Double Love

What sort of town's Chamber of Commerce thinks it's a good idea to hold a teenage beauty pageant at a public school? Sweet Valley, of course! Jessica is determined to become Miss Teen Sweet Valley, which she worryingly believes will be a way to attract older guys, but Liz is horrified at the school hosting such an event and launches a protest movement with our fave series regulars. Ned and Alice try in vain to keep the peace as the twins go head to head - but who will be victorious? There's a sad lack of Lila in this book but we do get some of Jessica's most gloriously unhinged fantasies, which kind of makes up for it. All this and some outfits fit for a (teen) queen! This show is part of the HeadStuff Podcast Network. For more, go to HeadStuffPodcasts.com, where you can also become a member of HeadStuff+ and get exclusive access to bonus material and lots more.

There's only one place we want to celebrate our fourth birthday, and that's at Fowler Crest! Our flat-faced queen finally takes centre stage in an almost-Wakefield-free book (hurrah!). Lila's dismayed when her dad hooks up with glamorous Joan Borden, a woman who inexplicably takes her insipid teenage daughter Jacqueline on all her dates. Lila comforts herself by stealing car -acing Evan Armstrong from his girlfriend, with a little help from her favourite enemy. But will she be able to stop the Bordens moving into Fowler Crest - forever?! This book has it all - scheming, fabulous outfits, Bruce in his trademark shorts and our favourite wedding guests of all time. Celebrate Lila, come on! This show is part of the HeadStuff Podcast Network. For more, go to HeadStuffPodcasts.com, where you can also become a member of HeadStuff+ and get exclusive access to bonus material and lots more.

It's our birthday! And what better way to celebrate than to answer the excellent questions sent in by you, our beloved listeners? Join us to find out how the podcast got started, which Wakefield is our least favourite, which moments sum up ultimate Sweet Valley for us, what book we find most ridiculous, what Lila's Olympic sport would be and much, much more. And thanks for listening! Here's to the next four years....

At last, Sweet Valley has a canonically queer character - and to mark this momentous development, we're joined by two very special guests, the brilliant James and Cian from Sissy That Pod! What will these Sweet Valley virgins make of the SVH gang? There's a lot to discuss - Amy sets her sights on recently single Tom McKay, but Tom's more interested in Enid's stylish cousin Jake, whose visit to Sweet Valley triggers the most tame sexual awakening ever. All this and a very unprofessional youth counselling centre, Amy's potential diva future, and the return of you know who.... This show is part of the HeadStuff Podcast Network. For more, go to HeadStuffPodcasts.com, where you can also become a member of HeadStuff+ and get exclusive access to bonus material and lots more.

Brace yourself, listeners, this is another grim book, as Francine and Co attempt to make amends for over 70 books worth of fatphobia, with unsurprisingly mixed results. Robin Wilson feels like her life is out of control, not least because of her absolutely terrible long-distance boyfriend George, who is fueling her insecurity constantly raving about his new flying class partner Vicky. Convinced that George would keep loving her if she was thinner, Robin starts restricting her diet - and ends up in serious trouble. This is another issue that not even Saint Elizabeth can solve. Luckily we have some great listener mail to serve as a palate cleanser - including a recipe for a very Sweet Valley cocktail. This show is part of the HeadStuff Podcast Network. For more, go to HeadStuffPodcasts.com, where you can also become a member of HeadStuff+ and get exclusive access to bonus material and lots more.

Pi Beta Alpha is our special bonus series for Headstuff Plus members - and this week we're sharing our new episode with you all, because, in a delightful coincidence, this episode of the Sweet Valley TV show is based on Regina's Legacy - and to our surprise, it's MUCH more entertaining than the original! Yes, the story of Liz accidentally documenting a criminal gang on film is pared down to the basics and is all the better for it. It's got lakeside frolics, an evil hunk, Enid being a horndog, the most ridiculous use of technology we've seen so far and of course Lila being magnificent. Okay, it doesn't have Prince Albert, but we can't have everything. Enjoy! And if you'd like to hear our Pi Beta Alpha backlist and all future Pi Beta episodes, go to HeadStuffPodcasts.com, where you can become a member of HeadStuff+ and get exclusive access to our secret podcast feed as well as other bonus material from us and other Headstuff podcasts.

Don't get your hopes up, listeners - this book's connection to the saintly Regina (RIP) is tenuous at best. Skye Morrow gives Liz a camera that belonged to her late daughter, which is highly convenient/contrived because Liz has just become the most enthusiastic member of Sweet Valley High's new photography club! After Liz takes a pic of some suspicious men on a beach, she becomes the target of criminals who are determined to get hold of the incriminating photo. But when one of the crooks mistakes Jessica  for Liz and asks her out in extremely dubious circumstances, Jess finds herself in danger. We don't want to victim blame, but we kind of do in this case. All this and the most tedious non-story B-plot of all time - and a memorable sort-of-cameo from our fave teacher! This show is part of the HeadStuff Podcast Network. For more, go to HeadStuffPodcasts.com, where you can also become a member of HeadStuff+ and get exclusive access to bonus material and lots more.

There's a new girl in Sweet Valley High, and Enid and Liz are her new best friends. Yes, Andrea Slade has left boring old New York City for exciting Sweet Valley, and she never wants to leave, especially after she falls for Dennis Reynolds - oh sorry, it's creepy Nicholas Morrow. When Lila and Jessica discover that Andrea is living with the object of their obsession, rock star Jamie Peters, they jump to an even more creepy conclusion - one that threatens to wreck Andrea's newfound happiness. Meanwhile Lila finds her true calling - as a marimba player! This show is part of the HeadStuff Podcast Network. For more, go to HeadStuffPodcasts.com, where you can also become a member of HeadStuff+ and get exclusive access to bonus material and lots more.

Brace yourselves, everyone: this book contains one of the best scenes in Sweet Valley History and maybe even one of the best scenes in the history of western literature! Yes, apart from a boring subplot about Liz becoming a volunteer Secca Lake park ranger, Starring Jessica is solid gold. It's got Jessica wildly overestimating how famous she'll be after appearing in talk show! It's got scheming (SO much scheming)! It's got some excellent bitchy banter between our favourite frenemies! And best of all, it's got a magnificently villainous Lila teaming up with Bruce for an amazing revenge plan! Hop into the lime-green Triumph - it's going to be a wild ride.... This show is part of the HeadStuff Podcast Network. For more, go to HeadStuffPodcasts.com, where you can also become a member of HeadStuff+ and get exclusive access to bonus material and lots more.

Breathe a sigh of relief, listeners - we don't have to put Ken Matthews in the bin after all! SVH needs a new quarterback, and Ken, who has mostly recovered from his accident in That (not actually) Fatal Night, is determined to try out. And when newcomer Claire Middleton announces she wants to try out too, our beloved himbo prince supports her all the way! Phew! But not everyone is cheering on the new girl - Ken's girlfriend Terri fears she's losing him to this football goddess and, less understandably, Jessica's pathological need for constant attention leads her to campaign against Claire. Who will make the team? This show is part of the HeadStuff Podcast Network. For more, go to HeadStuffPodcasts.com, where you can also become a member of HeadStuff+ and get exclusive access to bonus material and lots more.