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In n 1996, at the height of Britpop, one impulsive act at the Brit Awards would change Jarvis Cocker’s life forever.

When Michael Jackson transformed the ceremony into a spectacle for his HIStory album — complete with messianic imagery and a newly invented “Artist of a Generation” award — Cocker made a split-second decision. He stormed the stage during “Earth Song”… and wiggled his bottom at the King of Pop.

What followed was chaos: accusations of assault, a night in a police station, Bob Mortimer acting as an impromptu solicitor, and a media firestorm that turned a moment of protest into front-page scandal. But as video evidence emerged and public opinion shifted, Cocker became an unlikely symbol of British irreverence pushing back against corporate spectacle.

In this episode of Amped, Olivia Jones tells the full story behind the headline — the cultural tensions of Britpop, the politics of fame, and the unexpected personal cost of becoming famous for the wrong reason.

Because sometimes the smallest gesture can create the loudest shockwave.

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On 24th February 1997, five women took to the stage at the BRIT Awards and in three minutes and thirty seconds, British pop culture changed forever.

This episode tells the story behind the most iconic dress in pop history: a black Gucci mini-dress transformed with a Union Jack tea towel. But this isn’t just a fashion story.

It’s about control. About five young women who refused to be managed quietly. About reclaiming symbols. About challenging a male-dominated industry and taking control of their own destiny.

From the wardrobe malfunction headlines to Mel C’s on-stage challenge to Liam Gallagher, from global merchandising madness to Sotheby’s auction room drama, we trace how one homemade dress became a record-breaking artefact and why Geri chose to let it go.

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