BIG ANNOUNCEMENT: Breaking Idol, a CBC documentary

Canadian True Crime

Kristi Lee

True Crime, History, Society & Culture

4.7 • 5K Ratings

🗓️ 24 November 2025

⏱️ 4 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

For years, J.B.’s identity was hidden behind publication ban.

Now, she steps forward in her own name to share her story of survival and resilience.

We're thrilled to announce the release of Breaking Idol, a powerful new documentary from CBC about "J.B.” — a survivor at the centre of the first sexual assault trial of Jacob Hoggard.

J.B.’s case against the former Canadian Idol finalist and frontman of the multi-platinum band Hedley, captivated the country and divided fans of all ages.

Based on part on Canadian True Crime's series about that 2022 trial, Breaking Idol explores the collision of fandom, power, and truth, and follows J.B. as she confronts the aftermath of the trial and the culture that protected the man who assaulted her.

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Stream Breaking Idol now on CBC Gem and YouTube

Currently available only in Canada, sorry.

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Media clips to come on Canadian True Crime Facebook and Instagram

Director Tiffany Hsiung

Supervising Producer Sally Karam

Produced by Frantic Films for CBC’s The Passionate Eye

Consulting Producer Kristi Lee

Special thanks to J.B. and Kelly Favro, Beyond The Verdict

Breaking Idol is based in part on Canadian True Crime’s podcast series The Trial of Hedley’s Jacob Hoggard

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hi there. Today, I am so thrilled to finally share with you a very exciting project I've been
0:06.3	involved with. I've mentioned it vaguely a few times this year, but now I can announce Breaking
0:12.1	Idol, a new documentary from CBC, available now in Canada on CBC Gem and YouTube. Breaking Idol
0:20.3	centers around a courageous survivor at the center of the first
0:24.5	sexual assault trial of Jacob Hoggard. She's someone many of you are now familiar with.
0:31.1	For the past seven years, I've been referred to as J.B., Emma, the Ottawa woman, a liar.
0:39.0	Today, are you ready to tell us who you really are?
0:43.2	For many years, J.B.'s identity has been hidden and protected, but in Breaking Idol,
0:49.3	she steps into the light for the first time on camera.
0:53.0	The documentary follows her brave journey from the
0:56.1	day she caught the train to Toronto to meet Hogard in that hotel room, to the day she decided
1:01.9	to report her harrowing sexual assault just so she could stand with another survivor, to the
1:07.6	grueling and cruel defense tactics she had to endure in the witness box.
1:12.2	And finally, her decision to have her publication ban lifted.
1:16.7	Breaking Idol follows J.B. as she catches a train from Ottawa to Toronto once again.
1:22.3	But this time it's to reclaim her identity and share her story of survival and resilience with me the first time
1:31.0	we've met in person. Directed by the brilliant Tiffany Shong, a multi-pebody and two-time
1:37.3	Canadian screen award-winning filmmaker, Breaking Idol is raw, honest, incredibly thoughtful and
1:44.0	eye-opening.
1:45.3	Take a listen.
1:48.4	Jacob's rise to fame was not a surprise.
1:52.6	From Canadian Idol to the helm of Hadley,
	...

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