Standard Issue Podcast

Just five per cent of people with a learning difference are in paid work, something highlighted by the recent case of Tom Boyd, who was let go by Morrisons after his family asked that he be paid for his work. That case spurred Liz Warner, a former CEO of Comic Relief, into action. Because the same thing had happened to her son and, we can all agree, needs to stop happening. Liz is launching a new initiative in the new year aimed to double the amount of people with a learning difference in paid work, so Hannah got on the Zoom to find out more. You can find out more about The Different Kind here: https://thedifferentkind.com More information on how to support Standard Issue is here: Standard Issue Podcast | creating a magazine for ears, by women for women | Patreon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Reaction to Wes Streeting's independent review on mental health, ADHD and autism might divide opinion, but surely we can all agree to be pleased about changes to the law around social media use in Australia. And if not, at least we'll always have emotional support dogs. Hannah and Jen take a rootle through the news and sport this week to discuss all of the above.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Watching 9 to 5, what a way to earn a living. Mick, Hannah and Jen revisit Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin and – people's favourite – Dolly Parton in this classic comedy about sexism in the workplace that everyone knows inside out. Don't they?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Given we're deep into pantomime season, it seemed only right that Mick got on the Zoom with Vikki Stone, the woman behind some of the best pantos in the UK. Vikki tells us about comedy, getting kids into the theatre, toddler raves, prime-time telly and why pantos remain one of the most enduring of British Christmastime traditions. Mama Goose is at Stratford East until Jan 3 Beauty and the Beast is at New Wolsey Theatre until Jan 17 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the Wild West that is dating apps, women are increasingly turning to novel ways of protecting themselves. Online groups such as Are We Dating The Same Guy, offer women a platform to share bad and even criminal experiences of dating. Broadcaster and journalist Mary Mandefield investigates the groups in a new Channel 4 documentary, Red Flags: Are We Dating the Same Guy? UNTOLD. So, Jen caught up with Mary to chat about the film, the groups, why women are using them, and if they themselves are entirely ethical. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bollywood star Radhika Apte is unhappy new bride Uma in writer/director Karan Kandhari's feature debut, which Hannah's picked for the last Flicking of 2025. The critics loved it, audiences weren't so sure. Hannah, Yosra and Mick went in blind with no expectations and were all surprised. But in a good or bad way?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are abuses of power all over the shop, as Mick talks us through the second phase of Lady Elish Angiolini's inquiry into the prevention of sexually motivated crimes against women in public, and a truly horrific case in France. Meanwhile, Jen's looking at more crises in public services, this time in teaching staff. But at least we've got Polly. And periods. No, really. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A superhero with no special powers. An intergalactic wrong 'un trying to destroy the earth. Brian Blessed dressed as whatever that is. Welcome to this week's Rated or Dated. Now with added lasers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Emma Rice Company's adaptation of Dylan Thomas' A Child's Christmas in Wales opened last week to rave reviews. Hannah grabbed some time with its founder, writer and director Emma Rice, to talk about a change of name, a new venue in Somerset, and Thomas. And a lot more besides, including Emma's time as artistic director at The Globe, something that did not end happily, and why she thinks we're all being a bit hard on Enid Blyton. More information about the Emma Rice Company here: https://www.emmaricecompany.co.uk/ To support us on Patreon visit Standard Issue Podcast | creating a magazine for ears, by women for women | Patreon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Paddington the Musical  – a brand new show written by Jessica Swale, with music by Tom Fletcher – opens its doors at the Savoy Theatre in London this week. Among its impressive cast is Bonnie Langford, who many of us have grown up alongside, given she first graced our television screens back in 1971, aged six. Jen caught up with Bonnie to talk about playing the iconic Mrs Bird, as well as a whole host of other roles over the course of her career, and why we love that Peruvian bear so much. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this month's telly round-up, we're watching Death By Lightning, The Beast in Me, Down Cemetery Road, Plur1bus and Caroline Flack: Search for the Truth. Plus Hannah's finally got round to watching Where's Wanda?. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you angry? Like really angry? Of course you are. Well, does Hannah have a dinner service for you. This week, she and Mick are asking whether the justice system is about to get a little less just, looking at the newly discovered age epochs of the human brain, celebrating having a bank account, and metaphorically smashing small TVs with a sledgehammer.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Christmas already? We know. But can we redeem ourselves if it's Christmas by way of Jeannot Szwarc's cult classic, Santa Claus: The Movie? A box office flop, it was nonetheless a hit in the UK, thanks to Dudley Moore's turn as Patch the ambitious elf, some delightful animatronic reindeer, and top baddy-ing by John Lithgow. But will we agree? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

All hail the Renters' Rights Act, the biggest shake-up to renting in England for more than 30 years, which officially comes into play next May. It's a bundle of positive news for tenants in private housing, not least the ditching of section 21 “no fault” evictions. So Mick got on the Zoom with Bismah Naqui from Generation Rent, an organisation that's been working tirelessly for the past decade to amplify the voices and concerns of private renters, to talk about why this is a big win for them and a big win for tenants.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cindy Reymond is one of the eight women secretary generals who represented host cities during this summer's UEFA Women's Euro in Switzerland. That's right: they were all women. Jen catches up with Cindy to chat about her city of Geneva, what it takes to plan a major sporting event, not being the only woman in the room for a change, and why anyone would even want to host a women's football tournament if they can't fill stadiums... Spoiler: they really can. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Queen Eleanor died, her husband - Edward I - ordered that 12 enormous crosses be built along the route her body had travelled back to London. Some survive today. Historian Alice Loxton decided to walk that route on the same days. Which sadly for her, was December. Alice tells Hannah about that journey and her new book Eleanor: A 200-Mile Walk in Search of England's Lost Queen, as well as history on the socials and the hidden stories on our own doorsteps. More information on how to support us here: https://www.patreon.com/StandardIssue Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jen gets a swift and thoroughly unexpected trip through US political rumours this week, as Hannah looks at the latest from across the Atlantic. Plus there's skorts, sports and women-only carriages. What more do you need? Saturday Night Live on edited Trump speech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SesRWE02PIU Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Another week, another one of film's most villainous women: this time it's deranged devotee Annie Wilkes, a role which bagged Kathy Bates an Oscar for mangling the feet, mind and spirit of novelist Paul Sheldon (James Caan). Its credentials are impeccable, with a William Goldman screenplay based on Stephen King's novel directed by Rob Reiner. But, ask Mick, Hannah and Jen, is that bitch crazy? Is she misunderstood? Or is she just a hell of a drug? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Back in 2019, ultra runner Jasmin Paris made headlines when she smashed the Montane Spine Race, winning the 268-mile race in the depths of winter outright – while still breastfeeding. Her story was sold as an outlier – woman wins mixed race – but there are a lot of them about, particularly when it comes to ultra-endurance running, swimming and cycling.  Ultra Women: The Trailblazers Defying Sexism in Sport, penned by journalists and ultra runners Emma Wilkinson and Lily Canter, explores female endurance, from the first hunter-gatherers to modern athletes winning the toughest races outright, delving into the science, physiology and psychology that could give women the edge in ultras. Our Mick was FASCINATED.  Ultra Women is out now, published by Canbury. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More than two centuries since her execution, Marie Antoinette continues to influence fashion and culture, and is now the subject of a major new exhibition at the V&A South Kensington, Marie Antoinette Style. Jen catches up with senior curator of the exhibition, Sarah Grant, to talk about the ill-fated former queen of France, why she still fascinates as a cultural icon, and if it's fair to compare her to Kim Kardashian. Marie Antoinette Style is showing at the V&A South Kensington until March 2026, and you can find out more about V&A Academy courses here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are a lot of spies in pop culture right now. This pleases Hannah immensely, so she jumped at the chance to get on the Zoom with Agnes O'Casey to talk about her role in upcoming play, The Spy Who Came In From The Cold, based on John Le Carre's best-selling book. They chat about spies and why we're so fascinated with them, Agnes's role in another spy drama, Netflix's Black Doves, and her great grandfather, legendary Irish playwright Sean O'Casey. Tickets for Soho Place and the national tour are here: https://shorturl.at/samTg More information on how to support us here: https://www.patreon.com/StandardIssue Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bloody women. Is there anything they won't ruin? Well, Mick and Jen take a stab at this week's news, in which some institutions are too busy ruining themselves to notice: they're looking at you the BBC and NHS Trusts. There's also Spinderella, Stevens, and Jen very much NOT talking about Mary Earps in JOTB. Honest. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You know, the one with the good guy versus the evil nurse. Or is it? One of many questions we'll be asking as we watch Miloš Forman's Oscar botherer, set on a ward in a mental health hospital. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of our firm favourites, poet Hollie McNish's latest collection, Virgin, explores a six-letter word with outsized power. A power that should also be outdated, but is sadly not.  It is, as you'd expect from Hollie, a brilliant collection, packed with humour, rage, beauty, heartbreak and hope. She and Mick chat about dangerous words, what ‘virgin' means to girls and women (and why it shouldn't), the perils of mashed potato and how to come to terms with the phrase “making love”.   Virgin is published by Fleet and available in all good bookshops. Details of Hollie's tour can be found at holliepoetry.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Instagram is a right old pain in the proverbial when it comes to advertising, and our Jen has noticed she's suddenly getting A LOT of ads targeted at peri/menopausal women. Nutritional supplements promise women everything from a peachy bum to a sound night's sleep, but how much of it is actually true? So she jumped on the Zoom with Ruth Tongue, nutritionist, pilates teacher and co-founder of employee wellness company Elevate, to find out how much protein we really need, if supplements are any good for us and why we're always being sold a dream when it comes to our bodies.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There's no doubt that Yosra's picked* one of last year's juggernauts: John M Chu's cinematic take on Winnie Holzman's ridiculously successful musical version of Gregory Maguire's dark adult novel reimagining the L Frank Baum children's books that became a 1939 film classic still beloved today. Phew! That's a whole load of fan bases to tickle. But what if you're new to the new version of Oz? Why is it in two parts? Just how hard a sell is it to Mick and Hannah? And is… is Ariana Grande funny? * An epic fantasy musical? Of course it was Yosra. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There's a cryptid been spotted in Cambridge and it's far from the least believable thing you'll hear in today's podcast, where Mickey and Hannah are chatting about exclamation marks, assisted dying, renters' rights and AI being bad for older women in the workforce. * If you're missing your Jenny Off The Blocks fix, get over to our Substack where Jen is chatting about Mary Earps' autobiography and the many, many opinions on it: https://standardissuepodcast.substack.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Destiny's Child theme tune celebrated all the women being independent, but – question - how appropriate are those lyrics for McG's 2000 “action-comedy” film version of the 1970s TV series? Was it made for Jen, Hannah and Mick? Was it made for any women? And how many Susan Faludi references can Mick fit into a single episode? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Radio 4 and BBC World Service reporter and producer Ellie House makes some really interesting podcasts. Her latest, The Real ‘Yellowstone': a battle for the cowboy way of life, focuses on the proposed sale of public land in Montana and the strange political bedfellows that have resulted. Ellie and Hannah also chat about the introduction of National Service for women in Denmark and the joys of travelling for work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's another OTB of two halves this month, with Mickey joining Hannah to chat about Riot Women, Only Murders In The Building, The Last Frontier and High Potential. Then Jen tag teams in to talk about Slow Horses, Coldwater, Blue Lights and How Are You? It's Alan (Partridge). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the concept of ID cards rears its ugly head once again, Hannah and Jen are asking if Keir Starmer's revolutionary way of eliminating faff will be as effective as Brexit in terms of reducing bureaucracy. Elsewhere, it seems the Home Office could do with some help in getting its day job done. Meanwhile, Henry VIII is repping Sexism of the Week via Hemel Hempstead, there are big international fixtures in Jenny off the Blocks, and thank God, as ever, for the French. If you want to know more about what Hannah thinks about ID cards, and indeed, what we all think about all sorts of things, check out our Substack here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Or is it the long good objectification of a young Pierce Brosnan? Mick, Hannah and Jen are here to prove a Rated or Dated can be both, as they watch the cornerstone British gangster flick written by Barrie Keefe, directed by John Mackenzie, and which made a full-blown film star out of the late, great Bob Hoskins. He's joined by a host of familiar faces, including Helen Mirren, in a film that's prescient, political, tight and brutal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As an 18-year-old in search of freedom and adventure, Gosia Buzzanca left her small hometown of Poznan, Poland, eventually settling in Wales. In her new book, There She Goes, My Beautiful World, she charts her physical and emotional journey, teenage traumas, love and loss. Jen chats to Gosia about her book, growing up in Poland, post-Brexit immigration in the UK, and the universal harsh realities facing young women.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the Grand Old Duke of York's title now vacant, Mick and Jen visit the horrific allegations against Prince (for now) Andrew, made in Virginia Giuffre's posthumous memoir, and his other right royal cock-ups. There's more horror, this time in England's maternity wards. But fear not, there's also some joy, including puppies – 13 of ‘em! Woof! – a delicious turning of the tables in SOTW, and some half decent cricket results in Jenny Off the Blocks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can an Australian film be a Western? Can one female character represent all of womankind? Is this the best Ray Winstone? And, most importantly, who's this Nick Cave fella? Find out all the answers, as we watch John Hillcoat's blood-stained, sun-baked drama. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Model, muse, photographer, and war correspondent: Lee Miller's career covered a lot of ground. What a woman. And now at Tate Britain, you can see the most extensive exhibition of all aspects of her work the UK has seen to date. Assistant curator of the exhibition Saskia Flower catches up with Jen to chat about what's in the exhibition, Miller's extraordinary life, and looking at both the person and her work through a different lens. Lee Miller is showing at the Tate Britain until February 15 2026. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We talk a lot on Standard Issue about how young women are victimised online, but young men are increasingly at risk too. Something terrifyingly obvious in Tir Dhondy's latest investigation, Blackmailed: The Sextortion Killers, now available to watch on BBC3. Hannah chats to Tir about the victims, the perpetrators and what, if anything, can be done to stop it. You can watch Tir's documentary on the iPlayer here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m002kl4v/blackmailed-the-sextortion-killers For ad-free listening and more benefits, join the Standard Issue club here: https://www.patreon.com/c/StandardIssue Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Credit (albeit reluctant) where credit is due, Donald Trump's only gone and pulled a blinder. Whether it means long-term peace in the Middle East remains doubtful, but Mick and Hannah are also wondering what's next for Ukraine. How helpful is the word ‘tomahawk' to any peace process? There are also – you guessed it – nuns, and a fun-for-some run. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gus van Sant's black comedy gave Nicole Kidman the opportunity to show her villainous chops to mid-90s audiences. It also took a swipe at a media-obsessed America. But 30 years on, does it feel a bit old hat to modern audiences? What was it trying to say about ambitious women? And bitches – be they crazy? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Iron Ladies is a new documentary about the women of the 1984-85 Miners' Strike, a time in which working-class women who found themselves at the forefront of a battle against the British state. They fast became the backbone of the fight: organising pickets; keeping families fed, and raising cash to continue the strike. As Lorraine Stansbie and Kate Flannery – two of those redoubtable women – tell our Mick, it changed them. And not only them; it's fair to say their actions reshaped the landscape of political activism for working-class women forever.  Iron Ladies is currently showing in cinemas across the UK and Ireland.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Following her success with Princess Essex and the previous two chapters of Ghost Stories…by Candlelight, Anne Odeke has joined forces with High Tide theatre company to co-write Even More…Ghost Stories by Candlelight. The joint production, with Pentabus Theatre, is currently touring both the east and, indeed, west of the country. Jen chats to Anne about the production, urban explorers, and her crazy year, post-Princess Dinubolu. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Catherine Clarke's new book - and accompanying Radio 4 series - A History of England in 25 Poems, tackles the big issues. And the smaller ones, too. Hannah chats to her about how poetry has helped shape our view of England and whether that view is accurate, as well the importance of local history and her role as the Director of Victoria County History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you're planning a trip to Europe or to leave your bike at a train station, or both, Hannah and Jen have got big news this week. Also, there's a new Archbishop of Canterbury, a woman no less. Who exactly? Doesn't matter. Or so it seems. You know who is good for clicks though? Taylor Swift. Best mention her a few times. Plus there's a lot of football commentator chat and a lot of women's football in Jenny Off The Blocks.  The Flicking episode on Pan's Labyrinth is here: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/sim-ep-689-flicking-21-pans-labyrinth/id1080808404?i=1000547941828 Rev Martine Oborne's Guardian piece is here: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/oct/05/archbishop-of-canterbury-sarah-mullally-change Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In her play Not Your Superwoman, Emma Dennis-Edwards tackles the sometimes tricksy relationship between mums and daughters.  She chats to our Mick about complex intergenerational dynamics, the expectations on mums, intergenerational trauma, the shifting nature of ‘motherland', and how exciting it is to work with talent as big as Letitia Wright and Golda Rosheuvel. Not Your Superwoman is at the Bush Theatre, London, until November 1, but is currently fully sold out. Fingers firmly crossed for a transfer.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Following an epic summer of women's sport, the UEFA Women's Champions League is back, starting on October 7 and broadcast in its entirety on Disney+. Jen catches up with commentator Vicki Sparks to find out more about bringing the women's game to the House of Mouse, who Vicki's backing in this year's tournament, and how hard it really is to commentate on live sport. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With an awards-bothering central performance from Eka Chavleishvili, Elene Naveriani's adaptation of Tamta Melashvili's 2020 novel got smashing reviews across the board. Set in a small, remote village in Georgia, the film brings us Etero, a single, middle-aged woman whose quiet, insular life is exploded by a near-death experience and a sexual awakening.  But is Etero isolated or independent? How mean can women feasibly be to one another? Is it a sexy film? And will talking about it prove too much for Mick's pronunciation abilities? Yeah, that last one's rhetorical. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mick and Jen tackle this week's news, which finally (FINALLY!) finds Labour kicking the ball towards a goal – and not even an own goal – in moves* that will annoy both racists and people who like kids living in poverty. There's also an Old Missus, some classic Mick pronunciation, Jen cheering sportswomen all over the shop, and some nuns. Obviously. *Probably. If the wind doesn't change direction. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is Sidney Lumet's 1975 bank robbery drama of its time? Or years ahead of its time? Or still pretty relevant to today? Or all of it? Find out as we watch Al Pacino Al Pacino-ing it to the max as the mob cheers him on. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hannah and Mick tackle this week's headlines, looking at whether Jess's Rule is progress or a damning indictment of the NHS, worrying about young girls reporting being sad every day, charting how the Taliban continues to take its misogyny up yet another notch, and finally – finally – finding something* to like about golf.  *Sister Rene of the Humility of Mary order https://malala.org/countries/afghanistan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stephen Daldry's 2000 coming-of-age comedy-drama made big waves on both sides of the Atlantic, and a star of its young lead, Jamie Bell. But how funny is it? Is that dancing actually any good? And is that really how they select people for the Royal Ballet School? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Food glorious food: not only does it sustain and nourish us as individuals, it brings together communities, crosses borders and merges cultures. When Atoosa Sepehr fled an abusive marriage in Iran, she found herself alone and lonely in London. And then she started cooking. The Persian dishes she created providing an anchor to the home she missed and forging friendships in the one she was creating.  In My English Persian Kitchen, Atoosa's story is brought to the stage by playwright Hannah Khalil. But unlike most theatre, it's not just food for thought, it's also food for faces: during the one-woman show, actress Isabella Nefar cooks ãsh, a Persian noodle and herb soup, hugely popular in Iran – and then she shares the dish with the audience.  Mick caught up with Atoosa and Hannah to talk about the power and joy of food, finding community, and how the hell you fit a recipe into a play. My English Persian Kitchen is on at Soho Theatre from September 30 to October 11, before travelling to Bristol, Dublin and Belfast.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices