Karen Carpenter had one of the most distinctive voices in music - warm, melancholy and instantly recognisable. Alongside her brother Richard, she became one half of The Carpenters, selling millions of records and creating some of the most enduring songs of the 1970s.
But behind the wholesome image and extraordinary success, Karen was struggling with an illness that few people truly understood.
In this episode of Dead Famous, we explore Karen Carpenter’s life, her complicated family relationships, the pressures of fame and perfection, her battle with anorexia, and the final hours before a death that shocked the world.
More than four decades later, Karen’s voice remains unmistakable. But behind it lies the story of a woman whose private suffering helped change the way eating disorders were understood.
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