Unpacked

An investigative podcast that delves into the world's most curious and complex stories. In season one we’re unpacking the story of Britney Spears and talking to the people who were there to examine how the media, her family and the general public have played a part in Britney losing control of her career, her money and her life.

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Episodes

The End?

On Friday the 12th of November, it took Judge Brenda Penny just 30 minutes to terminate the Conservatorship that had been in existence for almost 14 years. In this episode, we look at what happened in the courtroom and what it means for Britney moving forward. GUESTS Conservatorship Attorney, Tamar Arminak Free Britney Campaigner and Conservatorship Attorney, Lisa MacCarley AUDIO SOURCES Britney Spears fans react with joy to conservatorship ruling, Guardian News CREDITS Executive Producer: Edwin...

Nov 18, 2021•29 min•Season 1Ep. 9

David Samuels On The Paparazzi's Dangerous Game

In 2008, journalist David Samuels spent months with Britney Spears' paparazzi pack. He hung out with them in the Hollywood Hills, watched how they worked and at one point found himself standing next to Britney herself. In this interview, he talks about the lessons we should all learn from what he observed. GUEST Journalist, David Samuels Read his article here: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2008/04/shooting-britney/306735/ CREDITS Executive Producer: Edwina Stott Audio Production: ...

Nov 11, 2021•24 min•Season 1Ep. 8

Skye Sweetnam On Touring With Britney

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 ...

Nov 09, 2021•25 min•Season 1Ep. 7

Is Perez Hilton To Blame For Britney's Breakdown?

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 ...

Nov 07, 2021•20 min•Season 1Ep. 6

The Movement

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 SOURC...

Nov 03, 2021•29 min•Season 1Ep. 5

The Family

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 Entert...

Oct 27, 2021•36 min•Season 1Ep. 4

The Industry

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 ...

Oct 20, 2021•36 min•Season 1Ep. 3

The Media

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 con...

Oct 13, 2021•29 min•Season 1Ep. 2

The Conservatorship

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 Brit...

Oct 06, 2021•28 min•Season 1Ep. 1

Coming Soon... Unpacked: Britney Spears

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 machin...

Sep 28, 2021•1 min

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