On the Time Lash
A podcast pub crawl through Doctor Who old and new with film programmer Mark Donaldson and stand-up comic Ben Verth
156. Stick a Rainbow on It (Rogue/Black Orchid)
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After emerging relatively unscathed from a discussion about racism in Doctor Who, Ben and Mark tackle same sex relationships in Rogue and the representation of disability in Black Orchid. What could possibly go wrong?
Also: Ben adds Janet Fielding to his repertoire of impressions and Matthew Waterhouse eats a soggy buffet, and a bunch of listeners have never seen Bridgerton.
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155. White Pricks (Dot and Bubble/The Savages)
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Ben and Mark go On the Tightrope as they attempt to talk about the heavy themes and issues brought up by Dot and Bubble without getting cancelled or sounding like Legz Akimbo theatre company. But don't worry, there's some light relief in the form of the William Hartnell serial, The Savages, in which an underclass are brutally subjugated by their privileged masters. Ah.Â
Also: What is the Citizen Kane of Doctor Who? Who's responsible for William Hartnell's Reactive Vibrator? And why shouldn't we mourn Ricky September?
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154. All Talc in His Hair (73 Yards/K9 & Company)
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"Everyone gives Doctor Who shit for sticking some glasses on Millie Gibson but what about Amol Rajan?"
Spooky women, sexual deviants and robot dogs abound as Ben and Mark tackle Russell T Davies' A24-lite thriller 73 Yards and Terence Dudley's occult oddity, K-9 & Company.
Do either of these companion-centric Doctor Who stories actually have anything to say? Who does Susan Twist's Ncuti Gatwa impression remind us of? And while we're at it, whose house smells of ouzo and johnnies?
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153. Pertwee's Burgers (Boom/Destiny of the Daleks)
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Steven Moffat and Terry Nation return to Doctor Who after some time away, but are they all out of tricks? Ben and Mark find out as they discuss Boom from 2024 and Destiny of the Daleks from 1979.Â
How did Boom unite a divided Doctor Who fandom? Will Ben and Mark ever actually talk about what Destiny of the Daleks is rather than what it could have been? And why did Terry Nation veto a Dalek production of Romeo & Juliet?
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152. Beat-Less (The Devil's Chord/Fanfare for the Common Men)
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"...so I can maybe understand why the Beatles look a bit chubby..."
Ben and Mark discuss two Doctor Who stories that make a virtue of the absence of The Beatles, to varying degrees of success; 2024's The Devil's Chord, and 2013's Fanfare for the Common Men.
Over the course of the discussion, the Lash Lads ponder whether the Fifth Doctor is convincing as a Beatles fan, question the inclusion of "There's Always a Twist at the End", and rifle through RTD's Desert Island Discs.
Also: The Degsestial...
151. The Skidmark in Space (Space Babies/Leisure Hive)
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Ben and Mark begin the Ncuti Gatwa era proper with a discussion all about Space Babies. Was it really the best story to launch a big, bold, new global era on Disney+ or was it just same old, same old?
And by way of contrast, they then turn to The Leisure Hive, the first story of the JN-T era and a bold new vision for Doctor Who. Or was it?
Also: How did having an actual baby affect Ben's first viewing of Space Babies? Is it wise to blow...
150. Stake Night (The Church on Ruby Road/State of Decay)
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Over two years on from his debut adventure, Ben and Mark return, drinks in hand, to discuss the Ncuti Gatwa era of Doctor Who. Pairing The Church on Ruby Road with State of Decay, the Lash Lads discuss crumbling institutions, rapacious kings and a revolting underclass, but that's enough about the RTD2 era, they also discuss a Christopher H Bidmead story!
Also: The Degesestial Funmaker returns to test Ben and Mark's knowledge of Doctor Who merch, but who is William H. Keith? And what do Halle Berry and Matthew Waterhouse have...
