The Poshcast

The Telegraph

Welcome to The Poshcast, a riotously funny and irreverent examination of modern social norms, what ‘the done thing is’ these days and the dirtiest c-word of all: class.

Forget war! Forget energy prices! Forget civilisation burning to a crisp or being taken over by robots! Instead, turn to The Poshcast to debate the real questions that divide Britain. Is yours a shoes-on or shoes-off household? Have the Cotswolds become the naffest place in the country? And is Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor as basic as a premiership footballer now he has a double-barrelled name?

It’s hosted by Sophia Money-Coutts and Cleo Watson, two good pals who met a few years ago at a party and bonded over dogs and writing bonkbusters while knocking back margaritas.

After a childhood spent riding ponies, then a spell at Tatler before writing several novels featuring eccentric toffs, Sophia brings her lifelong understanding of the aristocracy to the table; Cleo worked in Conservative politics before writing a couple of very saucy novels not at all based on her experiences of Lords calling women ‘fillies’ or bundling MPs out of strip clubs. Together, with the tally-ho enthusiasm of two Jilly Cooper characters, they will navigate you through the choppy waters of how to behave nowadays.

Every week, Sophia and Cleo will discuss a big talking point, ranging from Waitrose to Range Rovers, Dubai to dog breeds, straightforward shooting weekends to Secret Santa. No subject is off-limits in our valiant quest to decode what ‘posh’ really means. And there’ll be listener input, too, because we want to help tackle the country’s thorniest etiquette questions. How do you tell your host in advance that you’re on Mounjaro? Should you dump a man because of his shoes? And how best to navigate the tricky ‘bathroom’ issue on the first weekend away with a new lover? Towards the end of each episode, they will pick their favourite bit of manners mail and offer their helpful thoughts on the subject.

Because like it or loathe it, Britain’s favourite hobby remains pretending not to care about class while quietly caring about it very much, judging everything from your kitchen taps to your holiday destination, and whether you say ‘toilet’ or ‘loo’. The spirit of Hyacinth Bucket lives on! Do, please, keep on your shoes, take off your gloves and hold on to your hats for The Poshcast.

