The Sports Agents

It has been like the longest VAR ruling in history… the match finished two months ago, the Africa Cup of Nations trophy was presented, the considerable celebrations and recriminations were complete.And then, just as some last-16 Champions League fixtures were finishing on Tuesday night, a communication dropped from CAF.Senegal had actually forfeited the match by staging their now infamous walk-off and Morocco are AFCON champions via a technicality.But why has this taken so long? Can you really strip a country of a title? And what happens next?Former Sierra Leone captain Steven Caulker and Co Host of the ‘On The Whistle' podcast, Zayn Naabi both join Gabby and Mark.

Weeks ago we were talking about English dominance in Europe, now just Liverpool and Arsenal make it to the quarter finals of the Champions League.Manchester City, Chelsea, Newcastle and Spurs were dumped out, conceding 28 goals between them in the round of 16… so what happened? Liam Rosenior said his players were tired… but was that ‘dominance' even there in the first place? Or is the scheduling of English football harming clubs performances in Europe.Meanwhile, Bodo/Glimt were on the verge of a historic Champions League quarter final, with a capitulation in Lisbon seeing their fairytale journey come to an end…Or has it?How did a town with a population that could fit inside the Etihad stadium make it this far? Can other smaller clubs follow suit? And how is this season's success all Spurs's fault?Norwegian football expert Lars Sivertsen joins Gabby and Mark.

What were you doing when you were 16 years and 73 days old?... Max Dowman was last seen gliding across the length of a Premier League pitch, scoring a goal that rewrote history… and maybe even tilted a title race.Max ‘Dowmania' may be upon us but as the predictable calls start for Dowman to be thrust into England's World Cup plans for this summer - has football got any better at protecting its prodigious talents?Ex-Arsenal Head of Academy Sports Medicine & Athletic Development between 2012-2021, Des Ryan, joins Gabby and Mark for an insight into Hale End.Plus, was this the best Six Nations ever and are Gabby & Mark coordinating their outfits on purpose now?

Playing in front of a record 80,000 fans at Twickenham, captaining your country in a World Cup final and winning World Rugby's Player of the Year… all in a day's work for Sophie De Goede. All that despite returning from a huge ACL injury just one month before the World Cup, Canada crowdfunding to get there, and training against teammates' partners to make up the numbers. Sophie joins Gabby and Mark to talk about where women's rugby goes next. Plus we look back at the best bits from The Sports Agents this week - was it right for Tottenham to sub their goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky after a 17-minute nightmare? And how can Welsh rugby build back to its former glory?

17 minutes was all it took for Igor Tudor to sub off Antonín Kinský on his Champions League debut after two mistakes and three goals conceded. Subbing a keeper is unheard of… so was Tudor right to make the change? Or with Spurs fans serenading Mauricio Pochettino on a plane - is it off with Tudor's head?Then on Wednesday night, goalies also made the limelight... Filip Jörgensen's mistake started Chelsea's collapse to PSG, Gianluigi Donnarumma's penalty save just might keep Man City in it and Thibaut Courtois' assist!Former Spurs, Liverpool, Villa and Blackburn goalkeeper Brad Friedel joins Gabby.And later - just 12 days before the start of the Women's AFCON, it has been postponed. And the only reason given? “Unforseen circumstances”.The Guardian's African Football Specialist Osasu Obayiuwana reacts.

There's been a lot of soul searching in England after the Six Nations disaster continued with their first ever loss to Italy. But for the team sitting one below them in the table, the problems run even deeper.Wales were ranked top in the world in 2019, but now they have only won 2 of their last 26 matches. It's so bad financially that one of four professional clubs will be cut.So how did it get to this stage? Has football stolen the limelight after the 2016 Euro success? And what do Wales need to get back to their former glory? Wales' most capped captain, Sam Warburton, joins us.Plus Gabby and Mark chat about Wrexham and the success of their Hollywood owners after they came so close to beating Chelsea in the FA Cup.

