Straight Up is a UK music podcast pulling back the curtain on your favourite artists from the people that know them best. Co-hosted by Telegraph journalist Eleanor Halls and GQ journalist Kathleen Johnston, every fortnight Straight Up extracts the juiciest stories, the most valuable career advice an…
The backlash against Sabrina Carpenter's new album cover supposedly satirising the male gaze has left us grappling with difficult questions, from how much moral responsibility Sabrina owes her young fans to whether this satire serves any greater purpose. Tying in with the release of Laura Bates's brilliant new book The New Age of Sexism, we debate everything from how messy female ‘empowerment' has become and what misogyny actually looks like in our terrifying age of AI. On theme, too, is our review of Alex Cooper's new documentary about her meteoric Call Her Daddy fame: how does her sexual agency compare to Sabrina's? And on a lighter note we start off with a juicy debrief on Dua Lipa's new British Vogue cover. Enjoy hunnies!We love hearing from you, DM us @straightuppod, email at hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk and follow us on TikTok @straightuupod too!Huge thanks to our sponsor Yonder, the incredible lifestyle rewards credit card packed with rewards you'll actually *want* to use. Find out more at yonder.com/straightupBorrow responsibly. £15 a month. 18+ and UK only. Rep 66.0% APR var. T&Cs apply.Get 20% off the adaptogenic coffee that changed our lives, London Nootropics, using our code straightup at londonnootropics.comRecs/reviewDua Lipa, British Vogue Dua Lipa, SkinnyTok and the Labubu doll crazePop Culture Takes Up Smoking Again, New York TimesWhy Are People Mad at Sabrina Carpenter Again, The CutHow Sabrina Carpenter Dream-Come-True'd Her Whole Life, Rolling StoneThe New Age of Sexism: how the AI Revolution is reinventing misogyny, Laura Bates Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness: A Conversation With Lana Del Rey, PitchforkGirl on Girl, Sophie Gilbert Call Her Alex, Disney+ There's more to Alex Cooper than the 'Call Her Daddy' documentary suggests, Washington Post. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
It's a big week for Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, with the judge dismissing Baldoni's $400m countersuit against Lively and his $200m defamation suit against the New York Times. Who is now winning and where does that leave the trial in March? We bring you up to speed with all the latest developments, as well as news of another legal drama: nine women have accused Jared Leto of sexual impropriety. Now his ‘Mars Island cult' feels very disturbing indeed. First up, though, we're talking babies: from Nara Smith's fourth pregnancy announcement to Jamie Laing's podcast rebrand. Plus, a primer on Billie Eilish's new boyfriend, as well as a much overdue debrief on Maya Jama's adorable hard launch with Ruben Dias. And is the fallout from Bonnie Blue's now cancelled sex stunt valid? Finally we review BBC's What It Feels Like for a Girl, which might just be the best show of 2025!Please do leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or a rating on Spotify – it really does help keep us going xWe love hearing from you, DM us @straightuppod, email at hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk and follow us on TikTok @straightuupod too!Huge thanks to our sponsor Yonder, the incredible lifestyle rewards credit card packed with rewards you'll actually *want* to use. Find out more at yonder.com/straightupBorrow responsibly. £15 a month. 18+ and UK only. Rep 66.0% APR var. T&Cs apply.Get 20% off the adaptogenic coffee that changed our lives, London Nootropics, using our code straightup at londonnootropics.comTry BookBeat for free for 60 days (w 40 hrs of listening) and stream millions of audio using our code straightup at bookbeat.comReviews/ recs:Chicken tarragon lasagne, So Good by Emily English Pearl, Netflix Sinners, AppleTVNewlyparents podcast What It Feels Like For a Girl, BBC iPlayer 'All of us felt like we had touched gold': What It Feels Like for a Girl, the BBC's electric coming-of-age tale, Guardian Jake Dunn Is Fiercely Protective of BBC Trans Drama ‘What It Feels Like for a Girl', Hollywood Reporter What It Feels Like for a Girl star Ellis Howard on frank sex scenes, that toilet brush moment, and the emotional finale, British GQParis Lees and What It Feels Like For An Icon, Polyester Judge dismisses Justin Baldoni's $400m defamation lawsuit against Blake Lively, BBCHow Many Times Will Blake Lively Have to Beat Justin Baldoni in Court for It to Matter?, Slate. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
A friendship ‘breakup' is an experience more than 80% of women have been through and it can be even more gut-wrenching than ending a romantic relationship. Yet in our society that prioritises romantic over platonic love, there's no social script for dealing with it. We dive into a topic that still feels like a taboo despite its clear universality, with the help of many of your deeply honest and moving DMs, which proved to us just how devastating – and common – friendship break-ups can be. We cover everything from ghostings and estrangement to boundaries and therapy-speak, as well as how politics, exes and different life stages can lead to rifts and resentment. Hopefully, if you've been through something similar, then this ep will help you feel less alone! We really hope you love this bonus special! We would love to hear your thoughts on all things friendship, so DM us @straightuppod or email at hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk. Plus follow us on TikTok @straightuupod too! And please do leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or a rating on Spotify – it really does help keep us going xRecsBad Friend, Michelle ElmanBride Wars We Need to Talk about Our Ex Best Friends, ElleBad Friend, Tiffany Watt SmithThe Lingering Wounds of Friendship Breakups, Elle The White Lotus S3 E8, HBO Will Our Friendship Survive Your Baby, New York Magazine . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
On today's show: BookTok is engulfed in controversy after an Australian rugby star was seemingly handed a book deal after just a month of posting on BookTok and with no former writing experience or manuscript to his name. We discuss the accusations of white male privilege, the inner workings of influencer publishing and whether we need more ‘literary men' in our age of incel culture. Plus, is Sydney Sweeney selling droplets of her used bath water to male fans genius marketing or normalising objectification? And, following the news of Bella and Gigi Hadid's secret sister, how wise is genealogical testing? Finally our usual film and TV recs (including a very honest And Just Like That review), and a highly revealing update on the Beckham feud. Please do leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or a rating on Spotify – it really does help keep us going xWe love hearing from you, DM us @straightuppod, email at hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk and follow us on TikTok @straightuupod too!Huge thanks to our sponsor Yonder, the incredible lifestyle rewards credit card packed with rewards you'll actually *want* to use. Find out more at yonder.com/straightupBorrow responsibly. £15 a month. 18+ and UK only. Rep 66.0% APR var. T&Cs apply.Get 20% off the adaptogenic coffee that changed our lives, London Nootropics, using our code straightup at londonnootropics.comTry BookBeat for free for 60 days (w 40 hrs of listening) and stream millions of audio using our code straightup at bookbeat.comRecs/reviewsSydney Sweeney, Dr Squatch ad The Elysian, Elle Griffin, Substack The disappearance of literary men should worry everyone, New York Times Demon Copperhead, Barbara KingsolverThe Principle of Moments, Esmie Jikiemi-PearsonEvenings and Weekends, Oisín McKenna (audiobook on BookBeat)The Gift, BBC Radio 4 podcast You've found a lost relative. Now what? VoxThe Better Sister, Prime Video Long Bright River, c4Overcompensating, Netflix And Just Like That, NOWTVThe Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, Disney +Mormon wives on swinging scandals, friendship fallouts and religious backlash, BBC. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Chris Hughes and JoJo Siwa's *very* hard launch and rumours of multiple joint TV projects has got us wondering: is this a rare example of a PR relationship? We dive in! Plus, an explainer of TikTok's Odd Muse drama: can founders get called out without it being bullying? Also, a little look at Kris Jenner's face lift and how one surgeon seems to be becoming the most popular man in Hollywood. And of course we had to debrief on the Netflix show starring Julianne Moore and Meghann Fahy that everyone is talking about: Sirens. Why are we so obsessed with eat the rich satire and gorgeous cult leaders? Please do leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or a rating on Spotify – it really does help keep us going xWe love hearing from you, DM us @straightuppod, email at hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk and follow us on TikTok @straightuupod too!Huge thanks to our sponsor Yonder, the incredible lifestyle rewards credit card packed with rewards you'll actually *want* to use. Find out more at yonder.com/straightupBorrow responsibly. £15 a month. 18+ and UK only. Rep 66.0% APR var. T&Cs apply.Get 20% off the adaptogenic coffee that changed our lives, London Nootropics, using our code straightup at londonnootropics.comTry BookBeat for free for 60 days (w 40 hrs of listening) and stream millions of audio using our code straightup at bookbeat.comRecs/ reviews Pure flourish sleep tapeMy brain finally broke, New YorkerHow to fix your focus and stop procrastinating, Johann Hari Aimee Smale on Working Hard, Hardy Working podcast Nine Perfect Strangers, Prime Video Sirens, Netflix Maid, NetflixNetflix's Sirens will leave you with questions, Hollywood Reporter ‘Sirens' Creator on the Power of Lilly Pulitzer, Michaela's Bird Obsession and Turning Greek Myth Into New England Nightmare, VarietyIt must be nice to be a West Village girl, The Cut . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
From Bonnie Blue and Lily Phillips to Kayla Jade and Ari Kytsya, OnlyFans influencers are everywhere. In this bonus ep, we're deep-diving into the porn star meets social media matrix. How did OnlyFans become such a cultural and economic powerhouse? And who are ‘bops' and ‘mattress actresses' taking over TikTok? This special covers it all: sex stunts, stigma, empowerment, Margot's Got Money Troubles, the celebs making millions on OF, explainers on our fave creators and the problem with sex extremism. We really hope you love this bonus special! We would love to hear your thoughts on all things OnlyFans, so DM us @straightuppod or email at hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk. Plus follow us on TikTok @straightuupod too! And please do leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or a rating on Spotify – it really does help keep us going xRecs‘We're not influencers': Bonnie Blue and Lily Phillips tell us why anger over their sex stunts is ‘misdirected', Brit Dawson for CosmoMargot's Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe Everyone's a sellout now, VoxKayla Jade on TikTok, @blueeyedkaylajadeStory time with Kayla Jade podcast Ari Kytsya on TikTok @notburnttoastheheI Slept With 100 Men in One Day | Documentary by Josh PietersKeily Blair, OnlyFans: ‘We are an incredible UK tech success story', Financial Times OnlyFans and the Myth of Owning Your Own Hustle, Vanity Fair I'm an Ex Playboy model. My son 12 was banned from a sports team because of my job.7 top OnlyFans creators on how it changed their lives, GQ Why are we shaming Bonnie Blue and Lily Phillips, but not the masked men queuing up to have sex with them? Glamour Virgin Island, Channel 4From Bonnie Blue To Boysober: Why Sex Extremism Is Doing No One Any Good, Elle. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Diddy trial has been dominating the pop culture convo this week and so on today's show we debrief, from the horrendous victim-blaming of Cassie Ventura to her husband's beautifully powerful response. First though, we're getting into a fascinating piece about how our phones are killing our ability to feel sexy, Bella Hadid's Vogue interview and Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson's new film about early parenthood. Also: controversial comments abound as Jameela Jamil gets heat for her views on how women need to step up in the fight against toxic masculinity and Lorde has been interviewed about coming off the Pill. Is this really Right-wing propaganda? We discuss! Please do leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or a rating on Spotify – it really does help keep us going xWe love hearing from you, DM us @straightuppod, email at hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk and follow us on TikTok @straightuupod too!Huge thanks to our sponsor Yonder, the incredible lifestyle rewards credit card packed with rewards you'll actually *want* to use. Find out more at yonder.com/straightupBorrow responsibly. £15 a month. 18+ and UK only. Rep 66.0%APR var. T&Cs apply.Get 20% off the adaptogenic coffee that changed our lives, London Nootropics, using our code straightup at londonnootropics.comTry BookBeat for free for 60 days (w 40 hrs of listening) and stream millions of audio using our code straightup at bookbeat.comGet better skin and sleep with sisterly's amazing Elevator powder multivit sachet and use our code STRAIGHTUP for 15% off at sisterlylab.co.ukReviews/recsBreath, James NestorForever, Netflix Ferris Bueller's Day Off Your phone is why you don't feel sexy, Catherine Shannon SubstackThe DumbPhone Boom is Real, New Yorker Bella Hadid On Self-Love, Navigating Megastardom And Meeting Her Cowboy, British VogueWas Diddy a 'mastermind'? How ex Cassie's testimony builds the sex trafficking case against him, BBCJameela Jamil, Wrong Turns podcast Sommer Tothill, TikTokJameela Jamil on Mamma Mia's No Filter podcastLorde: 'I'm an Intense Bitch', Rolling Stone Lorde is not a MAGA tradwife for going off birth control, DazedMurderbot, Apple TV. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Dua Lipa has been hailed as ‘the best literary interviewer' for her forensically researched Service95 author chats and so ofc we had to weigh in, huns, from the rise of celebrity book clubs (and even book stylists) to why people are so reticent to acknowledge a beautiful woman's intelligence. Also this week: celebrity couples from Kylie and Timothée to Gigi Hadid and Bradley Cooper, the labubu doll craze and the ‘kidultification' of culture, plus a deepdive into the disturbing world of #SkinnyTok. Is this the end of body positivity or just recycled fatphobia, emboldened by the Ozempic era? Finally, a few TV recs, including our review of Molly Mae: Behind It All part two. Enjoy and have a fab weekend!Please do leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or a rating on Spotify – it really does help keep us going xWe love hearing from you, DM us @straightuppod, email at hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk and follow us on TikTok @straightuupod too!Huge thanks to our sponsor Yonder, the incredible lifestyle rewards credit card packed with rewards you'll actually *want* to use. Find out more at yonder.com/straightupBorrow responsibly. £15 a month. 18+ and UK only. Rep 66.3% APR var. T&Cs apply.Get 20% off the adaptogenic coffee that changed our lives, London Nootropics, using our code straightup at londonnootropics.comTry BookBeat for free for 60 days (w 40 hrs of listening) and stream millions of audio using our code straightup at bookbeat.comGet better skin and sleep with sisterly's amazing Elevator powder multivit sachet and use our code STRAIGHTUP for 15% off at sisterlylab.co.ukRecs/ reviewsIs Dua Lipa the best literary interviewer? The GuardianDua Lipa versus the literary landscape, YouTubeStill Born, Guadalupe NettelWhy countless guys are obsessed with those weird and wild Labubu dolls, GQThe £13 cuddly toys now being sold for thousands thanks to a celebrity craze, TelegraphFlow, in cinemas and to rent on YouTubeWho's Afraid of #SkinnyTok? Airmail SkinnyTok Isn't A Trend — It's The Latest Iteration of Diet Culture & Fatphobia, Refinery29From fashion to the food industry: 11 ways that weight-loss drugs have changed the world, GuardianMolly Mae: Behind It All pt II, Amazon Prime I thought Molly-Mae Hague was self-absorbed – her documentary changed my mind, Metro Malpractise, ITV. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Ambition feels very complicated in 2025. On the one hand, hustle culture, 5am wake-ups and 'productivity bros' dominate our social media feeds, yet post-pandemic it seems like many have redefined what constitutes ‘success' through finding purpose, setting boundaries or simply ‘quiet quitting'. So what does ‘making it' even mean anymore? In this special bonus ep, we're unpacking everything from side hustles, the girlboss era and softgirl trends to money anxiety, career disillusionment and Emma Grede's controversial Diary of a CEO interview. Enjoy hunnies and let us know if there's a special topic you'd love for us to tackle!DM @straightuppod or email hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk and please do leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or a rating on Spotify – it really does help keep us going xRecs/ reviews:What We Lose When We're Priced Out of Our Hobbies, AtlanticSide hustles, Zoom waves and the Great Casualisation: how Covid shaped new ways to work, FTI burned out chasing money and hustle culture's standards. Now, I'm taking a 'no shame' approach to my business, Business InsiderEmma Grede on Diary of a CEOSome side hustle ideas to help you with all that money anxiety, The Cut The rise of the side hustle, GuardianMoral Ambition, Rutger Bregman If Books Could Kill podcast on Lean In Careless People by Sarah Wynn-WilliamsThe Psychopath Test by Jon Ronson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Beckham family feud is making headlines again, huns, after Brooklyn missed David's starry 50th bash – the latest in a long line of similar ‘snubbed' events. He didn't even post about his dad's big day, so might this genuinely be more than tabloid rumour? Obvs we're debriefing on the Met Gala too, from Rihanna's pregnancy reveal to the apparent fall out between Anna Wintour and Naomi Campbell. Also this week: Dolly Alderton's new quotes on friendship, Tina Fey's ‘mid-life' comedy The Four Seasons and our review of the first ep of the final series of The Handmaid's Tale. Enjoy and please do leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or a rating on Spotify – it really does help keep us going!We love hearing from you, DM us @straightuppod or email at hello@straightuppodcast.co.ukHuge thanks to our sponsor Yonder, the incredible lifestyle rewards credit card packed with rewards you'll actually *want* to use. Find out more at yonder.com/straightupBorrow responsibly. £15 a month. 18+ and UK only. Rep 66.3% APR var. T&Cs apply.Get 20% off the adaptogenic coffee that changed our lives, London Nootropics, using our code straightup at londonnootropics.comTry BookBeat for 60 days for free and stream millions of audio and e-books using our code straightup at bookbeat.comGet better skin and sleep with sisterly's amazing Elevator powder multivit sachet and use our code STRAIGHTUP for 15% off at sisterlylab.co.ukRecs:Slags by Emma Jane UnsworthNaomi Campbell's charity ended in disgrace. She wants to talk about why, Financial TimesSally Rooney, Naomi Campbell and Nobody Wants This, Straight Up ep Oct 24The Four Seasons, Netflix The Handmaid's Tale, Amazon Prime/ C4 As the curtain falls on Gilead, is The Handmaid's Tale too close to the bone? The IndependentThe MaddAddam Trilogy, Margaret Atwood Make Christianity cool again: Why Gen Z is flocking to church, The Independent . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Celebrity Traitors, five-star sexy horror Sinners and Penn Badgley's You finale are all on the agenda this week, huns, as well as Louis Theroux's return to top form with new doc The Settlers. Is this his most important piece of work yet? We're also getting stuck into the latest Blake Lively updates, from her ‘feud' with A Simple Favour 2 costar Anna Kendrick, to the recent Baldoni-related developments. And why are celebs like Blake and Ryan all buying into football teams atm? Plus, Chappel Roan ‘pushing' her assistant, the problem with ‘POVS' and Kaitlyn Dever's heart-wrenching The Last of Us interview. Enjoy and please do leave us review on Apple Podcasts or a rating on Spotify - it really does help keep us going!We love hearing from you, DM us @straightuppod or email at hello@straightuppodcast.co.ukHuge thanks to our sponsor Yonder, the incredible lifestyle rewards credit card packed with rewards you'll actually *want* to use. Find out more at yonder.com/straightupBorrow responsibly. £15 a month. 18+ and UK only. Rep 66.3% APR var. T&Cs apply.Get 20% off the adaptogenic coffee that changed our lives, London Nootropics, using our code straightup at londonnootropics.comTry BookBeat for 60 days for free and stream millions of audio and e-books using our code straightup at bookbeat.comRecs/ reviews: ‘I was sexualised, patronised and ridiculed': how Charlotte Church survived the tabloids to become an earth mother, GuardianLove Life, BBC iPlayerBlake Lively Is on the 2025 TIME100 List, Time MagazineYou S5, NetflixPodcrushed ep with Penn Badgley and Domino Badgley- Kirke How ‘You' Star Penn Badgley Set Out to Deconstruct His Romantic Icon, Hollywood Reporter A Court of Mist and Fury, Sarah J. Maas Sinners, in cinemas nowSinners Is Bold, Ambitious, and Just Misses Greatness, VultureLouis Theroux: The Settlers, BBC iPlayerThe Settlers review – this vital film forces Louis Theroux to do something he's never done beforeLouis Theroux On Returning To The West Bank After 15 Years For BBC Doc ‘The Settlers' & Being “Perpetrator Focused, Deadline It Broke Her, Too: Kaitlyn Dever on The Last of Us, Vulture . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Hen szn is here hunnies and so as promised here is our special deepdive! With the help of your excellent DMs, we assess the good and bad of this increasingly divisive topic: from money anxieties and the growing consumerism of the hen-do ‘aesthetic' to how this tradition can provide a much-needed opportunity to celebrate and make time for those you love. Plus, the single gal perspective, hen ‘etiquette', pop culture horror stories,, and whether hens are ultimately progressive or regressive for women. If you enjoyed this please do leave us review on Apple Podcasts or a rating on Spotify - it really does help keep us going! We absolutely LOVE hearing recommendations for Thursday topics or bonus eps too, so please do DM us @straightuppod, or email at hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk RecsAll the Behind-the-Scenes Debauchery From Writer Tish Weinstock's Bachelorette, CosmoBring back tacky hen do's, the I paper Why I wanted a one-night only hen-do, The Times Why I'm no longer going on hen weekends, New Statesman From penis straws to puppy yoga: Inside the ‘zen do' revolution, Independent Henpocalypse!, BBC iPlayerBachelorette, Prime VideoBridesmaids, Prime Video Everything I know about love, Dolly AldertonStag and hen parties swap binges for good clean fun, TimesAre You the Only One Who's Broke? Or Is It ‘Money Dysmorphia'? NY TimesOver and out: why hens, stags and their parties should be put out to grass, Guardian Hens with Heart Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Are Big Brother's Jojo Siwa and Chris Hughes just friends or something more? We discuss what is ‘normal' within platonic relationships and whether Chris is really who he appears to be on screen. In other celeb news: a debrief on the Tom Cruise and Ana de Armas rumours, and why Liz Hurley's new romance is rather concerning. As promised hunnies Kath reports back on her first foray into ACOTAR and how it compares to Fourth Wing, and we have some excellent recs across theatre and TV, including Disney's The Stolen Girl and whether sleepovers should have parents worried. And last but not least… The Last of Us! We've kept our review to the first episode only to avoid spoiling ep two's shocking (gahhhh!!) twist. See ya next time!Please do leave us review on Apple Podcasts or a rating on Spotify - it really does help keep us going! DM us @straightuppod, or email at hello@straightuppodcast.co.ukHuge thanks to our sponsor Yonder, the incredible lifestyle rewards credit card packed with rewards you'll actually *want* to use. Find out more at yonder.com/straightupBorrow responsibly. £15 a month. 18+ and UK only. Rep 66.3% APR var. T&Cs apply.We are blown away by how Sisterly's amazing Elevator powder multivit sachet has improved our health, from skin and nails to sleep and energy. Get 15% off with code STRAIGHTUP at sisterlylab.co.ukGet 20% off the adaptogenic coffee that changed our lives, London Nootropics, using our code straightup at londonnootropics.comRecs/reviews A Court Of Thorns And Roses, Sarah J. Maas Powerless by Lauren RobertsI Who Have Never Known Men, Jaqueline HarpmanRetrograde, Apollo Theatre LondonThe Stolen Girl, Disney +The Stolen Girl is here to make us think twice about sleepovers, Stylist Your Friends & Neighbours, Apple TVJon Hamm Runs Deep, L'OfficielThe Last of Us, Sky/ HBO Moya McLothian Lean, The Chaff Substack Bel Priestley, YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The queen of podcasting herself, Elizabeth Day, is on the show today to talk all things pop culture and we could not be happier about it huns! We get stuck into her three top recent reccs across TV, film and books, the media's obsession with first person pieces about ‘bad friends' and the toll of maintaining a personal brand. We also chat about the psychic reading that changed Elizabeth's life, reality TV, her daily routine and top pieces of dating advice for our single huns. We promise anyone currently jaded by modern dating will feel uplifted hearing her talk about her first Hinge date with now-husband!Check out Elizabeth's podcast How To Date here and pre oder her new book One of Us (out September 25) herePlease do leave us review on Apple Podcasts or a rating on Spotify - it really does help keep us going! DM us @straightuppod, or email at hello@straightuppodcast.co.ukHuge thanks to our sponsor Yonder, the incredible lifestyle rewards credit card packed with rewards you'll actually *want* to use. Find out more at yonder.com/straightupBorrow responsibly. £15 a month. 18+ and UK only. Rep 66.3% APR var. T&Cs apply.We are blown away by how Sisterly's amazing Elevator powder multivit sachet has improved our health, from skin and nails to sleep and energy. Get 15% off with code STRAIGHTUP at sisterlylab.co.ukGet 20% off the adaptogenic coffee that changed our lives, London Nootropics, using our code straightup at londonnootropics.comReccs/ reviews:How to Date podcastThe Party, Elizabeth DayBabygirl isn't just a sexy thriller, Elizabeth's Substack DaylightLove on the spectrum S3, Netflix Kidfluencers, Netflix Show Don't Tell, Curtis Sittenfield Meghan Markle, Confessions of a Female Founder Ed Sheeran, Call Her DaddyAdolescence, Netflix Conclave, AppleTVCareless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams Chloe, BBC iPlayerErin Doherty, How to FailOlivia Atwood, How To FailOn the Outside Substack Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Another week, another divisive op-ed from The Cut! This time about the fraught nature of WhatsApp groups: is it wise to use them to discuss such personal things as money, politics and parenting? First though, another op-ed, this time on the 'Singlehood Stigma', tackling why women feel like they are simultaneously being told by society not to want a partner, while also shamed for their singledom. It seems like we can't have it all - and maybe that's OK. Also on the show, we have a look at the new charges against Russell Brand, why Romeo Beckham is feuding with brother Brooklyn, a quick film rec and reviews of this week's top TV: Black Mirror and Dying for Sex. Enjoy hunnies!Please do leave us review on Apple Podcasts or a rating on Spotify - it really does help keep us going! DM us @straightuppod, or email at hello@straightuppodcast.co.ukHuge thanks to our sponsor Yonder, the incredible lifestyle rewards credit card packed with rewards you'll actually *want* to use. Find out more at yonder.com/straightupBorrow responsibly. £15 a month. 18+ and UK only. Rep 66.3% APR var. T&Cs apply.We are blown away by how Sisterly's amazing Elevator powder multivit sachet has improved our health, from skin and nails to sleep and energy. Get 15% off with code STRAIGHTUP at sisterlylab.co.ukGet 20% off the adaptogenic coffee that changed our lives, London Nootropics, using our code straightup at londonnootropics.comRecs/ reviewsThe New Singlehood Stigma, The Atlantic When Did Dating Become So Depressing? (our ep)Freya India, GIRLS, Substack My Group Chat is Ruining My Life, The Cut Thinking About Myself Too Much is Making Me Sick, Chloe Grace Laws' Substack Black Bag, in cinemas now Russell Brand: Misogyny, manipulation and the mainstream media 'agenda' (our ep)The Deliriously Witty Spy Games of “Black Bag”, New Yorker Is this the kinkiest show on TV? New York MagDying for Sex, Disney Dying for Sex, Wondery PlusMichelle Andrews on Inherited podcast Black Mirror, Netflix Blue Jean, BBC IPlayer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Chappell Roan has received a backlash for saying all her parent friends are ‘in hell' – is it warranted? We discuss her controversial Call Her Daddy interview and the perennial issue of the ‘unlikeable' woman, including Amanda Knox, who has just given a fascinating new interview. Also, why does it seem like the internet has been waiting for Sydney Sweeney's engagement to fail? Plus plenty of film and TV reviews, from brilliant new AppleTV comedy The Studio to Emilia Clarke's disturbing fertility sci-fi The Pod Generation, now on Netflix. Finally, we dig into why so many men seem to be fainting at a depiction of abortion in the West End, and the efficacy of trigger warnings. Recs/reviewsI'm Sorry You Feel That Way, Rebecca WaitHavoc, Rebecca WaitBrunswick House, LondonThe Studio, AppleTVEllen Pompeo, Call Her DaddyMillie Bobby Brown, Call Her DaddyThe Electric State, NetflixChappell Roan, Call Her DaddyAmanda Knox, How Do I Cope? Con Mum, Netflix The Pod Generation, NetflixI Who Have Never Known Men, Jacqueline HarpmanThe Years, Harold Pinter Huge thanks to our sponsor Yonder, the incredible lifestyle rewards credit card packed with rewards you'll actually *want* to use. Find out more at yonder.com/straightupBorrow responsibly. £15 a month. 18+ and UK only. Rep 66.3% APR var. T&Cs apply.We are blown away by how amazing female founded brand Sisterly's Elevator powder multivit sachet has proven for our physical health, from skin and nails to sleep and energy. Get 15% off with code STRAIGHTUP at sisterlylab.co.ukGet 20% off the adaptogenic coffee that changed our lives, London Nootropics, using our code straightup at londonnootropics.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Welcome to another bonus episode, this time on the theme of moving: something we've been chatting about a lot over the last six months. Why are so many packing up the career ladder for a different way of life abroad? Is it easier to find love elsewhere? Why are people – including couples – flatsharing later in life than ever? And has it now become acceptable to live with your parents in your 30s? We unpick the most recent data and dive into all these cultural and social trends, while sharing our own experiences of moving, from how our first flatshares compared to pop culture tropes, to living with partners, parents and strangers. We would LOVE to hear about your experiences of moving, in any way shape or form, so please do DM us at @straightuppod, or email us a hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk, and we can continue the conversation. (And don't worry we'll be back with this week's regular ep on Thursday!)Please leave us review on Apple Podcasts or a rating on Spotify - it really does help keep our little pod going
Reality TV is first on the agenda this week huns, as we debrief on Netflix's bonkers cheating show, Temptation Island, and all the Made In Chelsea alumni currently hitting the headlines. In the wake of the conversations ignited by Adolescence, is a teary Jamie Laing the new face of positive masculinity? Plus, Zara McDermott's alleged new relationship and the tabloid's subsequent ‘sad case' portrayal of her ex Sam Thompson. Also today: the best bits from Gwyneth Paltrow's Vanity Fair profile and Bella Ramsey's British Vogue cover, the previously-promised whistle-stop tour of Chet Hank's many problematic moments in light of his Running Point role, and last but not least, a deep dive into the sixth and most recent episode of The White Lotus. What's driving the incest storyline, and are people right to be offended?Please leave us review on Apple Podcasts or a rating on Spotify - it really does help keep us going! Say hi by DMing us @straightuppod, or email at hello@straightuppodcast.co.ukHuge thanks to our sponsor Yonder, the incredible lifestyle rewards credit card packed with rewards you'll actually *want* to use. Find out more at yonder.com/straightupBorrow responsibly. £15 a month. 18+ and UK only. Rep 66.3% APR var. T&Cs apply.Get an extra month free on top of BFI Player's 14-day free trial using our code STRAIGHTUP at player.bfi.org.uk/Get 20% off the adaptogenic coffee that changed our lives, London Nootropics, using our code straightup at londonnootropics.comRecs/ reviews: Temptation Island, Netflix Million Dollar Secret, Netflix Big Boys S3, Channel 4Could tearful Jamie Laing be the antidote to Andrew Tate's toxic manosphere? Evening Standard Jordan Stephens on We Need To Talk podcast “There's No Reason For People Not To Know”: Bella Ramsey for British Vogue Gwyneth Paltrow for Vanity Fair The White Lotus, Sky and NowTV The White Lotus Official PodcastMy Pubic Hair Laser Regret, The CutHow the Four Seasons Hit a Marketing Jackpot With HBO's ‘The White Lotus', WSJThe White Lotus outstays its welcome, New Yorker Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Adolescence on Netflix has fast become the most talked about TV show of 2025, with Stephen Graham's new drama igniting much-needed conversations around corrosive social media misogyny and violence against girls. We get into it all from our review to the reception. First, though, a chat about polyamory, non-monogamy and what constitutes ‘cheating' in light of Ne Yo's polycule reveal and the fallout from Danny Jones and Maura Higgins's Brit Awards kiss. And also this week: we debrief on publishing phenomenons Fourth Wing now that we're both Rebecca Yarros converts, share a listener update on the Let Them theory and return yet again to crisis PR. Please leave us review on Apple Podcasts or a rating on Spotify - it really does help keep us going! Say hi by DMing us @straightuppod, or email at hello@straightuppodcast.co.ukHuge thanks to our sponsor Yonder, the incredible lifestyle rewards credit card packed with rewards you'll actually *want* to use. Find out more at yonder.com/straightupBorrow responsibly. £15 a month. 18+ and UK only. Rep 66.3% APR var. T&Cs apply.Get an extra month free on top of BFI Player's 14-day free trial using our code STRAIGHTUP at player.bfi.org.uk/Get 20% off the adaptogenic coffee that changed our lives, London Nootropics, using our code straightup at londonnootropics.comReviews/ recs:Still Bad, Lizzo The Dynamics Of This Relationship Will Expand Your Definition Of Black Love, Huffington PostMel Robbins and Plagiarism, Sage Justice, SubstackLet Them: Words for the Healing Soul by Cassie Phillips Flack, BBC iPlayer Fourth Wing, Rebecca Yarros Rebecca Yarros on Navigating Fame and What to Expect From ‘Onyx Storm', ElleRebecca Yarros Talks ‘Onyx Storm', VarietyAdolescence, Netflix Netflix drama Adolescence has lessons for us all about alienated young men, Observer Ctrl Hate Delete by Cecile Simmons Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How has one of TV's blandest cooking shows ignited such a storm of controversy? We review Meghan Markle's new Netflix offering to see if those one-star reviews are valid. We also share our honest thoughts on The Cut's viral piece about the fallacy of the nuclear family. Is it fair to say that friends flake once they have kids? And is the media exacerbating friction between women? Plus, why Blake Lively's latest big-guns crisis hires suggests something major might soon rock Hollywood, our favourite quotes from the latest Lady Gaga press run, and a look at Adrien Brody's highly questionable art. DM us @straightuppod, or email us at hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk and as ever please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and a rating on Spotify, lysm!Huge thanks to our sponsor Yonder, the incredible lifestyle rewards credit card packed with rewards you'll actually *want* to use. Find out more at yonder.com/straightupBorrow responsibly. £15 a month. 18+ and UK only. Rep 66.3% APR var. T&Cs apply.Get an extra month free on top of BFI Player's 14-day free trial using our code STRAIGHTUP at player.bfi.org.uk/Get 20% off the adaptogenic coffee that changed our lives, London Nootropics, using our code straightup at londonnootropics.comReviews/ recs:The Brutalist Miss MeIt Ends With Urgh, Reality Bites podcast With Love Meghan, Netflix Furious About With Love, Meghan? Go Cool Off With A Lavender-Scented Flannel, Mate, VogueFive key takeaways from With Love, Meghan, GuardianRunning Point, NetflixNever Have I Ever, Netflix My Friends Abandoned Me When They Had Kids, The Cut The Nuclear Family Was a Mistake by David Brooks, Atlantic Mayhem, Lady GagaLady Gaga: ‘People don't always make it through success. I did', Times
We always love it when a guest comes to help us decipher the week in pop culture, and who better to make sense of the Oscars than British actor Lucy Boynton, brilliant star of Bohemian Rhapsody, the Ipcress File, The Politican and Sing Street. She's also in ITV's A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story, a gripping new drama about the last woman to be hanged in Britain, which reveals the horrific elitism and misogyny of the 1950s, and has become horribly relevant in light of the increasing violence against women. We discuss everything from how the media reports on domestic violence to why our society is built for men. Also on the show: Millie Bobby Brown's powerful statement in response to media trolling of her appearance, a quick debrief on the Brits and our review of new no1 Netflix hit Toxic Town. DM us @straightuppod, or email us at hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk and as ever please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and a rating on Spotify, lysm!Huge thanks to our sponsor Yonder, the incredible lifestyle rewards credit card packed with rewards you'll actually *want* to use. Find out more at yonder.com/straightupBorrow responsibly. £15 a month. 18+ and UK only. Rep 66.3% APR var. T&Cs apply.Get an extra month free on top of BFI Player's 14-day free trial using our code STRAIGHTUP at player.bfi.org.uk/Get 20% off the adaptogenic coffee that changed our lives, London Nootropics, using our code straightup at londonnootropics.comReviews/ recs:Toxic Town, NetflixA Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story, ITVWitches (documentary)Nickel BoysRosewater, Liv LittleIsland, Aldous HuxleyFrankenstein, Mary ShelleyBurn After Reading When The O.C. Killed Marissa: “What Have We Done?”, Vanity FairThe Politician, Netflix
