! Take their smartphone, subscribe to our show, and recommend them an episode they will enjoy. Review us on Apple Podcasts! Every rating helps us climb the chart and be more visible to others. Send us some Beer Money! For the price of a pint of beer, you can really make a material financial difference to the budget for our show. Full details on our website, modernmann.co.uk. Thanks to the sponsors who have helped fund this series, Podcast Lounge & MyCondom.Com. If you’d like to sponsor our next season, be in touch. We’ll return on 23rd October, see you then! Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix Fox, Mitch Kennedy, Josh Ebsworth, Berhana. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: ‘Skies Over Cairo’, by Django Django. Graphic Design: Jenny Mann Design. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2018. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At 25, YouTube star Hannah Witton suffered acute abdominal pain. She’d had a decade in remission from ulcerative colitis, but the episode was so severe she opted to have surgery to remove her colon. Now, she’s readjusting to life with an ileostomy bag. As she reveals to Olly in this open-hearted interview, that means recalibrating her attitude to sex, body confidence and her role in the YouTube community. You can see and hear more of Hannah at hannahwitton.com. Elsewhere this episode, smoothly-manicured Ollie Peart has been hanging around in a vineyard for this week’s Zeitgeist. Can English wine really live up to the hype? Or is the French stuff just… better? Naturally, a tasting is in order. Meanwhile, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox advises Mann-fan Chris about the best remedy for his tight foreskin. Can condoms and lube provide a solution, or is full circumcision the only alternative? And, for this week’s Lifehack, photographer and video producer Ed Prosser reveals his top tips for how to get a perfect selfie: consider your use of angles, harness the power of natural lighting, and, whatever you do, don’t use a f-ing selfie stick. You can see more from Ed at edprosser.com Finally, our record of the week is ‘Call Failed’ by Garren Sean, out now. If YOU’D like to suggest a challenge for Ollie, have a question of sex for Alix, or want to share your story on the show, get in touch via the Feedback form on our website, modernmann.co.uk. And, whilst you’re there, click ‘Beer Money’ to donate £3.60 per month - the average price of a pint of beer in Britain - to help us produce thirty quality episodes per year. Thanks! Thanks too to our sponsors for this episode: - MyCondom.com. They have a superlative selection of condoms, lube and toys - and remember to use our special code ‘FOXHOLE’ to get 15% OFF at Checkout! - Podcast Lounge - the new podcatcher app for Windows 10 devices. Get your free trial at the Windows App Store now. See You Next Tuesday! Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix Fox, Hannah Witton, Ed Prosser, Garren Sean. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: ‘Skies Over Cairo’, by Django Django. Graphic Design: Jenny Mann Design. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2018. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Working aboard Disney’s cruise ships requires a commitment to customer service, a never-fading smile, and a mastery of ‘the Disney point’. But for Andy Young - a twentysomething bartender on Disney Wonder in 2002 - it also served as an introduction to excessive drinking, clandestine romps and a salary of just $26 per fortnight, plus tips... Elsewhere this week, Ollie Peart travels to Paris to investigate the trend for ‘floating’ Bird scooters - dockless adult scooters hired via smartphone - and quietly lets slip that his social media detox may have come to an end. Meanwhile, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox furnishes listener Craig in Richmond, Virginia with some tips for his forthcoming pre-wedding ‘sex-fast’. What is 'Kunyaza'? And is it a good idea for a couple to keep their hands off each other’s bodies as prolonged foreplay before their marriage nuptials? This week’s Lifehack is brought to you by Lara Morgan, co-founder of aromatherapy-based company Scentered, with advice on how to maximise the world of fragrance to have a happier life. Finally, our record of the week is ‘Maddy’ by Jackie Cohen, out now on Space Bomb Records. If YOU’D like to suggest a challenge for Ollie, have a question of sex for Alix, or want to share your story on the show, get in touch via the Feedback form on our website, MODERNMANN.CO.UK. And, whilst you’re there, click ‘Beer Money’ to donate £3.60 per month - the average price of a pint of beer in Britain - to help us produce thirty quality episodes per year. Thanks! Thanks too to our sponsors for this episode: - Beer52.com - the world’s most popular monthly craft beer discovery club. Get a FREE CASE of beer, worth £24, delivered direct to your door by taking out a free trial now at beer52.com/mann. - The Foxhole is sponsored by our friends at MyCondom.com. They have a superlative selection of condoms, lube and toys - and remember to use our special code ‘FOXHOLE’ to get 15% OFF at Checkout! - 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. See You Next Tuesday! Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix Fox, Andy Young, Lara Morgan, Jackie Cohen. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: ‘Skies Over Cairo’, by Django Django. Graphic Design: Jenny Mann Design. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2018. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 globetrotting 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. Elsewhere on this week’s show, Ollie Peart reports back on his attempts to become a ‘Wiki Master’ for this week’s Zeitgeist. You’ll never look at a pair of ticket-nippers the same way again... Meanwhile, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox assists a listener who wants to boost his libido, and considers: is having a low sex drive necessarily a problem at all? The Foxhole is sponsored by our friends at MyCondom.com. Use the code ‘FOXHOLE’ to get a slippery, sensual 15% OFF at Checkout! This week’s Lifehack comes courtesy of digital marketer Kobi Omenaka, with his top 3 tips on how to promote yourself, or your fledgling business, online: cultivate your email list, double-down on just one single social media channel, and set up tracking codes as soon as you can. For more from Kobi, check out his website, kobestarr.io. 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 ‘Ready To Run’, by Canadian synthwave group La Force - available to stream now, thanks to Arts and Crafts. If you’d like to suggest a challenge for Ollie, if you have a question of sex for Alix, or you’d like to share your story with Olly, get in touch via the Feedback form on our website, MODERNMANN.CO.UK Thanks to our sponsors for this episode, Beer52.com - the world’s most popular monthly craft beer discovery club. Get a FREE CASE of beer, worth £24, delivered direct to your door by taking out a free trial now at beer52.com/mann. And, if you’re able to support the show - please do. For the cost of just one pint of beer per month you can help us create thirty quality episodes per year. Visit our website and click ‘Beer Money’. Thanks. See You Next Tuesday! Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix Fox, Robert Stone, Kobi Omenaka, La Force. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: ‘Skies Over Cairo’, by Django Django. Incidental music: Kevin MacLeod. Graphic Design: Jenny Mann Design. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2018. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Michael Bunting always wanted to be a police officer. He qualified aged 19, with his Dad’s old Constabulary collar number. Then, one Summer Sunday evening, his life changed forever. Whilst attempting to detain a violent suspect, he was severely beaten. He kicked out - and was charged with common assault. As he recalls in this compelling conversation with Olly, this one moment lead to a two-year ordeal, culminating behind bars at HMP Armley, where his fellow inmates chanted ‘Slaughter The Pig’... Elsewhere on this week’s show, Ollie Peart heads down to the canal to investigate the trend for millenials to live on house-boats - and uncovers a world of communal living, technological sacrifices and ‘cassette toilets’. Meanwhile, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox provides an explainer on polycystic ovaries, and advises a listener whose friend intentionally deceives sexual partners about her infertility. The Foxhole is sponsored by our friends at MyCondom.com. Use the code ‘FOXHOLE’ to get a moist and willing 15% OFF at Checkout. This week’s Lifehack comes courtesy of Alex, bar manager for Beany Green South Bank - with his Top 3 tips on how to make the perfect margherita: buy the finest white Tequila, use agave syrup rather than brown sugar, and always ensure your lime juice is freshly squeezed. 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 ‘Water Run’, from Californian psych-rock outfit Fine Points, out now on Caroline Records. If you’d like to suggest a challenge for Ollie, if you have a question of sex for Alix, or you’d like to share your story with Olly, get in touch via the Feedback form on our website, MODERNMANN.CO.UK And, if you’re able to support the show - please do. For the cost of just one pint of beer per month you can help us create thirty quality episodes per year. Visit our website and click ‘Beer Money’. Thanks. See You Next Tuesday! Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix Fox, Michael Bunting, Fine Points. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: ‘Skies Over Cairo’, by Django Django. Graphic Design: Jenny Mann Design. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2018. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Russia Today is one of Britain’s most controversial TV networks. Backed by the Kremlin and based in Moscow, its London newsroom portrays Russia more positively than the mainstream media, and broadcasts an alternative take on current events generally. But RT has been accused of distributing propaganda and ‘fake news’, and has been found in breach of broadcasting rules. Joana Ramiro worked for RT’s web-team, hoping she could originate meaningful journalism aligned with her left-wing perspective. But, as she explains to Olly, she instead found herself in a world of clickbait, ‘churnalism’ and ‘editorial mellowing’. Elsewhere, in this week's Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart explores the trend for flexitarian burgers; considering the US offerings from Beyond Burger and Impossible Burger. At Dirty Bones in Shoreditch, Ollie and Olly wrap their lips around a vegan Moving Mountains B12 burger - and compare it to the restaurant’s original, non-vegan Mac Daddy. Can it compete? Meanwhile, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox - fresh from being crowned ETO’s Sexpert of the Year, no less - considers a question from a listener who wants to know whether he should be cleaning his sex toy with the powder provided by the sex shop - or whether plain old baby powder would do the trick. The Foxhole is sponsored by our friends at MyCondom.com. They sell a sexually liberating range of prophylactics and lube - and remember, by using our code ‘FOXHOLE’ at Checkout, you can get 10% OFF your whole order! This week’s Lifehack comes courtesy of digital marketing supremo Leanne Hickey, offering up her top tips on how to improve your experience of dating apps: don’t ask boring questions, never message people after 10pm, and always post a real, unfiltered photo of your face! 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 Somnambulist, from indigenous Canadian outfit nêhiyawak - and it’s got lots of guitars in it. If you’d like to suggest a challenge for Ollie, if you have a question of sex for Alix, or you’d like to share your story with Olly, get in touch via the Feedback form on our website, MODERNMANN.CO.UK And, if you’re able to support the show - please do. For the cost of just one pint of beer per month you can help us create thirty quality episodes per year. Visit our website and click ‘Beer Money’. Thanks. See You Next Tuesday! Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix Fox, Joana Ramiro, Leanne Hickey, nêhiyawak. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: ‘Skies Over Cairo’, by Django Django. Graphic Design: Jenny Mann Design. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2018. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does it take to be an Olympic champion? Performance Scientist Dr Steve Ingham knows: he’s supported over 1000 athletes, including Steve Redgrave, Matthew Pinsent and Jessica Ennis-Hill. In this insightful interview with Olly, he reveals how the tiniest details of an athlete’s training programme, the words and music used to motivate them, and even the occasional exposure to injury and failure combine to create a world-class performance. Meanwhile, in The Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart considers the phenomenal growth of ‘robocalls’ in the USA - and wonders whether this trend will soon infiltrate the UK too. In this week’s Foxhole, Alix Fox advises a listener who wants to bring sensory deprivation into the bedroom. How should one go about introducing cuffs, blindfolds, and pinwheels to a less enthusiastic partner? The Foxhole is sponsored by our friends at mycondom.com - use the code ‘FOXHOLE’ for 15% off at Checkout. Elsewhere, for this week’s Lifehack, Amanda Keetley from LessPlastic.co.uk offers up her Top 3 tips on how to eliminate single-use plastic from your life. 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 ‘Wrestling’ by Self Esteem. It’s the best thing to come out of Margate for decades, and it’s available to stream now. If you’d like to suggest a challenge for Ollie, if you have a question of sex for Alix, or you’d like to share your story with Olly, get in touch via the Feedback form on our website, MODERNMANN.CO.UK And, if you’re able to support the show - please do. For the cost of just one pint of beer per month you can help us create thirty quality episodes per year. Visit our website and click ‘Beer Money’. Thanks. See You Next Tuesday! Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix Fox, Steve Ingham, Amanda Keetley, Self Esteem. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: ‘Skies Over Cairo’, by Django Django. Graphic Design: Jenny Mann Design. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2018. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Miscarriages are the most common form of pregnancy loss - yet are rarely 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. 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. If YOU have a trends challenge for Ollie to try out, head to our feedback page at modernmann.co.uk. 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. If YOU have a sex question for Alix Fox, head to modernmann.co.uk and fill in our feedback form - you can remain anonymous if you wish. 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. Love the show? Support us! Please consider buying us a beer, sponsoring an episode, or leaving us a review wherever you get your podcasts. All links on our website, MODERNMANN.CO.UK 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. Visit them at miscarriageassociation.org.uk/ Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix Fox, Jo and Steve Peck, Matthew Brown, Halona King. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: ‘Skies Over Cairo’, by Django Django. Graphic Design: Jenny Mann Design. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2018. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Claustrophobia, panic attacks, and hyperventilation can feel even more acute at 35,000 feet. Perhaps that’s why some aviophobics never get as far as buying plane tickets, and spend a lifetime making awkward train journeys instead. Anna P - Team Leader on Virgin Atlantic’s Flying Without Fear course - says she can help passengers with even the most debilitating nerves overcome their fears. And she should know. As she reveals to Olly and journalist Rebecca Gillie in this candid chat, she once herself suffered from extreme anxiety. After one traumatic experience, she didn’t board a flight for eighteen years. Find out more about Anna’s course at flyingwithoutfear.co.uk. You can also hear more of Rebecca talking to Olly on ‘The Week Unwrapped’, wherever you find your podcasts. Elsewhere, in this week’s Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart has returned from Europe’s largest VR experience with a spanking new Oculus Go. But the future, he maintains, is not in gaming and synthesised rollercoasters, but instead in Melody VR’s live music experiences and burgeoning social media simulacra. If YOU have a trends challenge for Ollie to sample, visit modernmann.co.uk, and click Feedback. Down the Foxhole, Alix Fox - fresh from discovering "open arse-fruit" at Ottolenghi’s new Rovi restaurant - advises a listener who is attempting to conceive about the best lubricants for the purpose. ‘You want those swimmers’, she surmises, ‘to vroom-vroom as if they’re in their Bimmers’. Who could disagree? If, by contrast, you are keen to avoid a pregnancy, look no further than the exciting emporium operated by our friends at mycondom.com, proud sponsors of The Foxhole. Just use the code ‘FOXHOLE’ to get an astonishing 15% OFF at Checkout! This week’s Lifehack comes courtesy of Dr Jessica Barker from Redacted Firm, who offers up her Top 3 tips for staying safe online - protect your passwords, switch on two-factor authentication and be very very wary of public wi-fi! 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 ‘Arc en Ciel’ by Polo et Pan, out now on Universal. Nice. Enjoying the show? Support us! Please consider buying us a beer, sponsoring an episode, or leaving us a review wherever you get your podcasts. All links on our website, MODERNMANN.CO.UK See You Next Tuesday! Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix Fox, Anna P, Rebecca Gillie, Dr Jessica Barker, Polo et Pan. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: ‘Skies Over Cairo’, by Django Django. Graphic Design: Jenny Mann Design. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2018. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With zero experience running a professional kitchen, home cook Robert Maxwell poured his life savings into his passion project: a gastropub-inspired Toronto restaurant. It became a crash-course in coping with stress, managing his cashflow, and curbing his ego. In this funny, forthright interview with Olly, Robert reveals how chasing his dream led to him selling his house, hitting the bottle and falling out of love with the thing he loved the most... cooking. Meanwhile, in this week’s Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart considers whether or not he is a B.U.M.M.E.R after reading Jaron Lanier’s new book, ‘Ten Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now’. If you have a Challenge for Ollie, visit MODERNMANN.CO.UK and click ‘Feedback’ to submit your idea. Elsewhere, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox - fresh from co-hosting Radio 1’s new podcast ‘Unexpected Fluids’ - advises a Mann-fan on the best techniques for couples to get jiggy… when you’re both fat. If YOU have a question of sex for Ms. Fox, visit MODERNMANN.CO.UK and click ‘Feedback’ to submit it - you can remain anonymous if you wish. We’re delighted that, for another series, The Foxhole is brought to you in association with our friends at MyCondom.com - remember to use our discount code ‘FOXHOLE’ to get 15% OFF your basket at Checkout. In this week’s Lifehack, discover some top tips on how to meditate, courtesy of Zoe from The Refinery, Hackney. 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 a stonking track for the Summer - ‘Violet City’ by Mansionair, available to stream courtesy of Glassnote Entertainment. Enjoying the show? Support us! Please consider buying us a beer, sponsoring an episode, or leaving us a review whether you get your podcasts. All links on our website, MODERNMANN.CO.UK. Thanks to Toronto Life, who first published an article by Robert Maxwell, thereby bringing his story to our attention. If YOU have a story you’d like to share, visit MODERNMANN.CO.UK and click ‘Feedback’ to drop us a line. See You Next Tuesday! Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix Fox, Robert Maxwell, Zoe Bertali, Mansionair. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: 'Skies Over Cairo' by Django Django. Graphic Design: Jenny Mann Design. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2018. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 botched 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. 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. Discover more at amibionics.co.uk. 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 the next season of the Modern Mann, reach out via the ‘Feedback’ form on our website. 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 the ‘Feedback’ form on our website. 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! You can find more from Johanna on Twitter @johanna_derry. 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 at innertongue.com. That’s it for this season of The Modern Mann - we’ll be back for our eighth season on June 26th. 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 on our website. 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 are what keeps the show going, thirty episodes per year. All the links are on our website, ModernMann.co.uk See You Next Month! Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix Fox, Ben Ryan, Johanna Derry, Inner Tongue. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: 'Skies Over Cairo' by Django Django. Graphic Design: Jenny Mann Design. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2018. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Former investment banker Nicola Lewis likes to organise. Which is just as well, because the demand for decluttering has never been higher. Her clients might be coping with a bereavement, and the resultant truckload of unwanted furniture; or just moving house after decades of unintentional hoarding. As she explains to Olly in this laid-back chat, Nicola's skills lie in helping folks decide what to keep, what to donate, and what to throw out… You can discover more at thisgirlcanorganise.com. Elsewhere this episode, Ollie Peart returns from trying his hand at a spoken word evening to flag up this week’s trends in The Zeitgeist. To wit: the return of the bucket hat, and a revival in passive-view telly… in an internet browser. Meanwhile, in this week’s Foxhole, Alix Fox considers the internal workings of the clitoris, and whether a trans-man’s clit might continue to expand inside his body as a result of taking testosterone. (The Foxhole is, as ever, proudly sponsored by our friends at MyCondom.com. Remember to use the discount code ‘FOXHOLE’ to get 15% OFF). In this week’s Lifehack, Natasha from RemyHairClub reveals her Top 3 tips for choosing a wig: select your material carefully, bear the climate in mind and scan social media for inspiration. For more from Natasha, check out @remyhairclub on Instagram. Finally, our record of the week is by rising LA producer Hoodboi. It’s called Long Distance, and it’s the third single from his upcoming EP, out May 22nd on Fool’s Gold records. If you have an idea for a future guest, a challenge suggestion for Ollie, a question of sex for Alix - or any other feedback you’d like to share - please visit our website, ModernMann.co.uk, and click Feedback. If you can afford to make a regular donation to the show, you’ll find our Beer Money links there, too. And, if you enjoy the show, please vote for us in the British Podcast Awards at BritishPodcastAwards.com/Vote. Thanks! See You Next Tuesday. Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix Fox, Nicola Lewis, Natasha Lombe, Hoodboi. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: 'Skies Over Cairo' by Django Django. Graphic Design: Jenny Mann Design. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2018. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Professional dancer Raquel Meseguer had back surgery at the age of thirty, to treat chronic neuropathic pain. But it didn’t alleviate her symptoms. In this insightful interview with Olly, she explains how this bombshell has impacted upon the daily practicalities of her life, why she doesn’t feel welcome in our ‘vertical culture’, and how well-meaning members of the public have repeatedly shamed her for committing the cardinal sin of... lying down. If you’d like to find out more about Raquel’s quest to establish a network of public resting spaces, visit uncharteredcollective.com In this week’s Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart ponders the emergence of trendy ‘microbrands’ on Instagram, reveals a surprising sensitivity to salt, and undertakes a challenge to test the best recipe boxes on the market. (On the list: Hello Fresh, Gousto, Mindful Chef, Born And Bred and Bakedin). Meanwhile, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox is back on Bumble but avoiding ‘The Tinder Trance’, and ready to advise a listener keen to explore the world of tantric sex. The Foxhole, as ever, is sponsored by our friends at MyCondom.com - visit their store to get your mitts on an astonishing range of condoms, lubes and toys; and remember to use our code ‘FOXHOLE’ to get 15% OFF. In this week’s Lifehack, Jenni Gwiazdowski of the London Bike Kitchen offer up her Top 3 tips on keeping your bike happy - pump your tyres, clean your chain, and take your bike into the shower (really). To hear more from Jenni, check out her podcast ‘Wheel Suckers’. Finally, our record of the week is ‘Glue’, by Toronto-based band Bernice - you can stream it online now. If you’d like to propose a trend challenge for Ollie, a question of sex for Alix, or a guest suggestion for Olly, just head on down to the Feedback page at MODERNMANN.CO.UK. There you’ll also find links to subscribe to the show, review us on iTunes, donate ‘beer money’ or offer your services as a future sponsor. Thanks. This week’s show is supported by Harrys. Alix Fox uses their razors on her muff. To get started shaving with Harry’s today, claim your Trial Set for £3.95. It includes a razor handle, 5-blade cartridge, foaming shave gel and travel blade cover – all delivered to your door - and is available via Harrys.com/mann See You Next Tuesday! Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix Fox, Raquel Meseguer, Jenni Gwiazdowski, Bernice. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: 'Skies Over Cairo' by Django Django. Graphic Design: Jenny Mann Design. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2018. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Being in a band - on a world tour - is the stuff rock n roll dreams are made of. But the modern reality is a corporate concern, involving hundreds of people, all separated from their families. Surviving is an art in itself. Tom Meadows is a freelance drummer who's worked with Girls Aloud, Duffy, Leona Lewis, and - for the past nine years - Kylie Minogue. What are his top tips to keeping your cool when you're out on the road? And to what extent does he think Pink Floyd's 'Ten Commandments of Touring' mantra stacks up in the modern era? Elsewhere this week, Ollie Peart - standing beneath a mid-sized billboard of his own face - champions 'FaceGyms', and mines his own data with typical journalistic rigour. If you have a challenge for Ollie or a trend you'd like him to explore in next week's Zeitgeist, get in touch via our Feedback page at ModernMann.co.uk Meanwhile, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox recounts how a list-based podcast brought her together with Gail Porter, and advises a male listener who wants to spend more time wearing women's panties. If you have a question of sex for Alix, get in touch via our Feedback page at ModernMann.co.uk Thanks once again to MyCondom.com for their sponsorship of the Foxhole - remember, if you want condoms, they should be your first port of call - and you get 15% off when you use our discount code 'FOXHOLE', just for being a Mann-fan! In this week's Lifehack, Dominika Piasecka, Media & PR Officer at The Vegan Society, offers up her three top tips to help YOU go vegan. Our record of the week is from Ellevator, an experimental-pop band from Hamilton, Ontario. The track’s called Voices, and they’re on tour now. If you enjoy the show, please do share it with your friends on social media, leave us a five-star review on iTunes, or support the show directly by buying us a beer. We're an independent podcast and it's only thanks to the donations of Mann-fans like you that we are able to produce 30 episodes per year. All details are on our website, ModernMann.co.uk - and links to our NEW ALEXA SKILL can be found there too. See You Next Tuesday! Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix Fox, Tom Meadows, Dominika Piasecka, Ellevator. Producer: Matt Hill. Thanks: Giles Blake. Theme Music: 'Skies Over Cairo' by Django Django. Graphic Design: Jenny Mann Design. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2018. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Demeaning, poorly paid and tedious: life as an Order Picker in Amazon’s ‘fulfilment centre’ in Rugeley, Staffordshire was a draining, revelatory ordeal for writer James Bloodworth, who worked there undercover in 2016. In this enlightening interview with Olly, he reveals how being an ‘associate’ in Amazon’s warehouse meant enduring ten-hour shifts, tethered to an electronic device, walking up to fifteen miles per day; treated with suspicion, and effectively paid under the minimum wage. (James’s book, ‘Hired: Six Months Undercover In Low-Wage Britain’, is out now). In this week’s Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart has news of the return of the mullet, is concerned with how technology is corrupting our memories - and triumphantly answers his challenge to spend £100 on displaying his face somewhere impressive… in Slough. Meanwhile, down The Foxhole, Alix Fox explains why the law needs to change regarding ‘upskirting’, how your beard could carry an STI, and advises a listener seeking stealthy, quiet ‘battery-operated boyfriends’. The Foxhole is sponsored by our friends at MyCondom.com - visit their website now for an astonishing range of toys and products, and get 15% Off when you use our code, ‘Foxhole’. If you have a question of sex for next week’s show, or a challenge for Ollie Peart to partake in, don’t hesitate to reach out via our website, ModernMann.co.uk. Elsewhere, in this week’s Lifehack, Jessica Cerasi, curator of the Government Art Collection, offers up her Top 3 tips on how to get the most out of a visit to an art exhibition: read up, bring a friend, and spend longer than you think you want to actually looking at the art! Jessica’s book, ‘Who's Afraid of Contemporary Art?’, is out now. Finally, our record of the week is ‘Beware The Beast’ by Carpenter Brut. It’s available to stream now. Enjoy the show? Support the show! Buy us a beer, review us on iTunes, donate via PayPal, submit an idea for a future episode or just tell your friends about us on social media… All links are on our website, ModernMann.co.uk See You Next Tuesday! Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix Fox, James Bloodworth, Jessica Cerasi, Carpenter Brut. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: 'Skies Over Cairo' by Django Django. Graphic Design: Jenny Mann Design. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2018. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Manny Waks was 11 years old when he was first sexually abused. Raised in the ultra-Orthdaox sect of Judaism known as Chabad, he lacked the education or vocabulary to understand what was going on. By the time he was studying for his bar mitzvah, he was molested by a second perpetrator. Both men were members of staff at his school - the Yeshiva Centre in Melbourne, Australia. In this searingly honest, compelling and sometimes angry conversation with Olly, he recalls how he was groomed, abused, disbelieved, and shunned - and recounts the moment he decided, aged 18, to turn his back on Hasidic Judaism for ever - and join the Israeli Defense Force. (In 2013, Manny's second abuser, David Cyprys, was sentenced to eight years for sexually abusing Manny and eight other boys. Manny is now CEO of Kol v'Oz, established in Israel in 2016 to prevent child sexual abuse in Jewish communities globally. His book, ‘Who Gave You Permission?’, is out now). Elsewhere this week, in The Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart explains why ‘battle royale’ is the gaming format du jour, why China are investing in ‘feacal recognition’, and why Drake would rather be on Twitch than The Graham Norton Show. Plus, he reveals how he fared in his challenge to take up Para Ice Hockey (he didn’t make Team GB...) If you’ve got a challenge to set Ollie Peart for next week’s show, submit it via the Feedback page on our website, ModernMann.co.uk Meanwhile, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox - fresh from checking out the ‘vac-cube’ at Eroticon - advises a listener who wants to spend longer, much longer, going down on his girlfriend. Along the way, Alix recommends some vocal exercises, a ‘queening stool’, and a surprising application of Prince’s ‘Alphabet Street’. The Foxhole is delighted to be sponsored by our friends at MyCondom.com. They stock a mahooosive range of condoms, lube and toys. Remember to use the code ‘Foxhole’ to get a buzzin’ 15% OFF! If you’ve got a question of sex for Alix to answer on next week’s show, reach out via the Feedback page on our website, ModernMann.co.uk. You can remain completely anonymous if you so desire. This week’s Lifehack comes courtesy of Sky Sports presenter Tony Wrighton, host of the Zestology podcast, who offers up his top three tips on how to be motivated with NLP (neuro-linguistic programming). Finally, our record of the week is the ethereal and spooky Dans Le Main, by Jean-Michel Blais, out now. If you enjoy the show - please support the show. Buy us a beer, send us a donation via PayPal, review us on iTunes or tell your friends all about us on social media - the links are all on our website, ModernMann.co.uk See You Next Tuesday! Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix Fox, Manny Waks, Tony Wrighton, Jean-Michel Blais. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: 'Skies Over Cairo' by Django Django. Graphic Design: Jenny Mann Design. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2018. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why are movie trailers more beloved and enduring than other forms of advertising? How has the medium changed, to keep the video-game generation engaged? And what tricks do editors use to keep us watching, and returning to the flicks, week in week out? In this episode, editor Gareth Davies sits down with Olly to review some classic examples of the genre, and provides a masterclass in how to market a movie - from the choice of soundtrack, to navigating plot spoilers, and defining the right pace. You can watch all the film trailers discussed in the interview - Rear Window, Alien, Three Kings, A Serious Man and The One I Love - on our website, ModernMann.co.uk Elsewhere, in this week’s Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart uncovers a plot to sell Guy Fieri’s hair follicles, explains why Google opening up its Maps API could be a game-changer for game developers, and reports back on his challenge to find the perfect combination of words to make this podcast play on Apple Homepod, Amazon Echo and Google Home. If you have a challenge to set Ollie for a future episode - or think you know how to program an Alexa Skill in ways he could only dream of - don’t hesitate to get in touch via the Feedback form on our website, ModernMann.co.uk Meanwhile, in this week’s Foxhole, Alix Fox considers the merits of a reusable tampon applicator, and tackles a buxom listener question: is it possible to have an orgasm solely through licking, flicking and lightly squeezing your nipples? The Foxhole is proudly sponsored by our friends at MyCondom.com. They have a great range of toys and protection at incredibly good value prices. Check ‘em out, and remember to use our code ‘Foxhole’ to get an astonishing 15% Off! If you have a question of sex for Alix to answer on a future episode, stick it in her box by filling out the form on our Feedback page at ModernMann.co.uk - you can remain completely anonymous if you prefer. Finally, our record of the week is ‘Habibi’ the haunting debut single from half-Egyptian, half-Belgian singer Tamino. It's available to stream now on Communion Records. If you enjoy the show, please support us by buying us a beer for just £3.60 (around $5) through our website, ModernMann.co.uk. Your contributions help keep us on the air; funding our independent podcast series so we can continue making episodes you love. See You Next Tuesday! Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix Fox, Gareth Davies, Tamino. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: 'Skies Over Cairo' by Django Django. Graphic Design: Jenny Mann Design. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2018. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ex-soldier Craig Jones escaped a brutal father and found solace in the natural world. Now a distinguished wildlife photographer and conservationist, the aftermath of his traumatic childhood and military training informs his approach. In this candid interview with Olly, he explains how his kinship with wild creatures has helped him survive, thrive and start afresh. Elsewhere, in this week's Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart uncovers the secret world of 'millenialingo', explains why Basil Fawlty might feel at home in the world of self-driving cars, and reveals the results of his challenge to make £150 in one week of matched betting. If you have a challenge for Ollie to attempt, submit it via our website, modernmann.co.uk Meanwhile, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox - fresh from swotting up on Norwegian vaginal trivia - considers a question of split condoms and unwelcome pregnancies. If you have a question of sex for Alix to answer on the show, submit it via our website, modernmann.co.uk - you can remain completely anonymous if you wish. The Foxhole is proudly sponsored by our friends at mycondom.com - remember to use our discount code, 'FOXHOLE', at Checkout to get 15% off! This week's Lifehack comes courtesy of Studio Unwired's Ula Maria - RHS Young Designer of the Year - who reveals her Top 3 tips to make a beautiful urban garden. Finally, our record of the week is the new one from Madisen Ward and the Mama Bear. It's called ‘Childhood Goodbye’, and it's out now on Glassnote Records. This show is only possible thanks to the support of amazing listeners like you. If you value the show, and you want to keep us going, please buy us a beer. Just visit our website, modernmann.co.uk, and click ‘Beer Money’. See You Next Tuesday! Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix Fox, Craig Jones, Ula Maria, Madisen Ward and the Mama Bear. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: 'Skies Over Cairo' by Django Django. Graphic Design: Jenny Mann Design. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2018. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On a bad day, what are you like to work for? When was the last time you felt professionally vulnerable? You’ve probably never been asked these questions in a job interview - but they’re bread-and-butter to executive headhunter Kathleen Saxton. In this conversation with Olly, she reveals the tricks she uses to ‘see through the professional mask’ to catch the eye of high-flying CEOs, ponders the future of workplace culture in an always-connected environment, and explains why employing a borderline psychopath isn’t *necessarily* a bad thing… Elsewhere, in this week’s Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart - fresh from experiencing an ‘earthquake’ in Dorset - explores the deeply-felt nostalgia that surfaced on #PokemonDay, considers the benefits of living in the office, and updates us on his mission to live plastic free for a week. If you have a challenge for Ollie to attempt on a future edition, reach out at modernmann.co.uk/feedback. Meanwhile, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox has a jolly story about bacterial vaginosis, and much to say on the topic of ‘watersports’: is it pleasurable and/or safe to bring piss into the bedroom? If you have a question of sex for Alix to address on a future edition, get in touch at modernmann.co.uk/feedback - you can remain anonymous if you wish. The Foxhole is proudly sponsored by our sexy friends at mycondom.com - remember to use our discount code ‘FOXHOLE’ to get a titillating 15% off! For this week’s Lifehack, Camilla from waste food distribution charity Foodcycle offers her three top tips for using up your food: plan ahead, don’t confuse Best Before dates with Use Bys, and freeze your herbs. Find out more at foodcycle.org.uk. Finally, our record of the week is the wondrously chilled out ‘Forget Yourself’ from new band Another Sky - it’s superior night-time listening, out now on Fiction Records. Thanks to Harry’s for sponsoring this episode. They deliver stunning German-engineered razors to your door. Take advantage of our special offer and get a shave set worth £11.50 for just £3.95 at Harrys.com/MANN If you enjoy the show, please tell your friends on social media, review us on Apple Podcasts, or buy us a beer to say thanks. All links are on our website, MODERNMANN.CO.UK See You Next Tuesday! Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix Fox, Kathleen Saxton, Another Sky. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: 'Skies Over Cairo' by Django Django. Graphic Design: Jenny Mann Design. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2018. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In his 20s, yet running a $50billion book, Kweku Adoboli had worked his way up the trading floor at the very point the market crashed. His actions wiped £2.7bn from the UBS share price, prompted the resignation of their chief executive - and got him a seven-year jail sentence for fraud. In this remarkable interview with Olly, he reveals a corporate culture of ‘wilful blindness’, explains how he fell foul of the UK’s hostile environment policy for migrants - and re-lives the moment he realised that, having taken responsibility for his actions, he would forever be known as Britain’s biggest ‘rogue trader’. (If you’d like to sign the petition to stop Kweku’s proposed deportation, you can do so here: http://bit.ly/2B9PgWD ) Elsewhere this week, Ollie Peart highlights ‘anonymous work talk’ app Blind, and the trend for ‘baby sculpting’ in gross-out cake baking. He also reports back on his attempts at ‘neuro-priming’. If you have a challenge for Ollie to try in The Zeitgeist, drop us a line at modernmann.co.uk/feedback Meanwhile, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox sheds some light on British attitudes to sex in the dark, and advises an HIV-positive listener about alternatives to penetration in the weeks when his viral load hits detectable levels. If you have a question for Alix to answer - you can remain completely anonymous if you wish - submit it via our website, modernmann.co.uk/feedback. (The Foxhole is proudly sponsored by our friends at MyCondom.com, who provide a brilliant range of toys, contraceptives and lubes at great value prices. Use our code ‘FOXHOLE’ to get 15% off!) This week’s Lifehack comes courtesy of Kinfolk Magazine’s Harriet Fitch Little, who offers up her three top tips on ‘How To Network’: stop thinking you’re sleazy, remember not to fist-pump around the room, and word your emails *very* carefully. You can hear more from Harriet on the podcast 'Friends Who Freelance', launching March 2018. Finally, this week’s record of the week is the lovely ‘Strangest Of Ways’, by Lucy Rose. It’s out now on Communion Records. This episode is sponsored by Harry’s, who deliver stunning German-engineered razors to your door. Take advantage of our special offer and get a shave set worth £11.50 for just £3.95 at Harrys.com/MANN If you enjoy the show, please tell your friends on social media, review us on Apple Podcasts, or buy us a beer to say thanks. All links are on our website, MODERNMANN.CO.UK See You Next Tuesday! Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix Fox, Kweku Adoboli, Lucy Rose, Harriet Fitch Little. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: 'Skies Over Cairo' by Django Django. Additional incidental music by David Hilowitz, by kind permission under creative commons. Graphic Design: Jenny Mann Design. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2018. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you doing 'Dry January'? Experimenting with gluten-free snacks? Or stocking up on 'superfoods'? If so, Anthony Warner warns, you are, in fact, building up a damaging relationship with food, and should probably stop it, now... In this insightful interview with Olly, he takes on the bad science of the 'clean eating' movement, explains the reality of 'anti-oxidant' blueberries, and will make you think twice before you ever cook in coconut oil again. Elsewhere in our season finale, Ollie Peart - the man who predicted we’d all be wearing flared velvet by now - predicts the year ahead in this week's Zeitgeist: from metallic hair to Bitmoji, taking in backwards-looking technology and the threat of increasing earthquakes along the way. And, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox - dismayed yet galvanised by a recent set of STI statistics - is on hand to advise a listener who wants to explore whether her husband should find sexual salvation with a transexual woman. (The Foxhole is sponsored, as ever, by our friends at mycondom.com - head on down now to their JANUARY SALE - and get 15% OFF when you use our discount code, Foxhole.) Meanwhile, our Lifehack this week comes courtesy of our very own Producer Matt, who offers up his top 3 tips to make a successful podcast. (Oh, and if you're inspired to create a podcast of your own, check out Lifehack sponsors Squarespace.com - they make it easy to create beautiful websites to support your show - and use our discount code 'MANN' to get 10% OFF your first website or domain.) Finally, our record of the week is Shiva by new act Azusena, out now on Fiction Records. Thanks to the sponsors of this week's show, Tenga. Their excellent new electronic toy for men, the Flip Zero EV, is out now. (If you'd like to sponsor a future episode of the show, get in touch via our website, MODERNMANN.CO.UK) That's it for this season of The Modern Mann. We'll be back for a brand new series from Tuesday February 20th: if you have an idea for a future episode, let us know. We are only able to continue to make the show thanks to your generous support - so, if you can afford to, please please buy us a beer at MODERNMANN.CO.UK/BEER. Every penny goes back into making the show. See you in the Spring! Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix Fox, Anthony Warner, Azusena, Matt Hill. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: 'Skies Over Cairo' by Django Django. Graphic Design: Jenny Mann Design. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2018. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tom Price and Stuart Goldsmith once again join Olly to compare notes on the perils of parenthood. Their sons are now coming up to two years old - but does that mean toddler tantrums ('the terrible twos') are about to become a way of life? And what does THAT mean for Christmas Day? In a typically frank and funny conversation, our trio of Dads tackle 'benign neglect', 'career lag', 'over-parenting', and the cult of Supernanny... Meanwhile, in this week's Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart considers social media's grimmest question of 2017, suggests Ripple's XRP could be the next big thing in cryptocurrency, and gets a sneak preview of the new series of Black Mirror. Elsewhere, Alix Fox is emptying Santa's sack in our annual Christmas Foxhole Spectacular. On the menu this year: singalong dongs, mocha-flavoured lube and vibrators that look like bike lights. As ever, the fun is sponsored by our friends at mycondom.com, where you should use our exclusive discount code, FOXHOLE, to secure a superb 15% OFF. This week's Lifehack is a Xmas how-to from Beef & Dairy Network - the number one podcast for those involved, or just interested in, the production of beef animals and dairy herds. (The Lifehack is sponsored by our friends at Squarespace, who can help you design a beefy website in just a moo. Take a free trial at Squarespace.com, and get 10% OFF your first website or domain when you use our code MANN.) Finishing off our bumper festive edition is suitable style is our record of the week, 'Walking In The Air', from the brilliant Tom Chaplin. It's from his new album 'Twelve Tales Of Christmas', out now on Island Records. We'll be back with our season finale in January. Until then - we wish all Mannfans a very happy Christmas, and ask that if perchance you have any money left over from your festive indulgences, you consider supporting the show financially. You can find all the links, including Ollie's weird new Ripple one, at MODERNMANN.CO.UK Happy New Year! Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix Fox, Stuart Goldsmith, Tom Price, Mike Wozniak, Tom Chaplin. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: 'Skies Over Cairo' by Django Django. Graphic Design: Jenny Mann Design. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2017. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wind speeds, planning restrictions, financial crisis... a lot can go wrong when designing a super-tall building. Yet, each year, more skyscrapers are springing up around us. Architect Fred Pilbrow, of Pilbrow and Partners, has designed a number of them, including London's third-tallest building, the Heron Tower. In this insightful interview with Olly, he explains how technology is solving problems of vertical transportation (that's 'lifts' to you and me), how Winter gardens offer an alternative to green space - and illustrates the journey of a poo as it makes its way down from the 65th floor... Elsewhere, in this week's Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart considers why this year's 'must-have' Christmas toy is, in effect, a slippery slope into gambling. He explains why dressing up as Batman might make you more productive at work. And he previews some big Christmas telly, including the season finale of Peaky Blinders and the return of Vic n' Bob. Meanwhile, down The Foxhole, Alix Fox advises a listener with a seemingly unusual problem - every time she becomes aroused, she sneezes. Along the way, Alix discovers 'Honeymoon rhinitis', how to get barred from Facebook, and Gould and Pyle's 'Anomalies and Curiosities of Medicine'. (The Foxhole is, as ever, sponsored by our friends at mycondom.com. Be sure to visit their Stocking Fillers section right now if you feel like being a ho ho ho this holiday season - and use Alix's delicious discount code, FOXHOLE, to secure 15% OFF.) Our Lifehack this week features The Spectator's literary editor Sam Leith, offering up his Top 3 tips on 'how to write good': cater to your audience, prioritise your verbs, and don't be inspired by Rudyard Kipling. If you fancy consuming more Leithian insights, look no further than Sam's new tome, 'Write to the Point: How to be Clear, Correct and Persuasive on the Page' - it's out now. (The Lifehack is sponsored by our friends at Squarespace, who can help you design a stunning and simple website in moments. Take a free trial at Squarespace.com, and get 10% OFF your first website or domain when you use our code MANN.) Finally, our Record of the Week comes courtesy of brand new band Shrimp Eyes. It’s their debut - called 'Katata Fish' - and it’s available to stream now on Soundcloud. Now, we'd usually be enthusiastically plugging our title sponsorat this point - but there isn't one this week! If you'd like to sponsor a future episode, let us know via the Feedback form on our website, MODERNMANN.CO.UK ... Or, if you'd like to support our efforts in a more humble way, please do buy us a beer, review us on iTunes or request to become a Mannbassador. All links on our site. See You Next Tuesday! Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix Fox, Fred Pilbrow, Sam Leith, Shrimp Eyes. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: 'Skies Over Cairo' by Django Django. Graphic Design: Jenny Mann Design. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2017. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Best mates with Eminem, signed by Sony, and on the verge of international superstardom, Californian rap group Silibil 'n' Brains were the music industry's Next Big Thing. There was just one problem: they'd never been to California. They were from Dundee. In this extraordinary interview with Olly, Gavin Bain - who, as Brains Mcloud, was one half of the hip hop duo - recalls how a heady mix of humiliation, desperation and sheer chutzpah lead him to fool the entire music industry - and brought him to the brink... (Gavin's book, California Schemin', is out now - and you can find plenty of Sylibil N' Brains music on Spotify.) Elsewhere this week, Ollie Peart considers Uber's bid to prevent 'automovom' in this week's Zeitgeist. Also on the agenda: death on social media, Stephen Fry's sleep stories, hand massaging and hot baths... And, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox - fresh from enlightening delegates at the Digital Freedom Festival - reveals the art of 'muffing', and answers the query of Mann-fan Pip, who's repulsed by the smell, taste, and even thought of her boyfriend's semen. (As the Foxhole is brought to you by our friends at mycondom.com, you can nab a wonderful 15% OFF just for listening - all you need to do is use our code 'Foxhole' at Checkout. So, why not stock up on some sexy Christmas goodies from their Christmassy Stocking Fillers section?) Meanwhile, this week's Squarespace Lifehack features business journalist Emily Birt, of peoplemanagement.co.uk, providing her Top 3 tips to get a pay rise. (If you have advice of your own to share, start a blog with Squarespace.com - and if you use our code 'Mann' at Checkout, you get 10% off your first website or domain.) Finally, our record of the week is 'Broken Record', by plucky upstart Van Morrison. It's the opening track from his 38th studio album, Versatile, out now. Thanks again to all our beer money donors for supporting this series of our independent podcast. Would you buy us a pint if you met us in real life? If so, please put your money where your mouth is and buy us a virtual one too. Every penny you contribute goes towards making more Modern Mann... just head to MODERNMANN.CO.UK See You Next Tuesday! Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix Fox, Gavin Bain, Emily Birt, Van Morrison. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: 'Skies Over Cairo' by Django Django. Graphic Design: Jenny Mann Design. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2017. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Andrew Ramroop OBE made his first pair of trousers whilst he was still in school shorts. At 17, he headed away from his home nation of Trinidad, gravitating towards London’s world-famous Savile Row. In this interview with Olly, he recalls how the racism he faced as a young tailor fuelled his career progression, and how he went on to create suits for Tony Curtis, Samuel L Jackson and Princess Diana. He also explains how, from a possible choice of 12,000 different fabric combinations, he could make YOU the perfect suit… (Andrew is the owner of Maurice Sedwell Ltd. Find them at 19 Savile Row W1, or online at savilerowtailor.com) Meanwhile, in this week’s Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart wonders whether real-time photo editing software will forever alter our perceptions of our own faces, and posits that live-streamed gameshow apps are the future of television. And, he spills the beans on his trip to Birmingham’s Comic-Con - dressed as his favourite cartoon character… Elsewhere, in this week’s Foxhole, Alix Fox - fresh from checking out some supposedly ‘cursed’ object d’art - offers up literary treats for the VERY broad-minded reader. Which erotic fiction is worth exploring, once you’ve decided Fifty Shades Of Grey is not doing it for you anymore? And which audiobooks are available to spice up your commute? The Foxhole is, as ever, sponsored by our liberated friends at MyCondom.com. They have a bewilderingly delightful range of toys, lubes and contraceptives - and, just for being a Mann-Fan, you get an incredible 15% OFF by using our code ‘FOXHOLE’ at Checkout. The Lifehack comes courtesy of Adventure.com’s UK Editor Meera Dattani, who offers up her Top 3 tips to pack lightly when heading off to see the world. The Lifehack is sponsored by Squarespace.com - do check out their award-winning templates next time you want to build yourself a website, and get 10% OFF your first purchase when you use our code ‘MANN’. Finally, our record of the week is the new one from Be Good - it’s called ‘Nightbus’, and it’s out now on Communion Music. Many thanks to the title sponsor of this week’s episode, ECHO.CO.UK. Their superb app, downloadable now for iOS and Android, provides a pain-free way to get your repeat prescriptions delivered to your door. Check them out! Remember, if you have a suggestion for a future guest for the series, a question of sex for Alix, a challenge for Ollie… or if you’d just like to subscribe to the show, or buy us a beer - all the links you need are on our website, MODERNMANN.CO.UK. See You Next Tuesday! Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix Fox, Andrew Ramroop OBE, Meera Dattani, Be Good. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: 'Skies Over Cairo' by Django Django. Graphic Design: Jenny Mann Design. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2017. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Diving up to 700ft with no oxygen tank may seem like an extreme sport, but instructor Emma Farrell says freediving is more like a meditative state. Coaching Olly to hold his breath like an underwater explorer, she explains why she's never more relaxed than when she's 'one breath away from potential death'. Meanwhile, Ollie Peart - fresh from testing out 'Carrotea' on an unsuspecting culinary professional - considers the benefits of crowdfunded wearable air conditioning in this week's Zeitgeist; and reflects on the curious case of nature photographer David Slater. He also reports back on his challenge to try out aerial pilates - could now be the moment to bring it to Dorchester? Elsewhere, Alix Fox tries out binaural dinner dating and Liquid Silk lubricant in this week's Foxhole, and sets about myth-busting hymen-busting: is losing your virginity always painful? And, if both people in a couple are still virgins, is it necessary or relevant to get STI-tested before doing the deed? The Foxhole, as ever, is sponsored by our friends at MyCondom.com. Even if you are still a virgin, there's much to enjoy in their online emporium (it's always worth practicing at home before you take the plunge...). Just use our offer code 'FOXHOLE' to receive 15% off at Checkout. For this week's Lifehack, Alan Mahon of Brewgooder and Social Bite divulges his Top 3 tips to raise money for good causes through business. The Lifehack is sponsored by Squarespace.com - if you want to build a beautiful website from one of their award-winning templates, use our offer code 'MANN' to get 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. Finally, our song of the week comes courtesy of new band Artificial Pleasure. It's called 'Wound Up Tight', and it's out now. Massive thanks to Echo.co.uk, title sponsors of this week's episode. Their excellent app helps you manage your meds, notifies you when your prescription is running low, and re-orders it at the tap of a screen. And it’s all completely free! If you'd like to sponsor a future edition of the show, or if you have a suggestion for a future guest - or if you have a question of sex for Alix, a trend challenge for Ollie, or you'd like to become a Mannbassador - just fill in our Feedback form. And, if you'd like to support our independent podcast, please do buy us a beer - every penny goes right back into making this show. Just visit MODERNMANN.CO.UK See You Next Tuesday! Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix Fox, Emma Farrell, Alan Mahon, Artificial Pleasure. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: 'Skies Over Cairo' by Django Django. Graphic Design: Jenny Mann Design. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2017. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gavin Hay was a high-flying TV exec with a string of hits under his belt when he and his partner sold their production company for millions of pounds. Still only 42, he could have taken up golf, or skydiving. Instead, Gavin tried his hand at becoming a porn star... In this exclusive interview with Olly, he explains how he became 'Trojan Rock', the 'Daddy' who starred in such titles as Roid Rage, Hot And Sweaty: Men At Work, and Hairy Boyz 13. Elsewhere, in this week's Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart has the low-down on artifically intelligent celebrities, Uber's experiment with flying cars, and the next drinks trend - which he likes to call 'Carrotea'. God help us all... Meanwhile, down The Foxhole, Alix Fox shares her passion for handmade ceramics, considers whether chakrubs are a thoughtful investment, and gets all hot and bothered about her new book. The Foxhole is proudly sponsored by our sexy friends at MyCondom.com. Visit their excellent site for a superb range of protection, toys and lube, and use our special code 'FOXHOLE' to receive 15% Off. There's also good advice in this week's Squarespace Lifehack, as Chris offers up his Top 3 tips on how to survive getting arrested. (If you do ever find yourself in that situation, there's more to learn at ldmg.org.uk.) The Lifehack comes courtesy of Squarespace - to create your own blog, personal portfolio or business website with their easy-to-use templates, visit Squarespace.com and, when you're ready to launch, use our offer code 'MANN' to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. Finally, this week's Record of the Week is Confidence by Dead Pretties, out now on Nice Swan Records. Massive thanks to our title sponsor this week, Echo.co.uk, for making this episode possible. If you want a pain-free way to order repeat NHS prescriptions, just download their excellent app. If you'd like to buy us a beer, or you've got a challenge for Ollie, a question of sex for Alix, a guest suggestion for Olly, or anything else you want us to know about - just visit our website, MODERNMANN.CO.UK See You Next Tuesday! Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix Fox, Gavin Hay, Dead Pretties. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: 'Skies Over Cairo' by Django Django. Graphic Design: Jenny Mann Design. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2017. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices