Episodes

  • No More Magnolia

    No More Magnolia
    May 10 2025
    After witnessing bleak conditions inside a mental health unit, artists Tim A. Shaw and Niamh White decided to take action. Drawing on their background in contemporary art, they set out to transform sterile clinical spaces with bold, thought-provoking artworks, via their charity, Hospital Rooms. Today, they commission over 40 leading artists a year to create immersive, site-specific pieces in psychiatric hospitals across the UK — from sweeping murals to hands-on workshops that put patients at the heart of the creative process. But despite critical acclaim, the battle for funding continues — and every brushstroke must be justified to NHS accountants. In this episode, Tim tells Olly why he won’t let hospitals sell off the valuable artwork he installs; explains why patients should look beyond the ‘recovery tree’; and reveals how his recent experience on pediatric wards has hardened his belief in the healing power of art… Find out more about Hospital Rooms at https://hospital-rooms.com/ _______ Meanwhile, in The Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart tries his hand at ‘smart gardening’: growing vegetables without soil. Is hydroponics a workable alternative to getting an allotment? How much faster is it to grow a tomato indoors? And is the whole trend really just a fig-leaf for at-home cannabis growers? Ollie has the answers… from a ‘smart bench’. _______ Elsewhere, down The Foxhole, Alix Fox - fresh from attending a provocative menopause seminar - investigates how a Mann-fan can hire sex workers who are into… belching. With the help of VTuber giantess Ana Valens, Alix uncovers a full-blown subculture in which burps are considered not just bodily functions but sensual, often spontaneous, expressions of intimacy. The appeal, it turns out, is both nostalgic and transgressive… Burp! _______ Finally, our Record of the Month is ‘Inland Ocean’ by Matt Berninger, formerly of The National... from his second solo album, Get Sunk - released on May 30. _______ BUY US A BEER Your support keeps this show going! So, if you can afford to, please buy us a beer 🍺💰👉https://www.modernmann.co.uk/beer _______ Meet Other Mann-Fans on the Modern Mann Discord: 🤹➡️ https://discord.gg/SKHnY6ZB72 _______ CONTACT US… If you have a challenge for Ollie, a question for Alix, or some feedback for Olly; if you’d like to nominate yourself as a Mannbassador, or have a suggestion of a future interview for the show, just fill out our Feedback form: ✍️ https://www.modernmann.co.uk/feedback … and we’ll see you on June 10th! This episode is supported by Shopify. Dream big, build fast, and grow far with 3 months for just £3 at https://shopify.co.uk/modernmann Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Tim A. Shaw, Alix Fox, Ollie Peart, Matt Berninger. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: ‘Skies Over Cairo’ by Django Django. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2025 _______ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 28 mins
  • Playback: Mr & Mrs... & Mrs

    Playback: Mr & Mrs... & Mrs
    Apr 25 2025
    It began as a threesome, arranged through dating app Feeld. But soon, Maggie and Cody realised their connection to Janie was more than sexual… No longer just an adventurous couple in an open relationship, they had become a ‘thruple’ - whose relationship with Janie (their ‘third’) was as vital and equitable as their marriage to each other. In this interview with Olly, they explain the importance of communication in a three-way relationship, the dangers of jealousy and bigotry - and the complexities of sleeping arrangements and decision-making when you love two people at once. This interview first aired in 2021 - now remastered and with an update from the thruple in question, we're pairing this with our last Foxhole discussion on legal rights for thruples - check it out now! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    42 mins
  • Revenge Of The Gig Worker