We are finally getting stuck into the book everyone has been talking about hunnies: All Fours by Miranda July, which has prompted an 'erotic revolution', with a wave of women 'blowing up their lives' by ending their marriages and pursuing sexual liberation. Why is older women's sexual desire so taboo? Next, following the viral pictures of a 'gaunt' Justin Bieber and Tuppence Middleton's memoir on her struggle with OCD, we discuss the ethics of media speculation into celebrity health. And also this week: the debate on AI voice recreation as American Murder: Gaby Petito trends at No1 Netflix, a Substack suggesting Booktok content is becoming soft porn for teenage girls (ft our Forth Wing review) and new AI girlfriend thriller Companion.DM us @straightuppod, or email us at hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk and as ever please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and a rating on Spotify, lysm!Huge thanks to our sponsor Yonder, the incredible lifestyle rewards credit card packed with rewards you'll actually *want* to use. Find out more at yonder.com/straightupBorrow responsibly. £15 a month. 18+ and UK only. Rep 66.3% APR var. T&Cs apply.Get an extra month free on top of BFI Player's 14-day free trial using our code STRAIGHTUP at player.bfi.org.uk/Get 20% off the adaptogenic coffee that changed our lives, London Nootropics, using our code straightup at londonnootropics.com/Reviews/recs: Harris Dickinson on Chicken Shop Date, YouTube Harris Dickinson on Off Menu Is Rose Gray the Next Big British Pop Star? Vogue All Fours, Miranda July Miranda July's Lucrative Fantasies, Substack Why Gen X Women are Having the Best Sex Scorpions: a memoir excerpt in the Guardian by Tuppence Middleton Companion, in cinemas now Her, Amazon Prime American Murder: Gabby Petito, Netflix If BookTok Was a Community Of Men We Would be Calling the Police, Substack New York recs: Carbone Baretto Bemelman's, Carlyle Moxy Chelsea
Happy Thursday huns! We're checking in at the White Lotus in Thailand to debrief on the start of season three, from our fave characters this time around, to the wild tales from the seven months cast and crew spent on set. But first this week: BAFTAs gossip, Amelia Dimoldenberg's new boyfriend and a big debate on whether botox is really ruining cinema, as per a recent piece in Dazed. And finally, Louis Theroux's viral podcast interview with cancelled star Armie Hammer. Could the actor have made any more of a mess of it? DM us @straightuppod, or email us at hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk and as ever please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and a rating on Spotify, lysm!Huge thanks to our sponsor Yonder, the incredible lifestyle rewards credit card packed with rewards you'll actually *want* to use. Find out more at yonder.com/straightupBorrow responsibly. £15 a month. 18+ and UK only. Rep 66.3% APR var. T&Cs apply.Get an extra month free on top of BFI Player's 14-day free trial using our code STRAIGHTUP at player.bfi.org.uk/Get 20% off the adaptogenic coffee that changed our lives, London Nootropics, using our code straightup at londonnootropics.com/Recs/reviewsRye Lane, Disney+Rev, BBC iPlayer This reeks of a chemistry recession, SubstackIs botox ruining cinema? Dazed Bridget Jones: Mad About a BoyThis is not a Pity Memoir, Abi Morgan The White Lotus, HBOMike White's Mischevious Vision for White Lotus, New Yorker Meet the White Lotus series 3 cast: ‘It's a big, dark, beautiful symphony', The Times The Louis Theroux Podcast with Armie HammerPodcasts were ruining Louis Theroux – then along came Armie Hammer, Independent House of Hammer, Discovery+ Will I survive getting trolled again? Polly Vernon on Substack Boarders s2, BBC iPlayer
It's Bridget Jones season, huns, and so obviously we had to review the latest and fourth film in the franchise, Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy as a special bonus episode. We laughed, we cried, then dissected everything from Bridget's new boyfriends to Pandora Sykes' official podcast. Be warned, there are spoilers! And don't worry, we'll be back here tomorrow with our usual pop culture debrief. Let us know what you thought of the film by DMing us @straightuppod, or email us at hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk and as ever please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and a rating on Spotify, lysm!Recs discussed: Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy The Official Podcast with Pandora Sykes Renée And Hugh Reunite For British Vogue's February Issue Hugh Grant on Smartless If the original Bridget Jones was released today, people would still call her fat, Glamour
It's Valentine's week, hunnies, so ofc romance is top of the agenda on today's show – kicking off with with a review of Elizabeth Day's brand new podcast ‘masterclass' How To Date, which she cohosts with MAFS's Mel Schilling. Do you really have to be ‘healed' to find love? And are we the only ones feeling a bit triggered by the ‘take your younger self for coffee' TikTok trend? Plus: Netflix and Amazon Prime's new rom-com efforts, Amy Schumer's Kinda Pregnant and Reece Witherspoon's You're Cordially Invited, Jordan Stephens' wonderfully refreshing take on male sexuality and the Bonnie Blue phenomenon, as well as life post-divorce in Amandaland. And, as promised, we're getting stuck into Apple Cider Vinegar, the highly-anticipated Netflix series about Australian wellness scammer Belle Gibson. DM us @straightuppod, or email us at hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk and as ever please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and a rating on Spotify, lysm!Huge thanks to our sponsor Yonder, the incredible lifestyle rewards credit card packed with rewards you'll actually *want* to use. Find out more at yonder.com/straightupBorrow responsibly. £15 a month. 18+ and UK only. Rep 66.3% APR var. T&Cs apply.Get an extra month free on top of BFI Player's 14-day free trial using our code STRAIGHTUP at player.bfi.org.uk/Get 20% off the adaptogenic coffee that changed our lives, London Nootropics, using our code straightup at londonnootropics.com/Recs/ reviews:How To Date, Elizabeth DaySludge MagazineEveryone Is Horny Again, DazedMiss Me? Let's Talk About Sex... with Jordan StephensJordan Stephens: sex on screen, male shame and Andrew Tate, Straight UpAvoidance, Drugs, Heartbreak and Dogs, Jordan StephensApple Cider Vinegar, Netflix You're Cordially Invited, Amazon PrimeKinda Pregnant, Netflix Amandaland, BBC iplayer‘I met my younger self for coffee' TikTok trend
We finally got swept up in the Romantasy craze huns! Following the news that Rebecca Yarros's latest novel Oynx Storm has become the fastest selling adult novel in 20 years, we're giving her first book in the series, Fourth Wing, a whirl. What is it about these fantasy romances that has millions of women hooked? Plus, our reviews of Timothée Chalamet's Oscar-tipped turn as Bob Dylan, an excellent book about building your own boyfriend (if only), Disney's latest dystopian murder mystery, and Khloe Kardashian's new podcast. Also, is Mel Robbins's self-help mantra ‘Let Them' helpful or just classic therapy speak? And how much weight do these rumbling Ryan Reynolds rumours have: is he the real villain of the It Ends With Us saga? DM us @straightuppod, or email us at hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk and as ever please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and a rating on Spotify, lysm! Huge thanks to our sponsor Yonder, the incredible lifestyle rewards credit card packed with rewards you'll actually *want* to use. Find out more at yonder.com/straightup Borrow responsibly. £15 a month. 18+ and UK only. Rep 66.7% APR var. T&Cs apply. Get an extra month free on top of BFI Player's 14-day free trial using our code STRAIGHTUP at player.bfi.org.uk/ Get 20% off the adaptogenic coffee that changed our lives, London Nootropics, using our code straightup at londonnootropics.com/ Recs/ reviews: A Complete Unknown, in cinemas now Khloé in Wonder Land Podcast with Mel Robbins ‘Let them': can this viral self-help mantra change your life?, Guardian Blob: A Love Story, Maggie Su Fourth Wing, Rebecca Yarros Rebecca Yarros's ‘Onyx Storm' Is the Fastest-Selling Adult Novel in 20 Years, NYTimes Did a Best-Selling Romantasy Novelist Steal Another Writer's Story? The New Yorker Paradise, Disney +
The Traitors finale was so juicy we HAD to have a big old debrief: was Charlotte robbed? Did it all get too personal? What are the funniest The Traitors tropes? We also discuss Holly Willoughby's first interview since a terrifying plot to kidnap and kill her was foiled a year ago, as well as Jameela Jamil's unique ‘protection method' against misogyny. Plus: has Angelina Jolie been snubbed by the Oscars because Hollywood favours Brad Pitt, despite her abuse allegations? We're also sorry to report that our honey Leo Woodall's ‘maths thriller' Prime Target is... not thrilling. But luckily we do have plenty of other excellent recs for you to get stuck into! Make sure you leave us your books recs in the comments! And DM us your thoughts on Instagram @straightuppod, or email us at hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk and as ever please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and a rating on Spotify, lysm! Huge thanks to our sponsor Yonder, the incredible lifestyle rewards credit card packed with rewards you'll actually *want* to use. Find out more at yonder.com/straightup Borrow responsibly. £15 a month. 18+ and UK only. Rep 66.7% APR var. T&Cs apply. Get an extra month free on top of BFI Player's 14-day free trial using our code STRAIGHTUP at player.bfi.org.uk/ Get 20% off the adaptogenic coffee that changed our lives, London Nootropics, using our code straightup at londonnootropics.com/ Reviews/recs A Good House, Royal Court Theatre FKA Twigs did this for herself, Vulture FKA Twigs, Eusexua Central Cee, Can't Rush Greatness Holly Willoughby: ‘It's been tough. There's no way of sugar-coating it', Times Jameela Jamil, The Making of Me, the i paper Prime Target, Apple TV There had never been a sillier thriller about maths, Vulture High Potential, Disney Plus 100 Years of Solitude, Netflix What I Learned Visiting the Set of Netflix's One Hundred Years of Solitude, Vogue Why Do TV Title Sequences Have So Much… Stuff, The Beast ‘Severance,' ‘The Substance' and Our Increasingly Splintered Selves, NYTimes We Run The Tides
We were not expecting to be weeping over the glossy Molly Mae Amazon doc hunnies, but it got us!! We discuss all the revelations and ‘the Molly Mae paradox'. We also had to dive into the latest explosive lawsuit in this increasingly wild It Ends With Us saga, which has now pulled in Taylor Swift and, er, Game of Thrones. Does the flippant public reaction suggest the worrying end of the MeToo movement? And we've got a veritable spy extravaganza of reviews and recommendations this week, including Cameron Diaz's first return to acting in over a decade. Plus, is We Live in Time up to the hype? DM us your thoughts on Instagram @straightuppod, or email us at hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk and as ever please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and a rating on Spotify, lysm! Huge thanks to our sponsor Yonder, the incredible lifestyle rewards credit card packed with rewards you'll actually *want* to use. Find out more at yonder.com/straightup Borrow responsibly. £15 a month. 18+ and UK only. Rep 66.7% APR var. T&Cs apply. Get an extra month free on top of BFI Player's 14-day free trial using our code STRAIGHTUP at player.bfi.org.uk/ Get 20% off the adaptogenic coffee that changed our lives, London Nootropics, using our code straightup at londonnootropics.com/ Recs/ reviews Anora's Mikey Madison: ‘I never felt naked filming those scenes', Style Are You a Charlotte? podcast I knew one day I'd have to watch powerful men burn the world down – I just didn't expect them to be such losers, Guardian Willem Dafoe, The Louis Theroux podcast Molly Mae: Behind it All, Amazon Prime The paradox of Molly-Mae Hague, The New Statesman How the Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively legal battle ends, to us, Vulture Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni and the collapse of the Hollywood MeToo era, New Yorker We Live In Time, cinemas or pre-order on Apple TV Let's Talk About the Way We Live in Time Deals With Death, Time Back In Action, Netflix Day of the Jackal, Sky Atlantic The Agency, Paramount Plus Killer, Netflix Severance, Disney+
Nicole Kidman's erotic thriller Babygirl is finally out and so ofc we had to see it and give you our verdict this week huns! Before our spoiler free-review, though, we discuss all the latest pop culture stories, from Lily Allen's reported divorce to Heidi Montag's musical comeback. As always we've got lots of TV chat, plus our thoughts on two of our favourite books of 2024, both about the financial anxieties of young women. Debates on OnlyFans, money diaries and more ensue! DM us your thoughts on Instagram @straightuppod, or email us at hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk and as ever please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and a rating on Spotify, lysm! Huge thanks to our sponsor Yonder, the incredible lifestyle rewards credit card packed with rewards you'll actually *want* to use. Find out more at yonder.com/straightup Borrow responsibly. £15 a month. 18+ and UK only. Rep 66.7% APR var. T&Cs apply. Get an extra month free on top of BFI Player's 14-day free trial using our code STRAIGHTUP at player.bfi.org.uk/ Official London Theatre has amazing discounts on the biggest and best London shows until Jan 31. officiallondontheatre.com/seeitlive Get 20% off the adaptogenic coffee that changed our lives, London Nootropics, using our code straightup at londonnootropics.com/ Recs/ reviews: Infactuation, Heidi Montag Missing You, Netflix Playing Nice, ITV Don't Die: The Man Who Wants to Live Forever, Netflix When women do anti-ageing it's called Goop, when men do it, it's science, The I Avicii - I'm Tim, Netflix Margo's Got Money Troubles, Rufi Thorpe Come And Get It, Kiley Reid Babygirl, in cinemas now Harris Dickinson, the Run-Through with Vogue Women Really Want to Talk After Seeing ‘Babygirl', New York Times The Secretary, Amazon Prime Video Birth, Amazon Prime Video
Happy 2025 hunnies and welcome back, we've missed you! First up this week we're debriefing on the holidays, from New Year's resolutions to the culture that kept us entertained. Next, a deep-dive into the explosive developing story on the numerous (and ongoing) lawsuits surrounding It Ends With Us costars Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively. Is the world of crisis PR as dark as it seems? And finally, some great new film recs for you, randomly both starring Nicholas Hoult: Lily-Rose Depp's ‘sexy vampire' film Nosferatu, and Clint Eastwood's crime thriller Juror #2. DM us your thoughts on Instagram @straightuppod, or email us at hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk and as ever please, please, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and a rating on Spotify, lysm! Huge thanks to our sponsor Yonder, the incredible lifestyle credit card packed with rewards you'll actually *want* to use. Find out more at yonder.com/straightup Borrow responsibly. £15 a month. 18+ and UK only. Rep 66.7% APR var. T&Cs apply. Get an extra month free on top of BFI Player's 14-day free trial using our code STRAIGHTUP at player.bfi.org.uk/ Official London Theatre has amazing discounts on the biggest and best London shows until Jan 31. officiallondontheatre.com/seeitlive Get 20% off the adaptogenic coffee that changed our lives, London Nootropics, using our code straightup at londonnootropics.com/ Recs discussed: The Traitors, BBC One Supacell, Netflix Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, BBC iPlayer Blake Lively's Suit Exposes the Twisted World of Hollywood Misogyny, The Nation 'We Can Bury Anyone': Inside a Hollywood Smear Machine, New York Times Who Trolled Amber, Tortoise Juror #2, rent via Amazon Prime, Google Play and Sky Nosferatu, in cinemas now
Male infertility accounts for half of all IVF cases, so why does society so often consider it a ‘women's issue'? We get into the taboo around fertility and masculinity, as well as the thorny topics of egg freezing, the 'queer tax' and the commodification of reproduction in this second part of our exploration of why more and more people are putting off having children. We also dive into plenty of other unspeakable truths, from 'unnatural' parents, the fantasy mother vs monster mother tropes in Hollywood, and loss of identity. Plus, we discuss some of the most joyous things about being a parent, how social media is shaping parenthood norms, and much more. As mentioned in last week's intro, this is the part two of our Big Kids Question re-run , so that our new listeners can discover the two episodes we're proudest of, and because it feels so timely still given November's new fertility data! Plus we didn't want to leave you without anything during the holidays. If you've already listened, maybe give it another go! DM us your thoughts on Instagram @straightuppod, or email us at hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk and as ever please, please, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and a rating on Spotify, lysm! Get an extra month free on top of BFI Player's 14-day free trial using our code STRAIGHTUP at player.bfi.org.uk Official London Theatre has amazing discounts on over 50 London shows until Jan 31, from Mean Girls to Tina the Tina Turner Musical, Stranger Things and more! Check them out at OfficialLondonTheatre.com/seeitlive Reccos discussed Stand Up to Infertility, BBC 'Elizabeth Day: At 45 I will never be a mother. I've made peace with it', The Times Magpie by Elizabeth Day The Birth of My Daughter, The Death of My Marriage by Leslie Jamison, New Yorker Laura Jackson on Grace Beverley's podcast Why Must We Pay Queer Tax? the Guardian 'I'm a sexual and single but wanted to become a mum', Stylist Straight Up with Tove Lo, and Straight Up with BabyQueen Diary of a CEO: No.1 Neuroscientist: "Kids will make you unhappier" I chose my marriage over having kids by Ruby Warrington, The Times The School for Bad Mothers, Jessamine Chan Still Born by Guadalupe Nettel The false escapism of soft girls and trad wives, Time How Long Can You Wait To Have A Baby? The Atlantic
The startling new data revealing the sharply declining fertility rate in the UK taps into the fraught and personal conversations that we've been having since turning 30: are we ready to have kids, financially and emotionally? How has everything from increased gender equality and the thriving child free movement to social media and the pandemic skip affected our reasoning? We try to answer all these questions and more in this two-part series on the societal and cultural issues shaping how we think about parenthood in modern Britain. Next week we will discuss: male infertility, IVF & egg freezing, the child free movement, the taboo of the ‘unnatural' mother, how pop culture has influenced our idea of parenthood, plus loads more listener DMs. As mentioned in the intro hunnies, this is a re-run of our most popular episode from this year, so our new listeners can discover, and because it feels so timely still given November's new fertility data! Plus we didn't want to leave you without anything during the holidays. If you've already listened, maybe give it another go! Part two will run next week. DM us your thoughts on Instagram @straightuppod, or email us at hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk and as ever please, please, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and a rating on Spotify, lysm! Get an extra month free on top of BFI Player's 14-day free trial using our code STRAIGHTUP at player.bfi.org.uk Official London Theatre has amazing discounts on over 50 London shows until Jan 31, from Mean Girls to Tina the Tina Turner Musical, Stranger Things and more! Check them out at OfficialLondonTheatre.com/seeitlive
Hunnies we've made it to the end of the year! And our Christmas present to you is a definitive top 10 across both TV and film of 2024, so that you are happily entertained over the next few weeks. Also, we thought it was a good time to dive into Hugh Grant's ‘freak show era' now that his intriguing new horror film Heretic is out, and of course it wouldn't be Christmas without a feminist reappraisal of Love Actually. We hope everyone has a lovely festive break, but we send big hugs and thoughts to anyone struggling at what can be such a difficult time of the year. We are also VERY sorry about the glitching audio which begins part way through this episode due to a mysterious tech diff. We didn't want to leave you with nothing this week, so we've tried our best to make do with the audio we have. Hopefully you can forgive us! DM us your thoughts on Instagram @straightuppod, or email us at hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk and as ever please, please, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and a rating on Spotify, lysm! Huge thanks to our sponsor Yonder, the incredible lifestyle credit card packed with rewards you'll actually *want* to use. Find out more at yonder.com/straightup Yonder membership is subject to eligibility and you'll need to be over 18 and a UK resident to apply. If you sign up, only borrow what you can afford to pay back. The representative rate is 66.7% APR variable. Membership fees and other T&Cs may apply. Get an extra month free on top of BFI Player's 14-day free trial using our code STRAIGHTUP at player.bfi.org.uk Official London Theatre has amazing discounts on over 50 London shows until Jan 31, from Mean Girls to Tina the Tina Turner Musical, Stranger Things and more! Check them out at OfficialLondonTheatre.com/seeitlive Recs: Heretic, in cinemas now Hugh Grant's Most Convincing Character ‘Hugh Grant'? New York Times No more Mr Nice Guy: how Hugh Grant transformed himself into an edgy national treasure, Observer Smartless podcast episode with Hugh Grant No Good Deed, Netflix Our best TV & film of 2024: Anora Challengers Blink Twice Poor Things La Chimera Wicked The Substance All of Us Strangers Speak No Evil Inside out 2 Baby Reindeer One Day Rivals After The Party Say Nothing Mr and Mrs smith Kaos Boarders The Perfect Couple High Potential
Sabrina Carpenter has been accused of ‘marketing' herself using problematic Lolita references, so we discuss in light of her new Netflix Christmas special A Nonsense Christmas. Plus, Keira Knightley is back on our screens with the highly entertaining spy thriller Black Doves, but will the media be kinder to her this time? Also, ‘brain rot' is the word of the year, to which we hard relate, and Amy Adams's new motherhood horror film, Nightbitch, has left us reeling. DM us your thoughts on Instagram @straightuppod, or email us at hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk and as ever please, please, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and a rating on Spotify, lysm! Huge thanks to our sponsor Yonder, the incredible lifestyle credit card packed with rewards you'll actually *want* to use. Find out more at yonder.com/straightup Yonder membership is subject to eligibility and you'll need to be over 18 and a UK resident to apply. If you sign up, only borrow what you can afford to pay back. The representative rate is 66.7% APR variable. Membership fees and other T&Cs may apply. Get an extra month free on top of BFI Player's 14-day free trial using our code STRAIGHTUP at player.bfi.org.uk Get 20% off our fave adaptogenic coffee using our code straightup at https://londonnootropics.com/ Recs: Is doom scrolling really rotting our brains? The evidence is getting harder to ignore, Siân Boyle, Guardian Black Doves, Netflix Black Doves review – Keira Knightley and Ben Whishaw's gleefully pulpy Christmas gift, Guardian In ‘Black Doves,' Keira Knightley is a mother and an assassin, LA Times Keira Knightley: 'Turning 40? It looks rather great', the Times A Nonsense Christmas with Sabrina Carpenter, Netflix Your fave is selling a pedophilic fantasy, Jade Hurley on Substack She was a child influencer. Her fans were grown men, New York Times Nightbitch, in cinemas now Amy Adams and Marielle Heller on toddlers, incontinence and Nightbitch, the Guardian
Linsday Lohan's new Christmas film is being billed as her big comeback, so why is her alleged facelift at the centre of the story? We discuss the uncomfortable discourse around Lindsay's recent transformation, from the hunt for her Hollywood surgeon, to our obsession with ‘ageless' celebrities. Obvs we then had to get into The Cut's latest viral piece on what a 30-something should look like, not to mention the millennial mid-life crisis. Plus some fab book and TV recs, including the drama that Ellie is calling the best of 2024 and Kathleen's fave new Netflix thriller. DM us your thoughts on Instagram @straightuppod, or email us at hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk and as ever please, please, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and a rating on Spotify, lysm! Huge thanks to our sponsor Yonder, the incredible lifestyle credit card packed with rewards you'll actually *want* to use. Find out more at yonder.com/straightup Yonder membership is subject to eligibility and you'll need to be over 18 and a UK resident to apply. If you sign up, only borrow what you can afford to pay back. The representative rate is 66.7% APR variable. Membership fees and other T&Cs may apply. Get an extra month free on top of BFI Player's 14-day free trial using our code STRAIGHTUP at player.bfi.org.uk Get 20% off our fave adaptogenic coffee using our code straightup at londonnootropics.com Recs discussed: Our Little Secret, Netflix Hot Frosty, Netflix Joia, Battersea Power Station What Should a 30-Something Look Like? The Cut Welcome to the millennial mid-life crisis, The Cut How to Murder Your Life, Cat Marnell The Madness, Netflix After the Party, Channel 4 Buy Now, The Shopping Conspiracy, Netflix Nightbitch, in cinemas from Dec 6
Everyone is talking about Wicked and so of course we had to share our review with you this week, from just how much we loved the cinematic spectacle, to the best moments from the utterly hilarious press tour. Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo's crying and hand-holding has us in a chokehold. Surely you've been holding space for the lyrics of Defying Gravity too? Also, Ellie delivers some sad news about Paul Mescal's Gladiator performance, while Kathleen has much to report on Pandora Sykes's brilliantly thorough dissection of literary behemoth Colleen Hoover's work. Plus: freakily life-like AI pets have launched in Japan and are targeted at women in their thirties. We discuss! Recs/culture discussed Gladiator II, in cinemas now The Secret Of Us (deluxe version), Gracie Abrams Afrikan Alien, Pa Salieu The Real Reward Of All These Celebrity Lookalike Contests, Raven Smith for Vogue Rita's, Soho White Horse, Shepherd's Market Pandora Sykes' Books and Bits, Substack Scrapper, BFI Player My weird, emotional week with an AI pet, Guardian My AI Girlfriend, Slow News Cast, Tortoise Wicked, in cinemas now Theatre Camp, Disney+ Emilia Perez, Netflix Say Nothing, Disney+ Blitz, Apple TV+ DM us your thoughts on Instagram @straightuppod, or email us at hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk and as ever please, please, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and a rating on Spotify, lysm! Huge thanks to our sponsor Yonder, the incredible lifestyle credit card packed with rewards you'll actually *want* to use. Find out more at https://www.yonder.com/straightup Yonder membership is subject to eligibility and you'll need to be over 18 and a UK resident to apply. If you sign up, only borrow what you can afford to pay back. The representative rate is 66.7% APR variable. Membership fees and other T&Cs may apply. Get an extra month free on top of BFI Player's 14-day free trial using our code STRAIGHTUP at player.bfi.org.uk Get 20% off our fave adaptogenic coffee using our code straightup at londonnootropics.com
