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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!
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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!
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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!
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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!
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Ed Sheeran’s new songs hint at cracks in his seemingly perfect, previously ultra-private marriage, while Jessie J has had to set the record straight on her breakup with Channing Tatum. So just how literally should we take pop stars’ lyrics? Also this week, we’re diving into the BBC’s Gossip Girl-style mother-daughter thriller Wild Cherry, the so-called “female Adolescence", David Szalay’s Booker Prize-winning novel Flesh and 2025’s Word of the Year. Plus, the surprising news that we’re technically teenagers until 32, reports of wild parties from the set of Rivals, and, finally, our (spoiler-free) review of Wicked 2!
We love hearing from you, DM us @straightuppod, email at hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk and follow us on TikTok @straightuppod too!
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The Beast in Me is the buzzy new Netflix thriller everyone’s talking about, so this week we’re sharing our (spoiler-free!) review and the standout moments from its star Claire Danes’ latest interviews. First, though, we dive into Jennifer Lawrence’s career-defining performance in Die My Love, also starring Robert Pattinson, and her personal reflections on postpartum life, as well as Charli XCX’s fab Substack on the realities of being a pop star and the celeb newsletter boom more generally. Plus: the brilliant new sci-fi about a romantasy writer, Pluribus; the Guardian’s viral investigation into ‘free birth’ influencers; and Ambika Mod’s latest role as a porn-addicted academic. Enjoy hunnies!
Get 10% off our fave sofa brand Swyft with the code straightup10 at swyfthome.com, and the code works on top of Black Friday sales! Stylish, comfy, flat-packed and no tools required.
We love hearing from you, DM us @straightuppod, email at hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk and follow us on TikTok @straightuppod too!
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From Frankenstein, One Battle After Another and Bugonia, to Sinners, Materialists, and The Roses, in this very special bonus episode we're battling it out for the best films of 2025 live from the Curzon cinema Hoxton! Why are so many of this year’s top films so divisive, and is horror taking over Hollywood? Plus, why blockbuster icons like Leonardo DiCaprio should take note of Timothée Chalamet’s marketing tricks for Marty Supreme, the joys of the Wicked press tours, and our Oscar predictions. Finishing up with a few questions from our huns in the audience! TYSM to everyone who joined us, we loved meeting you all and we can’t wait to do more next year.
Thank you so much to our fave cinema Curzon for hosting and sponsoring this episode. PSA for all the huns who want to watch the incredible films reviewed in this ep, Curzon have got a brilliant Black Friday deal on their Classic Film Membership, which runs from 28 November to the 1 December and includes a whopping seven free cinema tickets instead of the usual five, as well as 20% off all additional cinema tickets for you and a guest, and 10% off food and drink in all Curzon cinemas. Find out more here.
We love hearing from you, DM us @straightuppod, email at hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk and follow us on TikTok @straightuppod too!
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The Devil Wears Prada 2 trailer has just dropped and we couldn’t be more thrilled about it! Will Miranda and Andy’s return live up to the iconic first film? Also this week: Jack Whitehall’s glossy thriller Malice, the Caroline Flack documentary that reveals new details about the role the tabloids and police played in her tragic passing, Louis Theroux interviews Florence Pugh, Hilary Duff is making a comeback, Rachel Sennot’s fab influencer comedy I Love LA, Michelle Obama publishes a fashion book and Paris Hilton has been problematic again. Enjoy hunnys and look out for our bonus episode next Wednesday!
Get 10% off our fave sofa brand Swyft with the code straightup10 at swyfthome.com, and the code works on top of Black Friday sales! Stylish, comfy, flat-packed and no tools required.
We love hearing from you, DM us @straightuppod, email at hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk and follow us on TikTok @straightuppod too!
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Sydney Sweeney’s new film Christy has bombed at the box office, days after her GQ cover interview went viral for all the wrong reasons. Are her days as Hollywood’s golden girl over? We take a look at evolving public image and explore whether her controversies have actually damaged her career. Also on the show: how Sarah Snook’s new kidnapping thriller has prompted a conversation about the gender gap, the I'm A Celeb lineup, what Timothée Chalamet’s very revealing Vogue interview means for Kylie, and we are so here for JLaw’s comeback! Finally, is it fair to say Kim Kardashian has created the worst TV show of all time with All’s Fair? Plus two fab new book recommendations.
Get 10% off our fave sofa brand Swyft with the code straightup10 at swyfthome.com, and the code works on top of Black Friday sales! Stylish, comfy, flat-packed and no tools required.
We love hearing from you, DM us @straightuppod, email at hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk and follow us on TikTok @straightuppod too!
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Is having a boyfriend embarrassing now? Vogue’s viral piece arguing that male partners have become “culturally loserish” has broken the internet, so we dive in and discuss whether it’s a feminist reckoning or pure TikTok rage bait. Also this week: Millie Bobby Brown’s bullying claims against David Harbour, Jennifer Aniston’s Hollywood hypnotist boyfriend, People Magazine’s Sexiest Man Jonathan Bailey, Cruz Beckham’s new music, and The Cut’s hot take on high-earning women dating younger men. Plus some far from mid TV for you to enjoy!
