The Trawl

Trump tries to slap his name on the Kennedy Center and the internet responds with satire, cancelled shows and an all-time zinger of a legal reply: “Confusion is a legal requirement, not a feeling.”Beautiful work 🫡

Then the mood shifts, hard. Marina and Jemma confront the unbearable disconnect of cosy Christmases in the West while Gaza freezes and floods. From Netanyahu’s Mar-a-Lago sleepover with Trump to the stripping of aid agencies from Gaza, Marina and Jemma ask the same question again and again: where are the consequences?

Also in this ep: Nicki Minaj torch...

The Christmas break is barely a memory, Venezuela is threatening to become “the Greenland situation”, and Trump has kicked off January by delivering one of the most jaw-droppingly stupid geopolitical statements we’ve ever heard.

Before Jemma and Marina get swept up in the next global meltdown, this episode rakes back over everything you might’ve missed while eating leftovers and avoiding your relatives. From Trump’s extraordinary reframing of Russia’s war on Ukraine, to the optics, silences and outright gaslighting surrounding Zelensky, Putin and the world’s most fragile truth.

They also wade into...

Marina and Jemma return from Christmas only to find that Trump has kicked off 2026 by bombing Venezuela and kidnapping its president - and the so‑called “rules‑based international order” immediately folded like a cheap camping chair, with Western leaders bravely choosing silence, caution, and the safety of not upsetting the big orange man.

In this episode, they wade through the geopolitical sludge: a president paraded through New York like a colonial trophy, Musk suddenly discovering he loves regime change, and Marco Rubio realising mid‑press conference that he’s apparently been put in charge of running a co...

Clips of writer, podcaster and Instagram legend, Cody Dahler, have featured so many times on The Trawl, regular listeners will be completely familiar with his dulcet tones. What they may not know however is that Cody used to be a civil servant, working alongside and putting up with the Tory government and a comedy writer on shows such as Dead Ringers. Marina and Jemma find out how he's grown his huge Insta following, what he thinks about Starmer and get his thoughts on Rory Stewart's 'class anger' comments which were aimed at Zack Polanski. Plus who is Cody naming...

No clips. No editing. No guests.

In this unedited end-of-year special, Marina Purkiss and Jemma Forte sit down and reflect on everything The Trawl has covered over 2025. They remember the stories that shocked them, the moments that made them laugh, and the news cycles that left them genuinely lost for words. They also indulge in a bit of nostalgia, recalling how they met and how the podcast began. Then Marina is very rude about a pair of Jemma's trousers which changes the tone somewhat. 

From political chaos and media pile-ons to internet absurdity, c...

It’s Boxing Day on The Trawl, which means Marina and Jemma are fuelled by cheese, chaos and the most baffling headlines Britain has to offer. Join them as they sift through the festive madness: reality‑TV absurdity, BBC lawsuits, and the government’s latest attempt to turn violence against women into a culture‑war chew toy. They dig into Jess Phillips’ new proposals, the backlash from the usual suspects, and the data that certain politicians would rather ignore. Also featuring: Cilla Black fever dreams, Tom Skinner’s Strictly meltdown, and a surprising amount of cheese.

A pe...

It’s Christmas Eve at The Trawl HQ and the cheese is flowing, the Scrooged button is armed, and Marina and Jemma are doing their level best not to spiral.

Instead, they unwrap some unexpected festive joy as a trio of bell-ends Tommy Robinson, Jake Paul and Andrew Tate, discover the true meaning of consequences via the noble art of boxing. (Spoiler: pink gloves, broken jaws, and internet-wide schadenfreude feature heavily.)

Stateside, karma keeps busy. From the Vanity Fair brouhaha to Trump’s name mysteriously appearing on and disappearing from places it absolutely should...

Regular Trawl listeners will know that every Trawl episode ends with a clip ‘pudding’ a treat at the end of every show. Marina and Jemma select clips they find funny, poignant, stirring or entertaining for one reason or another and in this very festive edition of Trawl Meets the Trawl ladies welcome some of your very favourite puddings - Anthony Richardson from The Exploding Heads, Larry and Paul from Broken News fame PLUS one of their favourite Christmas crackers whose posts also regularly feature - the one, the only, Danny F’ing Price - the Instagram activist and all round l...

Love, Hypocrisy and a Rob Reiner Tribute 

It’s the Friday episode and Marina Purkiss and Jemma Forte are running on festive fumes so prepare for rage, tears, laughs and a post Rob Reiner tribute snotty nose. It's a rollercoaster of an episode.

The Trawl ladies start with the small lies we tell children (Father Christmas logistics remain shaky) before moving swiftly to Trump’s grotesque response to tragedy which has sparked a proper reckoning and proves that the the late, great Rob Reiner was right about him all along.

Jemma...

Marina and Jemma are back with a Christmas-adjacent scroll through the internet so you don’t have to.

With the festive season fast approaching, they bring you thrift tips courtesy of Donald Trump (yes, really), as he explains why American children might have to settle for 'two dolls instead of thirty' all in the name of tariffs. Marie Antoinette, but make it MAGA.

The Trawl ladies also take on the claim that Britain is somehow worse off than the United States, unpacking why that narrative doesn’t stand up from gun laws to health...

This Trawl kicks off with a little bit of Cilla Black, just like the old days. Then Jemma and Marina take a festive detour to check in on how Rossid Woods is coping with the season (spoiler: not brilliantly), and enjoy a very relatable warning about over-committing to plans.

Then… unable to put it off any longer, they dive into the political storm of the week.

Reform UK has received a record-breaking £9 million donation, the biggest political donation in British history. Marina and Jemma wade through what’s been reported and the questions now be...

Jemma and Marina wade into a feed overflowing with colds, chaos and Christmas-level delusion and glide into today’s central theme: the most powerful man in the world being treated like an overgrown baby.

From FIFA inventing a brand-new prize seemingly just to flatter the White House resident, to clips of Trump lashing out at journalists, the infantilisation of global politics is truly in full swing. There's a painfully long World Cup draw, a sharp breakdown from commentator Adam Mockler, Liz Truss launching a new show (yes, really, and the one star reviews are in), and Fl...

