An injury in her early 40s, and a long period of chronic pain that followed, made Wendy Welpton think about how she was moving. Now a movement coach, founder of Reclaim Movement, and a podcast host, she’s also written a book – Move Well For Life: Unlock The Life-Changing Power of Everyday Movement – aimed at getting others to do the same. Jen chats…

Standard Issue: New Year's resolutions, FDNY Commissioners, and weed in the fire service....that's what's currently going on in public safety news! We have a new partnership with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fluid⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Use "TheStandard20" at checkout. Wake Work & Win by joining our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠…

What's the best book we read this year? Or the best play we saw? We're talking about that, plus our favorite TV, events, sport, music, comedy and interviews of 2025, as we wave goodbye to a year that's been, well, how would we describe it? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

Standard Issue: We appeared on the All Clear Podcast and discussed fire department culture, training, and our biggest mistake in the fire service. We have a new partnership with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fluid⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Use "TheStandard20" at checkout. Wake Work & Win by joining our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠…

Adventure, nostalgia, trains, Cribbens and three elderly children posher than a lobster in a cravat: HOW JOLLY! Lionel Jeffries’ period piece based on E Nesbit’s 1906 book is a wholesome slice of classic British cinema, but what will filthy commoners Mick, Hannah and Jen make of it? And how will it go down with our resident five year old? Learn mor…

Jessica Swale is a busy woman, so Hannah was surprised to discover the writer and director did have the time for a chat about some of her latest projects. They cover getting the tone right for Paddington: The Musical, working with children and dogs in Amazon's new Christmas film Merv, and Jessica's new book aimed at making sure we can all have A Ye…

Standard Issue: Baltimore County hazmat update, science about high intensity workouts, and how important it is to keep good people in your circle....that's what currently going on in public safety news! We have a new partnership with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fluid⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Use "TheStandard20" at checkout. Wake Work & Win by joining our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠…

Working in the 17th century gothic library at St John's College puts Tanya Kirk in an ideal position to talk about book-based ghost stories. She's just edited the latest in a series of short story collections - The Haunted Library: Tales of Cursed Books and Forbidden Shelves - so Hannah got on the Zoom to chat about why old books are spooky, why Ch…

Richard Benjamin’s coming-of-age comedy-drama has a (sort of) dream cast, but how much will Jen, Hannah and Mick love central character Mrs Flax? Does the character even matter when she’s played by Cher? And can we get over a ropey age-gap and a real lack of DIY prep to allow Mermaids to shoop-shoop into our hearts? Learn more about your ad choices…

Padel might well be one of the fastest growing sports in the world, right now, but what exactly is it? And how is it different to tennis, squash, or pickleball? Jen wanted to find out more, so she got on the Zoom with Alex Brodie, PR and sponsorship manager at UK Padel, one of the UK’s leading tournament organisers in the sport, to chat about the w…

Let’s bring some cheer to the end of the year with Dr Suze Kundu – that’s right NASA’s Dr Suze Kundu. She and Mick* debunk some bad science, celebrate some impactful and robust research and tech, and create some positive associations with the work of millions. With added Katy Perry and a plea to outer space-related height restrictions. *mostly Suze…

Standard Issue: Baltimore County Fire craziness, hot girl privilege, and the results of unchecked hazing....that's what currently going on in public safety news! We have a new partnership with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fluid⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Use "TheStandard20" at checkout. Wake Work & Win by joining our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠…

Just five per cent of people with a learning difference are in paid work, something highlighted by the recent case of Tom Boyd, who was let go by Morrisons after his family asked that he be paid for his work. That case spurred Liz Warner, a former CEO of Comic Relief, into action. Because the same thing had happened to her son and, we can all agree…

Reaction to Wes Streeting’s independent review on mental health, ADHD and autism might divide opinion, but surely we can all agree to bepleased about changes to the law around social media use in Australia. And if not, at least we’ll always have emotional support dogs. Hannah and Jen take a rootle through the news and sport this week to discuss all…

