Olly Mann
Podcasting since 2007 🎧 Answer Me This!, The Week Unwrapped, The Modern Mann, Today In History with the Retrospectors 📻 Times Radio, BBC 3CR
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Articles by Olly Mann
17/5 - Please Kill My Pet — The Modern Mann
“Our pets aren't thinking about living longer. They just want to be comfortable in the here and now.” What does it mean to give a pet a “good death”? Dr Caroline Flicker was Britain’s first vet to specialise in at-home palliative and end-of-life care.
17/3 - I Want My Kids Back — The Modern Mann
“When a child is removed from a parent, things don’t get better. They escalate. There were times in my life that my children got in the way of my using.” When Karina Graham’s children were removed from her care, social services did not step in with support. Instead, she was left to recover from her alcohol addiction alone. To form functional relationships with her sons’ foster parents. And to heal from this intensely traumatic moment.
16/9 - The Confession That Went Viral — The Modern Mann
“ 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.
16/6 - A Good Divorce — The Modern Mann
When Nick Coffer’s marriage fell apart, the breakup was a battlefield. Embroiled in high conflict, overwhelming stress, and crushing legal fees, he had to redefine his role as a father while struggling to maintain his cheeriness as a BBC broadcaster. But from the chaos, Nick forged a new path: re-training as a family mediator.
16/5 - No More Magnolia — The Modern Mann
After witnessing bleak conditions inside a mental health unit, artists Tim A. Shaw and Niamh White decided to take action. Drawing on their background in contemporary art, they set out to transform sterile clinical spaces with bold, thought-provoking artworks, via their charity, Hospital Rooms.
16/3 - Holding The Line: Fighting Wildfires — The Modern Mann
“Day after day. Sucking in smoke. And dust. And dirt.” California wildfires ripped through L.A. this year, killing 29 people, destroying more than 18,000 buildings, and putting wildland fires back into the headlines. But what’s it like being one of the poorly-paid workers sent in to risk your life to fight the flames?
15/11 - What Happened To My House? — The Modern Mann
“I leave UK. We can't rent at the moment. I put key outside door in kitchen. Go to garden. I'm sorry about that.” When Mike Senior returned to his rental property in Cambridge, he uncovered a scene straight out of a crime drama: Trashed rooms. Plastic sheeting. Dodgy ductwork.
15/10 - Speaking In Tongues — The Modern Mann
“I followed all the rules. I did everything I was supposed to do, everything I was taught to do. I did my part… Why isn't this working?” Sarah McCammon’s upbringing was steeped in evangelical culture—raised as a Charismatic Christian in Kansas City, Missouri, she asked God for salvation at just two years old.
15/7 - I ₿ought A Football Club — The Modern Mann
“As long as I stay alive, I will get this club into the Premier League. Within two decades.” Peter McCormack, Bedford’s ‘budget Ryan Reynolds’, is on a mission to take his local team all the way to the Premier League ⚽️ When he bought Bedford FC in 2021, they were in the tenth tier, and unknown outside the town.
15/6 - Negotiating Nudity: The Intimacy Coordinator — The Modern Mann
“I don’t look after people. I empower them to look after themselves”. Sex scenes are a feature of modern filmmaking, yet require meticulous planning and sensitive handling in our post-#MeToo world. Enter intimacy coordinator Lucy Fennell - whose credits include True Detective, All Of Us Strangers, and Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story. Navigating Hollywood power dynamics, she assists storytellers, whilst also protecting performers in vulnerable moments.
15/5 - My Real Identity — The Modern Mann
“Who's lying to me here? Am I being lied to now? Was I being lied to then? How do I even know this is true?” Patricia never knew her birth parents. And she didn’t care to: adopted by a white family in Toronto, she felt awkward and embarrassed when people perceived her as Korean.
Olly Mann: Stretched to the limits
In this month's column, Olly Mann explains how a beheaded kids' toy became his fidget and stress reliever while doing podcast interviews Are you acquainted with Stretch Armstrong? He’s a gel-filled doll made by Hasbro, whose extremities can be squeezed and pulled in any direction, only to reliably return to their starting position. He wears black underpants, and nowt else. This is considered reasonable, as he has a turbo-charged set of abs, and probably lives in California.
Olly Mann: Sing it loud!
Olly Mann reflects on whether people who can't sing but enjoy doing it should be deterred or encouraged Do you remember how compellingly cringey it was, the first time you saw a keen, puppyish candidate standing on that plastic star, singing their heart out to the cameras—eyes full of emotion—only to be told they couldn’t sing at all?
15/3 - Am I Autistic? — The Modern Mann
“I’m not ‘abnormal’! There’s something I can put a name to. There was a sense of relief.” Lexi struggled to ‘read’ faces. She walked on her toes. She craved routine. She didn’t like her food to touch on a plate, and she was sensitive to light and sound. But, until she was 27, she didn’t know she was autistic. Lexi only took a test when - as a paramedic, grappling with erratic shifts and sleep disturbance - she sought help with anxiety and depression.
Olly Mann: The Mannies
HomeInspireLife Olly Mann: The Mannies! In the spirit of awards season, from the Oscars to the Grammys, Olly Mann reveals his official roundup of the best things 2023 had to offer, including cats and cream cheese It’s that time of year again: the red carpets are being dusted off, the shortlists scrutinised for diversity, and, suddenly, people care who Frances McDormand is wearing.
15/2 - Our Conviction — The Modern Mann
“People don’t understand the financial loss, the emotional loss… the children have lost friends.” LISTEN: Apple // Spotify // Google // MP3 // RSS // TuneIn Sue Beere’s husband, John, was jailed for his role in a £53 million drug-smuggling plot. He’s spent time in a maximum-security prison. He’s lost two appeals. But Sue has never doubted his innocence.
Olly Mann: Balls To It!
At a loss over how to rein in his oldest son's naughty behaviour, Olly Mann tries out a new strategy involving marbles—before he loses his! I’m aware that occasionally in this column I’ve made it seem as if I have an idyllic relationship with my kids. That I’ve written a little too often about how joyful it is to walk them to school, expand their imaginations at the library or stand with them aside a train track and point at the locomotives. That they’ve taught me so much.
15/1 - Veganuary: Planting The Seed — The Modern Mann
“Most people watch TV in the evenings. We‘d go on Google Analytics.” LISTEN: Apple // Spotify // Google // MP3 // RSS // TuneIn Yorkshire couple Matthew Glover and Jane Land created Veganuary at their kitchen table. Inspired by Movember, their concept of challenging the nation to try veganism for a month gained incredible momentum via social media, and became a global organisation. But, along the way, it drained their finances, crashed their servers, and ate up their Christmasses...
Olly Mann: Planting Memories
Olly Mann battles to keep a family heirloom alive in the face of his helpless gardening skills, with some help from his far more greenfingered in-laws “Is there anything you want from Grandma’s flat?”. My uncle, texting me, last week. His mum had passed away the week before; aged 96, in a hospice, completely compos mentis, indefatigable as ever. He’d begun the painful yet necessary task of sorting through her belongings. Dividing them into the familiar post-mortem piles: Retain, Sell, Donate.
14/12 π Christmas π₯ Spectacular - 2023! π — The Modern Mann
LISTEN: Apple // Spotify // Google // MP3 // RSS // TuneIn This month, Olly, Alix and Ollie gather under the mistletoe for our annual festive ding-dong, with sensational live music, a feelgood Christmas task, and a bucketload of obscene toys. Deck the Halls! ____________________ First up, Ollie Peart reports back on his mission to unite to match up the worldβs Mann-fans via the metric of skills and needs in his philanthrotainment-bashing charity concept, The Modern Mann 2023 Skill-a-thon.
14/11 - Hearts And Minds — The Modern Mann
“Seeing a police officer crying in the forest is a beautiful thing for me, because I know how important it is.” LISTEN: Apple // Spotify // Google // MP3 // RSS // TuneIn Caz Jaine faced danger, isolation and even assault when she took a foreign office role in Basra during the ‘reconstruction’ phase of the Iraq war. But she thrived on the adrenalin of conflict zones - and was later diagnosed with ‘post-traumatic development’...