When the Winter Paralympics get underway this weekend in Italy history will be made. Davy Zyw was diagnosed with motor neurone disease at the age of 30 and given 18 months to live… but he's now 38 and he's going to be the first person to compete at a Winter Paralympics with MND.Defying his degenerating body, Davy will compete on the board for ParalympicsGB, with his five-year-old son watching on. He joins Gabby to tell his inspiring story.Plus, we look back at the best bits from The Sports Agents this week - will the US-Iran conflict derail President Trump's World Cup? Have England pushed the Six Nations panic button and will it pay off? And what's it like to start a new football team from scratch in America's top league?

It's crunch time for England in the Six Nations this weekend. If they go from Grand Slam hopes to losing to Italy… it doesn't bear thinking about.Steve Borthwick has gone bold with 9 changes - very uncharacteristic for the man who worships consistency.So is this Borthwick officially pushing the panic button? And could a mid-week visit from Thomas Tuchel help push them over the line? Gabby is joined by the Presenter of The Good, The Bad & The Rugby podcast, Alex Payne.And later - what's it like to set up a whole new football team from scratch and be ready to play in the top league straight away? We'll be joined by manager Nick Cushing, who left the Man City Women and New York City Men to build Denver Summit.

War in the Middle East has cast a new shadow over the World Cup this summer. This is a human tragedy first and foremost but questions are being asked about the impact on the world's most watched sporting event.Could we see Iran pull out of the tournament? And is Gianni Infantino regretting his bromance with President Trump?Plus, Gabby and Mark chat about Leeds manager Daniel Farke's red card and whether he runs like a butterfly, and why West Ham's Adama Traore has been banned from lifting weights.

The recent killing of Mexican drug lord ‘El Mencho' has caused unrest and cartel violence across the country. Guadalajara - one of Mexico's host cities in this summer's World Cup - was one of the worst affected. So what state are we left in, just months away from the tournament? Should fans be worried about the threat of cartel violence? And with ICE and President Trump ever present in the U.S. - should more questions be asked of their hosting? Gabby and Mark are joined by The Athletic's Adam Crafton.Plus, we look back at the best bits from The Sports Agents this week - do England need a makeover after their Six Nations collapse? And how did Netflix's Drive To Survive grow Formula One's fan base by hundreds of millions, where three in four new fans are female?

If we had a penny for every time we've spoken about Drive To Survive on this show, we would be rich. Formula One's Netflix series is the golden example of how to grow a sport by making it cool again.F1's global fan base has reportedly grown by hundreds of millions since Drive To Survive launched in 2019, and three in four new fans are female. So as Season 8 airs, has any other sports audience ever grown as fast and changed as much as F1, thanks to Drive To Survive?Gabby and Mark are joined by two men at the heart of Drive To Survive and the F1 Movie with Brad Pitt: Executive Producer and Chief Broadcasting Officer of Formula 1, Ian Holmes, and motorsport journalist, Will Buxton, who also hosts Global's F1 podcast, Up To Speed.Plus Gabby and Mark discuss the Champions League and our quest to get Gabby to Bodo/Glimt, Harry Brook's century at the T20 World Cup, and Gabby's crossover with... Peppa Pig.

Just two weeks ago it was a completely different story for England at the Six Nations. From undefeated in 12 games and to two losses on the bounce.Spare a thought for the England fans who bought tickets to the final weekend in Paris, thinking it would be a Grand Slam decider…But are we all overreacting? Do England need to change to avoid the unthinkable against Italy? And what does this mean in the build up to next year's World Cup? Gabby and Mark are joined by ex-England rugby player David Flatman.Plus, we reflect on the best moments of the Winter Olympics and are Spurs in trouble?

Russian and Belarusian athletes will be allowed to represent their countries at the upcoming Winter Paralympics. For the first time since 2014, since Russia's state-sponsored doping programme and the war with Ukraine, we will see the Russian flag and potentially hear the anthem.Ukrainian officials are boycotting, but FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, has also recently said he wants to lift football's ban on Russia.This all comes after Ukrainian skeleton athlete, Vladyslav Heraskevych, was disqualified from the Winter Olympics for wearing a helmet showing Ukrainians killed in the war.So, is this the beginning of something? Could we see Russia compete at the LA Summer Olympics in 2028? Or even the World Cup? Mark and Gabby speak to The Athletic's Matt Slater. Plus, we look back at the best bits on The Sports Agents this week, from welcoming double Winter Olympic gold medallist Matt Weston, to discussing abuse in football with former England striker Emile Heskey.

In the Champions League this week Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior stopped the match after alleged racial abuse by Gianluca Prestianni. Prestianni denies it ever happened.Today Gabby and Mark discuss the fall out from the incident. And later they're joined by former England striker Emile Heskey who's launching the Football Safety App to help fight abuse in football and make it easier to report. All that, plus what it's like being a dad of two sons hoping to follow in his footsteps. Gabby and Mark also ask whether Mikel Arteta should keep his job if Arsenal do bottle it, following their draw at Wolves.

If you love The Sports Agents, you'll love this.Step inside sport's greatest soap opera, Formula One, with a brand-new podcast Up To Speed. Hosted by Drive to Survive star Will Buxton, racing driver-turned-broadcaster Naomi Schiff, 13-time Grand Prix winner David Coulthard, and F1 content creator Jolie Sharpe.Expect razor-sharp reaction, behind-the-scenes insight, blockbuster interviews and answers to the questions you've always wanted to ask! With their deep knowledge, expert analysis and infectious love for racing, Will, Naomi, DC & Jolie dive into the stories that matter - on and off the track.It's fast-paced, unfiltered and full of the gossip that keeps the paddock buzzing.They'll react to the weekend's race drama every Monday. On Thursday they'll deep dive into the biggest stories of the week.Watch and listen to episode 1 now on Global Player, YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts.

It was 3 golds for Team GB at the Winter Olympics over the weekend! That's a new record… And the man who won two of them, Matt Weston, joins Gabby and Mark today.This is coming from a country that doesn't even have a skeleton track to train on!How are Team GB punching above their weight? And are the Winter Olympics giving the Summer Olympics a run for their money?We discuss all that and a full weekend of sporting action - a nailbiting title race north of the border and Six Nations drama.

What a week we've had here on The Sports Agents, from penis-gate, to Winter Olympics heartbreak and Premier League managers getting sacked.This weekend sees Scotland host the Auld enemy at Murrayfield as they take on England for the Calcutta Cup.Love might not be in the air north of the border, but there were remnants in the studio - as Gabby welcomed her husband and former Scottish winger Kenny Logan onto the show.England's Six Nations title charge, mounting pressure on Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend, and what does Valentine's Day look like in the Logan household?

It's been a busy 48 hours since our last show… Spurs decided to sack head coach Thomas Frank after just 8 months in charge. How right Frank was when he told us on this show: “If I ever got the offer from a bigger club and I decided to go there, it would probably not make my life better”.And at about midnight on Wednesday night news broke that Nottingham Forest had sacked their third manager this season, Sean Dyche, after just 114 days in the job.At this rate, maybe only Thomas Tuchel will still be in a job until 2028? Mark is joined by The Athletic's Tottenham Reporter, Jay Harris, and the former Liverpool & Chelsea Managing Director, and Aston Villa CEO, Christian Purslow, who is also the co-host of The Football Boardroom podcast with Henry Winter.

So far the Winter Olympics have been incredible, awe-inspiring and down-right bizarre. From reports of penis injections in order to ‘fly further', to the heartbreak of 41-year-old skiing icon Lindsey Vonn, who crashed out at 60 mph after just 13 seconds.Gabby and Mark are joined by former Olympic skier Chemmy Alcott and CNN sports anchor Amanda Davies, who are out in Italy. All that plus Mark and Gabby interview 2026's answer to Torville and Dean - Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson - who've been dancing to none other than the Spice Girls.Plus we chat about a sopping wet Six Nations, the Man United fan who might finally cut his hair, the Super Bowl, and why Mark's being compared to Bad Bunny.

The Winter Olympics are here! What sport are we all going to pretend to be an expert at? Curling maybe? Today Gabby and Mark are joined by one of Great Britain's biggest medal hopes, freestyle skier Kirsty Muir.She started skiing at 3 years old on the dry slopes of Scotland - imagine the carpet burn doing flips on that surface! Her nan can't even watch when she does the huge tricks. This year she's already won gold at the X Games and her third World Cup title. So can she win gold in Italy?Plus, we catch you up on the best bits from The Sports Agents this week, from Carlos Alcaraz's historic victory in Australia, to Gabby being pranked by Roger Federer at Wimbledon, and a big look at the Super Bowl this weekend.

It's Super Bowl time! Mark and Gabby are joined by Super Bowl winner Jason Bell to talk about one of sports biggest shows.Will an English coach (Aden Durde) win the Super Bowl for the first time? Have world-famous New England Patriots finally filled the giant Tom Brady-shaped hole in the franchise? And what are the best half-time shows ever? (Mark's a big Bad Bunny fan of course!)Plus, Gabby and Mark joke about wanting to switch the match off as Man City demolished Newcastle in the Carabao Cup semi-final, and we rate England's chances for the Six Nations.

At 22 years old, Carlos Alcaraz has done what some of the best players in history chase their entire careers - winning the Australian Open to become the youngest man ever to win all four Grand Slams - with Novak Djokovic across the net and Rafa Nadal in the stands.Where Rafa annoyed his rivals and Novak sometimes felt like public enemy no. 1, is there any limit to what a seemingly universally loved player like Alcaraz can achieve? Do we need to be worried about Aryna Sabalenka's record in Grand Slam finals? And you have to hear Gabby's story about getting pranked by Michael McIntyre and Roger Federer!Gabby and Mark are joined by Charlie Eccleshare, Senior Tennis Writer at The Athletic, and tennis broadcaster, Marcus Buckland.Plus, we chat about Ronaldo going on strike, Man City women bulldozing Chelsea and their hopes of a WSL title, throwback performances from Man United and Spurs, and boxer Jarrell Miller winning by a hair... literally!

You've likely seen the viral video of Coco Gauff smashing her racket in a corridor at the Australian Open. She tried to go somewhere without cameras and failed. Now she's complaining the only private place is the locker room, Novak Djokovic says it's like "big brother", Iga Swiatek thinks they're "animals in a zoo". Content is king but at what cost to player privacy? Isn't this the kind of access we all wanted to drive sports broadcasting forward and grow the sport? The bigger the sport - the more financial reward for players, so why complain? Or are we in danger of forgetting they're only human? Jamie Murray, former world number one doubles player, and Molly McElwee, tennis journalist and author of "Building Champions", join Gabby and Mark. Plus, we look back at the best bits of The Sports Agents from Manchester United to a very English embarrassment at Champions League success to two-time World Cup winner Tobin Heath.

Five English teams finished in the Champions League top 8 to reach the last 16 without a playoff. If Newcastle join them it will be the first time ever that six Premier League teams have made the knockouts.But how are these sides dominating Europe when all we keep being told is that the Premier League quality hasn't been all that this season? Is it about time with all the Premier League money? Do English fans still have an inferiority complex when it comes to European giants? And how does it reflect on the new-look Champions League if one country is dominating? Football journalist Guillem Balague joins Gabby and Mark.And later, we welcome two-time World Cup winner and double Olympic gold medallist, Tobin Heath. Ahead of the new Women's Champions Cup final we chat about growing the club game globally, her friend Trinity Rodman becoming the highest paid women's footballer and how investor and multi-club owner Michele Kang is thriving in the grey areas.

Michael Carrick couldn't have dreamed of a better start to life as Man United's interim boss after successive wins against the Premier League's top two - in Arsenal & Manchester City.A few more performances like Sunday's at the Emirates and the clamour for him to stay on will be deafening - in some quarters it's already started! ... But United have been here before.The Athletic's Man United writer Carl Anka & Neil Redfearn (who's no stranger to the 'caretaker's job') join Chappers to work out if lessons been learnt at the club internally, if there's really a better choice than Carrick for the permanent job and what Premier League history can teach us about how it usually works out for the caretakers who get the job full-time.

