Pod Insights British Scandal Encore: Michelle Mone | Bra Wars | 1 About this episode Michelle Mone comes from nothing. A Glasgow council estate girl with no qualifications. But one day she comes up with an idea: to make a radical new bra that remoulds the cleavage. There’s a lot riding on its success. So when her failing marriage starts to impact upon the business, Michelle sees red.
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Transcript 8,360 words · 14 speakers
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0:00 Alice Levine? Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of British Scandal ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app.
0:13 Alice Levine? Matt, nice car out there.
0:16 Matt Forde? Oh, that? That's not mine.
0:18 Alice Levine? The Aston Martin. It's got your stuff in it.
0:20 Matt Forde? No, it's nothing to do with me.
0:22 Alice Levine? Oh, weird. The number plate is M Ford One.
0:26 Matt Forde? Oh, that? Oh, I just drive it. It's my wife's.
0:30 Alice Levine? Oh, uh, okay. I mean, I guess that makes sense, yeah.
0:34 Matt Forde? I'd rather take the bus, obviously, because I'm a man of the people. I've never forgotten my roots. But she insists I drive her about, and that's what she wants. So, you know, I'm just being a good husband.
0:44 Alice Levine? Okay, well, as we are running a bit late, shall we just pop on the bus then?
0:48 Matt Forde? Yeah, yeah, yeah, sure. I'll get my PA to book us two first-class seats on the bus.
0:55 Alice Levine? That's not really how it works.
0:56 Matt Forde? Yeah, you're right. It's just this whole bus thing's getting too complex. I don't have... Look, let me drive it. The Aston's right there. It goes really fast.
1:08 Matt Forde? Twenty-seventh of April, 2022. Balakew Estate, Isle of Man. Michelle Moan flicks back her long blonde hair and pads across the silk carpet of the master bedroom. It's six in the morning, time for her workout. She glances at her husband Doug, checks she hasn't woken him, watches his large frame turn in his sleep. She bends down and kisses him lightly.
1:36 Alice Levine? I don't like the idea of somebody kissing me when I'm asleep.
1:39 Matt Forde? Creepy.
1:39 Alice Levine? If you insist on kissing me while I'm asleep, don't it lightly.
1:42 Matt Forde? Get stuck in.
1:44 Alice Levine? Snog me.
1:45 Matt Forde? Oh.
1:45 Alice Levine? If you're gonna do it, do it.
1:48 Matt Forde? They've been married for 18 months now, and she's never been happier. She heads up the marble staircase to her private gym at the top of the house. Michelle looks out of the glass walls at the panoramic view of their 154 acre estate.
2:04 Alice Levine? Can I ask a question? For a kind of layperson, how many acres would we have, for example? Like, how many do I have? It's two steps to my garden wall and then probably one step either way to the other people's walls. How big's that?
2:17 Matt Forde? Well, in London, that's the equivalent of 154 acre estate. So 154 acres is half the size of Hyde Park.
2:27 Alice Levine? Oh my god, and that's their garden?
2:32 Matt Forde? Everything she sees, the sweeping drive with its fountain, the tennis courts, the private woodland, all looks so beautiful at this time in the morning. It's a far cry from the tiny Glasgow council house she grew up in. She didn't even have a bathroom. Her bedroom was a cupboard. She's never going back to that life.
2:53 Matt Forde? She's just got on her running machine when something outside catches her eye. A line of black, unmarked cars are snaking through the trees and they're heading right towards her mansion. She stops the machine, stares in horror as the figures, dressed in black, jump out of their cars and silently surround the house. Her heart starts to thump. She grabs her mobile, starts to run downstairs.
3:20 Matt Forde? She pushes past the housekeeper, hesitates, scans the hallway, searches for somewhere to hide, but it's too late. Two men stand in front of her. She watches in horror as one of them reaches into his pocket. She thinks she might faint. He takes out a piece of paper. She stares at it in confusion. For the first time, she notices his police cap and the letters on his jacket. N C A. National Crime Agency.
3:54 Alice Levine? So not any old police like, this is serious, right?
3:57 Matt Forde? It's the closest thing we have to the feds.
4:01 Matt Forde? Blood pounds in her ears as he tells her they're searching several of her properties right now. In relation to allegations of conspiracy to defraud, fraud by false representation, and bribery. She hears her frightened voice protest. But officers are already swarming through the house. She runs into the study to see others pulling open filing cabinets and cupboards, demanding keys for drawers. What the hell is going on? She turns to see Doug at the foot of the staircase, still tying his silk dressing gown. She runs to him and bursts into tears, clings to him as officers march out with boxes of documents, files, and computers. Her legs give when she sees them sealing her laptop in a bag.
4:47 Matt Forde? She calls out that she needs it for work, but they push past her. She's never felt so humiliated or terrified. This could finish her. She could lose her businesses, her reputation, even her place in the House of Lords. She wipes her mouth with a trembling hand, takes out her mobile, scrolls through the numbers. David Cameron, Michael Gove, Lord Agnew. I need your help.
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6:06 Matt Forde? From Wondery, I'm Matt Ford.
6:08 Alice Levine? And I'm Alice Levine.
6:09 Matt Forde? And this is British Scandal, the show where we bring you the murkier stories that ever happened on these odd little isles.
6:16 Alice Levine? British scandals come in many shapes and sizes. Some are about money, some are about sex, they're all about power.
6:23 Matt Forde? But when we look at scandals a bit closer, they turn out to be stranger, wilder, just plain weirder than we remember.
6:29 Alice Levine? So we're journeying back to ask, who's to blame for what happened?
6:33 Matt Forde? And when the dust settled, did anything really change?
6:46 Matt Forde? Alice, this is a scandal we told in the summer of 2024.
6:49 Alice Levine? Oh my god, heady days, back when WH Smith was on every high street, before Trump ended eight wars, before the BBC.
6:57 Matt Forde? Yeah, okay.
6:57 Alice Levine? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
6:58 Matt Forde? This is a great story. It's got David Cameron, designer underwear and a private yacht.
7:03 Alice Levine? Is this the story of Cameron's youth?
7:05 Matt Forde? No, this is the story of Michelle Moan, a gift that keeps on giving.
7:10 Alice Levine? And some gifts have got to give quite a lot.
7:12 Matt Forde? Yes, this story has lain dormant and then suddenly, last month, everything exploded. Medpro, the company linked to Michelle Moan, was sued by the Department of Health and were told to pay back £122 million plus interest in mid-October. And at the time of recording, we still haven't seen any of that money.
7:31 Alice Levine? Which is nuts, considering she's done nothing wrong. She was asked to help during a national emergency, acted in good faith and declared everything openly. And in fact, the government has just got a vendetta against her and reckless words have consequences.
7:45 Matt Forde? Alice, you need to get off her Twitter page. This being in the news is the perfect excuse to retell the story of Michelle Moan. And we've got a special bonus episode for you, a catch-up with what's been happening in this PPE scandal with the man who broke the story. Get ready to never look at a face mask in the same way. This is episode one, Bra Wars.
10:20 Matt Forde? Michelle. Michelle? She blinks up at Michael, sits up straight, takes in the sunlight streaming through the hospital window. How could she have fallen asleep? She jumps up in a panic, but Michael smiles. He's fine. The doctors just seen him. His breathing's stronger. He's gonna make it.
10:44 Alice Levine? The reviving power of Céline Dion, and of course, the great work that the NHS does, but she is our one saviour.
10:51 Matt Forde? She looks down at her baby and feels her body flood with relief.
11:00 Matt Forde? A few days later, she's back home. She can't stop smiling as she clasps little Declan to her chest.
11:08 Matt Forde? She's just about to change his nappy when her boss rings.
11:11 Speaker 04 Michelle, bad news I'm afraid. The company's restructuring. We need to let you go.
11:18 Matt Forde? What? She feels her face drop. She can't handle this right now. She clicks the call dead, hugs Declan to her. How can she provide for him now? Not just him. She's got a toddler too, and a big mortgage. How could they do this to her? She kisses her son and decides, no matter how hard, she's going to find a way to keep her promise to Declan. She's going to give him the best of everything, and nothing's going to stop her.
11:58 Matt Forde? Six weeks later, a rugby club, Glasgow. Michelle adjusts her brand-new, floor-length, black dress.
12:07 Alice Levine? She's gonna find it hard in the scrum.
12:09 Matt Forde? She takes her seat next to Michael at the round table in the club's function room. She's determined to let her hair down tonight, especially after the rough few weeks she's had. She's even splurged on a cleavage enhancing bra. But right now it's giving her grief. She's sore from breastfeeding anyway, but this bra makes it worse.
12:30 Alice Levine? There is nothing worse than an uncomfortable bra, and I know you can't really join in on this front, but it is the scourge of womanhood.
12:37 Matt Forde? I can imagine. I mean, I've worn a tight t-shirt before.
12:40 Alice Levine? It's the same. It's absolutely... You do wear quite supportive t-shirts, actually.
12:43 Matt Forde? Certainly when I went through my man boob phase. I wanted to squish them down.
12:47 Alice Levine? Not push them together and give yourself cleavage?
12:49 Matt Forde? No. I would occasionally do that in the bathroom mirror for lols.
12:56 Alice Levine? Why does it always end up being so revealing?
12:59 Matt Forde? But they're for me, they're not for anyone else.
13:03 Matt Forde? She heads to the ladies, takes it off, turns the bra over. The cups are lumpy and the lace is badly sewn. She could have done better than this herself. She's about to shove it in her handbag when a woman walks in.
13:19 Matt Forde? I know how you feel. This bloody thing's killing me. I bet you a man designed it. Michelle looks down at the bra in her bag. Then almost jumps as the idea hits her. She heads back to her table. She looks Michael straight in the eye. I'm gonna start a lingerie business.
13:41 Matt Forde? She watches her husband's face crinkle into a smile. You can't even sew a button on a shirt. One of the men next to her chimes in. Does that mean we can all get into your neckers now, Michelle?
13:52 Alice Levine? Right, you're the new CFO.
13:54 Matt Forde? She glares him into silence, then turns back to her husband. I'm serious. He shrugs at her. What do you know about bras? She snaps back. I've got a pair of teds. I've figured it out.
14:09 Alice Levine? Great comeback, to be fair.
14:12 Matt Forde? She sits back, folds her arms as he chats with his mates. She's been married to Michael since she was 17. She loves him deeply. They've got two gorgeous kids. And Michael's a good provider. But he's from a middle-class family and she grew up with nothing. She still has sleepless nights about money. This is her chance to make something of herself, to be financially independent. But if she's going to get this idea off the ground, she will need his financial nous.
14:46 Matt Forde? She's going to keep working on him, create the perfect bra, get him on board and make enough money to never have to worry about it ever again.
15:02 Alice Levine? Always in these stories, we get this sort of kernel of somebody's personality and who they're going to become. And I feel like here, we've got this idea of a go-getter. She's super ambitious. She's obviously a hard worker and somebody who wants to graft. But there's also this overwhelming sense that she has extreme confidence because to come up with that idea with no expertise and to feel like you're going to build an empire in that moment, that's pretty outrageous.
15:29 Matt Forde? Yes, and you kind of need the drive that she's got because she's not just money for its own sake. This is fear of being skin, of being homeless, not being able to provide for her kids and all the things that would mean. So it comes from an almost moral fundament. And on top of that, she's had a really good idea and those two things together can make people very successful, but also can lead people to go too far because how much is ever enough if that's your drive?
15:56 Matt Forde? A few months later, Glasgow. Tom Hunter hauls himself from his heated swimming pool, dresses quickly, then strides across the beautifully manicured lawn to his grey-bricked Gothic mansion.
16:12 Matt Forde? He's got a busy morning ahead. His first meeting is with a woman called Michelle Moan. His PA's been fielding calls from her for the last two weeks about her new company, Ultimo. He's not even sure how she got his number in the first place. Whoever she is, he's determined to keep it short. He's just walked into his office when his PA puts her head around the door.
16:35 Speaker 04 They're here.
16:37 Matt Forde? He tugs down his blue blazer over his jeans as a young couple walk in and introduce themselves. They're not what he was expecting, especially Michelle.
16:48 Matt Forde? She's tall, glamorous, with a striking long mane of blonde hair. And she's a bundle of energy. So he's surprised when it's Michael who speaks first. He shuffles to the edge of his seat, a black lacy bra in his hands.
17:04 Alice Levine? There aren't many meetings where that's appropriate, but this is one of them.
17:07 Matt Forde? A cleavage enhancing bra gives maximum support to the breasts. The soft gel implants give a natural looking lift, but we need money to make the stock. Tom scratches his bald head. What the hell is this bloke talking about? Is he really trying to pitch him a bra? He looks at Michelle, then back at Michael. Try me again and sex months when you're up and running. I'll see where I am then. He stares down at his paperwork, pretends to read it as they leave. But Michelle won't move. A few seconds later, the bra is on the desk in front of him.
17:49 Matt Forde? He looks up to see Michelle, hands on her hips, a steely glint in her eye. When I was a kid, my bedroom was a cupboard, but it didn't get me down because I had a picture of Richard Branson on the wall. I've always wanted my own business, Mr. Hunter.
18:05 Alice Levine? Okay, sorry, sorry, sorry. The poster on her wall was Richard Branson.
18:09 Matt Forde? Yeah, you mean, you didn't have a poster of Richard Branson on your wall?
18:11 Alice Levine? No, I had a topless Bill Gates.
18:14 Matt Forde? Yeah, Bill Gates is very much the take that to Branson's E17. You're one or the other.
18:24 Matt Forde? She points at the bra with a long manicured fingernail. This is the best cleavage enhancing gel bra there is. I know, because I've tried them all. In fact, I'm wearing one now. He feels his Adam's apple bobbing his throat as he desperately tries not to look at her cleavage.
18:44 Matt Forde? Imagine him just thinking, oh yeah, I'm sure they'd do, I mean, I wouldn't know.
18:49 Speaker 04 I didn't even know you had breasts, I didn't even look.
18:51 Matt Forde? Alright, that's what they had, I see, I see. Michelle continues, "Ask your wife to try it, she'll tell you." He smooths down his grey goatee. Michelle Moan's got some bottle, he'll give her that. He's always worked on the principle that a business only works because there's passion behind it. He looks into Michelle Moan's eyes now, watches them brim with tears as she tells him, "I'm gonna make Ultimo the biggest lingerie brand in the country. I'm gonna take on Wonderbra, and I'm gonna win. So, you gonna help us or not?"
19:28 Alice Levine? Am I the only one that's physically imagining Ultimo taking on Wonderbra in a kind of cup to cup, you know, duel to the death?
19:36 Matt Forde? I don't think you're the only one. The Wonderbra 90s billboard, "Hello Boys", is one of the most famous and controversial mainstream ad campaigns of all time. It was iconic, and what Wonderbra is saying is it's not just about comfort, it's about how it looks.
19:50 Alice Levine? Absolutely, and it sounds like Michelle Moan's vision is also for a very definite aesthetic.
19:56 Matt Forde? And from a male perspective, we don't even notice boobs, do you know what I mean? It's like, who's this aimed at? Hello Boys, oh, I thought bras were girls, you know, like...
20:04 Alice Levine? I'm looking at your eyes.
20:05 Matt Forde? Yeah, like, oh, it does something to the personality or something, like, what?
20:08 Alice Levine? Because that's all I care about.
20:09 Matt Forde? Yeah, yeah, yeah.
20:10 Alice Levine? I guess if it uplifts your sense of humour, I'm interested. I guess if it pushes your politics together and puts them closer to your chin, cool.
20:19 Matt Forde? Yeah, because, uh, close to the centre, like where politics needs to be. Tom stands up, hands the bra back to her, and feels his head slowly nod. "Okay, I'll put in 200 grand for 25% of the business." Tom reels back as she squeals with delight and hugs him. "Oh, you won't regret this, I promise." He grins, shakes her hand. She's got something special. She could sell anything to anyone. And if that bra is half as good as she says, it'll make him a fortune.
21:07 Matt Forde? August 1999, Oxford Street, London.
21:12 Matt Forde? Michelle pushes through the crowd to the group of young people in scrubs waving kidney bowls and placards.
21:22 Matt Forde? Michelle grins. She joins in and yells at the top of her voice. "Ban Ultimo, save our plastic surgeons!" She spent her last £500 hiring actors to look like unemployed breast enhancement surgeons to picket selfridges. She needs this fake demonstration to go well. She watches now, as one of them lies down in the road. His "Ban the Ultimo Bra" placard in his hand. An angry driver beeping at him. "Get out of bloody way!"
21:56 Matt Forde? She looks up and spots Michael on the other side of the road. She pushes her way towards him when a police officer appears in front of her.
22:04 Speaker 04 "Are you Michelle Mohn?"
22:06 Matt Forde? She feels her throat tighten. She hadn't got police permission for this. She watches him frown.
