Fame Under Fire

Will Smith is accused of predatory behaviour by a violinist, Brian King Joseph, who played on Smith's 2024/25 tour to promote his latest album, "Based on a True Story."
Smith's lawyers say the allegations are "false, baseless and reckless."
King says that he and Smith had become close friends with the star once confiding in him that: "You and I have such a special connection that I don't have with anyone else." The violinist, who came to public attention on the "America's Got Talent" show, also alleges that Smith groomed him for sex. He's also claiming damages from Smith and his company for wrongful dismissal.
So what happens next? Fame Under Fire's own in-house lawyer, Shaun Kent guides us through the key legal issues at play.
Host: Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty
Series Producer: Jim Frank
Senior Impact Producer: Melanie Stewart-Smith
Production Coordinator: Harriet Valentine
Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford
Editor: Clare Fordham
Assistant Commissioning Producer: Rechmial Miller
Commissioning Producer: Adam Eland
Assistant Commissioner: Will Drysdale
Commissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts

A writer convicted of cyber-bullying the French president’s wife has told the Fame under Fire podcast he doesn’t regret it.
Bertrand Scholler posted an edited photo of Brigitte Macron in a swimming costume. Her head had been cut out and a man’s torso edited in.
He was one of 10 defendants in France accused of spreading false claims about Mrs Macron’s gender and sexuality as well as making “malicious remarks” about the 24 year age gap between her and her husband.
They were found guilty at a Paris court. Scholler was handed a suspended sentence of six months.
Speaking after his conviction, he said he was in “shock”, adding that the law which led to his conviction was a “nuclear bomb for freedom of speech”.
We also hear from the BBC’s Paris correspondent Hugh Schofield about the court case and what’s next for the Macrons.
Got questions? Send us a Whatsapp message on 0330 678 111 4.
Subscribe to Fame Under Fire on BBC Sounds and turn on push notifications so you never miss an episode. We’ll let you know as soon as new episodes are available.
Host: Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty
Series Producer: Vicky Farncombe
Senior Impact Producer: Melanie Stewart-Smith
Production Coordinator: Helena Warwick-Cross
Technical Producer: Mark Burrows
Editor: Clare Fordham
Assistant Commissioning Producer: Rechmial Miller
Commissioning Producer: Adam Eland
Assistant Commissioner: Will Drysdale
Commissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts

Anoushka and the Fame Under Fire team would like to wish you a happy new year.
We're back next week, but in the meantime, you can go back and catch up on some of the most recent episodes!
Got questions? Send us a Whatsapp message on 0330 678 111 4.
Subscribe to Fame Under Fire on BBC Sounds and turn on push notifications so you never miss an episode. We’ll let you know as soon as new episodes are available.
Host: Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty
Series Producer: Vicky Farncombe
Senior Impact Producer: Melanie Stewart-Smith
Production Coordinator: Helena Warwick-Cross
Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford
Editor: Clare Fordham
Assistant Commissioning Producer: Rechmial Miller
Commissioning Producer: Adam Eland
Assistant Commissioner: Will Drysdale
Commissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts

The Macrons' lawyer has told the BBC that claims the French president and his wife ordered the assassination of Candace Owens are "deranged".
The right-wing influencer first made the allegations in a tweet on 22 November which has now been viewed more than 44 million times.
In the message labelled URGENT, Owens wrote that she was contacted by what she described as “a high-ranking employee of the French Government,” who allegedly warned her that the Macrons had “executed upon and paid for my assassination."
She has since reiterated the claims - recently in an interview with Russell Brand.
In a statement to the BBC's Fame under Fire podcast, Tom Clare said: "This deranged allegation is right out of Ms. Owens’ playbook. We’re not going to dignify it with a response beyond noting that it does further and fit her pattern of reckless and irresponsible defamation of our clients."
Candace Owens has also been meeting with Charlie Kirk’s widow this week after promoting theories about his death to her millions of followers.
In an interview with CBS, Erika Kirk had asked people making “unfounded claims” regarding his assassination to “just stop”.
Host Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty and Will Sommer, senior journalist with The Bulwark, look into the story and discuss the podcaster's influence in US politics.
Got questions? Send us a Whatsapp message on 0330 678 111 4.

Subscribe to Fame Under Fire on BBC Sounds and turn on push notifications so you never miss an episode. We’ll let you know as soon as new episodes are available.

Host: Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty
Series Producer: Vicky Farncombe
Senior Impact Producer: Melanie Stewart-Smith
Production Coordinator: Helena Warwick-Cross
Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford
Editor: Clare Fordham
Assistant Commissioning Producer: Rechmial Miller
Commissioning Producer: Adam Eland
Assistant Commissioner: Will Drysdale
Commissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts

Two major developments in the epic legal saga between former co-stars Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni.
Lively has responded to Baldoni’s attempt to block the case from going to trial, arguing that a jury should decide.
And Baldoni’s sworn deposition has been released. We hear how he responds to her allegations of sexual harassment and retaliation - claims he denies.
Host Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty and resident trial attorney Shaun Kent discuss power dynamics, why circumcision appears in the legal filings, and how a slow dance montage could be key.
The trial was due to begin in March but has now been pushed back to May because the judge has two criminal trials to oversee.
Got questions? Send us a Whatsapp message on 0330 678 111 4.

Subscribe to Fame Under Fire on BBC Sounds and turn on push notifications so you never miss an episode. We’ll let you know as soon as new episodes are available.

Host: Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty
Series Producer: Vicky Farncombe
Impact Producer: Sophie Millward
Senior Impact Producer: Melanie Stewart-Smith
Production Coordinator: Helena Warwick-Cross
Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford
Editor: Clare Fordham
Assistant Commissioning Producer: Rechmial Miller
Commissioning Producer: Adam Eland
Assistant Commissioner: Will Drysdale
Commissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts