Standard Issue Podcast

Across Britain, young girls from all demographics are being groomed, trafficked and sexually exploited by drug gangs. Authorities have been warned repeatedly about what’s happening to these girls, often known as ‘gift girls’, and yet the same failures continue. 

In Britain’s Forgotten Girls, a documentary for BBC Current Affairs, director, producer and journalist Alessia Camoirano speaks to survivors, whistleblowers and those who raised the alarm, to investigate why horrific criminal and sexual exploitation has been allowed to continue for more than two decades. Mick got Alessia on the Zoom to find out more. 

Britain’s Forgotten Girls airs on Wednesday 9 September at 9pm on BBC2, then again on Tuesday 15 September at 11pm, and on Thursday 17 September at 1.35am.

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Salma Hayek and Penélope Cruz star in Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg’s "Western" "action" “comedy”, but what will the script by *eyeroll* Luc Besson have them do in this tale of two unlikely bank robbers? How empowering is wet brawling? How many times will Jen, Hannah and Mick say “tits” in this episode? And who on earth is this film for?

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Ruth Ellis was the last woman to be executed in England, back in 1955, sparking public outcry and becoming a catalyst for huge change in the justice system. Like many, author Louisa Treger had always been fascinated by the story of Ellis’s life and death, which became the subject of her new novel, A Fatal Love.

Jen chats to Louisa about Ellis, how the justice system failed her and many other women besides, the media’s portrayals of domestic violence, and what we can learn from her story today.

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When Mike Judge showed us a vision of America in the future, nobody thought the future would arrive so soon. Did the social satire predict the rise of Trump? Can a film about dumb people ever really be clever? And what's the worst thing to have taped to your car bonnet? 

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It’s a podcast of positivity, as our Mick has one of her regular catch ups with NASA’s Suze Kundu. 

They’re covering all sorts of topics, starting of course, with the recent eclipse and why its study is so important. Then there’s the new discovery that menstrual blood is basically magical, wound-healing elixir to celebrate, as well as some brilliant, inspirational kids who are filtering microplastics out of water with tamarind seeds. 

If you’re one of our £5 and above patreons, there’s a bonus good news story to do with little lungs doing better in London, so get involved at patreon/com/standardissue.

And give Suze a follow on the socials @funsizesuze.

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Elizabeth Crawford picked up her nickname after decades of work uncovering rare books and collectables related to the suffrage movement. She chats to Hannah about her latest book, The British Women's Suffrage Movement in 100 Objects, lesser known historical heroines, and how merchandising helped the Suffragettes make their mark.

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It’s the Spielberg-Kubrick vision of the future no one was sure about at the time, but later got some pretty big acclaim. 2001’s AI: Artificial Intelligence remains a Marmite movie, so how will Hannah and Mick feel about this Pinocchio story of a robot who wants to be a real boy? Where can we get us one of those robo-teddies? And having witnessed Jude Law as a rent-a-pump mecha, will Hannah ever sleep soundly again?

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As the star of daytime TV, radio and podcasts for more than 30 years, there’s not much we don’t think we already know about Vanessa Feltz. But there's always more to learn, so now she’s back on our screens with At Home with Vanessa, a new YouTube show filmed in her actual home, with her actual friends, and her actual favourite crisps shipped over from Ireland for the occasion.

Jen visited Feltz Towers to chat about the show, her career, the tabloid press, and whether or not she really was drinking custard.

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In this month's round-up of some of the best and not-so-best things on TV, we're talking about Furious, Possession, Evolution, My Brilliant Career, 100 Years of Solitude, Station 11 and the return of Ted Lasso.

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This week, Hannah and Mickey look at some of the week's best and worst stories, including major finds by archeologists, the scandal that continues to engulf Cambridge University, free travel for disabled people in England, and the ongoing "early release" crisis.

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