The Trawl
Episodes
Burqa Berks Backlash, Labour's Spending and a Brave Flotilla
13 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Marina and Jemma begin the episode with a quick round up/ precis of the recently announced spending plans from Rachel Reeves. There's stuff to like bu...
🔥X-Men: Musk vs Trump and ICE Cold in LA: Tantrums and Tear Gas
11 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
One of the juiciest Trawls of all time starts in a very dramatic manner. Jemma and Marina want you to dig out the popcorn while they spill the tea on ...
Trump and Musk's Bromance Breakdown and Zelensky’s Power Play
06 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When Trump told Zelensky he didn't hold any of the cards, what he didn't know was the Zelensky actually had an entire Royal Flush up his sleeve and th...
Reform Council Chaos and Liz’s Latest Trussterf*ck
04 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It's all happening. That said, potholes might not be getting fixed, loft extensions might not be getting signed off and bins might not be getting coll...
Farage Drops a Pub Challenge, Labour Drop a Policy and Trump Sulks
30 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This episode begins with Jemma and Marina explaining why they weren't aligned this week for pretty much the first time in Trawl history, though their ...
Froth & Fury: From Liverpool outrage to Gaza grief - and how socials are becoming unbearable.
28 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What can we say... Sadly, this pod isn't a laugh a minute, although Jemma does manage to squeeze in a little humour when discussing Marina's social al...
The Trawl Meets: Jordan Stephens
23 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Marina and Jemma were thrilled to talk to one half of Rizzle Kicks, writer and communicator extraordinaire Jordan Stephens.They discuss connection, lo...
The Brexit Reset Meltdown & Trump's Stage 9 Lunacy
22 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It's like 2019 all over again... Yes Trawlers, were debating Brexit all over again following Starmer's EU-UK reset, and as night follows day, all the ...
Gary Lineker, Gaza Grief & Labour’s Late Line: The Ache of Being Awake
21 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The UK government have finally condemned Israel for withholding aid, the same week The Guardian has reported that 14,000 babies will die unl...
Jets, Deals, and Holy Seals: Trump’s Qatari Bribe, UK-US Trade Deal, and a Pope
16 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This episode begins with some good news - the goons who cut down the beautiful tree in the Sycamore Gap for no reason whatsoever, have gone to prison....
Starmer Speaks: Chasing Reform and the Fight for the Right
14 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
There is no doubt, immigration is a huge point of contention for much of the electorate, but why did Starmer use language that could be compared to la...
From MAGA to Marx: Trump's 3-doll limit and Israel’s Brazen Land Grab
09 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This rollercoaster podcast kicks off with showbiz and Royal stories that Marina makes her feelings clear on, before delving into the meat of the episo...
Reform Rises and Farage Rants: No More Working from Home?
07 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This Trawl begins with a theological question inspired by Trump's wildly disrespectful sharing of an AI generated image of himself dressed as....the P...
Canada vote Carney. But will the UK push for Reform at Local Elections?
02 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
At time of record, people in some parts of the UK will be voting in their local elections. Also at time of record Mark Carney is the new Prime Ministe...
A Week of Idiocy: Trump Strikes Again - How Dumb Can One President Be?
30 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This episode begins with a tribute to Virginia Giuffre who sadly died this week. Marina and Jemma touch on what she suffered at the hands of various a...
Leaks, Lies & Lawsuits: Hegseth Spills, Trump Fumbles & Harvard Strikes Back
25 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Things kick-off with an aptly updated version of Green Day's song 'American Idiot' which they performed at Coachella last week before a sassy, direct ...
Gender, Justice and the Pope's Last Amen
23 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The ladies open with a tale of rising from the dead... No, not Jesus Christ, but Jemma Forte when she overdid it at Marina's house last week. Con...
British (Chinese) Steel and El Salvadoran Jails - a shocking moment caught on mic
18 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This episode begins with Jemma trying to find things to cheer Marina up with. Funnily enough, learning that Gove is getting a peerage doesn't do it, b...
Huns go to Space and China NOT in your Hand
16 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jemma and Marina hardly know where to begin such has been the fallout from Trump's crazed tariffs spree. Oh, and what can you even say about the trans...
