7/1 - The Two Billion Dollar Man

In his 20s, yet running a $50billion book, Kweku Adoboli had worked his way up the trading floor at the very point the market crashed.

His actions wiped £2.7bn from the UBS share price, prompted the resignation of their chief executive - and got him a seven-year jail sentence for fraud.

In this remarkable interview with Olly, he reveals a corporate culture of ‘wilful blindness’, explains how he fell foul of the UK’s hostile environment policy for migrants - and re-lives the moment he realised that, having taken responsibility for his actions, he would forever be known as Britain’s biggest ‘rogue trader’...

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If you’d like to sign the petition to stop Kweku’s proposed deportation, you can do so here.

Elsewhere this week, Ollie Peart highlights ‘anonymous work talk’ app Blind, and the trend for ‘baby sculpting’ in gross-out cake baking. He also reports back on his attempts at ‘neuro-priming’. If you have a challenge for Ollie to try in The Zeitgeist, drop us a line.

Meanwhile, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox sheds light on British attitudes to sex in the dark, and advises an HIV-positive listener about alternatives to penetration when his viral load hits detectable levels. If you have a question for Alix to answer - you can remain completely anonymous if you wish - submit it here.

The Foxhole is proudly sponsored by our friends at MyCondom.com, who provide a brilliant range of toys, contraceptives and lubes at great value prices. Use our code ‘FOXHOLE’ to get 15% off!

This week’s Lifehack comes courtesy of Kinfolk magazine’s Harriet Fitch Little, who offers up her three top tips on ‘How To Network’: stop thinking you’re sleazy, remember not to fist-pump around the room, and word your emails *very* carefully! You can hear more from Harriet on the podcast 'Friends Who Freelance', launching March 2018.

Finally, this week’s record of the week is the lovely ‘Strangest Of Ways’, by Lucy Rose. It’s out now on Communion Records:

Big thanks to Harry’s, who deliver stunning German-engineered razors to your door, and have sponsored this episode of the show. Take advantage of our SPECIAL OFFER - get a shave set worth £11.50 for just £3.95 at Harrys.com/MANN. 

That's it for this week's show - it's great to be back.

If you enjoy the show, support us by buying us a beer, leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts, or just by telling your friends.

See You Next Tuesday!

This tribute nail art has inspired Ollie to dig out some truly revolting cake 'sculptures'. This is a Gallery. Scroll through if you dare... (NSFW)

Additional incidental music in this episode by David Hilowitz, by kind permission under creative commons.

6/10 - The Truth About Clean Eating

‘Any health claims connected to coconut oil have no basis in fact’

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Are you doing 'Dry January'? Experimenting with gluten-free snacks? Or stocking up on 'superfoods'?

If so, Anthony Warner warns, you are, in fact, building up a damaging relationship with food, and should probably stop it, now...

In this insightful interview with Olly, he takes on the bad science of the 'clean eating' movement, explains the reality of 'anti-oxidant' blueberries, and will make you think twice before you ever cook in coconut oil again.

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Elsewhere in our season finale, Ollie Peart - the man who predicted we’d all be wearing flared velvet by now - predicts the year ahead in this week's Zeitgeist: from metallic hair to Bitmoji, taking in backwards-looking technology and the threat of increasing earthquakes along the way.

And, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox - dismayed yet galvanised by a recent set of STI statistics - is on hand to advise a listener who wants to explore whether her husband should find sexual salvation with a transexual woman. (The Foxhole is sponsored, as ever, by our friends at mycondom.com - head on down now to their JANUARY SALE - and get 15% OFF when you use our discount code, Foxhole.)

Meanwhile, our Lifehack this week comes courtesy of our very own Producer Matt, who offers up his Top 3 tips to make a successful podcast. (Oh, and if you're inspired to create a podcast of your own, check out Lifehack sponsors Squarespace.com - they make it easy to create beautiful websites to support your show, like, er, this one!)

Finally, our record of the week is Shiva by new act Azusena, out now on Fiction Records:

Thanks to the sponsors of this week's show, Tenga. Their excellent new electronic toy for men, the Flip Zero EV, is out now. (If you'd like to sponsor a future episode of the show, be in touch!)

That's it for this season of The Modern Mann. We'll be back for a brand new series from Tuesday February 27th: if you have an idea for a future episode, be in touch. We are only able to continue to make the show thanks to your generous support - so, if you can afford to, please please buy us a beer. Every penny goes back into making the show.

See you in the Spring!

6/9 - How To Be A Dad, Part 4

"Sometimes, you've GOT to shout at your children"

Tom Price and Stuart Goldsmith once again join Olly to compare notes on the perils of parenthood. Their sons are now coming up to two years old - but does that mean toddler tantrums ('the terrible twos') are about to become a way of life?

In a typically frank and funny conversation, our trio of Dads tackle 'benign neglect', 'career lag', 'over-parenting', and the cult of Supernanny...

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(This is the fourth instalment of our ongoing How To Be A Dad series. Catch up here: Part One // Part Two // Part Three )

Meanwhile, in this week's Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart considers social media's grimmest question of 2017, suggests Ripple's XRP could be the next big thing in cryptocurrency, and gets a sneak preview of the new series of Black Mirror.

Elsewhere, Alix Fox is emptying Santa's sack in our annual Christmas Foxhole Spectacular. On the menu this year: singalong dongs, mocha-flavoured lube and vibrators that look like bike lights. As ever, the fun is sponsored by our friends at mycondom.com, where you should use our exclusive discount code, FOXHOLE, to secure a superb 15% OFF.