Trawlers - what a week! In this truly wild instalment which is the first of THREE episodes this week. Marina and Jemma dive into the geopolitical chaos unfolding as Elon Musk throws a tantrum over an EU fine, Donald Trump unveils a National Security Strategy that is strangely pleasing to Moscow, and Europe realises the US have become the enemy.

We also check in on Melania Trump’s festive storytelling skills, Trump’s habit of nodding off, and there's an excruciating Elon-on-a-podcast moment that doesn't demonstrate why people call him a genius.

Plus: Trev...

Christmas is coming, and so is the unhinged consumerism. Jemma and Marina kick off with Quality Street meltdowns, £9 hot chocolates and the most pointless gifts known to humankind, before swan-diving into the real seasonal horror: politics.

Meanwhile, across the pond, Trump’s week has been a carnival of chaos. From Oval Office rants and sexist jabs at reporters, to killing-without-trial allegations involving his newly promoted “War Secretary” Pete Hegseth, and a wildly hypocritical pardon, your jaws will be left on the floor. Then it’s Venezuela, airspace brinkmanship, and a potential war brewing while MAGA pretends everything’...

It’s been a week of karaoke meltdowns, pleather-skirt floor-crawling and a rusty saw nightmare… and yet Marina and Jemma are more determined than ever to get behind the mic to discuss the latest batshittery from the world of news and politics.

They dive into the spectacular chaos of Your Party, and ponder the finally-we’re-saying-it-out-loud national acceptance that Brexit is absolute dogshit, before analysing an absurd week of headlines that prove the tabloids are still going for Rachel Reeves with pretty vicious vengeance.

There’s also some tree-surgeon flag-shaggery, Reform UK chaos and the deli...

Marina and Jemma meet actress, Loose Woman and all round legend Nadia Sawalha.

The Trawl ladies couldn’t wait to chat to Nadia and to find out what it’s been like using her huge Instagram platform to speak out about Gaza and to advocate for the Palestinians.

They talk about juggling life as a Loose Woman whilst having a political voice, the consequences of speaking out and what her guilty pleasures are.

There’s relationship chat and Jemma finds out for sure, something she’s suspected for a while. 

A wa...

In this Trawl, Jemma and Marina dive into the political earthquake shaking Reform UK after former Welsh leader Nathan Gill was jailed for taking bribes linked to pro-Russian interests. With the party insisting there’s no need for an internal investigation, social media has been left... unconvinced.

We pick through the online reaction, the disbelief, and the dark humour as Westminster scrambles to respond. From Farage’s denials over his own past controversies to questions about transparency inside Reform, the timeline is an absolute mess and the internet has thoughts.

Plus: the memes, the m...

Brace yourselves, trawlers... Marina and Jemma are back and flailing through another chaotic week online. In this episode they dive into everything: Musk’s unhinged Grok responses, the bot-farm MAGA fiasco, and a Musk appearance on the Joe Rogan podcast that is so painfully sad it should come with a health warning.

Then it’s onto the budget: the leak, the playground antics from Kemi Badenoch’s and the most compelling and layman's terms summary of the whole thing you'll ever hear. 

There’s ranting, there’s cackling, and there’s an incredibly moving moment f...

It’s beginning to look a lot like chaos, Trawlers! In this 'starting to feel' festive-but-feral episode, Jemma and Marina wade through glitter explosions, Christmas tree catastrophes and a BBC News bauble-gate blooper before heading straight into the most unexpected love story of the season: Donald Trump going full heart-eyes for New York’s new Mayor-elect, Zohran Mamdani.

What was meant to be an explosive Oval Office showdown somehow turned into a political rom-com, complete with cheesy poses and Trump posting Mamdani like a teenage crush. We unpack the memes, the madness and the moment Trump’s ego go...

Jemma and Marina are back, sifting through another load of digital debris so you don’t have to. Luckily, the weekend is in sight… though Christmas is also looming, the cosi-livs crisis continues to chew through bank accounts, and the UK's politicians? Well, they’re arguing amongst themselves as usual.

The Trawl ladies check in on the incoming budget, beautifully skewered by Cody Dahler, before plunging into the asylum “crackdown” that many Labour backbenchers are struggling to defend. Jemma and Marina explore the prospect of refugees building 15 years of life in the UK… only to be told “tara m...

This is Part 2 of an Epstein emails Trawl deep dive. Once again, Marina and Jemma dive into the online storm surrounding newly unsealed Epstein-related documents and the political reactions that have set social media ablaze. From Megyn Kelly’s widely-shared comments to the way his most cultish followers are handling it, the Trawl ladies explore how the discourse spiralled, who said what, and why the internet collectively has lost its mind.

Jemma and Marina also look at the New York Times’ much-mocked headline, examine how different factions are spinning the story, and discuss what...

This Trawl comes in TWO PARTS because there was simply too much to cram into just one episode.

This episode has Jemma and Marina diving face-first into the internet’s latest swamp: the Elon–Trump–Epstein–AI hell-spiral nobody asked for but everybody is talking about.

From Grok’s “alternative facts” rewriting reality in real time, to the newly released Epstein emails, which are lighting up X like a Christmas tree in hell, they break down the stories the press are tiptoeing around. The ones Fox News would rather swallow its own tongue than cover.

In this episode of The Trawl, Jemma and Marina dive head-first into a planet-sized pile of billionaire bullshit — starting with the news that Elon Musk is on track to become the world’s first trillionaire. Yes, trillionaire. As in: “bigger than the GDP of Saudi Arabia” trillionaire.

They roll out a brand-new listener-made jingle for the “Trickle Down Update of the Week” and ask: What on earth is Tesla doing? internet?

And as the Epstein situation develops, Trump is playing chicken with the food-stamp programme that keeps 42 million Americans fed. Payments frozen, families panicking, the Sup...

From baked potatoes to pension raids, it’s another rollercoaster week in the weird and woeful world of UK politics.

Jemma and Marina pay tribute to the glorious Pauline Collins, salute a life well lived, and then plunge straight into the nation’s latest highs and lows, including the latest (Not Prince) Andrew news. It involves a late night snack and what amounts to culinary catastrophe frankly. Somehow this segues into chat about Kim K’s thongs with a difference, and Rachel Reeves apparently testing just how unpopular she can make saving for retirement.

Throw in a...

This week on The Trawl, Jemma Forte and Marina Purkiss are knee-deep in the latest wave of outrage from poppy politics to a BBC in apparent crisis.

