Russell Brand: On Trial

Listen to our new podcast, Backstory. Cathy Newman goes behind some of the biggest news stories of recent decades with the people at their heart, uncovering their side of the story and why it still matters today.
This week... Is Britain more divided now than ever?
James Graham is one of the biggest (if not THE biggest) playwrights of his generation - best known for Dear England, Punch and This House.
He grew up in Nottinghamshire, and saw how communities were torn apart by the miners' strike of 1984-85. Decades later, he wrote about those divisions in his hit TV drama Sherwood, about a community still living with the pain of the strike.
Forty years on, with Britain still wrestling with the fallout from Brexit and the culture wars, are we becoming a more and more divided country?
In an at times emotional chat, James joins Cathy to reflect on growing up in a divided Nottinghamshire, being bullied at school and how his work has forced him to confront his own past and reopen wounds from the miners' strike that have never fully healed.
He also gives his verdict on Andy Burnham's political storytelling – and whether vibes are enough to make a successful prime minister.

Warning: this episode contains descriptions of rape and sexual assault, as described in court.
Sky News' Martin Brunt and Katie Spencer share scenes from the courtroom, as Russell Brand received his sentence following his conviction for rape and three sexual assaults.
Describing Brand as a ‘sexual predator’ who told ‘a series of lies’, the judge - Mr Justice Bennathan - handed Brand a sentence of ten years and six months, of which he will serve a minimum of seven years. Martin and Katie describe how he reacted.
The court also heard a series of impact statements from the victims - with one of them saying, “It's something I carry with me every day.” What was the response from inside the courtroom?

The police officer who oversaw the investigation into Russell Brand joins us on this episode.
Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy says as their work progressed, detectives built a picture of a man whose “power imbalance” and fame emboldened him to commit crime.
Martin Brunt and Katie Spencer also discuss how Brand’s first few hours in prison may have been and hear from David Roberts, from the Crown Prosecution Service, about the challenge of getting sexual offences to court.
Russell Brand is sentenced on Monday and we’ll be back then with another episode.
Email us at ontrial@sky.uk
Details of how to contact Rape Crisis are here

Sky News' Martin Brunt and Katie Spencer report after Russell Brand is found guilty of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault.
Brand stood straight and still in the dock as the verdicts were read out - the jury having deliberated for just eight and half hours before reaching their unanimous decisions.
The judge, Mr Justice Bennathan told Brand to expect ‘a significant custodial term’. As Brand was led out of the court, he mouthed "I'm OK" several times to his lawyers.
In a statement outside the court, Det Supt Andy Furphy from the Met Police said: ‘I hope this conviction sends a clear message that no one is above the law, no matter how famous or powerful they may be.’
Email the podcast: ontrial@sky.uk.

Sky News' Martin Brunt and Katie Spencer report the judge’s summing-up, as the jury is sent out to deliberate in the trial of Russell Brand.
Martin and Katie also answer listener questions.
Brand faces three counts of rape, three of sexual assault and one of attempted indecent assault. He denies all the charges.
Email the podcast: ontrial@sky.uk.