Hello, you're listening to the Times Red Box Politics podcast. I'm Patrick McGuire with

you for the whole of this fortnight. Today, I know it's the depth of August, but I'm

mounting a defence of silly season, and why it isn't so silly after all. You'll get

the answers to that one in just a moment, but first, it's time for our columnist panel.

No Robert Krampton today. So, I'm talking to Carol Midgley and Alice Thompson.

The columnist on Times Radio. Yes, it's Wednesday. No Robert Krampton, though.

Alice, you know where Robert is? Well, from today, it looks like he's doing a bikini

shot, doesn't it? He is. I'll never unsee that in times to the

site of Robert Krampton in his Budgie Smugglers. But he's going to do another one, I think,

because he thinks he's lost weight now. Really? He needs to update the Robert Krampton

underwear file picture. Oh, God. I mean, it's amazing. He's

only living from, you know, posing in various states of undress and fake tans.

How are you, Alice? I'm very well. Thank you. So, we've got Alice Thompson in the absence

of Robert Krampton. We've got Carol Midgley instead. Hello, Carol. Hello. Morning.

Great to have you. Have you got any views on Robert Krampton's swimmer?

Well, I think he's, I think Alice is right. I think he has lost weight recently.

So we look forward to the new, and I think he uses, is it fake bake or something?

So we look forward to that photo shoot very soon. Yeah. Yeah.

If, yeah, if times two are listening, get a move on. You've got an audience of dozens here

who are very, very keen to see Robert Krampton in his, in his swimwear. Right, speaking of,

speaking of swimwear, impeccable segue, Alice, you've written your college day about toxic

masculinity, Andrew Tate, and I'm out who does look good in the Paris swimming trunks on the basis of

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