Everyone's been talking about the Beckhams and Naomi Osaka this week. Hard to believe a family feud and a jellyfish outfit at the Australian Open have anything in common - but where Sir Alex Ferguson used to fight to keep David Beckham's focus on the pitch, sport is now embracing fashion like never before...Lewis Hamilton and Serena Williams pictured at the Met Gala, Stella McCartney designing Arsenal kits, and the famous NBA Tunnel Walks.Have we all grown up enough to appreciate that athletes having other interests doesn't mean they aren't distracted from getting the win? How much money does Naomi Osaka going viral as a jellyfish make for brands and athletes? And should more sports be using fashion to grow the game?Gabby is joined by The Athletic's Tennis Correspondent, Charlie Eccleshare, and Mayowa Quadri, Football Culture Writer and Head of Brand at Versus.Plus, we look back at the best bits of The Sports Agents this week: should managers like Oliver Glasner and clubs like Crystal Palace should accept their place in the football food chain? And is a female coach in the Premier League really the holy grail or not?

Women like Sarina Wiegman and Emma Hayes continue to show the world what female coaches can do. But for anyone trying to follow in their footsteps, sport can still feel very much a man's world. According to new report this week, female coaches are twice as likely to be bullied and many are still unpaid.So what needs to change so more female coaches can thrive like Hayes and Wiegman? Is having a female coach in the Premier League the pinnacle? And what are the biggest benefits of having more women in this space?Gabby is joined by Head Coach of England Netball, Jess Thirlby, Performance Director at UK Athletics, Paula Dunn, and Stephanie Hilborne, CEO of Women in Sport, who published the report.

Just eight months ago Crystal Palace and their manager Oliver Glasner were lifting the FA Cup. Fast forward to now - no wins in 10 games, captain Marc Guehi sold to City, knocked out of the FA Cup by 6th tier Macclesfield. And then Glasner, who'd already admitted he's leaving at the end of the season, tells the media he feels "abandoned completely" by the club.As we record this he's not been sacked, but does Glasner's anger over player sales ignore the reality of Crystal Palace's place in food chain? Is it cynical to suggest Glasner was trying to get sacked? And why are so many managers throwing their toys out the pram this season?Former Crystal Palace player Clinton Morrison and Dan Cook from the HLTCO Fan Channel, join Gabby and Mark.Plus, we discuss the chaos of the AFCON Final, Manchester United winning the derby and a shock British win at the Australian Open.

Hosts Morocco face Senegal in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final on Sunday. At this AFCON almost 40% of players were born outside Africa, like the face of the tournament Ashraf Hakimi.So where should teams be putting their money - improving recruitment from the diaspora or investing more at home? What needs to change to attract these players? And can Sadio Mane and Senegal stop the powerhouse of Morocco from winning their first AFCON in 50 years?Gabby and Mark are joined by former Premier League defender and Sierra Leone captain, Steven Caulker, and The Athletic's Jay Harris.Plus, we look back at the best bits of The Sports Agents this week, from the civil war in golf after Brooks Koepka's departure, to the unbelievable story of Macclesfield's rise from the ashes to pull off the greatest FA Cup upset ever against holders Crystal Palace.

At the start of this week the PGA tour made a big move. Five-time major champion Brooks Koepka was given special permission to return from the breakaway LIV tour. This limited-time offer was extended to only three other players - Jon Rahm, Cam Smith and Bryson DeChambeau - who are staying put... for now.So has this backfired on the PGA Tour or has the first domino fallen and LIV are in trouble? What is LIV's aim in all of this? Is DeChambeau's YouTube channel doing more to sell golf than anyone else right now?Plus Gabby and Mark chat about Arsenal's chances of ending their trophy drought after the Carabao Cup semi-final win over Chelsea, Shaun Wane stepping down as England rugby league head coach, and an amateur winning one million Australian dollars by beating the likes of Jannik Sinner at the Australian Open.

It was the greatest FA Cup upset of all time. Last year's champions Crystal Palace knocked out by Macclesfield - 5 divisions and 117 places below them.First to storm the pitch after the final whistle was owner Robert Smethurst who joins us today. He bought the club on Rightmove… while drunk on holiday.The story of the phoenix club that has soared from liquidation into the FA Cup fourth round is amazing, and with Brentford making the trip to Moss Rose next, it's not over yet.Plus, Mark and Gabby say their prayers for Michael Carrick as he joins Manchester United as interim manager, Mark can't contain his excitement at the dramatic NFL play-offs, and Gabby's taken back to her school days as an earring issue stopped a WSL player from making her debut.

