Samantha McAlister is an English TV producer, criminal barrister and author. She is best known for securing an interview with Prince Andrew for BBC Newsnight's programme, Prince Andrew & the Epstein Scandal (2019).
The interview gained worldwide attention and strong criticism of Prince Andrew. It led to him resigning from all public roles.
McAlister wrote and published a memoir, titled Scoops (2021).[1] Her account of the Prince Andrew interview was adapted as a feature film, Scoop (2024), in which McAlister was portrayed by Billie Piper.[2][3]
Early life and education
editMcAlister was born in Guildford, England. She was the first in her family to attend university,[4] graduating from the University of Edinburgh, and undertaking a law conversion course at City University.[5]
Career
editMcAlister worked as a trained criminal defence barrister.[6] She later worked for ten years as a Producer on the BBC Newsnight programme, before taking voluntary redundancy in 2021. She was particularly focused on investigating and arranging interviews, and is known for her role in gaining BBC's interview in 2019 with Prince Andrew. [7] The episode of the Prince Andrew interview was nominated for an award in news coverage category at the 2020 British Academy Television Awards.[8]
By 2024, McAlister was working as a Visiting Senior Fellow in the law school of the London School of Economics. She specialised in teaching negotiations.[9]
Personal life
editMcAlister is a single parent.[4]
References
edit- ^ McTaggart, India (4 May 2023). "BBC producer wrote Prince Andrew book to ensure she was written into The Crown". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
- ^ "Prince Andrew: BBC's Newsnight interview to be turned into a film". BBC News. 14 July 2022. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
- ^ "The Sam McAlister Edition". The Spectator. 5 May 2023. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
- ^ a b "Sam McAlister". Town & Country. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
- ^ Jack Grove (8 June 2023). "How to avoid a media disaster and get noticed for the right reasons". Times Higher Education. Retrieved 6 April 2024.(subscription required)
- ^ McMillan, Kate (24 July 2022). "How to Land the Interview of the Year with Sam McAlister". Women In Journalism. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
- ^ Kersley, Andrew (22 July 2022). "Ex-Newsnight producer Sam McAlister on booking Prince Andrew and BBC's 'fatal' class problem". Press Gazette. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
- ^ Kanter, Jake (31 July 2020). "BAFTA TV Awards Winners: Night Of Surprises, As 'Chernobyl' & 'The End Of The F***ing World' Take Two Prizes Each". Deadline. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
- ^ "Sam McAlister". London School of Economics and Political Science. Retrieved 6 April 2024.