The Sports Agents

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

Do you stream sport illegally? Most people know someone who does: almost 5 million people streamed live sport illegally in the UK in the last 6 months alone.It's cheaper than Premier League tickets or official streaming services, and you can watch the 3pm blackout games - but the risk of data theft, cyber crime, and funding criminal activity are all too real. To find out more, Gabby's joined by Andy Hughes, co-host of The Crime Agents, and The Athletic's Adam Leventhal. So, when the police force are already stretched to the limit, what's the solution? A "Premflix" style streaming service? Scrap the 3pm blackout? Or dare we say, Saudi money?

Never write off a born racer: Sir Mark Cavendish had won 30 stages of the world's biggest cycling race, The Tour de France (even winning one makes a riders career) but he'd been out of the game for 5 years - so no one would give him a job. What happened next was one of the biggest comebacks of all time to put him among the sporting greats. Sir Mark Cavendish joins us on today's show - how did it feel to be written off? Was it fair to call him a “dickhead” as a racer? And after childhood success in ballroom dancing - is Strictly next? Plus the best bits from The Sports Agents this week - is ChatGPT running your team? And why risk staging Eubank v Benn 2?

This weekend it's the latest chapter in the family feud as Conor Benn takes on Chris Eubank Jr, for a rematch after the sensational first fight in April. But unlike their dads, Conor and Chris Jr don't naturally fight at the same weight and there's a controversial clause that could leave Eubank Jr dangerously dehydrated. So is it safe to stage this fight again? Is it British boxing rivalry getting back to it's best? Or is boxing trying to fill a void if the next best thing is Anthony Joshua v Jake Paul? Gabby and Mark catch up with broadcaster Ade Oladipo and Robert Smith, General Secretary of the British Boxing Board of Control. Plus, why are both Thomas Tuchel and Steve Borthwick steering away from the stars? And does Gabby think the L.A. Olympics 100m final should be hosted on the opening day?

In the last episode of Season 2, as we gear up for the Ashes, Mark Pougatch and Paul Hayward bring you the story of Australian media magnate Kerry Packer, who all the current players should be thanking.Packer turned the gentile game of Test cricket upside down as he signed the captains of England, Australia and the West Indies to what some called his 'rebel circus'. For two years at the end of the 1970s, the traditional world of white flannels, red balls and polite applause collided with coloured clothing, floodlights, music and marketing - cricket was never quite the same again. So how did Packer lure the best cricketers in the world? And how much of what we see today can directly be traced back to the drive, ambition and vanity of one Sydney businessman? We hope you've enjoyed Season 2 of How It All Played Out. While we take a short break you can check out all our past episodes on Global Player or wherever you get your podcasts. 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 PratsidesProducer: Sophie Penney Video Producer: Sam Trudgill Social Media Editor: Calum Scotland Head of Podcasts: Factual: Al RiddellDirector of Podcasts: Vicky Etchells

We've all been guilty of using ChatGPT once in a while, Head Coach Laura Harvey even admitted she used it for tactics in the American women's league. The Premier League, NFL, England Rugby... you name it, they're using AI. Scouting players by predicting how they'll fit in at a new team, optimising tactics on the field and making individual injury prevention plans.So Gabby and Mark are joined by AI specialists, Stephen Smith (CEO of Kitman Labs) and Ryan Beal (CEO of Sentient Sports). How far can AI take us? Will it take all our jobs? And can we really trust it? Plus, Gabby waxes lyrical about Jeremy Doku's mesmerising performance and Pep Guardiola's reinvention as Man City blew away Liverpool to put the pressure on Arsenal, and Mark shares his disappointment at the Ashes whitewash for the England Men's Rugby League team.

We've been Traitors mad so Claire Balding joined Gabby and Mark for a slightly different episode of The Sports Agents. Don't worry there's no spoilers from the final! Is she bitter no one listened to her about Alan? Why did everyone underestimate Joe Marler? What did Claire tell the producers they should change about the game? And how did Claire know Celia was going to fart? Plus we look back at two huge interviews on the podcast this week with former England manager Gareth Southgate and Euros winner Mary Earps.

Mark Pougatch and Paul Hayward bring you the story of Althea Gibson - don't worry if you've never heard of her, few have! Arthur Ashe is a name immediately recognisable to every tennis fan - and most sports fans.He was the first Black man to win the US Open, the Australian Open and Wimbledon - and the largest tennis stadium in the world, the US Open main court, is named after him.But he wasn't the first Black player to win a Grand Slam. That honour went to New Yorker Althea Gibson, who won the French open in 1956 - a whole decade before Ashe. She also won both the US Open and Wimbledon in 1957 and in 1958. So why isn't Althea Gibson as well known as Arthur Ashe? Why doesn't she have her name up in lights like his? What is her story? 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 PratsidesProducer: Sophie Penney Head of Podcasts: Factual: Al RiddellDirector of Podcasts: Vicky Etchells

Mary Earps joins Gabby and Mark on The Sports Agents. The Euros winner and two-time FIFA Best goalkeeper tells Gabby and Mark why she left England before this summer's Euros, what relations were like with Hannah Hampton & Sarina Wiegman, and what it was like to watch England win that trophy from the sidelines. Mary also opens up about whether Manchester United value their women's team, freezing her eggs and much more.

Sir Gareth Southgate joins Gabby & Mark on The Sports Agents! The man who led England's men to two Euros finals, missing out on that first trophy since 1966 by a whisker, tells us why he decided to step down, what he makes of Thomas Tuchel not selecting Southgate's star Jude Bellingham, and if the Man United job was ever on the cards? Gareth also opens up about a lack of positive role models for young people in UK and on social media and dressing room rules on phones while at England. “Dear England: Lessons in Leadership” by Gareth Southgate is out on November 6th.

Did you know the government doesn't fund deaf athletes, because they aren't allowed to compete at the Paralympics? For 100 years now they've been holding their own competition - the Deaflympics - where referee whistles are replaced by flag signals, and starting guns by flashing lights. But no Paralympics means no funding. All because they were born with the so-called “wrong” disability. Great Britain medal hopefuls Charlotte Gower and Nathan Young join Gabby. Plus we look back at the best bits from this week on The Sports Agents from the NBA gambling scandal featuring the mafia and x-ray glasses with Andy Hughes (Co-Host of The Crime Agents podcast) and The Athletic's Mike Vorkunov; to a love letter to the Ashes with some hilarious stories from Phil Tufnell. You can watch the Deaflympics live on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/@TOKYO2025DEAFLYMPICS And find out more information about DeaflympicsGB here: https://www.deaflympicsgb2025.co.uk/

Former England cricketer Phil Tufnell, who played in five Ashes series, joins Gabby and Mark to share his love letter to the Ashes, just weeks out from the competition. He has us in stitches with his stories from Down Under, from outrageous sledging to his hilarious first meeting with his England team mates. And how does he think England will get on this winter? And on that theme Gabby and Mark chat about "torture" for England in the current Rugby League Ashes, England taking on Australia in the Rugby Union Autumn Internationals this weekend, and the England v Australia Women's Cricket World Cup Final that almost was before England's demolition at the hands of South Africa.