The Trawl

Oil prices soar, the global economy wobbles, and the media politely wonders whether there might still be a master plan inside Trump's helium-filled skull. Marina and Jemma sift through the chaos: Fox News telling the truth, Russia helping Iran and Trump being OK with that and Trump casually flirting with admitting war crimes.

But first: a brief cultural detour as Timothy Chalamet manages to annoy a surprising number of people, Doja Cat weighs in, Darcy Bussell keeps it classy, and one conductor delivers the most operatic “get in the bin” you’ll ever hear.

Then it’s back to the geopolitics: a war that’s somehow “very complete” and yet “just beginning' and the small matter of what Trump might really be trying to distract everyone from.

Then it's Under-Rated's which includes an incredible clip from the wonderful George Monbiot and a wonderful pudding from Cody Dahler.

Thank you for sharing and please do follow us @MarinaPurkiss @jemmaforte @TheTrawlPodcast

Patreon

https://patreon.com/TheTrawlPodcast

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/@TheTrawl

Twitter

https://twitter.com/TheTrawlPodcast

If you’ve even mildly enjoyed The Trawl, you’ll love the unfiltered, no-holds-barred extras from Jemma & Marina over on Patreon, including:

• Exclusive episodes of The Trawl Goss – where Jemma and Marina spill backstage gossip, dive into their personal lives, and often forget the mic is on

• Early access to The Trawl Meets…

• Glorious ad-free episodes

Plus, there’s a bell-free community of over 3,300 legends sparking brilliant chat.

And it’s your way to support the pod which the ladies pour their hearts, souls (and occasional anxiety) into. All for your listening pleasure and reassurance that through this geopolitical s**tstorm… you’re not alone.

Come join the fun:

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheTrawlPodcast?utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oops… he did it again. This week on The Trawl, Jemma and Marina are trying to keep up with a news cycle that’s moving faster than the White House can change its story about why it just started another war. Is it about nuclear weapons? Oil? Israel? Distraction? Take your pick, the explanation seems to change by the hour.

But first, after a weekend of International Women’s Day posts (and the faint whiff of matriarchy trending), the pair look at the women who’ve decided the best career move is enthusiastically propping up the patriarchy. Turns out, it hasn't worked out that well for Kristi Noem. Mr Apprentice himself has fired her. 

Plus: George Monbiot not missing a beat, Fox News beating the drums for war, and Americans discovering that foreign policy decisions have a funny way of showing up at the petrol pump.

Strap in Trawlers, this one comes with geopolitical whiplash.

Thank you for sharing and please do follow us @MarinaPurkiss @jemmaforte @TheTrawlPodcast

Patreon

https://patreon.com/TheTrawlPodcast

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/@TheTrawl

Twitter

https://twitter.com/TheTrawlPodcast

If you’ve even mildly enjoyed The Trawl, you’ll love the unfiltered, no-holds-barred extras from Jemma & Marina over on Patreon, including:

• Exclusive episodes of The Trawl Goss – where Jemma and Marina spill backstage gossip, dive into their personal lives, and often forget the mic is on

• Early access to The Trawl Meets…

• Glorious ad-free episodes

Plus, there’s a bell-free community of over 3,300 legends sparking brilliant chat.

And it’s your way to support the pod which the ladies pour their hearts, souls (and occasional anxiety) into. All for your listening pleasure and reassurance that through this geopolitical s**tstorm… you’re not alone.

Come join the fun:

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheTrawlPodcast?utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Marina and Jemma dive back into the escalating crisis in Iran as Trump and Netanyahu continue bombing, apparently without checking if that’s a good idea with… anyone.

As oil prices surge and the world edges closer to something that looks suspiciously like a wider war, the Trawl ladies compare the responses from the leaders of the main UK political parties. Meanwhile, Spain’s Prime Minister shows what an actual spine looks like. As one tweeter put it Spain is now Spine.

Along the way there’s Candace Owens mangling names, Jimmy Fallon doing late-night diplomacy, and political commentator Ana Kasparian dropping truth bombs.

There's some vintage Tony Benn reminding everyone how Parliament should sound, and a pudding that proves the internet is still capable of producing comedy gold.

War, hypocrisy, distractions and the odd moment of sanity — just another week on The Trawl.

Thank you for sharing and please do follow us @MarinaPurkiss @jemmaforte @TheTrawlPodcast

Patreon

https://patreon.com/TheTrawlPodcast

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/@TheTrawl

Twitter

https://twitter.com/TheTrawlPodcast

If you’ve even mildly enjoyed The Trawl, you’ll love the unfiltered, no-holds-barred extras from Jemma & Marina over on Patreon, including:

• Exclusive episodes of The Trawl Goss – where Jemma and Marina spill backstage gossip, dive into their personal lives, and often forget the mic is on

• Early access to The Trawl Meets…

• Glorious ad-free episodes

Plus, there’s a bell-free community of over 3,300 legends sparking brilliant chat.

