The Trawl
The Trawl is a podcast that dives into political chaos, media spin, and social media absurdity each week. Hosted by broadcasters and political commentators Jemma Forte and Marina Purkiss, it offers sharp analysis, dark humor, and unfiltered commentary. Each episode trawls through viral tweets, headlines, and soundbites, calling out hypocrisy and amplifying truth.
Episodes
Hot Wheels for Billionaires, Hell for Ukraine
Happy Friday, Trawlers. The richest man on earth has unveiled a flying car and even Hot Wheels are taking the piss. It was first promised in 2017 and is now due in 2028, which is roughly when Marina’s five-year-old will be driving. Then it gets dark. The No Kings protests drew huge crowds in America, and the main account was knocked offline by Meta. Jemma and Marina discuss the billionaire media e
Trawl Drop-In: The Right Wakes Up to Brexit, the Banks Wake Up to a Bill
It’s the Drop-In, and something remarkable is happening: parts of the British right-wing press are waking up to the fact that Brexit was a disaster. Goldman Sachs has put numbers on it, the Telegraph has put a figure on it, and Carol Malone has not been consulted. Then the banks, the budget and why we think they should pay up, before a former Mumford and Son explains wealth creation to an actual t
The French Are Revolting (And So Is Reform)
Get your popcorn out, Trawlers, and maybe a peg for your nose... ITV spent 12 months undercover inside Reform, and what they found makes the party’s vetting process look like a bloke in a pub asking whether you’ve deleted your tweets. Nigel cancelled a policy announcement and hid, the party’s response was to attack the journalists, and the BBC reported it with all the bite of a wet flannel. Reform
A Press Secretary, a Firing Squad and a Tiger
Trump’s America is getting darker by the day, and in this episode Jemma and Marina are asking precisely how low things can go. From a painfully chaotic first outing for the new White House press secretary (actually hilariously bad) to plans to livestream a military execution, the Trump administration appears determined to turn political life into an increasingly grim spectacle. The Trawl ladies di
The Trawl Drop-In: “Whore” Gymwear Backlash
Marina and Jemma drop in to discuss what happened when Shane Gillis insulted female gym goers on SNL USJoin The Trawl's Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61590931382660Thank you for sharing and please do follow us @MarinaPurkiss @jemmaforte @TheTrawlPodcastPatreonhttps://patreon.com/TheTrawlPodcastYoutubehttps://www.youtube.com/@TheTrawlTwitterhttps://twitter.com/TheTrawl
From Russia With Bots, Trump's Diesel & Reform's Whitewash
Way to make Vladimir Putin happy. It's been quite the week.Andy Burnham has reignited the debate over Russian interference in Brexit. Marina and Jemma get into the murky world of online influence, bots and the extraordinary power of social media to shape what we think. Plus, Trump's reported Russian diesel deal has the Trawl ladies asking precisely whose interests he's serving.And just
The Trawl Drop-In: Kemi's Tax Breaks For The Wealthy
The Trawl ladies are off to Tory conference and Kemi Badenoch has found a headline-grabbing pledge in scrapping inheritance tax on family homes. But who actually benefits, what might it cost, and what happens to everyone else? Jem has some thoughts, including a memorable encounter with a very wealthy former Dragons’ Den investor.Plus, the Conservatives’ plans for Reform defectors, a spectacularly
The Trawl Drop-In: Polanski Under Pressure: The Greens and Zionism
It’s our first ever Trawl Drop In! A slightly less structured, more spontaneous outing in which Jemma and Marina tackle the stories that didn’t make the main pod. And blimey, there’s plenty to get stuck into.Has Zack Polanski’s party spectacularly misjudged its controversial conference motion on Zionism? Marina and Jemma get into the fallout, the leadership questions and what it all means for the
Trump, Hegseth & the Apocalypse: It's All Gone Bonkers
The Trawl ladies are still looking for the bit where it gets better, and this week it's hiding behind a potential outbreak of pneumonic plague in Russia. Don't panic, Trawlers, Jemma and Marina have a plan, and it's mostly denial.Then there's Pete Hegseth's guide to who gets into the armed forces, which Marina reworks into some dating advice for Jemma's Hinge profile. And J
A Hopeful Trawl: Burnham Highs & Braverman Lows
This week on The Trawl, there are… dare we say it… reasons to be cheerful. Andy Burnham is talking public ownership, electoral reform and a closer relationship with Europe, and suddenly the future doesn't seem quite so bleak. Marina and Jemma revisit the highlights from Labour conference, including plans to bring empty high-street buildings back to life, and ask: could hope actually be making
Cornell: Since When Is an Essay Justice?