22:13 Speaker 04 "Call this off now, or I'll arrest ya for highway obstruction."
22:17 Matt Forde? Her heart thuds. She catches Michael in the corner of her eye rushing over. He looks terrified. "Sorry, officer, al sorta..." Michelle feels herself bristled with irritation. Ultimo needs this publicity. She plants her hands on her hips, stares at the policeman. "Go ahead, arrest me. I just had a baby a few weeks ago, so it won't look good for you." She watches the policeman's jaw tighten. Feels her own breath quicken. The last thing she wants is to be hauled off to the cells, but she can't let him know that. She holds his gaze until he turns away. "Just tell him to let the traffic through."
22:59 Matt Forde? She's just about to clear the fake protesters from the middle of the road, when Tom Hunter pushes his way to her, eyes shining.
23:07 Speaker 04 "Selfridges have sold out a six-month stock."
23:11 Matt Forde? She gasps. "What? Already? They can't have." But Tom grins at her. She high-fives him, then hugs Michael.
23:24 Matt Forde? Early next morning, she's back at her desk in Glasgow when her phone rings. She hears an American woman introduce herself as...
23:31 Speaker 04 I'm Barbara Lipton, president of Saks New York. I just read about your Selfridges launch. Quite a feat. Did you know Julia Roberts wore your bra in Erin Brockovich? It premiered last night.
23:45 Alice Levine? I didn't know that. And that red bra, I mean, that's best supporting actress.
23:49 Matt Forde? Supporting because supporting.
23:51 Alice Levine? So many levels.
23:52 Matt Forde? You're genius.
23:53 Alice Levine? No, thanks.
23:54 Matt Forde? Michelle hears herself stutter. I had no idea. But the woman cuts in.
24:00 Speaker 04 We'd like to launch Ultimo in our stores, all 54 of them. I'll fax over the paperwork now.
24:07 Matt Forde? Michelle hangs up, jumps to her feet, and dances around the room. Her stunt idea has paid off more than she ever dreamed. This is it. Her big break. She's gonna grab it with both hands, work day and night if she has to, and make Ultimo the biggest lingerie brand in the world.
24:30 Alice Levine? I wonder if this being a runaway success gives you a bit of a false hope about how every endeavor should go and everything should be that easy.
24:38 Matt Forde? That everything in life should just be, here's a hundred million pounds.
24:41 Alice Levine? Exactly. I just wonder that.
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26:22 Matt Forde? February 2003, Hollywood Hills, LA. Michael strides across the vast lawn with its perfect palm trees and dazzling swimming pool. He squints up at the white concrete mansion cut into the side of the hill. He's hired it for Ultimo's first shoot with their new model, Penny Lancaster. It's cost them a small fortune, but Michelle insists that every tabloid will snap up photos of Penny in an instant. Penny's become the most gossiped-about woman in the country since she hooked up with Rod Stewart just days after Rod split with his ex-wife, Rachel Hunter. Michael stops dead in his tracks as he catches sight of Penny in a chiffon bathrobe,
27:06 Matt Forde? feels his heartbeat quicken as he realises she's on the phone to his musical hero.
27:11 Alice Levine? Yeah sure, that's why.
27:13 Matt Forde? I'm sick of these bloody stories about me and Rachel, Rod. It's not fair. Just sort it, will you? In her hand is a crumpled tabloid with the headline, "Rachel Plots Her Revenge". When Penny hangs up, she lets the robe fall to her feet, then steps over it with her heels. Michael stares at her, open-mouthed.
27:35 Alice Levine? Still about the Rod Stewart thing there, right?
27:37 Matt Forde? But it's not Penny that's taking his breath away.
27:39 Alice Levine? You keep saying that, my darling, but you're not convincing anyone.
27:43 Matt Forde? It's Michelle's black diamante backless bra design.
27:46 Alice Levine? I believe ya, thousands wouldn't.
27:48 Matt Forde? It's moulded to Penny's body like a piece of sculpture. She's just started posing for the photographer when Michelle appears at his side, grabs his arm. It's too boring. We need something better. Like that. Michael follows her gaze down to a narrow ledge jutting out from the house at the side of the cliff. He stares down at the sheer drop below. He shakes his head. You can't send her out there. She's wearing six-inch heels. That ledge is two foot wide. What if something happens? Michelle glares at him. What's the point of being in L.A. if we don't get the backdrop?
28:30 Matt Forde? He feels sweat trickling down his back. The last thing he wants is an argument with his wife. But he can't let Penny risk it. He hisses at Michelle. Why do you always have to push it? He watches her lips tighten. Why do you always have to be so bloody dull?
28:49 Matt Forde? He squints up at the ledge, mouth dry, heart thudding, as Penny takes a few steps out. The photographer crouching at her heels. He can hardly bear to look. But a few minutes later, it's over.
29:02 Alice Levine? She's dead. No, the shoot's over. Sorry, sorry.
29:06 Matt Forde? The photographer strides up to him.
29:09 Speaker 04 Your wife's got a good eye. I'll give her that.
29:12 Matt Forde? Michael looks at the photos. Penny stands, legs slightly apart, staring out into the distance with the L.A. skyline behind her. The crystals in the backless body glinting in the sun. He has to admit, it's a brilliant image.
29:30 Matt Forde? He glances over at his wife, laughing with Penny and the photographer. He's never seen her so relaxed, so in her element. He fixes a grin on his face as he walks over to join them. He's always admired Michelle's risk-taking.
29:46 Alice Levine? Apart from about fifteen minutes ago when he really hated it.
29:49 Matt Forde? But Michael refuses to be sidelined. He reminds himself. Ultimo is his baby as much as hers. From now on, he'll call the shots. And do everything he can not to be pushed into her shadow.
30:12 Matt Forde? Twelve months later, Bel Air, California. Michelle wanders through Rod Stewart's thirteen-bedroomed mansion. She's looking for Michael, and she can't find him anywhere. Since Penny became the face of Ultimo, they've all become good friends. But she hardly sees anything of Michael when they're at Rod's. He's either watching Celtic games and drinking beers, or having a kickabout with Rod on his football pitch.
30:38 Alice Levine? How old are they again? It just sounds like, "Oh, can I stay a bit longer and play with my mates, please?"
30:44 Matt Forde? Ten minutes later, she finds him with Rod, in the attic. She stares, open-mouthed, at Rod's model railway set. It's a vast, sprawling city, lit up like it's sunset. The track goes on forever, surrounded by five-foot-tall skyscrapers. Rod grins proudly. What do you think? She gazes around. It's a very cool... train set.
31:11 Alice Levine? Very diplomatic. What do you say?
31:16 Matt Forde? She looks at Michael, cutting out tiny windows from a piece of cardboard. I'm making a shoe factory. Wanna help? She's never seen him look so content. But it isn't the glamorous weekend she was hoping for. She'd wanted to party with Rod and his celebrity friends, but build a model train set. She's just about to make some excuse, when she hears a voice behind her.
31:41 Matt Forde? Rod, have you fucking seen this? Michelle spins round to see Penny, holding up a copy of Hello magazine, her face clouded with fury. The details of the divorce are out. I'm bloody sick of hearing about Rachel and what she wants. She watches Rod sigh, as he picks up some moss to make an embankment.
32:01 Alice Levine? I'm gonna die, it's so good.
32:04 Matt Forde? We'll talk about it later. Why don't you ladies go to the pool?
32:08 Alice Levine? Sorry, the real one, or the one on the set that you're building?
32:11 Matt Forde? This one down here with the little Lego boys.
32:15 Matt Forde? Penny slams down the magazine and storms off. Michelle likes Penny. She doesn't want to upset her, but she can't help but peek at what they've written. She's amazed that her feud with Rachel still fills the column inches. The press can't get enough of it. She glances down the corridor, waits till she's gone, then tucks the magazine under her arm and heads for her room. She's just settled down on a red velvet chaise longue when she gets a call from her finance manager.
32:44 Speaker 04 Figures for the last quarter are in. You might want to take a look.
32:49 Matt Forde? She opens her laptop and stares at the spreadsheet in horror. What the... Her whole body goes cold. She can't believe it. After all their hard work, sales have slumped. She slams the laptop shut. She tries to stop herself shaking.
33:09 Speaker 04 It seems the initial spike Penny brought is starting to drop.
33:14 Matt Forde? Michelle hangs up. She needs to find a solution and quick, because if she doesn't, she risks losing everything. And she's not going to let that happen. A few days later, Michelle and Michael's home, Glasgow. Michelle clears away the kids' breakfast plates, then furiously scrubs the spotless worktops. She's like Beckham.
33:43 Alice Levine? Oh yeah, he loves it, doesn't he, every night?
33:46 Matt Forde? I always look at people like that and think, I wish I was that clean.
33:49 Alice Levine? Not to psychoanalyse David Beckham, but I think there's probably more to it than that.
33:52 Matt Forde? You're right. You know what? He's richer, but I'm happier.
33:55 Alice Levine? Do you know what I mean?
33:56 Matt Forde? Sat in a flat full of filth.
33:58 Alice Levine? If that's how you've spun my words, then yes, that's what I meant.
34:02 Matt Forde? She's organised a weekend breakfast meeting with Michael to talk about Ultimo's falling sales. But Michael's on a call with Rod Stewart, and she's sick of waiting. A few minutes later, he walks in. Rod's in town. He's just asked if I want to see the Celtic game. She slams his cooked breakfast in front of him. This is urgent, Michael.
34:25 Alice Levine? The breakfast or the meeting?
34:28 Matt Forde? You cannot make any decision without a belly full of sausage.
34:32 Alice Levine? Amen.
34:33 Matt Forde? She watches him pile in a mouthful of bacon and eggs. Christ, Michelle, it's Sunday morning! She readies herself for an argument, but before she can open her mouth, he snatches up his keys, glares at her. I can wait. She marches into the living room, grabs a cushion and hugs it. Why can't he see how urgent this is? They need to get people's attention, be more adventurous. Unless Michael starts using his imagination, Ultimo is in danger of becoming just another bra company. Her eyes fall on the pile of magazines. She grabs the latest copy of Hello, stares at the headline.
35:17 Speaker 04 Rachel Hunter Tells The True Story Behind The Feud With Penny Lancaster.
35:22 Matt Forde? She studies the photo of Rachel, her hair in a messy bun, looking seductively over her shoulder. She has to hand it to Rod, he has a type. She sits bolt upright as her mind races with a new plan. She picks up her laptop, searches for the number she needs, feels her heart thud in her chest as the phone rings through to Rachel Hunter's agent. Michelle pauses, then hears her own voice.
35:52 Speaker 04 We'd like Rachel to be the new face of Ultimo.
35:55 Alice Levine? This is bold.
35:57 Matt Forde? She listens to the shocked silence on the other end. Is this a hoax? She takes a breath. Can we meet? A few minutes later, she scribbles down the London address, then looks back at the magazine. If Rachel says yes, it'll mean the end of her friendship with Rod and Penny, but she has to put her business above her celebrity pals. Because if this works, she'll put Ultimo on the front cover of every magazine and tabloid, both sides of the Atlantic. And if she succeeds, it will send their sales through the roof.
36:41 Matt Forde? March 2004, Ultimo office, Glasgow. Michelle wakes with a start, lifts her tired head from her desk and checks her watch. It's 8.30 in the morning and the office is filling up. She rubs her eyes, opens a can of Iron Brew. She landed from Miami a few hours ago where she was doing a photo shoot with the new face of Ultimo.
37:07 Matt Forde? She picks up the photos now. Rachel Hunter looks amazing. She's in the same dazzling backless one-piece that Penny modelled a year ago from the OMG range. She's even wearing the same diamante necklace.
37:22 Alice Levine? That's a funny coincidence.
37:24 Matt Forde? You've got to feel for Rod a little bit.
37:26 Alice Levine? Do I?
37:26 Matt Forde? That his ex is now wearing the same clothes that his wife's wearing.
37:30 Alice Levine? Quite weird actually, yeah. I don't know if he's the main focus of my sympathies in this story, but...
37:36 Matt Forde? Do you think he'll see the pictures and go, "God, I really have got a type"?
37:41 Matt Forde? She gets up to make herself a strong coffee, when the phone rings. She hears Piers Morgan, editor of the Daily Mirror, boom out.
37:51 Speaker 04 These pictures are dynamite, Michelle. I must fall off my seat. I changed our lead at the last minute. Congratulations, you've made the front page.
38:01 Matt Forde? She's just hung up when she gets a call from Richard Desmond, owner of the Daily Express and OK Magazine.
38:08 Speaker 08 Genius move, Michelle. A real coup.
38:12 Matt Forde? She jumps up, sends her assistant to buy every tabloid and magazine she can find. Twenty minutes later, she stares open-mouthed at the front pages of the papers, at the split images of Penny and Rachel in the same underwear, and grins at the headlines. Rachel pinches Penny's pants. Rachel outshines Penny again. Who wears it best? Her eyes fill with tears as her team gather around her desk. She starts to thank them for all their hard work when Michael pushes his way forward. His face is bright red and he's shaking with rage. Penny is in tears over this. Rod's just told me. He's fucking livid. He says he hopes
38:57 Matt Forde? you choke on your profits. She blinks at the sea of embarrassed faces in front of her. She was at the end of her contract anyway, and we agreed... But Michael grabs one of the tabloids, shakes it at her. You rubbed her fucking nose in it. You pitched them against one another. He grabs her bag of barbecue crisps, throws them to the floor, and stamps on them. Michael's voice cracks with emotion. Rod is my friend. You fucked her. She watches him storm out. The room fills with a heavy silence. Michelle's cheeks burn with humiliation, as her staff melt away, leaving her alone and in tears.
39:41 Matt Forde? She slumps down at the desk, lets her eyes fall on the image of Penny and Rachel, side by side, in Ultimo underwear. Why can't he see what a brilliant move this is? Why is she always the one pushing things forward, making the tough decisions? She loves Michael, but right now she feels torn between what's best for her marriage and what's right for her business. And for the first time in her life, she realizes. If she's pushed into making a choice between the two, she has no idea which way she'd jump.
40:24 Speaker 09 For decades, two legendary brands fought for the hearts of American bikers: Indian Motorcycle and Harley-Davidson. The battle looked a lot like Coke versus Pepsi or Ford versus Chevy, but tastes changed and Indian didn't adapt fast enough. The icon all but died. Then came the Con Men, the Dreamers, a string of spectacular failures that kept Indian in the grave, until one company finally got it right. This is the story of an improbable revival and the re-ignition of an old rivalry. Hey, I'm David Brown, the host of the podcast Business Wars, and every season we bring you the true stories behind the companies that shape our world. Indian's new owners are going all in, but an existential crisis looms. Can Indian and Harley recruit enough younger riders to survive?
41:08 Speaker 09 Make sure to follow Business Wars wherever you get your podcasts. Audible subscribers can binge all episodes of Business Wars early and ad-free right now. Join Audible in the Audible app or by subscribing on Apple Podcasts.
41:20 Speaker 10 There are books that change how you see the world, and there are books that change how you see yourself. In a new podcast series, A Great Book with Barack Obama, President Obama sits down with a series of surprising and sharp guests to explore six books that have shaped his life and perspective on the world. From Song of Solomon and The Fire Next Time, to All the Pretty Horses and Gilead, the president is joined by guests like Tom Hanks and Ta-Nehisi Coates to reflect on how these timeless stories shaped his thinking on everything from fatherhood to leadership, and discover together what they tell us about the world we live in and the world we want to create.
42:03 Speaker 10 Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of A Great Book with Barack Obama ad-free right now, plus access each audiobook discussed in the series. Download the Audible app today.
42:28 Matt Forde? Six years later, Christmas Eve 2011, Ultimo HQ, East Kilbride, Scotland.
42:37 Matt Forde? Michael skips up the steps to the Christmas party, takes in the glass walls of the office decorated with fairy lights. He has to admit, sales have been great since they hired Rachel Hunter. In that line of work, it must be so hard not to make bra references all the time. Well, sales have been given a real lift, and yes, we're very well supported.
42:59 Alice Levine? We were stressed about the plunge in numbers, but now we are really seeing them bounce back to where they originally were.
43:06 Matt Forde? He even likes their new office, designed by Michelle in the shape of a breast.
43:12 Alice Levine? Okay, I'm gonna need a bit more info on that. Do people work in concentric circles? So as you become more important, you move from sort of, I guess, underboob to areola to like corn nipple.
43:22 Matt Forde? And if you've got two breasts, inevitably in any workplace where there's a divide is rivalry. All that boob one lot think they're so much better than us.
43:30 Alice Levine? Left boob have got an attitude problem.
43:34 Matt Forde? Tonight, though, Michael's here to mingle with the staff and congratulate them all on another great year. He grabs a mince pie, heads over to their chief lingerie designer, Sam. He likes her. She's smart, sassy.
43:49 Matt Forde? He grins now at something she says, but when he looks up, he catches Michelle's eye, and she's not happy. He and Michelle just seem to fight these days. She's become so suspicious when he talks to other women. He feels his shoulders tighten as she storms out. He refuses to let her ruin his night.
44:10 Matt Forde? Next morning, he takes the turkey out of the oven, looks over at Michelle manically cleaning the spotless work surfaces. She looks miserable. He tries to draw her gently to him. "Let's just enjoy today." "Truce." He feels her tense up in his arms. She pulls away. "Why were you so late last night?" He steps back, feels his eyes widen. "It was the Christmas party, Michelle. Ultimo's Christmas party, which you organised." He feels himself bristle. Michelle steps forward. "I saw you eyeing up Sam, and you stink of some, some bitch's perfume."
44:53 Matt Forde? Michael looks at her in consternation. "It's aftershave, Michelle. You bought it for me." But she hisses at him. "Liar!" He feels lightheaded, exhausted. He can't cope with another fight, especially not today. He looks down at the turkey,
45:15 Matt Forde? then back at Michelle. He spins around to see his teenage daughter, her face crumpled with worry. "Mum?" His two other kids quietly appear behind her, both ashen-faced. He goes to them and pulls them near, then stares at Michelle, who visibly softens. "Nothing, hon. Just a misunderstanding. Why don't you come and help me with this turkey?" Michael pads over to the dining table. pours Michelle a large glass of Sauvignon Blanc. He hands it to her as a peace offering. Let's just enjoy today. He catches Michelle's eyes as she starts to stuff the turkey. A little harder than needed.
45:57 Alice Levine? Important to have a stress release, isn't it? But don't blame the turkey.
46:01 Matt Forde? I need more rosemary. From the garden. He drops his head. Makes his way to the front door. He's been married to Michelle for 22 years. She's the mother of his three children. His business partner. Surely, that's worth fighting for. He steps out in the crisp December air. He can't imagine life without her. But right now, all he wants to do is climb into his Porsche and disappear.
46:38 Matt Forde? A month later, Scott's Restaurant, Mayfair. Michelle flicks back her long blonde hair. Adjust her sunglasses and smiles weakly as the waiter pours her champagne. She's been invited to lunch by her friend, Carol Vorderman.
46:54 Alice Levine? Oh my god. Basically lunch with royalty.
46:57 Matt Forde? Do you think whenever she has the menu, she says, I'll have two from the top and one from the bottom?
47:00 Alice Levine? Very good. Stop!
47:03 Matt Forde? Michelle needs a shoulder to cry on. She picks at her grilled lobster now as she tells Carol how hellish the last four weeks have been. We're still under the same roof, but we hardly talk. I'm sleeping in the spare room. I never thought after 22 years of marriage...
47:20 Alice Levine? I'm sleeping in one of the 16 spare rooms?
47:23 Matt Forde? I've been sleeping in the left breast.
47:28 Matt Forde? She hears a voice crack. Then starts to sob.
47:34 Matt Forde? I don't want it to be over. Carol puts her arm around her. Talk to him. Sort it out. Tonight. Michelle nods. Wipes her eyes. She's cried more in the past few weeks than in her entire life. She's just about to take a mouthful of lobster when a man approaches their table. She recognizes him instantly. He's the private detective she'd hired to follow Michael.
48:05 Alice Levine? Well, he's not bloody here, is he?
48:08 Speaker 04 You followed the wrong one.
48:10 Matt Forde? She'd wanted to see if he was really having an affair with her chief designer Sam. The man clears his throat.
48:19 Matt Forde? I think you should walk with me. She feels a coldness in the pit of her stomach, grabs her handbag, follows him out of the restaurant.
48:28 Matt Forde? She sits on a park bench. She feels her heart thud as she opens the large brown envelope he's just handed her. Lets out a sob as her eyes fall on the photo of Michael holding hands with Sam. She looks at another of them kissing. Her hands shake as she puts the photos back in the envelope.
48:48 Matt Forde? She manages to get to her feet, but she feels like she might pass out at any minute. She grabs her phone and books a seat on the first flight back to Glasgow.
48:59 Matt Forde? A few hours later, she marches up to Michael in the kitchen. Her heart pounds as she thrusts the envelope at him.
49:07 Speaker 04 You bastard! You've been seeing her behind my back the whole time!
49:11 Matt Forde? She watches him turn grey as he stares down at the photos. She feels blood pound in her head, grabs her keys, marches outside. She scratches the keys along his Porsche as he runs towards her in panic.
49:26 Speaker 04 No, no! Not my car! That's how I get to my playdates with Rod!
49:30 Matt Forde? She stares at him defiantly.
49:33 Speaker 04 You're lucky I didn't set fire to it, you fucker!
49:36 Matt Forde? He opens the Porsche door, jumps in, yells at her.
49:40 Speaker 04 You paid for this! Every fucking penny!
49:45 Matt Forde? He screeches away. Her eyes narrow, her fists bawling fury. Her marriage might be over, but this war has just begun. From now on, she's going to do everything she can to make Michael's life a complete and utter misery. She's going to show people who is the real brains behind all tomorrow.
50:13 Matt Forde? A few months later, Michelle and Michael's house, Glasgow.
50:18 Matt Forde? Michelle stirs her coffee, watches Michael fix his tie in the mirror. She's sick of him still living here. She's just had to pay him £8,000 for the damage to his Porsche. They can hardly say a few words to each other without it exploding into a huge argument.
50:34 Alice Levine? What a healthy environment for everyone involved. It's not like they've not got anywhere else they could live.
50:39 Speaker 04 You stay in the right breast, I'll stay in the left breast.
50:42 Matt Forde? And to top it all, he's going to a wedding today with his new girlfriend, Sam. Michelle has had enough.
