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Fans already had their suspicions after Joe Lycett mysteriously cancelled plans for his new podcast, named Turdcast, on Friday, and now the Birmingham funnyman has confirmed that the planned audio series - and reports of a sewage “spillage” – was part of a much wider stunt calling on water companies to do more to address the sewage scandal. Last week, Lycett announced he was launching the “ploppy poddy” in which guests talk about their “toilet habits”, and even told indy100 that he’d love to have author Dr Giulia Enders on the podcast, implying it was actually a real project from the Got Your Back star. His first guest was supposedly Gary Lineker. There was even a launch event scheduled for Thursday – a day before the supposed release of the first episode - at Liverpool’s Royal Albert Dock, in which Lycett attempted to erect a giant inflatable toilet known as ‘The Turdis’ and interview the general public about their toilet stories. However, the publicity stunt had to be cancelled early “due to a technical issue” with the inflatable object, and windy conditions didn’t help with its inflation, either. A spokesperson released a statement which claimed that “a mechanical fault occurred with a portable toilet which saw a small spillage occur”. “This was immediately dealt with by the support team on hand to ensure there was no impact on the water into which the spillage occurred. “However, the event was cancelled with immediate effect as it was not possible for members of the public to use the toilet as planned. We apologise to disappointed fans hoping to attend,” they said. Lycett himself later put out his own statement on social media on Friday morning, in which he revealed the dramatic decision to “cancel the podcast indefinitely”, as it would be “inappropriate” to launch Turdcast off the back of the “ongoing investigation into the sewage spilled into the waters”. “I’d like to reiterate that it was entirely safe and managed by the team very swiftly. I’ll be releasing more information in due course,” he added. Well, that came on Saturday, when Lycett shared a video statement from “Miss Sue Idge” confirming that “of course” he didn’t spill raw sewage” and that it was instead another stunt to “get people talking about the big issues”. He continued: “I’m not spilling s*** in public everywhere. Who do you think I am, GB News? “No, it was fake sewage, from a fake toilet, to promote a fake podcast. Turdcast was never real, although we did record a real one with the real Gary Lineker. “It would have been better to use a fake Gary Lineker because we would have saved a lot of money on his day rate.” Lycett explained that his fake sewage was to get people talking about the “real sewage” being spilled by water companies every year, and that an hour-long special on water companies will air on Channel 4 next year. “Last year, according to one analysis, £1.4 billion in dividends was paid out to shareholders of the water companies – that’s a lot of money that could be used to improve the sewage network and reduce spills. “So I want the water companies to stop paying dividends, and invest that money in improving and solving this problem,” he said. He then called on viewers and fans to go to a website and email their water company, calling on them to sign up to “Joe’s Poo Promise” – lovely alliteration. Lycett has since been branded a “genius” and “national treasure” over the campaign: And it’s not the first dramatic stunt which Lycett has pulled off, as he pretended to shred £10,000 in protest at David Beckham being an ambassador for the 2022 Qatar World Cup, and created an elaborate four-year stunt which “infuriated” MPs and formed the basis of his most recent stand-up show, More, More, More! Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter How to join the indy100's free WhatsApp channel Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

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With the release of the Barbie movie coming up, Margot Robbie gave an inside look into the Mattel doll's Dreamhouse with Architectural Digest - and it's just as iconic as you would expect. Of course, the one particular colour that is synonymous with Barbie and fuchsia pink is everywhere on the set - tables, chairs, walls, cars you name it. While the aesthetic took inspiration from Palm Springs's midcentury modernism, with furniture from the 1950s and 1960s, back to when Barbie was first created in 1959 by Ruth Handler as well as products that would be included in Dreamhouse today. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Production designer Sarah Greenwood and set decorator Katie Spence worked with director Greta Gerwig to recreate the childhood nostalgia on-screen, and the set was first made in a miniature format before it was actually created for the set. “I wanted to capture what was so ridiculously fun about the Dreamhouses," Gerwig told Architectural Digest. In terms of scale, the proportions were adapted to be 23 per cent smaller than human size for the set, Gerwig described how this created an "odd effect of making the actors seem big in the space but small overall." Some of the fun elements of the design include a slide to replace the stairs that goes from the bedroom to the pool - "Not super practical but nothing is for Barbie," Robbie said. (Though the pool is fake as there is no actual water in Barbie Land). Despite there being no water, Barbie still showers - but nothing comes out. Nonetheless, Robbie pretends to shower and recalled how she would "look up the old Radox commercials and try to replicate that." In the kitchen, Robbie explained how there is "a mixture of things that a physically there but then also decal (a picture, design, or label made to be transferred (as to glass) from specially prepared paper)," such as the oven and cooker. This plays into the world of toys and "how it would look if it was a Mattel product" as Robbie opened the fridge to show that the back is intentionally 2D with groceries painted onto the decal while the fridge shelf had physical products stocked. "I want everyone to feel like they can reach into the screen and touch everything," Gerwig said, as she recalled standing in Toys 'R' Us looking at Barbie dolls with the plastic sheet over them and wanting to take and touch everything. This is what inspired Barbie's wardrobe with clear doors to the doll's neatly hung up outfits and accessories, with her outfit already magically set out in her wardrobe. When it comes to getting from her bedroom to her car, Barbie impossibly floats down as Robbie said: "Greta said no one actually walks their Barbie down the steps to get into the car." Here's what fans had to say about the Dreamhouse tour: The Barbie movie is set to be released next month on July 21. Elsewhere, the new Barbie movie has caused a worldwide shortage of pink and a new version of 'Barbie Girl' will feature on the movie’s soundtrack. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

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