Content warning: this episode discusses rape and sexual violence.Marina and Jemma open with some hope. Between Macklemore, Ed Sheeran's bad week, and the Andy Burnham effect, is the tide turning? Then they switch gears.In 2024, a Cornell student alleges she was drugged and then raped and sexually assaulted for seven hours at a fraternity house. A group chat of 57 people were made aware of it.
Hunger Games At The White House & Very British Insults
Two episodes in two days, because Marina couldn't sleep. Trawlers, this one's a tasting menu of the week's finest nonsense.The Trawl ladies start with GB News being crowned "most trusted news channel" by its own viewers (custard is the favourite custard among people who eat custard), then pay homage to a homegrown delusional wally who lasted 49 days and still gets the odd LBC
Is This... Hope? Labour Conference, Ireland's Stand-Off & Reform's Balls-Up
Jemma and Marina hit Labour conference with Andy Burnham's speech: social care, "Your First Home" and the triple lock. Both have opinions and neither can quite agree on how many pensioners will turn up with pitchforks. Plus Shabana Mahmood reads the room, and Jemma and Marina ask whether this is actual hope or just adrenaline and conference biscuits.Then to Reform, where a council ha
The Trawl Meets Owen Jones
Columnist, bestselling author, Guardian journalist, broadcaster and one of the most prominent voices on the British left for well over a decade, Owen can always be relied on to say exactly what he thinks, no holds barred. He’s also someone who has never been particularly troubled by the idea of annoying people which, frankly, is one of the reasons Marina and Jemma like him.He’s fiercely critical o
How Much Is Integrity Worth? Sheeran's Backlash, Tom Watson's About-Turn & The Budget Headache
Ed Sheeran is crying on stage after the backlash over Macklemore being dropped from his tour, while Macklemore remains remarkably clear that this isn’t about him, or Ed. Marina and Jemma get into the row, the strange spectacle of a global superstar discovering the politics of Palestine in real time, and why having “FU money” might occasionally mean having the courage to say - no.Then there’s the r
America's Losing It: Trump Silenced the Press. The Press Silenced Trump & Europe Stocks Up On Beans
It’s another beautifully normal week on Planet Trawl. Europe is quietly preparing for war, we’re being told to stock up on tins and Trump is threatening to annihilate Iran while simultaneously floating a peace deal. So that’s nice.Marina and Jemma discuss Trump’s increasingly bonkers attempts to control the press, a House of Representatives that has essentially buggered off until after the midterm
The AI Apocalypse (Brought to You by the People Selling It)
Buckle up, Trawlers - the Trawl girls are finally doing the AI special they've been promising for two years but haven't got round to. Until now because the news has forced their hands. From Sam Altman and Elon Musk suddenly (suspiciously) calling for a "slowdown," to Nobel laureate Geoffrey Hinton leaving Newsnight's Victoria Derbyshire lost for words, to an ex-Anthropic researcher quitting over f
Trump’s Cheques, Sydney’s Boobs & The FBI
Sydney Sweeney has bosoms, Trump has a $5,000 promise, and somehow the FBI is having a conversation about bestiality. So yes, it’s been another perfectly normal week on Planet Earth.In this Trawl, Marina and Jemma get stuck into Sydney Sweeney’s gambling ad and ask whether “my body, my choice” also means “please don’t criticise my choices”. Trump, meanwhile, is promising Americans $5,000 if Republ
Ed Sheeran's Lonely Apolitical Era & Reform's Crypto Bros
Ed Sheeran dropped Macklemore for saying Free Palestine, and now the support acts have since been dropping Ed Sheeran. Turns out "apolitical" is a position, and it's not a popular one. Andy Burnham finally did something and slapped a trade ban on Israeli settlement goods and US Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee is furious about it. Excellent work. An Israeli newspaper is reporting Netanyahu
Is THIS Patriotism? Boy Burkas, Foreign Cash and RNLI Beef
This week, Marina and Jem start in America — where Trump calls 18 dead soldiers "small potatoes," posts AI-generated videos of himself beating world leaders with a hockey stick, and explains trade to a room of adults too scared to tell him he's wrong. Rinse, repeat, somehow getting worse.Then they come home to Blighty — where things are going brilliantly. Hundreds of men in matching black balaclav
Reform's Rabid Conference & Trump's Fireman Fantasy
