Standard Issue Podcast

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Bonnie Langford knows how old you are Dec 01, 2025

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Paddington the Musical– a brand new show written by Jessica Swale, with music by Tom Fletcher – opens its doors at the Savoy Theatre in London this week. Among its impressive cast is Bonnie Langford, who many of us have grown up alongside, given she first graced our television screens back in 1971, aged six.

Jen caught up with Bonnie to talk about playing the iconic Mrs Bird, as well as a whole host of other roles over the course of her career, and why we love that Peruvian bear so much.

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Outside The Box: November '25 Nov 28, 2025

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In this month's telly round-up, we're watching Death By Lightning, The Beast in Me, Down Cemetery Road, Plur1bus and Caroline Flack: Search for the Truth. Plus Hannah's finally got round to watching Where's Wanda?.

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The Bush Telegraph: Rage against the (old washing) machine Nov 27, 2025

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Are you angry? Like really angry? Of course you are. Well, does Hannah have a dinner service for you. This week, she and Mick are asking whether the justice system is about to get a little less just, looking at the newly discovered age epochs of the human brain, celebrating having a bank account, and metaphorically smashing small TVs with a sledgehammer.

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Rated or Dated: Santa Claus: The Movie (1985) Nov 26, 2025

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Christmas already? We know. But can we redeem ourselves if it’s Christmas by way of Jeannot Szwarc’s cult classic, Santa Claus: The Movie? A box office flop, it was nonetheless a hit in the UK, thanks to Dudley Moore’s turn as Patch the ambitious elf, some delightful animatronic reindeer, and top baddy-ing by John Lithgow. But will we agree?

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Have you heard the good news, with Generation Rent Nov 25, 2025

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All hail the Renters’ Rights Act, the biggest shake-up to renting in England for more than 30 years, which officially comes into play next May. It’s a bundle of positive news for tenants in private housing, not least the ditching of section 21 “no fault” evictions. So Mick got on the Zoom with Bismah Naqui from Generation Rent, an organisation that’s been working tirelessly for the past decade to amplify the voices and concerns of private renters, to talk about why this is a big win for them and a big win for tenants.

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Cindy Reymond spots an opportunity in women’s football Nov 24, 2025

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Cindy Reymond is one of the eight women secretary generals who represented host cities during this summer’s UEFA Women’s Euro in Switzerland. That’s right: they were all women.

Jen catches up with Cindy to chat about her city of Geneva, what it takes to plan a major sporting event, not being the only woman in the room for a change, and why anyone would even want to host a women's football tournament if they can’t fill stadiums... Spoiler: they really can.

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Alice Loxton is walking through history Nov 21, 2025

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When Queen Eleanor died, her husband - Edward I - ordered that 12 enormous crosses be built along the route her body had travelled back to London. Some survive today. Historian Alice Loxton decided to walk that route on the same days. Which sadly for her, was December. Alice tells Hannah about that journey and her new book Eleanor: A 200-Mile Walk in Search of England's Lost Queen, as well as history on the socials and the hidden stories on our own doorsteps.

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The Bush Telegraph: Whoa! Back to the island Nov 20, 2025

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Jen gets a swift and thoroughly unexpected trip through US political rumours this week, as Hannah looks at the latest from across the Atlantic. Plus there's skorts, sports and women-only carriages. What more do you need?

Saturday Night Live on edited Trump speech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SesRWE02PIU

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Rated or Dated: Misery (1990) Nov 19, 2025

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Another week, another one of film’s most villainous women: this time it’s deranged devotee Annie Wilkes, a role which bagged Kathy Bates an Oscar for mangling the feet, mind and spirit of novelist Paul Sheldon (James Caan). Its credentials are impeccable, with a William Goldman screenplay based on Stephen King’s novel directed by Rob Reiner. But, ask Mick, Hannah and Jen, is that bitch crazy? Is she misunderstood? Or is she just a hell of a drug?

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Ultra Women with Emma Wilkinson and Lily Canter Nov 18, 2025

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Back in 2019, ultra runner Jasmin Paris made headlines when she smashed the Montane Spine Race, winning the 268-mile race in the depths of winter outright – while still breastfeeding. Her story was sold as an outlier – woman wins mixed race – but there are a lot of them about, particularly when it comes to ultra-endurance running, swimming and cycling.

Ultra Women: The Trailblazers Defying Sexism in Sport, penned by journalists and ultra runners Emma Wilkinson and Lily Canter, explores female endurance, from the first hunter-gatherers to modern athletes winning the toughest races outright, delving into the science, physiology and psychology that could give women the edge in ultras. Our Mick was FASCINATED.

Ultra Women is out now, published by Canbury.

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