Sue Beere’s husband, John, was jailed for his role in a £53 million drug-smuggling plot. 

He’s spent time in a maximum-security prison. He’s lost two appeals.

But Sue has never doubted his innocence.

Alongside charity Appeal, Sue continues to campaign for his conviction to be quashed - and for all the ‘Freshwater Five’ implicated in the alleged cocaine conspiracy to be exonerated. 

In this compelling conversation with Olly, Sue recounts how - from John’s unexpected arrest to the shocking outcome of his trial - she has battled stigma, financial struggles, and the British legal system… from her family home on the Isle of Wight.

Find out more about Appeal on their website, https://appeal.org.uk/

This episode is sponsored by Readly, who are offering Mann-fans an exclusive, three month trial of unlimited newspapers and magazines. Get yours at readly.com/mann

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Meanwhile, in the Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart is hunting for a cure for Seasonal Affective Disorder… might a simple vitamin tablet do the trick, or is it worth investing in a 10,000 lux therapy lamp?  

Or, could the trend for Nordic bathing - plunging from a piping hot sauna into freezing cold water - be a mood-boosting salve for S.A.D? Ollie drags Olly along to the Saltwater Sauna in Sandbanks to find out…

The Zeitgeist is sponsored by our friends at Beer52. Claim your FREE case of 8 new and

exclusive beers from across the world at https://www.beer52.com/MANN

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Elsewhere, down The Foxhole, Alix Fox - fresh from a mind-blowing movie preview - investigates the booming market in A.I. girlfriends, and uncovers some tasty neologisms for part-time asexuals.

Could an over-reliance on ‘fap GPT’ be a bedroom boner-killer? Do straight men get emotional support from their interactions with sex-bots? 

With the help of psychotherapist Silva Neves, specialist in sexual compulsive behaviour, and sex robot researcher Dr Chloé Locatelli from King’s College London, Alix has the answers… probably. 

If you have a question of sex and relationships for Alix to answer in a future Foxhole, submit if via our website, https://modernmann.co.uk

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Finally, our record of the month comes from Vince Freeman, whose new single, ‘Blame Myself’ - taken from his new album ‘Scars, Ghosts & Glory’, dropping in March - is out now.

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Thanks for listening! If you can afford to support the show financially, please buy us a beer - we put every penny back into producing this independent podcast just for YOU.

… and we’ll see you with a brand new episode on March 10th. x

Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Alix Fox, Ollie Peart, Sue Beere, Vince Freeman. Thanks: Jude Habib, Sound Delivery. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: ‘Skies Over Cairo’ by Django Django. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2024.

This episode includes a paid advertisement by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/mann and get on your way to being your best self.

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