The Marvyn Harrison Podcast
A cinematic, story-led conversation exploring the moments that shape who we become. Each episode begins with images, early memories, pivotal turning points, and present day realities prompting guests to unpack the experiences that defined them. From there, the conversation moves deeper: identity, family, ambition, failure, culture, relationships, justice, and the pressures of modern life. Through structured storytelling and unexpected game segments, guests reveal both the serious and the surprising sides of themselves.
Episodes
The Guilt of Black progression w/ Amy Jephta, Playwright & Romantha Botha
Marvyn Harrison and Samantha Porter sit down with South African playwright and screenwriter Amy Jephta to unpack her acclaimed play "A Good House." The conversation covers gentrification, class mobility, colonial language, the psychological cost of being "the first" in predominantly white spaces, and the tension between political blackness and coloured cultural identity in post-apartheid South Afr
Oscar Nominee Christine Lahti on Surviving Hollywood's Misogyny
Christine Lahti the Academy Award nominee, Golden Globe and Emmy winner sits down to unpack the autobiographical solo play that's been packing out London's Marylebone Theatre this summer: The Smile of Her. Known for Chicago Hope, Swing Shift, Running on Empty, Law & Order: SVU, and CBS's Evil and Fire Country, Lahti traces her journey from a repressive 1950s Michigan household to becoming one
DO YOU KNOW BALL? ⚽ Margz (Filthy Fellas) Takes the Football Quiz Hot Seat
Margz (No Behaviour Podcast, Filthy Fellas) sits in the hot seat for a rapid-fire football quiz — Premier League trivia on Bolton Wanderers, Sunderland, West Brom, Derby County, Portsmouth, Wigan and Blackburn, played under a 10-second clock across two escalating rounds. The episode closes with a wide-ranging World Cup conversation covering predictions, underdog nations, the Argentina/Messi legacy
Anti-Intellectualism, Trump and Andrew Tate with Romantha Botha and Kaira Ahmed
Andrew Tate is trending again, but the bigger story isn't him, it's what made him possible. In this episode we break down anti-intellectualism: why comprehension is collapsing, why people trust vibes over evidence, and who actually benefits from keeping populations uncritical. We go back to Hofstadter's three strands of anti-intellectualism, cover South Africa's Bantu education system as intellect
Are Young People Mollycoddled?
Every generation gets called soft by the one before it. But is this time different? We dig into the case that young people have lost resilience — less unsupervised play, more helicopter parenting, safe-space culture — against the case that the real story is economic: unaffordable housing, insecure work, and a mental health crisis that's more visibility than fragility. No easy verdict. Just the arg
Should Benefit Claimants Be Forced to Pick Up Litter?
A UK campaign group wants Universal Credit claimants to do four hours of litter picking a month or risk losing their benefit. Supporters call it fair contribution. Critics call it workfare — a policy with a documented history of failure, unpaid labour, and exemption gaps for disabled claimants. We break down the proposal, the precedent, and who gets left out of the conversation.Welcome to The Marv
So you fell in love with someone who is Neurodivergent?
Your partner isn't ignoring you, isn't cold, isn't careless — they might just be wired differently. This episode breaks down 7 neurodivergent traits (ASD/Asperger's, ADHD, ADD, OCD, NVLD, sensory processing differences, alexithymia) with plain-language explanations, phonetic pronunciations, and what each one actually looks like inside a relationship. Not a diagnosis. Not an excuse. A map.Welcome t
Michelle Gayle: Why I Quit EastEnders At The Peak Of My Career
Michelle Gayle actress, singer, and one of the most recognisable black British faces of the 90s, joins Marvyn for a conversation spanning her Harlesden childhood, her friendship with a young Naomi Campbell, the Jodeci vs Boyz II Men debate that defined 90s R&B fandom, and the real story behind why she walked away from EastEnders at the height of her fame. Along the way: grandmother wisdom, cod
"I Was Sat On The Kitchen Floor With A Bottle Of Wine And Drugs Coming." — James Sutton
He was in your living room every night. He played the first gay character most of us ever saw kiss another man before watershed on Channel 4. Men still message him today saying his character saved their life.Behind the scenes, he was drinking alone on his kitchen floor on a Tuesday afternoon, waiting for someone to deliver drugs, freshly divorced, trapped in a cycle he thought was freedom.This is
Raneem's Law: How One Family's Loss Is Changing 999 Forever
In August 2018, Raneem Uday and her mother Khaula Saleem were murdered in the West Midlands despite multiple 999 calls made that night. The system failed them — not through a single act of negligence, but through structural gaps in how those calls were handled and risk was assessed.What followed is a study in what grief becomes when it meets determination. Raneem's aunt, Nour Norris, campaigned fo
Keir Starmer Has Resigned. What Does It Mean For Us?
