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Interviews

The Penguin Podcast: episode 8 – Christmas gifting

A hilarious guide to avoiding life's awkward moments

Help I S*xted My Boss

'Funny, filthy and fantastic. Cackled from start to finish' - Rylan Clark 
 
How do you ask your mate for that £50 back? 
When is OK to trump in front of your partner? 
And what should you do if you've accidentally sexted your boss? 
 
William and Jordan are from very different worlds. 
 
William's an etiquette expert, with his tongue firmly in his teacup and unparalleled knowledge of table linen. Jordan's a TV and radio presenter, the patron saint of Burnley and an expert in all things common. Together they've entertained millions of listeners worldwide with their hit podcast Help I Sexted My Boss. 
 
Now, they’ve pooled all of their wisdom on how to get through life’s most awkward moments. 
 
From candlelight suppers to picky teas, first dates to flatmate dramas, Help I Sexted My Boss is full of both useful and useless advice. This is your indispensable guide to navigating the trepidation and challenges of modern life. 
 
'Hilarious lads.. and weirdly useful. This generation’s Ant and Dec. If one of them was really posh. Great read' - Vicky Pattison 
 
Sunday Times Bestseller, November 2023

'Funny, filthy and fantastic. Cackled from start to finish'

'Hilarious lads.. and weirdly useful. This generation&rsquo;s Ant and Dec. If one of them was really posh. Great read'

'From whether it's OK to take pictures of your food to the quandary of whether children can be distracted by tablet devices to the conundrum of how bills should be split in group dining scenarios ... the tome offers plenty of tips for all these points and more.'

'A lovely hilarious book by lovely hilarious boys'

'Hilarious and awful at the same time'

'From dinner parties to picky teas, first dates to flat mate dramas, this book draws on William&rsquo;s encyclopedic knowledge of manners and Jordan&rsquo;s down to earth honesty to help navigate modern life.'

William Hanson (Author) William Hanson is the leading expert in telling people how terribly uncivilised they are – but in the most polite way possible. Whether you’re royalty, a reality-TV reject, or someone who tragically thinks clinking glasses is correct, William has made it his life’s mission to rescue you from your own social ruin. William is director of The English Manner, the leading British etiquette training institute, where he advises on gracious living to anyone who will listen, including VIP households, multinational companies, educational institutes and private clients. His career has taken him from candlelight suppers with the cognoscenti to the murkier marshes of social media, where he bravely battles the forces of bad behaviour, one viral clip at a time. As well as being an etiquette coach and author, he co-hosts Help I Sexted My Boss (where he attempts to civilise Jordan North) and The Luxury Podcast (where he tries to avoid being asphyxiated by Jonathan Vernon-Smith’s Spanish cleaning products). He curtsies before bed and was born wearing cufflinks. Jordan North (Author) Jordan North is a Radio presenter and self-professed expert in all things ‘common’. In December 2018, Hello! Magazine featured Jordan in their ‘Rising Stars for 2019’ feature, after which Jordan went on the be first runner-up to Giovanna Fletcher in the 2020 I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here series. Jordan has also presented Top of the Pops, and appeared on a host of TV shows, including: Ant &amp; Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway, ITV This Morning, BBC Sport’s Tokyo Olympics Special and more. Together with his friend, leading etiquette expert William Hanson, he entertains millions of listeners across the world with their podcast Help I Sexted My Boss.

'Funny, filthy and fantastic. Cackled from start to finish' - Rylan Clark 
 
How do you ask your mate for that &pound;50 back? 
When is OK to trump in front of your partner? 
And what should you do if you've accidentally sexted your boss? 
 
William and Jordan are from very different worlds. 
 
William's an etiquette expert, with his tongue firmly in his teacup and unparalleled knowledge of table linen. Jordan's a TV and radio presenter, the patron saint of Burnley and an expert in all things common. Together they've entertained millions of listeners worldwide with their hit podcast Help I Sexted My Boss. 
 
