Surprise! We've got a Saturday Bonus ep for you! You probably heard all about Ben Ilobuchi's situationship troubles in this weeks episode. But did you hear the beef? Dee becomes The Grill's first guest to sear some rogue relationship-specific beefs like ghosting, the ick, and having to sleep in a bed with your partner. 

DM us your thoughts, questions, topics, or to just vent at @triplejthehookup on IG or email us: [email protected]

The Hook Up is an ABC podcast, produced by triple j. It is recorded on the lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation. We pay our respects to elders past and present. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land where we live, work, and learn.

If you’re dating, hooking up with, talking to, or seeing someone but you don’t know where things are going and you don’t know how to bring it up… Dating coach and author Erika Ettin has got you!

In this ep, she has some tough love for anyone in a situationship, and will help you have the exclusive/relationship chat. 

SHOW NOTES:

Situationship Ep: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17Qr9ovC2N0

Erika Ettin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alittlenudge/?hl=en

DM us your thoughts, questions, topics, or to just vent at @triplejthehookup on IG or email us: [email protected]

The Hook Up is an ABC podcast, produced by triple j. It is recorded on the lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation. We pay our respects to elders past and present. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land where we live, work, and learn.

Are you dating or hooking up with someone right now and you’re not really sure what’s going on? It feels like a relationship but you’ve never had the ‘exclusive chat’. 

You might be in a situationship… 

In this episode Dee is joined by guest co-host Ben Ilobuchi to unravel the relationship limbo. 

Show notes:

Deding and Describing Situationships: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/378872949_Defining_and_Describing_Situationships_An_Exploratory_Investigation

World Health Org: https://www.who.int/news/item/02-09-2025-over-a-billion-people-living-with-mental-health-conditions-services-require-urgent-scale-up

DM us your thoughts, questions, topics, or to just vent at @triplejthehookup on IG or email us: [email protected]

The Hook Up is an ABC podcast, produced by triple j. It is recorded on the lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation. We pay our respects to elders past and present. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land where we live, work, and learn.

Have you noticed a pattern in your love life of ending things when a relationship starts to get serious? Or maybe you pick a fight, or ghost people or never commit to a second date. In this ep we chat to psychologist Dr Rebecca Ray about why we can sometimes self-sabotage and how to break that cycle.

SHOW NOTES:

Dr Rebecca Ray - https://rebeccaray.com.au/

DM us your thoughts, questions, topics, or to just vent at @triplejthehookup on IG or email us: [email protected]

The Hook Up is an ABC podcast, produced by triple j. It is recorded on the lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation. We pay our respects to elders past and present. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land where we live, work, and learn.

Whether it’s someone’s personality, physical attributes, career or aesthetic - sometimes we lean into a “type” of person who we’re attracted to and want to date. But can it ever be discriminatory, fetishisation or limiting to potential relationships? 

We hear your hot takes and discuss with special guest host Lauren French.

SHOW NOTES

Scientists Found Evidence That People Really Do Have a Dating Type: https://www.vice.com/en/article/scientists-found-evidence-that-people-really-do-have-a-dating-type/

I Found Love When I Stopped Dating My Type: https://www.vice.com/en/article/i-found-love-when-i-stopped-dating-my-type/

Mate Value: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mate_value

What is Love? Attraction explained : https://youtu.be/9kaZ79MQWrM?si=ogGLk4tGc6kV1Hrl

How to change your type: https://www.bustle.com/p/if-you-have-a-relationship-type-experts-say-these-7-surprising-things-can-help-you-change-it-18190193

DM us your thoughts, questions, topics, or to just vent at @triplejthehookup on IG or email us: [email protected]

The Hook Up is an ABC podcast, produced by triple j. It is recorded on the lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation. We pay our respects to elders past and present. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land where we live, work, and learn.

As much as we talk about sex on The Hook Up, for some people they have absolutely no interest in it. That’s what it’s like for writer, fashion girly, podcast host of Booksmart AND asexual baddie Allie Daisy King. In this ep Dee chat’s to Allie about her sexuality journey realising she was ace, what it’s like to live in a world that’s so obsessed with hooking up and dating and why she still loves to read romantasy and smut books. 