Ta Ra Tariff Free World: What is Trump Thinking? And, is Trump Thinking?
11 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The second Trawl in one week centred on the economic recklessness of Trump. But hey, when one guy's wiped nine trillion off global markets, there's a ...
Bigly Tariffs are NOT Tarrific
09 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What the hell is he doing? Jemma and Marina aren’t the only ones asking that, or a version that. This week Trump managed to wipe 9 trillion off glob...
Tax The Super Rich - Please?
04 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This episode starts with the delightful news that Marine Le Pen is going to 'le pen.' Then there's a review of Reform's rally in Birmingham, mainly be...
Vance's Greenland Fiasco, US Deportations and Palestine
02 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This episode starts with a trip down memory lane. If you were at school in the 90's you might feel a shiver as the r Trawl ladies relive some Sunday n...
The Trawl Meets - Jimmy The Giant: How he escaped the right-wing pipeline
28 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jemma and Marina sit down with YouTuber, Jimmy the Giant to chat about his political transformation from being radicalised by the right-wing medi...
Adolescence - what is happening to kids?
27 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
There's a huge chance you've seen the Netflix drama, Adolescence, but, if you haven't, don't worry, no spoilers in this episode. However, Jemma and Ma...
Oops, Wrong War Chat 👊🇺🇸🔥
26 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Reeves' Spring statement is looming but as Marina and Jemma await what sound like it's going to be underwhelming, unimaginative and full of austerity,...
UK Stagnates, Labour Irritates and Marina gets Irate...
22 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jemma is fresh off a flight back from her holiday for this episode, so what better way to get her back to into the swing of things than to discuss Ref...
Tesla Tackiness and Trump Turns Up the Dial
19 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
While Jemma suns herself on holiday, Marina has taken charge of the running order, so you're in for a Trumptastic ride...Starting with the latest in t...
Trump's Transgender Mice, Canadian Wrath, WW3 and Greenland
14 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Sometimes, Jemma and Marina feel like they're having a fever dream. First they're agreeing with Dan Hodges from The Mail, then Trump is confusing tran...
Labour's Cruel Benefit Cuts and Reform Implode
12 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The sun has had it's hat on, in the UK. Marina is not in the UK. She's still on holiday, where it's cloudy. What are the chances? Somehow, Jemma has m...
Ukraine, UK, U OK USA?
07 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Trawl ladies begin by paying tribute to Hollywood legend, Gene Hackman who has passed away. Morgan Freeman spoke powerfully about him at The Oscar...
Starmer Steps Up. The White House Punches Down
05 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What a time to be alive. The news cycle is insane. Even people who normally don't talk about politics, are talking about politics - cue Susannah Const...
The Trawl Meets - Ashley James: Meeting porn star Bonnie Blue, body image and feminism
28 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jemma and Marina have both followed Ashley on Instagram (where she has a gigantic following) for a while now so were delighted to discover that she li...
Putin's Poodles, Musk's Cabinet & That Trump-Gaza Video
27 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The pod opens by addressing the dilemma many of us face as we try to not raise politics in every conversation, despite it impacting almost every facet...
Truss, Stormzy, and the Dark Side of Sellouts
26 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jemma and Marina are concerned for any Trawlers who may have been left unsettled after their recent chat about Stormzy's controversial McDonald's deal...
Musk's baby Drama and when one toddler met another in the Oval Office
21 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Trawl ladies are dismayed to learn that worldwide Joe Rogan has three billion listeners. His is the most popular podcast in the world which is why...
Vance insults Europe and who deserves a BAFTA
20 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Just occasionally, social media can deliver something really heart warming and Jemma and Marina were moved by the fact that Jamie Theakston's listener...
Could Trump be any more of a Putin fanboy?
19 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The sun came out in Britain for about five minutes so Marina and Jemma thought they'd better begin this episode with that incredible news. Maybe blue ...
Superbowl, Kanye West goes Tonto and The Trawl's Version of Valentine's
14 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Love, positivity, drama, scandal, horror, and chaos, it's all in the air during this episode of The Trawl. Marina has a theory. She suspects...
