Extraordinary Stories

[Part 3 of 3] A month before Amy Winehouse’s death, her performance at a music festival in Serbia was resoundly panned. She was intoxicated for the whole world to see, but the silver lining of what would be labelled 'the worst gig of her career' meant she didn’t have to go on tour. It meant Amy, and those who loved her, had their hopes pinned on a chance for Amy to get better again. 

On this episode we’ll explore the final years in the life of Amy Winehouse. After her closest friends were convinced Amy was doing better than ever, how did she die? Why was she sent on tour when she was not only unwilling, but unwell? 

Plus, we’ll take a closer look at the 27 club. What is this unique curse that looms over the legacies of these young artists?

[Part 2 of 3] After a celebrated album with her debut, Frank, and with that distinct voice and sound, Amy Winehouse got very famous, very fast. Everyone wanted a second album, but Amy had entered a whole new world. On this episode, we’ll hear how Amy’s very private struggles with mental health and addiction became headlines for a relentless tabloid culture. And, in one of the most volatile love affairs in pop culture history, how would the story of Amy and Blake become a cautionary tale about the dangers of codependency?

CREDITS:

Host: Emma Gillespie

Written and produced by Emma Gillespie with Elissa Ratliff, Tia Ucich & Kally Borg

Audio Production: Madeline Joannou

Guest booking: Kally Borg

With thanks to:

Dr Peter Hughes
Eleni Papavasileiou
Polly Taylor
Dean McCarthy

[Part 1 of 3] You can recognise it in an instant, that iconic voice and a candid style of songwriting beyond her years. The sound of Amy Winehouse was a sound unheard of since the days of Billie Holiday and Nina Simone. But the name ‘Amy Winehouse’ seems to be as synonymous with talent as it is tragedy. On this season we’ll dive deep into the life of Amy. From her rise to fame, her artistry, to her pain, her loves, and her losses. Could she have been saved? What does her death tell us about the pervasive grip of addiction and fame?

CREDITS:

Host: Emma Gillespie

Written and Produced by Emma Gillespie and Tia Ucich

Guest booking: Kally Borg 

Audio Production: Madeline Joannou

With thanks to:

Dr Peter Hughes
Eleni Papavasileiou
Polly Taylor 

Coming soon.

In the lead-up to the Beijing Winter Olympics, the world began to wonder how and if Peng Shuai would be used in the games, and whether the IOC was going to have anything to say to the Chinese Government about their silencing of the tennis star. So how did the Chinese propaganda juggernaut shift its attention to the global sporting stage? And what happens when the international community’s peak sporting body is accused of silencing a sexual assault survivor?

Plus, we investigate China’s Me Too movement. What does the story of Peng Shuai tell us about feminism in China?

CREDITS:

Host: Emma Gillespie

Writer: Emma Gillespie

Producers: Emma Gillespie, Kally Borg, Tia Ucich

Guest booking: Kally Borg 

Audio Production: Madeline Joannou

Executive Producer: Elissa Ratliff

WITH THANKS TO:

Yaqiu Wang, Pan Wang, Tom Steinfort & Sydney Pead