Watching 9 to 5, what a way to earn a living. Mick, Hannah and Jen revisit Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin and – people’s favourite – Dolly Parton in this classic comedy about sexism in the workplace that everyone knows inside out. Don’t they? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesPor Standard Issue

Given we’re deep into pantomime season, it seemed only right that Mick got on the Zoom with Vikki Stone, the woman behind some of the best pantos in the UK. Vikki tells us about comedy, getting kids into the theatre, toddler raves, prime-time telly and why pantos remain one of the most enduring of British Christmastime traditions. Mama Goose is at …

In the Wild West that is dating apps, women are increasingly turning to novel ways of protecting themselves. Online groups such as Are We Dating The Same Guy, offer women a platform to share bad and evencriminal experiences of dating. Broadcaster and journalist Mary Mandefield investigates the groups in a new Channel 4 documentary, RedFlags: Are We…

Standard Issue: 72 hour fasting, road rages, helicopter rescues, firehouse leadership, and recruiting college athletes. We have a new partnership with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fluid⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Use "TheStandard20" at checkout. Wake Work & Win by joining our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠…

Bollywood star Radhika Apte is unhappy new bride Uma in writer/director Karan Kandhari’s feature debut, which Hannah’s picked for the last Flicking of 2025. The critics loved it, audiences weren’t so sure. Hannah, Yosra and Mick went in blind with no expectations and were all surprised. But in a good or bad way? Learn more about your ad choices. Vi…

There are abuses of power all over the shop, as Mick talks us through the second phase of Lady Elish Angiolini’s inquiry into the prevention of sexually motivated crimes against women in public, and a truly horrific case in France. Meanwhile, Jen’s looking at more crises in public services, this time in teaching staff. But at least we’ve got Polly.…

A superhero with no special powers. An intergalactic wrong 'un trying to destroy the earth. Brian Blessed dressed as whatever that is. Welcome to this week's Rated or Dated. Now with added lasers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesPor Standard Issue

The Emma Rice Company's adaptation of Dylan Thomas’ A Child’s Christmas in Wales opened last week to rave reviews. Hannah grabbed some time with its founder, writer and director Emma Rice, to talk about a change of name, a new venue in Somerset, and Thomas. And a lot more besides, including Emma’s time as artistic director at The Globe, something t…

Paddington the Musical – a brand new show written by Jessica Swale, with music by Tom Fletcher – opens its doors at the Savoy Theatre in London this week. Among its impressive cast is Bonnie Langford, who many of us have grown up alongside, given she first graced our television screens back in 1971, aged six. Jen caught up with Bonnie to talk about…

Standard Issue: We talk about fake Thanksgiving, and debate one fireman's post on "7 Facts In The Fire Service." We have a new partnership with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fluid⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Use "TheStandard20" at checkout. Wake Work & Win by joining our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠…

In this month's telly round-up, we're watching Death By Lightning, The Beast in Me, Down Cemetery Road, Plur1bus and Caroline Flack: Search for the Truth. Plus Hannah's finally got round to watching Where's Wanda?. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesPor Standard Issue

Are you angry? Like really angry? Of course you are. Well, does Hannah have a dinner service for you. This week, she and Mick are asking whether the justice system is about to get a little less just, looking at the newly discovered age epochs of the human brain, celebrating having a bank account, and metaphorically smashing small TVs with a sledgeh…

Christmas already? We know. But can we redeem ourselves if it’s Christmas by way of Jeannot Szwarc’s cult classic, Santa Claus: The Movie? A box office flop, it was nonetheless a hit in the UK, thanks to Dudley Moore’s turn as Patch the ambitious elf, some delightful animatronic reindeer, and top baddy-ing by John Lithgow. But will we agree? Learn …

All hail the Renters’ Rights Act, the biggest shake-up to renting in England for more than 30 years, which officially comes into play next May. It’s a bundle of positive news for tenants in private housing, not least the ditching of section 21 “no fault” evictions. So Mick got on the Zoom with Bismah Naqui from Generation Rent, an organisation that…