This morning, Keir Starmer walked out of Downing Street and resigned as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. In this solo episode, Marvyn Harrison cuts through the noise and asks the questions the rolling news cycle won't slow down long enough to answer. How does a landslide majority of 172 seats collapse in two years? What does this moment mean for Black and Brown communities who voted Labour in
Sickle Cell, the NHS, and the Fight to Be Believed — with Prof. Arlene Wellman MBE
It's World Sickle Cell Day, and the NHS Modernisation Bill, which proposes a single patient record bringing together a patient's full medical history in one place, has just reached committee stage in Parliament.In this episode, we speak with Professor Arlene Wellman MBE: a senior nurse leader and strategic adviser at the Florence Nightingale Foundation with over 27 years' experience across the NHS
I Was In The Room When The UK Banned Social Media For Under-16s
Two days' notice. One email. "Are you available on the 15th at 7:30am to talk to Liz Kendall about some work she's doing." That's how this started.What followed was a morning inside Downing Street watching Keir Starmer announce a ban on social media for every child under 16 in the country — backed by a consultation of 116,000 responses, where 83% of parents said the risks outweigh the benefits and
The Most Chaotic Food Game Show ever!
Marvyn Harrison is joined by Paige Lewin and Brandeis for the most chaotic, most fun, most opinionated food game show in podcast history. No earnest deep dives today, just diaspora food debates, Caribbean heritage on the line, and Marvyn as the sole judge, jury and point-giver. They go in on: the 30-minute meal that will win over your partner's parents, the Nigeria vs Ghana jollof rice war, the mo
Nearly 1million people locked out of the economy - Here is what the government is doing about it
The crisis: 948,000 young people aged 16–24 in the UK — 1 in 8 — are not in education, employment, or training. In the US, it's worse. Youth labour force participation has been collapsing since 2000. That's 25 years of failure.The experiment: The UK government is running a £45 million test across 8 regions to find out what actually works. The answer isn't obvious — Switzerland gets 90% of young pe
Manosphere Messiahs: Inside the Global Spread of Misogyny Online with BBC's Jacqui Wakefield
BBC investigative reporter Jacqui Wakefield spent a year inside the global manosphere — travelling to Kenya and Mexico to track how Western influencer culture is radicalising young men at scale. She shares what she found in the data when young men handed over their full social media histories, what happened when she confronted influencer Andrew Kibe on camera, and why it's women who ultimately pay
Gareth Southgate: The Crisis Facing Young Men No One Is Talking About
Gareth Southgate joins Marvyn Harrison for a rare and honest conversation about the crisis facing young men and boys in Britain today — and what we actually do about it. In this episode, Gareth discusses his new BBC One documentary Gareth Southgate: Changing the Game for Young Men (airing 8th June, 9pm, BBC One & iPlayer), why he felt compelled to make it after his Dimbleby Lecture, what a goo
Marvyn x Mayor talk Manosphere: Sadiq Khan on Big Tech and Radicalisation
In this follow-up conversation from South by Southwest, Marvin Harrison sits down with the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, to address the influence of the "manosphere" on young men and boys. Mayor Khan discusses the urgent need to hold big tech companies accountable for algorithms that prioritize engagement through negativity and misogyny. He outlines a dual approach to the issue: calling for stricte
Sadiq Khan and the Manosphere and What Men Must Do Now
This week, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan delivered a landmark speech at SXSW London, warning that manosphere influence online risks creating a lost generation of young men. In this solo episode, Marvyn breaks down what the Mayor actually announced, what the research tells us, and why the real intervention isn't a government policy, it's the conversation you have with the boy in front of you.Covered i