14/10 - Return To Sender: The Post Office Scandal Revisited — The Modern Mann
“I am still trying to hold down a job, a day job, while I'm doing all of this. " LISTEN: Apple // Spotify // Google // MP3 // RSS // TuneIn After twenty years, Kamran Ashraf is still seeking justice. Wrongfully sent to prison by the Post Office, he and his family are one of 700 subpostmasters and sub postmistresses convicted on false evidence - provided by a broken computer system known as Horizon. Three years after our original interview, we discover what happened next - was his appeal successful?
The Post Office Scandal Revisited on Apple Podcasts
After twenty years, Kamran Ashraf is still seeking justice. Wrongfully sent to prison by the Post Office, he and his family are one of 700 subpostmasters and sub postmistresses that were convicted on false evidence - provided by a broken computer system known as Horizon. Three years after our original interview, we discover what happened next. Was his appeal successful? And what will it take to see justice for the hundreds of men and women affected?
14/9 - The Private Prosecutor — The Modern Mann
“Accept nothing. Believe no one. Check everything." LISTEN: Apple // Spotify // Google // MP3 // RSS // TuneIn Britain’s shoplifters fear David McKelvey. His companies, TM Eye and My Local Bobby, have brought over 1,200 private prosecutions - and never lost a case. Commandeering a commercial force of savvy ex-coppers, David pursues thieves the Police usually let go with a caution - guys who steal steaks from Waitrose and flog them to restaurants, and housewives hawking fake handbags on Facebook.
14/8 - How To Be A Dad, Part 9 — The Modern Mann
“What Santa means to people - that’s definitely real. After that: who can say?” LISTEN: Apple // Spotify // Google // MP3 // RSS // TuneIn Tom Price and Stuart Goldsmith return to the show to compare notes with Olly on raising their now seven-and-a-half year-old boys. Can they now swear freely in front of their kids? How best to deal with ‘8pm extension negotiations’ at bedtime? And how should one answer the ‘Is Santa real?’ question?
Olly Mann: Walking On Sunshine
A natural night owl, Olly Mann has found things to cherish about the mornings, which give him unmatched quality time with his sons My mate Nick, a busy lawyer for a tech company, recently talked me through his schedule. He works late three days per week, and some nights doesn’t see his children at bedtime. “Ah, that’s a shame,” I said. “But at least you have the mornings.” He frowned at me. “Why would you want the mornings?” he scowled, as if espousing a profound truth.
Olly Mann: Saturday Sabbath
With two young children at home, Olly Mann sings the praises of keeping one day per week for relaxation My colleague, let’s call him Luke, keeps his weekends free for "family time". Or so I thought. He does not reply to emails on a Saturday or Sunday, or answer the phone.
14/7 - The Snake Man of South Wales — The Modern Mann
“In the middle of the village, I see a forest cobra. Which has clearly taken a wrong turn.” LISTEN: Apple // Spotify // Google // MP3 // RSS // TuneIn Since encountering a grass snake at the age of eight, Dr Rhys Joneshas felt a profound connection with reptiles. He has rescued them, toured the country with them and even studied them at Cardiff University; an achievement that seemed impossible when he graduated from school with just 3 O Levels - and undiagnosed dyslexia.
Olly Mann: Food For Thought
Olly Mann uses what's in the fridge and the cupboards to break out of a food rut with a new outlook and some inspired new meals Have you ever found yourself stuck in a food loop? I have, and it’s very dispiriting.
14/5 - Sex, Sobriety and Rock & Roll — The Modern Mann
“Can we value the artist? Can we put wellbeing above partying?” LISTEN: Apple // Spotify // Google // MP3 // RSS // TuneIn Booze, drugs and music are deeply intertwined - from the beers given to bands in their ‘riders’ to the excessive consumption facilitated by festivals and after-show parties. For music promoter Chris De Banks, consuming up to thirty pints a day had become typical behaviour. In the fug of his addiction, he lost jobs, friends and self-respect.
Olly Mann: The social network
Facebook is dead, Twitter's a bin fire, but social media still has its uses, writes Olly Mann Do you remember when social media felt GOOD? When Friends Reunited connected you back to your high school sweetheart... Or when you posted a song to MySpace, a giddy thrill akin to decorating your teenage bedroom... Or when Instagram filters miraculously elevated your smudgy Camera Roll snaps to a (semi)professional standard? It was fun! Then, you got wise to all that. Fake News. Targeted advertising.
14/5 - The 24 Weekers — The Modern Mann
“Twins are in the supermarket. They’re in the playground. They’re everywhere.” LISTEN: Apple // Spotify // Google // MP3 // RSS // TuneIn Elaine Gregersen was 24 weeks pregnant when her waters broke. Having endured sickness throughout her high-risk pregnancy, she and husband Mark had not suspected anything sinister was happening when she appeared to be suffering from bladder weakness too.
Olly Mann: The Digital Dad
When Olly Mann tires of the bedtime story, he finds an unexpected ally in AI Look, it’s a wonderful thing to read your children bedtime stories. It fosters imagination, introduces the pleasures of reading, strengthens the bond between parent and child, yadda yadda yadda. But… when’s the right time to stop? Before they sprout underarm hair, I’d wager. Certainly before they get to the Honeymoon Suite. But, when?
14/4 - Mike, Inc. — The Modern Mann
“I decided that the shareholders should help keep me accountable. And so I put up a vote asking the shareholders if they wanted control over my romantic life.” LISTEN: Apple // Spotify // Google // MP3 // RSS // TuneIn Imagine delegating your decisions to a group of people online, some of whom are total strangers. Imagine sharing the most intimate parts of your life in order to get their approval.
Olly Mann: Dear Dog Diary
Olly Mann gives in to his family and gets a puppy, opening up a whole new world of chaos, cuteness and canine adventures Back in October, I wrote about my ambivalence towards dogs; a column triggered by a sneaking suspicion that my family wanted a puppy so badly I might as well get prepping and clear out the car boot.
14/3 - Why I Make Porn — The Modern Mann
“There's only so many ways of saying, ‘I'm going to destroy you with my beautiful bare feet’”. LISTEN: Apple // Spotify // Google // MP3 // RSS // TuneIn Rosie Hodsdon was struggling to make ends meet on a pHD stipend. Then she hit Record and began to make sex videos from her student flat, indulging her fetish for kink.
14/2 - Challenge Ian — The Modern Mann
Ian Mudge was a teenage punk, whose exploits included chucking chairs out of a train window. He became a teacher, whose unconventional methods and connection with kids saw him rise through the ranks, becoming Headteacher of a Pupil Referral Unit - responsible for educating some of Britain’s most challenging children, many with histories of violence and abuse.
It's A Mann's World: The Party Bags Are Over
With his son's seventh birthday just around the corner, Olly Mann declares war on party bags My son’s seventh birthday is fast approaching, so conversation at my gaff has naturally turned to organising his party.
14/1 - Adventures In Microdosing — The Modern Mann
“It never felt like a risky behaviour. It never felt dangerous.” LISTEN: Apple // Spotify // Google // MP3 // RSS // TuneIn Ketamine and magic mushrooms are notorious for their damaging side-effects, including paranoia, depression and other ‘bad trips’. But the process of carefully administering small amounts of these drugs - so-called ‘microdosing’ - is now gaining traction both recreationally and in medical settings.
Is being a NIMBY really so bad?
This month, Olly Mann squares up to a new enemy—planning applications in his neighbourhood I think I might be a NIMBY. This is rather hard for me to accept, because that acronym (Not In My Back Yard) is typically used as a slur; a pejorative label deployed to smear someone as selfish and two-faced. I even recall when I first heard the word—in a school geography class, some thirty years ago.
It's a Mann's World: God Bless Us, Everyone!
