Straight Up

Victoria Beckham’s docuseries has arrived on Netflix so we’re diving into the glossy three-part portrait of Posh Spice turned fashion powerhouse in this bonus episode! From what it reveals about fame and misogyny, to her relationship with David and the bitter Brooklyn feud, we unpack all the drama and our favourite moments. Is it a boring advert for brand Beckham or juicy TV? We hope you enjoy hunnies, see you back here tomorrow for our regular Thursday debrief!Get tickets to our very special live recording at Curzon Hoxton on Weds 19 November here! We can't wait to meet you!!We love hearing from you, DM us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, email at ⁠⁠hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk⁠ and follow us on TikTok @straightuppod too xRecs/ reviewsVictoria Beckham, NetflixBeckham, Netflix Learning To Fly, Victoria Beckham Spiceworld The Movie, rent via Sky Store Nadia Hallgren on directing the new Victoria Beckham documentary, StylistVictoria Beckham: ‘It takes a lot to make me cry, but I did cry’,The Times Louis Tomlinson on Diary of a CEO . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Taylor Swift’s Life of a Showgirl has caused quite the storm since it’s release on Friday, so we’re getting into everything from the Charli XCX ‘diss track’ to the recent gear shift around music criticism. Also this week: Nicole Kidman’s divorce drama, the new AI actor touted as a real-life The Substance situation, Diddy’s sentencing, two excellent film recommendations and a review of Amazon’s new rom-com The Threesome. Get 10% off our fave sofa brand Swyft with the code straightup10 at swyfthome.com. Stylish, comfy, flat-packed and no tools required!We love hearing from you, DM us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, email at ⁠⁠hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk⁠ and follow us on TikTok @straightuppod too.Recs/ reviews: I Swear, in cinemas nowI Swear Review, VarietyWeapons, Amazon Prime, Apple TV and Sky Store etcWeapons review — gorgeous, terrifying and the best thriller of the year, Times The Life of a Showgirl, Taylor Swift The Life of a Showgirl review, Pitchfork Taylor Swift says diss track is 'love letter to someone who hates me', BBC Taylor Swift’s Charli xcx hit job misses the point – and underscores her tedious obsession with conflict, Guardian Dear Dickhead by Virginie DespentesNicole, Keith, and Maggie, Lainey GossipThe Threesome, Amazon Prime. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Emma Watson’s first longform interview in five years has been making headlines this week, huns, so ofc we had to dive in and dissect the nearly-three hour podcast with Jay Shetty. A bounty of excellent film and TV has also arrived just in time for cosy season, from Dakota Johnson’s dark comedy about open relationships, to Leonardo DiCaprio’s ‘era defining’ film One Battle After Another. As well as our five-star review, we discuss why everyone still seems to love Leo despite his controversies. Plus: House of Guinness, Mae Martin’s Netflix thriller Wayward and ITV’s The Hack. Finally, some advice to a hun needing help with a friendship breakup dilemma. Enjoy! Get 10% off our fave sofa brand Swyft with the code straightup10 at swyfthome.com. Stylish, comfy, flat-packed and no tools required!Get 20% off our favourite ready-to-drink cocktails from Whitebox, including the best spicy margs, espresso martinis and negronis, with our code SU20 at Whiteboxcocktails.comWe love hearing from you, DM us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, email at ⁠⁠hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk⁠ and follow us on TikTok @straightuppod too!Recs/reviews:Emma Watson, Jay Shetty’s On Purpose podcastFrom Palestine to JK Rowling, has Emma Watson taken her final form as the millennial people’s princess? Independent Splitsville, AppleTVOne Battle After Another, in cinemas now‘One Battle After Another,’ With Its Thriller Vision of Authoritarianism, Is the Rare Movie That Could Rule the Cultural Conversation, VarietyHouse of Guinness, NetflixDear Dickhead by Virginie DespentesLet There Be Light, why modern TV shows are often too dark to See, Independent The real life Descendants of the Guinness Dynasty to Know Now according to one of the family, VogueThe Hack, ITV1Wayward, NetflixFeel Good, Netflix Wayward is unlike any other thriller – for one unexpectedly inspired reason, Radio Times Stereophonic, Duke of York’s Theatre (tickets via OfficialLondonTheatre.com). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the show this week: Reese Witherspoon has teamed up with Harlan Coben to write a thriller, an AI R&B artist has just landed a £2.4 million record deal and Matthew McConaughey’s take on the secret to lasting love has gone viral. Plus, Harry Styles’ marathon run, Charli XCX’s Sicily wedding, the controversial new Kanye West doc In Whose Name and our review of the Bumble founder biopic Swiped. Does Lily James’ portrayal of Whitney Wolfe Herd signal the return of the girl boss, or provide proof that dating apps really are dead? Enjoy hunnies! Get 10% off our fave sofa brand Swyft with the code straightup10 at swyfthome.com. Stylish, comfy, flat-packed and no tools required!Get 20% off our favourite ready-to-drink cocktails from Whitebox, including the best spicy margs, espresso martinis and negronis, with our code SU20 at Whiteboxcocktails.comThanks so much to our partner Official London Theatre! Get can up to 50% off theatre tickets with amazing deals on the biggest shows at OfficialLondonTheatre.com.We love hearing from you, DM us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, email at ⁠⁠hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk⁠ and follow us on TikTok @straightuppod too!Recs/reviewsReese Witherspoon, The Interview, NYTGone Before Goodbye, Reese WitherspoonGen Z Only Watches TV Through Social Clips. Hollywood is Scrambling, The AnklerMatthew McConaughey, Diary of a CEOCornfield Chase, Hans Zimmer’s Interstellar soundtrack In Whose Name Dear Dickhead by Virginie Despentes, from all good bookshopsSwiped, Hulu / Disney+ Tell Me Lies, Disney+ Culture Debrief: Are We Witnessing The Second Coming Of The Girlboss? Grazia Black Rabbit, NetflixLily James leads a Girl Boss social network that is half film, half Bumble advert, Independent Lily James: ‘Would I use a dating app? Maybe I don’t need one’, Telegraph. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We prayed for good TV and The Girlfriend more than delivered! We review Robin Wright and Olivia Cooke’s deliciously crazy psychosexual thriller: team Cherry or team Laura? Plus, why millennial women have fallen head over heels for The Summer I Turned Pretty, a look at whether Thailand is as ‘dark’ as Zara McDermott’s new documentary portrays, and our verdict on divorce comedy The Roses starring Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch. Also: our thoughts on Yellowface author RF Kuang’s new book Katabasis. Enjoy hunnies!Thanks so much to our partner Official London Theatre! Get can up to 50% off theatre tickets with amazing deals on the biggest shows at OfficialLondonTheatre.com.Get 20% off our favourite ready-to-drink cocktails from Whitebox, including the best spicy margs, espresso martinis and negronis, with our code SU20 at Whiteboxcocktails.comWe love hearing from you, DM us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, email at ⁠⁠hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk⁠ and follow us on TikTok @straightuppod too!Recs/reviewsThe Roses, in cinemas nowThailand: the dark side of paradise, BBCAntioxidant scanning at BACKSTAGE Salon The Girlfriend, Amazon Prime VideoThe Girlfriend: Warning! This sexy oedipal thriller may be too shocking for vanilla viewers, GuardianThe Summer I Turned Pretty, Prime VideoWhy Are Forty-Something Women Obsessed With The Summer I Turned Pretty?, VogueWhy Almost Every Woman You Know Is Obsessed With The Summer I Turned Pretty, ElleIn ‘The Girlfriend,’ Robin Wright and Olivia Cooke ‘go feral.’ But who’s the real villain?, LA TimesKatabasis by RF KuangThe Problem With RF Kuang's Fiction, SlateKatabasis by RF Kuang review – a descent into the hellscape of academia, Guardian. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Saltburn director Emerald Fennell seems to have enraged the internet with the trailer for her new Wuthering Heights adaptation starring Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie, but is this really ‘ragebait cinema’ or just her signature ‘stylised depravity’? We discuss! Also this week: Elordi’s other big trailer for Netflix’s Frankenstein, the Thursday Murder Club adaptation, queen of RichTok Becca Bloom’s wedding and the Etsy witches she credits with banishing bad weather, a viral Wired long-read about surrogacy, the rise and fall of Vice magazine, and what a new ‘nepo baby’ editor means for Vogue.Thanks so much to our partner Official London Theatre! Get can up to 50% off theatre tickets with amazing deals on the biggest shows at OfficialLondonTheatre.com.Get 20% off our favourite ready-to-drink cocktails from Whitebox, including the best spicy margs, espresso martinis and negronis, with our code SU20 at Whiteboxcocktails.comWe love hearing from you, DM us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, email at ⁠⁠hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk⁠ and follow us on TikTok @straightuppod too!Recs/reviewsPopbitch, SubstackThursday Murder Club, NetflixAttack of the Rotten Tomatoes, Puck MagazineAtomic, NowTVBland, easy to follow, for fans of everything: what has the Netflix algorithm done to our films? GuardianEmerald Fennell’s Hyper-Sexualized ‘Wuthering Heights’ Gets Polarized Reception at First Test Screening, World of ReelIs Emerald Fennell the Bonnie Blue of cinema? Dazed$3 Million Watches and Caviar for the Cat: How Becca Bloom Became the Queen of RichTok, WSJI hired an Etsy witch to save my wedding day weather. Here's what happened, GlamourVice is Broke, Amazon Prime VideoThe Baby Died. Whose Fault Is It? Wired Can Vogue Go Niche, Business of Fashion The Memification of Nepotism and How Proud Nepo Babies Are Rebranding Inequality, Substack. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hi hunnies! We had so many messages about Serena Williams’ weight-loss jab ad that we knew we had to dig deeper behind the headlines into the world of GLP-1s for this extra episode. From the shame still clinging to these drugs, to the groundbreaking new research on how they could help treat psychiatric disorders, addiction and even Alzheimer's, we’re weighing up the pros and cons. We also share how a GLP-1 has transformed the life of one listener with PCOS, ask what’s really driving the obesity epidemic and get into the difference between GLP-1s for medical vs. aesthetic use. We love hearing from you, DM us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, email at ⁠⁠hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk⁠ and follow us on TikTok @straightuppod too!Reccs:How is Ozempic changing the world? Why? With Emma Kennedy podcastA GLP-1/obesity expert breaking down Jameela Jamil's postHow weight-loss wonder drugs are redefining the way our bodies work, Guardian Here’s Why Doctors Are Hopeful That GLP-1s Can Help Treat PCOS Symptoms, Women's HealthHealth and productivity losses from obesity ‘far outstrip weight-loss jab costs’, GuardianA Year on Ozempic Taught Me We Are Thinking About Obesity All Wrong, New York Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

British OnlyFans creator Lily Phillips comes second to Bonnie Blue for her extreme sex stunts, yet she has a very different public image, as a new Stacey Dooley doc makes clear. What does this say about our notions of femininity? And is the criticism around Stacey ‘platforming’ Lily fair? Also on the show: Sydney Sweeney’s new romance, Molly Mae’s nanny furore, our verdict on Sabrina’s new album and another season of With Love, Meghan on Netflix. Enjoy hunnies!Thanks so much to our partner Official London Theatre! Get can up to 50% off theatre tickets with amazing deals on the biggest shows at OfficialLondonTheatre.com.Get 20% off our favourite ready-to-drink cocktails from Whitebox, including the best spicy margs, espresso martinis and negronis, with our code SU20 at Whiteboxcocktails.comWe love hearing from you, DM us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, email at ⁠⁠hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk⁠ and follow us on TikTok @straightuppod too!Recs/reviewsInter Alia, National Theatre (or National Theatre Live)Lilo and Stitch, Disney+ Disney's latest unnecessary remake is a monstrosity, GuardianChief of War, Apple TVThe Inheritance, C4 Stacey Dooley Sleeps Over with Lily Phillips, S6 E1, ULily Phillips: I slept with 100 men in a day, YouTubeONLYFANS: Bonnie Blue, sex stunts and the rise of the porn 'influencer' (Straight Up ep from May)Man’s Best Friend, Sabrina CarpenterSabrina Carpenter to Taylor Swift: Why female pop stars embracing sex is still controversial in 2025, BBCWith Love, Meghan, Netflix. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Serena Williams has sparked a serious debate with her sponsored content promoting an Ozempic-style weight-loss jab. We get into the pros and cons of these so-called ‘miracle drugs’ and the inevitable media-fuelled fall-out with Jameela Jamil. Also this week, we dive into the Millie Bobby Brown adoption ‘backlash’, give an update on the most divisive film of the year (match-making rom com The Materialists), and review the controversial new Amanda Knox Disney drama, along with Netflix’s number one show Hostage. And, of course, as promised, our verdict on The Real Housewives of London!Thanks so much to our partner Official London Theatre! Get can up to 50% off theatre tickets with amazing deals on the biggest shows at OfficialLondonTheatre.com.We love hearing from you, DM us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, email at ⁠⁠hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk⁠ and follow us on TikTok @straightuppod too!RecsThe Materialists, in cinemas now The Logic of the ‘9 to 5’ Is Creeping Into the Rest of the Day, The Atlantic Speculating about Millie Bobby Brown’s adoption is unacceptable, Stylist Op-Ed: I Judged Serena Williams For Using A Weight-Loss Drug — Now, I Get It, EssenceFears that sport will be the loser as Serena Williams embraces weight loss jabs, The ObserverDua Lipa, #SkinnyTok and the labubu doll craze, Straight Up May episode Why with Emma Kennedy podcast: How is Ozempic changing the world? The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox, Disney+Why the new Amanda Knox TV drama is misguided, BBC‘It’s a new kind of prison’: Amanda Knox on redemption , rage, and her unlikely friendship with the prosecutor who hounded her, Guardian Hostage, Netflix  The Real Housewives of London, Hayu. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Taylor Swift has officially entered her sexy era, announcing a new album in her first-ever podcast interview with Travis Kelce, alongside a showgirl-themed shoot that’s got everyone talking. We debrief on both! Also this week: from Weapons to 28 Years Later, we’re deep in a horror renaissance, Chris Hemsworth drops a wellness doc with an appearance from pal Ed Sheeran, the mind-blowing new science of signs, Netflix’s depressing Biggest Loser doc and of course, yet another Beckham update, this time courtesy of Brooklyn and Nicola’s vow renewal.Thanks so much to our partner Official London Theatre! Get can up to 50% off theatre tickets with amazing deals on the biggest shows at OfficialLondonTheatre.com.We love hearing from you, DM us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, email at ⁠⁠hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk⁠ and follow us on TikTok @straightuppod too!Recs/reviews discussed: 28 Years Later, in cinemas nowWeapons, in cinemas nowTogether, in cinemas now Limitless: Live Better Now, DisneyNeuroscientist (Dr. Tara Swart): Evidence We Can Communicate After Death! Diary of a CEOThe Signs: the New Science of How to Trust Your Instincts, Tara Swart Pillow Talk. What Travis Kelsey does that's made Taylor Swift suddenly so sexy, Daily Mail Taylor Swift’s Sultry, Spangled Next Act, VogueTaylor Swift has gone raunchy for the life of a showgirl. What can it mean? Times Wait, Is Taylor Swift Teasing a Super Bowl Halftime Performance? VultureDavid and Victoria Beckham face fresh heartache as new details emerge of Brooklyn's vow renewal speech to wife Nicola Peltz, Daily Mail Fit for TV: The reality of the Biggest Loser, Netflix . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.