We prayed for good TV and The Girlfriend more than delivered! We review Robin Wright and Olivia Cooke’s deliciously crazy psychosexual thriller: team Cherry or team Laura? Plus, why millennial women have fallen head over heels for The Summer I Turned Pretty, a look at whether Thailand is as ‘dark’ as Zara McDermott’s new documentary portrays, and our verdict on divorce comedy The Roses starring Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch. Also: our thoughts on Yellowface author RF Kuang’s new book Katabasis. Enjoy hunnies!

Thanks so much to our partner Official London Theatre! Get can up to 50% off theatre tickets with amazing deals on the biggest shows at OfficialLondonTheatre.com.

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We love hearing from you, DM us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, email at ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠ and follow us on TikTok @straightuppod too!

Recs/reviews

• The Roses, in cinemas now
• Thailand: the dark side of paradise, BBC
• The Girlfriend, Amazon Prime Video
• The Girlfriend: Warning! This sexy oedipal thriller may be too shocking for vanilla viewers, Guardian
• The Summer I Turned Pretty, Prime Video
• Why Are Forty-Something Women Obsessed With The Summer I Turned Pretty?, Vogue
• Why Almost Every Woman You Know Is Obsessed With The Summer I Turned Pretty, Elle
• In ‘The Girlfriend,’ Robin Wright and Olivia Cooke ‘go feral.’ But who’s the real villain?, LA Times
• Katabasis by RF Kuang
• The Problem With RF Kuang's Fiction, Slate
• Katabasis by RF Kuang review – a descent into the hellscape of academia, Guardian

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Saltburn director Emerald Fennell seems to have enraged the internet with the trailer for her new Wuthering Heights adaptation starring Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie, but is this really ‘ragebait cinema’ or just her signature ‘stylised depravity’? We discuss! Also this week: Elordi’s other big trailer for Netflix’s Frankenstein, the Thursday Murder Club adaptation, queen of RichTok Becca Bloom’s wedding and the Etsy witches she credits with banishing bad weather, a viral Wired long-read about surrogacy, the rise and fall of Vice magazine, and what a new ‘nepo baby’ editor means for Vogue.

Thanks so much to our partner Official London Theatre! Get can up to 50% off theatre tickets with amazing deals on the biggest shows at OfficialLondonTheatre.com.

Get 20% off our favourite ready-to-drink cocktails from Whitebox, including the best spicy margs, espresso martinis and negronis, with our code SU20 at Whiteboxcocktails.com

We love hearing from you, DM us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, email at ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠ and follow us on TikTok @straightuppod too!

Recs/reviews

• Popbitch, Substack
• Thursday Murder Club, Netflix
• Attack of the Rotten Tomatoes, Puck Magazine
• Atomic, NowTV
• Bland, easy to follow, for fans of everything: what has the Netflix algorithm done to our films? Guardian
• Emerald Fennell’s Hyper-Sexualized ‘Wuthering Heights’ Gets Polarized Reception at First Test Screening, World of Reel
• Is Emerald Fennell the Bonnie Blue of cinema? Dazed
• $3 Million Watches and Caviar for the Cat: How Becca Bloom Became the Queen of RichTok, WSJ
• I hired an Etsy witch to save my wedding day weather. Here's what happened, Glamour
• Vice is Broke, Amazon Prime Video
• The Baby Died. Whose Fault Is It? Wired 
• Can Vogue Go Niche, Business of Fashion 
• The Memification of Nepotism and How Proud Nepo Babies Are Rebranding Inequality, Substack

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Hi hunnies! We had so many messages about Serena Williams’ weight-loss jab ad that we knew we had to dig deeper behind the headlines into the world of GLP-1s for this extra episode. From the shame still clinging to these drugs, to the groundbreaking new research on how they could help treat psychiatric disorders, addiction and even Alzheimer's, we’re weighing up the pros and cons. We also share how a GLP-1 has transformed the life of one listener with PCOS, ask what’s really driving the obesity epidemic and get into the difference between GLP-1s for medical vs. aesthetic use. 