OTTL Book Club: Myths and Legends by Dylan Rees
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Ben and Mark throw open the doors of the On the Timelash bookshop for a boozy book launch with Dylan Rees, author of the fabulous book, Myths and Legends: The Reeltime Pictures Story. The lads chat about how Keith Barnfather, Nicholas Briggs, and many more have created a massive people's history of Doctor Who, courtesy of the Myth Makers interviews, deep dive documentaries and spinoff dramas.Â
And then, in the second half, Dylan chooses a "classic" and "new" Myth Makers for the three of us to discuss; Sylvester McCoy's 1994 interview and Er...
In the Timelash #15 - Si Hart
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"Have we learned nothing from Torchwood?"
Mark is joined by Si Hart, host of The Library of Impossible Things, who submits his five choices for the tinsel tunnel. It's a wide-ranging discussion that often comes back to reminding us what it is to be a child watching Doctor Who.
Under discussion: "Dark" Doctor Who, dodgy tea towels, Tom Baker being all teeth and no curls, the weakest story in season 13, and much more.
Also: Who put Ncuti Gatwa in a hydraulic press? And what has Si got...
In the Timelash #14 - ArtfullyLiam
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"Amazon Who? You Plonker!"
Mark invites enigmatic artist and autograph hunter, @artfullyliam to submit his five choices for the tinsel tunnel. Their discussion takes in whether Doctor Who should be a prick, which fans ought to see an optician and explore why Sutekh, Omega and the Rani didn't work as well as the Daleks, Sarah Jane Smith and The Master.
But which Doctor Who companion went from sounding like Jimmy Corkhill to sounding like Lord Mountbatten?
Check out Liam's stunning artwork over on Instagram
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In the Timelash #13 - Richie Morgan
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"Sexy Doctors"
Mark and Ben(!) invite longtime friend of the show Richie Morgan to submit his five choices for the tinsel tunnel. While Richie insists he's not come to bury RTD, many of his choices force the boys to consider what has and hasn't worked over the past three years. They also force this Timelash trio to ponder the following questions:
Why is Russell T Davies like Kim Jong Un?
Who is the Scottish goblin?
Why should Children in Need give back the money that...
In the Timelash #12 - Iain Martin
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"This was always the plan"
Mark invites Iain Martin from We're All Stories in the End and All of Time and Space to submit his five Doctor Who gripes for the tinsel tunnel. Iain selects five aspects of the modern Doctor Who experience AND YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT'S AT NUMBER 2!
Also: Why is Mark like Jack the Ripper? What happened when Russell T Davies went to the vets? And can Iain ever be surprised by Nerys Hughes?
You can listen to The Electric Sodcast here.
...
Retro OTTL: The Empty Child/Doctor Dances/Krotons
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Another episode from the OTTL vault, recorded way back in 2014.
"Episode #7 sees us discuss Steven Moffat’s debut story The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances which we compare with Robert Holmes’ first offering for Who, The Krotons. Does each story give us an idea of what to expect when both eventually graduate to the big role at the head of the series? And just how would the Tumblr community have reacted to Robert Holmes?"
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Retro OTTL: Dalek/The Daleks
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a.k.a. The Day (in the pub) of the Daleks
Ben and Mark reach 2005's Dalek on their Nu-Who watchthrough and pair it with 1963's original serial The Mutants, a.k.a The Daleks. How have the Daleks changed in 40 years? And how quickly would a Dalek kill itself after downloading all of the internet nowadays?
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Retro OTTL: The Long Game/Vengeance on Varos
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In another retro On the Timelash, Ben and Mark from 11 years ago discuss how successfully both The Long Game and Vengeance on Varos skewer the media ecosystem in 2005 and 1985 respectively.
"We're in a very similar period now" - Oh, Mark in 2014, just you wait, mate!
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Retro OTTL: Father's Day/Day of the Daleks
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Ben and Mark explore the perils of fannying around with time as they discuss Paul Cornell's emotionally raw Father's Day and pair it up with the classic Jon Pertwee serial Day of the Daleks. Expect tears and wrong-voiced Daleks!