Now, they&rsquo;ve pooled all of their wisdom on how to get through life&rsquo;s most awkward moments. 
 
From candlelight suppers to picky teas, first dates to flatmate dramas, Help I Sexted My Boss is full of both useful and useless advice. This is your indispensable guide to navigating the trepidation and challenges of modern life. 
 
'Hilarious lads.. and weirdly useful. This generation&rsquo;s Ant and Dec. If one of them was really posh. Great read' - Vicky Pattison 
 
Sunday Times Bestseller, November 2023

William Hanson

'A well-researched and fascinating book that is also great fun. A must for anyone who aspires to polish up their manners.'

Anne Glenconner, author of Lady in Waiting

'William Hanson is doing for etiquette what Hyacinth Bucket did for candlelight suppers. This book sparkles like the cut glass of a crystal decanter. This isn't just a set of rules on how to act posh, this is a guide to treating one another with respect. Now more than ever, who wouldn’t want to learn about that?'

'Funny and unapologetic, here is a timely reminder that there is nothing divisive or old-fashioned about good manners.'

Robert Hardman, author of Charles III: The Inside Story

' Read this witty guide to modern manners.'

'William is an etiquette genius with a stunning eye for detail - he's the only person who knows more about buffet suppers than I do.'

'It’s only polite to say I loved this witty, wonderful book. Good thing I really did!'

Gary Janetti, New York Times bestselling author of Do You Mind If I Cancel?

'William Hanson is Emily Post for the TikTok generation.'

'The Bluffer's Guide to Entertaining underscores William Hanson's steady and stylish advice on hosting. His dry and incisive humour turns this reference into a joy. If nothing else, guests should enjoy themselves: this book ensures the party giver has fun too.'

Alastair Bruce, Downton Abbey's Historical Advisor

'William Hanson is special forces in the world of politeness and has a staggering ability to make one feel the centre of attention and utterly inadequate at the same time.'

'With his tongue firmly in his teacup, William Hanson, the doyen of etiquette, guides us through life's social minefield.'

A modern guide to good British behaviour

What is the correct way to queue at the bar? And why exactly do the English say sorry so much? 
 
No one makes such a fuss about manners quite as much as the UK, yet in a fast-changing world, no one can seem to agree on precisely what the &lsquo;done thing&rsquo; is, either. William Hanson, world-leading etiquette expert is on a mission to reclaim the British crown of good manners. In Just Good Manners, he shares his definitive guidance on how to behave in every situation - as well as celebrating our country&rsquo;s distinctively British way of doing things! 
 
With the perfect dose of William&rsquo;s inimitable dry humour, Just Good Manners is the indispensable modern guide to British etiquette and customs &ndash; from table manners to top hats.

William Hanson

Praise for Just Good Manners

'Incredibly interesting and very funny.'

'A well-researched and fascinating book that is also great fun. A must for anyone who aspires to polish up their manners.'

'William Hanson is doing for etiquette what Hyacinth Bucket did for candlelight suppers. This book sparkles like the cut glass of a crystal decanter. This isn't just a set of rules on how to act posh, this i ...

'Incredibly interesting and very funny.'

'A well-researched and fascinating book that is also great fun. A must for anyone who aspires to polish up their manners.'

'William Hanson is doing for etiquette what Hyacinth Bucket did for candlelight suppers. This book sparkles like the cut glass of a crystal decanter. This isn't just a set of rules on how to act posh, this i ...

'Incredibly interesting and very funny.'

'A well-researched and fascinating book that is also great fun. A must for anyone who aspires to polish up their manners.'

'William Hanson is doing for etiquette what Hyacinth Bucket did for candlelight suppers. This book sparkles like the cut glass of a crystal decanter. This isn't just a set of rules on how to act posh, this i ...

Books by William Hanson

Articles featuring William Hanson

The Penguin Podcast: episode 8 – Christmas gifting

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