As Remembrance Sunday came and went, the usual suspects found new ways to weaponise the poppy, turning a moment of reflection into yet another battle in the culture war. Jemma and Marina unpick the hypocrisy, the viral clips, and the veteran being used for clicks.

Then, it’s onto the Beeb: two top resignations, a leaked memo, and a right-wing press party that smells blood. Is thi...

It’s a week of whiplash on The Trawl. Marina and Jemma begin with words - literally - as they find the perfect Susie Dent–style term to capture the emotional chaos of the moment. From there, it’s a hard swerve into horrors too big to scroll past: Netanyahu’s meltdown over leaked footage from a detention centre, the ongoing genocide in Sudan, and why it's practically impossible to absorb it all.

But even in the darkness, the absurdities keep coming. Trump throws a “Great Gatsby” party (because of course he does), JD Vance gets intimate AF on stage wi...

Marina and Jemma are riding a rare and glorious wave of optimism because on November 5th, New York City elected Zohran Mamdani as mayor. A progressive, principled, hope-restoring human who didn’t just beat the billionaire class - he trounced them. The internet rejoiced, Fox News melted down, and various billionaires were left clutching their pearls.

Marina and Jemma revel in the joy of seeing an actual adult take charge, explore the ripple effects of Mamdani’s win from Mississippi to Manhattan, and ask the big question: could Britain ever have its own Mamdani moment? Over to you...

This week on The Trawl, Marina and Jemma wade through a week so grim it makes the John Lewis Christmas ad look like a cry for help.

From Rachel Reeves’ gloomy pre-budget spin to Nigel Farage’s bright idea that young people should earn less (apparently poverty builds character), the Trawl ladies cover it all. There’s a reality check on the cost of living, a brutal look at the online reaction to the LNER train stabbings, and a dose of festive existentialism courtesy of Waitrose and a raver dad.

It’s politics, propaganda...

Nigel’s on strike because he's not getting enough questions at PMQ'S (widdums), Reform’s spending a lot of money on flags, and Trump’s throwing tariffs about whenever he has a tantrum. This week The Trawl is overflowing with fragile egos, bad maths and moral bankruptcy.

Marina and Jemma pick apart Nigel Farage’s latest pity party, Trump’s gold-plated meltdown over a Canadian ad, and the jaw-dropping Gaza “masterplan” that sounds more like a property pitch than diplomacy.

There are of course moments of actual joy: Finland’s women-led happiness and some cracking Un...

It’s a proper shit sandwich this week, Trawlers — a little light snack, a heavy main course and a very hopeful bite to finish. Followed, of course, as ever by a delicious pudding.

This episode starts with bad news for snack lovers - Penguin bars are no longer technically chocolate (cheers, climate change). Then, Jemma and Marina bite into the grim meat of it all: the racism notch in British politics. From Reform MP Sarah Pochin’s rant about “too many foreigners in adverts” to Katie Lam’s calls for “cultural coherence,” it’s open season for dog whi...

This week on The Trawl, Jemma and Marina wade through a global cesspit of power, propaganda and, quite literally, poo.

From Donald Trump’s unhinged AI fantasy, featuring himself as a crowned Top Gun pilot dropping actual sewage on protesters, to the real-life horror of leaked GOP group chats filled with racist bile, America is plumbing new depths. Meanwhile, back in Blighty, Tesco’s being called out, M&S thinks it’s Harrods, and the Palace is in a PR panic as Prince Andrew’s name re-enters the headlines ahead of Virginia Giuffre’s posthumous memoir.

Thank...

This Week on The Trawl it's winners and losers time... and Reform appear to be losing in a rather spectacular fashion. Marina and Jemma break down the implosion: Russian ties, disappearing councillors, and a Kent council Zoom meltdown that makes Jackie Weaver look like a stateswoman. Oh, and Nigel Farage’s partner? She’s now reportedly embroiled in a criminal probe over alleged EU fund fraud. Suddenly it's all looking a bit spicy...

Meanwhile, the Greens are quietly stacking up wins, the Lib Dems are snatching by-elections, and Reform’s “party of business” can’t even file VAT pro...

Jemma and Marina begin by playing tribute to the incomparable Diane Keaton, Hollywood icon and absolute legend, who sadly died on October 11th at the age of 79.

Then, the Trawl ladies dive headfirst into the political mayhem: there are some Zack Polanski clips to stir you up and news on how the Greens are seeing a surge in popularity and indeed the polls, which can only be attributed to his refreshing approach. His style of comms is best demonstrated during a moment of “Penis Chat” chaos courtesy of Piers Morgan (of course).

Marina and Jemma...

Trump really wanted a Nobel Peace Prize. Trump didn’t get a Nobel Peace Prize. And we’re starting this week’s Trawl with that delicious fact.

From his ego-fuelled reaction to the prize going elsewhere, to his grotesque grandstanding in Israel and Egypt, it's all in this episode. Trump is centre stage of course, having engineered a ceasefire and subsequent deal which is now to be thrashed out by various leaders, just not the Palestinian authorities.

Marina and Jemma discuss it all, the ceasefire, Netanyahu, Starmer’s attempts at diplomacy cosplay, Trump forcing worl...

Marina and Jemma were delighted to welcome the new leader of the Green Party onto the pod.

Will he consider a rebrand? Would he form a strategic alliance if it helped prevent a Reform government and how much ‘banquet balderdash’ would he tolerate from Trump if he was PM? Find out this and so much more in this latest instalment of The Trawl Meets. Enjoy!

Thank you for sharing and do tweet us @MarinaPurkiss @jemmaforte @TheTrawlPodcast

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At time of record, the world is waiting to see if a peace deal in the Middle East has been achieved. Jemma and Marina hope with every bit of them it happens but also discuss what it might, or might not mean, in reality. Then they pay tribute to some remarkable women - Jilly Cooper, and Dr. Jane Goodall - trailblazers in their own right who entertained, inspired, and made the world better. They also touch on a very Trawly online spat featuring none other than Livia Firth, serving up some chef’s kiss sass to Esther McVey.

Then...

This week, Marina’s on holiday and Jemma’s steering the ship so expect one or two Trawl anomalies to have slipped through the net and, honestly, what a week to be at the helm.

The Trawl ladies cover the horrific attack on the Jewish community in Manchester, Starmer's reaction, the subsequent mosque attack, and what happened to the flotillas carrying desperately needed aid that never made it through. Greta Thunberg proves, once again, she’s got more moral clarity than most world leaders, while Trump and Tommy Robinson… do not.

Meanwhile, Labour manage t...

This week, Jemma and Marina are asking: what if politicians actually faced consequences? Not a cosy resignation, not a fat book deal, not a pity gig on GB News - but actual jail time. A girl can dream...

Sounds like science fiction if you live in Britain, but elsewhere in the world it’s apparently… a thing.

In Brazil, Bolsonaro just bagged 27 years in prison for trying to cling to power - proof that karma occasionally gets out of bed. In France, Sarkozy is staring down five years for a Gaddafi-linked corruption scandal (yes...

Jemma and Marina are back, rummaging through the week’s digital wreckage and pulling out the bits that made us laugh, rage, and despair in equal measure.

We start, bizarrely, with golf. Yes, golf. The Ryder Cup turned into a geopolitical soap opera, with Rory McIlroy flying the flag, throwing shade, and still finding time to get soppy about his wife. 

Then it’s on to the Labour Party conference, a rollercoaster of highs and lows and touch upon Starmer's interview with Laura Kuenssberg which was promptly chewed up and spat out by all th...

In this episode of The Trawl, Jemma and Marina wade through a feed overflowing with madness - from world-shifting diplomacy to unhinged Trump theatrics.

Three nations, the UK, Canada, and Australia, finally recognized Palestinian statehood, prompting Netanyahu to double down on annexation and fury. Meanwhile, the US stands alone at the UN, vetoing yet another ceasefire resolution, a move Amnesty chillingly called a “greenlight for annihilation.”

Over in Trump’s America, the circus rolled on: Charlie Kirk’s bizarre stadium funeral (complete with merch stalls and voter booths), Trump accidentally DM’ing his attorney g...

Trump’s in town and it’s every bit as grotesque as you’d imagine. From lavish royal dinners and tech-bro fawning, to unhinged speeches, salutes from GB News presenters, and Sadiq Khan becoming the scapegoat for everything wrong with Britain. Marina and Jemma pick apart the circus and wonder what Charles and Camilla must have made of it all. 

But the chaos doesn’t stop there: while Starmer is trying to contain the Trumps, Corbyn and Sultana's “Your Party” collapses before it even gets going. So, No one's party then? Meanwhile, Reform are busy demanding...

This week on The Trawl, Jemma and Marina take aim at Keir Starmer’s increasingly head-scratching judgment. From brushing off genocide rulings to parachuting in Peter Mandelson (the man that keeps reappearing like old mildew), with his Epstein-adjacent connections. Meanwhile Donald Trump lands in the UK (awkward timing, given his own Epstein ties) to some not so kind welcomes, and the Royal Courts of Justice decide to jet-wash a Banksy mural off their walls. Throw in some deliciously naughty underrated tweets of the week, and you’ve got another episode that says the things other podcasts tiptoe around.

Gary Lineker boots Ant and Dec off their 23-year throne to win Presenter of the Year at the NTAs – and in doing so, delivers a perfectly tailored two fingers to the BBC. We bask in his glory before plunging into darker waters: the shocking murder of Charlie Kirk in Utah, the grotesque opportunism that followed, and the rank hypocrisy of those who once worshipped at the altar of “free speech.”

Then to London, where Tommy Robinson and Elon Musk headline the biggest far-right rally in years – complete with MAGA hats, flag-burning and chants of “send them home.” We pi...

Recorded late at night with a few glasses of wine and zero chill, Marina and Jemma are in rare form this week - extra sharp, extra silly, and absolutely savage. They dive into Nigel Farage’s toe-curling testimony in the States, where Congressman Jamie Raskin delivers the kind of truth bombs that make Marina rub her knees and Jemma nearly cry with joy.

From Farage’s North Korea comparisons to Trump’s crockery-hurling tantrums, it’s a whirlwind of hypocrisy, absurdity, and late-night cackling. Expect pick-me politics, tech bro sycophancy, and a poetic ode to blankets vs. flag...

This week on The Trawl, Jemma and Marina steer through a week where compassion and chaos collided.

From the flotilla of medics, activists and even Greta Thunberg, risking everything to get aid into Gaza, to dockworkers in Genoa refusing to load arms shipments, there are still flashes of humanity in the darkest of times. Hugh Bonneville’s rallying cry, businesses putting morals above profit, and ordinary people prepared to be arrested for protesting against genocide — proof that not everyone in the world is a hideous f@%kwit.

But alas, back home… Labour descends into tu...

It’s another wild week online including yet another internet meltdown involving a CEO. This episode begins with a new 'caught on camera' scandal at the US Open, where a paving CEO grabbed a signed cap meant for a child, sparking memes, fury, and tanked reviews for his company. 

Then the Trawl ladies head over to the White House Rose Garden, where Donald Trump raged about a scratch in his limestone path with more passion than he could muster for a tragic school shooting in Minneapolis. Marina and Jemma unpack the hypocrisy, America’s gun crisis, and t...

Summer’s over, the kids are back at school — and frankly, some adults in Britain could do with joining them. In this Trawl, Marina Purkiss and Jemma Forte sift through the week’s chaos on social media, from Reform UK’s genius plan to cut deals with the Taliban, to Rylan’s unexpected audition for GB News, to a bread shortage that isn’t quite a crisis.

Expect satire, sharp commentary, and clips that will make you laugh, groan, and possibly scream into the nearest pillow. Along the way, we meet Malcolm — who gifts us with the ultimate Schrödi...

This week on The Trawl, Marina and Jemma don the hazmat suits and dive headfirst into the week’s social media sewage. From GB News’ prehistoric banter courtesy of Eamonn Holmes, to Trump’s cabinet clownery, we dissect the spectacle, the sycophants, and fetch the much needed sick bags.

Trump’s latest descent into incoherence gets the full treatment - complete with golden desk trophies, FIFA fanboys, and Apple’s billion-dollar back-scratching.

Then back home, we talk Lucy Connolly: ex-childminder, arson inciter, and self-declared “political prisoner.” The Tories are calling it two-tier justice. We’re calling it what...