Bad Sisters, the brilliant black comedy by Sharon Horgan, is back for season two, so this week we're getting stuck into the Garvey girls' return with our review. First, though, some celeb news, from Romeo Beckham's new girlfriend Kim Turnbull, to Molly-Mae's Vogue feature. Plus, a debrief on Anora, the award-winning new film touted as the modern day answer to Pretty Woman (consider us Mikey Madison stans). And finally, a raving review of bonkbuster Rivals now that we've both finished the first season. We absolutely get the hype. DM us your thoughts on Instagram @straightuppod, or email us at hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk and as ever please, please, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and a rating on Spotify, lysm! Huge thanks to our sponsor Yonder, the incredible lifestyle credit card packed with rewards you'll actually *want* to use, beloved by foodies like us. Find out more at https://www.yonder.com/straightup Yonder membership is subject to eligibility and you'll need to be over 18 and a UK resident to apply. If you sign up, only borrow what you can afford to pay back. The representative rate is 66.7% APR variable. Membership fees and other T&Cs may apply. We're also over the moon to be partnered with the British Film Institute to tell you about our favourite films dropping on BFI Player. BFI Player offers a 14-day free trial for new users PLUS our hunnies get an extra month free with the code STRAIGHTUP. Head to player.bfi.org.uk to stream now! We're back working with our OG faves London Nootropics, the adaptogenic coffee brand that has literally changed our lives with its amazing blends. Get 20% off using our code straightup at londonnootropics.com Reccs discussed: “People Find Me Quite Controversial”: Molly-Mae for British Vogue by Sirin Kale Nightbitch (out 6 December) Wolf Like Me, Amazon Prime Anora, in cinemas now A Night at Cannes With the Strippers of Sean Baker's Anora, Vulture Mikey Madison: from Tarantino bit part to hot tip for an Oscar playing a sex worker, Guardian Better Things, BBC iPlayer The Oscar contender with a Russia problem, Telegraph Bad Sisters, Apple TV Sharon Horgan on Newsweek podcast Sharon Horgan on Love Lives with Dolly Alderton podcast Rivals, Disney + Memo to my family: Stop asking me when I'm going to make you grandparents, Independent People Aren't Sure About Having Kids. She Helps Them Decide, Time
What would an 18-year-old you want to ask your 39-year-old future self if you met them during a hallucinogenic mushroom trip? That's the amazing conceit behind new Margot Robbie-produced rom-com My Old Ass. We review the film while chatting all about teen nostalgia and the passing of time. Plus, why on earth didn't Jamie Oliver hire a sensitivity reader for his cancelled new children's book? And Kathleen has only just recovered from watching the ever-divisive Demi Moore body-horror The Substance, which Ellie reviewed here last month, so we discuss! DM us your thoughts on Instagram @straightuppod, or email us at hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk and as ever please, please, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and a rating on Spotify, lysm! Huge thanks to our sponsor Yonder, the incredible lifestyle credit card packed with rewards you'll actually *want* to use, beloved by foodies like us. Find out more at yonder.com/straightup Yonder membership is subject to eligibility and you'll need to be over 18 and a UK resident to apply. If you sign up, only borrow what you can afford to pay back. The representative rate is 66.7% APR variable. Membership fees and other T&Cs may apply. We're also over the moon to be partnered with the British Film Institute to tell you about our favourite films dropping on BFI Player. BFI Player offers a 14-day free trial for new users PLUS our hunnies get an extra month free with the code STRAIGHTUP. Head to player.bfi.org.uk to stream now! We're back working with our OG faves London Nootropics, the adaptogenic coffee brand that has literally changed our lives with its amazing blends. Get 20% off using our code straightup at londonnootropics.com Reccs discussed: Barry Keoghan on the Louis Theroux podcast The Outrun, in cinemas A Different Man, Apple TV The Apprentice, in cinemas Trump spoke directly to young men online. Young men spoke back, The Face All Those A-List Celebs Couldn't Save Harris, But Joe Rogan Helped Trump, Hollywood Reporter So Good, Emily English My Old Ass, Amazon Prime The Fall of My Teenage Self, Zadie Smith for New Yorker The Substance, streaming now Living with Myself, Netflix Anora, in cinemas now
You asked and we have delivered hunnies: an investigation into why modern dating feels so broken. Is it just a case of dating app fatigue and chronic ghosting or are there bigger societal issues pegged to the widening gender gaps when it comes to education, pay and politics? And how helpful is this very modern idea of self love over romantic love? We address all your requests, from positive dating stories and top tips for the apps and offline dating, as well as cautionary tales and horror stories for a little much-needed camaraderie. Plus, how dating affects friendships for better or worse and pop culture's empty promises. DM us your thoughts on Instagram @straightuppod, or email us at hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk and as ever please, please, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and a rating on Spotify, lysm! Huge thanks to our sponsor Yonder, the incredible lifestyle credit card packed with rewards you'll actually *want* to use, from points to use towards your bill at the trendiest restaurants and bars in the UK, to theatre, coffee and online shopping. Find out more at yonder.com/straightup Yonder membership is subject to eligibility and you'll need to be over 18 and a UK resident to apply. If you sign up, only borrow what you can afford to pay back. The representative rate is 66.7% APR variable. Membership fees and other T&Cs may apply. We're also over the moon to be partnered with the British Film Institute to tell you about our favourite films dropping on BFI Player. BFI Player offers a 14-day free trial for new users PLUS our hunnies get an extra month free with the code STRAIGHTUP. Head to player.bfi.org.uk to stream now! We're back working with our OG faves London Nootropics, the adaptogenic coffee brand that has literally changed our lives with its amazing blends. Get 20% off using our code straightup at londonnootropics.com Reccs discussed: Martha, Netflix Kill List, Wondery Young women are starting to leave men behind, Financial Times ‘Falling birth rate? It's difficult to imagine having kids when dating is this hard' Chanté Joseph for Women's Health The Age of Abandonment, Girls by Freya India, Substack Fear and Loathing on Feeld, Moya Lothian-McLean for The Londoner
Happy Halloween hunnies! Why does it feel like the once brilliant Louis Theroux has become our embarrassing uncle? His new Spotify podcast season has revealed him to be narcissistic and underprepared, so we assess potential causes. Plus, our thoughts on two viral celeb videos: Saoirse Ronan's mic-drop moment on Graham Norton, and Tom Holland 'saving' Zendaya. We also come armed with two excellent what to watch reccos: zombie drama Generation Z and a biopic about the most provocative rappers today. DM us your thoughts on Instagram @straightuppod, or email us at hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk and as ever please, please, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and a rating on Spotify, lysm! Huge thanks to our sponsor Yonder, the incredible lifestyle credit card packed with rewards you'll actually *want* to use, from points to use towards your bill at the trendiest restaurants and bars in the UK, to theatre, coffee and online shopping. Find out more at yonder.com/straightup Yonder membership is subject to eligibility and you'll need to be over 18 and a UK resident to apply. If you sign up, only borrow what you can afford to pay back. The representative rate is 66.7% APR variable. Membership fees and other T&Cs may apply. We're also absolutely over the moon to be partnered with the British Film Institute to tell you about our favourite films dropping on their incredible BFI Player every week. At the moment we're loving Evil Does Not Exist, Rare Beasts, Scrapper and The Assistant. BFI Player offers a 14-day free trial for new users PLUS our hunnies get an extra month free with the code STRAIGHTUP. Head to player.bfi.org.uk to stream now! We're back working with our OG faves London Nootropics, the adaptogenic coffee brand that has literally changed our lives with its amazing blends. Amazing health benefits plus no anxiety or jitters. Win! Get 20% off using our code straightup at londonnootropics.com Reccos/culture discussed Law Roach, the architect of Zendaya's red carpet style, The New Yorker Generation Z, Channel 4 Sue Johnston is the greatest zombie to grace our screens in decades (Joel Golby) Guardian Kudu Grill The Louis Theroux Podcast, Spotify The Louis Theroux Podcast review — his worst interview yet, Times Grounded with Louis Theroux BBC Sounds Kneecap, BFI Player “She's Fascinating Eating Cornflakes”: The Endlessly Alluring Saoirse Ronan On Blitz, Kids And Marital Bliss The Outrun, in cinemas now Blitz, in cinemas now Paul Mescal enters the arena, GQ Big Boys, Channel 4
Liam Payne's passing has reignited important conversations around the cost of fame and media exploitation, so we're discussing everything from journalistic ethical standards, to the music industry's duty of care for popstars. What can we learn from this all-too-familiar tragedy? Also on the show, we review Anna Kendrick's Woman of the Hour, ‘bonkbuster' Rivals and new comedy The Franchise. Plus: Angelina Jolie's alleged romance with London's own Akala, dating octogenarians, and Netflix's adaptation of the hit podcast Sweet Bobby. Huge thanks to our sponsor Yonder, the incredible lifestyle credit card packed with rewards you'll actually *want* to use, from points to use towards your bill at the trendiest restaurants and bars in the UK, to theatre and online shopping. Find out more at yonder.com/straightup Yonder membership is subject to eligibility and you'll need to be over 18 and a UK resident to apply. If you sign up, only borrow what you can afford to pay back. The representative rate is 66.7% APR variable. Membership fees and other T&Cs may apply. We're also absolutely over the moon to be partnered with the British Film Institute to tell you about our favourite films dropping on their incredible BFI Player every week. At the moment we're loving Evil Does Not Exist, Rare Beasts, Scrapper and The Assistant. BFI Player offers a 14-day free trial for new users PLUS our hunnies get an extra month free with the code STRAIGHTUP. Head to player.bfi.org.uk to stream now! We're back working with our OG faves London Nootropics, the adaptogenic coffee brand that has literally changed our lives with its amazing blends. Amazing health benefits plus no anxiety or jitters. Win! Get 20% off using our code straightup at londonnootropics.com DM us your thoughts on Instagram @straightuppod, or email us at hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk and as ever please, please, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and a rating on Spotify, lysm! Culture/reccs discussed AARP-Breaker, Airmail I'm 33 and my husband is 77 – this is why I only sleep with older men, Guardian Magnolia Cafe, Lisbon Woman of the Hour, Netflix Love Life, BBC iPlayer Liam Payne: journalistic ethics are often ignored when celebrities die, The Conversation Rivals, Disney Plus Sweet Bobby, Netflix The crunch, the flavours, the rituals: how crisps became a British snack obsession, Guardian
Stormzy has a potential new girlfriend and we are SHAKEN by this breaking news huns (and the pics of them kissing at Heathrow) but trying our best to process — it helps that she is the incredible musician Victoria Monet who we already happened to adore. Plus, why we've fallen in love with the ultimate modern man Andrew Garfield ahead of his new film We Live In Time, ft. a hilarious story from filming with Florence Pugh. Also, our thoughts on the deeply uncomfortable Boris Johnson interview with Steven Bartlett, not to mention the recently unearthed Anne Hathaway press junket clips, as well as our verdict on the absolute stinker of a Netflix Rom-com Lonely Planet. And is the new show Curfew about making all men stay at home from 7pm to 7am onto something? We discuss! Huge thanks to our sponsor Yonder, the incredible lifestyle credit card packed with rewards you'll actually *want* to use, from points to use towards your bill at the trendiest restaurants and bars in the UK, to experiences from the theatre to flights. Find out more at yonder.com/straightup Subject to eligibility. 18+ and UK Residents Only. T&C's apply. We're also absolutely over the moon to be partnered with the British Film Institute to tell you about our favourite films dropping on their incredible BFI Player every week. At the moment we're loving Evil Does Not Exist, Rare Beasts, Scrapper and The Assistant. BFI Player offers a 14-day free trial for new users PLUS our hunnies get an extra month free with the code STRAIGHTUP. Head to player.bfi.org.uk to stream now! We're back working with our OG faves London Nootropics, the adaptogenic coffee brand that has literally changed our lives with its amazing blends. Amazing health benefits plus no anxiety or jitters. Win! Get 20% off using our code straightup at londonnootropics.com DM us your thoughts on Instagram @straightuppod, or email us at hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk and as ever please, please, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and a rating on Spotify, lysm! Recs/ culture discussed Andrew Garfield on the Modern Love podcast, The New York Times Learning to Measure Time in Love and Loss, NYTimes Andrew Garfield on All There Is with Anderson Cooper The Confessions of Andrew Garfield, Esquire Oliver Burkeman's last column: the eight secrets to a (fairly) fulfilled life, Guardian Kjersti Flaa YouTube (Blake Lively and Anne Hathaway interviews) Boris Johnson on Diary of a CEO Lonely Planet, Netflix Will and Harper, Netflix Disclaimer, AppleTV Curfew, Paramount Plus
