

Fame Under Fire
BBC Sounds
Celebrities, athletes, politicians, influencers and even royalty can all land in the firing line.Why does it matter? Because we invest in them.We give them space in our homes, our budgets, our feeds, and sometimes, our hearts.
We put them on pedestals. So when they fall, we want the truth.
But in an age of AI-generated “evidence”, misinformation, and unqualified newsfluencers, separating fact from fiction is a full-time job.
Hot on the heels of covering the Diddy trial, Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty is up for the challenge.
Each week on Fame Under Fire, she’ll take a detailed look at the topics dominating the headlines. With the help of expert guests, she’ll myth bust, debunk, pre-bunk, fact check and get to the truth behind the timeline.
Got questions? We’ve got answers.
Message us at 0330 123 555 1.
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.
We put them on pedestals. So when they fall, we want the truth.
But in an age of AI-generated “evidence”, misinformation, and unqualified newsfluencers, separating fact from fiction is a full-time job.
Hot on the heels of covering the Diddy trial, Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty is up for the challenge.
Each week on Fame Under Fire, she’ll take a detailed look at the topics dominating the headlines. With the help of expert guests, she’ll myth bust, debunk, pre-bunk, fact check and get to the truth behind the timeline.
Got questions? We’ve got answers.
Message us at 0330 123 555 1.
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.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Mar 14, 2025 • 14min
Diddy in court says ‘not guilty’ to forced labour claims
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs appears in court for a pre-trial hearing. He pleads not guilty to forced labour charges which are part of an updated indictment. Lawyers also argue over the inclusion of the CNN leaked footage which shows Combs kicking his former girlfriend Cassie Ventura in the hallway of a hotel in 2016. It was agreed that jury selection will begin on 5 May, with opening trial statements on 12 May.The BBC’s New York correspondent Nada Tawfik was in the courtroom and speaks to Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty.The Diddy on Trial podcast is here to investigate the rumours, confront the theories, and give you the answers that you need.
We also want YOU to be part of the conversation. Have you any burning questions about the cases or the upcoming trial? Heard a theory that doesn’t sit right with you? Get in touch now via WhatsApp: 0330 123 555 1.
Presenter: Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty
Series Producer: Laura Jones
Sound Design: Craig Boardman
Production Coordinator: Hattie Valentine
Editor: Clare Fordham
Commissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts
Assistant Commissioner: Will Drysdale
Commissioning Producer: Adam Eland
Commissioning Assistant Producer: Rechmial Miller
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs - who has also gone by the names Puffy, Puff Daddy, P Diddy, Love, and Brother Love - emerged into the hip-hop scene in the 1990s. He founded Bad Boy Records, which launched the careers of the Notorious B.I.G. and Mary J Blige.
His current legal issues began when he was sued by his ex-girlfriend Casandra Ventura, also known as Cassie, in late 2023. She accused him of violently abusing and raping her.
That lawsuit was settled for an undisclosed amount a day after it was filed, with Mr Combs maintaining his innocence.
His controversial history with Ms Ventura resurfaced in 2024, when CCTV footage emerged showing Mr Combs kicking his former girlfriend as she lay on a hotel hallway floor in 2016.
Multiple people have filed lawsuits accusing Mr Combs of sexual assault, with accusations dating back to 1991. He denies all claims.
He is accused of the federal charges of kidnapping, drugging and coercing women into sexual activities, sometimes by using firearms or threatening them with violence. He denies the charges.

