Sport is no stranger to scandal but few events mix chaos and tradition quite like the World Conker Championships.

Is it really a sport? Is there a secret technique? And just how far will some go to claim victory with the perfect nut?

In this episode of How It All Played Out, Mark Pougatch and Paul Hayward dive into the quirky, competitive world of conkers — exploring its surprising history, the art (and science) of the swing, and how to win fair and square…or not in some cases.

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Executive Producer: Adem Waterman

Head of Podcasts: Factual: Al Riddell

Director of Podcasts: Vicky Etchells

"Football is quite unsuitable for females and ought not to be encouraged"

On Boxing Day 1920, more than 50,000 fans packed into Goodison Park to watch a football match between Dick, Kerr Ladies and St Helens Ladies - raising funds for wounded World War One soldiers . It was the largest crowd ever recorded for a women’s football game in England, a record that would stand for over 90 years.

The Dick, Kerr Ladies, a team formed by workers from a Preston munitions factory, featured 15-year-old sensation Lily Parr, a gifted winger who quickly became a national star.

But within a year after that historic match, the Football Association banned women from playing on its grounds — a ban that lasted nearly 50 years.

In this episode of How It All Played Out, ITV’s Mark Pougatch and journalist Paul Hayward delve into the politics, prejudice, misogyny and missed opportunities behind this story. They’re joined by Arsenal and England legend Karen Carney to explore the ban’s long-lasting impact — and how the history of women’s football might have taken a very different path.

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We'd love to hear from you! Email us: howitallplayedout@global.com

Executive Producer: Adem Waterman

Head of Podcasts: Factual: Al Riddell

Director of Podcasts: Vicky Etchells

Achieving a single world record is remarkable. Breaking multiple, in under an hour, is the stuff of legend. But in 1935, Jesse Owens did exactly that.

In this episode of How It All Played Out, Mark Pougatch and Paul Hayward revisit one of the most extraordinary moments in sports history. They explore how Owens, battling injury, fatigue, and a deeply divided society, delivered a performance that defied belief and redefined greatness.

Join us as we unpack the legacy of a man who didn’t just outrun his rivals—but also the racism and obstacles that faced him. It's a story not to be missed.

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We'd love to hear from you! Email us: howitallplayedout@global.com

Executive Producer: Adem Waterman

Head of Podcasts: Factual: Al Riddell

Director of Podcasts: Vicky Etchells

"No one wants to pay to watch you birds play"

Travel back to September 1973 in this episode of How It All Played as Mark Pougatch and Paul Hayward look at one of the most infamous tennis matches to ever take place - The Battle of the Sexes between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs.

More than 50 years on, this is a tale that encompasses equal pay, equitable treatment and women's rights on the one hand, whilst on the other, an inveterate showman and addicted gambler with friends in shady places who was desperate to get back into the limelight.

It wasn’t just a tennis match, but a major cultural moment in the fight for gender equality in sports. But how did it all come about and was it all rigged from the very beginning?

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We'd love to hear from you! Email us: howitallplayedout@global.com

Executive Producer: Adem Waterman

Head of Podcasts: Factual: Al Riddell

Director of Podcasts: Vicky Etchells

We all lose our cool sometimes - but this takes it to another level.

In this bonus episode of How It All Played Out, Mark Pougatch and Paul Hayward head to Argentina to revisit the infamous football match that saw a staggering 36 red cards handed out. Yes, thirty-six.

From that chaotic clash to some of the most jaw-dropping dismissals in football history including Zidane’s headbutt, Jens Lehmann’s Champions League madness and Wayne Rooney’s World Cup moment, the pair explore the wildest reasons players have been sent packing.

Red cards, rage, and ridiculousness - this one’s not to be missed.

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We'd love to hear from you! Email us: howitallplayedout@global.com

Executive Producer: Adem Waterman

Head of Podcasts: Factual: Al Riddell

Director of Podcasts: Vicky Etchells

"If we don't beat you, we'll knock your bloody blocks off"

As soon as a sport star reaches Mount Olympus, you can guarantee that somebody is waiting in the wings to bring them crashing back down to earth. Fair or foul, an opponent will find any means to defeat a rival, restricting them from their usual tactics and well drilled gameplay.

In one of the most bitter and controversial Ashes series ever played, England set their sights on cricketing legend Don Bradman. Their method? A brutal, calculated strategy known as Bodyline—a tactic so aggressive it sparked outrage, strained diplomatic ties, and forever changed the spirit of the game.

In this episode of How It All Played Out, Mark Pougatch and Paul Hayward break down the origins of Bodyline, the logic behind "fast leg theory," and why Australia viewed it as nothing short of an assault on fair play.

Was it genius strategy or just plain unsporting? And why did it cause such a deep rift between two cricketing giants?

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We'd love to hear from you! Email us: howitallplayedout@global.com

Executive Producer: Adem Waterman

Head of Podcasts: Factual: Al Riddell

Director of Podcasts: Vicky Etchells

From a sport historians to fashionistas, In this episode of How It All Played Out, Mark Pougatch and Paul Hayward read an intriguing email from listener Scott, who claims to know why tennis players flip their collars up. But does the theory hold up?

The pair also discuss other sporting attire, exploring how and why certain garments are used in the way they are. And they give their honest opinion on England's grey Euro 96 kit.

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We'd love to hear from you! Email us: howitallplayedout@global.com

Executive Producer: Adem Waterman

Head of Podcasts: Factual: Al Riddell

Director of Podcasts: Vicky Etchells

"Sit down son, it's all over. No one will ever forget what you did here today"

In part two of this episode of How It All Played Out, Mark Pougatch and Paul Hayward cover the last two fights in the legendary trilogy between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier. From the buildup to Super Fight II to the searing heat and savage intensity of the Thrilla in Manila, they explore the bitter rivalry, racial tensions, and raw physical toll that made this clash more than just a boxing match—it was a war.

Step into the 1970s, where insults flew on TV, faces swelled beyond recognition, and two icons pushed themselves past the limits of endurance in a fight that left one man near blind and the other physically and mentally broken.

This is more than sport. This is unfiltered, unforgettable history.

Remember to follow or subscribe and give us a 5 star review too!

We'd love to hear from you! Email us: howitallplayedout@global.com

Executive Producer: Adem Waterman

Head of Podcasts: Factual: Al Riddell

Director of Podcasts: Vicky Etchells