5 Hot Takes: Başak Erten - Dopamine is cheap!
Başak Erten is a creative strategist, radio and brand consultant, and founder of The Art of Audacity — a cultural platform for women in creative industries, as featured in Forbes. She's spent over eight years producing content across the BBC, Sony Music Entertainment, and branded work for Vanity Fair, Bloomberg, and Nike.In this episode she brings three sharp takes on where culture, media, and con
Marvyn Harrison on the No Strings Podcast with Kojo Anim
Marvyn Harrison and Kojo go back. Two decades of parallel paths, community builders, event makers, fathers, who were never quite in the same room long enough to have the real conversation. Until now.In this episode, they cover everything. The g:hop era. The Sunday Show years, Ed Sheeran performing there eight times, Drake, Jay Cole, Wretch 32, Nicki Minaj, Omarion, Boys II Men. How the show grew f
“I Couldn’t Leave My Bedroom” — Tyler West, Dr Amos & Marvyn Harrison on Anxiety, PTSD & Men’s Mental Health
Tyler West opens up about PTSD, witnessing violence at 14 & going back to therapy. Dr Amos explains anxiety conditions. NHS Talking Therapies: https://www.nhs.uk/talkIn this episode of The Marvyn Harrison Podcast, Marvyn sits down with Dr Amos Ogunkoya and Tyler West for a raw, honest conversation about mental health, masculinity, and what it really takes to ask for help.62% of people can’t re
Why Marvyn Harrison Refuses to Be the Black Messiah And Why That's the Most Radical Thing He Could Say
Show details: https://www.youtube.com/@TheDayAfterTNB You probably know Marvyn Harrison from Dope Black Dads. Or from Jeremy Vine. Or from Good Morning Britain. But do you know where he started?In this episode, Marvyn takes the room on the full journey — from g:hop, the lifestyle movement that tried to do for grime what hip hop did for itself, to Sunday Show where Ed Sheeran performed most of his
Arsenal Are Champions. I Was There. And I Can't Stop Crying
Arsenal Football Club are Premier League champions for the first time in 22 years. A generation of fans who weren't born the last time this happened are now old enough to drink, vote, and cry in the streets of North London. And that's exactly what tens of thousands of them did on the night of May 19th, 2026.Marvin was one of them.In this episode, Marvin breaks down everything, the night itself, wh
Marvyn Harrison Meets Marlon & Shawn Wayans | ‘SCARY MOVIE IS ONLY IN CINEMAS JUNE 5’
Scary Movie didn't just parody horror it gave a generation permission to laugh at the things that scared them. Then the Wayans left. And we all felt the difference.Now they're back. Marlon. Shawn. The original crew. And in this conversation, Marlon reveals the moment that made it happen: a promise made to his father, hand to hand, on one of the last times they were together. We talk about what it'
Julie Adenuga vs Marvyn Harrison: Top 5 TV Mums & Dads — No Filter
Julie Adenuga and a South African guest join Marvyn for the most chaotic, unresolved, and genuinely entertaining TV parents debate you'll watch this year.Aunt Viv. Claire Huxtable. Peggy Mitchell. Moira Rose. Jack Pearson. Uncle Phil. Logan Roy. Walter White as a dad candidate. Nobody agreed. Nobody backed down. This is what happens when three people with completely different cultural references t
DJ Semtex | The Man Who Broke Kanye & Drake In The UK Before Anyone Cared
He broke Kanye West in the UK before College Dropout dropped. He filmed Drake's first ever UK interview in Hyde Park — paid the cameraman £50 out of his own pocket because the station didn't care. He flew to New York to sign Fatman Scoop and got aired for a week until a 4am diner meeting sealed the deal. Ghostface Killah called his book the Bible of hip hop. Chuck D wrote the foreword in five minu
Dane Baptiste: "I Had Chappelle At My Club And They Wouldn't Let Me Meet Him"
View the images in order, here! https://canva.link/4eacwrp87m3qfxhI've known Dane Baptiste for 20 years. I watched him find five minutes at the beginning of my Sunday Show when nobody knew his name. I watched the crowds not get it. I watched him come back anyway. This conversation is the full story, from his first day at Haberdashers, to being the only deadpan Black British comic in a room full of
Lalalaletmeexplain: Dating Apps Lost 600,000 Users. The Woman Who Predicted It Explains What's Coming Next.
She trained as a social worker. Spent 15 years watching what happens when relationships destroy people. Built a community of 250,000 women on Instagram. Wrote a Sunday Times bestseller. And then sat across from me and said: "I don't know if this is working. Nothing's changing."This is Layla, Lalalaletmeexplain and this is not the conversation you're expecting.We go into:Her dad leaving her mum for
Marvyn Harrison Meets Poppy Jay: Diagnosed With ADHD 24 Hours Before This Interview
Poppy Jay arrives with no prep. What follows is one of the rawest conversations on this channel.Director, writer, comedian, and co-host of the cult podcast Brown Girls Do It Too, Poppy walks me through ten photos from her life, and each one opens a door she wasn't planning to open.We talk about the forced marriage she gave in to as the eldest of six daughters in a strict Bengali Muslim household.
Sadiq Khan Gives £30 Million. Every Borough. Youth Clubs Are Back. - A message to Justin Pickett
Sadiq Khan just announced £30 million to put a youth club in every single London borough. They're called Youth Lates — open evenings, open weekends, with food, mentoring, music, mental health support, all under one roof. The biggest investment in youth clubs by any Mayor. Ever.Marvyn grew up in Hackney at a time when youth clubs still existed. His youth worker was Justin Pickett — the actor who pl
I Asked the Government's AI Minister 5 Questions Every Parent Wants Answered | Kanishka Narayan MP
The UK government opened the biggest consultation on children's digital safety ever attempted. Social media age bans. Overnight app curfews. Restrictions on infinite scroll. Controls on AI chatbots. They want to hear from parents directly. So when the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology invited me to the Black Prince Community Trust in Lambeth to sit down with Kanishka Narayan MP, th
He Sent N-Dubz a Myspace Message and Became Their Agent at 19 | Billy Wood — HAUS23
This man sent a Myspace message to N-Dubz after seeing them on Channel U. Within a month he was their agent. No business card. No corner office. Just conviction and speed. Billy Wood is one of those names in UK music that if you know, you know. 20 years. Three of the biggest talent agencies in the world — WME, UTA, CAA. Artists like Tinie Tempah, Tinchy Stryder, Wiley, Section Boyz, Run-DMC. Music
The Health Secretary Exposed The NHS's Biggest Secrets On My Podcast
The Health Secretary sat down with me. And he didn’t hold back. Wes Streeting the man responsible for the entire NHS talks about surviving cancer at 38, the crisis hiding inside Britain’s maternity wards, why Black women are still dying at catastrophic rates in childbirth, what’s really happening with the National Cancer Plan, and why he believes the silent majority needs to start calling out
Childcare Costs Just Got HALVED — Here’s What Nobody’s Telling You
Childcare in this country just changed. Permanently. New government data shows that the cost of a full-time nursery place for a child under two has DROPPED by 52% in just two years — from £305/week to £149/week. Families are saving an average of £8,000 a year per child. Half a million households are now receiving 30 hours of funded childcare. And nearly a third of parents say they’ve been abl
I Was In The Room When It Happened | BAFTAs, Racism & What Nobody Said
In this episode of The Marvyn Harrison Podcast, three guests — Richie Brave, Manga St Hilaire, Nii Odarte and Rehema Muthamia sit down for one of the most wide-ranging conversations we've had. The BAFTA N-word incident is dissected by someone who was actually in the auditorium when it happened. Richard shares his experience of childhood racism as a seven-year-old child actor, beaten and called the
Is The Internet Killing Love?