We love hearing from you, DM us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, email at ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠ and follow us on TikTok @straightuppod too!

Reccs:

• How is Ozempic changing the world? Why? With Emma Kennedy podcast
• A GLP-1/obesity expert breaking down Jameela Jamil's post
• How weight-loss wonder drugs are redefining the way our bodies work, Guardian 
• Here’s Why Doctors Are Hopeful That GLP-1s Can Help Treat PCOS Symptoms, Women's Health
• Health and productivity losses from obesity ‘far outstrip weight-loss jab costs’, Guardian
• A Year on Ozempic Taught Me We Are Thinking About Obesity All Wrong, New York Times

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British OnlyFans creator Lily Phillips comes second to Bonnie Blue for her extreme sex stunts, yet she has a very different public image, as a new Stacey Dooley doc makes clear. What does this say about our notions of femininity? And is the criticism around Stacey ‘platforming’ Lily fair? Also on the show: Sydney Sweeney’s new romance, Molly Mae’s nanny furore, our verdict on Sabrina’s new album and another season of With Love, Meghan on Netflix. Enjoy hunnies!

Thanks so much to our partner Official London Theatre! Get can up to 50% off theatre tickets with amazing deals on the biggest shows at OfficialLondonTheatre.com.

Get 20% off our favourite ready-to-drink cocktails from Whitebox, including the best spicy margs, espresso martinis and negronis, with our code SU20 at Whiteboxcocktails.com

We love hearing from you, DM us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, email at ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠ and follow us on TikTok @straightuppod too!

Recs/reviews

• Inter Alia, National Theatre (or National Theatre Live)
• Lilo and Stitch, Disney+ 
• Disney's latest unnecessary remake is a monstrosity, Guardian
• Chief of War, Apple TV
• The Inheritance, C4 
• Stacey Dooley Sleeps Over with Lily Phillips, S6 E1, U
• Lily Phillips: I slept with 100 men in a day, YouTube
• ONLYFANS: Bonnie Blue, sex stunts and the rise of the porn 'influencer' (Straight Up ep from May)
• Man’s Best Friend, Sabrina Carpenter
• Sabrina Carpenter to Taylor Swift: Why female pop stars embracing sex is still controversial in 2025, BBC
• With Love, Meghan, Netflix

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Serena Williams has sparked a serious debate with her sponsored content promoting an Ozempic-style weight-loss jab. We get into the pros and cons of these so-called ‘miracle drugs’ and the inevitable media-fuelled fall-out with Jameela Jamil. Also this week, we dive into the Millie Bobby Brown adoption ‘backlash’, give an update on the most divisive film of the year (match-making rom com The Materialists), and review the controversial new Amanda Knox Disney drama, along with Netflix’s number one show Hostage. And, of course, as promised, our verdict on The Real Housewives of London!

Thanks so much to our partner Official London Theatre! Get can up to 50% off theatre tickets with amazing deals on the biggest shows at OfficialLondonTheatre.com.

We love hearing from you, DM us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, email at ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠ and follow us on TikTok @straightuppod too!

Recs

• The Materialists, in cinemas now 
• The Logic of the ‘9 to 5’ Is Creeping Into the Rest of the Day, The Atlantic 
• Speculating about Millie Bobby Brown’s adoption is unacceptable, Stylist 
• Op-Ed: I Judged Serena Williams For Using A Weight-Loss Drug — Now, I Get It, Essence
• Fears that sport will be the loser as Serena Williams embraces weight loss jabs, The Observer
• Dua Lipa, #SkinnyTok and the labubu doll craze, Straight Up May episode 
• Why with Emma Kennedy podcast: How is Ozempic changing the world? 
• The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox, Disney+
• Why the new Amanda Knox TV drama is misguided, BBC
• ‘It’s a new kind of prison’: Amanda Knox on redemption , rage, and her unlikely friendship with the prosecutor who hounded her, Guardian 
• Hostage, Netflix  
• The Real Housewives of London, Hayu