    Revenge Of The Gig Worker
    Apr 10 2025
    When Armin Samii signed up to deliver food for Uber Eats, his intentions were to explore his city, and help pay off his new bike. He soon realised the app was poorly configured for cyclists, and uncovered glitches including a non-existent branch of McDonald’s. But getting support from Uber was frustrating. When he believed they were also underestimating his mileage - and therefore underpaying him - he used his background as a computer coder to create ‘Uber Cheats’, a Chrome extension that got the attention of gig workers around the world. In conversation with Olly, he sheds light on life as a gig worker and considers the future of worker’s rights. The company has not acknowledged any systemic error in how distances are calculated. An Uber spokesperson told us: "More drivers and couriers are choosing to earn on Uber than ever before and we know that the vast majority are satisfied with their experience. "The Uber app reviews real-time information to provide the best price to appeal to the drivers or couriers in the area, helping to minimise waiting times for customers and maximise earnings. Our matching tools follow a process that balances a number of different factors such as time and distance to provide the best possible experience for everyone using the app." —----- Meanwhile, in The Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart investigates the trend for gourmet sandwiches. Do they really taste better, or are they just for showing off on Instagram? Olly and Ollie head to award-winning London sandwich shop Sandwich Sandwich to taste for themselves… After studying sandwich influencers Max Halley and Sensational Sandwiches, can Ollie go viral with his own take on a Steak Frites Entrecote sandwich? —----- Elsewhere, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox investigates the legal status of consensual non-monogamy. For example, can a thruple inherit each other’s possessions when they die, as married couples can? What paperwork exists to evidence each part of a polycule? With the help of lawyers Rachel Frost-Smith and Lucy Bluck, and phychotherapist DK Green, Alix has the answers… … and, in light of research from BackMarket about the increasing issue of sex toy e-waste, Alix discovers that ‘Vibrators’ are now an official category for ‘Small Electricals’ recycling in the UK! —----- Music this month comes from Mann-favourite Self Esteem. After a few years moonlighting in the West End, she’s back with new track, If Not Now, It’s Soon' BUY US A BEER Your support keep this show going! So, if you can afford to, please buy us a beer 🍺💰👉https://www.modernmann.co.uk/beer _______ Meet Other Mann-Fans on the Modern Mann Discord: 🤹➡️ https://discord.gg/SKHnY6ZB72 _______ CONTACT US… If you have a challenge for Ollie, a question for Alix, or some feedback for Olly; if you’d like to nominate yourself as a Mannbassador, or have a suggestion of a future interview for the show, just fill out our Feedback form: ✍️ https://www.modernmann.co.uk/feedback _______ … and we’ll see you on May 10th! This episode is supported by Readly. Get your exclusive, three month trial of unlimited newspapers and magazines at readly.com/mann Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Armin Samii, Alix Fox, Ollie Peart, Self Esteem. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: ‘Skies Over Cairo’ by Django Django. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2025 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 36 mins
  • Playback: The Inseminator

    Playback: The Inseminator
    Mar 28 2025
    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... This episode first aired in October 2017 - now remastered and with an update from Mitch, we're replaying this with the news that sperm in the US is now one of their most priciest resources. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    50 mins
  • Holding The Line: Fighting Wildfires

    Holding The Line: Fighting Wildfires
    Mar 10 2025
    California wildfires ripped through L.A. this year, killing 29 people, destroying more than 18,000 buildings, and putting wildland fires back into the headlines. But what’s it like being one of the poorly-paid workers sent in to risk your life to fight the flames? Wildland firefighter Nathan Bell has ‘held the line’ across the United States: in Elk City, Idaho; on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon in Utah; and in the desert conditions of Sedona, Arizona. For 16 hour workdays, for weeks away from home, he will hike up a mountainside towards a raging fire with a 40 pound backpack on his shoulders, and a chainsaw over his shoulder. And his starting salary is less than a worker at Burger King... In conversation with Olly, he exposes the back-breaking, exhilarating life of a wildland firefighter - and the unspoken trauma so many of his peers experience ‘between seasons’... _______ Meanwhile, in The Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart investigates the trend for A.I. makeovers. From LolaAI, the ‘stylist and shopping copilot’ baked in to Open Wardrobe, to the at-home body scans offered by Bodymapp, can Ollie get himself a fresh Spring look - using only A.I? As ever, frankly, the results are mixed… _______ Elsewhere, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox pops into Kiiroo to see how their teledildonics have adapted to the world of OnlyFans - and answers a listener question from a new Mum struggling with sex after breastfeeding. Once a source of pleasure, her boobs now feel sore, sensitive, and more like functional tools than instruments of intimacy. Will they ever feel sexy again? With the help of breastfeeding peer support worker Emilie Wardle, Frome Birth Talk’s Lucy Plummer and sex and relationship therapist Rhian Kivits, Alix explores considers the under-discussed issues of milk mishaps in the bedroom and babies getting a little too handsy; and proposes new erogenous zones for when ‘boobs are off the table’... _______ Music this month comes from Manchester indie band The Lottery Winners, and their infectious single, ‘Turn Around’. It’s our Record of the Month, and it’s out now. _______ SUPPORT US - every penny counts: THANK YOU SO MUCH for your generous donations - independent shows like ours only exist with your support: 🍺💰👉https://www.modernmann.co.uk/beer _______ WANNA CHAT TO MANN-FANS? JOIN OUR DISCORD! ➡️https://discord.gg/SKHnY6ZB72 _______ CONTACT US If you have a challenge for Ollie, a question for Alix, or some feedback for Olly; if you’d like to nominate yourself as a Mannbassador, or have a suggestion of a future interview for the show, just fill out our Feedback form: ✍️https://www.modernmann.co.uk/feedback _______ … and we’ll see you on April 10th! CONTENT WARNING: references to suicide. SUPPORT: 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. Hotlines in other countries can be found here. CREDITS: Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix Fox, Nathan Bell, The Lottery Winners. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: 'Skies Over Cairo' by Django Django. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2025. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 30 mins
  • Playback: Lost At Sea

