2/2 - Shooting A War Zone

Earl Grey, body armour and preparing for War

Photojournalist Alison Baskerville was serving in the RAF in Iraq when she began documenting the lives of her fellow soldiers. She now independently produces astonishing images from the front line across the world, including Afghanistan, Mali, Israel/Gaza and the Philippines.

In this episode, she tells Olly about the moments on basecamp that embedded journalists never get to see, the best way to pack to prepare yourself for a warzone, and why she needed to leave the armed forces to gain objectivity.

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Here is just a sample of Alison's great work - you can see more on her website and by following her on Instagram.

Elsewhere in the episode, Ollie Peart talks Disney pet trends, 'Shakespeak', and the Chris Packham wasp controversy in this week's Zeitgeist; whilst Alix Fox considers the twenty-first century role of the Femidom and a question of cross-dressing in this week's Foxhole. Remember, if you have a question of sex for Alix, just fill out our Feedback form - you can remain anonymous if you wish.

And finally, our Single of the Week is the wonderful 'Walk To The One You Love' by Twin Peaks, out now on Communion Records:

Big thanks to this week's sponsors DriveNow, and, remember, if you enjoy the show, don't hesitate to leave us a review on iTunes or buy us a beer - and we'll see you next Tuesday!

Posted on April 12, 2016 by Olly Mann and filed under Season Two and tagged Craig.

2/1 - How To Be A Male Model

From the Cenotaph controversy to the Catwalk

Charlie Gilmour was tabloid enemy #1 when he dangled from the Cenotaph during the student protests of 2010. Now he's a writer and, since being scouted at a Christmas party, a male model.

In this episode, he reveals to Olly what it takes to make Paris Fashion Week in 2016, how to work on your 'walk', and where models hide their drugs...

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Elsewhere in what would, if only we were American, be our 'season premiere', Ollie Peart returns with The Zeitgeist - and considers the politics of fear, The West Cornwall Pasty position on #Brexit, and the glorious failure of Microsoft's chat-bot experiment, Tay.

Plus, Ollie location-searches on behalf of his friend Paul, who has Crohn's and wants to poop in the most glamorous and exciting toilets in Britain. If you have a suggestion for Paul, just tweet us @themodernmann and use hashtag #myfinalpoops.

Meanwhile, Alix Fox returns from Rabbit Island for another series of The Foxhole. This week: the prickly issue of foreskin regeneration, the disputed medical benefits of circumcision, and how the American predilection for penis-cutting originates in the wacky beliefs of Dr Lewis Sayre.

Got a question of sex for a future episode of the show? Drop us a line on our Feedback page: you can remain anonymous if you wish.

Our single of the week is 'Bermuda' by GIVERS, out now on Glassnote:

GIVERS' sophomore album "New Kingdom" is available now: Download: http://smarturl.it/newkingdom Spotify: http://smarturl.it/NewKingdomSpotify Amazon MP3: http://smarturl.it/NewKingdomAmazon Google Play: http://smarturl.it/NewKingdomGoogle http://giversband.com/ https://www.facebook.com/giversmusic http://www.twitter.com/giversmusic http://www.instagram.com/givers Music by GIVERS Directed by Emma Kanter & GIVERS Director of Photography : Natalie Kingston Edited by Emma Kanter Art Direction & Concept by Taylor Guarisco & Tiffany

If you enjoy the music from the series, why not subscribe to our Modern Mann Season One playlist on Spotify here - and, if you'd be so kind as to spread the word about our return on social media, please use the hashtag #MMII.

See you next Tuesday!

Posted on April 5, 2016 by Olly Mann and filed under Season Two.

1/10 - How To Survive Prison

"My neighbour was a serial killer, and my cell-mate was a Satanist"

Shaun Attwood survived a 9½ year sentence in America's deadliest prison.

In this frank and terrifying interview he tells Olly his sensational story, from his time as a stockbroker making millions in the 90s dotcom bubble to his drugs-smuggling career in Phoenix, Arizona - flying in ecstasy in competition with Mafia mass-murderer Sammy the Bull Gravano.

Shaun has previously published a book about his experiences and now tours schools telling kids his story. This is the no-holds-barred version he tells adults...

Olly Mann and his homie Shaun Attwood, who survived America's deadliest prison

Alix Fox (circled) leads the Green Peppers to victory in Ready Steady Cook

This image will make sense if you listen all the way through to the end of today's podcast. In any case, now it will be burned in your memory FOREVER.

