We Need To Talk with Paul C. Brunson

Before The X Factor, there was Popstars - the reality show that created Hear’Say, led to Liberty X and changed British pop culture overnight.

Myleene Klass and Michelle Heaton share what really happened behind the scenes, from being thrown into overnight fame and branded winners and losers, to the press-fuelled rivalry between the two groups, the money they never saw and the mismanagement that helped bring it all crashing down.

We're Talking Popstars!

(00:00) Intro

(00:30) How Michelle Was Cast on Popstars

(03:41) What Happened After Popstars Ended?

(06:33) How Liberty X Was Formed

(10:44) The Manufactured Rivalry Between Liberty X and Hear'Say

(13:54) The Rise and Success of Liberty X

(15:54) How Myleene Klass Was Cast on Popstars

(17:45) How Popstars Changed Myleene Klass's Life

(21:49) The Wild West of the Music Industry in the 2000s

(25:33) Why Hear'Say Split Up

(29:06) Myleene Klass's Favourite Memory From Hear'Say
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Celebrity Big Brother winner Chantelle Houghton opens up about overnight fame, her relationship with Preston, the loneliness behind the headlines, and the years she spent staying silent about what she was going through.

20 years after entering the Big Brother house as the only non-celebrity, Chantelle reflects on going from 80p in her bank account to earning £1 million in six months. She revisits the pressure of becoming one of the most recognisable women in Britain, losing friends, struggling with her identity, and realising that having everything did not stop her from feeling completely alone.

Chantelle also speaks candidly about falling for Preston, why they should never have married, and how their relationship changed once the cameras disappeared. She opens up about Page 3, the darker side of the entertainment industry, living in fear, and the moment she decided she no longer wanted to hide.

Raw, revealing and deeply personal, this is Chantelle Houghton ready to reclaim her story and live life on her own terms.

Chantelle Houghton, We Need To Talk

This episode includes discussion of mental health. If you’re struggling, remember you’re not alone. You can find help and resources at the links below:

MIND: https://linkly.link/2dx8b

Samaritans: https://linkly.link/2dx7Z

CALM: https://linkly.link/2dx8H

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Follow Chantelle here:

https://www.instagram.com/chantelle_houghton/

https://www.tiktok.com/@chantelle_houghton

(00:00) Intro
(02:10) Why Chantelle Is Speaking Out Now
(05:44) Childhood in Essex
(08:39) Life Before Celebrity Big Brother
(16:08) Being Cast on Celebrity Big Brother
(21:03) How Chantelle Dealt with Fame Overnight
(31:04) Davina McCall Surprises Chantelle
(34:39) Life After Celebrity Big Brother

(38:43) Huel Ad
(39:48) Relationship with Preston
(42:15) Marriage to Preston
(46:42) Why Chantelle and Preston Divorced
(48:24) The Return to Big Brother
(50:17) Never Mind the Buzzcocks
(52:25) Class in Britain
(58:00) Preston Surprises Chantelle
(01:01:25) Chantelle’s Agent After Big Brother
(01:06:14) Motherhood and Raising Her Daughter
(01:07:55) Chantelle Reflects on Toxic Relationship
(01:16:24) Chantelle's Relationship Today
(01:20:53) Paul's Takeaways

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15 years after Amy Winehouse’s passing, Blake Fielder-Civil reflects on one of music’s most talked-about and misunderstood love stories.

From meeting Amy in Camden to the intensity of their relationship and the heartbreak that helped shape Back to Black, this conversation looks beyond the headlines at love, fame, addiction, and the complexity of remembering someone the world thought it knew.

(00:00) Intro

(00:31) How Blake and Amy Winehouse First Met

(03:21) What First Attracted Blake to Amy Winehouse?

(07:09) Blake Addresses Rumours About Dating Other People During Their Relationship

(11:13) Amy Winehouse's Relationship With Fame

(13:57) Paul Shows Blake a Photo of Him and Amy Together

(16:44) The Huge Success of Back to Black

(21:42) How Blake and Amy Rekindled Their Relationship
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Joey Graceffa opens up about YouTube fame, Escape The Night, coming out online, love, family, and the private experiences behind the life millions of viewers grew up watching. In this deeply honest conversation, Joey reflects on the reality of becoming one of YouTube’s earliest stars while still trying to understand who he was away from the camera.

Joey looks back on the childhood that shaped him, the complicated family dynamics he grew up around, and the moments that made him feel different before he had the language to explain why. He also reflects on building a life online, the pressure of being watched by millions, and the fear of what might happen if his audience saw the parts of him he was still learning to accept.

Joey also opens up about his relationship with his mum, the pain of loving someone you can no longer save, and the boundaries he eventually had to set to protect himself. He speaks about shame, identity, first love, and the coming out video that changed everything.

Joey Graceffa, We Need To Talk

This episode includes discussion of mental health and addiction. If you’re struggling with these themes or your own mental health, remember you’re not alone. You can find help and resources at the links below:

MIND: https://linkly.link/2dx8b

Samaritans: https://linkly.link/2dx7Z

CALM: https://linkly.link/2dx8H

Follow us here:

https://www.instagram.com/needtotalk

https://www.tiktok.com/@weneedtotalkpod

Sign up to our newsletter https://linkly.link/2eXHX

Follow Joey here:

https://www.instagram.com/joeygraceffa/

https://www.tiktok.com/@joeygraceffa

(00:00) Intro

(01:49) Joey's Childhood in Marlborough, Massachusetts

(03:48) Joey's Family Life Growing Up

(08:15) How Joey's Parents' Divorce Affected Him

(11:25) Paul Shows Joey Childhood Photos

(13:53) Joey Opens Up About His Mother's Mental Health Struggles

(27:40) Huel Ad

(29:02) How Joey Started His YouTube Career

(31:45) Joey on Navigating His Sexuality as a Teenager

(34:00) Joey's Experience at Maker Studios

(36:18) Joey's Coming Out Journey

(45:07) Behind the Scenes of Joey's Coming Out Video

(49:21) Joey's YouTube Success and Advice for Creators

(56:45) Joey's Thoughts on Rising Negativity Online

(01:01:55) Joey's Career as an Author

(01:04:21) Joey Opens Up About His Relationship With His Ex-Boyfriend

(01:11:55) Joey's Relationship With His Sister Today

(01:13:28) Joey Reads an Emotional Letter From His Sister

(01:16:32) Most Memorable Conversation

(01:18:38) Paul's Takeaways

Sponsored by:

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Love Island’s Dami Hope opens up about his life before reality TV, from his Nigerian roots to growing up in Ireland and the moments that shaped his identity. Dami reflects on his family’s move from Nigeria, being one of the only Black children in his town, changing his name, facing racism at school, and learning how to fight for himself and his siblings. This is a personal conversation about belonging, identity, family, resilience, and the man behind the public image.

(00:00) Intro

(00:27) Dami's Nigerian Roots and Growing Up in Ireland

(06:22) The Realities of Being Black in Ireland

(10:20) Dami Opens Up About Bullying and Fighting at School

(20:57) How and Why Dami Changed His Name as a Teenager

(23:10) Dami's Career as a Microbiologist
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