Breaking Bread // Stak

MOCKUMENTARY SERIES, THE OFFENSIVE, IS COMING TO A FINALE AFTER 5 SEASONS!

Award-winning mockumentary series, The Offensive, has reached its final episode after 5 seasons! Written and directed by Joel Emery & Adam Jarrell (Holy Smokes), produced by Stak (Football Ramble, Abroad in Japan), The Offensive has gathered a hugely loyal fanbase over six years of releases.

The Offensive follows the fictional Premier League club Ashwood City FC through their tricky transfer windows, disastrous deadline days and multiple manager breakdowns. The mockumentary gives a hilariously quick-witted insight into the behind the scenes of running a football club. The Offensive gives an entertaining take on the football industry from all angles, including the engaging vocal talent of Paul Waggott (Patrick Nolan), Helena Doughty (Jess Tate) and Adam Jarrell (Chris Woodall).

The Guardian has called the series, “The Thick Of It meets Fifa career mode - a must listen for football fans''. The series placed top of the Apple Fiction Podcasting Charts and won Bronze at the 2019 British Podcast Awards for Best Fiction. We caught up with creators, Joel & Adam, to reflect on 6 years of The Offensive...

HEY GUYS! SO, 5 SEASONS OF THE OFFENSIVE! DID YOU EVER IMAGINE THE SERIES WOULD GROW TO THIS SCALE?

AJ: We're incredibly lucky with the listeners of the show and their passion for not only the characters, but Ashwood City itself! There wouldn't be a total of five seasons without them, we'd have disappeared after one season in the Premier League like Swindon.

JE: The idea was around before the ‘Sunderland Til I Die’s, the PL ‘All or Nothing’s, Ted Lasso or anything like that. It was born from a love of things like the Warnock documentary and Big Ron Manager. We deliberately aligned our style as close as we could to The Thick Of It. Not just in terms of documentary style, but also explicit content. We wanted something that wasn't gushy or romantic about football.

AJ: There's too many to choose from. Our lead actors, Paul Waggott and Helena Doughty, bring so much to Patrick Nolan and Jess Tate respectively, often it could be an ad-lib or a variation of a certain line of dialogue that keeps us on our toes and provides us with a laugh we weren't necessarily expecting.

AJ: Personally, we've been through a lot of tough times during the process of making the show. The entire world has as well, and it has been nice to receive tweets and messages saying how we have provided a bit of laughter during the toughest of times, or how family members have bonded over the storylines of the show, making it a regular listen each week.

JE: Final words for the series would be a clichéd thank you from Joel and myself. Thank you to the principal cast, thank you to our Producers Stak, thank you to the 200 plus cast members who have graced us with their vocal talents, to the cameos from the real footballing world but most of all, thank you to the listeners who have taken a chance on a football comedy fiction show that when we first released back in 2018, one of our favourite early reviews read : "I thought this was going to be shit-it is not". I think that sums it up.

To listen to all six seasons of The Offensive, subscribe and listen by searching ‘The Offensive’ wherever you get your podcasts. stakpod stakpod

Last summer was a pivotal moment for women’s football in the UK. An England victory was then bettered as they urged the government to increase P.E. provisions for girls in schools across the country. Women’s football crowds are up, TV figures are growing, and more of these amazing women are household names - and this summer, it’s going up another notch.

The Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand kicks off in July, as England look to follow up their Euros win while Rep. Ireland will be bringing their World Cup debut.

For fans who can’t make the trip out there, fear not! Upfront, the women’s football podcast, from the team behind the Football Ramble, will be Down Under with all the latest news from what’s set to be another landmark moment for the women’s game.

Upfront’s tournament coverage last summer earned them a silver award in the 2022 British Podcast Awards, as hosts Rachel O’Sullivan and Chloe Morgan captured the unique spirit of the international tournaments. They’ll have episodes recorded live at matches, across both countries, where they’ll be engrossed amongst worldwide fans. All delivered with the fun, occasionally chaotic tone that makes Upfront the biggest women’s football podcast in the UK. Think: the best mates’ football holiday ever, sent straight to your podcast app multiple times a week.

“One of the best parts about Upfront so far has been covering the Euros together” states Rachel. “To get to do that for a World Cup AND down under in Oz and New Zealand is even more exciting. Embedding yourself in a tournament is so fun and doing it so far away from home makes it a real adventure. I can’t wait to try and bring some of that atmosphere and tournament vibes (and the football of course) to our listeners.”

Upfront has never been afraid to tackle the big issues affecting women’s football; from the ACL injuries that threaten England’s chances, to how young girls from minority backgrounds haven’t felt the effects of the national team’s success. Guests from all corners of the game have joined Rachel and Chloe to raise awareness of issues and causes vitally important to the women’s football community.

For all your latest news and reaction from this summer’s women’s World Cup, make sure you’re subscribed! Search ‘Upfront’ wherever you get your podcasts.

Stak produces podcasts that entertain and inform, including some of the UK’s biggest and most popular shows - boasting a combined 4 million monthly listens and over 45 years of podcasting experience. Whether recording remotely or in our broadcast-grade London studio, we specialise in every stage of the podcasting process. To find out more or get in touch, visit our website at stak.london!