The Modern Mann

The Hostage Negotiator

What would you do if your phone rang and someone told you they'd kidnapped a member of your family? Scott Walker knows. As one of Britain's most experienced hostage negotiators, he spent years helping families through the worst moments of their lives before moving into the private sector, where he negotiated with pirates and organised crime gangs across the world. In this revealing conversation with Olly, Scott explains why lying almost always backfires, why the calmest person in the room usually wins, and how to keep your nerve in a seriously stressful ‘Red Centre’. Scott’s books, Order Out Of Chaos and The Eye of the Storm, are out now. _____________ Meanwhile, in the Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart takes time out of his holiday golf regime to discuss humane alternatives to rat traps. Are rodent populations on the rise, thanks to global warming? And how should you stay safe while dealing with droppings and drains that spread disease? _____________ Elsewhere, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox tackles the thorny dilemma of what to do when a man you used to hook up with turns up on Are We Dating The Same Guy? Are you responsible for warning his current spouse of his non-consensual history? Alix consults blogger and activist Girl On The Net to discuss… (Content warning: rape, sexual assault). If you need support with any of the themes discussed, the following organisations can help: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/sexual-health/help-after-rape-and-sexual-assault/ https://rapecrisis.org.uk/get-help/ https://thesurvivorstrust.org/ _____________ Finally, our record of the month is Antony Szmierek’s new single, ‘Seminal’. But, if you’d rather listen to some more speech… do check out Olly’s BBC Sounds series about the Universal Studios project in Bedfordshire, ‘Rollercoaster: Universal’s Bedfordshire Journey’. _____________ If you’ve got a letter for Olly, a relationships question for Alix, or a challenge for Ollie, please head to our website (where you can also donate to the show 🙏): https://modernmann.co.uk And/or join our Discord here. _____________ Thanks for listening - and we’ll see you on September 10th. Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Alix Fox, Ollie Peart, Scott Walker, Antony Szmierek. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: ‘Skies Over Cairo’ by Django Django. Artwork: Podcast Discovery. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2026. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Playback: My Dad, The Stranger

Olivia hardly knew her father. Her parents divorced when she was two, and she was brought up by her Mum. Sent to boarding school at the age of eight, she was estranged from her Dad for a decade. ———————————— Struggling financially, and weakened by bulimia, she got a call from out of the blue: it was her father, wanting to rekindle their relationship. But - as her health deteriorated, and the UK went into lockdown - her Mum dropped a bombshell that changed everything Olivia thought she knew about her family… Content warning: eating disorders, childhood trauma. Names have been changed. If you’ve been affected by an eating disorder, BEAT or Anorexics and Bulimics Anonymous may be able to help. If you’re dealing with emotional abuse, CRISIS Text Line offer free 24/7 support. If YOU have a story you’d like to share with Olly, send us an email via our feedback form. This interview first aired in 2021, under our regular show, with the same title. Now remastered and with an update from Olivia, this playback is paired with our most recent annual instalment of our How To Be A Dad series. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How To Be A Dad, Part 12

