Professor Green just launched a podcast and the subject matter is *not* what you'd expect

Any guesses?

In fun celebrity news today, Professor Green - British rapper, TV personality, and one of the eight celebrities to appear on the new BBC show Freeze The Fear with Wim Hof (read our guide to cold water therapy and ice baths, here) - has launched his first podcast.

Best known for his hit song Read All About It, he's also done a lot of campaigning with mental health and suicide prevention charity Calm.

And today, he's launched "Take A Stool". Real name Stephen Manderson, the rapper will host the series himself, with the aim of getting celebrities to discuss their health and further break the taboos often associated with gut issues.

So why the sudden interest in, ahem, gut health? It's not actually all-so-sudden - Green launched gut-health supplement brand Aguulp in 2019 after discovering research from Mintel which suggests 86% of Brits have suffered some sort of gut issue in their lifetime (don't miss our explainers on gut health hacks and probiotics for women, while you're here).

Aguulp Gut Supplement - £35 for a month's supply.

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For the first episode - which lands today - Green has roped in personal trainer, national treasure, and MBE-holder Joe Wicks. During the hour-long chat, they discuss Wicks' upbringing, childhood food memories, and parenting style now, with him reflecting that he's trying to avoid the mistakes his parents made in the past. "As a teenager, I was punching walls, acting out the same things we’d experienced as kids. I wanted to put a stop to that with my own children.”

This comes the same week as Wicks' prime time BBC show, Joe Wicks: Facing My Childhood airs.

So how do the episodes work? Simple: each guest takes what they're calling "the Aguulp gut test" (we checked and yep, they actually send off their stool) to gain an insight into how healthy each celebs gut really is.

Speaking exclusively to Marie Claire UK, Professor Green described the podcast as "shits and giggles - literally," continuing: "My interest in gut health began with my own suffering a lifetime of gut issues. In 2017, I suffered from complications post-surgery which landed me in hospital for two weeks with a paralysed stomach - something which I got heavily into liquid nutritional supplements to fix."

"The podcast was born because I want to highlight the link between gut and mental health. I first noticed the positive mental impact looking after my gut had by accident, but the rapper in me had come up with a brilliant name and concept for the conversation," he jokes.

"Discussing people's life stories by way of things which may impact their gut health score gave a new angle to old stories. In a world where you assume everything’s already been done, it's been amazing to offer insight into someone’s wellbeing - all the while removing stigma around gut issues. Good shit!"

https://open.spotify.com/show/4sOTtF5aQu7Um4zaAvzpPh?go=1&sp_cid=63da8634a91d59019fe71d464b8cb41b&utm_source=embed_player_p&utm_medium=desktop&nd=1

Future confirmed guests so far include actress Daisy May Cooper and TV star Jason "Foxy" Fox from SAAS Who Dares Wins.

Take A Stool is now available to listen to on Apple Music and Spotify.