Harry Styles has new music out, ‘Skins meets Succession’ show Industry is back for season four and Paul Mescal is playing Shakepeare in tear-jerker Hamnet – it’s a good week for pop culture! Also on the show, we’re debriefing on Amazon’s first-look at Sophie Turner as Lara Croft, the ice hockey romance that’s taken the internet by storm, Heated Rivalry, and Molly Mae’s Adidas collab. Plus a fab Call Her Daddy ep with Jennette McCurdy (author of our book club pick Half His Age), a gripping podcast series from Alice Levine and our initial thoughts on s2 of Idris Elba’s Hijack. Enjoy huns and don’t forget to listen to our Brooklyn Beckham bonus episode from yesterday, where we deep-dive into his explosive statement on his relationship with Victoria and David!

Tickets for our book club on 15 Feb at the Hoxton, Holborn are going quickly! Get yours via Ticket Tailor.

Follow us on IG ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and TikTok @straightuppod

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Email at ⁠⁠hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk⁠

Recs/reviews

• Hamnet, in cinemas now
• Hamnet feels elemental, but is it just grief porn? New Yorker
• How accurate is Hamnet? The Times
• 21 Questions to Fall in Love with Paul Mescal, GQ
• The Roofman, Amazon
• Explosive Lies podcast
• Riot Women, BBC iPlayer
• Heated Rivalry, NOW TV/ Sky
• UK viewers warm up for steamy ice hockey hit Heated Rivalry, BBC
• Jennette McCurdy: Half His Age, Call Her Daddy
• Heavy Is the Crown: George R.R. Martin on His Triumphs and Torments, The Hollywood Reporter
• A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, NOW TV
• Molly Mae: Behind It All, Amazon
• Industry, BBC iPlayer
• Industry’s Marisa Abela and Myha’la on success, sisterhood and strap-ons, Glamour
• How to Fail with Marisa Abela
• Marisa Abela: ‘Industry isn’t afraid to do things that upset people’, Times
• Hijack, Apple TV

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Brooklyn Beckham has broken his silence on the family feud and so *obviously* we had to record an emergency episode for you huns! In an utterly jaw-dropping statement, Brooklyn has accused his parents Victoria and David of putting brand Beckham above absolutely everything, with allegations ranging from a vendetta against wife Nicola Peltz that includes planting false stories in the press, to his mum dancing inappropriately “on” him after hijacking the first dance at their wedding. Is this fall out the inevitable culmination of a lifetime in the public eye? Or is Brooklyn a brat with a controlling wife whose parents have tried their best? We dissect it all! As always we’re dying to know your thoughts huns so please do get in touch with your takes x

Tickets for our book club on Sunday 15 Feb at the Hoxton Holborn are now live here!

Follow us on IG ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and TikTok @straightuppod

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Email at ⁠⁠hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk⁠

References:

• It’s a Brooklyn v Beckham Inc disaster: what happens when the elephant in the room goes rogue, The Guardian
• VICTORIA BECKHAM: marriage, money and the Brooklyn fall out, Straight Up (our ep)
• I don't want to reconcile with family, says Brooklyn Peltz Beckham, BBC
• Nicola Peltz Has Married Brooklyn Beckham At Her Family’s Oceanfront Palm Beach Estate, Vogue
• Nicola Peltz’s Custom Valentino Couture Wedding Dress Was Like “A Work Of Art”, Vogue

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Timothée Chalamet won Best Actor at the Golden Globes so it’s time for our Marty Supreme review! Also on the show: Kendall Jenner has set the record straight on her sexuality and plastic surgery in her most candid interview yet. But could her nose really have changed shape from acne medication? Plus, our thoughts on the backlash against Diary of a CEO founder Steven Bartlett following his guest Chris Williamson’s controversial comments about the falling birth rate, and a couple of TV recs to beat the January blues.

Tickets for our book club on Sunday 15 Feb at the Hoxton Holborn are now live here!! Run don’t walk because the first 20 ticket buyers get a FREE baby tee from the iconic slogan baby tee brand Ruby Loot.

Follow us on IG ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and TikTok @straightuppod

Find us on YouTube @straightupmediapod

Email at ⁠⁠hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk⁠

Recs/reviews

• His & Hers, Netflix
• People We Meet on Vacation, Netflix
• Evil Influencer: The Jodi Hildebrandt Story, Netflix
• Hunting Wives, iTVX
• The Night Manager, iPlayer
• ‘Diary of CEO’ Guest Calls Out Girl With the List on Birth Rate—She Replies, Newsweeks
• The Golden Globes ceremony ignored politics. But their big winner taps today’s unhappy turbulence, Guardian
• Marty Supreme, in cinemas
• Hamnet, in cinemas

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The Traitors is back with a whole new twist and we have thoughts! Also this week, we review Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried’s wild thriller The Housemaid and Callum Turner’s afterlife romcom Eternity. Speaking of, Mr Dua Lipa looks set to be the next James Bond… but would he make a good 007 or is he too safe a bet? Then of course we had to debrief on Timothée’s Chalamet’s speech about Kylie after winning Best Actor at the Critic’s Choice awards, and update you on the never-ending Beckham family feud saga. Plus, our first book club title has been decided and tickets will be on sale very soon! Enjoy the ep huns and as always please do let us know your thoughts, we LOVE hearing from you.