This week on The Trawl, Marina and Jemma wade through the chaos of anti-immigration protests, Reform Party deportation delusions, and the media’s moral gymnastics over Gaza. From Union Jack vandalism to Farage’s fantasy pledges, they dissect the spectacle, but it’s not all memes and madness - there’s a gut-wrenching update from Gaza, where journalists are being killed, aid-workers are being 'double-tapped' live on TV and Israel's and famine rips through the region. One glimmer of hope: how one clever interviewer might just be the key to helping Reform voters see the light. All that, and a pudding...

Jemma and Marina sit down with comedian, author and political outlier Geoff Norcott.

Geoff brings his sharp wit and no-nonsense takes to the table. From the state of the modern Conservative Party, to culture wars, comedy in a divided Britain and why he’s never quite fitted into one political box – this is a lively, funny and sometimes surprising conversation. The conversation also meanders into British people’s pre occupation with class and Geoff describes what life is like as a Conservative comedian.

If you’ve ever wondered what happens when The Trawl meets someone who does...

The Trawl ladies are back after a week off, and what a week it was to miss. From over 500 arrests in London (including pensioners with placards) to Trump rolling out the red carpet for Putin in Alaska, this episode has it all: kompromat vibes, cancelled luncheons, and Trump’s aides looking like they’ve seen a ghost. 

Jemma and Marina also dive into Trump’s bizarre rambles and discuss why Zelensky's face isn't made for poker. There's some time spent discussing Gavin Newsom’s 'sassy' way of trolling Trump by using Trump's own tactics. Plus: Alistair Green unveils a...

Usually reserved for our beloved Patreon Lords and Ladies, this week The Trawl Goss is breaking out and landing in your feed - for free! With Jemma and Marina taking a well-earned break (their first in three years of The Trawl), they’re giving everyone a taste of the juicy, unfiltered goodness their superfans enjoy regularly.

In this raw and unedited episode, expect:

Jemma and Marina sit down with long-time colleague and friend, Jeremy Vine. They chat about how he got his start in politics, the inner workings of his TV show and what it’s like broadcasting on Election night. There’s a few juicy behind the scenes stories, and lots of laughs along the way.

Thank you for sharing and do tweet us @MarinaPurkiss @jemmaforte @TheTrawlPodcast

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In this episode, Marina and Jemma dive headfirst into the week’s online chaos, starting with a very British debate about kids and iPads at the dinner table. Kirstie Allsopp has thoughts, and so do they. From there, it’s a whirlwind tour through cultural clashes, viral romances, and the latest Trumpian monstrosity: a golden ballroom and a concrete patio. 

They unpack the U.S. employment nosedive and subsequent firing, Trump’s bizarre tariff spree (69 countries, really?), and the tourism crisis hitting even Las Vegas. Epstein’s legacy rears its ugly head again, with updates on Ghislaine Maxwell’s...

This week on The Trawl, logic takes a holiday and truth is just a vibe.

Marina Purkiss and Jemma Forte wade into yet another week where the internet resembles less a town square and more a hall of mirrors. There’s a man convinced liberals hate breakfast, a woman who’s rewriting reality on live radio, and a politician who’s untethered from the facts yet remains unchallenged. 

The ladies begin by talking a look at Thomas Skinner and his mash-based brand of banter, a social media showdown that’s pure gravy. Then, Iain Dale’s Cross Ques...

This week on The Trawl, Jemma is holding the fort while Marina dials in from across the pond — on an Aperol-fuelled mission to confront Ron DeSantis (allegedly).

Meanwhile, Trump’s been busy spreading his own unique brand of diplomacy terrorising Scotland, schmoozing Ursula von der Leyen with his usual brand of gibberish, and trying to memory-hole Epstein. He also undermines Starmer, slags off Sadiq Khan and gets annoyed with starving Gazans for not saying 'thank you.' 

There's some incredible South Park chaos, a Jerome Powell punch-up, and Keir Starmer’s latest attempt at relatabl...

This week, Marina and Jemma dive into a whirlwind of chaos and clarity—from the Lionesses’ triumphant Euros win (yes, again) to the surreal scenes in Epping, where far-right protests collided with police apathy and a mob of counter-protesters. 

The Lionesses win was surely a source of joy for all England fans, surely? Er, sadly not, and one man in particular went to the trouble of calling up on LBC to express his disgust.

Still, at least the police appear to be growing tired of arresting pensioners in kagoules at the ongoing Palestine protests and then...

Clive Lewis is the Labour MP for Norwich South and takes a bold stance in areas like water privatisation, the NHS, welfare, wealth taxes and Palestine. They discuss how he feels about the direction the Labour party has taken, and what it was like to make an anti-monarchy statement when he was sworn in as an MP.

Thank you for sharing and do tweet us @MarinaPurkiss @jemmaforte @TheTrawlPodcast

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This week, Marina and Jemma unpack the most expensive hissy fit in presidential history: Donald Trump is suing Rupert Murdoch and the Wall Street Journal for a casual $10 billion, meanwhile it appears JD Vance is on manoeuvres.... 

Meanwhile, Stephen Colbert, the most-watched late-night host in America is seemingly being cancelled not long after calling out a $16 million Trump settlement. Quite the coincidence! Reform UK continues its misinformation tour, with Sarah Pochin spouting nonsense on national TV and getting politely dismantled mid-broadcast. And in a by-election where Reform came fourth, the media coverage was so minimal it may as...

Marina Purkiss and Jemma Forte have done the doom scrolling so you don’t have to, bringing you the viral chaos, the political drama, and the bits the mainstream misses.

First up, the scandal that broke the internet—yes, that Coldplay affair. It had everything: shock, schadenfreude, and memes so relentless they almost made you forget how painful it must have been for those involved. The ladies have rounded up the funniest, sharpest, and most unhinged takes from across social media.

Then they dive into Labour’s latest rollercoaster, including the good things you're not hearing...

This week on The Trawl, Marina and Jemma dive into the truly gobsmacking and head-scratching events of the week - so you don’t have to. We start with Trump elbowing his way into Chelsea’s Club World Cup glory, and then it’s onto the swirling chaos of the Epstein files, with GOP evasions, metadata shenanigans, and conspiracy theories so spicy they could be served with fries.