Last two tickets to our very special live recording at Curzon Hoxton on 19 November are available here :)
Get 10% off our fave sofa brand Swyft with the code straightup10 at swyfthome.com, and the code works on top of Black Friday sales! Stylish, comfy, flat-packed and no tools required.
We love hearing from you, DM us @straightuppod, email at hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk and follow us on TikTok @straightuppod too!
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Lily Allen’s West End Girl isn’t just a comeback, it’s a brutally honest divorce album and everyone is talking about it! We unpack where art ends and reality begins, who “Madeline” might be and Lily’s viral interview quotes about sex, age, personal branding and the media’s obsession with her private life. Also this week: our reviews of the second season of Nobody Wants This, Julia Roberts and Andrew Garfield’s controversial campus cancel culture film After the Hunt, Aimee Lou Wood’s gorgeous rom-com series Film Club and Dave’s new album. Plus: are we rooting for Sophie Turner and Chris Martin? And why is Geri trying to stop Netflix’s Spice Girls biopic? Enjoy hunnies!
Final tickets to our very special live recording at Curzon Hoxton on 19 November are available here :)
Get 10% off our fave sofa brand Swyft with the code straightup10 at swyfthome.com, and the code works on top of Black Friday sales! Stylish, comfy, flat-packed and no tools required.
We love hearing from you, DM us @straightuppod, email at hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk and follow us on TikTok @straightuppod too!
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The myth of having it all has us trapped and the pressure to excel in every area of life can feel relentless. No wonder there’s a crisis in women’s happiness. Whether you’re single and stretched thin, dating and disillusioned, or juggling work and motherhood, it feels like we can never do enough. In this special ep, economist Corrine Low, author of Femonomics: What Data Tells Us About Women’s Lives and How to Get the Most Out of Yours, explains why it’s not all in your head and why women today are overwhelmed from every angle. She breaks down why divorced women are statistically happier, the rise of heteropessimism, why she made the data-driven decision post-divorce to only date women and how to navigate those impossible trade-offs between success and self-care. From dating to fertility and the career ladder, Corrine is here to help us all ensure we get a better deal and ultimately enjoy life more!
You can check out Corinne’s free resources at corinnelow.com and get Femonomics via all major booksellers.
We love hearing from you, DM us @straightuppod, email at hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk and follow us on TikTok @straightuppod too!
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Celebrity interviews without substance seem to be officially out, as the reaction to Kim Kardashian’s surprisingly flat Call Her Daddy episode proved last week, while thoughtful conversations about art (think Cillian Murphy and Stephen Graham) are in. We discuss! Also this week: Callum Turner’s heart-melting Sunday Times interview about Dua Lipa, Lily Allen’s candid Vogue comeback piece, Britney Spears' response to Kevin Federline’s new memoir, as well as our reviews of Molly Mae: Behind It All S2 and the Austin Butler–Zoë Kravitz film. Plus two gripping true-crime recs: a podcast discovery courtesy of a hun, and Netflix’s ‘revolutionary’ new doc The Perfect Neighbor.
Final tickets to our very special live recording at Curzon Hoxton on 19 November are available here :)
Get 10% off our fave sofa brand Swyft with the code straightup10 at swyfthome.com. Stylish, comfy, flat-packed and no tools required.
We love hearing from you, DM us @straightuppod, email at hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk and follow us on TikTok @straightuppod too!
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Celebrity Traitors is giving us the will to live as we battle flu season hunnies, and we are so hooked! We debate our faves to win and round table strategy. Also this week: we review Keira Knightley’s The Woman in Cabin 10, Harris Dickinson’s directorial debut, Joe Wicks’s provocative doc about protein bars and Elizabeth Day’s new book. Plus our thoughts on the rumours surrounding Ariana Grande and Kylie Jenner’s relationships, new couple Katy Perry and Justin Trudeau, and the lowdown on Charli XCX’s feature film and Kim K’s TV drama. And make sure you listen to yesterday’s bonus ep on Victoria Beckham if you haven’t already!
Tickets to our very special live recording at Curzon Hoxton on 19 November are available here :)
Get 10% off our fave sofa brand Swyft with the code straightup10 at swyfthome.com. Stylish, comfy, flat-packed and no tools required.
We love hearing from you, DM us @straightuppod, email at hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk and follow us on TikTok @straightuppod too!
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Victoria Beckham’s docuseries has arrived on Netflix so we’re diving into the glossy three-part portrait of Posh Spice turned fashion powerhouse in this bonus episode! From what it reveals about fame and misogyny, to her relationship with David and the bitter Brooklyn feud, we unpack all the drama and our favourite moments. Is it a boring advert for brand Beckham or juicy TV? We hope you enjoy hunnies, see you back here tomorrow for our regular Thursday debrief!
