Newsnight book author had eye on fame in The Crown
THE former BBC producer who helped secure the Duke of York’s Newsnight
interview has revealed she was motivated to write her book to ensure her role appeared in The Crown.
Sam Mcalister, who was instrumental in helping to negotiate the awardwinning November 2019 interview, wrote a book detailing her version of events called Scoops.
She has now revealed that her motivation to write the book was “more pretentious” than gaining recognition, saying: “I thought if Netflix ever makes a future edition of The Crown or a documentary on Prince Andrew, I want my role on the record.”
It was previously reported that BBC sources are quietly seething at what they perceive to be Mcalister taking the lion’s share of the credit for securing the interview, when its success was considered very much a team effort.
While none of them dispute that the former producer played a critical role in securing the award-winning scoop, her many colleagues are reduced to peripheral figures in various publicity interviews and webinars she gives.
In a new interview with The Times,
Mcalister discussed her motivations for publishing the book, as well as revealing that she contacted Martin Bashir, the journalist who arranged and conducted bombshell interview in 1995 with Diana, Princess of Wales.
“I wanted to swap notes with someone who’d been through a similar experience,” she said, but added that she was pleased they never ended up doing so in light of the BBC’S investigation into how he obtained the interview.
Mcalister also said she had almost landed an interview with the controversial former Topshop owner Philip Green after leaving the BBC, telling The Times: “Sir Philip saw the Andrew interview and sent me a message saying well done, but also how relieved he was he’d never said yes to me. I’d love to have got him, and also Putin [Russian president Vladimir Putin].
Her book about the Duke of York’s Newsnight interview with Emily Maitlis is now being turned into a major film adaption by Netflix, starring star Gillian Anderson.