    Playback: Lost At Sea
    Feb 28 2025
    Falling overboard following a fit of food poisoning, Brett Archibald survived 28 hours alone in the Indian Ocean. In this extraordinary interview with Olly, he re-lives his onslaught of hallucinations, his encounter with a shark and how he contemplated certain death... Read more about Brett's amazing story on his website, and in his book, Alone. This episode first aired in October 2017. Now remastered, we have paired this episode with our latest episode, Naked And Exhausted, for reasons known only to our producer. Watch the moment he's rescued: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOq5g0O9v9s Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    46 mins
  • Naked and Exhausted

    Naked and Exhausted
    Feb 10 2025
    Imagine building a brand from scratch, and running your business for fifteen years - only to be told by a global corporation that your name isn’t yours to keep. That’s what happened to Rebecca Dowdeswell, founder of waxing business NKD, when she received a legal letter from cosmetics giant L’Oréal, opposing her application to renew her trademark. In this compelling conversation with Olly, Rebecca takes us inside her David vs. Goliath battle against one of the world’s biggest corporations; a tale of perseverance, justice, and the high price of standing your ground. Support Rebecca’s small business, and find out more about her story, here: https://nkdproducts.shop/pages/because-were-worth-it-too-loreal-vs-nkd Thanks to Private Eye for their help sourcing this story. _______ Meanwhile, in The Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart dives deep into his DNA, to discover whether companies like Color can detect predispositions to serious diseases. After talking to journalist Molly Guinness, who was diagnosed with colon cancer at 38, Ollie investigates the growing trend for people proactively checking their health beyond the tests offered by the NHS, and - thanks to UK-based company Selph - discovers he has a hitherto undetected genetic condition, Lp(a). _______ Elsewhere, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox uncovers the truth about a kinky MRI incident that’s taken the internet by storm, and advises a listener whose partner is not in-sync with his peccadillos. How can he balance a fulfilling monogamous relationship, while staying true to his most extreme desires? Might understanding the emotions behind his kinks lead to creative compromises? Or could attending a workshop, or even opening up his relationship, provide the right solution? With the help of Psychosexual and Relationship therapist Shae Harmon and Lola Phoenix’s new book The Non-Monogamy Journal, Alix reveals all… _______ Down in music corner, our record of the month is the brilliantly arresting ‘Angie’s Wedding’ from Manchester-based poet, writer and producer Antony Szmierek. His album, ‘Service Station At The End Of The Universe’, comes out February 28th. _______ SUPPORT US: THANK YOU SO MUCH for your generous donations - independent shows like ours only exist with your support: 🍺💰👉https://www.modernmann.co.uk/beer _______ JOIN OUR DISCORD! ➡️https://discord.gg/SKHnY6ZB72 _______ CONTACT US If you have a challenge for Ollie, a question for Alix, or some feedback for Olly; if you’d like to nominate yourself as a Mannbassador, or have a suggestion of a future interview for the show, just fill out our Feedback form: ✍️https://www.modernmann.co.uk/feedback _______ … and we’ll see you on March 10th! Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Alix Fox, Ollie Peart, Rebecca Dowdeswell, Antony Szmierek. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: ‘Skies Over Cairo’ by Django Django. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2025. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 39 mins
  • PLAYBACK: A Restaurant Ruined My Life

    PLAYBACK: A Restaurant Ruined My Life
    Jan 31 2025
    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. "I was Don Quixote. I was chasing a windmill. I didn’t see the obstacles in my way." In this funny, forthright interview with Olly, Robert reveals how chasing a dream led to him selling his house, hitting the bottle and falling out of love with the thing he loved the most... cooking. This interview first aired in June 2018 - now remastered and with an update from Robert in 2025. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    39 mins
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