The Trawl

Historian and Broadcaster, Tessa Dunlop, joins Jemma and Marina for a gloriously wide-ranging conversation about monarchy, British identity and the fury of being an outspoken woman in public life. From her PhD on Romanian royalty to why she believes King Charles still gives Britain “soft power” on the world stage, Tessa brings nuance, history and plenty of passion to some of the most divisive debates of the moment.

The trio chat Trump, royal diplomacy and whether Prince Andrew is a “seeping wound” for the monarchy, before diving into Meghan and Harry, Britishness, Brexit, immigration, and why Romanian teenagers demanding a GCSE in their mother tongue actually made Tessa proud to be British. They get candid about the media industry, the “authority gap” facing opinionated women, and why being left-leaning can make you professionally radioactive.

There’s laughter, disagreement, conversation about Iain Dale, and a brilliantly enraged clip involving Laurence Fox and Jeremy Clarkson that leaves everyone cheering. A fantastic Trawl Meets. Enjoy!

Tessa's book 'The Bletchley Girls' Is 99p on the Kindle Store for the month of June. Head to https://amzn.eu/d/02Zf7PsV get a copy and also check out her other titles while you're there.

Thank you for sharing and please do follow us @MarinaPurkiss @jemmaforte @TheTrawlPodcast

Patreon
https://patreon.com/TheTrawlPodcast

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

Twitter
https://twitter.com/TheTrawlPodcast
If you’ve even mildly enjoyed The Trawl, you’ll love the unfiltered, no-holds-barred extras from Jemma & Marina over on Patreon, including:

• Exclusive episodes of The Trawl Goss – where Jemma and Marina spill backstage gossip, dive into their personal lives, and often forget the mic is on
• Early access to The Trawl Meets…
• Glorious ad-free episodes

Plus, there’s a bell-free community of over 3,300 legends sparking brilliant chat.

And it’s your way to support the pod which the ladies pour their hearts, souls (and occasional anxiety) into. All for your listening pleasure and reassurance that through this geopolitical s**tstorm… you’re not alone.

Come join the fun:

https://www.patreon.com/TheTrawlPodcast?utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Trawl, Marina and Jemma dive headfirst into what might be the most jaw-dropping week of Trump 2.0 so far.

From claims of billion-dollar “slush funds” and eye-watering stock trades to the political takedown of Republican congressman Thomas Massie after he pushed for the Epstein files release, the corruption alarms are deafening. The pair unpack the terrifying power of MAGA loyalty, the growing influence of billionaire donors and lobbying groups, and why so many Americans are starting to feel utterly powerless watching it all unfold.

Plus: RFK Jr on Joe Rogan, Elon Musk’s latest nonsense, the staggering amount of misinformation flooding social media, and why even Lululemon somehow ended up in the culture war.

There’s rage. There’s despair. There’s Trump’s comb-over in a wind tunnel. And somewhere in the middle of it all, a very wholesome story about periods.

Basically: the world is on fire, but at least we’ve got each other.

Thank you for sharing and please do follow us @MarinaPurkiss @jemmaforte @TheTrawlPodcast

Patreon
https://patreon.com/TheTrawlPodcast

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

Twitter
https://twitter.com/TheTrawlPodcast

If you’ve even mildly enjoyed The Trawl, you’ll love the unfiltered, no-holds-barred extras from Jemma & Marina over on Patreon, including:

• Exclusive episodes of The Trawl Goss – where Jemma and Marina spill backstage gossip, dive into their personal lives, and often forget the mic is on
• Early access to The Trawl Meets…
• Glorious ad-free episodes

Plus, there’s a bell-free community of over 3,300 legends sparking brilliant chat.

And it’s your way to support the pod which the ladies pour their hearts, souls (and occasional anxiety) into. All for your listening pleasure and reassurance that through this geopolitical s**tstorm… you’re not alone.

Come join the fun:

https://www.patreon.com/TheTrawlPodcast?utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Marina and Jemma dive into the chaos surrounding Tommy Robinson’s “Unite the Kingdom” rally, from the anti-Muslim rhetoric and media silence to the genuinely astonishing musical performances that may qualify as crimes against audio.

They unpack why anger and misinformation spread so easily online, question where the press coverage disappeared to, and look at what happens when algorithms replace shared reality. There’s also Led By Donkeys trolling the march to perfection, a powerful response from faith leaders and broadcasters, and - because balance is important - perhaps the bleakest edition of Blind Date ever recorded.

Funny, furious and occasionally despairing, this episode asks: what kind of country are we becoming… and why was that singing so catastrophically bad?

