Channel 4 News is launching a daily podcast covering the criminal trial of Russell Brand, which is due to begin at Southwark Crown Court on Monday October 12.
Four The Record: Russell Brand On Trial will be hosted by Channel 4 News Culture Correspondent Minnie Stephenson, with new episodes published every weekday afternoon throughout the proceedings.
The podcast will provide daily courtroom reporting, analysis of key testimony and legal arguments, and contributions from journalists and legal experts. Stephenson and her team will attend court each day before recording episodes examining the latest developments.
The series follows a joint investigation into allegations against Brand by Channel 4’s Dispatches and The Times and Sunday Times in 2023. Some members of the team behind that investigation are also involved in the new podcast. Brand has consistently denied all allegations of wrongdoing.
Stephenson said: “This will be one of the most anticipated and closely scrutinised trials in recent history. I’ve been covering the Russell Brand story since the allegations first came to light, reporting on every major development and speaking to experts behind the scenes to make sense of it all. Now, I’m bringing some of those experts to the mic, and over the coming weeks, we’ll report on what happened inside the courtroom each day and explain the key developments.”
Four The Record: Russell Brand On Trial will be available on YouTube and all major podcast platforms. The series also marks the launch of Four The Record, a new investigative and true crime podcast strand from Channel 4 News, designed to provide more detailed coverage of major stories as they develop.
Esme Wren, Editor of Channel 4 News, said: “This story has attracted interest from around the world. Our specialist team of reporters, expertly led by Minnie, is uniquely placed to guide listeners through each day as the case unfolds in court.”
She added: “Through this new daily podcast, we’ll unpack the media and legal jargon with the reporting power of the wider Channel 4 News team to deliver authoritative journalism, analysis and context. It’s exactly the kind of major story for which this new format was created.”