SHOW NOTES:

Allie’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alliedaisyking/?hl=en

Extra Virgin: https://www.youtube.com/@alliedaisyking

ACE book: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52128695-ace

DM us your thoughts, questions, topics, or to just vent at @triplejthehookup on IG or email us: [email protected]

The Hook Up is an ABC podcast, produced by triple j. It is recorded on the lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation. We pay our respects to elders past and present. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land where we live, work, and learn.

Doing the crossword together every week, writing letters to each other, mandatory date nights, surprise gifts, a commitment to a yearly getaway, and sleeping in separate beds. Whether you’re only a few months in, or years deep - we all have ways to keep the relationship vibes high and healthy. In this ep, we hear your hacks, tricks, rules and methods, to keep your relationship thriving.

SHOW NOTES:

Harvard University research on importance of Rituals: https://www.library.hbs.edu/working-knowledge/rituals-strengthen-couples-here-s-why-they-re-good-for-business-too

Power of learning new things together:

DM us your thoughts, questions, topics, or to just vent at @triplejthehookup on IG or email us: [email protected]

The Hook Up is an ABC podcast, produced by triple j. It is recorded on the lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation. We pay our respects to elders past and present. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land where we live, work, and learn

Studies show that nearly 30% of Australians have experienced child sexual abuse - a horrific stat that award-winning activist and co-founder of the #YourReferenceAintRelevant campaign - Harrison James has been trying to change. 

In this ep, Dee chats to Harri about his activism, his survival of child sexual abuse and what’s helped with healing. As well as what he’s learnt from being in a loving and healthy relationship with his fiance Bella Johnston who actually joins us in the studio too!

SHOW NOTES:

Lifeline: 13 11 14

1800 RESPECT: 1800 737 732

Harrison James IG: https://www.instagram.com/itsharrijames/?hl=en

Bella Johnston IG: https://www.instagram.com/spicyjohnston/?hl=en

Harri’s Book - Transform Your Pain Into Purpose: https://www.simonandschuster.com.au/books/Transform-Your-Pain-into-Purpose/Harrison-James/9781923293892

DM us your thoughts, questions, topics, or to just vent at @triplejthehookup on IG or email us: [email protected]

The Hook Up is an ABC podcast, produced by triple j. It is recorded on the lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation. We pay our respects to elders past and present. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land where we live, work, and learn.

Hooking up with your mate’s ex might be one of the biggest violations in a friendship. But is it totally black and white, or are there some grey areas? 

We hear your hot takes and stories - from you giving your blessing to friends hiding the relationship, and when pursuing the ex has damaged friendships beyond repair and earnt you the nickname sloppy seconds.

DM us your thoughts, questions, topics, or to just vent at @triplejthehookup on IG or email us: [email protected]

The Hook Up is an ABC podcast, produced by triple j. It is recorded on the lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation. We pay our respects to elders past and present. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land where we live, work, and learn.

When you hear about HIV you might think of the AIDs epidemic during the 80s. But so much has changed since then, including the invention of a prevention drug called PrEP. So how does it work? And is it just for gay men? 

In this chat with Professor Andrew Grulich who’s the head of a HIV Epidemiology and Prevention program, we find out everything you need to know about Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis. 

SHOW NOTES:

Professor Andrew Grulich - https://www.unsw.edu.au/staff/andrew-grulich

https://napwha.org.au/

DM us your thoughts, questions, topics, or to just vent at @triplejthehookup on IG or email us: [email protected]

The Hook Up is an ABC podcast, produced by triple j. It is recorded on the lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation. We pay our respects to elders past and present. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land where we live, work, and learn.

They say it’s one of the oldest professions in the world, and with sites like OnlyFans booming in popularity, getting into the industry is easier than ever before - but what is it like to date someone who does sex work? We hear your experiences of dating and relationships from the POV of SWers and as partners - from escorts, full service and erotic dancers, to online adult content creators, phone operators and companion services.

SHOW NOTES:

Melbourne Sexual Health Centre Annual Report: https://www.mshc.org.au/images/downloads/AnnualReports/MSHC_AnnualReport_2024.pdf

DM us your thoughts, questions, topics, or to just vent at @triplejthehookup on IG or email us: [email protected]

The Hook Up is an ABC podcast, produced by triple j. It is recorded on the lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation. We pay our respects to elders past and present. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land where we live, work, and learn.