Trump reinvents 9/11 with himself as the hero, fireman-carried, fist in the air, saving the day from... four miles away. Meanwhile, it's all happening at the Reform conference, Farage lays out exactly how he'd neuter the House of Lords if it gets in his way, a woman protester gets her hair pulled and is hit with a crutch by livid OAPS and Robert Jenrick "resigns" from a job he doesn't have ov
SIZZLING SCANDAL 🔥 Reform's Big Fat Foreign Money Scandal (And Farage's Best Excuses Yet)
Jemma and Marina wade through the wreckage of Reform UK's worst week yet. A year-long undercover sting by investigative outfit Verbatim catches Nigel Farage's closest aides, head of policy James Orr and confidante Dan Jukes, on tape discussing how to secretly fund Reform's own polling through a fake American donor, all while a fictional $500,000 donation dangles in the background. Farage himself c
Trumps AI Slop, Falklands Threats & Midterm Meltdowns
Trump is renaming lakes, posting increasingly deranged AI images and apparently gearing up to declare the midterms rigged before they've even happened. Meanwhile, the US is reportedly threatening Britain over the Falklands, Trump's CIA director is making mysterious trips to Moscow, and democracy feels increasingly like it's being held together with Sellotape.Then there's Israel and Gaza, where the
The Sainsbury’s Fleece, Reform Brain Farts & The £450k Birkin
It’s been a busy week in politics. Andy Burnham is back, delivering a barnstorming speech attacking the legacy of Thatcherism and Brexit… before promptly getting himself into a spot of bother over a Sainsbury’s work-experience scheme, political donations and a rather fetching supermarket fleece. Meanwhile, Keir Starmer quits as an MP, James Cleverly quits the Shadow Cabinet to spend TWO YEARS camp
Carney Plays Chess & Reform's Marriage Policy Falls Apart
Builders openly bragging about dodging tax at a trade show, Trump quietly admitting his own tariffs backfired by striking a deal to import cheaper beef right after telling ranchers he had their backs and an American food safety crisis. Jemma and Marina have a lot to talk about what with food recalls stacking up in the US. There are dodgy eggs, blueberries, cheese and lettuce, as regulators ge
Dolly Parton's Legacy & Trump's 'Human Printer' Natalie Harp
Marina and Jemma start by paying tribute to the utterly irreplaceable Dolly Parton, celebrating her extraordinary talent, generosity and legacy and remembering how she managed to reach people across political and cultural divides with warmth, compassion and a whole lot of rhinestones.Then it’s back into the grubby world of Trump. The Trawl ladies dissect his bizarre comments to a teenage lifesaver
Harry & Meghan, Rain, Ukraine & The GB Press Outrage Machine
This week on the Trawl, the rain finally arrives and apparently that's the cue for the water companies to start dumping sewage, for the right-wing press to blame Muslims for our water shortages, and everyone to start shouting about everything.Marina and Jemma look at Reform's recent setbacks, its curious approach to free speech, Andy Burnham's surprisingly punchy trip to Ukraine, and the extraordi
Trump Opens A Bank, Reform Comes For Your PIP
Right, buckle up, trawlers... Trump's crypto company has been rubber-stamped as an actual bank (by his own government no less!) and Marina and Jemma wave a cheery bye Felicia to his press secretary Caroline Levitt (left to perish on the decoy plane while Trump and a "very very very close aide" swanned off on the catering flight). They boggle at the Tates' Temu lawyer, a shouting salami in sunglass
Jason Arday : When The Press Becomes A Mob
In this powerful episode of The Trawl, Jemma Forte and Marina Purkiss unpack the tragic death of Jason Arday. Arday was Cambridge’s first black professor, who endured an extraordinary media storm in the final weeks of his life. The Trawl ladies examine the 188 articles published about him in just nine days, the racist and hostile commentary that fuelled the story, and the wider questions it raises
Trump's Getting Rattled: The Abdul El-Sayed Effect 🔥
In this episode, things go from bad to worse before finally getting a little bit hopeful.Marina Purkiss and Jemma Forte dive into Trump’s latest chaos, the increasingly bizarre state of US politics, vaccine decisions that have them seriously worried, and the extraordinary rise of Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan. Trump's obsession with the Michigan Senate candidate offers a rare glimmer of hope, pa
Reform Beef & Climate Grief : Data Centres Anyone?