In this episode of The Marvyn Harrison Podcast, we unpack one uncomfortable question: is the internet killing love? From religion and existential doubt to seasonal depression, trauma bonding, toxic relationship dynamics, and the rise of online healing culture, this conversation goes deep into how modern life is reshaping intimacy.We explore:Why social media amplifies heartbreakThe difference betwe
Love Isn’t Mechanical: Stop Dating Like a Checklist
Most people say they want love, then date like they’re configuring a device: height, income, politics, trauma level, texting cadence, therapy status, “emotional intelligence,” travel appetite—tick, tick, tick. It feels safe. It feels efficient. It feels like control. But love isn’t mechanical. People aren’t programmable. They have grey areas: prickly parts, warm parts, avoidant parts, tender
I’m Not “Exposing” Anyone — Here’s The Line I Won’t Cross
This episode sets the rules of the room.This podcast is committed to protecting the dignity, safety, and wellbeing of anyone whose stories, experiences, or submissions may be referenced. We don’t publish allegations as fact without appropriate verification, context, or public record. We anonymise, change details, reframe, or decline stories to reduce harm—especially when other people didn’t choose
GAME Went Bust… So I Rebuilt It Into Britain’s Home of Gaming Culture
An old workplace game brand went bust—not because people stopped gaming, but because retail changed: downloads replaced discs and the UK high street kept shrinking. The fix isn’t “sell more games.” The fix is rebuilding the purpose.In this episode I lay out the full turnaround blueprint:Accept traditional retail is over.Redesign stores around play: arcades, competitive setups, racing simulato
The Wildest Week in My Camera Roll (No Filter)
This is the no-padding weekly panel episode: 12 stories, 4 perspectives, rapid-fire pitches, and then we go in. Each contributor gets 30 seconds to make the case, then the table tests it—facts, incentives, hypocrisy, and what it means for real people.Today’s agenda (12):[Topic] — the 30-sec pitch that changes the framing[Topic] — why everyone’s missing the real incentive[T
We Had to Say This Out Loud
This episode is different, and it had to be.As this podcast grows, so does the responsibility that comes with telling stories about real lives, real harm, and real people. In this episode, I explain why we’ve added a safeguarding and responsibility notice, what it means, and what this podcast will never become.We talk about:Why not every story deserves public exposureThe difference
Why I Hate Sainsbury’s Local
This episode is a forensic breakdown of Sainsbury’s Local as a system, not a shop.What’s sold as convenience is friction. What’s sold as efficiency is unpaid labour. What’s sold as design is psychological manipulation that fails the moment you’re tired, parenting, or in a hurry.From hostile layouts and absent staff to self-checkout purgatory and inflated prices, this is a critique of how modern “l
Rickie Haywood-Williams On Sleep, Stress And Lifestyle Changes
Rickie Haywood-Williams sits down with Dope Black Dads to talk honestly about health, fatherhood, lifestyle changes and the NHS Healthy Choices Quiz. In this episode, Rickie breaks down what life really looks like behind the microphone and the Instagram posts. Late nights, early mornings, family responsibilities, Liverpool stress, and the quiet signals from his body and mind that so
Black Adoption Stories: Building a Welcome Home Through Food & Family
What does a welcome home really feel like? with @MarvynHarrison https://www.youcanadopt.co.uk/blackadoptersIn this special episode, we sit around the dinner table to talk honestly about adoption, family, culture, and belonging. Over food that reminds us of home, we explore what it means to create stability and love for Black and mixed-heritage children who are waiting the longest to be
My Day with Kier Starmer, ERA 2025 & the Biggest Shift in Workers’ Rights in a Generation
This episode takes you inside 10 Downing Street for a rare, direct conversation on power, policy, and dignity at work.Marvyn Harrison meets Keir Starmer to unpack the Employment Rights Act 2025 (ERA 2025) — described as the biggest upgrade to workers’ rights in a generation.We break down what ERA 2025 actually delivers: Fire-and-rehire restrictions. The end of exploitative zero-hour contracts. Day
I’m Intervening: The Parenting Line We Can’t Cross
This is a safeguarding episode, not a comfort episode. Children are not collateral damage for adult frustration. They are not background noise. They are not “tiny adults” who should just get over it. And they are not content. This episode pulls apart the most dangerous lie we repeat: “Kids are resilient.” There’s a difference between building strength and forcing a child to survive adult
