Latest news with #EmilyMaitlis
ABC News
5 days ago
- Politics
- ABC News
Trump, Epstein and the story that won't go away
Jeffrey Epstein is back in the headlines, and this time, it could get dangerous for Donald Trump. As conspiracy theories collide with real political fallout, journalist Emily Maitlis unpacks the story that just won't die. Why is the US Congress so afraid of what Epstein's files might reveal? Why is Trump struggling to contain a narrative he once helped fuel? And what does this all say about truth, power, and accountability in 2025? Plus, Maitlis explains why Keir Starmer's global statesmanship isn't landing at home, and why Nigel Farage is nipping at his heels. Guest: Emily Maitlis: Co-host of The News Agents, former BBC Newsnight presenter, and the journalist behind the viral Prince Andrew interview. Recommendations: Hamish: Ali France's Tragedy to Triumph segment on the ABC's 7:30 Report Geraldine: The Briefing Room – Is The Tide Turning on the Ukraine War? Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at
Times
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
The Crime Agents — how many more podcast spin-offs can we take?
The News Agents — the popular news show for grumpy centrists hosted by Emily Maitlis, Jon Sopel and Lewis Goodall — has proved less adept at spawning spin-offs than its rivals at Gary Lineker's Goalhanger studios. Lineker's stable of The Rest Is … podcasts is packed with thoroughbreds. The Rest Is History, The Rest Is Politics, The Rest Is Entertainment and The Rest Is Football are among the UK's most listened to shows. Even though, of those titles, only The Rest Is History makes any sense as a colloquial phrase. 'And well, the rest is politics!' 'Well you know what they say, the rest is entertainment!' Nobody actually says those things. Arguably, 'The X Agents' format, produced by Global Media, makes equally little sense, but for some irrational reason it grates on me less. I even quite liked the last News Agents spin-off, The Sports Agents, but it hasn't achieved the chart dominance you suspect its Goalhanger equivalent (The Rest Is Sport?) would have. The latest News Agents show, The Crime Agents (which does work as a title, somehow), is a good, sellable idea on paper — crime and news are hot podcasting topics — but on the basis of this first episode I doubt it will stand up in court for listeners. Our hosts are LBC's crime correspondent Andy Hughes and the former head of UK counterterrorism policing Neil Basu. Both men obviously know their stuff, but they struggle to achieve the easy conversational style that is the main requirement of a successful podcast. We begin with Hughes announcing with some awkward formality that he has 'collated' some crime data and that 'we can reveal on this podcast that up to 540 convicted terrorists have been released and are on our streets'. It's a nice (although obviously terrifying) idea and a good way of generating publicity for the new show, but as Hughes reads out his statistics it's more like listening to a press briefing than a podcast. 'What comes to your mind when you hear those figures?' Hughes rather stagily demands of Basu. He's hardly going to say, 'Well I think it's bloody marvellous news, Andy. The more terrorists the merrier.' A more conversational, 'Shocking isn't it?' might have nudged the show on a little more convincingly. Both men are a little wordy. Hughes, perhaps, is used to filling airtime on live radio. Basu, I suspect, has spent too long on the other side of the microphone. He comes over as formal and cautious, littering his speeches with apologies to the families of victims and statements of regret over terrorist incidents as if a wrong step will prompt furious listeners to start emailing complaints. Indeed, the effect is often remarkably like listening to a senior police officer being interviewed on Today. Podcasts only work if the hosts assume enough good faith on the part of their listeners to be able to relax. There are some interesting insights. Apparently, half of the terrorists who have been so unnervingly unleashed on our streets have refused deradicalisation programmes and Hughes speculates that prisoners may be 'showing off by not taking part in these programmes'. It's slightly alarming to learn that deradicalisation is an optional module, like doing an A-level in general studies or further maths. But Basu says that terrorists have to want to be deradicalised for these programmes to work. 'Terrorism for me is like addiction,' he says. 'You do not cure yourself from alcohol or drug addiction unless you want to be cured from it.' Does being set in your views (however mad and violent they are) make you an addict? Sounds odd to me. But I suppose he would know. He is the former head of counterterrorism policing after all. • The best podcasts and radio shows of the week to listen to next It's early days. Perhaps this show will find its groove. Many successful podcasts have started more awkwardly than this one. But every clumsy new show I listen to puts me slightly more in awe of the ruthless effectiveness of Lineker's hit factory. The Rest Is Crime anyone?★★☆☆☆ Follow @timesculture to read the latest reviews