The Trawl is back from holiday, and unfortunately the world hasn't sorted itself out while Jemma and Marina have been away.This week: Britain is hot, dry and heading for a seriously dodgy harvest, while data centres are springing up demanding vast amounts of energy and water. But don't worry, apparently the answer, according to one journo at The Telegraph is to embrace Mediterranean life and crack
The Trawl Meets Count Binface!
Count Binface lands on The Trawl just in time to take on Nigel Farage in Clacton and proves, once again, that British politics is now virtually indistinguishable from science fiction.From 99 Flakes and grabber machines, to sewage, HS2, billionaire donations and why Parliament should relocate to Wheelie, the self-declared intergalactic candidate unveils his latest manifesto while Jemma a
Trump's Press Dinner Disaster : Fascists, Billionaires, BS
Andrew Tate is back behind bars and somehow tweeting like he's starring in a wartime epic, while Donald Trump spends an hour at the White House Correspondents' Dinner reminding everyone why normalising him remains such a dangerous game. Marina and Jemma pick apart another extraordinary week of political chaos, from Trump's latest constitutional musings and Elon Musk's painfully awkward media appea
Burnham's Picky Bits, Body Shaming and CPAC Weirdness
Andy Burnham's honeymoon period is in full swing as the latest polls show Labour nudging ahead of Reform, but is the 'Burnham bounce' here to stay? Marina and Jemma weigh up the new Prime Minister's energetic start, ask whether his Manchester-first approach will win over the rest of Britain, and discuss Zack Polanski's social media mishap.Elsewhere, they take aim at the body-shaming directed at An
Tate Arrested in Capri Pants, Trump's Meltdown & MAGA's Masculinity Crisis
The Tate brothers are arrested in the US as Britain seeks their extradition, Donald Trump delivers yet another fact-free election rant that major US networks refuse to air live, and MAGA's latest obsession with testosterone gets even weirder.Marina and Jemma look at the growing normalisation of misogyny, unpack an astonishing Fox News clip that comes with a trigger warning, and wonder why JD Vance
Burnham Bags No.10 as Spain Lift the Cup
The football may be over, but the political drama's only just getting started.Jemma and Marina celebrate Spain's World Cup victory (for reasons that go well beyond football), marvel at Donald Trump's knack for making every trophy presentation about himself, laugh at the half time shenanigans and bid farewell to Sir Keir Starmer as Andy Burnham arrives in Downing Street.There's chat about Burnham's
England Out, Burnham Speaks on Gaza & Starmer's Final PMQs
England's World Cup dream is over, Burnham's is just beginning. Yes, England are out of the tournament but not before Argentina gave them one final dose of argy-bargy and an ill-judged Falklands banner. Marina and Jemma unpack the match and discuss why a rare moment of warmth between Keir Starmer and Kemi Badenoch left them strangely emotional.Elsewhere, Reform UK descend into full panic
Ann Widdecombe, Binface and Farage's Five Million
Jemma and Marina try to make sense of another week that somehow outdid even their most chaotic bingo card. They discuss the shocking murder of Ann Widdecombe, why some reactions online were seriously misjudged, and how Nigel Farage's response was caught on camera in 3...2...1.... They also look at the latest twists in Reform UK's funding saga, Count Binface's increasingly hilarious Clacton campaig
The Trawl Meets Anthony Scaramucci
From the White House to Wall Street, podcast studios to political pile-ons, Anthony Scaramucci has lived several public lives and he's got the stories to prove it. In this candid conversation with The Trawl, "The Mooch" reflects on the 11 days that made him infamous, what he really thinks of Donald Trump now, the state of American politics, and why reinvention is his greatest skill. Expect sharp o
Trump vs the Beautiful Game
Marina and Jemma have found the one thing Trump hasn't ruined yet...oh wait, no, he's got to football too. This week the pair unpick his reverse Midas touch: one US player gets a red card, Trump gets on the blower to his snivelling little ring-kisser Infantino, and hey presto, the suspension vanishes. Then our hosts turn to the double standard that'll make your adrenal gland overwork: a maske
Farage Hits the Panic Button... as Football Brings the Joy ⭐
Farage detonates the internet with a surprise by-election announcement just as questions over undeclared gifts and crypto cash refuse to go away. Marina and Jemma dissect the latest twist, wonder whether it's political genius or pure theatre, and ask who really benefits from dragging Clacton back to the polls.Elsewhere, England's late-night triumph sparks celebrations (and an unfortunate Jordan He
Perv Glasses & An Empty Fairground: The Great American Flop
In this Trawl, Jemma and Marina dig into Andy Burnham's big speech, ask whether he really could be Britain's next Prime Minister, and examine why parts of the left, right and media all have something to argue about.They also celebrate Elon Musk slipping back from trillionaire status, question the ever-growing wealth of the Royal Family, laugh at Donald Trump's sparsely attended "Great American Sta
Heatwaves, Hot Air Takes & Farage's £5 Million Problem
Last week, politics wasn't the only thing making Jemma and Marina hot under the collar - the weather was and they were melting. Literally.Britain has sweltered through record-breaking temperatures, so the Trawl ladies look at the growing mountain of evidence that climate change is no longer a future problem because it's happening right now. So why are so many TV pundits still insisting it's "just
Trump's Worst Week: Defeated by Iran, Italy & Algae - Then Humiliated at Versailles
Trump's having quite the week... He's been defeated by algae (sabotage, obviously), couldn't do up a medal ribbon, got blanked by every world leader at the G7, and then signed what experts are calling a catastrophic Iran deal — in the actual room in Versailles where Germany surrendered after WWI. The pure poetry of it all!Meanwhile Meloni delivers the clapback of the century ("neither I nor Italy
You're Barred Katie Hopkins: The Pub That Got It Right and the Politicians Who Didn't
A pub in Bethnal Green looked up, clocked who'd walked in, and collectively decided: not here, love. Katie Hopkins was shown the door. She did not go gracefully. Marina and Jemma are delighted - but one pub doing the right thing doesn't mean the country is...This week they unpick what feels like a genuine shift: Elon Musk platforming Tommy Robinson, Lord Hannan's baffling racist football tweet, Ru
Keir We Go Again : Starmer Exits, Footy and Farage
Nigel Farage gets caught recycling an old England supporter photo, proving once again that authenticity isn't really his game. The Trawl ladies revel in a glorious montage of his Question Time appearances, hear James O'Brien's disbelief and ask why politicians always seem to own a fancy-dress box full of high-vis jackets and football shirts.Elsewhere, the political landscape shifts dramatically as
Makerfield Said No - Burnham, Bell Ends & Boarding School
For one glorious moment, Makerfield became the centre of the political universe, and what a moment it was.Jemma and Marina rewind the clock to relive Andy Burnham's emphatic by-election win, celebrate Robert Kenyon's spectacular defeat and ask whether Reform UK's momentum has finally hit a few inconvenient speed bumps. They also marvel at the increasingly surreal Sarah Pochin, wonder what Nigel Fa
Kids' Social Media Ban & Starmer's Defence Revolt
Starmer's government is facing another defence row after senior figures quit over military spending, reigniting questions about Britain's preparedness, Russia's growing threat and whether billions more should be poured into defence while public services struggle.Meanwhile, Labour's proposed ban on social media for under-16s has sparked a fierce debate. Will it protect young people from online harm
UFC White House, Tragic Trillionaire and The Art of The Deal 😏
Marina and Jemma try to wrap their heads around the arrival of the world's first trillionaire. Just how much money is a trillion dollars, and what does it say about modern society that one man can accumulate that level of wealth while millions struggle?They also dive into Gwyneth Paltrow's eyebrow-raising appearance in a luxury Israeli property campaign, Trump's increasingly bizarre White House UF
The Belfast Pogroms & the People Excusing Them
Marina and Jemma have been away for a short break, unfortunately Britain hasn't exactly held itself together while they've been away.In this Trawl, they tackle the racist violence that erupted in Belfast, why calling it a "riot" doesn't come close to describing what happened, and the politicians, pundits and social media moguls helping to fan the flames.They look at the shocking media takes that f
