Straight Up

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 @straightuppodFind us on YouTube @straightupmediapodEmail at ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠Recs/reviewsSo Thrilled For You, Holly BourneHalf His Age, Jeanette McCurdyFlesh, David SzalayThe Housemaid, in cinemas now Eternity, AppleTV Can Callum Turner handle what it takes to be the new James Bond? TimesCritics Choice Awards: Full Winners List, Hollywood ReporterWeapons, available to rent from homeThe Beckham family's 'sad' escalating feud with Brooklyn and his wife Nicola explained, Hello! The Traitors, BBC iPlayer . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠. We LOVE hearing from you!Follow us on IG ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and TikTok @straightuppodRecsThe Names, Florence KnappFlashlight, Susan ChoiOnyx Storm, Rebecca YarosShield of Sparrows, Devney Perry Our Salt Path episodeCareless People Sarah Wynn-WilliamsGirl 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, SenLinYuCeCe, Emmelie Prophete The Safekeep, Yael van der Wouden The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny, Kiran Desai Perfection, Vincenzo LatronicoAtmosphere, Taylor Jenkins Reid What We Can Know, Ian McEwanHalf His Age, Jeanette McCurdyDear Debbie, Freida McFadden.. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠. We LOVE hearing from you!Follow us on TikTok @straightuppodRecsThe Beast In Me, NetflixPluribus, AppleTVSirens, NetflixFilm Club, BBC iPlayerAdolescence, Netflix Toxic Town, NetflixThe Girlfriend, Amazon Prime VideoDown Cemetery Road, AppleTVWhat It Feels Like For A Girl, BBC iPlayer Overcompensating, Amazon Prime VideoPlatonic, AppleTVAmandaland, BBC iPlayerSeverance, AppleTVBig Boys, Channel 4The White Lotus, NOW TV. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠. We LOVE hearing from you!Follow us on TikTok @straightuppodRecs/ reviews Backstage Beauty SalonAlchemised, SenLinYuThe fanfiction written on a notes app that’s become a bestseller – with a seven-figure film deal, GuardianMargaret Atwood on Desert Island Discs, BBC Sounds The MaddAddam Trilogy, Margaret AtwoodCece, Emmelie PropheteGrace Beverley: the Oxford student with a £70m wellness brand, The Times Zootopia 2, in cinemas nowWake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, Netflix Taylor Swift: The End of an Era, Disney. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠. We LOVE hearing from you! Follow us on TikTok @straightuppodRecs/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, GuardianAll About Miley Cyrus’s Fiancé Maxx Morando and Their ‘Low-Key’ Relationship, ElleSean Combs: The Reckoning, NetflixSean Combs: The Reckoning review – you can see why the musician is fighting to ban this horrific documentary, Guardian . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.