Mar 13, 2025 • 32min
Celebs named and lurid new claims in lawsuit; Diddy denies it all
Celeb names have been added to one of the Diddy civil lawsuits in explicit allegations over 87 pages. It names celebrity co-defendants, new complainants, alleged trafficking over state lines, has a separate Michael Jackson element, and accuses Diddy of racketeering with conspiracy.Diddy denies all allegations against him. His team says no sane person reading this complaint could credit this story and they're already suing the lawyer who filed this for $50m over comments she made to the media on a separate case.Criminal defence attorney Shaun Kent analyses the lawsuit with Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty. Plus historian Christian Cippolini explains the origins of the racketeering with conspiracy charge - known as RICO.The Diddy on Trial podcast is here to investigate the rumours, confront the theories, and give you the answers that you need.We also want YOU to be part of the conversation. Have you any burning questions about the cases or the upcoming trial? Heard a theory that doesn’t sit right with you? Get in touch now via WhatsApp: 0330 123 555 1.Presenter: Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty
Series Producer: Laura Jones
Sound Design: Craig Boardman
Production Coordinator: Hattie Valentine
Editor: Clare FordhamCommissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts
Assistant Commissioner: Will Drysdale
Commissioning Producer: Adam Eland
Commissioning Assistant Producer: Rechmial MillerSean ‘Diddy’ Combs - who has also gone by the names Puffy, Puff Daddy, P Diddy, Love, and Brother Love - emerged into the hip-hop scene in the 1990s. He founded Bad Boy Records, which launched the careers of the Notorious B.I.G. and Mary J Blige.His current legal issues began when he was sued by his ex-girlfriend Casandra Ventura, also known as Cassie, in late 2023. She accused him of violently abusing and raping her.
That lawsuit was settled for an undisclosed amount a day after it was filed, with Mr Combs maintaining his innocence.His controversial history with Ms Ventura resurfaced in 2024, when CCTV footage emerged showing Mr Combs kicking his former girlfriend as she lay on a hotel hallway floor in 2016.Multiple people have filed lawsuits accusing Mr Combs of sexual assault, with accusations dating back to 1991. He denies all claims.He is accused of the federal charges of kidnapping, drugging and coercing women into sexual activities, sometimes by using firearms or threatening them with violence. He denies the charges.

Mar 7, 2025 • 6min
Diddy accused of threatening employees and forcing one into sex act
Breaking news, as an updated superceding indictment is issued. An indictment is a formal document filed by the US government detailing all the crimes that P Diddy has been charged with.
This updated indictment accuses Diddy of threatening staff members and forcing one into a sex act. He denies the accusations, and says many employees stand by his side.
Rolling Stone’s Investigative Reporter Cheyenne Roundtree updates Anoushka Mutanda Dougherty with all the latest detail.
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs - who has also gone by the names Puffy, Puff Daddy, P Diddy, Love, and Brother Love - emerged into the hip-hop scene in the 1990s. He founded Bad Boy Records, which launched the careers of the Notorious B.I.G. and Mary J Blige.
His current legal issues began when he was sued by his ex-girlfriend Casandra Ventura, also known as Cassie, in late 2023. She accused him of violently abusing and raping her.
That lawsuit was settled for an undisclosed amount a day after it was filed, with Mr Combs maintaining his innocence.
His controversial history with Ms Ventura resurfaced in 2024, when CCTV footage emerged showing Mr Combs kicking his former girlfriend as she lay on a hotel hallway floor in 2016.
Multiple people have filed lawsuits accusing Mr Combs of sexual assault, with accusations dating back to 1991. He denies all claims.
He is accused of the federal charges of kidnapping, drugging and coercing women into sexual activities, sometimes by using firearms or threatening them with violence. He denies the charges.
The Diddy on Trial podcast is here to investigate the rumours, confront the theories, and give you the answers that you need.
We also want YOU to be part of the conversation. Have you any burning questions about the cases or the upcoming trial? Heard a theory that doesn’t sit right with you? Get in touch now via WhatsApp: 0330 123 555 1.
Presenter: Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty
Series Producer: Laura Jones
Sound Design: Richard Hannaford and Nicky Edwards
Production Coordinator: Hattie Valentine
Editor: Clare Fordham
Commissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts
Assistant Commissioner: Will Drysdale
Commissioning Producer: Adam Eland
Commissioning Assistant Producer: Rechmial Miller

