Episodes

  • Coming Soon... Unpacked: Britney Spears
    Sep 28 2021

    Britney Spears' life has been the subject of intense scrutiny since she was a teenager but over the past 13 years, after a very public breakdown, she's been under the conservatorship of her once-estranged father. 
    So, how did we get here? How did one of the world’s most influential and successful pop stars end up losing control of her own life? 
    In this series we'll talk to the people who were there to find out what led Britney Spears to where she is today.
    Are the media to blame? Is it the machine of the music business? Her own family? Or is it us who are the problem?


    CREDITS
    Executive Producer: Edwina Stott
    Audio Production: Adrian Walton

    For more great Nova Podcasts head to novapodcasts.com.au

     

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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    1 min
  • The Conservatorship
    Oct 6 2021

    How did we get here?  How did one of the world’s most influential and successful pop stars end up losing control of her own life? 

    Unable to make decisions about her finances, day-to-day tasks or even her own health...but at the same time still performing on stages around the world and drawing in millions of dollars.

    Britney Spears has been under the conservatorship of her once-estranged father for well over a decade.  And as the world asks why, we're digging deeper into the factors which lead Britney to where she is today.

    Are the media to blame? Is it the machine of the music business? Her own family? Or perhaps is it us who are the problem?

    GUESTS

    Author of Britney: Inside the Dream, Steve Dennis

    Paparazzi, Daniel Ramos

    Attorney and conservatorship expert, Lisa MacCarley

    Journalist for The Atlantic, Spencer Kornhaber

    Lawyer and the Director of the Spectrum Institute, Thomas Coleman

    AUDIO SOURCES

    Britney Spears on Star Search - T.P.E./Rysher Entertainment 

    Britney Spears at 2002 Video Music Awards - MTV

    Britney Spears at 1999 & 2000 Billboard Music Awards - Fox Broadcasting Company

    Britney Spears at the 2014 People's Choice Awards - CBS Entertainment Group

    Britney Spears on E! News, Big Stars Big Stories - E! News

    Fox News Commentary on Britney Spears Child Custody Battle - Fox Broadcasting Company 

    Britney Spears attacking Paparazzi - X17 

    Britney Spears transported to Cedars Sinai - Hollywood.TV

    Britney Spears interview on For The Record - Radical Media / MTV 

    CREDITS

    Executive Producer: Edwina Stott

    Audio Production: Adrian Walton

    Managing Producer: Andrew Brentnall

    For more great Nova Podcasts head to novapodcasts.com.au

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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    28 mins
  • The Media
    Oct 13 2021

    In the mid-2000s Britney Spears was the most famous pop star in the world and the public's insatiable appetite for stories about her meant she was constantly followed by a swarm of desperate paparazzi.

    The frenzy began to take its toll and in 2007 she finally reached breaking point, shaving her head and attacking a paparazzo's car with an umbrella.

    So why didn't the media leave Britney alone when she was clearly suffering under intense scrutiny?

    And if they had, would she have been put under conservatorship at all?

    In episode of Unpacked, we’re going to attempt to answer that.

    GUESTS

    Journalist, David Samuels

    Paparazzi, Daniel Ramos

    Entertainment Reporter, Dax Holt

    Blogger & Media Personality, Perez Hilton

    AUDIO SOURCES

    Britney Spears and the paparazzi - X17 

    Britney Spears at 29th Annual GLAAD Awards - Maximo TV

    Britney Spears hits paparazzo's car with umbrella - X17 

    Britney Spears and Kevin Federline Sketch at 2006 Video Music Awards - MTV

    CREDITS

    Executive Producer: Edwina Stott

    Audio Production: Adrian Walton

    Managing Producer: Andrew Brentnall

    For more great Nova Podcasts head to novapodcasts.com.au

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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    29 mins
  • The Industry
    Oct 20 2021

    From Mickey Mouse Club to global pop sensation, Britney Spears spent the formative years of her life being shaped by the music industry machine.

    A machine notorious for oversexualising young women and controlling every aspect of their image.

    She was sold to the public as a Southern belle who was saving herself for marriage while simultaneously being marketed as an object of sexual desire.

    So how did the music industry machine shape Britney Spears and how much control did she really have?

