14/9 - The Private Prosecutor

“Accept nothing. Believe no one. Check everything."

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Britain’s shoplifters fear David McKelvey. His companies, TM Eye and My Local Bobby, have brought over 1,200 private prosecutions - and never lost a case. 

Commandeering a commercial force of savvy ex-coppers, David pursues thieves the Police usually let go with a caution - guys who steal steaks from Waitrose and flog them to restaurants, and housewives hawking fake handbags on Facebook. 

In this wide-ranging and illuminating conversation with Olly, David explains how private individuals can make arrests and bring court cases; answers the criticisms of the system thrown up by the Post Office scandal; and explains why buying counterfeit designer labels from car boot sales is not simply a crime of copyright theft - but the tip of a large-scale operation that can involve child labour, toxic materials, and terrorist gangs…

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David McKelvey and Olly Mann, August 2023.

Meanwhile, in the Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart enlists the help of former Top Gear presenter Rory Reid to investigate just how environmentally-friendly electric vehicles truly are. 

Does the intensive production process, and consequences of battery manufacture, have an adverse effect on an EV’s eco-credentials?

Is the higher upfront cost of going electric justified by the lower running cost compared to petrol? And to what extent does it matter what country you’re in, and what their energy mix is? Ollie finds out…

The Zeitgeist is supported by DIRTEA, super blends derived from potent functional mushrooms. Get 10% off your first order with promo code MANN at dirteaworld.com/mann

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Elsewhere, in the Foxhole, Alix Fox takes to the skies in a ‘very forgiving’ Microlight, returning just in time to discuss a letter from an anonymous Mannfan experiencing insecurity about his small penis, and intense jealousy about his partner's past sexual experiences.

What societal pressures or personal triggers lay behind this sudden self-doubt? How best to communicate his feelings with his apparently blameless wife? And just how important is penis size when it comes to sexual satisfaction in a straight relationship?

With the help of psychosexual and relationship therapist Silva Neves, and Lynsey Murray, of Relationship Matters, Texas, Alix has the answers…

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

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Finally, our record of the month sees the triumphant return of Modern Mann favourite Griff, with her ‘heartbreak’ choon, Vertigo, out now.’ 👇

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If you enjoy listening, please please SUPPORT US! We need your help to continue producing our independent monthly podcast, so buy us a beer via our secure payment page - you can contribute as little and often as you like. Cheers!

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This episode is supported by BetterHelp.

Get started today and enjoy 10% off your first month of convenient and affordable therapy when you visit https://betterhelp.com/mann

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14/8 - How To Be A Dad, Part 9

“What Santa means to people - that’s definitely real. After that: who can say?”

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Tom Price and Stuart Goldsmith return to the show to compare notes with Olly on raising their now seven-and-a-half year-old boys.

Can they now swear freely in front of their kids? How best to deal with ‘8pm extension negotiations’ at bedtime? And how should one answer the ‘Is Santa real?’ question?

Plus, how to use Frozen 2 as a teaching device, the pitfalls of monitoring WhatsApp messages, and the foolproof way to extract young children from softplay…

To catch up on the story so far, visit modernmann.co.uk/Dads.

Check out Tom and Stu’s podcasts, ‘My Mate Bought A Toaster’ and ‘The Comedian’s Comedian’, wherever you get your podcasts. 

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Meanwhile, in the Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart is investigating the trend for Looksmaxing.

Stu, Olly and Tom - July 2023

‘How LooksMaxxing Can Improve Your Appearance in 30 Days’… will Ollie Peart rise to the challenge?

After a month of ‘mewing’, jaw-stretching, lip-brushing, face-cleansing, drinking more water, vitamin D, trimming his beard and working out… does Ollie feel any different?

Or, more to the point, in a world where your desirability is numerically ranked on Reddit, and superkeen lookmaxxers even resort to cosmetic surgery, is how you feel even relevant?

The Zeitgeist is sponsored by DIRTEA. Find your favorite mushroom powder and get 10% off your first order with promo code MANN at dirteaworld.com/mann

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Elsewhere, in the Foxhole, Alix Fox has news of not one but TWO new treatments for erectile dysfunction: topical gel Eroxon and some EMS patches from IN2 Patch. Could they provide an answer for ED sufferers who can’t or won’t take pills?

Batman (1966). Did watching this classic show inspire Chris’ smoking fetish?