What does a strong succession plan look like? Before Darren Fletcher took over as Man United's interim manager he felt he needed Sir Alex Ferguson's blessing. But when everyone's still harping back to Ferguson, who left the club over 12 years ago, you know the succession plan has gone wrong.Man City will be taking note, as their own legendary manager Pep Guardiola isn't staying forever. While Chelsea have used their multi-club system to take Liam Rosenior from Strasbourg - primed and ready to play in that system but leaving Strasbourg distraught.Mark catches up with football journalist Guillem Balague. Plus we look back at the best bits of The Sports Agents this week, from the Ashes aftermath to Ruben Amorim getting sacked, and the weird and wonderful things managers are asked to do.

Former England cricketer Steve Harmison & The Guardian's Chief Sports Writer Barney Ronay in Sydney, join Chappers to reflect on arguably the most underwhelming Ashes series in memory - a 4-1 loss where Australia needed only 11 days to retain The Ashes. Do centuries from Joe Root and 22-year-old Jacob Bethell, as well as England's first Test win in Australia since 2011, paper over the cracks? Will the England cricket team sack managers as fast as football has in 2026? Are captain Ben Stokes, Head Coach Brendon McCullum and Director of Cricket Rob Key capable of making the major changes England need now?

We're only 6 days into 2026 and already Ruben Amorim, Enzo Maresca and Wilfried Nancy have lost their jobs. Chelsea have even appointed a new manager in Liam Rosenior.First lesson of the year, you take on the club hierarchy when your results aren't up to scratch - you lose. So, should Premier League clubs be looking for a "head coach" or a "manager"? How involved should managers be in human issues facing players? And if they have all the power, should sporting directors front up to the media more like in Europe?Former Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha and The Athletic's Manchester United Correspondent Laurie Whitwell, join Gabby and Mark.Plus, we react to Gabby's OBE, Luke Littler's dominance at just 18 and strong calls to sack Bayern's 17-year-old wonder kid Lennart Karl for dreaming of Real Madrid.

Gabby and Mark welcome in the New Year by answering your questions.What sport should we nominate Mark for at the Winter Olympics? Will Lewis Hamilton retire? Can Scotland get past the group stage at the World Cup? And will Mikel Arteta finally win a trophy with Arsenal?

Gabby and Mark bring you the best moments from another sport-packed year on The Sports Agents, as chosen by you, us... and Jon Sopel.From chats with former England manager Gareth Southgate and rugby's breakout star Henry Pollock, to going behind the scenes at Wimbledon, and some hilarious Christmas outtakes.Have a lovely Christmas and we'll be back on New Years Day!

Two-time heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua, is taking on YouTuber-turned-professional boxer Jake Paul. Like it or not they're two of the biggest names in boxing - and we'll get into why that's problematic...So why is the star of the London 2012 Olympics, who beat Wladimir Klitschko, fighting an influencer? Do fight fans believe it's not been scripted and what's actually more at risk - Paul's chin or AJ's reputation?Gabby & Mark sit down with Light-Heavyweight prospect and Olympic silver medallist Ben Whittaker - a showman in and out of the ring at a time when the sport is crying out for its next homegrown superstar.Plus we pick the best bits of The Sports Agents this week, from reminiscing about an extraordinary year in sport with Clare Balding ahead of SPOTY, to despairing at the Ashes with former England cricketer Darren Gough.

How did 2025 go for your team? If you're an England cricket fan or a Wolves diehard, we're sorry. But lots of British teams and individuals did win big trophies (not to rub it in!) from the Lionesses, to the Red Roses, Lando Norris' F1 triumph and Team Europe at the Ryder Cup. Ahead of hosting Sports Personality of the Year, Clare Balding joins Gabby to look back at another extraordinary sporting year.