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Also this week: in The Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart looks forward to the trends of 2016 - from the release of Oculus Rift to how Facebook auto-play is heralding the return of silent film - and, in The Foxhole, Alix Fox helps a gay gent who seeks a more reliable hard-on. If you have a question of sex for a future episode, you can submit it here.

Music this week comes courtesy of Mystery Jets - it's their new single Telomere, from their album Curve of the Earth - out Jan 15th on Caroline International:

Curve of the Earth - The new album from the Mystery Jets out on January 15th 2016. Visit the MJ store http://po.st/MJStore for exclusive album bundles including signed copies, double gatefold vinyl & signed lithograph prints.

And... that's it for the current series of The Modern Mann.

If you've enjoyed it, please do buy us a beer and support Series 2. (If you can't afford to chuck us some cash, leave us a review on iTunes and help spread the word.)

Thanks to everyone who's supported the show so far.

We'll see you... in the Spring!

Posted on December 29, 2015 by Olly Mann and filed under Season ONe, Season One and tagged Bunting strangeways.

1/9 - Being Santa Claus

It's beginning to sound a lot like Christmas.

What's it like being Santa Claus? In our Christmas Spectacular episode, Olly meets actor Nigel Harvey, who makes a living playing Father Christmas all year round - and hears about the highs and lows of life inside the iconic red-and-white outfit.

Meanwhile, at the invitation of listener Paul from delicious ice cream cafe Cloud 9, the rest of the team have decamped to Brighton, where Ollie Peart considers Tim Peake's Christmas in space, and Alix Fox presents us with her Christmas-wrapped selection of the year's best sex toys*. Ding dong!

Olly meets Nigel Harvey, aka Celebrity Santa

The Modern Mann team decamp to Brighton. It's Winter, you know. Mum always says to bring your scarf, and your vibrator.

Alix, OIlie, and Ollie sample a delicious Cloud 9 cake with our ACTUAL FACES on it!

That Cloud 9 Manncake in all its glory. #Manncake

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* In case you're keen to try them out, Alix's 2015 pick of the sex toys (SPOILER ALERT!) were: The Womaniser 'sucking' clitoral stimulator from Sh! emporium; The Lester heat-up vibrator by Svakom; The Motorhead Ace of Spades vibrator from Lovehoney, and fizzy cola-flavoured condoms by Pasante.

It's a hell of a show, but we've still got one more episode left in us before this series is done - we'll see you for the 'season finale' - when else, but next Tuesday.

Have a very, very happy Christmas. And, if Santa ends up giving you loads of money and you don't know what to do with it, do consider buying us a beer, won't you? Thanks.

Posted on December 22, 2015 by Olly Mann and filed under Season One and tagged quiz xmas santa christmas.

1/8 - Gambling Nearly Killed Me

'I lost £2,500 in one afternoon'

What was your first bet? £1 on the National Lottery? A tenner on the Grand National? Matt Zarb-Cousin remembers his - because it lead to a cycle of addiction that saw him flutter away over £10,000 in the bookies before his 20th birthday.

In this episode, he joins OIly to tell his story, frankly confronting the nature of addiction, the changing face of the British high street and how a life can fall apart when the stakes are raised.

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If you agree with Matt that fixed odds betting terminals should be limited to £2 a spin, you can find out more about his Stop The FOBTs campaign at The Campaign For Fairer Gambling.

Meanwhile, Ollie Peart is, like everyone else, contemplating the return of Serial. Can the new season possibly compete with the first; the most successful podcast of all time? Also in The Zeitgeist this week, the Disneyfication of The BFG, the 'science' of full stops, and the ever-decreasing age of the computer hacker.

And, in our weekly trip down The Foxhole, Alix Fox investigates the world of 'forniture' (that's furniture you can sleep with, folks), and assists a listener who wants to climax at the same time as his partner, with the aid of a new masturbator for men who suffer from premature ejaculation. If you've got a question of sex for Alix, or anything you'd like to say about the show, just fill in our feedback form.

Thanks so much to everyone who has contributed beer money to help support the show - we really, really appreciate it. Even if you can't afford to send us cold hard cash, please take the time to write us a review on iTunes or tell your friends on Twitter using the hashtag #modernmann. Thanks.

Our musical pick this week is 'Europe Is Lost' by Kate Tempest, out now:

Europe is lost, America lost, London is lost, Still we are clamouring victory. All that is meaningless rules, And we have learned nothing from history. People are dead in their lifetimes, Dazed in the shine of the streets. But look how the traffic keeps moving. The system's too slick to stop working.