Posts tagged #cheryl

17/1 - The Banker, The Billionaire, and the Big Lie

“They had photographs of my wife, and my daughter, and my dog, stepping out of my home.”

Alok Sama was a high-flying CFO who fraternized with the world’s richest men.

But he wasn’t immune from intimidation.

Anonymous letters sent to his boss, Softbank’s Masayoshi Son, accused him of corruption.

Suddenly, shadowy “shareholders” emerged from nowhere, and a smear campaign quietly derailed his career.

Then - as he recounts to Olly in this compelling conversation - Alok discovered his family was under surveillance.

Desperate, he met men claiming ties to Mossad. And ultimately walked away, with first-hand experience of the corporate espionage that lurks in the shadows of Britain’s biggest companies.

Alok’s book, The Money Trap, is out now.

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Meanwhile, in the Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart - fresh from veritably leaping into his forties - tests out the viral wellness trend for ‘sleepmaxxing’.

Can grounding sheets, a bone-conducting pillow-speaker, or light therapy help him get his forty winks?

With the aid of the National Sleep Helpline, he delivers hacks and tips for anyone looking to improve their sleep in 2026.

… Got a trend you’d like to challenge Ollie to test out on a future edition of the show? Fill out the Feedback form on our website, or join our Discord.

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Elsewhere, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox is contemplating the surprising side-effects of ketamine, and discovering the demand for ‘creature cock’ sex toys such as Lovehoney’s ‘Swamp Monster’.

How did this kink for fantasy dildos - kickstarted by niche brands like Bad Dragon and Gang Bankster - evolve into a mainstream, sold-out product category?

Is it linked to zoophilia, ‘romatasy’ books on TikTok, liberation from masturbatory stigma… or all of the above? As always, Alix has some (eye-opening) answers...

… Got a sex and relationships question for Alix to answer in 2026?

Head to our Feedback form - you can remain anonymous if you wish.

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Alok Sama and Olly Mann

August 2025

Alix and Olly model a ‘Swamp Monster’ toy

Finally, our record of the month is Sailboat (feat. chloe moriondo), the new single from Cavetown

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We’ll be back with something new on 10th February.

In the meantime, thanks for your help supporting the show into 2026 with your beer money and/or reviews. Mwah!

16/9 - The Confession That Went Viral

“ It was one of the first times in my life that I had really taken responsibility. And I really liked the way that felt.”

Drink-driving one night, Matthew Cordle caused a head-on collision that killed 61-year-old Vincent Canzani.

His confession on YouTube - ‘I Killed A Man’ - became one of the most controversial viral videos of its era, amassing millions of views and sparking debate about accountability, remorse, and the nature of public confession.

Twelve years later, Cordle tells Olly his story, in unflinching detail that goes far beyond the sensational three-minute video.

From his descent into alcoholism from the age of eleven, to his complex relationship with the attention his actions brought him, and the journey of accountability he undertook during his six-year prison sentence, this is a tale of remorse, notoriety, and what it means to take responsibility.

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Matthew works with the charities Save Your Victim and Because I Said I Would.

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Meanwhile, in the Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart is on-hand to organise a tenth birthday party for our podcast 🥳

With a sprinkling of superb magic from The Magician’s Table, he suggests a potent mix of immersive theatre, bespoke cocktails from Holy Water, and, of course, VR. There is also a celebratory song from his musical alter-ego Captain Spronk, because why wouldn’t there be?

*Ollie, Alix and Olly at The Magician’s Table, London; October 2025*

Ollie Peart · Modern mAInn

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Elsewhere, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox has been rummaging for antiques at her local car boot sale, and looking into the UK government’s new controls on digital pornography.

Has the implementation of age verification helped prevent minors from accessing online porn? Are the likes of Quittr effective at assisting users to ‘quit porn forever’? And, if they are, is that healthy? Alix, as always, has a view…

Love the Foxhole? Then you may enjoy How To Get Wet When You’re Dry - a new show about sex and sobriety, produced by Ollie Peart.

*Alix, Olly and some of her car boot discoveries*

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Finally, our record of the month comes from Art School Girlfriend, and her track L.Y.A.T.T. (Love You All The Time) ❤️👇

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🎂 A 10TH BIRTHDAY NOTE FROM OLLY 🎉

Mann-Fans, thanks so much for listening to and supporting our podcast!

It is because of you that we continue making the show.

If you can afford to, please please send us beer money - every penny helps fund our journalism.

If you can’t spare any cash, then why not leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Or just tell your friends. That’s free.

Here’s to the next ten years!

… and we’ll see you with something new on 10th November. x

11/2 - The Candidate

LISTEN: Apple // Spotify // Google // MP3 // RSS // TuneIn

Layla Moran MP is fighting to keep her seat.

There are trolls, there are threats, there are hostile journalists.

And throughout the journey, as she campaigns in the 2019 general election... we are at her side.

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In this Modern Mann exclusive, host Olly Mann and producer Matt Hill accompany the Liberal Democrats’ rising star as she pounds the streets, battles her opponents, and goes public about her sexuality.

From campaign launch to vote count, we learn what it takes to face the electorate in a divided nation.

And, quite by accident, find ourselves documenting someone who may yet become leader of one of Britain’s major political parties...

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Elsewhere this episode, Ollie Peart tries out a trio of health trends in this month’s Zeitgeist - getting seriously sweaty at CrossFit, bouldering his way round a climbing course in Poole, and trying his hand at Ayurvedic massage. You’ll never dress your salad with sesame oil again.

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Meanwhile, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox advises a listener affected by inflammatory skin condition Lichen Sclerosus. Can a body-mapping app keep the heat in his relationship - even as he applies emollient to stop the burning? Perhaps, if he can uncover the ‘tiny everyday thrills’ of daily sensuality...

(For more support about sex with LS, Alix recommends Sam Evans’ blogs for Jo Divine, and the Facebook group LS UK Awareness).

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Our record of the month is ‘Your Light’ by The Big Moon, from the album ‘Walking Like We Do’ - follow-up to their Mercury Music Prize nominated debut, ‘Love In The 4th Dimension’.

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If you’ve enjoyed this episode, please tell your friends - we’re @themodernmann on Twitter - or leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.

And, if you can afford to support us financially, please buy us a beer.

As an independent podcast, we can only make the show thanks to the generous support of listeners like you.

We’ll be back on March 1 with a brand new episode.

In the meantime, if you have a suggestion of a guest Olly should interview, a trend Ollie should test or a sex question Alix should answer - get in touch via our Feedback form.