And it’s your way to support the pod which the ladies pour their hearts, souls (and occasional anxiety) into. All for your listening pleasure and reassurance that through this geopolitical s**tstorm… you’re not alone.

Come join the fun:

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheTrawlPodcast?utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join Jemma and Marina who are trying to process the latest news cycle.

At time of record, Donald Trump has bombed seven countries in twelve months. Super - really earning that peace prize he's after. Diplomacy with Iran was reportedly within reach just 24 hours before US–Israeli strikes began yet here we are. Still, ignorance is bliss because some Dubai influencers are mainly worried about missing meetings or a flight. 

The Trawl ladies look at the legality of the attacks under the US Constitution and the UN Charter, the collapse of negotiations, and the human cost, including, tragically the bombing of a girls’ school and a hospital hit in Tehran. Why does the language shift depending on who the victims are? And why does nuance suddenly disappear when it comes to condemning both authoritarian regimes and reckless military escalation?

They discuss the euphoria felt by some Iranians at the death of the Ayatollah and the worry about what comes next. They examine Trump’s call for Iranians to “rise up” against a heavily armed regime, the historical precedent of abandoned uprisings, and the now-familiar promise that the “worst bombing is still to come.”

There’s nuclear hypocrisy, oil politics, Operation “Epic Fury,” and a Medal of Honor ceremony detour into ballroom interiors.

If this is liberation, it’s a strange way of showing it.

It’s chaos. It’s escalation. It’s The Trawl.

Thank you for sharing and please do follow us @MarinaPurkiss @jemmaforte @TheTrawlPodcast

Patreon

https://patreon.com/TheTrawlPodcast

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/@TheTrawl

Twitter

https://twitter.com/TheTrawlPodcast

If you’ve even mildly enjoyed The Trawl, you’ll love the unfiltered, no-holds-barred extras from Jemma & Marina over on Patreon, including:

• Exclusive episodes of The Trawl Goss – where Jemma and Marina spill backstage gossip, dive into their personal lives, and often forget the mic is on

• Early access to The Trawl Meets…

• Glorious ad-free episodes

Plus, there’s a bell-free community of over 3,300 legends sparking brilliant chat.

And it’s your way to support the pod which the ladies pour their hearts, souls (and occasional anxiety) into. All for your listening pleasure and reassurance that through this geopolitical s**tstorm… you’re not alone.

Come join the fun:

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheTrawlPodcast?utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on The Trawl, Marina and Jemma enjoy one of life’s small but deeply satisfying pleasures: Nigel Farage losing an election and immediately blaming everyone except himself.

Instead of the predicted triumph, Reform got absolutely walloped by a Green candidate who is, among other things, a plumber. Which is awkward when your entire campaign strategy revolves around telling everyone you’re the voice of “ordinary people”.

Naturally, the reaction has been measured and dignified. Just kidding. Nigel Farage immediately blamed “sectarian voting”, Reform supporters blamed Muslims, the right-wing press blamed immigrants, and the Telegraph briefly blamed reality itself. Meanwhile. the BBC is still trying to work out how to report a Green victory without sounding too enthusiastic about it.

The ladies trawl through the fallout: the media meltdown, the conspiracy theories, Labour’s dodgy campaign tactics, and the curious phenomenon of the losers getting far more airtime than the people who actually won.

Plus: Nigel Farage clutching at more straws than a masturbating scarecrow, some spectacularly unhinged press coverage, and one glorious heckling moment that perfectly sums up the mood.

Democracy - occasionally it still works.

Thank you for sharing and please do follow us @MarinaPurkiss @jemmaforte @TheTrawlPodcast

Patreon

https://patreon.com/TheTrawlPodcast

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/@TheTrawl

Twitter

https://twitter.com/TheTrawlPodcast

If you’ve even mildly enjoyed The Trawl, you’ll love the unfiltered, no-holds-barred extras from Jemma & Marina over on Patreon, including:

• Exclusive episodes of The Trawl Goss – where Jemma and Marina spill backstage gossip, dive into their personal lives, and often forget the mic is on

• Early access to The Trawl Meets…

• Glorious ad-free episodes

Plus, there’s a bell-free community of over 3,300 legends sparking brilliant chat.

And it’s your way to support the pod which the ladies pour their hearts, souls (and occasional anxiety) into. All for your listening pleasure and reassurance that through this geopolitical s**tstorm… you’re not alone.

Come join the fun:

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheTrawlPodcast?utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on The Trawl, Marina and Jemma sift through a news cycle that feels less like global politics and more like a lads’ WhatsApp group with state power.