In our listener question of the month, Alix advises Mann-fan Chris, who wants to know if the roots of his smokish fetish lie in the 1966 TV version of Batman. To what extent does the telly we watch as children inspire our desires later?

With the help of Calandra Balfour, fetish expert from dating and social app WeAreX, Alix explains that many members of the WAM (Wet and Messy fetishism) community can also trace their interests directly to the gunge-drenched TV of their youth… and asks whether smoking fetish will soon be replaced - by vaping…

CONTENT WARNING: reference to child sexual abuse.

If you have a question of sex you’d like Alix to answer (or a trend you’d like to challenge Ollie to try), fill in the Feedback form. You can remain anonymous if you wish.

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For our record of the month, get your sitars out because Kula Shaker are BACK! Their super-Summery single ‘Waves’ is out now 👇

Love the show? Help us make it! 💰

We rely on listeners like you to fund our independent podcast and bring you these stories. DONATE HERE

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

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This episode is supported by BetterHelp.

Get started today and enjoy 10% off your first month of convenient and affordable therapy when you visit https://betterhelp.com/mann

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14/7 - The Snake Man of South Wales

“In the middle of the village, I see a forest cobra. Which has clearly taken a wrong turn.”

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Since encountering a grass snake at the age of eight, Dr Rhys Jones has felt a profound connection with reptiles.

He has rescued them, toured the country with them and even studied them at Cardiff University; an achievement that seemed impossible when he graduated from school with just 3 O Levels - and undiagnosed dyslexia.

In this adventure-packed chat with Olly, Rhys reveals how his snake-charming skills have come in handy with Masai tribespeople, BBC camera crews, and even assisting the Police with drug busts.

Rhys’ memoir, Becoming Dr Jones: A Wild Life, is released on Aug 3rd. You can pre-order here.

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Meanwhile, in the Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart - having taken a gander at Meta’s ‘Twitter killer’, Threads - turns his hand to eFoiling.

Boosted by a 2.5 hr battery and speeds of up to 50 km/hr, is electric hydrofoil riding about to revolutionise watersports?

Ollie heads to Poole’s Easy Riders to find out, aboard an ‘aeroplane grade’ Fliteboard…

If you have a trend you’d like to challenge Ollie to investigate in a future episode, fill in the Feedback form.

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Elsewhere, in the Foxhole, Alix Fox considers Roam’s selection of skin tone condoms: a welcome addition to diverse bedroom play, or an unnecessary innovation?

Her listener question of the month comes from an anonymous 34 year-old MannFan recently diagnosed with rectal cancer.

What impact will the radiation therapy, chemotherapy and surgery have on her sex life?

What tips can Alix offer to offset the vaginal scarring, early on-set menopause and fatigue that may result?

And how do you maintain body positivity during sex with a stoma?

With help from Bowel Cancer UK, Trekstock, and Hayley Gullen - author of upcoming graphic novel This Might Surprise You - Alix investigates…

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

Dr Rhys Jones and the Masai

Olly and Rhys, July 2023

Ollie goes efoiling

Alix recommends the following resources regarding sex and cancer:

• ‘Let’s talk about sex’: patient-led survey on sexual function after colorectal and pelvic floor surgery

• Gladrags and Bags – a blog by Suzanne Doré, diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer at age 36

• ‘Pleasure & Intimacy: A Guide for People Living With Cancer’ – free e-book by Fruit Fly Collective, who help children, adults and families affected by cancer

• Girl Vs Cancer – a gutsy collective aimed not only at women, but also they/them-identifying, non-binary and femme folk experiencing or affected by cancer

• Sex With Cancer – online sex shop designed by people with cancer

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Our record of the month comes from ‘people’s poet’ Jamie Webster, and his new single, ‘Voice of the Voiceless’ 👇

Love the show? Help us make it! 💰

We rely on listeners like you to fund our independent podcast and bring you these stories. DONATE HERE

… And we’ll see you again on August 10th - with our annual How To Be A Dad special!

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This episode is supported by BetterHelp.

Get started today and enjoy 10% off your first month of convenient and affordable therapy when you visit https://betterhelp.com/mann

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14/6 - Sex, Sobriety and Rock & Roll

“Can we value the artist? Can we put wellbeing above partying?”

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Booze, drugs and music are deeply intertwined - from the beers given to bands in their ‘riders’ to the excessive consumption facilitated by festivals and after-show parties.

For music promoter Chris De Banks, consuming up to thirty pints a day had become typical behaviour. In the fug of his addiction, he lost jobs, friends and self-respect.