This week's Lifehack is a Xmas how-to from Beef & Dairy Network - the number one podcast for those involved, or just interested in, the production of beef animals and dairy herds. (The Lifehack is sponsored by our friends at Squarespace, who can help you design a beefy website in just a moo. Take a free trial at Squarespace.com, and get 10% OFF your first website or domain when you use our code MANN.)

Finishing off our bumper festive edition is suitable style is our record of the week, Walking In The Air from the brilliant Tom Chaplin. It's from his new album Twelve Tales Of Christmas, out now on Island Records:

We'll be back with our season finale in January. Until then - we wish all Mannfans a very happy Christmas, and ask that if perchance you have any money left over from your festive indulgences, you consider supporting the show financially.

Happy New Year!

6/8 - The Trouble With Tall Buildings

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The Heron Tower, London

Wind speeds, planning restrictions, financial crisis... a lot can go wrong when designing a super-tall building.

Yet, each year, more skyscrapers are springing up around us. Architect Fred Pilbrow, of Pilbrow and Partners, has designed a number of them, including London's third-tallest building, the Heron Tower.

In this insightful interview with Olly, he explains how technology is solving problems of vertical transportation (that's 'lifts' to you and me), how Winter gardens offer an alternative to green space - and illustrates the journey of a poo as it makes its way down from the 65th floor... 

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Elsewhere, in this week's Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart considers why this year's 'must-have' Christmas toy is, in effect, a slippery slope into gambling. He explains why dressing up as Batman might make you more productive at work. And he previews some big Christmas telly, including the season finale of Peaky Blinders and the return of Vic n' Bob.

Meanwhile, down The Foxhole, Alix Fox advises a listener with a seemingly unusual problem - every time she becomes aroused, she sneezes. Along the way, Alix discovers 'Honeymoon rhinitis', how to get barred from Facebook, and Gould and Pyle's Anomalies and Curiosities of Medicine.

(The Foxhole is, as ever, sponsored by our friends at mycondom.com. Be sure to visit their Stocking Fillers section right now if you feel like being a ho ho ho this holiday season - and use Alix's delicious discount code, FOXHOLE, to secure 15% OFF.)

Our Lifehack this week features The Spectator's literary editor Sam Leith, offering up his Top 3 tips on 'how to write good': cater to your audience, prioritise your verbs, and don't be inspired by Rudyard Kipling. If you fancy consuming more Leithian insights, look no further than Sam's new tome, Write to the Point: How to be Clear, Correct and Persuasive on the Page - out now. 

(The Lifehack is sponsored by our friends at Squarespace, who can help you design a stunning and simple website in moments. Take a free trial at Squarespace.com, and get 10% OFF your first website or domain when you use our code MANN.)

Finally, our Record of the Week comes courtesy of brand new band Shrimp Eyes. It’s their debut - called 'Katata Fish' - and it’s available to stream now on Soundcloud:

Now, we'd usually be enthusiastically plugging our title sponsor at this point - but there isn't one this week! If you'd like to sponsor a future episode, let us know.

... Or, if you'd like to support our efforts in a more humble way, please do buy us a beer, review us on iTunes or request to become a Mannbassador. 

See You Next Tuesday!

6/7 - The Confidence Trick

"Sometimes you have to be other people to become who you are."

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Gavin Bain and Olly Mann

Best mates with Eminem, signed by Sony, and on the verge of international superstardom, Californian rap group Silibil 'n' Brains were the music industry's Next Big Thing. There was just one problem: they'd never been to California. They were from Dundee.

In this extraordinary interview with Olly, Gavin Bain - who, as Brains Mcloud, was one half of the hip hop duo - recalls how a heady mix of humiliation, desperation and sheer chutzpah lead him to fool the entire music industry - and brought him to the brink:

LISTEN:

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Gavin's book, California Schemin', is out now - and you can find plenty of Sylibil N' Brains music on Spotify. 

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Peart takes a bath, in the name of research

Elsewhere this week, Ollie Peart considers Uber's bid to prevent 'automovom' in this week's Zeitgeist. Also on the agenda: death on social media, Stephen Fry's sleep stories, hand massaging and hot baths.

And, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox - fresh from enlightening delegates at the Digital Freedom Festival - reveals the art of 'muffing', and answers the query of Mann-fan Pip, who's repulsed by the smell, taste, and even thought of her boyfriend's semen.

As the Foxhole is brought to you by our friends at mycondom.com, you can nab a wonderful 15% OFF just for listening - all you need to do is use our code 'Foxhole' at Checkout. So, why not stock up on some sexy Christmas goodies from their Christmassy Stocking Fillers section?

Meanwhile, this week's Squarespace Lifehack features business journalist Emily Birt, of peoplemanagement.co.uk, providing her Top 3 tips to get a pay rise. (If you have advice of your own to share, start a blog with Squarespace.com - and if you use our code 'Mann' at Checkout, you get 10% off your first website or domain.)

Finally, our record of the week is 'Broken Record', by plucky upstart Van Morrison. It's the opening track from his 38th studio album, Versatile, out now:

Thanks again to all our beer money donors for supporting this series of our independent podcast. If you'd buy us a pint if you met us in real life, please put your money where your mouth is and buy us a virtual one too. Every penny you contribute goes towards making more Modern Mann... 

See You Next Tuesday!