DOC MALIK ASKED. I ANSWERED.

Have you ever wondered, “How did I end up here, doing this?”

I certainly do!

As a young man, I knew that telling facts was not the way to deliver the truth.

At film school, I was never interested in documentary. I leaned into drama, as I believed that through fiction, truths could not only be told but, more importantly, heard, understood, felt and absorbed.

So, since I've often wondered how I ended up in truth-telling via Not On The Beeb, when deep down I’ve always known the route to people's hearts and minds is through story?

As many of you might remember, realising the depth of trouble we were all in, on the 8th August 2020, I dropped working on my novel MoMo, and became a full-time pandemic counter-narrative activist.

This led to the formation of Not On The Beeb on the 29th August 2020 at the first major London gathering against the lockdown measures.

Since then, I've been 100% full-time, from morning to night, only taking 6 weeks out to finish my work of passion, MoMo.

Last Saturday, I came back to the UK from working on the audio version of AI & I. So strange that in 2026, I needed to brace myself at the airport for an arrest under terrorism charges. There was no issue, but the fact I even suspected there could be one speaks volumes about the state of our country.

Still jet-lagged, I went on a podcast with Dr Malik to discuss AI & I. He had also recently returned and had also calculated the same risk and , had given his wife instructions on what to do if he were arrested.

We discuss this later in the interview.

However, to my utter surprise, he started the podcast with “I've got a bone to pick with you… you were meant to send me one book, but sent me two…”

The interview took on a theme I had not been expecting.

I hope you get to see the interview...

The link to his podcast is below.

Doctor Malik's introduction:

"...About this Episode - When I first connected with Mark Playne, I thought we’d mainly be talking about his independent news and activist platform, Not On The Beeb, which emerged during the COVID era. For anyone outside the UK, “Beeb” is a common nickname for the BBC, Britain’s state broadcaster. Mark was out on the streets filming protests, interviewing people, documenting the magnetism phenomenon, and covering many of the stories the mainstream media ignored. I assumed that was where this conversation would primarily go.

But several weeks ago, Mark sent me two books. One was Momo, The Incredible Adventures of Me, My Duck, and a Man Called Wolof. The other was AI and I, which I haven’t read yet.

I’ve literally just finished reading Momo, and I have to say, it’s one of the most beautiful books I’ve ever read. It had me laughing out loud, crying with tears streaming down my face, and at moments it genuinely touched my soul. It’s clear to me that Mark is a truly gifted storyteller, someone who deeply understands childhood, imagination, and the emotional depth of being human. He writes about love, love lost, and love that perhaps was never meant to be. He writes about suffering, hope, joy, pain, and the strange beauty of life itself.

One of the things we explored in this conversation was how the book is helping me connect more deeply with my own children. And I genuinely think Mark intentionally wrote it in a way that encourages exactly that. This wasn’t just a conversation about literature, it became a conversation about humanity itself.

We talked about how storytelling shapes children, how reading together passes wisdom between generations, and how love, loss, and shared human experiences bind us all together.

Of course, we also ventured into darker territory. We discussed war, propaganda, censorship, manipulation of public opinion, and how Mark came to create Not On The Beeb. We touched on migration, cultural identity, Islamophobia, terrorism narratives, and the wider psychological shaping of society.

Towards the end, we explored AI, modern warfare, and what it means to remain human in an increasingly technological and manipulated world.

This was a truly beautiful conversation with a beautiful man, and I genuinely cannot wait to have Mark back in the studio.

I hope you enjoy it, folks.

Enjoy, folks.

Much love

Doc Malik

Interview is here: https://substack.com/@docmalik/note/p-198476087?

MoMo

The Incredible Adventures of Me, My Duck and a Man Called Wolof

Available as a complete novel (adults) or as four individual parts (for kids): The Egg | The Caterpillar | The Chrysalis | The Butterfly

A timeless adventure that grows with you - from first read to last.

"What kind of magic do you want to master—good, or bad?"

In the ancient kasbahs of North Africa, young MoMo and his beloved duck discover a world where mysterious fires dance in small palms, where eggs become art in bustling markets, and where grandmother's wisdom carries the weight of ages.

When ancient powers awaken within him, MoMo faces choices that will echo through his destiny. This magic realist tale from the heart of North Africa reveals the wonder, danger, and magic hidden in everyday moments...from desert nights filled with starlight and stories to the profound question of who we choose to become.

For readers who love The Little Prince, The Alchemist, and Watership Down.

• At 9, you'll love the adventure and talking duck.

• At 19, you'll understand the choices and dilemmas.

• At 99, you'll recognise the wisdom and remember the beauty of life itself. Some stories aren't just read—they're lived, revisited, and discovered anew with each turning of the page.

"It transcends genres and age groups, captivating readers of all ages with its universal message of hope and possibility."

"I gave the book to my pre-teen grandchildren...they love the story. Young or old, this story deserves a place in your library."

"Superficially, it is a children's book, but look deeper, and it is so much more... Deffo not just a 'kids book' unless I am a kid."

MoMo's transformation unfolds across four magical parts... The Egg, The Caterpillar, The Chrysalis, and The Butterfly... mirroring the metamorphosis at the heart of his adventure.

For younger readers, these four individual books offer the perfect pace to grow alongside MoMo, discovering each stage of his journey as it naturally unfolds.

For adults and older readers, the complete novel brings all four parts together in one spellbinding volume, revealing how the threads of magic, choice, and wisdom weave into a unified tale.

Whether you read it in chapters or all at once, MoMo's world awaits.

Visit the bookshop here: https://markplayne.com/collections/momo