Marina breaks her “no implausible movies” rule for the new Superman flick that’s got geopolitical undertones and triggered right-wing meltdowns, while Trump distracts with poetic vendettas against Rosie O’Donnell an...

Jemma and Marina are determined to ensure that The Trawl contains as many 'glimmers' as possible so begin the episode with some positive news about butterflies. Also featured is a heart warming story about raving school kids and the Trawl ladies share what each of them have been doing to mitigate how bleak the news is currently. 

They do go on to discuss why Rory and Alastair acknowledging that a genocide is occurring on their podcast, feels like a 'moment.' There then follows a heartfelt discussion about how they may or may not vote come the n...

Hold onto your hats Trawlers. Not the cheeriest episode ever recorded but the Trawl ladies do try to provide lightness where possible so begin by reflecting on some of the good things Labour have achieved in their first year, including more free school meals, nationalising steel and rail and recruiting 6, 700 more mental health workers. And yet, does any of it make up for their complicity in the ongoing genocide? The Trawl ladies certainly think not. 

Marina and Jemma discuss Rachel Reeve's crying in Parliament and the subsequent market fallout and enjoy Jonathan Pie's take as a clip. 

What's the world coming to Trawlers? Yes, the news cycle is astoundingly awful but, as ever, Jemma and Marina nominate themselves to wade through what's happening so they can chat all through with you. They begin by paying tribute to Liverpool player Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva who sadly died in a car crash. For some reason, Trump is very anti finding the Epstein files which, after months and months of painstaking investigation have seemingly disappeared along with the much mooted client list. Hmm, it begs the question, if there weren't any clients, what's Ghislaine Maxwell in j...

This week, Jemma and Marina tackle Venice’s most OTT nuptials as Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez say “I do” amidst a spectacle that felt like a Succession spin-off. From helicopters to haute couture and a Vogue cover cameo, the ladies break down the eyebrow-raising moment, including Leo Di Caprio's terrible attempt at camouflage and a Dolce & Gabbana dress that could have Bezos in for a long night. 

But things turn darker, and dumber, with the U.S. Senate’s passage of the “Big Bullsh*t Bill,” a legislative grenade lobbed straight at America’s most vulnerable. Marina...

For days the headlines have been consumed by what Bob Vylan said at Glastonbury. Jemma and Marina discuss. But, before they disseminate all the Glasto fallout and furore, they enjoy some British language discussion. Find out how to end a call you've had enough of and how to be polite while conveying disapproval. Then, find out why Farage has made such an outlandish claim, it's compelled the Albanian Prime Minister to get stuck in. 

There follow some amazing clips in this episode as various people try to draw the focus of the media storm back to the f...

Right then, strap in Trawlers and let's raise a lukewarm pint of Champagne to the anniversary of the Brexit referendum - because nothing says “taking back control” like spiralling food prices and passport queues longer than a Glastonbury toilet line. Then it’s over to Labour HQ, where the party that once marched for peace now wants to slap a terrorist label on Palestine Action. Because apparently, protesting arms deals is just not cricket.

Meanwhile, the welfare bill rebellion gave us a rare glimpse of backbench backbone - blink and you might’ve missed it. And finally, Reform U...

Jemma and Marina were absolutely thrilled to have ex-SNP MP and broadcaster, John Nicolson on the podcast for a really juicy chat about UK politics. They discussed whether or not Scotland would ever become independent, and what it was like to be a presenter on TV during the 9/11 attacks.

Thank you for sharing and do tweet us @MarinaPurkiss @jemmaforte @TheTrawlPodcast

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Another week trying to wade through and make sense of an insane news cycle. The Trawl ladies hadn't had Trump bombing Iran on their bingo card but that's exactly what happened last weekend when Trump single-handedly decided that that was the way to win the Nobel Peace Prize. At time of record, Trump's own intelligence reports state that the strikes weren't wholly successful. He says they're wrong, oh, and Iran and Israel don't know what the 'f' they're doing. Super. 

As ever there are some incredible tweets and clips to share with you and when it all g...

From the brink of WW3 following Israel’s attack on Iran, to the hypocrisy of Western leaders, Jemma and Marina unpack the realities of war, nuclear tensions, and the unchecked power of certain world leaders.

They chat about Netanyahu’s latest warmongering, expose how some leaders operate without accountability (because who needs rules, right?), and call out the West’s Olympic-level hypocrisy when it comes to nuclear policies. Expect sharp analysis, unexpected moments of agreement with Tucker Carlson and Marjorie Taylor Greene (yep, didn’t see that one coming), and some unhinged audience commentary from GB News that’ll...

This week on The Trawl, Jemma Forte and Marina Purkiss sift through the latest chaos so you don’t have to. As the world teeters on geopolitical uncertainty, they dive into the headlines—from Trump’s embarrassingly sparse birthday parade and the powerful No Kings protests sweeping the U.S., to the chilling political violence in Minnesota. Plus, the G7 Summit gives us Trump fumbling paperwork, awkward diplomatic moments, and his latest baffling rants. With humour, sharp analysis, and just the right amount of outrage, this episode is packed with all the news, all the mess, and all the hot tak...

Marina and Jemma begin the episode with a quick round up/ precis of the recently announced spending plans from Rachel Reeves. There's stuff to like but it's not the most scintillating, partly because it's pretty sensible which doesn't create massive headlines, as it shouldn't. Acknowledging that politics should be dull but that 'dull' doesn't make for a very entertaining podcast, the Trawl ladies decide to set their thoughts to music....who knew they could play the synthesiser?

Then, they feel obliged to hark back to when Reform MP Sarah Pochin chose to use her first question at PM...

One of the juiciest Trawls of all time starts in a very dramatic manner. Jemma and Marina want you to dig out the popcorn while they spill the tea on everything that has happened since they last gathered behind their mics. 

What a time to be alive! Last week, Musk broke the internet as his bromance with Trump imploded in real time via increasingly outlandish tweets between the two billionaires, like toddlers duelling, only with tweets instead of swords. Then, in a huge crescendo no one could have predicted, Musk suddenly declared to the world that Trump i...

When Trump told Zelensky he didn't hold any of the cards, what he didn't know was the Zelensky actually had an entire Royal Flush up his sleeve and that he was demonstrating a rather brilliant Poker Face. Last week Ukraine completed its biggest long-range attack which destroyed 40 Russian warplanes, wiping out a large percentage of their military hardware. It was in the planning for at least 18 months so yeah, there were cards. 

