Matt Cain’s gorgeous novel The Madonna of Bolton was turned down more than 30 times by publishers for being “too gay”. A coming of age story loosely based on Matt’s own experiences of being a gay Madonna fan growing up in northern England in the Eighties, it broke records at the crowdfunding publishing house Unbound. The book is now being turned into a film; there’s the option for a stage musical, and, to top it all off, Madonna has given it her blessing. BLIMEY!

Matt joins Jo and James to talk about his determination and the extraordinary path his book has taken; the snobbery of the “guilty pleasure” concept; and why Madonna is such an inspiring icon.

And of course, there are some vital topics to discuss: so is it James who’s not a superfan? Is it just Matt who loathes the sound of flip flops? And is it just Jo who’s a fairweather sports follower?

This week's episode was recorded on July 16. It was edited by Kat Brown, with music by Martin Austwick. The Madonna of Bolton is available to buy now.

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