Dodgy Labour WhatsApps and Executive Trumpshittery
12 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Marina has been feeling particularly overwhelmed by the news cycle lately so Jemma insists on joining in the UK conversation about identifying as llam...
Up for Grabs: The Riviera of the Middle East and the US Govt
07 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Marina and Jemma open with a flicker of good news, before putting on their waders to get stuck into the latest political developments stateside...They...
Trump Tariff Chaos and Happy Brexit Anniversary!
05 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jemma and Marina open with a nod to the five year Brexit anniversary, sharing details from all the wonderful celebratory street parties and endless Br...
Welcome to The Trawl
03 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It’s the podcast that trawls social media so you don’t have to. Join political commentator Marina Purkiss and broadcaster Jemma Forte to find the ...
Trump Tragedies and Musk Mayhem
31 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Marina and Jemma begin this episode talking about their various coping strategies for living through a political binfire and... January. They have cla...
Are Labour Now Tories? And Prince Harry Takes On Murdoch
29 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jemma opens with some imaginings of a world far different from the one we inhabit now, where Trump is deposed, Putin is departed and David Attenboroug...
Nazi Salutes, Executive Orders and Bishop Bashing
24 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
He's back... Like a bad stench that won't go away, except now it's gone from foul, to putrid and dangerous. Jemma and Marina wade through the inaugura...
Gaza Ceasefire, Trump 'Saves' TikTok and Donald’s Dodgy Crypto Coins
23 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Marina and Jemma are finding January 'interesting.' Certainly 'Dry Janning' is beyond them. Trump's been inaugurated for goodness sake and there's a l...
The Trawl Meets UB40 - Anarchy, family fallouts and politics
22 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jemma and Marina were thrilled when two of the original members of UB40 agreed to come on The Trawl Meets. After all, the group are one of the mo...
Bye Bye Truth, Hello Oligarchy - Plus the Latest Labour Lows...
17 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Everyone's favourite economy crasher is back on the scene... And she doesn't much like it when you call her that. Yes, Liz Truss is back and this time...
California Burning - On Such A Winter's Day...
15 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Climate change reminded us it doesn't care one jot where you live or how much money you have last week.Marina and Jemma discuss the apocalyptic scenes...
Immigrant Visas: The first sticking point for Trump-Musk bromance?
10 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Over the Christmas period, Marina went down a rabbit hole she found completely fascinating. She was vaguely worried Jemma wouldn’t feel the same but...
Musk and Farage Divorce - but who gets Lee Anderson?
08 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Trawl is back! Jemma and Marina are thrilled to be back behind their mics but could not have predicted the kind of fallout and controversy they'd ...
Listener's Choice
03 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Trawl ladies are getting ready to get back to business. Their thumbs and brains have had a good rest from scrolling and the internet is getting re...
Vintage Trawl Moments
01 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
On the first day of the New Year, Marina and Jemma aren't quite ready to look forwards. So instead they return to the Trawl archives to relive some of...
Trawling the Trawl - Best Bits
25 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Jemma and Marina are in a nostalgic mood so have trawled through the Trawl archives to find some of their favourite bits from old episodes. A theme so...
Ep 208: Seasons Tweetings - The Prince, the Spy and the Rees-Mogg run-in
20 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Ding dong, your festive Trawl is here! We're almost at the undoing top button stage of the season, so Jemma and Marina open with some festive tweets a...
The Trawl Meets Lewis Goodall
18 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Jemma and Marina were thrilled to meet one third of the Newsagents, Lewis Goodall. They chatted to him about where his passion for politics began, his...
Ep 207: Lee’s monthly Somme, Twitter BEEF and Syria
13 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
You can tell everyone at Trawl HQ (Jemma, Marina and editor Max) are sliding towards Christmas because the atmosphere is tinged with faint hysteria. I...
Ep 206: Death of a CEO & Farage on Question Time, again...
11 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Trawl opens with some festive cheer as Marina shares the daily advent calendar struggles in her house and Jemma enlightens us with her pre-Christm...
Ep 205: Greggggg Wallace's PR Disaster and the Assisted Dying Bill
06 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Jemma has been eager to get behind the mic for this one. Being a middle class woman of a 'certain' age has nothing to do with it, honest guv. On ...
