Interview with Sam McAlister

Sam McAlister is an author and TV producer who is best known for securing Newsnight’s Bafta-winning interview with Prince Andrew about his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. She was played by Billie Piper in Netflix’s Emmy-nominated film Scoop, which was adapted from her memoir. The former criminal defence barrister is a visiting senior fellow at the London School of Economics’ law school, where she teaches negotiation.

Where and when were you born?
Guildford, Surrey, in the 1970s.

How has this shaped you?
It didn’t shape me at all because, when I was one, I was whisked away by my parents to Guernsey, where I was brought up until I was 14.

Were you expected to attend university?
My parents both left school when they were 14 and had to get jobs. My mum was super bright and at a grammar school but was unable to continue in education. They never pushed me towards higher education and there was no expectation that I should go, but I was very lucky to be academically gifted and we were in a situation where I could go to university.

What kind of an undergraduate were you?
I was probably a bit of a nuisance to those trying to teach me – I was noisy and questioning everything they said. I had not come from a background where you were deferential, or had read Josephus and went to the opera; I’d come from somewhere where you had fun and banter.

You then trained as a criminal defence barrister, and practised for a few years, but moved into media. Why did you make this move?
It became clear it was going to make me extremely unhappy and was not the right fit. It wasn’t really intentional that I ended up as a journalist; it was one of the things that I tried out, via some friends who were kind enough to let me see what jobs they did. I liked how it was different every day – always a new challenge, something to learn – so I ended up on Radio 4’s Law in Action and went, via More or Less, to Newsnight.

Did your legal training help with your media career?
Absolutely. First, it is a great way to order your thoughts and think on your feet. But it was also a fantastic way for a young woman – from a background different to many people I mixed with – to immediately impress them. I would often be underestimated or written off because I was a 6ft blonde with a lot of lip gloss but the second I mentioned my education people would look at me differently.

The playwright Jez Butterworth recently described the Prince Andrew interview as the “most important” piece of drama of the 21st century. At what point did you realise the interview would have lasting cultural significance?
When I was sitting in the room in Buckingham Palace, it was clear this would have a huge impact. Weirdly, the moment I realised the extent of it was when Ant and Dec mentioned it on I’m a Celebrity the day after because, to make it into popular culture that quickly, I knew its impact would be beyond the realms of usual Newsnight interviews or BBC journalism.

Scoop has been praised as one of the great films about newsgathering but did you intend it to be a love letter to journalism?
I loved being a journalist and it was a great privilege to do the work we did as a team at Newsnight. With the demise of this kind of journalism [Newsnight became a half-hour news discussion show in May] it felt like a really important moment to pay respect to other women on the team, the team at Newsnight and the work we all did. It is also a love letter to people behind the scenes who often do not get talked about – as well as to the extraordinary time I spent at Newsnight with some extraordinary people.

Why was Rufus Sewell your number one choice to play Prince Andrew?
It was going to be very difficult and brave to take on a role like this because it needed someone who was bold and could give nuance to the role rather than make him a pure pantomime baddie. So Rufus’ name was top of my list – someone who is unexpected, a brilliant actor but someone who I felt could show that complexity to make it believable.

Have you been surprised that Scoop itself became a national talking point?
To see my book turned into a Netflix film was beyond my wildest dreams. To see it released and reach number two in the world, top 10 in 50 countries and number one in 15 countries, it is obviously an honour – and credit to the extraordinarily talented actors and the director – Phillip Martin – and everyone at Netflix who believed in this story of a journalistic underdog. To go from sitting at home on my sofa three years ago, typing away at my little book, hoping that one or two people would read it, to going to Los Angeles for the Emmys, I do pinch myself every day.

You’re now teaching negotiation at LSE. How did this happen?
I was very lucky to be asked after the dean came to a speech that I did for some students at LSE. After hearing me speak, we had a conversation about things I could do, and I was so thrilled to be offered this opportunity – it is a perfect synthesis of things I have learned in journalism and my love of law, which has never left me. Growing up, I never heard of LSE as we didn’t know much about universities but, over the years, I’ve learned so much about LSE, its incredible students and people who teach there, so it’s a very poignant honour to end up in a seat of such great learning.

What’s the biggest mistake when you’re trying to land a big guest or a big deal?
Misleading people. The second you lose sight of your integrity, don’t tell the truth or start being impatient, it is all over.

jack.grove@timeshighereducation.com

CV

1996 MA English, University of Edinburgh
1997 Graduate diploma in law, City, University of London
1997 Bar vocational course, Inns of Court School of Law (now City)
2002-09 Producer, Law in Action and More or Less, BBC Radio 4
2009-21 Producer, Newsnight, BBC Two
2022 Scoops: The BBC’s Most Shocking Interviews (author)
2023 Andrew: The Problem Prince, Channel 4 (associate producer)
2023-present visiting senior fellow at LSE Law School, teaching negotiation
2024 Scoop, Netflix (executive producer)

Appointments

Kristin Blanchfield will join Imperial College London in January as vice-president (advancement). She has worked for more than a decade at Johns Hopkins University, where she is presently senior associate vice-president for philanthropic partnerships, and before this she held positions at Yale University and Cornell University. Hugh Brady, Imperial’s president, said that Ms Blanchfield would “bring her wealth of leadership experience in alumni engagement and philanthropy to harness the full power of the global Imperial community”.

Sam Grogan is moving to Loughborough University as pro vice-chancellor for education and student experience. He currently holds the same post at the University of Salford, and previously worked at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts and Bath Spa University. Nick Jennings, Loughborough’s vice-chancellor, said Professor Grogan would “bring invaluable experience in shaping and leading the delivery of first-class education opportunities”.

Natalie Armstrong will be the inaugural executive dean of the School of Health and Medical Sciences at City St George’s, University of London. She is currently deputy head of the College of Life Sciences at the University of Leicester.

Huanting Wang has been promoted to pro vice-chancellor and president at Monash University’s campus in Suzhou, China. He is currently the campus’ vice-president (research).

Susan Dawkes is returning to Edinburgh Napier University as dean of the School of Health and Social Care. She was professor of cardiovascular health at the university before moving to Robert Gordon University.

Co-Pierre Georg is leaving the University of Cape Town to join Frankfurt School of Finance & Management as director of the Frankfurt School Blockchain Center and professor of practice in digital finance and technology.