Ivanka's Island, Trump's Pool & a Very Angry Albania
Marina and Jemma dive into Trump's increasingly chaotic behaviour, the World Cup visa fiasco, and the extraordinary protests sweeping Albania, where thousands are taking on billionaire land grabs in what protesters are calling the Flamingo Revolution. Meanwhile, Trump is sleeping through basketball games, storming out of interviews and comparing the size of his beloved reflecting pool to skys
Question Time Carnage, Vance Comes for Britain & Pride Fights Back
In this episode Jemma and Marina are trawling through a week so full of weapons-grade stupidity they barely know where to start. But first first, they take the opportunity to say Happy Pride Month, Trawlers. Comedian James Barr absolutely dismantles conservative commentator Michael Knowles live on Piers Morgan Uncensored, and it is glorious. Reform's candidate for Makerfield, Robert
The Cost of Being Young, Job Hunting & Katie Price
Marina and Jemma dive into the growing crisis facing young people in Britain.With more than a million young people now classed as NEETs (not in education, employment or training), they explore why finding work has become so difficult, why endless application processes are leaving candidates exhausted and demoralised, and why many feel the social contract has broken down completely.Featuring clips
Farage Crawls Out, Riots Break Out & Bartlett's Three Glasses of Wine
Marina and Jemma kick things off with a spirited takedown of "optimisation culture" - sparked by a viral clip of Diary of a CEO's Stephen Bartlett dramatically declaring that three glasses of wine ruined his life (his Whoop watch told him so). Marina and Jemma are not having it. Yes, sleep matters, yes, balance is key - but why are we KPI-ing ourselves into misery? As Marina puts it: you don'
Blair & Murrell : Chopsticks, Kettles & Net Zero
Marina and Jemma wade into the internet frenzy surrounding Donald Trump’s extremely strange White House pillar moment, the increasingly odd questions around his health, and why he apparently skipped his own son’s wedding.Then it’s over to Scotland, where the pair unpack Peter Murrell’s extraordinary £400k spending spree involving luxury pens, kettles, chopsticks and enough bizarre purchases to acc
Heatwave Britain & Reform's Sexist Summer
In this Trawl, Marina and Jemma survive Britain’s latest heatwave, the London Underground sauna experience, and yet another deeply questionable Reform candidate.They dive into the climate conversation nobody seems to want to have anymore and discuss whether “doom fatigue” has pushed climate change down the political agenda.Plus: the latest Reform UK chaos, misogynistic comments from would-be polit
The Trawl Meets Tessa Dunlop
Historian and Broadcaster, Tessa Dunlop, joins Jemma and Marina for a gloriously wide-ranging conversation about monarchy, British identity and the fury of being an outspoken woman in public life. From her PhD on Romanian royalty to why she believes King Charles still gives Britain “soft power” on the world stage, Tessa brings nuance, history and plenty of passion to some of the most divisive
The Kentucky Primary That Broke America
In this Trawl, Marina and Jemma dive headfirst into what might be the most jaw-dropping week of Trump 2.0 so far.From claims of billion-dollar “slush funds” and eye-watering stock trades to the political takedown of Republican congressman Thomas Massie after he pushed for the Epstein files release, the corruption alarms are deafening. The pair unpack the terrifying power of MAGA loyalty, the growi
Flags, Far Right Fury & Terrible Singing
Marina and Jemma dive into the chaos surrounding Tommy Robinson’s “Unite the Kingdom” rally, from the anti-Muslim rhetoric and media silence to the genuinely astonishing musical performances that may qualify as crimes against audio.They unpack why anger and misinformation spread so easily online, question where the press coverage disappeared to, and look at what happens when algorithms replace sha
The Makerfield Gamble & Wes Side Story
Marina and Jemma are spiralling over Labour’s risky civil war.With Andy Burnham heading into the hugely consequential Makerfield by-election, Wes Streeting apparently eyeing the top job, and Reform circling like sharks, the pair ask: how the hell did we end up here already?There’s fury over Brexit being dragged back from the dead, despair at the state of political discourse, confusion over Eurovis