It's crunch time Down Under. England have to win this third Test to keep the Ashes series alive. Ben Stokes says his side need to “show a bit of dog” - a bit more fight - for a match that could define his captaincy. Can England still turn it around and how will the last four years of ‘Bazball' be judged if they can't?Former England fast bowler Darren Gough, who played in four Ashes series, joins Gabby and Mark. Plus, what did Mark make of Man United's dramatic 4-4 draw to Bournemouth and the ‘Free Kobbie Mainoo' jumper? Should Celtic have moved on from Martin O'Neill before the huge upset by St Mirren to lift the League Cup? And what links the WSL's top scorer Bunny Shaw and Usain Bolt?

Pippa York, then known as Robert Millar, was crowned the Tour de France King of the Mountains, winning three stages in the 1980s. But ever since she was five she wanted to be a girl. Years after quitting cycling, aged 41, she started a 10-year transition process to become Pippa York, who joins Gabby and Mark. What was it like racing the Tour de France with gender dysmorphia? And what does she make of the debate around trans-inclusion in sport now?Plus we look back at the best bits from The Sports Agents this week from Mo Salah's shock outburst at Liverpool, to Mike Tindall's plans to create more household names in rugby like Joe Marler and Ilona Maher. "The Escape" by Pippa York and David Walsh is available now. If you have been affected by any of the themes in this podcast help is available. You can call Samaritans for free on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org

On Celebrity Traitors, Joe Marler showed the world how entertaining rugby players can be. Despite the best efforts of Marler, Henry Pollock and the Red Roses, rugby is still wrestling with tradition and how to reinvent itself as something more ‘entertaining'. Today we're joined by ex-England captain Mike Tindall, who's setting up the controversial ‘R360' league to try and revolutionise the game. His co-host of "The Good, The Bad & The Rugby", Alex Payne, joins us too for a big chat about plans to shake things up, "grow more Pollocks" and sell lots of copies of their book.Plus, Gabby and Mark chat about Luke Littler's sneaky trip to the away end at Man United, and Clarence Seedorf challenging Arne Slot at the Champions League. Reloaded – The Good, The Bad and The Rugby is out now. Grab an extra 10% off the hardback and ebook online at the HarperCollins shop. This discount can be applied on top of the 40% discount already running on the shop. Please use RUGBY50 at checkout. Offer ends midnight on the 22nd December 2025.

No Champions League football for Mo Salah tonight after he dropped a bombshell. In a very rare media interview Salah said he's been "thrown under the bus" by Liverpool and has no relationship with manager Arne Slot. He thinks someone at the struggling club wants him kicked out. Was Salah right to speak out? Has he played his last game for Liverpool? And can Arne Slot survive this? Gabby and Mark catch up with John Gibbons from The Anfield Wrap and The Athletic's James Pearce. Plus we react to friend of the pod, Lando Norris, winning the Formula One world championship. Is he the most likeable champion we've seen for a while in any sport?

Six-time Olympic cycling champion Sir Chris Hoy joins Gabby and Mark after his terminal prostate cancer diagnosis at just 47 years old. What more does Chris think the government should be doing to help? How has his sporting background helped him? And why is he excited for the Darts World Championship? And we bring you the best bits from The Sports Agents this week from President Trump meddling in the FIFA World Cup to rumours of a Serena Williams comeback.

The rumour is Serena Williams could be making a comeback. She signed up for anti-doping and the fans have gone wild. Our guest today was Serena's coach for 10 years and 10 Grand Slams, Patrick Mouratoglou. So what does Patrick make of the rumours? (8:06)Mark and Gabby react to Joe Root's maiden century in Australia at the Ashes and Chelsea's Elland Road hoodoo. (1:20)And we're joined by four-time Olympic sailing champion, Ben Ainslie, and double Olympic gold medallist, Hannah Mills, fresh from winning SailGP, the F1 of sailing. (28:15)"Champion Mindset" by Patrick Mouratoglou is out now.

It's the FIFA World Cup draw this week - welcome to the crazy world of President Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino with Cristiano Ronaldo's red card written off, the new FIFA Peace Prize, 48 teams and more. To explain the madness The Athletic's Adam Crafton joins Gabby and Mark. After Max Verstappen reacted to McLaren CEO Zak Brown calling him a horror villain on The Sports Agents, we reacted to the dramatic F1 finale. And we look ahead to the second Ashes Test at the "Gabbatoir" - that's nothing to do with Gabby!

Can other sports teach football a thing or two? On today's show Gabby and Mark take your suggestions on how to fix football, using your passion for a massive range of sports. Plus, we look back at The Sports Agents this week: a huge interview with McLaren CEO Zak Brown as Lando Norris could win them the world title this weekend; and we talk about the elephant in the room at struggling Liverpool - grief.

Another season of F1 drama comes to an end this weekend as McLaren's Lando Norris has the chance to be crowned world champion. And the man who's masterminded it all - McLaren CEO Zak Brown is with us today. After the double disqualification in Las Vegas from a 0.07mm error, Max Verstappen's impossible late charge, and the season-long battle with team-mate Oscar Piastri, there's plenty for us to talk about. Does Zak secretly have a favourite driver? How did Zak go from winning Wheel of Fortune as a kid to orchestrating McLaren's resurgence from no wins in 9 years to back-to-back team titles? And how worried is he that Max Verstappen could still spoil the party? Plus Gabby and Mark react to a great week for Chelsea and Arsenal in the Champions League and the similarities between Mourinho's legendary Blues team and Arteta's Gunners ahead of this weekend's top of the table clash. Plus, the shambolic Women's League Cup draw with sexual references and dropped balls (no pun intended!), and World Cup winner Abby Dow's shock retirement from rugby aged just 28. "Seven Tenths of A Second" by Zak Brown is out now: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/474266/seven-tenths-of-a-second-by-brown-zak/9780241788929

It's been 60 years since Liverpool last had back-to-back 3-0 defeats in the league, and with only three wins in the last 11 games, Arne Slot has got his work cut out. Aside from all the on-pitch factors, there's one thing Liverpool are contending with that can't be underestimated - grief. Diogo Jota's tragic death, in a car accident last July, prompted a summer of grief. Just one month later Liverpool started their Premier League campaign. So, on today's podcast Gabby and Mark are joined by former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock and sports psychotherapist at Cognacity, Gary Bloom. Has football got any better at talking about grief? What's the psychology behind grieving in a high-performance sporting environment? Would fans accept this season as a write off? And how do players express what they're going through without it coming across as an excuse? Plus, Gabby and Mark react to England's collapse in the first Ashes Test and England's clean sweep in rugby's Autumn Internationals.

Only three days after launching, Sky had to take down its TikTok channel for female sports fans. Branded as the "lil-sis" of Sky Sports, it was complete with pink hearts and Barbies. But were they on to something? How do we get more young women hooked on sport? The person who figures that out has hit a goldmine. To try to strike gold, Gabby chats to Chris Paouros, Vice-Chair of the Football Supporters Association, and Ceylon Andi Hickman, Deputy Chief Executive of Football Beyond Borders.Plus we look back at this week on The Sports Agents, from illegal streaming wars to The Ashes.

It's the Ashes this weekend! Gabby and Mark relive their favourite Ashes memories and welcome three-time Ashes winner, Steven Finn. England's men last won the Ashes in Australia 15 years ago, in fact it's been a decade since England even held The Ashes - and Finn was key to both of those victories. Does Finn think England can turn the tide this time? And how did he go from being declared "unselectable" to taking 8 wickets at Edgbaston?

"If we don't beat you, we'll knock your bloody blocks off"In one of the most bitter and controversial Ashes series ever played, England set their sights on taking down Australian cricketing legend Don Bradman. Their method? A brutal, calculated strategy known as Bodyline - a tactic so aggressive it sparked outrage, strained diplomatic ties, and forever changed the spirit of the game.In this episode of How It All Played Out, Mark Pougatch and Paul Hayward take you back to 1932 - was Bodyline a genius strategy or just plain unsporting? And why did it cause such a deep rift between two cricketing giants?Remember to follow or subscribe, and give us a 5 star review too!We'd love to hear from you! Email us: howitallplayedout@global.com Get in touch on socials: @playedoutpodExecutive Producer: Adonis Pratsides & Adem WatermanProducer: Sophie PenneyVideo Producer: Sam Trudgill Social Media Editor: Calum Scotland Head of Podcasts: Factual: Al RiddellDirector of Podcasts: Vicky Etchells