What does it mean to be different? Is it how we think? Or how we act? In this BBC podcast, Nicky Campbell explores just that with guests who are extraordinarily different.
At school Nicky, along with many other pupils of Edinburgh Academy, was the victim of vicious abuse from teacher John Brownlee. Nicky didn’t think Brownlee’s crimes would ever be answered, but in March 2024, they went to court.
John Brownlee is 89 and was declared unfit to stand trial, instead an “examination of the facts” was held to establish the truth. Brownlee was found to have committed 31 charges of assault and assault to injury relating to incidents spanning from 1967 to 1991, as well as a composite charge of cruel unnatural treatment across the 20 years he worked at the school.
Now Nicky sits down with two other survivors who gave evidence, Frazer Macdonald and Neil MacDonald, and Scottish journalist Marcello Mega. They discuss how the story of the historic abuse at Edinburgh Academy has unfolded, what it was like to be in court and the consequences of childhood abuse.
WARNING: This episode contains descriptions of physical abuse, suicidal thoughts and strong language
Produced by Audio Always
Producer: Ailsa Rochester
Editor: Jo Meek
Sound: Ailsa Rochester
30 Apr 2024
AI Ghosts
Jarren Rocks tells Nicky about creating Seance AI, a programme that allows us to speak to people we have lost. They discuss the rise of grief tech - how it can be a great tool to helpfully grieve, but also it's dangers. They discuss dystopian futures v utopian futures, how AI can change everything and the complexities of owning an image that can be used to create...anything.
Produced by Audio Always
Producer: Ailsa Rochester
Editor: Jo Meek
Sound: Tom Hinckley
23 Apr 2024
A Dad's Revenge Killing
Jody Plauché joins Nicky to tell him a remarkable story of survival, revenge and family. At 11 Jody was groomed then kidnapped by his karate teacher Jeff Doucet, an America wide manhunt ensued and Jody’s attacker was apprehended, and Jody returned home safely. But the story didn’t end there - Jeff was returned to his home state for trial, where news cameras were waiting, but so was Jody’s father who shot and killed Jeff.
Jody and Nicky talk about forgiveness, surviving abuse and his relationship with his father.
WARNING: This episode contains descriptions of child abuse and violence that some listeners may find upsetting.
Produced by Audio Always
Producer: Ailsa Rochester
Editor: Jo Meek
Sound: Craig Edmondson
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
4 ratings
Spotify
4.9 / 5
28 ratings
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