Different with Nicky Campbell

Our Day in Court: The Brownlee Trial

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 languageProduced by Audio Always Producer: Ailsa Rochester Editor: Jo Meek Sound: Ailsa Rochester

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

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

Despite - Radio Times Moment of the Year Nominee

In the first series of Different Nicky spoke to journalist Alex Renton about the abuse that he saw and experienced at his school, the Edinburgh Academy, in the 1970s. Since the episode, ‘Edgar’ was published, many more victims have come forward, and the case against the alleged living abuser continues. After that episode Nicky received many emails, one of which was from the daughter of the man who abused him, Hamish Dawson. Nicky travels to Edinburgh to meet Jenny Pearson to discuss her childhood, and how hearing her father’s name on the radio shook her world. She talks about healing, volunteering to speak to her father’s victims and thriving despite the legacy her father left behind.WARNING: This episode contains bad language, descriptions of child abuse and violence that some listeners may find upsetting.If you’ve been affected by the topics discussed, you can find more information and support on the BBC Action Line website: http://bbc.co.uk/actionline Produced by Audio Always Producer: Ailsa Rochester Editor: Jo Meek Sound: Craig Edmondson

A Trans Dad’s Experience

Journalist Freddy McConnell sits down with Nicky to talk about making his documentary Seahorse, how the trans conversation has changed in the UK and why he tried to get the law changed so he could be on his children's birth certificates as parent or father.Produced by Audio Always Producer: Ailsa Rochester Editor: Jo Meek Sound Design: Tom Hinckley