In other news, Trump wants to hold an investigation into Biden's cognitive decline and has implemented a travel ban on 12 countries. Only Egypt isn't on t...

It's all happening. That said, potholes might not be getting fixed, loft extensions might not be getting signed off and bins might not be getting collected - those things may or may not be happening, but Doge has been announced.

Yes, this episode goes into what is happening in various Reform led councils. Firstly, having decided that Musk's Doge has gone 'so well' in the States (spoiler alert, it hasn't, it's failed miserably', Farage has announced the same approach over here. Though they should really be using a different acronym. After all, how can you have a De...

This episode begins with Jemma and Marina explaining why they weren't aligned this week for pretty much the first time in Trawl history, though their disagreement was quickly put to rest once they'd consulted listeners and asked what you think. 

There's a quick goodbye to the MOTD version of Gary Lineker and then, it's straight into what's happening in politics here in the UK. However, before they get round to the newly announced Reform manifesto, they feel it's only fair to check in with Tory HQ. Someone's got to after all. 

There's not a hu...

What can we say... Sadly, this pod isn't a laugh a minute, although Jemma does manage to squeeze in a little humour when discussing Marina's social algorithm which has taking scrolling to another level of doom. 

Jemma landed back from a few days away from the news to the harrowing events in Liverpool and the grim state of affairs that saw Merseyside police rush to declare the ethnicity of the suspect, yet seemingly this wasn't enough to placate the usual suspects who seemingly relish any opportunity to weaponize suffering for their own gain. 

Talk turns to...

Marina and Jemma were thrilled to talk to one half of Rizzle Kicks, writer and communicator extraordinaire Jordan Stephens.

They discuss connection, love, heartbreak, what’s happening to men right now and whether or not the patriarchy has entirely ‘benefited’ men.

The Trawl ladies find him positive, compelling to listen to and super smart. They hope you do too.

Enjoy!

Thank you for sharing and do tweet us @MarinaPurkiss @jemmaforte @TheTrawlPodcast

Patreon

https://patreon.com/TheTrawlPodcast

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/@TheTrawl

It's like 2019 all over again... Yes Trawlers, were debating Brexit all over again following Starmer's EU-UK reset, and as night follows day, all the usual suspects are up in arms crying betrayal. The grift never ends. 

Marina and Jemma play a game of Brexit bingo where Jemma accurately predicts the all-too expected reactions to what is seemingly a very sensible approach from Labour - indeed the ladies would argue one that is perhaps too sensible and doesn't go far enough. 

Both Reform and the Tories are doing a great job of disagreeing with almost al...

The UK government have finally condemned Israel for withholding aid, the same week The Guardian has reported that 14,000 babies will die unless food is allowed into the region immediately. 

Jemma and Marina can't help it, they have to ask, what changed? What took so long? They are pleased but aggrieved

In this episode the Trawl ladies share what happened when Marina went onto LBC to confront Nick Ferrari in an exchange which went viral. They discuss the entire Gary Lineker brouhaha that has got the nation talking and share some prose which Jemma particularly fou...

This episode begins with some good news - the goons who cut down the beautiful tree in the Sycamore Gap for no reason whatsoever, have gone to prison. So that's one reason to be cheerful. Meanwhile, the Vatican have elected a new Pope, quicker than it takes to hire someone in most normal offices these days and newsflash, the MAGA lot are not fans. Apparently he's a Marxist lefty loon (ie he seems pretty compassionate). 

Meanwhile, there has been much made of the UK US trade deal. A win for Starmer in some regards? And yet what d...

There is no doubt, immigration is a huge point of contention for much of the electorate, but why did Starmer use language that could be compared to language used by Enoch Powell in the 60's, even if it wasn't exactly the same? Given that Farage has taken the opportunity to condemn him for it, has it backfired completely? And, if we all agree that boat crossings aren't safe and that having huge numbers of people living in hotels isn't sustainable, why conflate those situations with all immigration? These are some of the questions Marina and Jemma ponder as they...

This rollercoaster podcast kicks off with showbiz and Royal stories that Marina makes her feelings clear on, before delving into the meat of the episode: Trump and Palestine. 

It's been a wild week of Trawl-gold clips from Trump, so much so the laddies struggled to shortlist them, starting with Trump's admission that he's clueless regarding the oath he swore (TWICE) to protect the constitution - including the Fifth Ammendment, which is funny, given Trump has pleaded the Fifth over 400 times.

Then come more clips evidencing Trump's loss of grip on reality, but the most s...

This Trawl begins with a theological question inspired by Trump's wildly disrespectful sharing of an AI generated image of himself dressed as....the Pope. Yes, that's the point we've reached folks, the President of the United States is playing fancy dress for all the world to see. Marina's Catholic mother is not impressed! 

After a somewhat un Trawl like discussion about religion, the Trawl ladies move on to the latest in UK politics and the results from the local elections, which include Darren Grimes of GB News fame becoming a councillor (but not really understanding his job d...

At time of record, people in some parts of the UK will be voting in their local elections. Also at time of record Mark Carney is the new Prime Minister of Canada, having beaten previous favourite, conservative candidate Poilievre. 

Had it not been for Trump, the result probably would have looked very different so Marina and Jemma conclude that it's arguably the best thing Trump's done in his first 100 days. 

With regard to Mango Mussolini's time in charge so far, some great clips follow. One is particularly angry and one is revoltingly sycophantic. 

The...

This episode begins with a tribute to Virginia Giuffre who sadly died this week. Marina and Jemma touch on what she suffered at the hands of various abusers and talk about how she took on some of the world's most powerful men. The Trawl ladies consider how much bravery that would have required and let Emily Maitlis have the final word. 

And then to America we go for this week's Trump digest: a digest which could cause indigestion. The main theme of this ep is 'how stupid is he?' Falling asleep at the Pope's funeral with h...

Things kick-off with an aptly updated version of Green Day's song 'American Idiot' which they performed at Coachella last week before a sassy, direct and frankly refreshing take on the state of affairs in the US from news channel, MSNBC. BBC take note...