Get tickets to our very special live recording at Curzon Hoxton on Weds 19 November here! We can't wait to meet you!!
We love hearing from you, DM us @straightuppod, email at hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk and follow us on TikTok @straightuppod too x
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Taylor Swift’s Life of a Showgirl has caused quite the storm since it’s release on Friday, so we’re getting into everything from the Charli XCX ‘diss track’ to the recent gear shift around music criticism. Also this week: Nicole Kidman’s divorce drama, the new AI actor touted as a real-life The Substance situation, Diddy’s sentencing, two excellent film recommendations and a review of Amazon’s new rom-com The Threesome.
Get 10% off our fave sofa brand Swyft with the code straightup10 at swyfthome.com. Stylish, comfy, flat-packed and no tools required!
We love hearing from you, DM us @straightuppod, email at hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk and follow us on TikTok @straightuppod too.
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Emma Watson’s first longform interview in five years has been making headlines this week, huns, so ofc we had to dive in and dissect the nearly-three hour podcast with Jay Shetty. A bounty of excellent film and TV has also arrived just in time for cosy season, from Dakota Johnson’s dark comedy about open relationships, to Leonardo DiCaprio’s ‘era defining’ film One Battle After Another. As well as our five-star review, we discuss why everyone still seems to love Leo despite his controversies. Plus: House of Guinness, Mae Martin’s Netflix thriller Wayward and ITV’s The Hack. Finally, some advice to a hun needing help with a friendship breakup dilemma. Enjoy!
Get 10% off our fave sofa brand Swyft with the code straightup10 at swyfthome.com. Stylish, comfy, flat-packed and no tools required!
Get 20% off our favourite ready-to-drink cocktails from Whitebox, including the best spicy margs, espresso martinis and negronis, with our code SU20 at Whiteboxcocktails.com
We love hearing from you, DM us @straightuppod, email at hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk and follow us on TikTok @straightuppod too!
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On the show this week: Reese Witherspoon has teamed up with Harlan Coben to write a thriller, an AI R&B artist has just landed a £2.4 million record deal and Matthew McConaughey’s take on the secret to lasting love has gone viral. Plus, Harry Styles’ marathon run, Charli XCX’s Sicily wedding, the controversial new Kanye West doc In Whose Name and our review of the Bumble founder biopic Swiped. Does Lily James’ portrayal of Whitney Wolfe Herd signal the return of the girl boss, or provide proof that dating apps really are dead? Enjoy hunnies!
Get 10% off our fave sofa brand Swyft with the code straightup10 at swyfthome.com. Stylish, comfy, flat-packed and no tools required!
Get 20% off our favourite ready-to-drink cocktails from Whitebox, including the best spicy margs, espresso martinis and negronis, with our code SU20 at Whiteboxcocktails.com
Thanks so much to our partner Official London Theatre! Get can up to 50% off theatre tickets with amazing deals on the biggest shows at OfficialLondonTheatre.com.
We love hearing from you, DM us @straightuppod, email at hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk and follow us on TikTok @straightuppod too!
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We prayed for good TV and The Girlfriend more than delivered! We review Robin Wright and Olivia Cooke’s deliciously crazy psychosexual thriller: team Cherry or team Laura? Plus, why millennial women have fallen head over heels for The Summer I Turned Pretty, a look at whether Thailand is as ‘dark’ as Zara McDermott’s new documentary portrays, and our verdict on divorce comedy The Roses starring Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch. Also: our thoughts on Yellowface author RF Kuang’s new book Katabasis. Enjoy hunnies!
Thanks so much to our partner Official London Theatre! Get can up to 50% off theatre tickets with amazing deals on the biggest shows at OfficialLondonTheatre.com.
Get 20% off our favourite ready-to-drink cocktails from Whitebox, including the best spicy margs, espresso martinis and negronis, with our code SU20 at Whiteboxcocktails.com
We love hearing from you, DM us @straightuppod, email at hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk and follow us on TikTok @straightuppod too!
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Saltburn director Emerald Fennell seems to have enraged the internet with the trailer for her new Wuthering Heights adaptation starring Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie, but is this really ‘ragebait cinema’ or just her signature ‘stylised depravity’? We discuss! Also this week: Elordi’s other big trailer for Netflix’s Frankenstein, the Thursday Murder Club adaptation, queen of RichTok Becca Bloom’s wedding and the Etsy witches she credits with banishing bad weather, a viral Wired long-read about surrogacy, the rise and fall of Vice magazine, and what a new ‘nepo baby’ editor means for Vogue.
Thanks so much to our partner Official London Theatre! Get can up to 50% off theatre tickets with amazing deals on the biggest shows at OfficialLondonTheatre.com.
Get 20% off our favourite ready-to-drink cocktails from Whitebox, including the best spicy margs, espresso martinis and negronis, with our code SU20 at Whiteboxcocktails.com
We love hearing from you, DM us @straightuppod, email at hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk and follow us on TikTok @straightuppod too!
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