    GUESTS

    Author of Britney: Inside the Dream, Steve Dennis

    Music journalist, Jeff Weiss

    Singer-songwriter, Skye Sweetnam

    Pop culture writer for The Atlantic, Spencer Kornhaber

    AUDIO SOURCES

    Britney in Hawaii: Live and More! 

    Britney Spears on a stretcher - Hollywood TV

    Britney Spears on Star Search - T.P.E./Rysher Entertainment 

    Britney Spears talks about her virginity - AP

    CREDITS

    Executive Producer: Edwina Stott

    Audio Production: Adrian Walton

    Managing Producer: Andrew Brentnall

    For more great Nova Podcasts head to novapodcasts.com.au

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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    36 mins
  • The Family
    Oct 27 2021

    In previous episodes, we've heard how Britney's Conservatorship was put into place and the role the media and the machine of the music industry played.

    But there’s still more to the story.

    In this episode, we’re shining the light on those closest to Britney. 

    We’ll again track her rise and fall looking at the people who were around when it was happening.

    GUESTS

    Author of Britney: Inside the Dream, Steve Dennis

    Rock & Roll historian, Jen Otter Bickerdike

    Singer-songwriter, Skye Sweetnam

    Entertainment Reporter, Dean McCarthy

    AUDIO SOURCES

    Britney Spears Interview With Diane Sawyer 2003 - Primetime, ABC

     Justin Timberlake on radio bragging about taking Britney's virginity - TMZ

    Crowd of Britney supporters outside court - Entertainment Tonight & The Telegraph UK

    CREDITS

    Executive Producer: Edwina Stott

    Audio Production: Adrian Walton

    Managing Producer: Andrew Brentnall

    For more great Nova Podcasts head to novapodcasts.com.au

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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    36 mins
  • The Movement
    Nov 3 2021

    The Free Britney movement has been pivotal in Britney’s fight against the Conservatorship. 

    And they continue to protest and amplify her story.

    So could the movement ultimately provide Britney with the key to freedom?

    GUESTS

    Entertainment Reporter, Dean McCarthy

    Influencer and Free Britney Protester, Hayley Herms

    Rock and Roll Cultural Historian, Jen Otter Bickerdike

    Lawyer and Member of the Free Britney Law Army, Marylin Shrewsbury

    Member of the Free Britney Law Army, Emily Lagarenne

    AUDIO SOURCES

    Crowd of Britney Supporters Outside Court - Ruptly, Global News 

    "Leave Britney Alone" - Chris Crocker via Youtube

    Decoding Socials Videos Devin Strebler via Tik Tok - Matthew Litty via Tik Tok

    CREDITS

    Executive Producer: Edwina Stott

    Audio Production: Adrian Walton

    Managing Producer: Andrew Brentnall

    For more great Nova Podcasts head to novapodcasts.com.au

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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    29 mins
  • Is Perez Hilton To Blame For Britney's Breakdown?
    Nov 7 2021

    Britney’s next hearing will be on November 12th and we'll be back with another episode of Unpacked after that.  In the meantime, we're releasing full versions of some of the series’ most fascinating interviews.

    First up, Perez Hilton because you can’t talk about Britney without talking about Perez.

    He’s faced fierce criticism for the role he played in Britney’s breakdown and in this interview he addresses how he feels about the impact of his behaviour and why he’s still comfortable being paid to talk about Britney.

    GUEST

    Celebrity Blogger, Perez Hilton

    CREDITS

    Executive Producer: Edwina Stott

    Audio Production: Adrian Walton

    Managing Producer: Andrew Brentnall

    For more great Nova Podcasts head to novapodcasts.com.au

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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    20 mins
  • Skye Sweetnam On Touring With Britney
    Nov 9 2021

    There are very few people who know what it’s like to grow up with millions of people watching your every move but Skye Sweetnam is one of them. 

    Skye got into the music industry when she was just 12 years old and by the time she was 14 she was touring with Britney Spears.

    In this interview, Skye shares the crippling loneliness of life as a teen star, what it was like working with Britney and how she struggled to maintain control of her image and her career.

    GUEST

    Singer-songwriter, Skye Sweetnam

    CREDITS

    Executive Producer: Edwina Stott

    Audio Production: Adrian Walton

    Managing Producer: Andrew Brentnall

    For more great Nova Podcasts head to novapodcasts.com.au

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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    25 mins