In the US, the Epstein saga takes another disturbing turn as fresh reporting suggests dozens of pages have vanished from the public database — including material relating to allegations against Donald Trump. As questions swirl around the Department of Justice and potential cover-ups, Trump is busy raging about tariffs, lashing out at the Supreme Court, and assembling a “Board of Peace” that looks more like a billionaire protection racket.

Back home, the BBC racks up not one but two eyebrow-raising moments — from by-election “impartiality” that looks anything but, to the BAFTAs fallout that reignites serious questions about racism, responsibility and who institutions are really shielding when things go wrong.

Meanwhile, in a locker room in the States, Trump phones the victorious US men’s hockey team and jokes about “having to” invite the women champions too — thankfully, the women respond with considerably more class (and a rather fabulous Vegas twist).

Add in Tony Blair positioning himself as a global peacemaker while Gaza remains in ruins, rumblings of escalation with Iran, and yet another threat from within Trump’s own supporter base, and the picture becomes clear: power is being hoarded, accountability is being dodged, and the gaslighting is relentless.

It’s dark. It’s absurd. It’s deeply unsettling. But as ever, Marina and Jemma find the clarity, the receipts, and the underrated internet gems that make it survivable.

Buckle up, trawlers.

Thank you for sharing and please do follow us @MarinaPurkiss @jemmaforte @TheTrawlPodcast

Patreon

https://patreon.com/TheTrawlPodcast

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/@TheTrawl

Twitter

https://twitter.com/TheTrawlPodcast

If you’ve even mildly enjoyed The Trawl, you’ll love the unfiltered, no-holds-barred extras from Jemma & Marina over on Patreon, including:

• Exclusive episodes of The Trawl Goss – where Jemma and Marina spill backstage gossip, dive into their personal lives, and often forget the mic is on

• Early access to The Trawl Meets…

• Glorious ad-free episodes

Plus, there’s a bell-free community of over 3,300 legends sparking brilliant chat.

And it’s your way to support the pod which the ladies pour their hearts, souls (and occasional anxiety) into. All for your listening pleasure and reassurance that through this geopolitical s**tstorm… you’re not alone.

Come join the fun:

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheTrawlPodcast?utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Trawl, Jemma and Marina survey the political carnage and ask: what's Reform's problem with equality?

While America wrestles with peak what-the-fuckery, back home “Trump Lite” is workshopping his strongman routine and Reform are busy torching the Equality Act, apparently “for the boys.” Because nothing says protecting young men like removing the legislation that protects them.

Then, the Trawl ladies dive into the by-election showdown between Green candidate Hannah Spencer and Reform’s Matt “Tax Your Womb” Goodwin, the increasingly chaotic Reform vetting process (featuring a Succession cameo), and why their big policy platform seems to be: scrap it, bin it, cut it.

Plus: Vic Derbyshire wipes the floor with Zia Yusuf, Caroline Lucas delivers a masterclass and Nigel Farage clocks up air miles to the Chagos Islands instead of doing his actual job in Clacton.

There’s a ring doorbell, a Benny Hill soundtrack, tactical voting chat, and Under Rateds

Side effects may include eye-rolling, sharp intakes of breath, and involuntary shouting at your podcast app.

Thank you for sharing and please do follow us @MarinaPurkiss @jemmaforte @TheTrawlPodcast

Patreon

https://patreon.com/TheTrawlPodcast

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/@TheTrawl

Twitter

https://twitter.com/TheTrawlPodcast

If you’ve even mildly enjoyed The Trawl, you’ll love the unfiltered, no-holds-barred extras from Jemma & Marina over on Patreon, including:

• Exclusive episodes of The Trawl Goss – where Jemma and Marina spill backstage gossip, dive into their personal lives, and often forget the mic is on

• Early access to The Trawl Meets…

• Glorious ad-free episodes

Plus, there’s a bell-free community of over 3,300 legends sparking brilliant chat.

And it’s your way to support the pod which the ladies pour their hearts, souls (and occasional anxiety) into. All for your listening pleasure and reassurance that through this geopolitical s**tstorm… you’re not alone.

Come join the fun:

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheTrawlPodcast?utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ALL CAPS were exchanged. Cushions were screamed into. Andrew has been arrested.

Jemma and Marina dive headfirst into the breaking news that Prince Andrew was arrested at his Sandringham residence on suspicion of misconduct in public office. The internet did not disappoint. The memes were memeing. The birthday irony was exquisite. The startled-wombat visuals were unavoidable.

But amid the satire and schadenfreude, Jemma and Marina are crystal clear: at the heart of this grotesque scandal are survivors of abuse, thousands of children and young people harmed by a network of powerful men. Justice, not just jokes, is the point.

They unpack the arrest, the reactions, why some in America seem determined to make sure justice never darkens certain billionaire doorsteps. The callers, the chaos, and the memes that made it A Truly Great Day For The Internet

Plus: Under-Rateds, a new favourite account and a deliciously aged-like-milk Michael Spicer pudding.

It’s furious. It’s funny. It’s deeply uncomfortable.

Just the way the news cycle likes it.

Thank you for sharing and please do follow us @MarinaPurkiss @jemmaforte @TheTrawlPodcast

Patreon

https://patreon.com/TheTrawlPodcast

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/@TheTrawl

Twitter

https://twitter.com/TheTrawlPodcast

If you’ve even mildly enjoyed The Trawl, you’ll love the unfiltered, no-holds-barred extras from Jemma & Marina over on Patreon, including:

• Exclusive episodes of The Trawl Goss – where Jemma and Marina spill backstage gossip, dive into their personal lives, and often forget the mic is on

• Early access to The Trawl Meets…

• Glorious ad-free episodes

Plus, there’s a bell-free community of over 3,300 legends sparking brilliant chat.

And it’s your way to support the pod which the ladies pour their hearts, souls (and occasional anxiety) into. All for your listening pleasure and reassurance that through this geopolitical s**tstorm… you’re not alone.

Come join the fun:

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheTrawlPodcast?utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jemma and Marina first 'met' Misan on Instagram having been struck by his incredibly powerful photographs of people protesting against what they were witnessing in Palestine. 

Misan is a Nigerian-born British photographer, entrepreneur and social activist. As well as being one of the most widely-shared photographers of the Black Lives Matter movement, Harriman is also the first Black man to shoot a cover of British Vogue in the magazine's 104-year history.

Eloquent, passionate and kind, talking to Misan about his work and his thoughts on what is happening in the world was a wonderful experience for Marina and Jemma who are convinced you'll love hearing what he has to say too. An uplifting, hopeful listen. Enjoy! 

Thank you for sharing and please do follow us @MarinaPurkiss @jemmaforte @TheTrawlPodcast

Patreon

https://patreon.com/TheTrawlPodcast

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/@TheTrawl

Twitter

https://twitter.com/TheTrawlPodcast

If you’ve even mildly enjoyed The Trawl, you’ll love the unfiltered, no-holds-barred extras from Jemma & Marina over on Patreon, including:

• Exclusive episodes of The Trawl Goss – where Jemma and Marina spill backstage gossip, dive into their personal lives, and often forget the mic is on

• Early access to The Trawl Meets…

• Glorious ad-free episodes

Plus, there’s a bell-free community of over 3,300 legends sparking brilliant chat.

And it’s your way to support the pod which the ladies pour their hearts, souls (and occasional anxiety) into. All for your listening pleasure and reassurance that through this geopolitical s**tstorm… you’re not alone.

Come join the fun:

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheTrawlPodcast?utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This Trawl starts with a confession that absolutely nobody asked for. A Norwegian Olympic medallist wins bronze… then goes live on TV to admit he cheated, not in sport, but on his girlfriend. Gold medal in biathlon, emotional own goal in life. Marina and Jemma unpack public guilt, performative remorse, and why the Winter Olympics still feels like a collection of sports invented during a long weekend in Oslo.

But from awkward to outright alarming…

Reform UK are floating policies that sound less like a manifesto and more like a Handmaid’s Tale mood board. Nigel Farage is hinting at fewer divorces and abortions under his leadership. Matt Goodwin thinks childfree people should be taxed more - a literal fertility surcharge - and has suggested girls should be encouraged to have babies earlier. Yes. Really.

From Natasha Devon’s brilliant LBC take, to Argentina erupting under Javier Milei’s chainsaw economics, to Nadhim Zahawi proving once again that being out of touch is a lifestyle choice.

There is rage. There is swearing. There is Catherine Tate.

And just when you think it can’t get more absurd, Rupert Lowe launches his own party.

Plus: a resurfaced Stone Roses press conference clip that is the chaotic pudding we all deserve.

Gold medals, fertility taxes, and five pence off a pint.

Completely normal country.

Thank you for sharing and please do follow us @MarinaPurkiss @jemmaforte @TheTrawlPodcast

Patreon

https://patreon.com/TheTrawlPodcast

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/@TheTrawl

Twitter

https://twitter.com/TheTrawlPodcast

If you’ve even mildly enjoyed The Trawl, you’ll love the unfiltered, no-holds-barred extras from Jemma & Marina over on Patreon, including:

• Exclusive episodes of The Trawl Goss – where Jemma and Marina spill backstage gossip, dive into their personal lives, and often forget the mic is on

• Early access to The Trawl Meets…

• Glorious ad-free episodes

Plus, there’s a bell-free community of over 3,300 legends sparking brilliant chat.

And it’s your way to support the pod which the ladies pour their hearts, souls (and occasional anxiety) into. All for your listening pleasure and reassurance that through this geopolitical s**tstorm… you’re not alone.

Come join the fun:

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheTrawlPodcast?utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.