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Tales from the Celebrity Trenches
Can celebs ever UN-CANCEL themselves?
Season 1, Ep. 16
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James Franco has resurfaced on TikTok claiming he's seen an alien... but is this a genuine meltdown or Hollywood's strangest comeback strategy yet?
This week Jamie and Alice dive into the bizarre return of James Franco and ask the big question: can cancelled celebrities ever really make a comeback? From Armie Hammer and Louis C.K. to Pete Doherty and Winona Ryder, they decide who deserves another chance and who should stay firmly cancelled.
Elsewhere, they unpack the World Cup's star-studded new halftime show featuring Madonna, Justin Bieber, BTS and Shakira and ask why so many people thought it completely missed the mark.
Plus ITV's ‘The Voice’ lands itself in hot water after a bakery publicly exposes the show's request for free cake, sparking a conversation about celebrity freebie culture, blagging and whether public shaming is ever justified.
Throw in your listener comments and plenty of dispatches from the deepest corners of celebrity culture and you've got another week in the trenches!
Welcome back…
Producer - Osk Petursdottir
Got a tale from the trenches? Get in touch! Either leave a comment, drop an email to hello@celebritytrenches.com or WhatsApp us on: +44 7796 65712 starting with the word CELEB.
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A Seriously Popular production.
Host and Producer: Jamie East
Co-Hosts: Alice Brine, Matt Richardson
Producer: Phil Stocker
Assistant Producer: Tippi Willard
Additional research: Chris Lockery
Editor: Rowan Jacobs, Alan Harris
Booker: Hannah Wetton
Artwork: Daniel McGarry
Editorial Support: Joseph Palmer
Social Media: Jack Webb
Youtube Manager: Sam Owen
Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini
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15. Pitbull Paparazzi Pandemonium
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14. Scream if you want to get richer! The INSANE fairground prizes at Taylor's wedding!
35:10||Season 1, Ep. 14Taylor Swift finally did it… and somehow turned Madison Square Garden into the most over-the-top wedding venue of all time!Jamie and Alice unpack THE celebrity event of the century, from Adam Sandler officiating and Paul McCartney performing, to Cartier claw machines, and one very questionable white tuxedo. Also is someone selling wedding napkins on eBay?Jamie nerds-out, transatlantic style, with our very own NYC reporter Margaret Abrams with all the rumours & fallout from Taylor & Travis’ wedding.Alice has a champagne hangover after going to the F1, so she lifts the lid on what VIP hospitality at Silverstone is really like at the British Grand Prix. Including: Henry Cavill sightings, backstage access and Martin Brundle's latest awkward celebrity interview.Harry Styles shares a wholesome moment with his own lookalike at Wembley, Adele sparks new album rumours, and the Trench Dogs are back in force.Welcome back to the Celebrity Trenches!
13. Taylor and Travis Are Getting Married At a Basketball Arena?
14:25||Season 1, Ep. 13Jamie and Alice are back in the Celebrity Trenches with Daily Mail US Showbiz Correspondent, Margaret Abrams – to talk about the one story taking over New York right now.Is Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's wedding really happening this weekend... at Madison Square Garden?As rumours reach fever pitch, Jamie and Margaret separate fact from fiction, unpacking everything we know so far. From reports that the world's most famous arena has been transformed into a giant indoor garden, to the celebrity guest list, the extraordinary security operation and the Swiftie theories convincing fans it's been years in the making.Could this really be the celebrity wedding of the decade? Or is the whole thing an elaborate decoy worthy of Taylor herself?Whether you're a die-hard Swiftie or just trying to work out why Manhattan is buzzing, this is everything you need to know before the weekend begins.