Cindy Reymond is one of the eight women secretary generals who represented host cities during this summer’s UEFA Women’s Euro in Switzerland. That’s right: they were all women. Jen catches up with Cindy to chat about her city of Geneva, what it takes to plan a major sporting event, not being the only woman in the room for a change, and why anyone w…

Standard Issue: Tom and Craig talk about extended fasting, elk hunting, and at what age are you no longer a creep. We have a new partnership with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fluid⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Use "TheStandard20" at checkout. Wake Work & Win by joining our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠…

When Queen Eleanor died, her husband - Edward I - ordered that 12 enormous crosses be built along the route her body had travelled back to London. Some survive today. Historian Alice Loxton decided to walk that route on the same days. Which sadly for her, was December. Alice tells Hannah about that journey and her new book Eleanor: A 200-Mile Walk …

Jen gets a swift and thoroughly unexpected trip through US political rumours this week, as Hannah looks at the latest from across the Atlantic. Plus there's skorts, sports and women-only carriages. What more do you need? Saturday Night Live on edited Trump speech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SesRWE02PIU Learn more about your ad choices. Visit m…

Another week, another one of film’s most villainous women: this time it’s deranged devotee Annie Wilkes, a role which bagged Kathy Bates an Oscar for mangling the feet, mind and spirit of novelist Paul Sheldon (James Caan). Its credentials are impeccable, with a William Goldman screenplay based on Stephen King’s novel directed by Rob Reiner. But, a…

Back in 2019, ultra runner Jasmin Paris made headlines when she smashed the Montane Spine Race, winning the 268-mile race in the depths of winter outright – while still breastfeeding. Her story was sold as an outlier – woman wins mixed race – but there are a lot of them about, particularly when it comes to ultra-endurance running, swimming and cycl…

More than two centuries since her execution, Marie Antoinette continues to influence fashion and culture, and is now the subject of a major new exhibition at the V&A South Kensington, Marie Antoinette Style. Jen catches up with senior curator of the exhibition, Sarah Grant, to talk about the ill-fated former queen of France, why she still fascinate…

Standard Issue: We talked with Ryan Harris about his experience with communication breakdowns on the fireground. which led to false reports of a victim. We also discuss his plan to increase accountability on the fireground through data. Ryan Harris is a Fire Captain, MICRB State Certified Instructor, USMC Veteran, and Founder & CEO of Fireground An…

There are a lot of spies in pop culture right now. This pleases Hannah immensely, so she jumped at the chance to get on the Zoom with Agnes O’Casey to talk about her role in upcoming play, The Spy Who Came In From The Cold, based on John Le Carre's best-selling book. They chat about spies and why we're so fascinated with them, Agnes's role in anoth…

Bloody women. Is there anything they won’t ruin? Well, Mick and Jen take a stab at this week’s news, in which some institutions are too busy ruining themselves to notice: they’re looking at you the BBC and NHS Trusts. There’s also Spinderella, Stevens, and Jen very much NOT talking about Mary Earps in JOTB. Honest. Learn more about your ad choices.…

You know, the one with the good guy versus the evil nurse. Or is it? One of many questions we'll be asking as we watch Miloš Forman's Oscar botherer, set on a ward in a mental health hospital. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesPor Standard Issue

One of our firm favourites, poet Hollie McNish’s latest collection, Virgin, explores a six-letter word with outsized power. A power that should also be outdated, but is sadly not. It is, as you’d expect from Hollie, a brilliant collection, packed with humour, rage, beauty, heartbreak and hope. She and Mick chat about dangerous words, what ‘virgin’ …

Instagram is a right old pain in the proverbial when it comes to advertising, and our Jen has noticed she’s suddenly getting A LOT of ads targeted at peri/menopausal women. Nutritional supplements promise women everything from a peachy bum to a sound night’s sleep, but how much of it is actually true? So she jumped on the Zoom with Ruth Tongue, nut…

Standard Issue: Tom and Craig sit down with Zac Varela to talk about AI controlled fire trucks, controlling unruly patients, and taking your wife's last name. "Parental discretion advised." (Don't say we didn't warn you.) We have a new partnership with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fluid⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Use "TheStandard20" at checkout. Wake Work & Win by joining our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠…