Shaun Micallef is one of Australia’s most recognisable faces. He’s an actor, writer, television host and comedian.

Now he’s back with another show on the cards, Shaun Micallef’s Origin Odyssey on SBS - where he takes six comics ‘back to where they came from’ for want of a better expression.

In this chat with Antoinette Lattouf, Shaun explains how he keeps getting the top gigs in television and what he actually thinks of his reviews.

Weekend List

• TO WATCH: The Perfect Couple on Netflix
• TO READ: A Periodic Tale by Dr Karl
• TO LISTEN: Rex Orange County album The Alexander Technique
• TO WATCH: Friends from College on Netflix

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Big Brother Australia is returning to Australian TVs in 2025 for the 3rd time. Will it be the show's final, ever?

After traversing three networks, being revived and killed twice, and now needing to compete with the dominance of ad-free streaming and reality TV juggernauts like Love Island, is there a place for a show like Big Brother anymore?

Returning to its original home – Channel 10 – it plans to bring back some of its iconic live segments like Big Brother Uncut and Friday Night Live to lure audiences back to mainstream television – but with rates of free-to-air TV viewership dwindling, it might be too little, too late. Entertainment and gossip correspondent and reality TV show veteran Richard Reid joins Chris Spyrou on this episode of The Briefing to unpack the Big Brother launch plan and if he thinks it will sink or swim. 

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Dozens of people were killed this week in Lebanon in two separate attacks that were unlike anything the world has seen so far in warfare.

Pagers and walkie talkies belonging to militant group Hezbollah were set to detonate at the exact same time, injuring thousands of people.

It is yet to be explained who and how this attack came to be, but is it a sign of what wars will look like in the future? And what else can we expect from emerging technologies and strategies? On today’s episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou speaks with Dr Keith Suter, Managing Director of Global Directions and an expert on global political risk to find out.

Headlines:

Hezbollah – Israel update 

Greens defend housing position 

Australia’s population has officially hit 27 million 

Kylie announces massive world tour, with Australia the first stop

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This week Sean “Diddy” Combs, also known as P. Diddy and Puff Daddy, was arrested in Manhattan by federal agents and charged with sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution in the United States.

The rapper has pleaded not guilty to all the charges. It’s not the first time the artist has had his reputation come under fire in public - since 2023 various allegations against him have been made, including physical and sexual abuse.

What do these latest charges mean for his future, and what does the reaction from both the hip-hop and wider music industry say about the influence and power an artist can hold? Helen Smith is joined by hip-hop journalist and author Simone Amelia Jordan, who has sat down with Diddy himself in the past, to explore her perspective on this latest development.

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Groups of children and young people are trying to force their governments to do something about climate change, not through political campaigns, but by taking them to court.

Most recently, young climate activists have asked the US supreme court to revive their case against the American government on climate – but using the legal system for this purpose has had very mixed results around the world, including here in Australia.

Anjali Sharma was 17 years old when she led a case arguing the environment minister has a duty to protect children from climate change. The federal court ruled against her, but as the climate crisis continues to grow, the question remains – can kids in court save us from climate change?

She joins Bension Siebert to explain what’s happened to the global movement of kids suing their governments over climate change, and her perspective on the way forward.

Headlines:

Walkie talkies explode across Lebanon killing 14 

Anthony Albanese threatens double dissolution over housing bill 

Tupperware goes bust 

Almost half of Aussies are unhappy at work 

 

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With an advocate like Chanel Contos onboard, will learning about consent on Tinder actually work?

The dating app has launched a new Consent Course, created in partnership with sexual consent activist and founder of Teach Us Consent Chanel Contos, and women's domestic violence service WESNET. The course is only available on Tinder’s School of Swipe website - not via the app - though it will be promoted to users there from next week. 

But what is the point? Do the people using these platforms need this? Will it actually do anything to help reduce sexual assault, or is this a dating app doing a PR exercise while the spotlight is on them from community and government to do more?

Bension Siebert and Helen Smith join to discuss the motivation and possible results, and speak to Chanel Contos on why she chose to be involved. 

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Should we be weighing children at school? 

Health experts have suggested we start weighing kids in schools to help tackle the obesity epidemic, but could this do more harm than good? 

In this episode of the Briefing Bension Siebert is joined by obesity researcher and author of Healthy Parents, Healthy Kids Dr Nick Fuller to explain the pros and cons of weighing children at school.  

Headlines:

At least nine killed as pagers explode across Lebanon 

Diddy charged with sex trafficking 

Instagram launches ‘Teen Accounts’

Glasgow swoops in to take 2026 Commonwealth Games 

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Meet the woman who has helped spread claims that Haitian immigrants are eating people's pets in Ohio, Springfield.

Laura Loomer is a far-right activist and online personality who is feeding Republicans with extreme conspiracy theories and is seemingly influencing Donald Trump’s campaign.

In this episode of The Briefing, Sacha Barbour Gatt chats with Planet America’s Chas Licciardello to find out who exactly Laura Loomer is, how close she is with Trump and whether she has any bearing on swinging the upcoming election.

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Improving mental health is one of the most important aspects of rehabilitating offenders in incarceration.

It’s been the focus of a recent program at Wellington Correctional Centre – which was formerly branded the toughest country jail in NSW. More than 200 inmates and 70 staff have participated in mental health first aid training led by the National Wellbeing Alliance. What impact are they hoping it will have?

In this episode of The Briefing, Helen Smith is joined by the Centre’s Governor, Brad Peebles, to discuss the successes and findings of the program and what’s prevented its implementation in the past. 

Headlines:

Trump’s latest assassination attempt

Housing policy wrap

Murdoch trial kicks off

Aussie school officially adopts four day school week 

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You could call 2024 the year of the Mormon influencer.

The internet has become fascinated with the lives of #tradwives, and now The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives is dominating the small screen.

So, what's behind our fascination? And how is this latest show contributing to a conversation about modern Mormonism and feminism?

In today’s episode of The Briefing, Sacha Barbour Gatt chats with journalist and writer for Marie Claire, Ruby Feneley. Ruby recently published a piece recently about the show in Marie Claire, you can read it here.

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