BreakingNews.ie
27-06-2025
- BreakingNews.ie
Obsessed Emily Maitlis stalker jailed for breaching restraining order
An obsessed serial stalker of former BBC Newsnight presenter Emily Maitlis has been jailed for five years after breaching his restraining order by sending the broadcaster and her parents letters from prison. Nottingham Crown Court heard that Edward Vines was 'distraught' that his friendship with Ms Maitlis ended three months after he told her he loved her while they were at university in Cambridge together, but his offending since has made Ms Maitlis feel 'vulnerable and worried'. Advertisement Vines, who refused to attend his sentencing hearing on Thursday, sent envelopes, sometimes containing more than one letter, addressed to Ms Maitlis and her relatives which were intercepted by prison staff at HMP Lowdham Grange in Nottinghamshire, where he was serving a sentence for previous harassment. Edward Vines has been jailed for another five years (Thames Valley Police/PA) The 55-year-old, who represented himself in the trial, denied three counts of breaching a restraining order and one count of attempting to breach a restraining order between May 2023 and February 2024 but was convicted of all offences by a jury in May. He addressed more than 20 letters to Ms Maitlis and her family over a 10-month period and phoned his brother in July 2023 asking him to contact her mother Marion Maitlis. The court heard that Vines has 13 previous convictions for 28 offences dating back to 2002 'almost all of which concern harassment or breach of a restraining order' relating to Ms Maitlis. Advertisement In a short victim personal statement read to the court by prosecutor Fergus Malone, Ms Maitlis wrote: 'For over 30 years I have been living with the consequences of the persistent and unwanted attention of this individual. 'I feel especially vulnerable and worried when the matter comes to trial. The idea that he might be bailed is deeply worrying and I would be very concerned for my safety and the safety of my family.' Ms Maitlis also described her husband finding Vines on their doorstep, her children needing to be escorted to the school bus, and 'upsetting interactions' with her 92-year-old mother. Part of an interview she did with Radio 5 Live in 2018 was also read to the court, in which she described feeling 'paranoia' and said the harassment feels like a 'chronic illness'. Advertisement Sentencing Vines in his absence, Judge Mark Watson said: 'It is a tragedy that I once again have to deal with Edward Vines for breaking the restraining order imposed to stop him having contact with Emily Maitlis and her family. 'He has shown complete contempt for this order. His contact with her is harassment of her whatever the content of his letters may be. 'In this case she (Ms Maitlis) has been fearful for three decades. In 2018 she described the effects of the fear she felt as a result of Edward Vines's behaviour. It was described by her as like a chronic illness. 'Because of the history of this case, I regard each single letter as a very serious breach. These were also letters that did not get through. They were not threatening or meant as abusive. Advertisement Emily Maitlis said she would be concerned for her safety if Vines was bailed (Jane Barlow/PA) 'I do accept that because of his mental health issues there is some reduction to his culpability. He was, however, capable of making rational decisions. 'He is a very bright and articulate man – he could have been many things. His obsession with Emily Maitlis has tortured him without release. 'He has wasted more than two decades of his life and regrettably he is set to waste more of it in custody.' The judge added that Vines's imprisonment is the 'only thing stopping him from contacting the Maitlis family directly'. Advertisement Mr Malone told the jury during the trial that Vines wrote a letter addressed to Ms Maitlis, who co-hosts The News Agents podcast, which said: 'I took the audacity of writing to you despite the restraining order because I'm still distraught about what took place between us in 1990. 'I regularly suffer depression over it and have for 30 years. I admit I'm not sure why I suffer so, but suffer I do.' The restraining order was put in place on September 5th, 2022 when Vines was convicted of eight counts of breaching a restraining order and he was jailed for eight years.