Why Your New Year Goals Keep Failing
Most New Year goals fail for the same reason: they’re fantasies, not systems.In this episode, Marvyn Harrison breaks down why “New Year, New Me” thinking collapses every time — and what actually creates change. This is not about motivation, manifestation, or vague intentions. It’s about identity redesign, constraint awareness, and building daily and weekly systems that survive real life.The conver
Anthony Joshua Survives Nigeria Car Crash: RIP Sina Ghami and Latif “Latz” Ayodele
Anthony Joshua has survived a serious car crash in Nigeria that killed two close friends and long-standing members of his team. Physio Sina Ghami and personal trainer Latif “Latz” Ayodele were pronounced dead at the scene after a collision on the Lagos–Ibadan expressway.In this emergency news episode, we break down the confirmed facts, timeline, and reactions from the boxing world, including trib
Post-Christmas Reflections
This episode is a quiet audit of Christmas, fatherhood, and attention.After two uninterrupted weeks with his children, Marvyn reflects on what it feels like when family life fully aligns — no school runs, no fragmented schedules, no performance. Just presence. The result wasn’t productivity or achievement. It was peace.The episode moves through gift-giving without panic, buying throughout the year
Christmas Isn’t About Stuff. It’s About Family
We’ve been trained to treat Christmas like a performance: spend more, buy more, post more, prove more. But the truth is simpler—and harder to defend: Christmas is about family. In this episode, I’m pulling the focus back to what lasts. The moments your children remember aren’t the receipts—they’re the feeling of the home. The laughter in the kitchen. The safety of being together. The un-rushed hou
5 “Perfect” Green Flags That Secretly Blow Up Your Relationships
You were told to chase green flags.You were never taught how some of them hide the biggest red flags of your life.In this episode, Marvyn Harrison pulls five “perfect” green flags apart and shows the shadow side underneath: limerence, trauma bonds, emotional shutdown, manipulation and cruelty dressed up as “being real”. Across romantic relationships, friendships, family and work, Marvyn unpac
Why I’ll Never Want Diddy’s Version Of Success
Did he do it?In this raw, unplanned monologue, Marvyn Harrison picks up the mic with no notes and processes the new Netflix documentary on Sean “Diddy” Combs in real time. Across almost four decades of alleged abuse, violence, exploitation and terror, he tracks how one man was turned into the “blueprint” for Black male success while victims, communities and even whole events were left in pieces.&n
Macmillan Built A House. We Filled It With Grief And Truth
Black men are dying of cancer in silence. So we took a room full of dads, sons and survivors and built the most honest conversation they’ve ever had.This episode was recorded at Macmillan’s Open House, a home built to feel like the houses that raised us: soft light, old portraits, kettle on the stove, carpet holding the memories of every step. Into that house we brought a live conversation on men,
Benn vs Eubank: The Fight That Rewrote Fatherhood
What happens when your father’s shadow is your biggest opponent? Marvyn Harrison breaks down Benn vs Eubank II — the fight that wasn’t just about punches, but parenting, legacy, and identity. From Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank Sr.’s 90s rivalry to their sons’ clash under the lights, this is a story about how fathers shape sons — and how sons fight to become men in their own right. Featuring deep ana
Stop Breaking Good Men: The Brutal Truth About How You Treat Your Partner
In this episode of the Dope Black Dads podcast, Marvyn breaks down what it really takes to support a good man in 2025, without shrinking yourself or cosplaying a “good little wife.” He covers: • The truth about “something happening with men” — and why it’s about to go one of two ways• The viral Chanté Joseph article about women feeling ashamed to say “I have a boyfriend,” and what that r
New York Just Elected A Socialist Mayor Under Trump. This Changes Everything
Recorded in the middle of the night, Marvyn breaks down how New York elected its first Muslim, South Asian, democratic socialist mayor under Donald Trump, why California quietly rewired Congress with one ballot measure, and how Virginia and New Jersey just told the rest of America where voters actually stand. This is not a vibes recap. It’s a live autopsy on power, maps, money and hope. Full
I Exposed My Last 5 ChatGPT Searches. It Got Weird, Fast.
