9/4 - What Nobody Tells You About Rape

“How many more ways do I have to restrict my life because of what this man has done to me?”

Martha Adam was raped. For a week afterwards, she couldn’t even say the word. Couldn’t tell her parents what had happened to her.

But she did report the assault - and faced hours of courtroom questioning that both embellished and undermined her trauma.

In this compelling conversation with Olly, Martha explains how these events restricted her lifestyle, affected her relationships, and made her question her own sanity…

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Elsewhere, for this week’s Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart heads to Rotterdam to investigate the burgeoning trend for pod hotels - and learns exactly how many records you need to sell to be a Christmas No.1.

Speaking of matters musical, you can VOTE here for previous guest TOM MEADOWS to win Live Session Drummer of the Year!

Meanwhile, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox smells fondants in the bedroom (all a result of synesthesia, not gluttony…), and advises a listener seeking out eco-friendly menstrual aids.

Finally, our record of the week is ‘Swim’, the debut single from Ontario quartet, Dizzy - and it's out now:

If YOU - like Martha - have a story you’d like to share on a future edition of the show, just reach out via our Feedback form. That’s the same place to head if you have a question of sex for Alix, a challenge for Ollie, or would like to nominate yourself as a Mannbassador.

… Oh, and whilst you’re on our website, why not help support the production of our independent podcast? Just click here to buy us a virtual beer. Cheers!

If you’ve been affected by the issues raised in today’s interview, Martha recommends the following organisations:

• Rape Crisis offers online resources and has a network of centres where survivors can access support

• My Body Back Project run clinics giving access to sexual health services for survivors.

9/3 - The Only Way Is Up

‘Humans were born in an age when we had to run away from tigers. People have a need to rely on their instincts.’

Suspended from 100 helium balloons, Tom Morgan flew 15.5 miles across South Africa, seated in a collapsible camping chair.

And now he wants YOU to do it, too…

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Could this hare-brained scheme really be the future of adventure travel? Or is there more hope for his other concept - getting travellers to build their own biplanes out of plywood, to fly over the Pacific?

In this chat with Olly, Tom explains how his serendipitous, risk-taking approach to travel begat the Mongol Rally - an event now entered by 400 teams each year - and his company The Adventurists.

Ollie’s trusty Peugeot after a visit to Wraptastic

Meanwhile, in the Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart heads off to Poole in his trusty Peugeot 206 to investigate the trend for car-wrapping, and recruits a top-class Aussie music producer in his quest to reach Christmas Number One.

And, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox enjoys an entertaining evening pondering vaginismus, and advises a listener who’s concerned she climaxes too quickly during penetrative sex.

Our record of the week is the perky, synthy ‘U Got Me’ from East London foursome Free Money, out now on Communion Records.

Thanks to our sponsors, Beer52.com - the UK’s No.1 beer club. Mannfans can claim a FREE case of beer, worth £24, just by visiting beer52.com/mann.

If you’d like to return the favour, and buy us a beer, please click here to find out how to support the show. Cheers.

If YOU have a question of sex for Alix, a challenge for Ollie, or would like to suggest someone Olly should interview in a future edition of the show, just visit our ‘Feedback’ page.

See You Next Tuesday!

9/2 - The Downing Street Heckler

‘ARE YOU GOING TO RESIGN, PRIME MINISTER?’

Shouting at Prime Ministers was off-limits at BBC Westminster before Paul ‘Gobby’ Lambert. He was the Producer who cried, ‘ANY MONEY IN THE BOX, CHANCELLOR?’ at George Osborne on Budget day and got Bill Clinton to talk to the News Channel by shouting, ‘OI, BILL!’.

In this interview with Olly, Paul recalls how his inspired pursuit of Cherie Blair made several front pages, bemoans the current crop of journos who’d rather seek out sources on Twitter, and reveals how the murder of Milly Dowler affected his attitude to doorstep interviews.

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Ollie Peart and his scary home-made kefir

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Meanwhile, in this week’s Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart test out the trend for home-made kefir, and uncovers the golden musical formula for Christmas hit-making. Perhaps.

And, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox enjoys a ‘sex jog’ of London, and offers some sensational advice to a Mannfan who wants to bring sub/dom pursuits to the bedroom - without degrading or hurting her boyfriend.

