Big Brother host Mel Tracina on Margot Robbie, fame & The Cheap Seats

Mel Tracina turned her celebrity obsession into a full time job, becoming a cultural correspondent for The Cheap Seats and being crowned one of Australians ‘most likeable’ voices in radio. Now, she’s stepping into one of the biggest hosting gigs in Aussie TV, Big Brother. It’s the show that revolutionised Australian reality television and this time around it’s live 24/7. Returning to its roots with live evictions and public voting; putting the power in the hands of the viewers. In this chat with Helen Smith, Mel shares her biggest celebrity run-ins with Margot Robbie and Jamie Lee Curtis and why our fascination with fame is so addictive. Weekend list with Chris Spyrou TO LISTEN: Oasis (first two albums) TO WATCH: Boots on Netflix TO DO: Join a social sport club TO DO: At home trivia on YouTube Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastFacebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the same day he had his Royal titles stripped, another major setback for Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. He’s now been summoned to appear before a US congressional panel investigating Jeffrey Epstein. So, what happens next, and could this be the beginning of the end for the embattled Royal formally known as Prince Andrew...  In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by monarchy expert, Associate Professor Cindy McCreery, who explains if Andrew has to give evidence and what this latest development means for the survivors of Epstein’s abuse and for a monarchy in crisis. Headlines: Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has broken her silence over renewed leadership speculation, a new report has revealed the cost of organised crime in Australia, and Tesla shareholders have approved a staggering $1 trillion pay deal for CEO Elon Musk.  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastFacebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Friday Headlines: Crackdown on dodgy auction tactics, Queensland nurse charged with raping two elderly women, Qantas reviewing battery policy after man catches fire and causes business lounge evacuation, audit finds Louvre museum managers prioritised buying high-profile art over security upgrades and Nick Kyrgios teases possible return to the Australian Open.  Deep Dive: The algorithm shapes more than just what we see on our social media; it also decides what we listen to. With local artists making up less than ten percent of Australia’s music streams, a new push is urging listeners to take back control.   In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou speaks with Ben Lee about the ‘Ausify Your Algo’ campaign that’s hoping to help Aussie music cut through the noise. Follow Tara on Instagram and listen to her award-winning podcast series 'Killer Charm' on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, LiSTNR or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastFacebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The short-lived marriage between Britney Spears and Kevin Federline was chaotic, messy and impossible to escape - dominating tabloids and defining mid-2000s celebrity culture. Their split becoming the catalyst of Britney’s infamous public breakdown, playing out under the glare of flashing cameras and relentless scrutiny. Nearly twenty years later they’re back in the spotlight, with Kevin's new memoir You Thought You Knew hitting the shelves, just two years after Britney’s bestseller The Woman in Me. Both books tell wildly different versions of their shared past, each claiming to reveal what really happened behind the heartbreak and headlines. In this episode of The Beefing, Alexandria Funnell unpacks the long-running feud between Britney Spears and Kevin Federline - and how their dueling memoirs have reignited a cultural battle over fame, truth and who gets to profit from Britney’s story. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastFacebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The nation’s top doctors and midwives are calling for a crackdown on free births – where women give birth at home without a medical professional present. There’s been a concerning increase in complications and deaths around freebirths, with some unqualified support workers misleading vulnerable mothers to be.  In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by the President of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Dr Nisha Khot, who explains why women need better support to make informed decisions about the best way to give birth safely.  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastFacebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thursday Headlines: Reasons for Erin Patterson’s appeal revealed, Donald Trump blames record US government shutdown for three Democratic victories, France suspends retail giant Shein over sale of child-like sex dolls, push for national inquiry into workplace racism, and tell us how you really feel ...    Deep Dive: From Neo-Nazi's to Satanists, sadistic criminals are wreaking havoc via a new wave of online offending.  They target vulnerable victims for notoriety and clout, coercing them to carry out horrific acts of self-harm, sexual abuse, animal cruelty, and suicide.  In this episode of The Briefing, Tara Cassidy speaks with Australian Federal Police Commander Helen Schneider about the extremists and the new task force catching them in their tracks. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastFacebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Senator David Pocock is calling out the federal government, saying it’s the most secretive in 30 years. With the Coalition self-imploding, the Independent Senator is calling the Albanese government to account, saying the public has a right to know what’s behind its lack of transparency.   In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by Senator David Pocock, who is concerned about the Federal Government’s crackdown on freedom of information laws and its delay in releasing the long-awaited report into “jobs for mates”.   Headlines: Investigations are continuing into what caused a plane to crash in Kentucky, New York City has elected its first Muslim mayor, and there are reports of another major Optus outage.  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastFacebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wednesday Headlines: ASIO boss warns of three countries willing to carry out assassinations on Australian soil, former US Vice President Dick Cheney dead at 84, CommBank and Temu among Australia’s ‘shonkiest’ brands, Netflix and Amazon to pay millions a year to make Australian TV shows and David Beckham’s been knighted by King Charles!Deep Dive: There’s been a concerning rise in the sale of child-like sex dolls to Australians by major retailers online.  Yesterday, Shein announced it was removing all sex dolls from its site, after France threatened to ban it for selling child-like dolls to predators.  Meanwhile, pressure’s mounting on the Australian Government to take a stronger stance, with other platforms still using dodgy tactics to get around our laws and past border police.  In this episode of The Briefing, Tara Cassidy speaks with Collective Shout’s Caitlin Roper, who is spearheading the Australian campaign. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastFacebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Animal Justice Party MP Georgie Purcell says The Melbourne Cup represents the worst parts of our society, from animal cruelty to gambling harm and rising family violence rates. Calling the racing industry the ‘most visible display of animal cruelty’ pointing to the deaths of 175 racehorses linked to the sport.  The Victorian politician has been a vocal critic of the horse racing industry, which generates around $9.5 billion dollars a year and employs up to 80,000 people from jockeys to stable hands.   In this episode of The Beefing, Helen Smith unpacks why Georgie wants to ban jumps racing and whip use, and what Racing Australia is doing to improve welfare standards for racehorses. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastFacebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In bad news for millions of mortgage holders, the RBA has today left the official cash rate on hold at 3.6%. The RBA governor warning there are turbulent times ahead for the Australian economy, admitting the Board is keeping a very close eye on inflation and unemployment data.  In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by financial expert Sally Tindall, who unpacks today’s decision and her predictions on what the RBA may do next.  Headlines: History has been made at the Melbourne Cup, 13 people have been arrested after police and demonstrators clashed at a Pro Palestine protest in Sydney’s CBD, and a New York mayoral candidate has taken a bizarre swing at Sydney’s Parramatta.  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastFacebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.