The Briefing

When Emily Maitlis sat down to question then-Prince Andrew about his links to Jeffrey Epstein in 2019, few could have predicted she would walk away with the scoop of the century.
The interview on the BBC’s Newsnight became one of the most explosive moments in modern media and a masterclass in calm, forensic questioning that reshaped the global conversation around power and accountability.
In this chat with Sacha Barbour Gatt, Emily reflects on the decades of reporting that led that night, the meticulous planning behind the scenes and the unexpected message she received from a close friend of the King just weeks after it aired.
Tickets for Emily Maitlis live in Australia. Emily Maitlis appears at the MCEC presented by The Wheeler Centre on 5 March and at the All About Women festival in Sydney on 8 March.
Weekend list with Helen Smith
Listener Marc TO WATCH: Fleabag on Amazon Prime
TO READ: Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid
TO WATCH: Frankenstein on Netflix
TO EAT: Dumpling Lasagna
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When James Summerhayes got the call from Special Olympics Australia, he’d finished fourth at nationals and thought his Olympic dream was over. But a shock withdrawal changed everything — and suddenly he was pulling on the green and gold.
In this inspiring conversation, James takes Natarsha Belling inside his journey to becoming a dual silver medallist at the Special Olympics World Games. From years of hospital stays, to standing on the podium representing Australia, James shares why the medals were never the main goal. For him, it was about connection, inclusion and representing his country with pride.
Headlines: Andrew Mountbatten Windsor has been released from police custody after he was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office, four teenagers have been arrested for a number of violent incidents allegedly targeting the son of former NRL star Matt Utai, and Eric Dane, star of Grey's Anatomy and Euphoria, has passed away at the age of 53.
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Friday Headlines: Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor arrested, first meeting of Donald Trump’s Board of Peace, Greg Lynn applies for bail, Aussies drop $17bn at Bunnings and Kmart, and YouTube’s first-ever video deemed museum-worthy.
Deep DIve: Dinosaur bones and fossils are a highly sought-after market - snapped up by private investors, celebrities, researchers, museums, and increasingly, sold online to the highest bidder.
Just before Christmas, an Australian family made a remarkable discovery: a fossilised vertebra believed to be more than 20 million years old. But their findings sparked a much bigger conversation over the debate of science vs status.
In this episode of The Briefing, Helen Smith is joined by leading paleontologist Michael Archer to unpack the ethics, economics and how everyday Aussies are helping make ancient discoveries.

Further listening from the headlines:
The Trump 'vanity project' on Albo's desk
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The NSW Government has announced a review after two men escaped from a mental health facility at a major Sydney hospital, and then allegedly went on to cause three deaths in separate incidents. Premier Chris Minns has admitted something has gone “badly wrong”, with many saying the mental health system is broken after decades of neglect from both sides of government.
In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by Dr Angelo Virgona, President-Elect of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, who explains why our mental health system is failing so many people and why we need targeted funding at both the community and federal levels.
Headlines: A Sydney man has faced court charged with threatening to kill Treasurer Jim Chalmers, there are numerous reports that the US is mobilising its military ahead of possible strikes on Iran, and the Moto GP is heading to Adelaide.
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Thursday Headlines: Australian citizen with ISIS links in Syria temporarily banned from returning, MPs admit to accepting free sport tickets from gambling companies, Supermarkets in hot water over item pricing, Shark attacks rise sharply in 2025, And we’ve picked up another medal at the Winter Olympics!
Deep Dive: Jane Hume is the new deputy leader of the Liberal party after helping to roll Sussan Ley and install Angus Taylor in the top job.
The pair have since named their shadow cabinet and have promised to restore faith in the party after years of in-fighting, poor policy decisions and a lack of direction.
In today’s episode of The Briefing, Sacha Barbour Gatt sits down with Jane Hume to discuss the new-look Libs and whether they can win back not only their old base, but new voters too.
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