Hosted by the dynamic duo behind Ministry of Funny and Yah Lah But... - Haresh Tilani & Terence Chia - "Tell You First" is an edutainment podcast that aims to dive into a fascinating array of topics you never knew you needed to know.
And the fun doesn't stop there—sometimes, we bring in special guests to join the laughter! Tune in for a one-of-a-kind blend of comedy and knowledge, and uncover a world of captivating insights that will leave you both enlightened and entertained.
Produced by Ministry of Funny, and brought to you by Mediacorp
The views and opinions shared during this podcast series are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of Mediacorp Pte. Ltd. or its group of companies.
How China Wine Precipitated One of Singapore’s Biggest Scandals
What happens when a Singapore megachurch decides to push its beloved pastor's wife to become an international pop star? In the 2000s, City Harvest Church backed Sun Ho's "Crossover Project", an ambitious endeavour that sent her across Asia to perform Mandopop, then subsequently to the US, where she worked with the biggest names in music, like David Foster and Diane Warren. Then came the capstone of the project, the China Wine music video with Wyclef Jean, which lives in infamy to this day. However, behind the backlash was a much bigger story: prosecutors alleged that $24 million from the church's building fund was funnelled into sham bond investments connected to the project, with another $26 million allegedly used to cover the tracks. We trace how a church's mission to reach the world through pop music culminated in one of Singapore's biggest scandals.
Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny).
Credits:
Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani)
Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet)
Production Manager - Z’en Peck (@peck.takes.photos)
Commissioning Editor - Danny Koordi
If you're a fan of our work, you can follow the podcast on the meLISTEN app, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. You can also watch selected video episodes of the podcast on YouTube through the Mediacorp Entertainment channel. Also, catch Tell You First Shorts on Mediacorp's socials.
Podcast artwork by Denise Nicole Yap, you can reach her on Instagram @deniseardenise
See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.
29 Sept 2026
The AWARE Saga: How We Didn't Shut Up and Sit Down (w Jasmine Ng)
Everyone who lived through the 2009 AWARE Saga remembered it, but nobody wanted to talk about it. Not the 3,000 people who queued four hours to vote at Suntec. Not the bank that publicly disowned its own VP. Not the "feminist mentor" who compared homosexuality to bestiality on live TV. It took filmmaker Jasmine Ng and journalist Kelly Leow two years, 50 interviews, and a lot of "no's" to finally get people to open up. Their efforts resulted in Saga, Singapore's first long-form narrative podcast. Jasmine joins us to talk about the six weeks that gripped the nation, and why it took over a decade for anyone to properly tell the story.
Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny).
Credits:
Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani)
Guest - Jasmine Nga (@ngkinkiajasmine)
Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet)
Production Manager - Z’en Peck (@peck.takes.photos)
Commissioning Editor - Danny Koordi
If you're a fan of our work, you can follow the podcast on the meLISTEN app, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. You can also watch selected video episodes of the podcast on YouTube through the Mediacorp Entertainment channel.
Podcast artwork by Denise Nicole Yap, you can reach her on Instagram @deniseardenise
See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.
22 Sept 2026
The Nicoll Highway Collapse: How Four Deaths Rewrote Singapore's Construction Rules
On 20 April 2004, 100 metres of Nicoll Highway suddenly collapsed into a 30-metre-deep hole, killing four people and injuring three. The disaster exposed serious failures in the design and construction of the Circle Line, and also changed how Singapore approaches construction safety. We trace what went wrong, from flawed calculations and buckling steel supports to warnings that were raised before the collapse, and how four deaths eventually led to new rules governing deep excavations across Singapore.
Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny).
Credits:
Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani)
Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet)
Production Manager - Z’en Peck (@peck.takes.photos)
Commissioning Editor - Danny Koordi
If you're a fan of our work, you can follow the podcast on the meLISTEN app, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. You can also watch selected video episodes of the podcast on YouTube through the Mediacorp Entertainment channel. Also, catch Tell You First Shorts on Mediacorp's socials.
Podcast artwork by Denise Nicole Yap, you can reach her on Instagram @deniseardenise
See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.
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Spotify
4.9 / 5
129 ratings
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