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Taylor Swift has officially entered her sexy era, announcing a new album in her first-ever podcast interview with Travis Kelce, alongside a showgirl-themed shoot that’s got everyone talking. We debrief on both! Also this week: from Weapons to 28 Years Later, we’re deep in a horror renaissance, Chris Hemsworth drops a wellness doc with an appearance from pal Ed Sheeran, the mind-blowing new science of signs, Netflix’s depressing Biggest Loser doc and of course, yet another Beckham update, this time courtesy of Brooklyn and Nicola’s vow renewal.

Thanks so much to our partner Official London Theatre! Get can up to 50% off theatre tickets with amazing deals on the biggest shows at OfficialLondonTheatre.com.

We love hearing from you, DM us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, email at ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠ and follow us on TikTok @straightuppod too!

Recs/reviews discussed: 

• 28 Years Later, in cinemas now
• Weapons, in cinemas now
• Together, in cinemas now
•  Limitless: Live Better Now, Disney
• Neuroscientist (Dr. Tara Swart): Evidence We Can Communicate After Death! Diary of a CEO
• The Signs: the New Science of How to Trust Your Instincts, Tara Swart
•  Pillow Talk. What Travis Kelsey does that's made Taylor Swift suddenly so sexy, Daily Mail
•  Taylor Swift’s Sultry, Spangled Next Act, Vogue
• Taylor Swift has gone raunchy for the life of a showgirl. What can it mean? Times 
• Wait, Is Taylor Swift Teasing a Super Bowl Halftime Performance? Vulture
• David and Victoria Beckham face fresh heartache as new details emerge of Brooklyn's vow renewal speech to wife Nicola Peltz, Daily Mail 
• Fit for TV: The reality of the Biggest Loser, Netflix 

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From unqualified therapists planting false memories in vulnerable people and an obsession with labels to ‘therapy boasting’ on Hinge and the weaponisation of ‘therapy speak’, we deep-dive into the dark side of the therapy boom. Plus, what makes a good therapist, and can AI offer an accessible alternative to what has become a luxury? We hope you enjoy this special bonus hunnies, we’ll be back with our usual Thursday pop culture debrief tomorrow!

We love hearing from you, DM us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, email at ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠ and follow us on TikTok @straightuppod too!

Recs:

• Dangerous Memories podcast 
• My therapist told me Mum had abused me. She hadn’t, Times
• The therapist who planted false memories, Pandora Sykes, Substack
• How the language of therapy took over dating, NYT
• Nobody has a personality anymore, Substack
• OpenAI CEO Sam Altman warns users not to trust ChatGPT agent with sensitive or personal data, Decoder 
• Chatbots Can Go Into a Delusional Spiral. Here’s How It Happens, NYT
• He Had a Mental Breakdown Talking to ChatGPT. Then Police Killed Him, Rolling Stone
• What does bad therapy actually look like? Stylist
• Can AI therapists really be an alternative to human help? BBC

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‘Heteropessimism’ is all over our feeds right now, so this week we’re asking: where are all the eligible men? Plus, our verdict on the Freaky Friday sequel (Freakier Friday), Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson’s rumoured romance, “recreational argument” families and the recent but inescapable rise of rage-bait, from Sydney Sweeney’s genes and the Skims chin strap, to sex stunts and wedding cake-smashing. Also: why Seth Rogan and Rose Byrne’s Platonic might just be our favourite TV show of the year!

We love hearing from you, DM us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, email at ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠ and follow us on TikTok @straightuppod too!

