Jeremy Clarkson — the TV motor man and newspaper columnist — was clearly feeling extra miserable last Christmas when he decided to pen one of the most offensive opinion pieces to ever grace a UK publication. An article so heinous that it not only helped unite the British public – a massive achievement in these divided times – it may well have cost him one of his biggest gigs. And all because he just had to let the world know he despises Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex...

This episode was written by Annique Simpson.

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The American Music Awards, which have been running annually since 1974, occupy an illustrious spot within the American music industry. The AMAs sit within the Big Three music awards shows in the US, alongside the Grammys and the Billboard Music Awards. And so, it is little wonder that the cancellation of singer Chris Brown’s performance just a few days before the 2022 awards quickly became a big talking point. Infamy has cloaked the 33-year-old songwriter for over a decade as accounts of his violence towards women have regularly made headlines, alongside a variety of legal troubles. And yet, as someone who is understood as having been ‘cancelled’, Chris Brown remains visible and supported, if his online following is anything to go by. In this episode, while we unravel the singer’s past, we’ll be asking crucial questions: was Chris Brown ever truly ‘cancelled’?

This episode contains discussion about assault and sexual abuse, please be mindful of your own well-being. Pause and take breaks as often as you need to.

This episode was written by Paula Akpan. 

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In the first half of the 20th century the literary scene was dominated by now revered authors, whose books have since become classics. It reads like a roll call of greats - Ernest Hemingway, Marcel Proust, George Orwell, James Joyce, Gertrude Stein, J.R.R Tolkein and, of course, Virginia Woolf, to name a few. Their books need no explanation. With a juggernaut of status behind them, these authors have outgrown their living credibility and become much bigger personalities since death. Time allows for such reverence, but with it fresh criticism of the words and the writers. In today's woke world, where cancel culture leaves no stone unturned, many of our famed musicians, scholars, aritsts, and writers face fresh evaluation for the things they said or did when they were alive. Virginia Woolf is the latest in this canon to come under fire...

This episode was written by Rhyannon Styles. 

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From radio show host to Eurovision commentator and best-selling author, Graham Norton is a household name in the UK - his position cemented by his irreverent, innuendo-laden style. He is, of course, most notable for his hugely popular comedy chat show which has seen all manner of celebrity names grace his plump red sofa. However, October 2022 saw a new term float into the lexicon used around the well-known TV presenter after he was posed questions on trans rights and author JK Rowling’s unrelenting anti-trans campaign. And it was Norton’s noncommittal response that sparked weeks of debate; a mere glimpse of the hostility towards trans people in the UK. The term in question? As always, it’s ‘cancel-culture’ and, as we’ll explore, Norton’s experiences are merely a symptom of a much wider problem…

This episode was written by Paula Akpan. 

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Some of the world’s best loved comedians have tiptoed on the edge of decency and political correctness from time to time. Take, for example, the acerbic wit of Joan Rivers, whose skits about the Holocaust regularly whipped her audiences into a tizzy and firmly established her as one of America’s sharpest mouthpieces. Before Perez Hilton blogged and mocked A-listers falling out of rehab, Joan was doing it on stage IRL. It may come as no surprise then, that the star of today’s episode, Kathy Griffin, was a close friend of Joan’s, and her partner in crime - no pun intended. 

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The year is 2004. George W. Bush is president, Britney is married to K-Fed, and the iPod Classic is the ultimate Christmas gift.

But anyone about to upload Baby, It’s Cold Outside to their MP3 device might think twice after reading an article published by Canada’s National Post on December 20th, which argued for the song’s immediate ban from Canadian airwaves. Written by Rob McKenzie and Joe Bodolai for their humour column, the piece is widely regarded to be the first to publicly question some of the song’s lyrics by stating, “the song in question has a lovely melody but it’s an ode to statutory rape. In sum, the man gets the girl drunk amid her protests so he can take advantage of her.” Since this takedown of the song was written with a sarcastic tone, the piece was widely viewed as tongue-in-cheek. But this marked the beginning of countless thinkpieces cross-examining the song’s controversial lyrics. So is this 1940s festive favourite really just a thinly disguised celebration of sexual violence? Let’s take a closer look…

This episode was written by Rory Boyle 

This is a Broccoli Production 

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1987 is a pretty bleak Christmas. The year is marked by disasters. The British economy is wrecked. It is a time when everyone could use some yuletide joy. Challenged by their producer, Elvis Costello, to write a Christmas hit, the Irish-Anglo punk band The Pogues believe they are the ones to provide some egg-nog infused nourishment to the people. Fairytale of New York is what founding member, Jem Finer, and lead singer, Shane MacGowan come up with which will eventually be considered a holiday hallmark - but despite its title, it is no traditional winter warmer. The song descends from nostalgia and euphoria to vitriol and melancholy in the space of four and a half minutes. Fairytale of New York will eventually be certified 4x Platinum in the UK. Christmas fans will go on proudly singing those stinging lyrics. And yet, years later a dark cloud settles over the song’s legacy...

This episode was written by Rory Boyle

This is a Broccoli Production 

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It’s January 2007: at least ten years before ‘cancel culture’ will become a part of our everyday life. The world is a less connected place. Twitter is yet to celebrate its first birthday. The iPhone is nothing but a rumour. Yet, we are about to witness cancellation on a global scale. In January, a new series of UK’s Celebrity Big Brother begins. On its third day, Jade Goody, a fan favourite from the civilian Big Brother House, enters. Over the next two weeks, her life changes forever, for a second time. Quite unexpectedly, she triggers an international incident that results in debates in the Houses of Parliament and effigies of her face being burned in India. In just 14 days, her reputation is left in tatters. She goes from the nation’s sweetheart to public enemy. In other words, she is well and truly cancelled.

This episode was written by Michael Chakraverty 

This is a Broccoli Production 

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December 20th, 2010. It’s pitch black on-stage at the Foxwoods Theatre in Broadway. Stunt performer Chris Tierney attaches himself to a safety cable, and takes a deep breath. The centre of the stage lifts, creating a ramp. He’s done this many times before. Breathing out, he runs up the ramp and leaps from its edge. Immediately, it’s clear something is wrong. The cable hasn’t gone taut. There’s half a second as he floats in the air, realising that the other end of his safety line is unattached. Then, he’s in freefall, plummeting thirty feet towards the concrete floor of the orchestra pit. He hits the ground with a sickening crunch. Someone screams. The audience is deathly silent. Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark is a cautionary tale...

This episode was written by Michael Chakraverty 

This is a Broccoli Production 

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Sometimes, those who get cancelled predict their own fall. They tempt fate, because to risk cancellation usually means to incite infamy. Some look for hatred -  and then brandish it as their weapon. Say or do something abhorrent, endure the criticism, and then cry that they’re under attack from the feral woke mob. But in the case of Jimmy Carr, it’s more complex. Comedy is always a dance with the devil. Sometimes, inevitably, you cross the line. To be a comedian is to be a shapeshifter - from entertainer to polemicist and back again. But then, he crossed a line too far. And the backlash was a stain that wouldn’t come out...

This episode was written by Anton Ferrie

This is a Broccoli Production 

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