Welcome to Loserville: Musk's Midnight Musings & Trump's Oval Office Nap
Jemma and Marina take a break from UK political chaos to zoom out and survey the wider world... and it's not pretty.From Trump's increasingly hard-to-deny Oval Office napping to unravelling ceasefire negotiations in the Middle East, the Trawl ladies serve up their trademark mix of righteous fury and sharp humour. Marina's been deep in Italian passport paperwork (backup plan activated should Farage
Absolute Scenes in Labour HQ: It's Not Ideal Trawlers
Marina and Jemma wade through the chaos engulfing Labour after the bruising local election results, cabinet resignations, media pile-ons and growing calls for Starmer to go. Is this sensible political pressure… or another self-destructive Westminster psychodrama?They discuss:whether Labour is repeating the Tories’ revolving-door mistakesAndy Burnham, Wes Streeting and possible leadership contender
Reform Gains: Just Take the Bloody Bins Out
The local election results are in and… bloody hell.In this Trawl, Jemma and Marina dig into Reform UK’s huge gains, Labour’s mounting panic, and the increasingly chaotic state of British politics. Was this a genuine political realignment, a protest vote, or something much darker bubbling away underneath?From viral clips and media narratives to Nigel Farage, culture wars, dodgy campaign tactics, an
Met Gala Hunger Games & Trumpy Bedtime Stories
Jemma and Marina dive headfirst into the Met Gala circus from impossible outfits and billionaires playing dress-up, to the growing backlash against celebrity excess in a world on fire.They also tackle Trump casually floating a third term, Nigel Farage mysteriously dodging scrutiny over Reform’s mega-money backers, and why parts of the media seem determined to ignore some scandals while amplifying
Polanski, Protests & A Very Heated Week
It’s been one of those weeks where the temperature of public discourse didn’t just rise, it boiled over.Marina and Jemma both appeared on daytime TV in the immediate aftermath of the Golders Green attacks. Emotions were already running high, details were still emerging, and the pressure to say the “right” thing while not saying the “wrong” thing was intense. They talk about the subsequent soc
Royal Bants in DC & A Gifted Bell
Jemma and Marina are back in full chaotic form, slightly sleep-deprived, deeply opinionated, and absolutely not holding back.They unpack the horror of a North London stabbing and the questions it raises, before diving headfirst into the surreal spectacle of Donald Trump hosting King Charles III, a meeting that somehow involved Magna Carta shade, a gifted bell, and a lot of very
Botox Bollox, Boozy MPs & a Five Million Pound 'Gift'
In this Trawl, Jemma and Marina take on everything from outdated beauty standards to the increasingly surreal state of UK politics.There’s fury over a jaw-dropping tabloid takedown of Cameron Diaz, a debate about whether Westminster has a drinking problem, and a deep dive into political messaging that raises more questions than it answers.Plus: claims, counterclaims and confusion around campa
Shots Fired at The White House & Marathon Heroes
Jemma and Marina start with the emotional highs of the London Marathon: stories of resilience, community and the kind of humanity that restores your faith in people. Then they take a sharp hand brake turn into the chaos of global politics.From a dramatic incident at a White House event to the online reaction that followed, Jemma and Marina wade through fact, speculation and the sheer pace of moder
Bias, Bombings & Batshit Takes
Jemma and Marina are back in the scroll, picking apart the stories, headlines and takes that have everyone talking, pondering and shouting.They get into growing frustration with the way global events are framed, and why some stories seem to get all the attention while others barely register. There’s a look at how international law is being talked about (and sometimes ignored), plus the narratives
The Pope, Pulp Fiction & Wild Presidential Claims
In this Trawl, we're heading Stateside because, frankly, you can’t look away.From Pentagon prayer sessions to a defence secretary apparently quoting Pulp Fiction as scripture, Marina Purkiss and Jemma Forte try (and fail) to make sense of the latest chaos unfolding in US politics. Meanwhile, Donald Trump is back making sweeping claims about Iran, the Pope, and global diplomacy many of which don’t
