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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.