Last week we gently chided the BBC for dropping a stitch in its public service remit by unintentionally misleading Radio 2 listeners regarding the structure and roles of the main two branches of the legal profession in the UK. Now it is the turn of Auntie's television arm to face Obiter's censorious and holier-than-thou ire.


BBC2 is currently broadcasting a programme called 'The Verdict', in which so-called celebrities of various positions in the alphabet (but all below C) sit on a jury hearing a fictional case put by real advocates. Clearly the intended star of the legal teams is meant to be Jane Humphryes QC, a crime specialist from 3 Raymond Buildings in Gray's Inn. Called to the bar in 1983, Ms Humphryes took silk 20 years later. The programme makers must have her down as the lawyer totty, as in one of the instalments the court clerk informs the fragrant barrister in hushed tones that one of the male jurors &150; real life former footballer Stan Collymore &150; fancies her. She also occasionally plays to the camera, sometimes metaphorically pushing fellow defence silk, George Carter-Stephenson of 25 Bedford Row, into the wings. For the record, the Crown is represented by Joanna Greenberg QC of 3 Temple Gardens and the judge is retired Old Bailey man Neil Denison QC. Solicitors don't get much of a look in.



As far as factual accuracy is concerned, this rather grates: one of the jurors is convicted perjurer Jeffrey Archer (are those who have done jail time now allowed to sit on juries?). He and his happy band were sequestered overnight - during which they enjoyed a lavish candle-lit dinner - in a leading London hotel. Moreover, during that unlikely sequestration, one of the jurors is shown lounging about reading a copy of that day's Independent newspaper. Great product placement for the Indy, but what was the point of locking them all away? It would undoubtedly be interesting to see how 12 ordinary jurors interact and relate in coming to a verdict; but this programme appears to be giving us nothing more than a misguided insight into Z-list chit-chat, which is probably best left to 'Celebrity Big Brother'.