Elsewhere, our record of the week is the evocative and haunting ‘Put The Word Out’ by Joseph J Jones, out now on Communion Records:

Have a story to share, a challenge for Ollie, or a sex question for Alix? Then head on over to our Feedback form.

Or, if you’d like to send us a voluntary donation via PayPal or MoonClerk, click Beer Money. We’re an independent production and every penny goes back into making the podcast. If you can afford to send us £3.60 per month - the average cost of a pint of beer in Britain - we’d sure appreciate it.

And remember, the best way to support the show is to tell your friends all about us. We’re @themodernmann on Twitter, and, if you leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, that’s a great way to help others discover what we’re up to.

See You Next Tuesday!

9/1 - My Head Is Killing Me

Dr Stuart Farrimond was a disillusioned Junior Doctor. Night-shifts, the grim reality of hospital life and emotional exhaustion were all taking their toll - but he was in denial about what might be killing him.

In this extraordinary interview with Olly, he explains how an eating disorder and an unexpected diagnosis derailed his career and his marriage - but also how, in the most desperate of circumstances, his life could still change for the better…

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Stuart’s latest book, The Science of Spice, is published by Dorling Kindersley. He can be found on Twitter @RealDoctorStu.

Meanwhile, in the Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart returns from diving into the North Sea, naked, with six hundred other people - and embarks upon his biggest challenge yet: can he record a Christmas song before the end of the series?

Elsewhere, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox plays show-and-tell with a sexual souvenir from South Korea, and offers up her ‘Beginners’ Guide to Threesomes’ - plan ahead, ‘normalise tea-breaks’, and take along a pocket-watch…

Our record of the week is ‘Better Late Than Never’, a perky slice of power pop from Mann-Fan Tim Jackson, available to stream now:

If YOU have a story to share, a challenge for Ollie, a sex question for Alix, or anything at all you’d like to send in for our consideration… please fill in our Feedback form. Or, if you’d like to send us a voluntary donation via PayPal or MoonClerk, click Beer Money. We’re an independent production and every penny goes back into making the podcast. If you can afford to send us £3.60 per month - the average cost of a pint of beer in Britain - we’d sure appreciate it.

And remember, the best way to support the show is to tell your friends all about us. We’re @themodernmann on Twitter, and, if you leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, that’s a great way to help others discover what we’re up to.

See You Next Tuesday!

If you’ve been affected by an eating disorder, Dr Stu recommends these organisations, who may be able to help:

∙ BEAT

∙ Men Get Eating Disorders Too

∙ Anorexics and Bulimics Anonymous

8/10 - The Inseminator

‘How often can an ordinary guy get a chance to do something life—changing?’

Sperm donors are anonymised in British clinics.

Recipients don’t even get to see a photo of the man who will father their child. Donor-conceived kids can only discover the identity of their biological father upon reaching adulthood themselves.

But Mitch Kennedy is a private donor. His sperm has been used by 23 couples - and he’s met them all. In most cases, he’s slept in their spare room during the conception. He has around 40 children.

In this fascinating interview with Olly, Mitch explains the logistics of his bespoke donation process, the legalities of his paternal responsibilities, and the ‘dark cloud’ that deters him from donating to hetrosexual couples...

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Elsewhere this week, Ollie Peart weighs up the benefits of low-impact exercise in this week’s Zeitgeist, putting the trends for ‘backwards running’, trampoline parks and Bouncersise under the microscope.

Meanwhile, in this week’s Foxhole, Alix Fox selects her top sex subscription boxes from Boxx, Project Lingerie, and Lovehoney - and highlights the work of menstrual supply box The Pink Parcel, too. Plus, Ollie and Olly try whipping each other with a ‘50 Shades’ keychain. It’s all very erotic.

In this week’s Lifehack, Josh Ebsworth of Howard’s Meat Co offers up his Top 3 tips on how to make a great barbeque.

And finally, our Record of the Week is ‘Wildin’, by Berhana, available to stream now:

That’s it for this season of The Modern Mann, but if you enjoy the show, please SUPPORT US in one of three great ways:

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We’ll return on 23rd October. See you then!