I opened my ChatGPT vault and read the last five things I asked it: the best loose-leaf tea on earth, a high-leverage sales plan, a global parenting pivot, the truth behind “quotas” in ads, and the Antwone Fisher poem that hits like a freight train. Momentum storytelling. Zero fluff. High signal. Project 1Show notes (long, with skim-fast formatting)• Why your teabag tastes mid, and the five l
Victoria Beckham, Eating Disorders & Protecting Our Kids
This week on the Dope Black Dads podcast, we dive into a powerful and timely story. Victoria Beckham has revealed in her new Netflix documentary that her eating disorder made her “good at lying” A raw admission that sheds light on a condition too often hidden in silence.Beyond the celebrity headline, this conversation is about what it means for our families, our children, and our communities. Eati
The Hillsborough Law: Truth, Justice, and Why It Matters Today
For decades, families of the 97 Hillsborough victims were denied honesty and justice. Public officials lied, delayed, and covered up. Now, the long-awaited Hillsborough Law, formally the Public Office Accountability Bill, introduces a legal duty of candour, forcing officials to tell the truth during major disaster investigations, with criminal penalties if they don’t.In this episode, Marvyn Harris
Why Modern Love is Harder Than Ever
Back in the 1930s, love was about survival—one person brought money, the other ran the home. By the 1990s, polarity and attraction became the focus. But in 2025? That’s not enough. Today, real connection needs three things: survival, desire, and alignment.In this episode, Marvyn Harrison explores how blurred gender roles, economic independence, and new expectations around emotional intelligence ha
Not Just a Day, A Legacy: A Father’s Day message by Marvyn Harrison
Launching this Father’s Day, Not Just a Day, A Legacy is a deeply personal and culturally relevant essay series and visual campaign from Marvyn Harrison — founder of Dope Black Dads. Through intimate letters, storytelling, and healing guidance, the campaign invites fathers, children, and communities to reflect, reconnect, and reimagine legacy beyond absence.Welcome to The Marvyn Harrison Podcast —
How Funded Childcare Can Give You Back Time and Money
When my son was born, I thought I had to choose between staying home to give him everything or going back to work and risking missing the moments that matter. But the truth is, you don’t have to choose. From September, eligible working parents of children aged 9 months up to school age could get up to 30 hours of funded childcare a week, over 38 weeks a year — worth up to £7,500 in savings. That’s
Marvyn Harrison x Kate Ferdinand on Fatherhood, Race, and Healing the Generational Wound
Today’s episode is a throwback episode with Kate Ferdinand — mother, entrepreneur, and host of the award-winning podcast Blended. We discussed what began as a WhatsApp group is now a powerful platform supporting Black and mixed-heritage fathers across the world.In this episode, Kate and Marvyn explore how our own childhoods shape the way we parent, the importance of emotional honesty, and how to h
The Big 3: Who Ran Hip-Hop Every Year Since 1979
From Kool Herc’s Kingston-style block parties to Kendrick’s Grammy sweeps and Carti’s moshpit mayhem, who really ran rap every year since 1979? In this definitive timeline, we break down the Big 3 artists of each year, blending mainstream dominance, cultural impact, and lyrical integrity.Featuring heavyweights like LL Cool J, OutKast, Missy, Future, Nicki Minaj, and J. Cole, this episode challenge
I Tried 21 Money Hacks With My Kids—We Saved £300 in 7 Days!
⚡ THE CHALLENGEI forced my household to try twenty one penny pinching moves in one week. No edits. No mercy. WHAT HAPPENED• Hack 3 sparked a shower time race • Hack 7 killed takeaway cravings • Hack 14 slashed our energy bill in thirty seconds • Hack 21 broke my Netflix habit and the kids survived FULL LIST1 Kill phantom power at bedtime 2 Daily smart meter checks … all the way to 21 Rotate stream
We Asked the Health Secretary: What’s REALLY in the 10-Year Plan for Working-Class Families?
What does the government’s new health plan actually mean for your community?In this exclusive, no-holds-barred Q&A, Marvyn Harrison sits down with Wes Streeting, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, to ask the questions that matter most to working-class and Black British families.We dive into:The postcode lottery in careWhy Black men aren’t trusting the NHSWhere the money’s really go
One Year In: Bridget Phillipson on Teachers, SEND and the Future of Education
What’s it really like being Education Secretary? In this powerful conversation, Bridget Phillipson marks her first year in post by speaking openly with Marvyn Harrison and young voices from Dope Black Dads. She reflects on the teacher who changed her life, discusses her priorities for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and sets out her vision for mental health in ever
The Code of Clipse: Integrity, Manhood & Hip-Hop
Is there still honour in hip-hop? Can rap teach us how to be better men?In this episode, we take a deep dive into the extraordinary journey of Clipse—brothers Pusha T and No Malice—uncovering what their story reveals about masculinity, loyalty, and principled living. From “Grindin’” lunch tables to Louis Vuitton runways, we walk through their full timeline, pulling out the life lessons embedded in
How Can I Love You Better?