Follow us on IG ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and TikTok @straightuppod

Find us on YouTube @straightupmediapod

Email at ⁠⁠hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk⁠

Recs/reviews

• So Thrilled For You, Holly Bourne
• Half His Age, Jeanette McCurdy
• Flesh, David Szalay
• The Housemaid, in cinemas now
• Eternity, AppleTV
• Can Callum Turner handle what it takes to be the new James Bond? Times
• Critics Choice Awards: Full Winners List, Hollywood Reporter
• Weapons, available to rent from home
• The Beckham family's 'sad' escalating feud with Brooklyn and his wife Nicola explained, Hello!
• The Traitors, BBC iPlayer

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Happy almost New Year, huns! We’re rounding off 2025 with our list of the top ten books of the year, from award-winning heavyweights to addictive romantasy and some stand-out non-fiction. We’re reviewing the reads that dominated group chats, the ones recommended by you guys, and the under-the-radar faves we still can’t stop thinking about. Plus: the books we’re desperate to dive into in 2026 and an update on our book club! We really hope you enjoy this ep, we’ll be back next Thursday for our usual pop culture chaos.

Let us know what you think of the ep, share your fave books of the year and just generally get in touch via socials or email at ⁠⁠hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk⁠. We LOVE hearing from you!

Follow us on IG ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and TikTok @straightuppod

Recs

• The Names, Florence Knapp
• Flashlight, Susan Choi
• Onyx Storm, Rebecca Yaros
• Shield of Sparrows, Devney Perry
• Our Salt Path episode
• Careless People Sarah Wynn-Williams
• Girl on Girl, Sophie Gilbert
• New Age of Sexism, Laura Bates
• Bring the House Down, Charlotte Runcie
• Flesh, David Szalay
• Alchemised and CeCe reviews episode
• Alchemised, SenLinYu
• CeCe, Emmelie Prophete
• The Safekeep, Yael van der Wouden
• The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny, Kiran Desai
• Perfection, Vincenzo Latronico
• Atmosphere, Taylor Jenkins Reid
• What We Can Know, Ian McEwan
• Half His Age, Jeanette McCurdy
• Dear Debbie, Freida McFadden

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Happy Christmas hunnies and here’s a little treat from us: our definitive list of the top 10 TV shows of 2025. From thrillers to comedies and coming-of-age dramas, these should keep you entertained throughout the Christmas hols. We've kept our main list to original shows of the year, but with special mentions to our fave returning seasons too. Plus a run through of a few of the year’s very worst shows. We’ll be back next Tuesday for our Best Books of 2025 ep, then back to our usual Thursday pop culture debrief the week after that!

Enjoy and please do let us know what you think of the ep, share your top TV recs of the year and just generally get in touch on IG ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or email at ⁠⁠hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk⁠. We LOVE hearing from you!

Follow us on TikTok @straightuppod

Recs

• The Beast In Me, Netflix
• Pluribus, AppleTV
• Sirens, Netflix
• Film Club, BBC iPlayer
• Adolescence, Netflix
• Toxic Town, Netflix
• The Girlfriend, Amazon Prime Video
• Down Cemetery Road, AppleTV
• What It Feels Like For A Girl, BBC iPlayer
• Overcompensating, Amazon Prime Video
• Platonic, AppleTV
• Amandaland, BBC iPlayer
• Severance, AppleTV
• Big Boys, Channel 4
• The White Lotus, NOW TV

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Taylor Swift’s The End of an Era documentary is already breaking Disney records, so we review the first two episodes. Is it pure hagiography or genuinely insightful? Also on the show: why Bonnie Blue wrote a Spectator op-ed backing Nigel Farage, George Clooney’s new marital rule, and the surprising subculture that’s helped make Zootopia 2 box office gold. Plus a review of Alchemised, the incredible fanfic inspired by Harry Potter and the Housemaid’s Tale that netted a seven-figure film deal. Enjoy hunnies and remember next week’s ep is dropping on Tuesday!

Enjoy and please do let us know what you think of the ep, share your recs and just generally get in touch on IG ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or email at ⁠⁠hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk⁠. We LOVE hearing from you!

Follow us on TikTok @straightuppod

Recs/ reviews

• Backstage Beauty Salon
• Alchemised, SenLinYu
• The fanfiction written on a notes app that’s become a bestseller – with a seven-figure film deal, Guardian
• Margaret Atwood on Desert Island Discs, BBC Sounds
• The MaddAddam Trilogy, Margaret Atwood
• Cece, Emmelie Prophete
• Grace Beverley: the Oxford student with a £70m wellness brand, The Times
• Zootopia 2, in cinemas now
• Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, Netflix
• Taylor Swift: The End of an Era, Disney

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50 Cent’s explosive Diddy documentary is dominating the headlines, so this week we’re unpacking the most shocking moments from Sean Combs: The Reckoning. Also on the show: Sydney Sweeney finally addresses her “great jeans” ad controversy, Margot Robbie has given a wonderfully juicy Vogue interview around Wuthering Heights, Channing Tatum’s “career defining” film with Kirstin Dunst is out, Miley Cyrus’s fiancée has everyone talking about age-gaps again and Ellie Goulding’s new baby daddy is a “bad boy”. Plus: the Netflix and Warner Bros mega-deal that has Hollywood spooked!

Enjoy and please do let us know what you think of the ep, share your recs and just generally get in touch on IG ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or email at ⁠⁠hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk⁠. We LOVE hearing from you!

Follow us on TikTok @straightuppod

Recs/reviews:

• Roofman, Apple TV
• ‘Roofman’ Stars Channing Tatum, Kirsten Dunst Talk That Nude Scene, Which Toys They Took From Set, Hollywood Reporter
• Margot Robbie, British Vogue
• The end of big-screen cinema? What Netflix hopes to achieve by buying Warner Bros, Guardian
• All About Miley Cyrus’s Fiancé Maxx Morando and Their ‘Low-Key’ Relationship, Elle
• Sean Combs: The Reckoning, Netflix
• Sean Combs: The Reckoning review – you can see why the musician is fighting to ban this horrific documentary, Guardian

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