Standard Issue Podcast

New drama series The Gathering is making waves on Channel 4 as we speak, so Hannah leapt at the chance to chat to one of its stars, Vinette Robinson. They talk about teenage ambition, playing real women with real problems, social media, teenage girls, working with Mike Leigh, the single-take logistics of Boiling Point, giving birth dozens of times in The Lazarus Project, and her upcoming appearance on Inside No 9. You are welcome.

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Buoyed by a positive sexual experience at university, journalist Kitty Ruskin decided to embrace her sexuality with a year of casual dating and no-strings sex. She was hoping to find pleasure and excitement, but the reality wasn't all fun and sexy games. All of which she chronicles in her new book, Ten Men: A Year of Casual Sex. Jen caught up with Kitty to talk about her quest, consent, dating apps and the so-called “sexual marketplace”. A heads up this interview touches on rape and on sexual assault, including Kitty's experience of this as a child.

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Hannah's in the market for a new favourite TV programme, so this week - along with Jen and Mick - they're auditioning Shogun, Shardlake, Renegade Nell, David Attenborough's Mammals, Sugar, Fallout and Palm Royale. Plus there's some chat about some of TV's more controversial offerings, Baby Reindeer and The Tattooist of Auschwitz.

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It’s Hannah and Mick on Bush Telegraph duty this Thursday 16 May. They’re talking about: the humanitarian crisis playing out in Sudan and why we’re not hearing enough about it; lummoxes, tosspots and numpties, and – separately but connected – the Tories’ ongoing desperate bumblefuckfest ahead of the general election (BUT WHEN IS IT?); the rise and enforced rest of the robots, and Northern Ireland scoring goals for women and girls all over the shop. 

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Has Maggie Smith ever Maggie Smithed harder than in Tea with Mussolini? It's just one of Hannah's questions about Franco Zeffirelli's 1999 lady-fest, which Jen's picked despite her dad's apparent love for it. Other questions include, has Rated or Dated reached Cher saturation point? Is it ever okay to be pals with a dictator? And, from Mick: WTF is Dench doing?

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Author Francesca de Tores, who you may know better as Francesca Haig, was gripped when she happened upon the Wikipedia entry for 18th century pirate, Mary Read. A woman pirate? Damn straight, a woman pirate. And so began Saltblood, Francesa’s first work of historic fiction.

Jen caught up with her to chat all things Mary, and navigating the male-dominated waters of swashbuckling adventures.

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For three years, comedian Kiri Pritchard-McLean has had a secret alter-ego as a foster parent. But now she’s out, and talking about everything about fostering life – from gusset to hairline – in her new tour show, Peacock. 

In this episode, she’s chatting to Mick about why she and her partner decided to foster, the processes involved, the joys gained, why your hair can never be too big, and what to do with those eight spare biros knocking around the kitchen.

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Having been performing at the Edinburgh Fringe since she was 13, comedian and writer Ashley Storrie has had her fill of it. Lucky for her, she’s been starring in BBC Three comedy series Dinosaur. In this episode, she chats to Jen about the unusual way she came to co-create the series, neurodiversity on screen and how it compares to her experiences with autism spectrum disorder, and how to get started in comedy.

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It’s Mick and Jen on Bush Telegraph duty this Thursday 9 May. They’re talking: male entitlement (whaaa?); police incompetence (no way!); remarkable women (come on now!); institutional sexism (surprise!), and Emma Hayes being brilliant (plus ça change). 

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Does everyone have half a cup of tea? Great, let's begin. In this week's Rated or Dated, we're watching 1999's comedy-drama East is East. But how well does the comedy and drama really gel? Does anyone have any sympathy for George? And exactly how much does Hannah love Linda Bassett? All the answers lie within. Now wash your bastard curtains!

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