Tom Price and Stuart Goldsmith return to compare parenting notes with Olly, their sons now having reached the age of 10½. Up for discussion: how to make friends with your kids’ parents, the dangers of ‘backdoor’ YouTube exposure, and the challenges of coping with impromptu sex education... Plus, the appealing fraternity of teenage skateboarding, the toxicity of ‘Jordan and Salish’, and the big question of the Summer: should they make their kids try for grammar school? This is the twelfth instalment of our annual ‘How To Be A Dad’ series. Catch up with all previous episodes HERE. 🎧Tom’s podcast is My Mate Bought A Toaster; and Stuart’s is The Comedian’s Comedian. 🎤 Stuart's show "Canary" is at the Edinburgh Fringe from 17-30th of August, then on tour 📖 "You Know, Sex" by Cory Silverberg is out now _____________ Meanwhile, in the Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart heads over to Olly’s house to cook up some BBQ barnstormers: ‘Swicy’ Korean Chicken Burgers, Gochujang Wagyu, and Logan Moffitt’s viral cucumber salad. What are the flavour trends making their way on to our menus this Summer? And can Olly’s Ninja FlexFlame compete with a charcoal barbeque? 🫕 Check out all of Ollie’s recipe’s here. _____________ Elsewhere, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox assists a listener who wants to know how to keep sex fun. Why is laughter a bedroom taboo? And how can you lighten the mood whilst staying sexy? If you’ve got a letter for Olly, a relationships question for Alix, or a challenge for Ollie, please head to our website (where you can also donate to the show 🙏): https://modernmann.co.uk And/or join our Discord here. _____________ Finally, our record of the month is ‘Nosedive’ by Man/Woman/Chainsaw, out now. _____________ Thanks for listening - and we’ll see you on August 10th. Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Stuart Goldsmith, Tom Price, Alix Fox, Ollie Peart, Man/Woman/Chainsaw. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: ‘Skies Over Cairo’ by Django Django. Artwork: Podcast Discovery. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2026. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Playback: Savile Row’s First Black Tailor

Andrew Ramroop OBE made his first pair of trousers whilst he was still in school shorts. At 17, he headed away from his home nation of Trinidad, gravitating towards London’s world-famous Savile Row. In this interview with Olly, he recalls how the racism he faced as a young tailor fuelled his career progression, and how he went on to create suits for Tony Curtis, Samuel L Jackson and Princess Diana. He also explains how, from a possible choice of 12,000 different fabric combinations, he could make YOU the perfect suit… Andrew is the owner of Maurice Sedwell Ltd. Find them at 9-10 Savile Row W1, or online at savilerowtailor.com. This episode first aired in 2017, under the title Suits You Sir. Now remastered and with a 2026 update from Andrew (including an appearance on Desert Island Discs no less), we're replaying this episode as we felt it paired perfectly with our latest interview: The Art of Human Restraint. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Art Of Human Restraint

When Tad Tomlinson set out to learn leatherworking, he stumbled into one of Britain's most secretive subcultures.From handcrafted gimp masks and bespoke straitjackets to dungeon installations and novelty jockstraps, Tad spent years making luxury bondage equipment for wealthy, discerning collectors.In this eye-opening conversation with Olly, he recalls some of his most elaborate commissions - including a coffin that transformed into a sacrificial altar; reflects on the military and medical fantasies that occasionally tested his comfort zone; and lifts the lid on a much misunderstood community…_____________Meanwhile, in the Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart - burned by his seemingly non-cancelable ‘free pants’ subscription - investigates the world of AI-enhanced gadgetry.Can note-taking devices like Plaud and Anker’s Soundcore elevate the drudgery of a morning meeting? Will smart catflap OnlyCat help cat owners block unwanted ‘contraband’ from their homes? And what exactly is the Rabbit R1 for? Ollie finds out…_____________Elsewhere, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox tackles phimosis and adult circumcision, and advises a couple in their twenties whose bedroom activity is losing its lustre after reuniting from a long-distance relationship. All while sucking on a bone-conducting lollipop…_____________Finally, our record of the month is ‘Track and Field’ by JJerome87 - alter-ego of Joe Newman, the former frontman of alt-J. We can’t wait for his new album, The Canyon._____________If you’ve got a letter for Olly, a relationships question for Alix, or a challenge for Ollie, please head to our website (where you can also donate to the show ): https://modernmann.co.ukAnd/or join our Discord here._____________Thanks for listening - and we’ll see you on July 10th for the latest instalment of ‘How To Be A Dad’.Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Tad Tomlinson, Alix Fox, Ollie Peart, JJerome87. Producer: Matt Hill. Thanks: Rebecca Grisedale-Sherry. Theme Music: ‘Skies Over Cairo’ by Django Django. Artwork: Podcast Discovery. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2026. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices