On this week’s episode of The Poshcast, we tackle the dirtiest c-word of all: class. 

Sophia Money-Coutts and Cleo Watson react to Equalities Minister Bridget Phillipson’s new initiative to tackle class inequality by launching their very own—and completely ridiculous—Class Unit for Posh People. Do you have a family tiara? Have you ever eaten fried antler fur on toast? Does your house have five ghosts, or a cadet branch grubbing about in the dirt? Listen to find out… 

Plus, Sophia and Cleo tackle a burning listener question from Winona in Dorset: what are the proper—and posh—words for private parts when speaking to children. From stud farm sex-education trauma to calling a spade a spade, no subject is left unexamined.

📧 Email us: [email protected]

📸 Instagram: @theposhcast

📊 What class are you? Try The Telegraph's class calculator: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/what-class-am-i-social-class-calculator/

Highlights:

• Should class be a protected status?
• Sophia and Cleo launch their own completely ridiculous Class Unit for posh people.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to a very special, pink-hued episode of The Poshcast! This week, Sophia Money-Coutts and Cleo Watson are running wild in Hertfordshire. They've parked their bottoms on the hallowed velvet sofa of Camfield Place—home of the undisputed queen of romantic fiction, Dame Barbara Cartland.

To help us unpack the intriguing, outrageous, and thoroughly exhausting paradox that is Dame Barbara, Cleo and Sophia are joined by writer Matthew Sweet, author of a new biography, The Great Dictator. Together, they dive nose-first into her eccentricities: why did she use Meltonian shoe cream instead of mascara? How did she rack up 49 proposals? And was she really as much of a prude about sex as she may have seemed? 

From travelling across America with a stuffed Pekingese under her arm to her legendary, claws-out television showdown with Jackie Collins, no pink feather is left unturned.

And because we're obsessed with what 'the done thing' is, Sophia and Cleo leaf through Dame Barbara's vintage etiquette tips to see if they hold up in the 21st century. Get ready for some serious home truths on interior decorating, dietary fusspots, and praising your husband’s lovemaking… 

So hold on to your hats for a riotously funny look at the 20th century's most magnificent romantic force, the Great Dictator herself, Dame Barbara Cartland. 

📧 Email us: [email protected]

📸 Instagram: @theposhcast

The Great Dictator by Matthew Sweet is out now.

To order your copy for £19.99, call 0330 173 0523 or visit Telegraph Books.

📰 Read: ‘Women should be like pretty chocolate boxes’: The bizarre world of Barbara Cartland

Video Producer: Carla Mercer

Social Editor: Ruby Borg

Executive Producer: Louisa Wells

Highlights:

• Should women ever say I love you first?
• The Barbara Cartland Special

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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]

Video Producer: Carla Mercer

Social Editor: Ruby Borg

Executive Producer: Louisa Wells

Highlights:

• Back to (Boarding) School
• Is the Thank You letter dead?

Chapters:

• 00:00 ‘At the weekend’ vs ‘On the weekend’
• 05:00 Making adult friends
• 07:00 Sophia’s South Devon pilgrimage
• 10:00 Back to school
• 14:00 Public vs. Private: Why is it called ‘Public School’?
• 15:00 Boarding school memories & the ‘pash’ system
• 23:00 Modern boarding schools: Cushy living & pastoral care
• 35:30 Manners Mail: Are thank you letters dead?

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's not just tiaras and tafetta here - this week The Poshcast gets political.

This week Sophia Money-Coutts and Cleo Watson dive into the increasingly barbaric noise levels in our public spaces. From people watching films loudly on the train to the “pestilential” behaviour of playing music without headphones, Sophia and Cleo celebrate a recent crackdown on this anti-social trend and share their tips for maintaining a little sanity in a noisy world.

And, fingers on the pulse as ever, the pair discuss Liechtenstein’s decision to bin off male primogeniture and what this means for the British aristocracy (and why we’re still stuck in the Henry VIII era).

Plus, the duo tackles another thorny listener dilemma: how on earth do you get dinner party guests to leave when they’ve clearly overstayed their welcome? From “loading the dishwasher” tactics to the ultimate “hostile environment” strategy, Cleo and Soph provide you with a sure-fire guide to this etiquette conundrum. Don't say we don't treat you. 

Send your questions to [email protected]

Read: Wetherspoons bans customers from using phones on loudspeaker: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2026/08/18/wetherspoon-bans-customers-from-using-phones-on-loudspeaker/

Video Producer: Carla Mercer

Social Editor: Ruby Borg

Executive Producer: Louisa Wells

Highlights:

• Why do people think it’s acceptable to use their phones on loudspeaker in public?
• How to get dinner party guests to pleave

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]

Read: 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 Mercer

Social Editor: Ruby Borg

Executive Producer: Louisa Wells

Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction

01:30 - Important Port Protocol Update

05:15 - Culture Corner: Reviewing the new film ‘Lady’

09:20 - Cleo’s Mirror Disaster & A Scottish Holiday Update

14:15 - 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 Dilemma

39:15 - Rafe vs. Ralph: The Ultimate Pronunciation Guide

Highlights:

• The Poshcast Q&A special
• When is too old to say ‘Mummy’ and ‘Daddy’? And other dilemmas

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

August is upon us, and you know what that means: the annual migration of the upper classes to the Highlands. This week on The Poshcast, Sophia and Cleo are dusting off their tweed, ignoring the blood-sucking midges, and asking why posh people are all so obsessed with heading north to shoot things.

As Cleo is loch-bound in August for the first-time, Sophia gives her top tips to decoding the Scottish summer getaway. Why does your suitcase need to contain both a tiara and a bottle of high-strength DEET? And is it possible to navigate a lodge where the bathwater is brown but the black tie is mandatory?