Starmer Drama & A Website From Hell
Marina Purkiss and Jemma Forte wade through the latest Westminster psychodrama involving Keir Starmer, Peter Mandelson, and a row that refuses to die. Is it a genuine scandal or just political noise drowning out far more urgent stories?Because while the media obsesses over Whitehall intrigue, and there is TRIGGER WARNING for this part of the episode, something far darker is barely being cover
The Trawl Meets Sir Bill Browder
The Trawl sits down with Sir Bill Browder, the man Vladimir Putin would very much prefer stayed quiet. From exposing corruption at the heart of the Kremlin to spearheading the global Magnitsky sanctions, Browder’s story is part financial thriller, part political crusade. He joins The Trawl to talk oligarchs, accountability, and why the fight against kleptocracy is far from
Reform Raffle, Tory Receipts & Starmer Confusion
Marina and Jemma are back in the trenches, sifting through the chaos so you don’t have to.In this episode, why Keir Starmer can be both competent and deeply frustrating, a baffling “free energy bills” stunt linked to Nigel Farage, and yet more questions swirling around Reform’s candidates and Tice's company tax affairs.There’s also a diplomatic cringe moment featuring 
Trump vs Pope, AI Jesus & What the Melania?!
This Trawl begins, as you do, with Melania Trump making a deeply strange, entirely unprompted statement insisting she has “nothing to do with Epstein”, a denial so out of nowhere it immediately raises more questions than it answers.And somehow, that’s just the start.Because this week also brings Donald Trump recasting himself as Jesus in a social media post that’s as revealing as it
Orbán Out & Trump Blocks Blockade
Marina and Jemma dive into Hungarian celebrations. After 16 years of authoritarian rule, Viktor Orbán is gone and the scenes coming out of Budapest were unreal. Thousands took to the streets to celebrate Péter Magyar's win. But what does it actually mean for Europe, Ukraine, and the wider populist movement?From there, it’s straight into the latest Trump madness, including
100 Bombs in 10 Minutes & Still No Backbone: Plus Hegseth & Bondi
It’s been one of those weeks where, every time you think it can’t escalate further… it absolutely does.Jemma and Marina mull over the ceasefire which lasted all of five minutes due to Israel bombing Lebanon and vent their frustration at Starmer and Cooper who haven't yet condemned the atrocities. Plus: firings, firings, more firings. Pam Bondi has gone and so have some of the most senior gene
Reform Freefall & Marmalade Madness
In this Trawl, Marina and Jemma take on one of the dumbest outrage cycles in recent memory. Yes, it's the “EU marmalade scandal” (completely made up, obviously) and some politicians and papers have swallowed it whole and are extremely incensed about it all.While the right scrambles to get furious about citrus, the pair dig into what’s actually going on: Reform wobbling in the polls,
PHEW! A Whole Civilisation Wasn’t Nuked
It was one of those nights where going to bed felt… uncertain.After a late-night post from Donald Trump sent the internet into meltdown, the world briefly found itself holding its breath, doom-scrolling, spiralling, and wondering what might come next. From rumours of escalation to very real geopolitical tension, the Trawl ladies try to make sense of a news cycle that felt anything but no
Easter Basket Case: Dark Side of the Moon, Darker Side of Earth
It’s been a weekend of extremes. Marina and Jemma start with a rare moment of awe as they consider the Artemis mission and those breath-taking images of Earth before crashing straight back down into a news cycle that feels increasingly chaotic and surreal. From horrific, sweary 5am presidential posts to rising global tensions and questions over leadership, they unpack the moments that left everyon
Joy, Noise & People Power: Wot No Coverage?
A very Friday feeling Trawl. Jemma and Marina are back on the scroll, cutting through the chaos with equal parts rage, wit, and ridiculousness.They begin with the utter farce of daylight saving time and a Question Timebooking that raises serious questions. Mainly, why?Then the Trawl ladies discuss the powerful, joyful anti–far right march that the mainstream somehow managed to side-line They