Can Hollywood recover from the Diddy scandal? With more than 120 new lawsuits and related conspiracy theories reigning supreme on TikTok, the allegations surrounding the music mogul have gripped the pop culture conversation this past few weeks From the many theories that hone in on Beyoncé, to a reframing of Zoe Kravitz's Blink Twice, we provide a much needed update on it all. Plus, a debrief on Kamala Harris' Call Her Daddy controversy, the happy news that The Princess Diaries 3 has been confirmed, and lots of TV and film recommendations, from our current cinema and Netflix picks, to a review of the new season of HBO/BBC sleeper hit Industry. Kit Harington's brilliant new character has a love of, ahem, watersports, so the chat takes an unusually kinky turn. Enjoy! Huge thanks to our sponsor Yonder, the incredible lifestyle credit card packed with rewards you'll actually *want* to use, from points to use towards your bill at the trendiest restaurants and bars in the UK, to theatre and online shopping. Find out more at yonder.com/straightup Yonder membership is subject to eligibility and you'll need to be over 18 and a UK resident to apply. If you sign up, only borrow what you can afford to pay back. The representative rate is 66.7% APR variable. Membership fees and other T&Cs may apply. We're also absolutely over the moon to be partnered with the British Film Institute to tell you about our favourite films dropping on their incredible BFI Player every week. At the moment we're loving Evil Does Not Exist, Rare Beasts, Scrapper and The Assistant. BFI Player offers a 14-day free trial for new users PLUS our hunnies get an extra month free with the code STRAIGHTUP. Head to player.bfi.org.uk to stream now! And we're partnered with brand new quarterly newspaper The Pass, the only publication bold enough to ignore food influencer hype and give us properly honest London restaurant reviews. Subscribe here to receive the new issue and find out what to cross off, and put on, your list. We're back working with our OG faves London Nootropics, the adaptogenic coffee brand that has literally changed our lives with its amazing blends. Amazing health benefits plus no anxiety or jitters. Win! Get 20% off using our code straightup at londonnootropics.com DM us your thoughts on Instagram @straightuppod, or email us at hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk and as ever please, please, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and a rating on Spotify, lysm! Reccs/culture discussed Call Her Daddy, Kamala Harris Speak No Evil Force Majeure Heartstopper s3 Prima Facie, NT Live Blink Twice The cheap tricks of MeToo thrillers, Vulture Industry s3 Cheapskatelondon newsletter
Are we the only ones not head over heels for Nobody Wants This? Critics are unanimously (and unusually) full of five-star praise for the Netflix Rom-com which has left us a little puzzled — we discuss! In other news, Naomi Campbell has fallen foul of the Charity Commission for allegedly spending money from her charity on lavish hotel rooms and cigarettes, so we put this in the context of her many controversies and ask whether the ‘diva' label has insulated her from serious scrutiny. Finally, of course we're debriefing on Sally Rooney, having read her latest bestseller Intermezzo over the weekend. We get into her couple dynamics, how she writes men vs women, marketing hype and why some readers have called out a thematic ‘glorification of thinness'. Huge thanks to our sponsor Yonder, the incredible lifestyle credit card packed with rewards you'll actually *want* to use, from points to use towards your bill at the trendiest restaurants and bars in the UK, to theatre and online shopping. Find out more at yonder.com/straightup Subject to eligibility. 18+ and UK Residents Only. T&C's apply. We're also absolutely over the moon to be partnered with the British Film Institute to tell you about our favourite films dropping on their incredible BFI Player every week. At the moment we're loving Evil Does Not Exist, Rare Beasts, Scrapper and The Assistant. BFI Player offers a 14-day free trial for new users PLUS our hunnies get an extra month free with the code STRAIGHTUP. Head to player.bfi.org.uk to stream now! And we're partnered with brand new quarterly newspaper The Pass, the only publication bold enough to ignore food influencer hype and give us properly honest London restaurant reviews. Subscribe here to receive the new issue and find out what to cross off, and put on, your list. DM us your thoughts on Instagram @straightuppod, or email us at hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk and as ever please, please, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and a rating on Spotify, lysm! Reccs/ culture discussed Nine Lives, Bermondsey Street London The Barbary, Notting Hill Nobody Wants This, Netflix The Impeccable Smoothness of Nobody Wants This, Vulture Netflix's Nobody Wants This and the Persistent Jewish Stereotype, Glamour Nobody Wants This Mean-Spirited Depiction of Jewish Women in Nobody Wants This, Time Drama GCSE, Mathilde Barker, TikTok Baby Reindeer was wrongly billed by Netflix as a ‘true story', judge finds, Guardian Tyra Banks recalls ‘evil and awful' conflict with Naomi Campbell in early career, Independent Intermezzo by Sally Rooney 'The Interview': Sally Rooney, The Daily Podcast Glimpses of Utopia: Sally Rooney's Couples by Joanna Biggs, London Review of Books Sally Rooney in her own words: ‘I'm fighting a cultural battle', The Times Why Are All the Characters in Sally Rooney's Novels So Thin?, Vogue Are you cool enough to have the next Sally Rooney book? Esquire
The Substance starring Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley has fast become the most talked-about horror of the year, with audiences divided on whether it's a feminist masterpiece, or a ‘vile and disgusting' exemplar of the male gaze. We get into how the film taps into our own fears around ageing and how Demi's role was influenced by career-long toxic media scrutiny. Also this week, we deep-dive into the horrific allegations and rumours that have come to light since Diddy's arrest, from his ‘freak offs' and disturbing relationship with a young Justin Bieber, to the music mogul's careful curation of a ‘legit' celebrity persona. Is all of Hollywood as dark and sinister a place as it seems? As part of our conversation about male sexual assault, we also discuss the No1 show on Netflix right now, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story. Huge thanks to our sponsor Yonder, the incredible lifestyle credit card packed with rewards you'll actually *want* to use, from points to use towards your bill at the trendiest restaurants and bars in the UK, to world-wide travel insurance and no FX fees for your hols. Find out more at yonder.com/straightup Yonder membership is subject to eligibility and you'll need to be over 18 and a UK resident to apply. If you sign up, only borrow what you can afford to pay back. The representative rate is 66.7% APR variable. Membership fees and other T&Cs may apply. We're also thrilled to be partnered with brand new quarterly newspaper The Pass, the only publication bold enough to ignore food influencer hype and give us properly honest London restaurant reviews. Subscribe here to receive the new issue and find out what to cross off, and put on, your list. DM us your thoughts on Instagram @straightuppod, or email us at hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk and as ever please, please, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and a rating on Spotify, lysm! Reccs/ Culture discussed The Substance (in cinemas) I'm a 50-something woman and nothing about Demi Moore's anti-ageing body horror rings true, Telegraph ‘We can be violent to ourselves. Brutal': Demi Moore on body image, reinvention and her most shocking role yet, Guardian Real Ageing is scarier than what's going on in The Substance, The Cut Helter Skelter by Ninagawa Mika (2012) Once More From The Top by Emily Layden Blink Twice (2024), Apple TV I Survived Diddy's White Party, YouTube Yummy, Justin Bieber (YouTube) The staggering fall of Sean ‘Diddy' Combs – from music mogul to criminal charges, Guardian The Powerful Celebs Who Acted as Diddy's Human Shield, Daily Beast Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, Netflix The Wild, True Tale Behind Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, Vanity Fair Behind every Al-Fayed and Diddy there is a small army of enablers, Guardian
Jacqueline Wilson's GIRLS books were a defining part of our childhoods, so how does the author's 20-years-on sequel (for adults!) match up? We discuss whether the books were a good influence and how her real life inspired her writing. Also this week, we dissect all the juiciest bits from Anna Wintour's Vogue doc, and question how 'guilty' Matthew Perry's long-time assistant was in his death. Plus, a round-up of our fave TV shows, and whether star ratings matter. Huge thanks to our sponsor Yonder, the incredible lifestyle credit card packed with rewards you'll actually *want* to use, from points to use towards your bill at the trendiest restaurants and bars in the UK, to experiences from the theatre to flights. Find out more at yonder.com/straightup Subject to eligibility. 18+ and UK Residents Only. T&C's apply. We're also thrilled to be partnered with brand new quarterly newspaper The Pass, the only publication bold enough to ignore food influencer hype and give us properly honest London restaurant reviews. Subscribe here to receive the new issue and find out what to cross off, and put on, your list. DM us your thoughts on Instagram @straightuppod, or email us at hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk and as ever please, please, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and a rating on Spotify, lysm! There are still virtual tickets to our event next Thurs (26th) with the Trouble Club! Use our code STRAIGHTUP50 for 50% off! Reccs/ culture discussed: Think Again by Jacqueline Wilson (the ‘Girls' series follow up) Jacqueline Wilson: the children's author who's now writing graphic sex for adults, The Times Jacqueline Wilson's girls seem depressingly unable to grow up, The Telegraph In Vogue: The 90s, Disney+ In Vogue: The 90s review – Anna Wintour and pals offer up hour after hour of fabulous nothingness, Guardian In Vogue: The 90s review — proof of Anna Wintour's pulling power, The Times Anna Wintour: The Biography, by Amy Odell Confessions of former Vogue assistants, Amy Odell's Back Row (Substack) Did Matthew Perry's Assistant Have a Choice? Hollywood Veterans Aren't So Sure, Vanity Fair Why being a celebrity assistant is truly the worst job in Hollywood, Telegraph The Assistant, BFI Player Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, Disney + How To Die Alone, Disney + We Might Regret This, BBC Nightsleeper, BBC Colin from Accounts, BBC Slow Horses, Apple TV English Teacher, Disney+ Cooking for People, Mike Davies Cook As You Are, Ruby Tandoh
Nicole Kidman's badly-behaved-billionaires thriller The Perfect Couple is no1 on Netflix but we are divided! Kathleen loved it, Ellie didn't, so we hash it out…(no spoilers!) and look forward to Kidman's VERY racy film Babygirl. On that note, is The Times right to say that women's 'dirty talk' has become big business in pop culture? Gillian Anderson might agree: the star has just published an anonymous collection of sexual fantasies from women around the country, and Ellie reads out her, um, favourites. Plus: we dissect whether that viral Travis/Taylor ‘breakup contract' can possibly be real, and Kathleen recommends a heartbreaking but empowering new podcast about fertility from our fellow pod hunnies at Shameless. Reccos Kaos, Netflix Jeff Goldblum is a tracksuit-wearing Zeus in Netflix's Greek myth series, Financial Times Shifters, Duke of York theatre Little Violet Door, Soho The Bear S3, Disney + How Kylie Jenner Won At Fashion, Family And Dating On The DL, British Vogue The Perfect Couple, Netflix She just unravels so beautifully': how Nicole Kidman conquered the world – then kept on going, The Observer A Family Affair, Netflix Babygirl (out Jan 10) Substance (out Sept 20) WANT by Gillian Anderson Kinky sex — what a turn-off! Gillian Anderson's sexual fantasy bookCat Brushing, Jane Campbell How women talking dirty became big business, The Times Submit, anon All Fours, Miranda July Cleavage, Cleo Watson Erotic audio platforms Quinn and Dipsea Living With Yourself, Netflix Glass podcast, Shameless Media If you're a London foodie you NEED lifestyle credit card Yonder, which allows you to collect points for every pound you spend and then redeem them at some of the most amazing restaurants and bars in the capital, as well as against London theatre tickets (such as Ellie's recco Shifters!), and more. Thanks to our amazing podcast partner Yonder for sponsoring Straight Up.
We didn't think celeb breakups could get bigger than Maya and Stormzy, or Bennifer, but now Molly Mae and Tommy Fury have just proven that this very much is the year of the celeb breakup (and it's killing us!!). We try to understand why we're all taking it so personally, and assess the very icky rumours surrounding Tommy's recent trip to Macedonia as well as the friction between Molly's boss bitch success and the Fury's traditional values. We're also devo to report that our faves Barry Keoghan and Sabrina Carpenter may have joined the heartbreak train. Plus, Ellie gives us the verdict on Zoe Kravitz's buzzy directorial debut Blink Twice, a sinister horror film seemingly inspired by Jeffrey Epstein's ‘paedo island'. And of course we had to debrief on Dolly Aderton's interview with the Sunday Times (anyone else have a Dolly Google Alert..?). Enjoy hunnys! DM us your thoughts on Instagram @straightuppod, or email us at hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk and as ever please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and a rating on Spotify, lysm! Thanks so much to our amazing partner Whitebox Cocktails, who make the tastiest canned cocktails we have ever tried, from Maragritas and Negronis, frozen Martinis to Old Fashioneds. GET 20% OFF with our code SU20 at https://whiteboxcocktails.com/ Reccs Short N'Sweet by Sabrina Carpenter Chicken Shop Date with Sabrina Carpenter, YouTube At Home with the Furys, Netflix Dolly Alderton on fashion: There's more fun to be had in heels, The Times (and have a listen to our big Dolly Alderton deepdive from Nov 2023!) Blink Twice (in cinemas) Blink Twice is guilty of a vile horror trope, Slate Promising Young Woman, Amazon Prime Video The Lost City, Netflix Inside Out 2, Disney + Big Boys, Channel 4 The Conversation We Should Be Having Around It Ends With Us, The Cut We are so excited to have finally announced our live event with The Trouble Club on 26th September at The Dally in Islington. Get your ticket for £15 with the code STRAIGHTUP50 here: https://www.thetroubleclub.com/events/straight-up-live-podcast-recording
We're talking books this week, hunnies, as what better time of year than to get stuck into some summer reads than holiday szn? From the hottest books of 2024 (think: Butter, Blue Sisters and Brotherless Night) to the all-time faves we're still thinking about years on, these are the titles we suggest adding to your bucket-list immediately. Thank you so much for your reccs so far, we've added the ones we didn't get a chance to talk about today below and will keep on ploughing through, please do send more! We are so excited to have finally announced our live event with The Trouble Club on 26th September at The Dally in Islington. Get your ticket for £15 with the code STRAIGHTUP50 here: https://www.thetroubleclub.com/events/straight-up-live-podcast-recording DM us your thoughts on Instagram @straightuppod, or email us at hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk and as ever please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and a rating on Spotify, lysm! Thanks so much to our amazing partners: Whitebox Cocktails, who make the tastiest canned cocktails we have ever tried, from Maragritas and Negronis, frozen Martinis to Old Fashioneds. GET 20% OFF with our code SU20 at https://whiteboxcocktails.com/ Incite Nutrition, a UK based supplement company making our favourite Vitamin D spray and biotin (plus marine collagen and lots more). Incredibly reasonably priced and amazing quality. GET 15% OFF via Amazon with the code STRAIGHTUP at https://amzn.to/4eY4odu Books / culture discussed: Butter by Asako Yuzuki Slutty Chef column, Vogue Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors Banal Nightmare by Halle Butler Brotherless Night by V. V. Ganeshananthan A Little Dust on the Eyes by Minoli Salgado Anil's Ghost by Michael Ondaatje The Island of the Missing Trees by Elif Shafak 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World by Elif Shafak Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart Sociopath: A Memoir by Patric Gagnee Kill Your Friends by John Niven The Psychopath Test by Jon Ronson Reach For the Stars by Michael Cragg Educated by Tara Westover How Lucky Blue and Nara Aziza Smith Made Viral Internet Fame From Scratch, GQ The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan What Tweens Get from Sephora and What They Get from Us, Jia Tolentino for the New Yorker Patricia Lockwood No one is Talking About This The Unwilding by Marina Kemp You Are Here by David Nicholls Us by David Nicholls The Husbands by Holly Gramazio Sandwich by Catherine Newman Margot's Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe Caledonian Road by Andrew O'Hagen Doppelganger by Naomi Klein Experience by Kate Young Mrs S by K Patrick
Everyone's talking about ‘It Ends With Us' atm, huns, as some very bizarre things seem to be going down on the film's press tour, with rumours of a feud between stars Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni. We get into it all, from the Colleen Hoover book it's based on, to the allegations of bad behaviour from both Blake and Justin. And what's with the way it's being promoted? Also this week, we recommend a fab new show about a woman who travels to parallel universes when she orgasms, Slip. We review ‘Babes', a pregnancy comedy that was touted as the ‘new Bridesmaids' (wtf?). And debrief on Hunter Schafer's Call Her Daddy Interview. Given her Euphoria update, we dissect the recent Hollywood Reporter investigation into what's really happening with the show and its controversial creator Sam Levinson. Head to pfeffersal.com for more on the world-leading facials we review in this episode, with packages that save you money on your treatments. Buy 3 treatments, receive the fourth half price. Buy 5 treatments, receive the sixth for free. See Pfeffer Sal's FAQ page for more. Find Pfeffer Sal on Insta @pfeffersal and the gorgeous clinic at The Stables, 10B Warren Mews, London W1T 6BY. DM us your thoughts on Instagram @straightuppod, or email us at hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk and as ever please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and a rating on Spotify, lysm! Thanks so much to our amazing partners: Whitebox Cocktails, who make the tastiest canned cocktails we have ever tried, from Maragritas and Negronis, frozen Martinis to Old Fashioneds. GET 20% OFF with our code SU20 at https://whiteboxcocktails.com/ Incite Nutrition, a UK based supplement company making our favourite Vitamin D spray and biotin (plus marine collagen and lots more). Incredibly reasonably priced and amazing quality. GET 15% OFF via Amazon with the code STRAIGHTUP at https://amzn.to/4eY4odu Reccos/culture discussed: Babes (2024) Passages (2023) Slip, ITVX The Instigators, Apple TV It Ends with Us (in cinemas now) It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover (book) Hunter Schafer on Call Her Daddy How Hunter Schafer Became ‘A Badass Thriller Bad Bitch', Rolling Stone What's Ailing ‘Euphoria'? Tragedy and Trauma Inside TV's Buzziest Show, Hollywood Reporter Stealing Girlhood: The Legacy of Women's Work Being Stolen, Final Girl Studios YouTube Inside The Cult of the Far Right, The Newsagents What Do The Riots Say About Britain? Ash Sarkar, Aaron Bastani and Rivkah Brown Discuss, Novara Media YouTube Death of England: The Plays, Soho Place theatre
Charli XCX and Billie Eilish's new collab might just be the hottest song of the summer – and we are here for it! We get into all the discourse surrounding the pop culture-dominating duo: from BRAT and Charli's birthday party to Billie's insane charisma and those absurd queer-baiting allegations. Next, we debrief on the Suki Waterhouse Vogue cover and Ryan Reynolds on Chicken Shop Date, before running through some of the best new TV series we've seen. My Lady Jane, a hilarious revisionist comedy recommended by lots of you lovely listeners, Dirty Pop: The Boy Band Scam, about the con-man behind the Backstreet Boys and N'Sync, and, of course, a quick debrief on the House of the Dragon finale. Also this week: we return to one of the most inescapable topics of 2024, age gap relationships, as Leonardo DiCaprio appears to have broken his ‘25 and under only' rule with Vittoria Ceretti, and a 21-year-old British influencer comes under fire for having a 16-year-old boyfriend. DM us your thoughts on Instagram @straightuppod, or email us at hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk and as ever please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and a rating on Spotify, lysm! Thanks so much to our amazing partners: Whitebox Cocktails, who make the tastiest canned cocktails we have ever tried. We keep drinking our fave classic Margarita on air, but they stock everything from frozen Martinis to Old Fashioneds. GET 20% OFF with our code SU20 at https://whiteboxcocktails.com/ Incite Nutrition, a UK based supplement company making our favourite Vitamin D spray and biotin (plus marine collagen and lots more). Incredibly reasonably priced and amazing quality. GET 15% OFF via Amazon with the code STRAIGHTUP at https://amzn.to/4eY4odu Culture discussed: May December (see our age gaps ep from Nov ‘23 for more) Glen Powell's meteoric rise proves audiences don't actually care about age gaps, Independent Guess (remix) featuring Billie Eilish by Charli xcx Twisters (2024) Amelia Dimoldenberg What's in My Bag, Vogue Miranda Kerr, What's in my Bag, Vogue Phoning It In, Billie Eilish, Elle Suki Waterhouse On Her Wild Ride From London It-Girl To LA Mum, British Vogue Chicken Shop Date with Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman, YouTube He's So Annoying: For years, being “sexy” didn't work for Ryan Reynolds, Vulture Longlegs (2024) It Follows (2014) Dirty Pop: The Boy Band Scam, Netflix My Lady Jane, Amazon Prime Video House of the Dragon, HBO How House of the Dragon's Ewan Mitchell became TV's most chilling villain, the Times
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