Split Screen: Who Replaced Avril Lavigne?

CBC STORIES
  • 4.1 (127)
  • DOCUMENTARY
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Split Screen: Who Replaced Avril Lavigne?

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There’s a story going around, that punk-pop sensation Avril Lavigne ISN’T who you think she is. That she was replaced at the start of her career by a look-a-like. It’s an internet conspiracy theory which has been eating comedian Joanne McNally ALIVE, and she’s going to do something about it. Joanne immerses herself in a mind-bending world of fake celebrity deaths, doppelgangers, conspiracies in an effort to understand how this rumour started, and if there’s any truth to it. Produced by What’s The Story Sounds – for BBC Sounds and CBC. Welcome to Split Screen, an examination of the utterly captivating, sometimes unsettling world of entertainment and pop culture. From reality TV gone awry, to the cult of celebrity, each season of Split Screen takes listeners on an evocative journey inside the world of showbiz. Ex-contestants, producers, and cultural critics uncover complicated truths behind TV’s carefully curated facades, and question what our entertainment reveals about us. Split Screen: sometimes reality is twisted. Season 1 | Kid Nation: The true story behind one of reality TV’s most controversial experiments. Season 2 | Thrill Seekers: A multi-million dollar media experiment. Would you fall for it?

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  1. EPISODE 1

    Episode 1: What The Hell?

    Joanne LOVES conspiracy theories… and there’s one she can’t get out of her head. Is it true that Avril Lavigne died, and was replaced by a body double? Joanne digs deep into the rumour mill, and the more she reads, the more she finds herself believing it. Split Screen: Who Replaced Avril Lavigne? is a 6-part series produced by What’s The Story Sounds – for BBC Sounds and CBC.

    31 min

  2. EPISODE 2

    Episode 2: Here’s to Never Growing Up

    Joanne arrives in Napanee, Ontario – Avril’s hometown. She plunges into Avril’s early career. The young superstar-Avril was under a lot of scrutiny and pressure. Was she itching to step out of the spotlight? Plus, Joanne learns body-doubles ARE a thing, and not just in the movies. Joanne chats with celebrity pal Joe Lycett – and he agrees having a body double would get them out of all sorts of engagements they don’t really want to do. Split Screen: Who Replaced Avril Lavigne? is a 6-part series produced by What’s The Story Sounds – for BBC Sounds and CBC.

    40 min

  3. EPISODE 3

    Episode 3: Complicated

    Avril’s career hit something of a bump in the road. At one point she appeared to fall off the radar completely, all while the rumours about her being replaced were swirling. Can a fake death story literally kill your career? One man who knows is Dave Benson Phillips. He was a children’s TV presenter, on a path to great things. Until… he died. The TV offers dried up. His theatre tour got canceled. The impact on his life was immense. And Dave’s not the only one. Joanne hears about death rumours for Paul McCartney, Miley Cyrus…the list is endless. What can this tell us about the Avril theory? Split Screen: Who Replaced Avril Lavigne? is a 6-part series produced by What’s The Story Sounds – for BBC Sounds and CBC.

    31 min

  4. EPISODE 4

    Episode 4: Don’t Tell Me

    Joanne and her producer Sophie set up a war room with all of the evidence about Avril being replaced layed out. Her clothing, height, make up, song lyrics, voice.. it’s all there – being held up to the light. Joanne lines up some experts to prove once and for all if the Avril story is true. Split Screen: Who Replaced Avril Lavigne? is a 6-part series produced by What’s The Story Sounds – for BBC Sounds and CBC.

    35 min

  5. EPISODE 5

    Episode 5: Wish You Were Here

    Joanne was beginning to come to terms with the fact that this might all be nonsense. She turns her sights on who started this conspiracy. Where did it come from? Joanne speaks to experts in online rumour spreading. She hears some extraordinary stories about how lies have gotten completely out of hand and become widely believed (to devastating effect.) Perhaps whoever started this had no idea it would go viral. We really should think more carefully about what we write on the internet… Split Screen: Who Replaced Avril Lavigne? is a 6-part series produced by What’s The Story Sounds – for BBC Sounds and CBC.

    32 min

  6. EPISODE 6

    Episode 6: My Happy Ending

    Joanne is back Canada… she has something she really needs to tell Avril. After months of digging – Joanne has finally tracked down the source of this rumour. SO Avril DEFINITELY didn’t get replaced. That just wasn’t true. Which is great… but it does beg the question, who WAS Melissa? Who Replaced Avril Lavigne? Joanne McNally Investigates is a 6-part series produced by What’s The Story Sounds – for BBC Sounds and CBC. Split Screen: Who Replaced Avril Lavigne? is a 6-part series produced by What’s The Story Sounds – for BBC Sounds and CBC.

    33 min

  7. JAN 30

    Introducing | Split Screen: Who Replaced Avril Lavigne?

    Joanne McNally LOVES conspiracy theories… and there’s one she can’t get out of her head. Is it true that Avril Lavigne died, and was replaced by a body double? Joanne digs deep into the rumour mill, and the more she reads, the more she finds herself believing it. Available wherever you get your podcasts on February 3, 2025. Split Screen: Who Replaced Avril Lavigne? is a 6-part series produced by What’s The Story Sounds – for BBC Sounds and CBC.

    3 min
See All Season 3 (7)

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About

There’s a story going around, that punk-pop sensation Avril Lavigne ISN’T who you think she is. That she was replaced at the start of her career by a look-a-like. It’s an internet conspiracy theory which has been eating comedian Joanne McNally ALIVE, and she’s going to do something about it. Joanne immerses herself in a mind-bending world of fake celebrity deaths, doppelgangers, conspiracies in an effort to understand how this rumour started, and if there’s any truth to it. Produced by What’s The Story Sounds – for BBC Sounds and CBC. Welcome to Split Screen, an examination of the utterly captivating, sometimes unsettling world of entertainment and pop culture. From reality TV gone awry, to the cult of celebrity, each season of Split Screen takes listeners on an evocative journey inside the world of showbiz. Ex-contestants, producers, and cultural critics uncover complicated truths behind TV’s carefully curated facades, and question what our entertainment reveals about us. Split Screen: sometimes reality is twisted. Season 1 | Kid Nation: The true story behind one of reality TV’s most controversial experiments. Season 2 | Thrill Seekers: A multi-million dollar media experiment. Would you fall for it?

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