Bryony Gordon's Mad World

September has arrived, which means one thing for a niche cohort of the British population: it’s back to boarding school. As Prince George heads off to Eton, Sophia and Cleo dissect the bizarre world of public school education—from trunks and tuck to the ‘pash’ system and polo pitches. Plus, they discuss the eye-watering fees in 2026 and how some parents have resorted to bartering to get their little angels in the top schools.Finally, they answer the eternal question: in an age of texts and emails, is the handwritten thank you letter finally dead? Spoiler: Sophia still has them rattling around her handbag. Forget civilisation burning—we’re here to debate whether you should be writing thank you notes in the back of a limo.Send your questions to [email protected] Producer: Carla MercerSocial Editor: Ruby BorgExecutive Producer: Louisa WellsHighlights:Back to (Boarding) SchoolIs the Thank You letter dead?Chapters:00:00 ‘At the weekend’ vs ‘On the weekend’05:00 Making adult friends07:00 Sophia’s South Devon pilgrimage10:00 Back to school14:00 Public vs. Private: Why is it called ‘Public School’?15:00 Boarding school memories & the ‘pash’ system23:00 Modern boarding schools: Cushy living & pastoral care35:30 Manners Mail: Are thank you letters dead? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Forget politics, war, and the crushing weight of modern existence—we’re here to tackle the questions that really matter. This week, we’ve raided the mailbag to answer the dilemmas keeping you up at night.In this episode, Sophia and Cleo navigate the perilous social etiquette of sunbathing in Sardinia, debate the tackiness of digital jewellery, and finally settle the age-old question: at what point is it “gross” to still call your parents Mummy and Daddy?Plus, Cleo and Sophia delve into culture by discussing a new mockumentary about an eccentric Lady, and decrying the insufferable bore that is the television snob.Send your questions to [email protected]: Is it ever appropriate to sunbathe topless with your father? - https://www.telegraph.co.uk/family/parenting/should-daughter-ever-sunbathe-topless-with-father/Video Producer: Carla MercerSocial Editor: Ruby BorgExecutive Producer: Louisa WellsChapters:00:00 - Introduction01:30 - Important Port Protocol Update05:15 - Culture Corner: Reviewing the new film ‘Lady’09:20 - Cleo’s Mirror Disaster & A Scottish Holiday Update14:15 - Are Owls the New Peacocks?18:15 - Mommy & Daddy: When to draw the line?22:15 - Is 'The Traitors' posh TV?25:15 - Topless Sunbathing: Benidorm or European Chic?29:15 - The Great Nail Debate: Garish or Neat?33:15 - Are the Posh fleeing Instagram?36:15 - The Wedding Ring Dilemma39:15 - Rafe vs. Ralph: The Ultimate Pronunciation GuideHighlights:The Poshcast Q&A specialWhen is too old to say ‘Mummy’ and ‘Daddy’? And other dilemmas Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Whack out your wellies: In today’s Poshcast Cleo and Sophia delve into the muddy topic of festivals.From wet-wipe-filled endurance tests to carefully curated weekends of glamping and glitter, we’re debating whether festivals can ever truly be ‘posh.’Sophia and Cleo share their ever so slightly tongue-in-cheek survival tips, such as packing cashmere socks and wine deliveries, the perils of the Portaloo and the importance of steering clear of mystery pad thai and spontaneous piercings. Plus they answer a burning listener question: should you ever approach a celebrity for a selfie on holiday, or is the classy option to leave them to their sun lounger?You can watch The Poshcast on YouTube: Send your questions to [email protected] Producer: Carla MercerSocial Editor: Ruby BorgExecutive Producer: Louisa WellsHighlights:The Poshcast guide to festivalsBoat shoes and Bloody Marys all round!Chapters:00:00 Welcome to The Poshcast04:19 Remote Control Nicknames08:50 Wilderness aka ‘Poshstock’ Highlights11:59 Latitude Dust and Cool Families13:15 Posh Festival Survival Tips19:30 The Perils of Portaloos20:49 Glyndebourne Picnic Opera22:15 Festival Piercing Horror23:57 Family Piercing Rules26:41 Gap Year Tattoo Regret32:21 Boarding School Piercing Craze33:21 Celebrity Selfie Etiquette41:13 Final Take Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nothing gets the people of Britain more animated than man’s best friend, so this week on The Poshcast, Sophia Money-Coutts and Cleo Watson are debating which pooch can hold the title of posh top dog. Can the Jack Russell take the crown, given their association with The King and Queen? Where do shivering whippets rank on the scale, and, crucially, where to The Poshcast dogs – the esteemed Hippo and Dennis – fall on the scale?Plus, after police had to step in to control behaviour, they discuss the tradition of public school teenagers partying on the beaches of Polzeath.And Cleo and Soph reveal their most unquestionably un-posh habits. You can watch The Poshcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/knuYbqqP9tQSend your questions to [email protected] Producer: James EnglandSocial Editor: Ruby BorgExecutive Producer: Louisa WellsHighlights: How posh is your dog? The tradition of public school revellers causing chaos in CornwallChapters: 00:00 Introduction02:29 A Top Dog Excuse 05:14 World Cup Rants06:58 The Definition of 'Chichi'08:05 Champong at The Goring13:40 Posh Cookbooks and Castles16:23 Engagement Roast Chicken18:09 Jack Russells Comeback23:13 Posh Dog League28:43 Cornwall Teen Chaos32:54 Poshest Activities36:35 Unposh Habits39:49 Sign Off Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Charmain Bynoe is one of our favourite guests here at Mad World, an unsung hero making a difference in our communities. She's a housing officer for Southwark, in London, and you may have seen in the Channel 4 TV series, Council House Britain. The work she does in helping vulnerable people is vitally important, but often overlooked. Now she's written a book, The Estate, which lays bare the challenges so many are facing in the midst of the UK's housing crisis.Charmain joins Bryony to talk about helping those dealing with hoarding, how the community spirit on estates is so important, plus how she dealt with her own burnout and important of 'letting the TV watch you'.The Estate: My Life Working on the Front Line of Britain's Housing Crisis, by Charmain Bynoe |Read more from Bryony: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/bryony-gordon/ |For 30 days' free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/madworld |Follow Bryony on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bryonygordon/ |See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.