The Briefing

The Beckham family feud has reignited after Brooklyn Peltz Beckham posted a damning statement addressing his fractured relationship with his parents. 

In this bonus episode of The Briefing, Alexandria Funnell breaks down the timeline of events and the swirl of rumours, unpacking how one of the world’s most famous families went from picture-perfect to fractured. From public absences to whispered feuds, she explores whether the Beckham legacy can withstand the cracks now spilling into public view.

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Wil Anderson (not to be confused with Adam Hills) is one of Australia’s most enduring and influential comedians - with a career that spans radio, television, podcasting across generations.

You might remember him from Triple J Breakfast, hosting Gruen or more recently from one of his hugely popular podcasts which reach hundreds of thousands of listeners. 

In this chat with Sacha Barbour Gatt, Wil reflects on navigating a never-ending news cycle, the evolution of comedy and why the Sunday scaries hit us all - no matter how successful we appear.

Weekend list with Helen Smith

• TO WATCH: It Was Just an Accident by Jafar Panahi
• TO DO: Pap smear check up!
• TO WATCH: The Australian Open
• TO EAT: Cadbury Dairy Milk Biscoff Chocolate

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It’s the multi-billion-dollar industry that’s preying on the insecurities of young men with dangerous consequences. The MANOSPHERE is fuelled by social media and is now playing out in the real world, with major impacts on mental health, behaviour, and relationships. 

In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by extremism researcher Vivian Gerrard to explain what the Manosphere is and the solutions we all need to fight for. 

Headlines: A major manhunt continues for 37-year-old Julian Ingram after three people were shot dead in the central west of NSW, the Prime Minister claims the Liberal Party has undermined its first female leader, and a number of NSW beaches are set to reopen this weekend after four shark attacks this week. 

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Friday Headlines: PM apologises to Jewish community at Day of Mourning service, regional NSW town in lockdown after three people shot and killed, Victorians told to brace for another heatwave, the Special K's crash out of the AO doubles, and the 2026 Oscars nominations have been revealed

Deep Dive: The Beckham family feud has dominated headlines all week, after Brooklyn Peltz Beckham posted a damning statement addressing his fractured relationship with his parents. 

But beyond the celebrity fallout, the story raises bigger questions about family breakups, performative parenting and so-called “boy mum” culture.  

In this episode of The Briefing, Helen Smith is joined by Associate Professor Megan Willis from ACU to unpack the psychology behind family estrangement, public parenting and the pressures of growing up in the spotlight. 

Further listening from the headlines: 
How to rig the Oscars
The Marty Supreme hype machine

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Prince Harry is back in court, giving emotional testimony as part of a High Court lawsuit against the publishers of The Daily Mail.

In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by Journalism Professor Andrew Dodd, who explains this latest court case and what it means for Harry’s ongoing war with the media. 

Headlines: Speculation is rife once again that Sussan Lee’s days as Liberal leader are numbered after the Coalition formally split again, a number of people are missing after a major landslide in New Zealand, Australia’s unemployment rate dropped from 4.3% to 4.1% in December, and the lead singer of Men at Work has slammed the use of his hit song Down Under at anti-immigration rallies. 

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Thursday Headlines: Coalition’s future in doubt after mass shadow cabinet walkout, Australia to mark National Day of Mourning for Bondi victims today, Trump rules out using force to acquire Greenland, Gen X overtake Baby Boomers as richest landholders by generation, and Alex De Minaur becomes the first Aussie through to round three of the AO.

Deep Dive: The ACT government has reopened an investigation into its fleet of Chinese-made electric buses amid renewed warnings they could be remotely disabled through a "kill switch.”  

Security experts say the issue goes far beyond buses and points to a broader trend where we're trading national security in the interest of affordability.  

In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou speaks with Alastair MacGibbon, Chief Strategy Officer at CyberCX, about when concern over Chinese-made EVs is warranted and how seriously we should be taking these new warnings. 

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The Coalition is again in crisis, as three Nationals MPs quit after opposing the Coalition’s stance on hate crime laws.

In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by 7News Political Editor Mark Riley, to unpack today’s unprecedented developments and what it means for Sussan Ley and the future of the Coalition. 

Headlines: Leaders of both France and Canada have taken aim at Donald Trump in speeches at the World Economic Summit, a top barrister has been charged with possessing child abuse material, Premier David Crisafulli has confirmed Queensland will not partake in the federal gun buyback scheme, and new research has revealed cows may be far smarter than we first thought. 

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Wednesday Headlines: Hate speech and gun laws pass parliament, new restrictions on MP travel expenses, tributes flow for Midnight Oil drummer, shock as Maya Joint knocked out of AO, and David Beckham 'responds' to son's explosive family feud reveal.

Deep Dive: Sydney has been rocked by three shark attacks in a little over 24 hours this week, plus a fourth in Northern NSW, sparking beach closures and fresh safety fears.  

The incidents have also started a conversation on how to better educate the public about sharks and a push for better communication when it comes to when the water is and isn’t safe to swim in.  

In this episode of The Briefing, shark bite policy researcher Professor Chris Pepin-Neff chats with Sacha Barbour Gatt to explain the need for a rethink when it comes to sharks in Australia. 

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A new landmark report has found there is no link between pregnant women taking paracetamol and a child developing autism and/or ADHD. The Lancet study contradicts the US administration’s advice last year when they warned women to stop taking paracetamol because of risks to their unborn child. 

In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling, is joined by leading child disability expert Professor Helen Leonard, who explains what this latest study means and the new advice for pregnant women. 

Headlines: A watered-down version of hate crime laws has passed its first hurdle in Parliament, there's been a fourth confirmed shark attack in NSW in just 48 hours, and the Bureau of Meteorology has issued an aurora alert amid a rare surge in solar activity. 

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Tuesday Headlines: Labor’s Bondi bills set to pass today, Sydney beaches closed after three shark attacks in 24 hours, Police ‘traumatised’ after 19-year-old found dead on Queensland beach, Donald Trump declines to rule out seizing Greenland by force and Aussies advance through at the Aus Open in day two action.

Deep Dive: Pauline Hanson’s One Nation is polling higher than ever, overtaking the Coalition in one survey, prompting the Senator to declare she wants to run the country. 

With Pauline Hanson’s primary vote surging and mainstream parties under pressure, what was once considered fringe appears to be shaping the national conversation. 

In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou speaks with political scientist Dr Jill Sheppard from ANU about the rise of One Nation, what the polling really tells us, and whether Hanson could ever translate her support on paper into real power. 

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