Pants Down Pod

S2, E6 - Tom from Virgin Island on Shame, Sex & Starting Again

In this episode, we’re joined by Tom from Channel 4’s Virgin Island – the fan favourite who proved that being a virgin in your twenties doesn’t make you a failure. Tom talks us through the whole wild journey: filling in the application “for a laugh,” being contacted before he’d even hit submit, and suddenly finding himself on a private island in Croatia with 11 other virgins, cameras everywhere and Somatica coaches ready to dig deep. We explore how self-hatred and low self-worth kept Tom stuck, why he used to literally shake someone’s hand and run when things got intimate, and what happened when daily therapy sessions finally cracked something open. Tom shares the moment playing with make-up on the island led him to question his gender identity, how it felt to “out” himself as a virgin on national TV, and why he now refuses to let that label define him. He also tells us what really happened off-camera, how life (and Tinder) has changed since the show, and his message for anyone who still feels “left behind” sexually. As always, there are adult themes, honest emotions and zero shame.

S2, E5 - Sober, Single & Sexually Self-Aware: Annabel on Dating Apps, Kink & Finding Her Voice

In this episode, Jo and Rose sit down with Annabel, a self-professed “prolific online dater” and one of the funniest, most honest guests we’ve ever had - to talk about the wild world of modern dating. From teenage hook-ups in Portsmouth pubs to navigating sobriety in her thirties, Annabel shares how becoming alcohol-free completely changed her relationship with dating, sex and herself. She opens up about the terror of taking her first sober selfie, the emotional labour of apps, and why meeting strangers in daylight is a non-negotiable . We dive into kink apps, consent failures, sexting that leads to mind-blowing orgasms, and the steep learning curve of figuring out what you actually want sexually, especially when you’ve spent years disconnected from your own desire. Annabel also talks candidly about safety, power dynamics, unsolicited dick pics (including one on Christmas morning), sub fantasies, accidental judgement, and the surprising places shame crops up, even in liberating spaces. It’s raw, hilarious and properly eye-opening. Whether you’re actively swiping or, like Jo and Rose, feel like a dating dinosaur… you’ll learn a lot.

S2, E4 - Natasha Devon MBE: Mental Health, Porn, Politics & Why Sex Ed Needs a Revolution

In this episode, Jo and Rose sit down with one of the UK’s leading mental-health voices: writer, broadcaster and LBC host Natasha Devon MBE - for a conversation that goes far deeper than your average “wellbeing chat.” Natasha talks candidly about 15+ years working with teenagers, how smartphone culture and algorithm-driven misogyny are shaping boys and girls in radically different ways, and why the pandemic’s impact on mental health is still being ignored. She unpacks the new wave of online extremism, from Andrew Tate to Bonnie Blue, and explains how boys are being groomed into coercive control while girls are pushed towards self-harm and self-loathing. We dive into porn, body image, school pressures, section 28 hangovers, and why talking openly about pleasure — not just risks — is essential if we want the next generation to have healthy sexual relationships. Natasha also shares her own journey as a bisexual woman, navigating identity, coming out later in life, and using her platform to fight for LGBTQ+ and trans rights in an increasingly hostile political climate. It’s sharp, funny, political, nuanced and properly human — exactly the conversation parents, teachers and young people need right now.

S2, E3 - CP, Chair of Portsmouth Pride - CP on Pride, Power & Pleasure

Here, Jo and Rose sit down with CP – chair of Portsmouth Pride, fundraiser, queer activist and unapologetic kinkster to talk about what really goes on behind the rainbows. We get into how Portsmouth’s queer scene has evolved, the rise of “FLINT” spaces and the tricky question of whether some queer events should exclude cis men altogether. CP breaks down the world of kink and fetish – from pups and handlers to leather, rubber and furries – and explains why “gear does not equal consent” and what good consent practice looks like in kink spaces. We also explore how far-right rhetoric and misogyny shape who feels safe, why shame only sticks if you believe it, and why some people find freedom in power play, dominance and submission. Plus, CP answers our signature questions: biggest sexual turn on, and biggest ick (spoiler: dirty fingernails are an absolute no). Smart, funny and eye-opening – this one is a crash course in queer culture, kink 101 and why Pride should never be watered down to make everyone else comfortable.

S2E2 - Dr Jodie Hughes: Endometriosis, Misogyny in Medicine & Why Painful Sex Is Never “Normal”

In this powerful and eye-opening episode, Jo and Rose sit down with Dr Jodie Hughes: researcher, activist, and founder of Endometriosis South Coast - to lift the lid on one of the most misunderstood, minimised and under-researched health conditions affecting millions: endometriosis. Jodie shares her own 19-year battle for diagnosis, the shocking medical misogyny she faced along the way, and why so many people - including trans men, non-binary people and even cis men are still slipping through the cracks. She breaks down the real symptoms (spoiler: it’s not “just bad periods”), the systemic failures in women’s health, and the brutal reality of living with a chronic condition that can affect everything from work, relationships and fertility to sexual pleasure, desire and orgasm. We dig into painful sex, vaginismus, why NHS care is still stuck in patriarchal thinking, and the desperate need for sex-positive, trauma-informed approaches to women’s pain. Jodie also explains why gender-diverse people often face even more barriers and how inclusive, community-led support can be life-changing. This one is emotional, furious, hopeful and essential. If you or someone you love lives with unexplained pain, heavy bleeding, pelvic symptoms, or has ever been dismissed by a doctor - this episode matters.