12. Madonna is Headlining Glastonbury Whether You Like It or Not
40:34||Season 1, Ep. 12Jamie East and Alice Brine are back in the Celebrity Trenches, unpacking another week of pop culture chaos.We’re all missing Glastonbury atm - but Jamie makes a bold prediction about Glasto 2027 claiming he's worked out who’s gonna be headlining the Pyramid Stage!As it’s officially gig season, we get the latest on the Bad Bunny gigs in London. Plus, Alice drops a bombshell on how to pronounce his name!Do artists always manage to gather the balance right between showcasing their new tunes versus playing the hits?! Jamie and Alice have very different opinions on this. The pair revisit Becky Hill's now-viral "non-quite-an-apology" video after her controversial TNSMT Festival set, debating whether the backlash was deserved or if festival crowds simply need to lower their expectations.Jamie looks back at music industry mogul Clive Davis, who passed away last week. He discovered Bruce Springsteen, Alicia Keys, & Jamie has a *wild* story about Clive’s most famous protege, Whitney Houston.And there’s more speculation about Taylor Swift & Travis Kelce’s wedding - is it *really* happening at Madison Square Garden? The plot thickens!We cover it all - in this week’s edition of Celebrity Trenches Weekly Dispatch!
11. Lee Andrews tells us: “Go Balls Out”
37:23||Season 1, Ep. 11Jamie East and Alice Brine are back with another Weekly Dispatch, unpacking the week's essential celebrity stories.Jamie reports back from Harry Styles' huge Wembley show, where the pair debate whether he's officially the world's biggest male pop star and should we bring back the cheap seats at arena gigs?The Lee Andrews saga gets even weirder - mainly as Jamie attempts a glow-up to look like Lee! Jamie buys a Cameo from the internet's most unlikely celebrity, resulting in a surreal pep talk for “his mate Andy” who’s moving down to London for a new job. Advice for a new PM?! Hollywood's most exclusive club is under the spotlight as journalist Stuart Heritage reveals how he accidentally landed on Tom Cruise's legendary coconut cake list, and why two luxury cakes arrive at his door every Christmas.Plus, if you’re a top pop star, is a festival the right place to debut your unreleased new album? Becky Hill did last weekend. Was she right? Jamie & Alice weigh-in to the debate!From viral oddballs to A-list cake diplomacy, it's another gloriously chaotic week in the Celebrity Trenches!
10. Is Taylor Swift good at being rich?
42:27||Season 1, Ep. 10Jamie East and Alice Brine are back with another Weekly Dispatch, diving headfirst into the weirdest corners of celebrity culture.This week we unpack the New York Knicks' NBA win - with the real action taking place courtside, on celeb row, where Taylor Swift, Timothée Chalamet, Sydney Sweeney and a host of A-listers turned basketball into the hottest ticket in town. Jamie wonders which British sporting event is the equivalent of the NBA Finals, for sheer celeb star power? And how come the basketball finals are best of seven?!We celebrate Taylor Swift's induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and look at what effect Tay-Tay has had on the world of showbiz. But has Taylor had “a profound effect on the world”?! Jamie & Alice have their take! What do you think?Alice discovers a newfound passion for football thanks to New Zealand's most unexpectedly viral playerJamie is excited about going to see Harry Styles at Wembley this weekend, but possibly even more excited once Alice tells him who the support act is.. (clue: “let’s go girls..!”).The guys dissect the latest statements from David Harbour on Lily Allen’s album ‘West End Girl’ as he breaks his silence on that topic!Welcome back to the Celebrity Trenches!
9. Dua Lipa's party bag!
40:18||Season 1, Ep. 9Jamie East & comedian Alice Brine are back with another Weekly Dispatch, serving up their hot takes on the strangest stories in showbiz this week.Katie Price once again proves she’s the greatest tabloid character Britain has ever produced. The pair unpack her latest Lee-in-prison saga, a Pride crowd being asked whether she should dump him, and why Pricey may actually be a marketing genius playing us all.Meanwhile, Susan Boyle’s celebrity endorsement era continues. Fresh from Cornetto, she’s now teamed up with Franz Ferdinand and Irn-Bru for Scotland’s World Cup campaign. Alice reveals just how much celebrities can earn for brand deals while Jamie remains convinced Susan Boyle has never once said the words “girders spirit”.Alice also lifts the lid on life inside advertising including the Love Island star who couldn’t roller skate despite everyone saying she could, and the time Katy Perry spent hours lying in a freezing bath of lettuce dressed as a giant kebab.Elsewhere the pair celebrate the golden age of ridiculous celebrity endorsements, revisit Graham Norton’s unforgettable salad cream photoshoot, discuss rumours of Dua Lipa’s luxury wedding giveaways, and get lost down a rabbit hole involving Charli XCX, Le Creuset and AI-generated dubious cookware ads.Welcome back to the Celebrity Trenches!