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It was the inside track of the century—getting Prince Andrew to speak about his relationship with disgraced financier and convicted intercourse offender Jeffrey Epstein. The disastrous interview is the topic of Netflix’s movie Scoop, which in case you’ve watched you could be curious to know the place Sam McAlister is now, the brains behind securing it. McAlister is performed by Billie Piper, who audiences could know as Rose Tyler from Dr. Who.
Renewed curiosity within the allegations linking Andrew and Epstein was sparked after Virginia Roberts Giuffre, a sufferer of Epstein’s intercourse trafficking ring, claimed she was sexually assaulted a number of occasions by Prince Andrew in London and on a non-public Caribbean Island owned by Epstein. Giuffre filed a lawsuit towards Andrew within the state of New York, which he settled out of court docket for a reported $16 million.
“It has grow to be clear to me over the previous couple of days that the circumstances regarding my former affiliation with Jeffrey Epstein has grow to be a serious disruption to my household’s work and the precious work occurring within the many organizations and charities that I’m proud to assist,” Andrew mentioned in a press release on the similar time. “I proceed to unequivocally remorse my ill-judged affiliation with Jeffrey Epstein.” The prince additionally mentioned, “I’m keen to assist any applicable regulation enforcement company with their investigations if required.”
Throughout his interview with BBC in November 2019—the securing of such is depicted in Scoop—Prince Andrew mentioned he “regretted” his connection to Epstein however had no reminiscence of ever assembly Giuffre. “I’ve no recollection of ever assembly this woman, none in anyway,” he mentioned and has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. So the place is Sam McAlister now?
The place is Sam McAlister now?
The place is Sam McAlister now? Reflecting on the Prince Andrew interview, McAlister wrote for Tatler within the April 2024 situation that it was “a masterclass in tips on how to destroy your life.”
She stop the BBC in 2021, with sources alleging she was sad with the truth that she was paid simply 10 % of what was dished out to reporter Emily Maitlis, performed by Gillian Anderson in Scoop. “It’s a pleasant narrative: the plucky, poorly-paid lady. The reality is she labored part-time, whereas Emily was the lead anchor of Newsnight,” a former colleague mentioned of the pair, per The Telegraph. “Producers on the BBC don’t earn an enormous sum of money. It’s not like she was terribly terribly underpaid.”
“Sam was offended that she didn’t get a pay rise, however the BBC doesn’t work like that. There’s a license charge: you possibly can’t simply give pay rises to folks as a result of they do effectively,” the supply added. “She was by no means going to get a pay rise, as a result of no one received a pay rise. No one received a bonus. It’s the BBC. Everybody who was concerned in that interview received a ‘Effectively finished’ and moved on to the following factor.”
Since quitting the community, McAlister has made a residing as a public speaker and leveraged her private model due to securing the high-profile interview. “She has managed to make her picture and look a part of the entire thing,” a former colleague advised The Telegraph, with the paper noting McAlister has grow to be an everyday on the after-dinner talking circuit, to speak about negotiations and management, and instructions charges of between £2,500 (greater than $3,000) and £5,000 ($6,300) per gig.
“It’s a great distance from my part-time Newsnight, full-time single mum life. Now, as an alternative of lengthy days on the commute and within the airless BBC workplace, I’m at all times on the transfer: there’s been a TEDx speak, a fellowship at LSE, martinis at The Dorchester,” she wrote in Tatler.
Prince Andrew, in the meantime, stepped again from royal life shortly after the interview aired, asking his mom, the late Queen Elizabeth II for permission to withdraw from public duties. In 2022, Andrew was stripped of his army titles after a choose dominated a sexual abuse civil lawsuit towards him might proceed, which he settled.
“With The Queen’s approval and settlement, the Duke of York’s army affiliations and Royal patronages have been returned to The Queen. The Duke of York will proceed to not undertake any public duties and is defending this case as a non-public citizen,” the palace mentioned in a press release.
After 12 years producing content material for Newsnight, Sam McAlister displays with candor on her expertise, sharing not simply the secrets and techniques of how the most effective information will get made, but in addition the adjustments to the BBC, the way forward for ‘mainstream media’ within the age of clickbait and the position of energy and privilege in shaping our media panorama.