Ep 204: Musk flirts with Reform
04 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The pod opens with a nod to the festive season and how Marina handles questioning from her husband as more Christmas decorations enter the house, befo...
Ep 203: Netanyahu Warrant and Westminster Orgies
29 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Well, this episode dives straight in with a bit of sex scandal. Nadine Dorries has lifted the lid on what she witnessed during her time in government ...
Ep 202: Petition gate on normal island...
27 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Have we all lost our minds? It appears so as the news this week was dominated by a petition, seemingly signed by bells and bots, demanding Keir Starme...
Ep 201: Bluesky Xodus, and Dodgy CV's
22 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Melvin Odoom has pledged his love to Carol Vorderman from the Australian rainforest so Jemma and Marina leap at the chance to kick off the episode wit...
Ep 200: Farmer Fury and Unlikely Heroes
20 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It's the two hundredth Trawl! Jemma and Marina can hardly believe it and both recommend a couple of vintage eps to celebrate, as does editor Max. ...
Ep 199: Trump's team of terror, Jeremy Clarkson & Maccabi Tel Aviv
14 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It's not even been two weeks since the US election and already some in the US will be feeling that buyers' remorse, with even Trump himself receiving ...
The Trawl Meets: Rosie Holt & Rosie Holt MP
13 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of The Trawl Meets, Jemma and Marina meet someone best known for her incredibly convincing parody videos of a desperately loyal Tory M...
Ep 198: THE TRUMP TRAWL
08 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It was always going to be a long episode, because let's face facts... You can't cover the dawn of a new fascism in half an hour.Jemma and Marina get s...
Ep 197: Royal Millions - Dispatches Unpacked
07 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Prior to this episode, Jemma had mainly associated the word 'Duchy' with Musical Youth, the band from the 80's who used to pass it on the left hand si...
Ep 196: Kemi Badenoch and her Shadowy Cabinet
06 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Recorded pre US election, this episode begins with tributes to two greats who died this week. Music producer, Quincy Jones and comedian, Janey Godley,...
Ep 195: Budget Beef and Scary News Drop
01 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It's Halloween week and the prospect of Trump getting in is certainly spooking Jemma and Marina. The floods in Spain are pretty damn terrifying too, a...
Ep 194: Trump's racist rally and Tommy Tosspot gets prison time
30 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It's tough consuming the news at the moment, which is why positive news stories should be celebrated - like Tommy Robinson being sentenced to 18 month...
Ep 193: Jenrick v Badenoch, a heckled king & Liam Payne
25 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It's not everyday that the King gets heckled, but when he and Camilla turned up to Parliament House in Canberra, that's precisely what happened - with...
Ep 192: Johnson’s Book and Trump’s New Gig - Would you like lies with that?
23 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Johnson has been busy promoting his latest tome so the Trawl ladies thought they’d give you an update on how it’s doing. Then, Jemma and Mari...
The Trawl Meets: Rosie Jones
18 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Jemma and Marina are thrilled to learn that comedian and writer, Rosie Jones has been a Trawler from the beginning! They discuss who her comedy heroes...
Ep 191: Trump’s Coachella Catastrophe
16 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
If you’re trying to sell yourself as a progressive, forward looking potential leader of a political party, perhaps don’t take a leaf out of Robert...
Ep 190: His name was Shaban Ahmed. What is the world doing?
15 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This is not your regular Trawl. Jemma and Marina have been consumed by the horrors unfolding in Gaza, and felt compelled to talk it through. They...
Ep 189: Cons Comms Fail, Musk and a Horse gets an OBE
11 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Scrapping the Winter Fuel Allowance has been understandably controversial but, if Conservative HQ were trying to make people feel sad about it, they f...
Ep 188: Hurricane Milton, Sue Gray and Chagos Fury
09 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The episode begins with some heart wrenching clips. Firstly we hear a weather report from a presenter who is audibly horrified by what he's having to ...
Ep 187: Laura K's Mare, P Diddy's Arrest and Trump Ramblings
05 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Twitter (X) was on fire when Laura Kuenssberg announced that her exclusive interview with Johnson had had to be cancelled due to the fact she'd sent h...
Ep 186: Tory Conference Clangers, Fishy Jenrick and Duffield Departs
04 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This Trawl begins with a tribute to the late, great Dame Maggie Smith. Then, Marina and Jemma discuss two prominent political figures who have de...
Ep 185: Sausages & other conference calamites...
27 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Only in Blighty would a one-word slip-up manage to dominate the news cycle... Yes, sausages. Marina and Jemma discuss the ongoing fallout and the conc...
Ep 184: Kemi transitions to working class & Labour facing questions...
25 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Boris Johnson has been churning out his Daily Mail opinion pieces again, but this week the bloviating bell was even lazier than usual when we learnt h...
Ep 183: Starmer donor drama & moaning millionaires...
21 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Uh oh... We thought we were done with dodgy donor activity, but there are question marks over Keir Starmer's wife, Victoria being in receipt of some d...
Ep 182: I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT & other stateside craziness...
20 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Yes, the internet can be an absolute cesspit at times, but it can also be a source of pure (Trawl) gold, as indeed it was thanks to the hilarious take...
Ep 181: The Harrowing Gisele Pelicot Case, Love and More
18 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Trawl ladies are in a romantic mood at the top of this episode. 83 year old, Nan Schiff's dating life has inspired Jemma and Marina is very much e...
The Trawl Meets: Jovan Owusu-Nepaul
16 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Jovan stood against Nigel Farage in the last election as the candidate for Labour and sadly lost. At twenty seven years old he's the antithesis of Far...
Ep 180: Trump v Harris Debate and Winter Fuel Row
13 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Mail are OUTRAGED... again. They're outraged about something so mild (vegan cafes), Jemma and Marina decide to bring up somethings which are actua...
Ep 179: Trumpy Rantings and Vance Vagaries
11 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Summer's over and the Trawl ladies start this pod with some inspiring chat about how to cope with the shorter days. Let's get fat and sassy everybody!...
Ep 178: Noasis Tickets, Thatcher Portrait & Royal Pay Rises
06 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Did you get tickets for Oasis? No, nor did Jemma. And at over £350 a pop, she's gone right off the idea. The ladies open on the dynamic pricing uproa...
Ep 177: Crazy McVey tweet and Rayner Outrage
04 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Labour are considering a ban on smoking outdoors which the hospitality industry are understandably concerned about. Esther McVey however, posted a res...
Ep 176: Oasis, Starmer and Sven
30 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Oasis are back! The nation are mad for it. Jemma and Marina discuss the frenzy of excitement around the announced Oasis reunion and there are clips ga...
Ep 175: Trump, Tate and Jenas - limerick anyone?
29 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Trawl is back! The Trawl ladies are full of energy and ready to dissect all the latest bellendery - and there’s a lot….Footballer and presente...
The Best Of Trawl Meets: Gary Lineker, Carol Vorderman, James O'Brien and Jess Phillips
21 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Jemma is away on holiday this week, so The Trawl is taking a well earned break until she gets back, refreshed and sporting a lovely suntan. Although, ...
Ep 174: Musk, Trump and the kangaroo hop
14 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This week's pod opens with a chuffed and excited Marina, who realised that she has what it takes to be an Olympian - or more specifically, an Australi...
Ep 173: Love wins, Kamala nails it and...pole vault.
10 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The fallout from the riots continues, with Met Police Commissioner, Mark Rowley responding badly to a question on two-tier policing. Marina and Jemma ...
Ep 172: NIGE PREDICT A RIOT
09 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It's been a tough old week for the country after days of violence on our streets by rioters - and no, they aren't pro-Britain marches or anti-immigrat...
The Trawl Meets: George Monbiot
07 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Warning - this episode was recorded remotely and there are moments when George sounds like he’s in space. We apologise for the poor sound quality in...
Ep 171: UK riots, Trump madness plus couches and dolphins...
02 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
With riots kicking off and more planned for the weekend, Jemma and Marina open with a chat about those who appear more than happy to stoke the flames ...
Ep 170: Black Holes and Olympic Games
31 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Jemma and Marina felt they couldn't start this episode without mentioning the tragic events in Southport. Three little girls have been murdered and ma...