Then fetch the sick-bags as the ladies share with you a montage of obnoxious obsequiousness from Trump's cabinet who couldn't be further up his bottom. Strangely, not one of them thought to query their dear leader on the plummeting stock market and dollar, nor the mounting trade war with China which has now reached...

The ladies open with a tale of rising from the dead... No, not Jesus Christ, but Jemma Forte when she overdid it at Marina's house last week. 

Conversation quickly turns to Pope Francis' passing and the reminder that often until someone dies, we don't quite realise the incredible impact they made on the people around them. And as many mourned, others memed... Jemma and Marina discuss the best reactions to Trump becoming our new pope and the awkward timing of JD Vance's encounter with Pope Francis the day before his passing. Never has the phrase 'lost the w...

Launched in 2013 after an early buyout by Twitter, Vine quickly grew into one of the fastest growing platforms on the internet. The app created an entirely new category of online content: short, user-generated videos. It became the home of online creativity, birthed beloved memes and viral trends, and introduced a whole new generation of celebrity: the influencer. So, how did an app that was ten steps ahead die only three years after launch?

Credits:

Benedict Townsend - Host & Creator

Mary Goodhart - Producer & Creator

Kevyah Cardoso - Narrative & Creative Producer

This episode begins with Jemma trying to find things to cheer Marina up with. Funnily enough, learning that Gove is getting a peerage doesn't do it, but the song Dame Andrea Jenkins has chosen to promote her bid to be Mayor nearly does. 

Then we're off to Scunthorpe where Labour have been trying to ensure that the furnaces don't go out for once and for all on British Steel. China have decided they aren't interested in it anymore, which is a huge reason to be furious with Boris Johnson (another one) because he sold it to them. W...

Jemma and Marina hardly know where to begin such has been the fallout from Trump's crazed tariffs spree. Oh, and what can you even say about the transparent insider (and outsider) trading that has been admitted to, on camera, by the President? Who cares if ordinary people are going to pay for the nose for everything when all his rich cronies are making a killing. Seems fair. 

Amidst the chaos there's been pauses, climb downs, exemptions and a locking of horns with China. However, China are giving strong 'am I bothered' vibes and have been busy exposing w...

The second Trawl in one week centred on the economic recklessness of Trump. But hey, when one guy's wiped nine trillion off global markets, there's a lot to unpack. There are theories as to why the Donald has chosen this path, some deeper than others. Jemma and Marina have clips to illustrate the first two and bleeps to cover up the third, which, to be fair, probably carries more weight. 

Do we want chlorinated chicken here? Some folk are fine with the notion, despite the reduced welfare standards and prospect of upset, American tums. Others not so m...

What the hell is he doing? Jemma and Marina aren’t the only ones asking that, or a version that. This week Trump managed to wipe 9 trillion off global markets so if you have a private pension, probably best not to look. 

This episode is crammed full of hard-hitting, funny and enlightening tweets. 

The Trawl ladies aren’t convinced Americans will want to wait decades for an Industrial Revolution to occur while paying over the odds for the goods they normally buy. But hey, plenty of Maga loons are still convinced there’s a grand pl...

This episode starts with the delightful news that Marine Le Pen is going to 'le pen.' Then there's a review of Reform's rally in Birmingham, mainly because Led By Donkey's managed to infiltrate and lit up the NEC with pictures of Farage's pal, Putin, amongst others. 

And then Jemma and Marina ponder, not for the first time, why on earth Labour won't tax the uber rich as opposed to imposing cuts upon the most vulnerable in society?

Fortunately, the conversation is starting to feature on mainstream TV, thanks to the brilliant Gary Stevenson o...

This episode starts with a trip down memory lane. If you were at school in the 90's you might feel a shiver as the r Trawl ladies relive some Sunday night theme tunes. You could call it the calm before the storm because, in the next minute, they're talking about the new child labour laws in the US. Ron De Santis wants to get those minors working through the night, ideally with no breaks. Seems fair.....

Compared to Marjorie Taylor Greene however, De Santis almost cuts a reasonable figure. Marjorie is not liking the UK at the...

Jemma and Marina sit down with YouTuber, Jimmy the Giant to chat about his political transformation from being radicalised by the right-wing media, to a becoming passionate leftie activist.

Jimmy has a massive online following with over 600k subscribers on YouTube where he talks about political issues and the tactics used by the right-wing, having seen it from the other side.

They discuss the rise of extreme figures on social media, why so many young men are being drawn to Reform UK and what can the Labour government be doing to combat this worrying trend. Duration: 00:55:32

There's a huge chance you've seen the Netflix drama, Adolescence, but, if you haven't, don't worry, no spoilers in this episode. However, Jemma and Marina talk around the central theme and why we all need to catch up quickly when it comes to the dangerous side of social media. 

Why is misogyny on the rise? How do we as a society combat the disgusting narratives people like Andrew Tate pedal to young minds? And why did this particular show have such a huge impact on its audience? 

The drama has been watched by 24 million people, ha...

Reeves' Spring statement is looming but as Marina and Jemma await what sound like it's going to be underwhelming, unimaginative and full of austerity, they get into the far juicier news from across the pond. Should any attack be planned on a group chat? And even if so, perhaps inviting in a journalist wasn't the cleverest thing to do. Though given said chat is strewn with emojis and demonstrates no care for the loss of life they're planning to inflict, perhaps clever would be pushing it in the first place. 

Still, Trump has way more important thing t...

Jemma is fresh off a flight back from her holiday for this episode, so what better way to get her back to into the swing of things than to discuss Reform's dodgy new appointment, who once said Hitler was "brilliant" and described Bashar al-Assad as "gentle by nature". He sounds just wonderful. 

Next, a moment of commiseration as Jemma and Marina describe how the UK can no longer be considered a rich country due to collapsing living standards for the poorest 40%. Do you know what would come in really handy here? A Govt that gave a toss a...

While Jemma suns herself on holiday, Marina has taken charge of the running order, so you're in for a Trumptastic ride...

Starting with the latest in totally unnecessary trade wars. Not only do the Americans have Trump to deal with, they now have the prospect of even more expensive booze thanks to retaliatory tariffs on The EU. Trump has reassured them however, that they'll be able to drink US made Champagne... Who's going to break it to him?

Jemma and Marina discuss the obscene optics of having martial arts menace, Conor McGregor at the White...