Culture

The Creator Of True Crime Podcast ‘Dirty John’ Is Coming To Australia

Tickets go on sale Friday November 24.

dirty john

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If you’re a podcast fan, you’ve no doubt heard of Dirty John. It’s the latest true crime yarn to go viral worldwide, amassing more than ten million downloads in just six weeks. And now, the creator’s coming to Australia, giving you the opportunity to ask all the lingering questions you still have.

A quick (spoiler free) refresher: Dirty John focuses on the story of Debra Newell, who meets and marries the seemingly charming John Meehan on an over-50s dating website. As the pair’s lives intertwine, Newell gradually discovers that the man she’s married isn’t quite who he’s made himself out to be, and in fact harbours more than a few troubling secrets. The six-part series is incredibly compelling listening — if you haven’t heard it yet, get on it now.

Creator, writer and host Christopher Goffard spent nearly a year reporting the Dirty John story, which was produced in a partnership between podcast network Wondery and the Los Angeles Times. Goffard’s a veteran Los Angeles Times reporter, has written several books, and has been a Pulitzer finalist twice for feature writing. Despite extensive experience in crime reporting, he says recording Dirty John was an altogether unique experience.

“Something about John Meehan chilled me in a way nobody else has,” he says, adding that he hopes the podcast can be seen as “a cautionary tale that can potentially save lives”.

On the Australian tour, Goffard will offer a glimpse behind the scenes of Dirty John, sharing his experience of the reporting process, the challenges involved, and some of the stories that ended up on the cutting room floor. There’ll be a live Q&A as well, so you can ask whatever’s on your mind.

Goffard will be touring Australia in March next year. You can find out more about locations and dates here, and tickets will go on sale on Friday November 24.