Fame Under Fire

The Duke of York ‘should face further investigation’. That’s according to author Andrew Lownie, who speaks to Anoushka about his biography of Prince Andrew. Buckingham Palace told this podcast: ‘As the Duke of York is not a working member of the Royal Family, we would not speak for him, and we would not comment on this matter.’ Prince Andrew’s team has not responded to our request for comment. In...

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’s former partner Gina Huynh speaks out to support him. She was ‘Victim 3’ in the indictment and supposed to take the stand to give evidence against Combs during trial, but didn’t turn up. Meanwhile, Combs is refused bail ahead of sentencing in October for transportation for prostitution. Sex worker Bonnie Blue tells us she’s decided to rebrand after controversy following a TV do...

Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty and guests discuss an advertising campaign starring actress Sydney Sweeney for American Eagle which has prompted criticism for what some describe as eugenic overtones. The advert’s wordplay on “jeans” and “genes” has led to accusations of racial insensitivity and critics argue the campaign invokes language historically linked to white supremacy. Podcaster and commentator...

Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty and guests discuss the latest allegations against Kanye West from his former chief of staff. He denies all the claims from Lauren Pischiotta. A warning, this programme contains graphic descriptions of rape and sexual assault allegations. They also talk through Nicki Minaj’s latest social media spat with SZA and how Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’s sentence will be decided after his...

Celebrities, athletes, politicians, influencers and even royalty can all land in the firing line. Why does it matter? Because we invest in them. We give them space in our homes, our budgets, our feeds, and sometimes, our hearts. We put them on pedestals. So when they fall, we want the truth. But in an age of AI-generated “evidence”, misinformation, and unqualified newsfluencers, separating fact fr...

It’s the end of Diddy on Trial, but the start of something new. Fame Under Fire is coming.

The trial of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is over. He has been cleared of sex trafficking and racketeering with conspiracy, and found guilty of transportation for prostitution. He is due to be sentenced at a later date. But discussions go on about power dynamics and working practices in the music industry, as well as about coercion, control and consent. Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty speaks to BBC investigation...

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is denied bail after being found guilty of transportation for prostitution. He was cleared of racketeering and sex trafficking charges earlier on Wednesday, after the jury reached a partial verdict. Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty speaks to BBC New York digital reporter Sakshi Venkatraman and criminal defence attorney Shaun Kent. Details of organisations in the UK offering informatio...

Music mogul Sean 'Diddy' Combs is found not guilty of racketeering, and not guilty of sex trafficking ex-partner Casandra Ventura and another woman referred to as 'Jane'. He is found guilty of transportation to engage in prostitution, related to both women. Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty is in court to see Combs' reaction as the verdict is read out. Details of organisations in the UK offering informat...

The jury has reached a partial verdict during the second day of deliberations in Sean "Diddy" Combs's criminal trial. The jury has reached a verdict on four of the five counts Diddy faces, but are unable to on the fifth - the racketeering conspiracy charge. The judge has told the jurors to carry on deliberating on the final charge. Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty speaks to the BBC’s New York digital re...

The jury have been sent out in the trial after being instructed by the judge to consider each of the charges against Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs. Just an hour into deliberations, the jury sent a note to the judge saying they were concerned one of their fellow jurors could not follow the court's instructions. A few hours later, they sent a second note with a question about drug distribution. The jury went h...

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ defence lawyer Marc Agnifilo has told the jury in Diddy’s trial that prosecutors have ‘badly, badly exaggerated’ the case against him. In closing arguments, Agnifilo said there was no way for Diddy to know that Cassie didn’t want to partake in the ‘freak-offs’, citing multiple explicit texts she sent Diddy. Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty speaks to BBC New York correspondent Nada Ta...

The lawyers for the prosecution have told the jury that Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is the ‘leader of a criminal enterprise’ who used violence and fear in ‘brutal crimes’. At the end of the prosecution’s closing arguments, Assistant US Attorney Christy Slavik said to jurors that it was time to hold Diddy accountable and for him to face justice. On Friday, the defence will present their closing arguments to...