Plus, we tackle another burning listener dilemma: is it actually possible to organise a ‘tasteful’ hen do? From the trauma of organised fun to the dreaded conversation about budgets,, we share our survival guide to the tackier side of pre-wedding celebrations.

So do please, hold on to your tam o’shanters and cry freedom for the next episode of The Poshcast.

Send your questions to [email protected]

Video Producer: Carla Mercer

Social Editor: Ruby Borg

Executive Producer: Louisa Wells

Highlights:

• Why posh people think Scotland is the best place to be in summer
• Is it actually possible to organise a ‘tasteful’ hen do?

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]

Video Producer: Carla Mercer

Social Editor: Ruby Borg

Executive Producer: Louisa Wells

Highlights:

• The Poshcast guide to festivals
• Boat shoes and Bloody Marys all round!

Chapters:

00:00 Welcome to The Poshcast

04:19 Remote Control Nicknames

08:50 Wilderness aka ‘Poshstock’ Highlights

11:59 Latitude Dust and Cool Families

13:15 Posh Festival Survival Tips

19:30 The Perils of Portaloos

20:49 Glyndebourne Picnic Opera

22:15 Festival Piercing Horror

23:57 Family Piercing Rules

26:41 Gap Year Tattoo Regret

32:21 Boarding School Piercing Craze

33:21 Celebrity Selfie Etiquette

41:13 Final Take

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It may have been been a scorcher yet again this week, but that’s no excuse to lose control. In today’s Poshcast Cleo and Sophia tackle the thorny issue of table manners.

What matters, these days, and what doesn’t? Do we care about elbows on the table anymore, or is that a fusty old Victorian throwback? Is it deeply common to clink glasses and say ‘cheers?’ From which body part should you eat caviar, and is it ever acceptable to have your phone beside your plate?

Plus they answer a question from a nervous young listener who’s off on holiday with her boyfriend’s parents for the first time and wants to make a good impression (no bawdy chipolata jokes).

They may not have the answer to all Britain’s problems, but Sophia and Cleo can offer strong opinions on knives and napkins — what further encouragement do you need to watch The Poshcast?

You can watch The Poshcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/mbuXBuO_5sE

Send your questions to [email protected]

Height shouldn’t matter when it comes to matters of the heart, Sophia Money-Coutts: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/family/relationships/sophia-money-coutts-height-shouldnt-matter-affairs-of-heart/

Video Producer: Carla Mercer

Social Editor: Alex Marshall

Executive Producer: Louisa Wells

Highlights:

• Phones besides plates, elbows on the table and clinking coupes
• The Poshcast guide to table manners

Chapters:

00:00 Welcome to The Poshcast

01:03 Punctuality Rant

03:15 Airbnb Interior Nightmares

05:58 Height Lies on Dating Apps

09:38 Toilet Break Film Debate

11:11 Clink or Not to Clink

13:23 Champagne Glass Rules

15:08 Miffers Controversy

16:44 Napkins and Cutlery Etiquette

21:27 Bread Roll Etiquette

23:51 Asparagus and Pear Protocol

24:47 Meghan Markle and Pud Debate

27:10 Bathroom Breaks during Meals

29:19 Salt Pepper and Passing Port

32:39 Phones and Bags at Table

34:56 Napkin Rings

36:18 Holiday With Boyfriend's Family

41:31 Final Tips and Sign Off

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/knuYbqqP9tQ

Send your questions to [email protected].

Video Producer: James England

Social Editor: Ruby Borg

Executive Producer: Louisa Wells

Highlights:

• How posh is your dog?
• The tradition of public school revellers causing chaos in Cornwall

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction

02:29 A Top Dog Excuse

05:14 World Cup Rants

06:58 The Definition of 'Chichi'

08:05 Champong at The Goring

13:40 Posh Cookbooks and Castles

16:23 Engagement Roast Chicken

18:09 Jack Russells Comeback

23:13 Posh Dog League

28:43 Cornwall Teen Chaos

32:54 Poshest Activities

36:35 Unposh Habits

39:49 Sign Off

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Planning your summer holiday? This week on The Poshcast, Sophia Money-Coutts and Cleo Watson debate the biggest summer travel etiquette questions and the unwritten rules of flying.

When is it acceptable to have your first Wetherspoons pint or champagne cocktail? Should you ever take your shoes off on a plane? And is bringing a wheel of pungent French cheese in your hand luggage completely unacceptable—or surprisingly reasonable?

They also ask whether the man making headlines after donating to Reform UK - convicted fraudster "Posh George" Cottrell - is actually that posh...

You can watch The Poshcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/AWVWNqwCPJY

Send your questions to [email protected].

Video Producer: Carla Mercer

Social Editor: Ruby Borg

Producer: John Cadigan

Executive Producer: Louisa Wells

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s Poshcast, Sophia and Cleo tackle the minefield of matrimony. They celebrate why Brits do weddings best, while questioning the creeping influence of American imports - from the over-the-top spectacle of Taylor Swift’s recent wedding at Madison Square Garden to irritating trends like rehearsal dinners, endless speeches, and the horror of "plus ones" who are total strangers. 

Plus, they debate a listener’s scorching dilemma: is it acceptable to pack a portable air conditioning unit for a weekend away at a friend's place?

You can watch The Poshcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/RrMgiekMKGg

Send your questions to [email protected].

Video Producer: Carla Mercer

Social Editor: Ruby Borg

Producer: Georgia Coan

Executive Producer: Louisa Wells

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.