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Retro OTTL: Aliens of London/WW3/Terror of the Zygons
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Only three episodes in and Ben and Mark are already forced to reconstruct a missing episode as they drink port and whisky while discussing Aliens of London/World War Three (twice) and pair it with another tale of intrigue and shapeshifters; Terror of the Zygons.
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Retro OTTL: The Unquiet Dead/Talons of Weng-Chiang
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On the Time Lash is an archive podcast containing views that were of their time.Â
Now that's out the way, let's celebrate the 20th anniversary of The Unquiet Dead by revisiting Ben and Mark's chat all about Victoriana in Doctor Who when they paired it with The Talons of Weng-Chiang. Is John Bennett really as bad as Matt Lucas?
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Retro OTTL: Rose/End of the World/Unearthly Child
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Continuing our celebrations of 20 years of "New" Doctor Who, we're re-releasing the first series of On the Time Lash on the 20th anniversary of each season 1 episode!
First up, we celebrate 20 years of The End of the World with the very first episode of OTTL as a youthful Ben and Mark look back on Rose/The End of the World and compare their strengths as both pilot and first TARDIS trip with 1963's An Unearthly Child!
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Doctor Who Confidential: Live Commentary
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 To celebrate 20 years since the broadcast of Rose, Ben and Mark hosted a live YouTube stream featuring commentaries on A New Dimension, Rose and Doctor Who Confidential. In this podcast, Ben and Mark are joined by Lee McMenemy from The Polis Box and JR Southall from Strangers in Space for the audio commentary on the very first episode of Doctor Who Confidential; "Bringing Back the Doctor"
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Rose: Live Commentary
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To celebrate 20 years since the broadcast of Rose, Ben and Mark hosted a live YouTube stream featuring commentaries on A New Dimension, Rose and Doctor Who Confidential. In this podcast, Ben and Mark are joined by Lee McMenemy from The Polis Box and JR Southall from Strangers in Space for the audio commentary for "Rose", written by Russell T Davies and directed by Keith Boak.
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Doctor Who: A New Dimension - Live Commentary
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 To celebrate 20 years since the broadcast of Rose, Ben and Mark hosted a live YouTube stream featuring commentaries on A New Dimension, Rose and Doctor Who Confidential. This podcast is the audio commentary for the "primer" documentary, Doctor Who: A New Dimension, which aired at 17:25 on BBC1 on 26th March 2005, narrated by up and coming star David Tennant.Â
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Doof-Dooftor Who 2: An Exciting Adventure With Cockneys
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In part two of OTTL's celebration of 40 years of EastEnders, Mark, Lee and Mark H discuss some classic crossovers with Doctor Who....and Dimensions in Time. They take a trip to an emotionally charged Doctor Who exhibition with Bradley and Stacey in an episode of EastEnders from 15th February 2008. Then it's off to Albert Square with the Eleventh Doctor and Dermot O'Leary, before settling down for a pint in the Queen Vic with Lytton.Â
Also: We choose which EastEnders stars we'd have liked to have played the Doctor and their companions, a...
Doof-Dooftor Who 1: Is Doctor Who A Soap?
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"Oh my dear Princess, you have been naive..."
To celebrate 40 years of EastEnders, Mark convenes Mark Harrison and Lee McMenemy from The Polis Box in the Queen Vic to discuss whether or not Doctor Who is "too soapy". Beyond their statuses as institutions which rely heavily on cliffhangers, what else ties Doctor Who to EastEnders and other soaps like Coronation Street?
Under discussion: The Great EastEnders Slide Disaster of 2004, Phil Mitchell as Mickey Mouse, and a succession of William Hartnell lookalikes.
You can watch Corrie's tram crash...
In the Timelash #11 - Pete Lambert
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"Blooping is fine"
Mark invites Pete Lambert from the Trap One and Maximum Power podcasts to submit his five Doctor Who gripes for the very literal Tinsel Tunnel in an accidental Christmas special. Which of Pete's selections will force Mark to look back on his life choices like Ebenezer Scrooge?Â
Is the 45 - 60 minute long episode of Doctor Who a dead medium? Why is Mrs Flood emblematic of a problem plaguing pop culture? And who trapped that bee inside a theramin? All this and more in the final In t...