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs has told the judge that he will not testify in his trial. Diddy thanked Judge Subramanian and said he had made the decision himself not to take the stand. His defence team argued that prosecutors had failed to prove his alleged crimes. They presented and rested their case in under thirty mins. Both the prosecution and defence are expected to make closing arguments towards the en...

Jurors have been watching explicit videos in court, with headphones on, as part of the prosecution’s final few days of evidence. They were also shown explicit text messages between Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, former partner ‘Jane’, sex workers and Diddy’s former chief of staff Kristina Khorram. Joseph Cerciello, a special agent for Homeland Security Investigations, continued his testimony and was cross ex...

Brendan Paul, who worked for Diddy as his personal assistant for two years, gave evidence. He said he worked 80-100 hours a week and he learnt a lot from his former boss, but now his feelings towards Diddy are 'complicated'. Joseph Cerciello, a special agent for Homeland Security Investigations, started his testimony. He's been reviewing thousands of pages of text messages, as well as phones and f...

Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty gets the latest on the case from BBC New York correspondent Nada Tawfik and expert analysis with criminal defence attorney Shaun Kent. Court is cancelled on Wednesday because of a juror who has called in sick, delaying the prosecution’s end of evidence. Thursday is a public holiday in the US, so the trial of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs will resume on Friday. In the past few days,...

Judge Subramanian has reprimanded prosecution and defence lawyers after confidential information was leaked. Sealed proceedings are not supposed to ever be released to the public. Meanwhile DeLeassa Penland, a special agent with the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, has continued her evidence. The jury has been shown more text messages between Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs and forme...

It’s week six of Diddy’s trial and juror number six has been dismissed. Judge Subramanian said they had given inconsistent answers about their home address. An alternate juror has replaced them. Plus more phone recordings and text messages between Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs and his former chief of staff Kristina Khorram have been shown to the jury. Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty speaks to NPR music reporter I...

Rapper Kanye or Ye West paid a visit the courthouse today to support Diddy. He stayed for 40 minutes to watch proceedings. The judge is considering whether to dismiss one of the jurors after the prosecution called for their removal. The juror gave inconsistent answers about where they live. But while the prosecution has been asking for their dismissal, the defence team want him to stay. Jonathan P...

The former partner of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs has finished her fifth and final day of testimony at his trial. ‘Jane’, who is using a pseudonym to protect her identity, was cross-examined by Diddy’s defence and asked more questions by the prosecution. She also told the court about a sex night in Las Vegas with another famous rapper and his girlfriend. She testified about ‘hotel nights’, Diddy paying her...

Defence lawyer Teny Geragos continued her cross-examination of ‘Jane’ with more focus the messages between her and Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs. ‘Jane’ is the pseudonym being used to protect the identity of Diddy’s ex-partner. She was asked about messages which suggest she was planning ‘hotel nights’ for her and Diddy, along with other men. Photos were also shown to the jury of ‘Jane’ and Diddy spending tim...

During the first day of cross-examination by Diddy’s defence lawyer, ‘Jane’ said she enjoyed taking care of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs. His former partner is testifying under the pseudonym ‘Jane’ to protect her identity. She told the court she would bathe him and fall asleep with him while watching television after ‘hotel nights’ where she would have sex with male entertainers as Combs watched. ‘Jane’ als...

The former partner of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs has testified about wanting to stop having sex with other men, and told the court about their arguments. ‘Jane’, who is using a pseudonym to protect her identity, told the court they had both been physically violent and that Diddy ‘punched, kicked and dragged her’. ‘Jane’ will be cross-examined by Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ defence team on Tuesday. The judge also...

Jane - a pseudonym to protect her identity - tells the court Diddy is still paying her rent, even though she is a witness for the prosecution. The jury hears she didn’t want to take part in the so called “hotel nights” when she had a period, and sent Diddy a picture of a used tampon to prove this. She says this upset Combs, who accused her of going back on her offer to have a hotel session. Jane s...