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...

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 grow...

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 sh...

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 Eurov...

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 Farag...

Marina and Jemma wade through the chaos engulfing Labour after the bruising local election results, cabinet resignations, media pile-ons and growing calls for Starmer to go. Is this sensible political pressure… or another self-destructive Westminster psychodrama? They discuss: whether Labour is repeating the Tories’ revolving-door mistakes Andy Burnham, Wes Streeting and possible leadership conten...

The local election results are in and… bloody hell. In this Trawl, Jemma and Marina dig into Reform UK’s huge gains, Labour’s mounting panic, and the increasingly chaotic state of British politics. Was this a genuine political realignment, a protest vote, or something much darker bubbling away underneath? From viral clips and media narratives to Nigel Farage, culture wars, dodgy campaign tactics,...

Jemma and Marina dive headfirst into the Met Gala circus from impossible outfits and billionaires playing dress-up, to the growing backlash against celebrity excess in a world on fire. They also tackle Trump casually floating a third term, Nigel Farage mysteriously dodging scrutiny over Reform’s mega-money backers, and why parts of the media seem determined to ignore some scandals while amplifying...

It’s been one of those weeks where the temperature of public discourse didn’t just rise, it boiled over. Marina and Jemma both appeared on daytime TV in the immediate aftermath of the Golders Green attacks. Emotions were already running high, details were still emerging, and the pressure to say the “right” thing while not saying the “wrong” thing was intense.  They talk about the subsequent s...

Jemma and Marina are back in full chaotic form, slightly sleep-deprived, deeply opinionated, and absolutely not holding back. They unpack the horror of a North London stabbing and the questions it raises, before diving headfirst into the surreal spectacle of Donald Trump hosting King Charles III, a meeting that somehow involved Magna Carta shade, a gifted bell, and a lot of ver...

In this Trawl, Jemma and Marina take on everything from outdated beauty standards to the increasingly surreal state of UK politics. There’s fury over a jaw-dropping tabloid takedown of Cameron Diaz, a debate about whether Westminster has a drinking problem, and a deep dive into political messaging that raises more questions than it answers. Plus: claims, counterclaims and confusion around cam...

Jemma and Marina start with the emotional highs of the London Marathon: stories of resilience, community and the kind of humanity that restores your faith in people. Then they take a sharp hand brake turn into the chaos of global politics. From a dramatic incident at a White House event to the online reaction that followed, Jemma and Marina wade through fact, speculation and the sheer pace of mode...

Jemma and Marina are back in the scroll, picking apart the stories, headlines and takes that have everyone talking, pondering and shouting. They get into growing frustration with the way global events are framed, and why some stories seem to get all the attention while others barely register. There’s a look at how international law is being talked about (and sometimes ignored), plus the narratives...

In this Trawl, we're heading Stateside because, frankly, you can’t look away. From Pentagon prayer sessions to a defence secretary apparently quoting Pulp Fiction as scripture, Marina Purkiss and Jemma Forte try (and fail) to make sense of the latest chaos unfolding in US politics. Meanwhile, Donald Trump is back making sweeping claims about Iran, the Pope, and global diplomacy many of which don’t...

Marina Purkiss and Jemma Forte wade through the latest Westminster psychodrama involving Keir Starmer, Peter Mandelson, and a row that refuses to die. Is it a genuine scandal or just political noise drowning out far more urgent stories? Because while the media obsesses over Whitehall intrigue, and there is TRIGGER WARNING for this part of the episode, something far darker is barely being cove...

The Trawl  sits down with Sir Bill Browder, the man Vladimir Putin would very much prefer stayed quiet. From exposing corruption at the heart of the Kremlin to spearheading the global Magnitsky sanctions, Browder’s story is part financial thriller, part political crusade. He joins The Trawl to talk oligarchs, accountability, and why the fight against kleptocracy is far fro...

Marina and Jemma are back in the trenches, sifting through the chaos so you don’t have to. In this episode, why Keir Starmer can be both competent  and  deeply frustrating, a baffling “free energy bills” stunt linked to Nigel Farage, and yet more questions swirling around Reform’s candidates and Tice's company tax affairs. There’s also a diplomatic cringe moment featuring&...

This Trawl begins, as you do, with Melania Trump making a deeply strange, entirely unprompted statement insisting she has “nothing to do with Epstein”, a denial so out of nowhere it immediately raises more questions than it answers. And somehow, that’s just the start. Because this week also brings Donald Trump recasting himself as Jesus in a social media post that’s as revealing as...

Marina and Jemma dive into Hungarian celebrations. After 16 years of authoritarian rule, Viktor Orbán is gone and the scenes coming out of Budapest were unreal. Thousands took to the streets to celebrate Péter Magyar's win. But what does it actually mean for Europe, Ukraine, and the wider populist movement? From there, it’s straight into the latest Trump madness, including...

It’s been one of those weeks where, every time you think it can’t escalate further… it absolutely does. Jemma and Marina mull over the ceasefire which lasted all of five minutes due to Israel bombing Lebanon and vent their frustration at Starmer and Cooper who haven't yet condemned the atrocities.  Plus: firings, firings, more firings. Pam Bondi has gone and so have some of the most senior ge...

In this  Trawl , Marina and Jemma take on one of the dumbest outrage cycles in recent memory. Yes, it's the “EU marmalade scandal” (completely made up, obviously) and some politicians and papers have swallowed it whole and are extremely incensed about it all. While the right scrambles to get furious about citrus, the pair dig into what’s  actually  going on: Reform wobbling in the p...

It was one of those nights where going to bed felt… uncertain. After a late-night post from Donald Trump sent the internet into meltdown, the world briefly found itself holding its breath, doom-scrolling, spiralling, and wondering what might come next. From rumours of escalation to very real geopolitical tension, the Trawl ladies try to make sense of a news cycle that felt anything but n...

It’s been a weekend of extremes. Marina and Jemma start with a rare moment of awe as they consider the Artemis mission and those breath-taking images of Earth before crashing straight back down into a news cycle that feels increasingly chaotic and surreal. From horrific, sweary 5am presidential posts to rising global tensions and questions over leadership, they unpack the moments that left everyon...

A very Friday feeling Trawl. Jemma and Marina are back on the scroll, cutting through the chaos with equal parts rage, wit, and ridiculousness. They begin with the utter farce of daylight saving time and a  Question Time booking that raises serious questions. Mainly, why? Then the Trawl ladies discuss the powerful, joyful anti–far right march that the mainstream somehow managed to side-line T...

Trump’s back on the mic and it’s… Sharpies, sex, and 'aced' dementia tests while the world edges closer to chaos. Marina and Jemma wade through the surreal: from Trump confusing cognitive screenings with IQ tests, to casually musing about seizing   Iran’s oil like it’s on a tapas menu. Meanwhile, his administration openly flirts with war crimes, hands out awards for sycophancy, and someh...