Phones besides plates, elbows on the table and clinking coupes - your guide to table manners

Phones besides plates, elbows on the table and clinking coupes - your guide to table manners

Author: The Telegraph July 30, 2026 Duration: 42:33

It may have been been a scorcher yet again this week, but that’s no excuse to lose control. In today’s Poshcast Cleo and Sophia tackle the thorny issue of table manners.


What matters, these days, and what doesn’t? Do we care about elbows on the table anymore, or is that a fusty old Victorian throwback? Is it deeply common to clink glasses and say ‘cheers?’ From which body part should you eat caviar, and is it ever acceptable to have your phone beside your plate?


Plus they answer a question from a nervous young listener who’s off on holiday with her boyfriend’s parents for the first time and wants to make a good impression (no bawdy chipolata jokes).


They may not have the answer to all Britain’s problems, but Sophia and Cleo can offer strong opinions on knives and napkins — what further encouragement do you need to watch The Poshcast?


You can watch The Poshcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/mbuXBuO_5sE


Send your questions to theposhcast@telegraph.co.uk


Height shouldn’t matter when it comes to matters of the heart, Sophia Money-Coutts: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/family/relationships/sophia-money-coutts-height-shouldnt-matter-affairs-of-heart/


Video Producer: Carla Mercer

Social Editor: Alex Marshall

Executive Producer: Louisa Wells


Highlights:

  • Phones besides plates, elbows on the table and clinking coupes
  • The Poshcast guide to table manners


Chapters:


00:00 Welcome to The Poshcast

01:03 Punctuality Rant

03:15 Airbnb Interior Nightmares

05:58 Height Lies on Dating Apps

09:38 Toilet Break Film Debate

11:11 Clink or Not to Clink

13:23 Champagne Glass Rules

15:08 Miffers Controversy

16:44 Napkins and Cutlery Etiquette

21:27 Bread Roll Etiquette

23:51 Asparagus and Pear Protocol

24:47 Meghan Markle and Pud Debate

27:10 Bathroom Breaks during Meals

29:19 Salt Pepper and Passing Port

32:39 Phones and Bags at Table

34:56 Napkin Rings

36:18 Holiday With Boyfriend's Family

41:31 Final Tips and Sign Off


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In Bryony Gordon's Mad World, conversations unfold with a rare honesty, moving beyond simple soundbites to explore the real texture of living with mental health challenges. Hosted by Bryony Gordon and presented by The Telegraph, this podcast sits at the intersection of health, fitness, and mental wellbeing, treating the topic with the complexity it deserves. Each episode is an intimate dialogue, a space where guests-from well-known figures to everyday individuals-share their personal journeys of getting unwell and the nuanced, often non-linear path of getting better. The focus here is on raw openness and vulnerability, dismantling stigma through the power of ordinary and extraordinary stories alike. You'll hear candid conversations that prioritize depth over platitudes, where laughter and tears coexist naturally. This isn't about providing easy answers but about sharing experiences that resonate and connect, reinforcing why these discussions are so necessary. Tune in for a podcast that approaches mental health with compassion and unflinching truth, creating a sense of shared understanding one conversation at a time.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

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