Thank you for sharing and please do follow us @MarinaPurkiss @jemmaforte @TheTrawlPodcast

Patreon
https://patreon.com/TheTrawlPodcast

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

Twitter
https://twitter.com/TheTrawlPodcast
If you’ve even mildly enjoyed The Trawl, you’ll love the unfiltered, no-holds-barred extras from Jemma & Marina over on Patreon, including:

• Exclusive episodes of The Trawl Goss – where Jemma and Marina spill backstage gossip, dive into their personal lives, and often forget the mic is on
• Early access to The Trawl Meets…
• Glorious ad-free episodes

Plus, there’s a bell-free community of over 3,300 legends sparking brilliant chat.

And it’s your way to support the pod which the ladies pour their hearts, souls (and occasional anxiety) into. All for your listening pleasure and reassurance that through this geopolitical s**tstorm… you’re not alone.

Come join the fun:

https://www.patreon.com/TheTrawlPodcast?utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Marina and Jemma are spiralling over Labour’s risky civil war.

With Andy Burnham heading into the hugely consequential Makerfield by-election, Wes Streeting apparently eyeing the top job, and Reform circling like sharks, the pair ask: how the hell did we end up here already?

There’s fury over Brexit being dragged back from the dead, despair at the state of political discourse, confusion over Eurovision, and a growing sense that liberal democracies everywhere are entering their “what could possibly go wrong?” era.

Plus: globe-faced insults, emotional support via concert tickets, and perhaps the most stressful by-election since England last went to penalties.

Thank you for sharing and please do follow us @MarinaPurkiss @jemmaforte @TheTrawlPodcast

Patreon
https://patreon.com/TheTrawlPodcast

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

Twitter
https://twitter.com/TheTrawlPodcast
If you’ve even mildly enjoyed The Trawl, you’ll love the unfiltered, no-holds-barred extras from Jemma & Marina over on Patreon, including:

• Exclusive episodes of The Trawl Goss – where Jemma and Marina spill backstage gossip, dive into their personal lives, and often forget the mic is on
• Early access to The Trawl Meets…
• Glorious ad-free episodes

Plus, there’s a bell-free community of over 3,300 legends sparking brilliant chat.

And it’s your way to support the pod which the ladies pour their hearts, souls (and occasional anxiety) into. All for your listening pleasure and reassurance that through this geopolitical s**tstorm… you’re not alone.

Come join the fun:

https://www.patreon.com/TheTrawlPodcast?utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jemma and Marina take a break from UK political chaos to zoom out and survey the wider world... and it's not pretty.

From Trump's increasingly hard-to-deny Oval Office napping to unravelling ceasefire negotiations in the Middle East, the Trawl ladies serve up their trademark mix of righteous fury and sharp humour. Marina's been deep in Italian passport paperwork (backup plan activated should Farage get in), Jemma's fantasising about a one-way ticket to Lisbon with absolutely zero logistics sorted, and somehow Amsterdam enters the chat as a genuine option.

There's a detour to Loserville thanks to Musk's midnight musings, a deep dive into Trump's chaotic social media timeline, and a satirical clip of British police officers that is uncannily accurate.

On the brighter side: the BAFTAs delivered - from a Gaza documentary winning despite BBC cowardice, to Martin Lewis being rightfully crowned a national treasure (Marina may have developed a crush). The episode wraps with a Lincoln Project ad airing at Trump's own golf tournament, and the small matter of the trawlers' very first ever live show happening that same evening. Eek!

Thank you for sharing and please do follow us @MarinaPurkiss @jemmaforte @TheTrawlPodcast

Patreon
https://patreon.com/TheTrawlPodcast
Youtube
https://www.youtube.com/@TheTrawl
Twitter
https://twitter.com/TheTrawlPodcast
If you’ve even mildly enjoyed The Trawl, you’ll love the unfiltered, no-holds-barred extras from Jemma & Marina over on Patreon, including:

• Exclusive episodes of The Trawl Goss – where Jemma and Marina spill backstage gossip, dive into their personal lives, and often forget the mic is on
• Early access to The Trawl Meets…
• Glorious ad-free episodes

Plus, there’s a bell-free community of over 3,300 legends sparking brilliant chat.

And it’s your way to support the pod which the ladies pour their hearts, souls (and occasional anxiety) into. All for your listening pleasure and reassurance that through this geopolitical s**tstorm… you’re not alone.

Come join the fun:

https://www.patreon.com/TheTrawlPodcast?utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.