How early is too early to watch The Muppet Christmas Carol? Olly Mann waxes lyrical about the ultimate festive musical (or should we say carol?) When does Christmas begin in your household? The day you get the decorations down from the attic? The first afternoon you mull some wine? The morning you first tackle a chocolate orange for breakfast? For me, it’s the evening we watch The Muppet Christmas Carol, Disney’s enduring 1992 retelling of the Dickens story, with added Americanisms and fur.
13/12 π Christmas π₯ Spectacular - 2022! π — The Modern Mann
His side-hustle is Moot - a lingerie store for men, offering sensual underwear for people with penises. Does he see a mainstream future for lacey menβs undies? And what does he wear when he goes to the GP? Jules reveals allβ¦ _____________________ Finally, Alix Fox has outdone herself with a laugh-out-loud edition of our annual XXXmas Foxhole Quiz.
13/11 - Inside Strangeways — The Modern Mann
“If you challenge the bullies? Then YOU become the problem.” LISTEN: Apple // Spotify // Google // MP3 // RSS // TuneIn Neil 'Sam' Samworth spent 11 years as a prison officer at HMP Manchester - better known as Strangeways, one of Britain’s most notorious jails. Building rapport with the men incarcerated there, he prided himself on de-escalating violent and threatening situations; an increasingly impossible approach as the prison service churns through staff.
Olly Mann: That's My Lot
Olly Mann is surprised to find that he's become a collector of a goofy household item—but is his collection actually worth anything? When The Queen died, and newscasters were bedecked in black, and Gyles Brandreth was suddenly everywhere, one royal factoid jumped out at me: Her Majesty, it transpires, was an avid collector of stamps.
13/10 - Contrast, Colour, Texture, Tone — The Modern Mann
Meanwhile, in the Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart channels his ‘inner Martin Lewis’ to see if he can SOLVE the cost-of-living crisis. With the aid of apps like Snoop and Lollipop, and online bank accounts like Revolut, can he claw back 20% from his monthly spending? The Zeitgeist is sponsored by Manscaped, who are now offering their Ultra Smooth Package for sale in Europe.
It's a Mann's World: A Dog's Life
This month, Olly Mann resists family peer-pressureto become a "dog person", although he might be fighting a losing battle… My wife wants to get a dog. My kids, also, want a dog. My in-laws, who used to own a dog, but then it died, also wish us to get a dog (so they can dog-sit occasionally—this in marked contrast to their general stance on babysitting).
13/9 - The Countdown — The Modern Mann
“He’s made a decision about going ahead. It’s a week from today.” LISTEN: Apple // Spotify // Google // MP3 // RSS // TuneIn Medically assisted dying is legal in Canada, where over 10,000 people end their lives through euthanasia each year, and over 80% of applications are approved. Robin Farr, from Calgary, watched as her Dad, Mike, developed a rare lung disease that limited his breathing, massively impacting his quality of life.
It's A Mann's World: Blinded by the light
Consumerism is everywhere so let's have fun with it, says Olly Mann, as he champions the perfect teabag and microfibre scourer pad brands Yesterday I met Liz; a highly intelligent woman in her fifties. She’s a school friend of my mate Brett, and she’s spent the last 20 years working in brand marketing. As a result, she has a swimming pool. And a designer handbag.
It's a Mann's World: Oooh, Suits You Sir!
Finding himself without a thing to wear for a fancy do, Olly Mann braves the menswear section to find a new suit Time for a new suit. I’d foolishly believed I was well-equipped on this front already, because, somewhere in my closet, I’d retained a shiny Brooks Brothers jobbie (weddings), a morning suit and top hat (Ascot), a Prince of Wales checked affair (job interviews), and a sober M&S two-piece (funerals). There’s even a dinner jacket, for accompanying Dad to Black Tie events at his car club.
13/8 - How To Be A Dad, Part 8 — The Modern Mann
“They learn from the mortar, not the bricks” LISTEN: Apple // Spotify // Google // MP3 // RSS // TuneIn Videogames, testosterone and triage - it’s all in day’s work when you’ve got a six year old boy, as Olly explores with fellow Dads Tom Price and Stuart Goldsmith in this eighth installment of our annual ‘How To Be A Dad’ series.
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