The Sun
26-06-2025
- The Sun
Emily Maitlis stalker gets more jail time for sending her 20 letters from his prison cell
A STALKER of former BBC presenter Emily Maitlis will serve extra prison time after writing her letters from jail. Edward Vines, 55, wrote to Ms Maitlis and her family while locked up for harassing her. 2 2 Twenty letters were sent over ten months to February 2024 — but were intercepted by staff at HMP Lowdham Grange. Former Newsnight host Maitlis has said her fear of Vines' behaviour is 'like a chronic illness'. Nottingham crown court heard she ended their friendship at university in 1990 — after he told her he loved her. Vines was jailed for eight years in 2022, but was sentenced to a further five years for breaching and attempting to breach a restraining order. In a short victim personal statement read to the court by prosecutor Fergus Malone, Mailtis wrote: "For over 30 years I have been living with the consequences of the persistent and unwanted attention of this individual. "I feel especially vulnerable and worried when the matter comes to trial. "The idea that he might be bailed is deeply worrying and I would be very concerned for my safety and the safety of my family." She also described her husband finding Vines on their doorstep, her children needing to be escorted to the school bus, and "upsetting interactions" with her 92-year-old mother. Judge Mark Watson said: 'His imprisonment is the only thing stopping him from contacting the Maitlis family directly.'
The Independent
26-06-2025
- The Independent
Emily Maitlis' serial stalker jailed again for sending letters to presenter and family
A man who harassed and stalked former BBC Newsnight presenter Emily Maitlis has been jailed for five years after breaching his restraining order by sending the broadcaster and her parents letters from prison. Edward Vines was 'distraught' that his friendship with Ms Maitlis ended three months after he told her he loved her while they were at university in Cambridge together. Vines, who refused to attend his sentencing hearing at Nottingham Crown Court on Thursday, sent envelopes, sometimes containing more than one letter, addressed to Ms Maitlis and her relatives. These letters were intercepted by prison staff at HMP Lowdham Grange in Nottinghamshire, where he was serving a sentence for previous harassment. The 55-year-old, who represented himself in the trial, denied three counts of breaching a restraining order and one count of attempting to breach a restraining order between May 2023 and February 2024 but was convicted of all offences by a jury in May. He addressed more than 20 letters to Ms Maitlis and her family over a 10-month period and phoned his brother in July 2023, asking him to contact her mother Marion Maitlis. The court heard that Vines has 13 previous convictions for 28 offences dating back to 2002 'almost all of which concern harassment or breach of a restraining order' relating to Ms Maitlis. In a short victim personal statement read to the court by prosecutor Fergus Malone, Ms Maitlis said his offending since has made Ms Maitlis feel 'vulnerable and worried'. The News Agents podcast presenter wrote: 'For over 30 years I have been living with the consequences of the persistent and unwanted attention of this individual. 'I feel especially vulnerable and worried when the matter comes to trial. The idea that he might be bailed is deeply worrying and I would be very concerned for my safety and the safety of my family.' Ms Maitlis also described her husband finding Vines on their doorstep, her children needing to be escorted to the school bus, and 'upsetting interactions' with her 92-year-old mother. Part of an interview she did with Radio 5 Live in 2018 was also read to the court, in which she described feeling 'paranoia' and said the harassment feels like a 'chronic illness'. Sentencing Vines in his absence, Judge Mark Watson said: 'It is a tragedy that I once again have to deal with Edward Vines for breaking the restraining order imposed to stop him having contact with Emily Maitlis and her family. 'He has shown complete contempt for this order. His contact with her is harassment of her whatever the content of his letters may be. 'In this case she (Ms Maitlis) has been fearful for three decades. In 2018 she described the effects of the fear she felt as a result of Edward Vines's behaviour. It was described by her as like a chronic illness. 'Because of the history of this case, I regard each single letter as a very serious breach. These were also letters that did not get through. They were not threatening or meant as abusive. 'I do accept that because of his mental health issues there is some reduction to his culpability. He was, however, capable of making rational decisions. 'He is a very bright and articulate man – he could have been many things. His obsession with Emily Maitlis has tortured him without release. 'He has wasted more than two decades of his life and regrettably he is set to waste more of it in custody.' The judge added that Vines's imprisonment is the 'only thing stopping him from contacting the Maitlis family directly'. Mr Malone told the jury during the trial that Vines wrote a letter addressed to Ms Maitlis, who co-hosts The News Agents podcast, which said: 'I took the audacity of writing to you despite the restraining order because I'm still distraught about what took place between us in 1990. 'I regularly suffer depression over it and have for 30 years. I admit I'm not sure why I suffer so, but suffer I do.' The restraining order was put in place on September 5 2022 when Vines was convicted of eight counts of breaching a restraining order and he was jailed for eight years.