In the Timelash #10 - Andrew Blair
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Mark invites writer, poet and programmer Andrew Blair - a man who doesn't have a Doctor Who podcast! However, Andrew's not short of Doctor Who gripes to send down the Tinsel Tunnel. Under discussion: What would World Enough and Time be like if it was written by Christopher H Bidmead? Is "Genesis of the Daleks" truly the moral highpoint of Doctor Who? And what does fandom have in common with the Crispy Master?
You can have a go on Andrew's Big Finish Generator here.
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149. Nap and Salad
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"Firing a Doctor Who cake up your arse"
In their final look at the 60th anniversary specials, Ben and Mark welcome back the Toymaker by pairing up The Giggle with the unmade 1980s serial The Nightmare Fair. While the sense of an ending marks the 60th miniseries out as something special, have subsequent episodes of Doctor Who ruined the party? And after almost 60 years, has anyone got a handle on how to write for the Toymaker?
Also: Mark explains why Alex Horne is the true Toymaker, Ben recounts a...
In the Timelash #9 - Mark Harrison
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"Make Earth Wet Again"
Mark invites Film Stories' Mark Harrison to submit his five choices for the Tinsel Tunnel. Why doesn't Mark want to make Earth wet again? What's hiding underneath the scratchy red blanket? And why can't the Doctor go back and save Adric? All this and more!
Apologies for any audio issues you might experience with this episode, we'd have used AI to clean it up, but we don't have Ian Levine's considerable heft....I mean, wealth.
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<...OTTL Book Group: Frazer Hines' Films, Farms and Fillies
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Mark is joined by Luke Molloy to discuss Frazer Hines' 1996 autobiography, Films, Farms and Fillies. As they pick apart the thorny topics of sexual politics, life in the public eye, and changing attitudes to age gap romances, they try to answer such questions as:Â
Who was bookended by the Krankies?
Whatever happened to Bernard Cribbins' "Dick of the Week" trophy?
Did Frazer Hines' autobiography change society?
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148. Alan Moore's Minions Movie (WBY/Underworld)
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In the second of their David Tennant and Catherine Tate specials, Ben and Mark turn their attentions to Wild Blue Yonder, and pair it with both Big Finish's Scherzo, written by Rob Shearman, and Underworld, written by Bob Baker and Dave Martin.
Ben and Mark discuss Doctor Who's changing relationship with technology, from the primitive virtual sets of Underworld to the more advanced virtual sets of Wild Blue Yonder. But was the REDACTED marketing the downfall of an otherwise terrific story? And could Big Finish release something like Scherzo today?
<...147. Beep the Threep (The Star Beasts)
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Ben, Mark and the Degsestial Funmaker return for a very special On the Time Lash miniseries focused on 2023's Tennant and Tate specials. Up first is The Star Beast, which Ben and Mark pair with the original Doctor Who and the Star Beast comic and its 2019 Big Finish adaptation. Which Beast is Best? And is there such a thing as too much Star Beast?
Also: Mark learns watercolours with Peter Davison, Ben reminisces about Frazer Hines' fridge freezer and we ask the questions -Â
Is RTD a hard-left agitator o...
In the Timelash #8 - JR Southall
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"Get some f***ing perspective!"
Mark invites Strangers in Space's benevolent overseer, J.R. Southall to submit his five choices for the Tinsel Tunnel. Their discussion takes in the cultural milieu that led to the decline of Doctor Who, showrunner sectarianism, green goo, how we watch The One Show, and whether the Doctor should always have a British accent.
Also: Which book of J.R's is too hot for publishing? Why wasn't Philip Hinchcliffe doing Parkinson? And does Doctor Who really live on Saturdays? And what is the Love...
In the Timelash #7 - Rod Brown
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In the first of a new series, Mark invites Strictly Come Hamster co-host Rod Brown to submit his five Doctor Who gripes to be thrown into the Timelash. Rod's choices lead to discussions about childhood bullies, the extraordinary lengths we go to for some new footage, and whether Doctor Who fandom has a martyr complex.
Also: Which classic Doctor Who producer is obsessed with tits? Are we really just a bunch of sad anoraks? And which Doctor Who institution is on trial for its very life in In the Timelash series 2?<...
OTTL Extra: Censor-Rights or Censor-Wrongs?
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Mark is joined by Film Stories' Mark Harrison to discuss the history of censorship and Doctor Who. From the Australian censor clips of the 1960s to the BBFC's rulings on the Ncuti Gatwa era, the two Marks unpick whether regulatory oversight and "censorship" have been good for Doctor Who.
But don't worry, there are plenty of laughs along the way, including Ofcom's ruling on "insufficient underwear", why the Sacha Dhawan Master had a particularly awful Christmas Day, and which Ncuti Gatwa episode is officially more grisly than Attack of the Cyberman.<...
John Levene's Autobiography (with Luke Molloy)
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In a break from your usual programming, Mark opens the doors of the On the Time Lash pub for a book club style chat with Doctor Who podcaster at large, Luke Molloy for a chat about "Run The Shadows Walk The Sun" by John Levene.
John Levene's life story is a beautiful contradiction; a celebrity autobiography by someone who was never a "celebrity", that is both brimming with enthusiasm and seething with rage.
Join Mark and Luke as they discover how 9/11 affected John Levene, why he fired John Travolta...
In the Timelash #6 - Mikey Smith
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"Pip will have the salmon"
In a raucous series finale, Ben and Mark welcome actor, presenter, and host of Mikey & Who, Mikey Smith to tease his upcoming project with David Burton, and submit his five choices for the Tinsel Tunnel.
Mikey's choices call into question the veracity of Doctor Who actor anecdotes, provide marriage counselling to Pip and Jane Baker, reappraise a lost incarnation of the Doctor, and interrogate what are we actually doing here exactly?
Listen all the way to the end for Ben and Mikey...
In the Timelash #5 - Dylan Rees
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In the penultimate episode of In the Timelash season 1, Ben and Mark invite Emmy award winner and host of Doctor Who: Too Hot for TV, Dylan Rees to submit his five items to be flung into Paul Darrow's Spangly Opening.
Dylan's choices raise questions like - Who's been following Dylan from 73 yards away? Which Doctor Who personality is coming round your house to do something unspeakable to your Target collection? And which RTD creation is the greatest cartoon character of all time?
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In the Time Lash #4 - Luke Molloy
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Mark is joined by Doctor Who podcaster at large, Luke Molloy, to discuss his five entries to be thrown into the Time Lash.Â
It's a wide ranging discussion that takes in the topics of who's the best actor to play the Doctor, the current state of Doctor Who Magazine, the perils of letting one actor play each member of an alien race, what you want from your Doctor Who theme tune, and why we need to forget about the numbering of the Doctor's incarnations.
ALSO: Who's the best actor t...
In The Time Lash #3 - Joe Ford
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Ben and Mark invite Joe Ford from Hamster With A Blunt Penknife to submit his five choices to go into the Timelash. Mammary madness, unconvincing urchins, aural wallpaper, violent content and performative negativity all face the Timelash, but will they all depart with a scream?
Joe's five choices lead us to try and answer the questions:
Can Doctor Who be sexy? Should Doctor Who be sexy? Is it cheeky to write yourself roles in a Big Finish audio? What does a Doctor Who convention smell like?
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In The Timelash #2 - Mark Donaldson
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Mark is next up to submit five things they don’t like about Doctor Who to be thrown In the Timelash.Â
It's a wide-ranging discussion that takes in some heavy topics, the brave new world of online fandom, worldwide release windows, and whether a delivery driver can scale the height of Colin Baker's gate.Â
Will all five of Mark's choices get sent on a one-way trip to the bonnie bonnie banks of Loch Ness? And when was the last time that Britain was truly great?
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