Following rehab in 2016, he founded Not Saints, the UK’s only record label working with musicians in recovery from addiction.

In this candid conversation with Olly, Chris traces his problem drinking back to childhood, discusses methods for the music industry to clean up its act, and celebrates the artists he’s supported through their drug and alcohol recovery.

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Olly Mann and Chris De Banks,

June 2023

In the feature you’ll hear clips from Not Saints artists Ella Hayes, Mishkin Fitzgerald & The Chemical Perils, Phil Mac, and our record of the month, ‘Pedestal People’ by Little Tealeif👇

If you or someone you know thinks they may have a problem with drugs or alcohol then speak to your GP or contact your local Drug and Alcohol Services who will be happy to help and offer more guidance.

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Meanwhile, in the Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart, inspired by the likes of YouTube sensation Odd Tinkering, is attempting to restore some retro tech.

His weapon of choice is a 1980s Philips AM/FM radio, picked up for a fiver in a Westcountry market - but, with a little help from Google Nest - can he make it ‘Smart’?

If you have a trend you’d like to challenge Ollie to investigate in a future epsiode, fill in the Feedback form.

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Elsewhere, in the Foxhole, Alix Fox unboxes the Womanizer Wave - the first ever shower head that doubles as a sex toy. (Well, the first one to do so officially, anyway…)

Her listener question of the month is from an anonymous MannFan who considers himself straight… and prefers to be in a relationship with women… but enjoys sexual encounters with men on the side. Is he simply bisexual, or … is he ‘heteroflexible’?

With assistance from integrative counsellor and psychotherapist Anthony Davis, and Vaneet Mehta, author of ‘Bisexual Men Exist’, Alix unpicks the pride, shame and stigma of queer categorisations - and explains why, for some people, it’s important to define their place on the sexuality spectrum with a specific label.

If you have a question of sex you’d like Alix to answer, fill in the Feedback form. You can remain anonymous if you wish.
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Love the show? Help us make it! 💰

We rely on listeners like you to fund our independent podcast and bring you these stories. DONATE HERE

… And we’ll see you again on July 10th!

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14/5 - The 24 Weekers

“Twins are in the supermarket. They’re in the playground. They’re everywhere.”

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Elaine Gregersen was 24 weeks pregnant when her waters broke.

Having endured sickness throughout her high-risk pregnancy, she and husband Mark had not suspected anything sinister was happening when she appeared to be suffering from bladder weakness too. 

After a traumatic 24 hours in the maternity ward, the Gregersens were faced with the reality that their twin boys, Henry and Blake, were unlikely to both survive beyond the neonatal unit.

In this interview with Olly, they share their story. 

Content warning: intense experience, infant mortality.

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Elaine and Mark - the first time they held Blake.

Meanwhile, in the Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart investigates if, following the Coronation of King Charles III, Republican sentiment is trending upwards.

What path is there for Royal refuseniks to achieve their desire for an elected UK Head of State?

Thanks to columnist and commentator Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, Ollie unpicks the arguments monarchists put forward - and rewrites the National Anthem whilst he’s at it…

If you have a trend you’d like to challenge Ollie to investigate in a future epsiode, fill in the Feedback form.

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Alix gets engaged! April 2023.

Elsewhere, in the Foxhole, Alix Fox - high on life from some Personal News - answers your sex questions: this month, from a Mannfan whose girlfriend burst into tears when he called her a ‘whore’ in the missionary position.

Is there a way to recover his mojo? Must he apologise for overstepping the mark? And how should you do ‘pillow talk’ - whilst respecting your partner’s boundaries?

With the help of sex educator Lola Jean and playwright and storyteller Cameryn Moore, Alix has the answers!

If you have a question of sex you’d like Alix to answer, fill in the Feedback form. You can remain anonymous if you wish.
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Our record of the month is ‘Letter To Myself’, something peppy and fun from Leigh’s The Lottery Winners featuring Frank Turner👇

Love the show? Help us make it! 🍺💰

We rely on listeners like you to fund our independent podcast and bring you these stories. 

🍻 Buy Olly and the team a beer right now! Fill in our secure BEER MONEY FORM HERE 🍻

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

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Support organisations: Elaine and Mark recommend Sands, supporting anyone affected by the death of a baby; and the Twins Trust Bereavement Service, supporting all parents and carers of twins, triplets or more who’ve died. 

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