Recs/reviews:

• Freakier Friday, in cinemas now
• Freakier Friday is humiliating to everyone involved, Time 
• Cosmetic procedures make Freakier Friday confusing as hell, Allure 
• ‘Generations of women have been disfigured’, Jamie Lee Curtis, Guardian 
• Platonic, AppleTV
• My Oxford Year, Netflix
• The Store, Oxford
• How the Right Shaped the Debate over Sydney Sweeney ads, New York Times 
• From Kim Kardashian’s ‘face shapewear’ to Sydney Sweeney’s jeans controversy, is everything rage bait now? Glamour 
• Heteropessimism and our declining faith in the straight, cis man, Glamour 
• Where Are All The Eligible Men? British Vogue 
• Pamela Anderson and Liam Neeson Are Dating: 'It's Clear They're Smitten' People 
• The Emma Guns Show 

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This week we're diving into the pressure female authors face to turn their personal trauma into marketable content. Why is women’s fiction so often mistaken for ‘autofiction’? And why does the publishing world seem to reward pain over imagination when it comes from women? Writer (and returning guest!) Caroline O’Donoghue joins us to unpack her brilliant recent piece in The Bookseller, deep-diving into everything from the first-person industrial complex, stolen time and tweakments, to her current pop culture picks including books, TV and film. Also this week, K has been to see match-making rom-com The Materialists and E has a book rec! 

We love hearing from you, DM us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, email at ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠ and follow us on TikTok @straightuppod too!

Get 20% off the adaptogenic coffee that changed our lives, London Nootropics, using our code straightup at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠londonnootropics.com⁠⁠⁠

Recs/reviews:

• I Who Have Never Known Men, Jaqueline Harpman 
• Orlanda, Jaqueline Harpman 
• The Materialists, in cinemas
• Materialists review – Celine Song’s Past Lives follow-up is a mixed bag, Guardian 
• ‘Materialists’ Review: When Dakota Met Pedro (and Chris), New York Times 
• Past Lives, Amazon Prime
• Up close and personal, Caroline O’Donoghue for The Bookseller 
• Skip Shock, Caroline O’Donoghue 
• Where's the 'you'? Naoise Dolan on Substack 
• I felt myself split into before and after’: how giving birth triggered a life-changing illness, Guardian 
• The Terrible Things I Have To Do To Be Me, Philippa Snow
• In Love With Love, Ella Rusbridger 
• 84 Charing Cross Road, Helene Hanff
• The Cinemile podcast 
• You’re Wrong About podcast 
• Lena Dunham’s C Word podcast
• Ologies podcast

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Is Bonnie Blue a ‘sexual predator’ or an empowered businesswoman? That’s the question driving the controversial new Channel 4 documentary about the porn star’s sex extremism, including sleeping with 1057 men in 12 hours. We went to the doc’s press screening last week, with Bonnie herself in attendance for a post-screening Q&A, so we discuss the its most uncomfortable moments, as well as Bonnie’s motivations, societal responsibility and what she’s really like in person. Also in this ep, a look at the juiciest revelations from the new and unauthorised Gwyneth Paltrow biog, from Goop’s toxic work environment to her fallout with Madonna. Plus a couple of TV reviews for you to get stuck into!

We love hearing from you, DM us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, email at ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠ and follow us on TikTok @straightuppod too!

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Recs/reviews

• The Assassin, Amazon Prime
• The Secrets of TikTok Shop: UNTOLD, Channel 4
• ONLYFANS: Bonnie Blue, sex stunts and the rise of the porn 'influencer' (our 28 May bonus ep)
• 100 Men and Me: the Bonnie Blue Story, Channel 4 
• Bonnie Blue: 1,000 men and the worrying normalisation of porn, The Times
• Confronting Andrew Tate & Bonnie Blue: World Exclusive: Have Men Lost Their Power & Has Feminism Ruined Society? Disruptors podcast
• Bonnie Blue, Channel four and the problem with commodifying sexual violence, Glamour
• The Affair podcast
• Gwyneth: The Biography, Amy Odell 
• Back Row, Amy Odell’s Substack
• Sorry, you’ll never be Gwyneth Paltrow. Whoever she really is, Washington Post 
• Shakespeare in Love, BBC iPlayer

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