In this episode, Marvyn Harrison asks a question that shifts the way we show up in our relationships: How can I love you better?This is a practical, vulnerable reflection on how love evolves over time, and why checking in with our partners, children, and friends matters more than ever.From the changing landscape of fatherhood to the emotional intelligence needed for deep connection, this is a must
What If Friends Was Black in 2025? A Cultural Reboot We Deserve
Imagine Friends… but Black.Not just a race-swap, but a complete cultural remix.In this episode, we explore what a modern-day, all-Black reboot of the iconic 90s sitcom could look like, set in Hackney, rooted in today’s Black culture, with characters that reflect our reality.We break down:The reimagined character archetypesThe new hangout spot (spoiler: it’s not Central Perk)The themes that would a
I Tested 20 Sports-Day Hacks on My Kids—#7 Saved Us £50!
⏱️ THE CHALLENGEI put 20 parent-approved hacks to the ultimate test on live Sports Day—no retakes, no mercy. WHAT HAPPENED• Tip #3 nearly caused a water-fight 🤣 • Tip #7 saved £50 in 10 seconds • Tip #14 kept my son’s muscles warm like a pro sprinter FULL HACK LIST1. Balanced breakfast (slow-release carbs) 2. Pre-hydration strategy 3. Super-labelled bottle trick … all the way to 20. Capture memori
Finding Peace With My Father: A Step-by-Step Guide for Healing the Father Wound
What if the key to your peace isn't reconciliation, but release?In this solo episode, Marvyn Harrison offers a detailed, compassionate guide for anyone navigating unresolved feelings toward an absent, distant, or emotionally unavailable father. You'll learn:Why closure matters (even without reconciliation)How to know if you're ready for contactA safety-first outreach planWord-for-word scripts for
Thank You for Staying – A Letter from Your Future Child
Synopsis In this intimate twenty-minute letter, written from the perspective of your grown child twenty years in the future, Marvyn Harrison pays tribute to fathers who stayed. The episode celebrates everyday courage, explores the quiet heroism of presence, and shows how one man’s consistency can echo through generations.Key Chapters1. Staying Is an Act of Courage (0 – 3 min)2. Presence Builds Ide
Johnny Nelson MBE: "My Dad Ignored The Symptoms"
In this deeply moving episode of DopeBlackDads, we sit down with former world champion boxer Johnny Nelson and NHS GP Dr. Aziza Sesay to talk about something bigger than sport or titles — life, loss, and the power of early cancer detection.Johnny shares the emotional story of how his father missed the signs of cancer, and how that experience shaped his own approach to health. Dr. Aziza offers vita
Stop! Think Fraud: Protect Yourself from Scams
In this episode, financial expert Emmanuel Asuquo joins us for a vital conversation on fraud prevention. With fraud affecting millions every year, Emmanuel breaks down the most common scams targeting the community, including online shopping fraud, holiday booking scams, and family fraud. He shares practical tips on how to spot suspicious activity and explains the importance of two-step verificatio
Father's Day Special: Things I've Learned About Fatherhood
In this special episode we talk to fathers David Gyasi and Nii Odarte Evans about the various stages of fatherhood - from the moment they found out to their experiences today. Join the conversation and tell us what you think. Welcome to The Marvyn Harrison Podcast — a story-driven conversation exploring identity, fatherhood, masculinity, relationships, culture, politics, sport, and modern lif
I Want My Real Daddy To Walk Me Down Aisle
Welcome to this week's episode of Dear Dope Black Dads! In this engaging discussion, Marvyn and Romantha delve into thought-provoking topics circulating on social media. From the impact of childhood trauma on adult experiences of PTSD to the profound experience of loneliness, no stone is left unturned.Have you ever found yourself reliving moments from your upbringing as an adult? Join us as we exp
London Has a Measles Problem!
Discover the pressing issue affecting 1 in 4 children: the alarming lack of measles protection. In this important discussion with experts shedding light on London's measles crisis, especially within the Black community. We ask the experts some vital questions to guide you in making informed choices for your family's health. Join the conversation and empower yourself with knowledge to safeguard you
I'm letting myself go and my relationship is suffering
Tune in to this insightful podcast segment where we delve into the challenges of self-confidence post-mental health setbacks, affecting relationships profoundly. Our discussion explores vital themes surrounding men's health, beauty, fitness, and self-care routines, shedding light on societal acceptance and prioritisation of men's well-being. Join us for an engaging conversation as we navigate thro
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