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8 episodes
Updated Thursday

Episodes8

Newest first

Thursday · 42 min
Phones besides plates, elbows on the table and clinking coupes - your guide to table manners
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 theposhcast@telegraph.co.uk 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.
July 23 · 40 min
Upper-crust canines and Cornwall beach chaos
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 theposhcast@telegraph.co.uk. 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.
July 16 · 40 min
Are tracksuits ever acceptable? Your airport etiquette guide
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 theposhcast@telegraph.co.uk. 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.
July 9 · 41 min
Why the Americanisation of weddings has to stop
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 theposhcast@telegraph.co.uk. 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.
July 2 · 39 min
Anyone for tennis? Wimbledon, wearing whites and wild cards
On this week’s Poshcast, Sophia and Cleo don their whites to discuss Wimbledon – the soothing “thwack” soundtrack, the strawberries and cream and, of course, the slightly squiffy spectators. However, can tennis still claim to be the poshest summer ballsport? Sophia serves up the defence, despite her own lack of racquet skills, and Cleo lobs in a particularly posh tennis memory involving the Princess of Wales. Plus they debate a listener's question about asking for honeymoon donations as a wedding gift, and they finally crown the Poshcast’s taxidermied mouse mascot. You can watch The Poshcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/y0UVLekCA64 Send your questions to theposhcast@telegraph.co.uk. Video Producer: Carla Mercer Social Editor: Ruby Borg Executive Producer: Louisa Wells Highlights: Is tennis still the poshest summer sport? Do I have to contribute to my friends' honeymoon fund as a wedding gift? Chapters: 00:00 Welcome to The Poshcast 00:44 Sophia’s Sex Cruise 03:33 Wimbledon Obsession 05:09 Tennis Shame and Injuries 07:40 Caribbean Tennis with Royals 11:34 How Tennis Got Posh 15:02 Getting Into Wimbledon 18:09 Wimbledon Etiquette and Whites 20:40 Padel Takes Over 22:52 Cricket Jumpers 24:00 Golf Club Snobbery 25:03 Croquet, Boules And Holiday Games 27:36 Football: Posh or Not? 29:55 Wimbledon Crushes 31:03 Honeymoon Fund Etiquette 37:23 Naming The Taxidermy Mouse 38:57 Final Thanks Sign Off Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
June 25 · 36 min
The Poshcast Heatwave Guide: Is it ever OK for a man to wear an open-toed shoe?
Welcome to The Poshcast with Cleo Watson and Sophia Money-Coutts, two Jilly Cooper characters transposed into 2026. This week Sophia and Cleo discuss how to survive this heatwave sartorially, from office shorts to avoiding sweat patches. Plus they tackle the great question of our time: is it ever ok for a man to wear an open-toed shoe? And the question from the audience this week is about the minefield of modern greetings, prompted by Prince Edward kissing the King on both cheeks at Ascot last week. Sophia delves into her copy of Debrett’s for guidance on handshakes, hugs, air kisses, and whether you can get away with more flamboyance as an Italian Duke. You can watch The Poshcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/iVP6Gc7pl1Y Send your questions to theposhcast@telegraph.co.uk. Video Producer: Carla Mercer Social Editor: Ruby Borg Executive Producer: Louisa Wells Highlights: Is it ever OK for a man to wear an open-toed shoe? How to greet someone: one kiss or two? Chapters: 00:00 Welcome to The Poshcast 03:11 Hippo and Dennis update 05:58 Listener Feedback Roast 08:49 Heatwave Dressing 17:20 Men’s Sandal Debate 25:42 Modern Greetings Etiquette 31:40 Debrett’s Social Kissing Rules 34:36 Mouse Naming Finale Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
June 18 · 40 min
Picnic etiquette, bad Father’s Day cards, and is Ascot now a little bit naff?
Ascot: posh pastime or plain naff? Welcome to the inaugural episode of The Poshcast with Cleo Watson and Sophia Money-Coutts, your favourite group-chat in podcast form. Join Sophia and Cleo as they delve into the murky world of modern social norms, class anxiety and all matters that generate furious online opinions. This week we are donning our hats (never fascinators) to talk Ascot - how to say it, the dress-code minefield from jumpsuits to compulsory socks, and why the whole thing can feel like a pricey, performative logistical nightmare unless you’ve arrived by helicopter. Plus we’ll wade into picnic politics (Scotch eggs, leaking deli tubs and Fortnum hampers), discuss the apparently atrocious standard of Father's Day cards these days, and ask listeners to christen The Poshcast mouse-mascot with a suitably befitting title. You can watch The Poshcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/CyEqqzeY6BM Send your questions to theposhcast@telegraph.co.uk. Ban ‘picky bits’ and pre-mixed cans: My rules for the ultimate picnic, Sophia Money-Coutts: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/06/13/my-rules-for-the-ultimate-picnic/ BBC Archive 1983: What’s your perfect picnic?: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZEwjeKgAgI/?igsh=aDB1OWtkaG9tMHQ3 Video Producer: James England Executive Producer: Louisa Wells Highlights: Is Ascot now a little bit naff? Who is buying these crude Father's Day cards? Chapters: 00:00 Welcome to The Poshcast 05:42 Bath Weekend Confessions 08:47 Picnics and Picky Bits 11:03 Picnic Practicalities 15:03 Prince George School Scoop 16:27 Ascot Hats and Pronunciation 18:48 Should You Even Go 20:32 Car Park Picnic Culture 23:48 Flat vs Jump Racing 25:05 Dress Codes Explained 30:29 Listener Fathers Day Dilemma 38:08 Taxidermy Mouse Mascot 39:22 See you Next Week Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
June 10 · 1 min
Coming soon: The Poshcast
Join Sophia Money-Coutts and Cleo Watson on The Poshcast a new podcast from The Telegraph. Available every Thursday, wherever you get your podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.