50:51 Speaker 04 I want you to move out, take your things and move in with Sam. I can't live like this, Michael.
50:57 Matt Forde? He spins around, shrugs, turns back to the mirror.
51:02 Speaker 04 It's my house as well as yours. I'm not going anywhere. Make me a coffee, will you?
51:08 Matt Forde? Michelle feels her cheeks burn. She's given this man everything for the past 22 years, and now he's treating her like this. She's about to explode when she spots something on the shelf. She smiles. No problem. She heaps coffee into his mug, checks over her shoulder to make sure he's not looking, then grabs a bottle of laxatives.
51:32 Alice Levine? Oh my god.
51:34 Speaker 04 We've got ours in lovely Kilner jars.
51:36 Alice Levine? For guests to enjoy, like an imperial mint at the end of a meal.
51:41 Matt Forde? She stirs them in quickly and sits back to watch him drink it. When he's done, she smiles.
51:48 Speaker 04 Have a nice time.
51:54 Matt Forde? As soon as he's gone, she grabs a pair of scissors. She runs into the bedroom and cuts the bum out of his designer boxer shorts. She pulls the covers back on his bed and grabs a bucket, fills it with water, tips it onto the mattress, then makes up the bed as if nothing's happened.
52:13 Alice Levine? Why is this Home Alone the divorce edition?
52:16 Speaker 04 She puts marbles all over the floor.
52:20 Matt Forde? She's just dumped his favourite cufflinks in the bin when her mobile goes. She hears Michael's furious voice yelling at her.
52:27 Speaker 04 What the fuck did you put in my coffee, Michelle?
52:30 Matt Forde? She hangs up, giggles. He started this battle, but she's determined to win it.
52:39 Matt Forde? Next day, she's at her desk in her breast-shaped, open-plan office. She's just about to call in her design team when the whole place falls silent.
52:50 Matt Forde? She looks up as Michael walks towards her. He sits down, slides a piece of paper over the desk. Did you know there was a floating share in the company? She shakes her head.
53:04 Alice Levine? Sorry to not be up on my company structures, but what exactly does that mean?
53:08 Matt Forde? So her and Michael own just under half each, but there is another share out there on the stock market that Michelle was not aware of. Michelle watches a smile spread across her husband's face. Well, I just bought it.
53:26 Matt Forde? She looks down at the contract, tries to read it, but the words are swimming in front of her. She breaks into a cold sweat, looks up at her husband. Her mouth is dry, her eyes fill with tears. She watches Michael grin triumphantly. That's right, Michelle. I own one more share than you. He leans in closer. That means Ultimo is mine. She feels her lips tremble, her whole body shakes. He can't do this. He can't take the company from her. Ultimo was her idea. She's put everything into it. She can't imagine her life without it.
54:11 Matt Forde? She watches, horrified, as he points a finger at her and booms out in his best Alan Sugar voice. You're fired!
54:31 Matt Forde? From Wondery and Samistat Audio, this is the first episode in our series, Michelle Moan.
54:36 Alice Levine? A quick note about our dialogue. In most cases, we can't know exactly what was said, but all of our dramatizations are based on historical research.
54:44 Matt Forde? If you'd like to know more about this story, you can read My Fight to the Top by Michelle Moan, The Interview: Baroness Moan and the PPE Scandal by Mark Williams Thomas, and Investigations into Michelle Moan for The Guardian by David Kahn.
54:59 Alice Levine? British Scandal is hosted by me, Alice Levine.
55:02 Matt Forde? And me, Matt Ford. British Scandal is a production of Wondery and Samistat Audio. Written by Karen Laws. Additional writing by Alice Levine and Matt Ford. Our story editor is James Maniac. Sound design by Rich Evans. For Samistat, our producer is Chika Ayers. Our senior producer is Joe Sykes. For Wondery, our series producer is Theodora Luedis and our managing producer is Rachel Sibley. Executive producers for Wondery are Estelle Doyle, Chris Bourne, Jessica Radburn and Marshall Louis.
55:46 Speaker 11 Hi, I'm Kenya Paris.
55:47 Speaker 12 And I'm Malcolm Gladwell. We're back for season two of our Audible original podcast, The Unusual Suspects.
55:53 Speaker 11 We'll sit down with extraordinary guests from the worlds of art, film, literature, comedy and wellness to hear from their unexpected stories of success.
56:00 Speaker 12 And who do we have this season? Well, we'll talk with Grammy winning artist Anderson Paak, athlete Rich Roll, portrait artist Amy Sherald, Oscar winning director Ron Howard, legendary writer David Sedaris and many more. These conversations are more intimate than last season, wouldn't you say?
56:16 Speaker 11 I would. Listen to season one of The Unusual Suspects wherever you get your podcasts and sign up for a free trial Audible to listen to season two in the Audible app or by subscribing to Apple Podcasts.
56:33 Speaker 13 By 1779, Benedict Arnold had sacrificed more for the revolution than almost any other man in America. One of George Washington's most effective commanders, he had nearly lost a leg in the Second Battle of Saratoga. But in return, Arnold believed he had been humiliated by Congress and cheated of his glory by lesser men, so he decided to make them pay. Hi, I'm Lindsey Graham, the host of the podcast American Scandal. We bring to life some of the biggest controversies in US history: presidential lies, environmental disasters, corporate fraud. In our latest series, Benedict Arnold turns his back on his comrades in the Continental Army and secretly defects to the British with the help of his wife, he plots to hand over the most important colonial fortress to the enemy
57:18 Speaker 13 and doom the revolution he once served. Follow American Scandal wherever you get your podcasts. Audible subscribers can binge all episodes of American Scandal early and ad-free right now. Join Audible in the Audible app or by subscribing on Apple Podcasts.
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