Mar 6, 2025 • 28min
Breaking: Jay-Z sues woman who alleged rape
Jay-Z files a lawsuit against the woman who accused him of rape and her lawyer Tony Buzbee, who said: "This case is baloney and has no legal merit".Plus the new civil cases against Diddy and his mum Janice Combs. Diddy’s team has told us the case against his mum ‘is another frivolous attempt to relitigate claims that have been repeatedly thrown out of court over the past 30 years’ and a civil suit from Sara Rivers is ‘another example of false claims filed against Mr Combs’.Rolling Stone's Investigative Reporter Cheyenne Roundtree and Criminal Defence Attorney Shaun Kent answer your questions and discuss the latest news with Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty.The Diddy on Trial podcast is here to investigate the rumours, confront the theories, and give you the answers that you need.We also want YOU to be part of the conversation. Have you any burning questions about the cases or the upcoming trial? Heard a theory that doesn’t sit right with you? Get in touch now via WhatsApp: 0330 123 555 1.Presenter: Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty
Series Producer: Laura Jones
Sound Design: Richard Hannaford and Nicky Edwards
Production Coordinator: Hattie Valentine
Editor: Clare FordhamCommissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts
Assistant Commissioner: Will Drysdale
Commissioning Producer: Adam Eland
Commissioning Assistant Producer: Rechmial MillerSean ‘Diddy’ Combs - who has also gone by the names Puffy, Puff Daddy, P Diddy, Love, and Brother Love - emerged into the hip-hop scene in the 1990s. He founded Bad Boy Records, which launched the careers of the Notorious B.I.G. and Mary J Blige.His current legal issues began when he was sued by his ex-girlfriend Casandra Ventura, also known as Cassie, in late 2023. She accused him of violently abusing and raping her. That lawsuit was settled for an undisclosed amount a day after it was filed, with Mr Combs maintaining his innocence.His controversial history with Ms Ventura resurfaced in 2024, when CCTV footage emerged showing Mr Combs kicking his former girlfriend as she lay on a hotel hallway floor in 2016.Multiple people have filed lawsuits accusing Mr Combs of sexual assault, with accusations dating back to 1991. He denies all claims.He is accused of the federal charges of kidnapping, drugging and coercing women into sexual activities, sometimes by using firearms or threatening them with violence.In a raid on his Los Angeles mansion, police found supplies that they said were intended for use in parties known as “freak offs”, including drugs and more than 1,000 bottles of baby oil. Mr Combs denies all the charges.

Feb 27, 2025 • 23min
Diddy lawyer quits plus outlandish necromancy claims
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’s legal team say he’s been ‘singled out because of his race’ and ask for a charge to be dropped. Meanwhile one of his attorneys, Anthony Ricco, asks to leave the case.Plus how unsubstantiated necromancy conspiracy theories about Diddy have gone wild on social media.Diddy remains in jail, awaiting trial on three federal charges of transportation for prostitution, sex trafficking and racketeering with conspiracy. He denies all charges.Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty is joined by Cheyenne Roundtree who’s Senior Investigative Reporter at Rolling Stone Magazine and Criminal Defence Attorney Shaun Kent.The Diddy on Trial podcast is here to investigate the rumours, confront the theories, and give you the answers that you need.We also want YOU to be part of the conversation. Have you any burning questions about the cases or the upcoming trial? Heard a theory that doesn’t sit right with you? Get in touch now via WhatsApp: 0330 123 555 1.Presenter: Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty
Series Producer: Laura Jones
Sound Design: Richard Hannaford
Production Coordinator: Hattie Valentine
Editor: Clare FordhamCommissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts
Assistant Commissioner: Will Drysdale
Commissioning Producer: Adam Eland
Commissioning Assistant Producer: Rechmial MillerSean ‘Diddy’ Combs - who has also gone by the names Puffy, Puff Daddy, P Diddy, Love, and Brother Love - emerged into the hip-hop scene in the 1990s. He founded Bay Boy Records, which launched the careers of the Notorious B.I.G. and Mary J Blige.His current legal issues began when he was sued by his ex-girlfriend Casandra Ventura, also known as Cassie, in late 2023. She accused him of violently abusing and raping her.
That lawsuit was settled for an undisclosed amount a day after it was filed, with Mr Combs maintaining his innocence.His controversial history with Ms Ventura resurfaced in 2024, when CCTV footage emerged showing Mr Combs kicking his former girlfriend as she lay on a hotel hallway floor in 2016.Multiple people have filed lawsuits accusing Mr Combs of sexual assault, with accusations dating back to 1991. He denies all claims.He is accused of the federal charges of kidnapping, drugging and coercing women into sexual activities, sometimes by using firearms or threatening them with violence.In a raid on his Los Angeles mansion, police found supplies that they said were intended for use in orgies known as “freak offs”, including drugs and more than 1,000 bottles of baby oil.Mr Combs denies all the charges.

Feb 20, 2025 • 27min
Episode 12
The shocking allegations and conspiracies surrounding hip hop mogul Sean 'Diddy' Combs.

Feb 13, 2025 • 24min
Episode 11
The shocking allegations and conspiracies surrounding hip hop mogul Sean 'Diddy' Combs.

Feb 5, 2025 • 32min
BBC exclusive: ‘Women flown in for sex’
As Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs awaits trial on charges of kidnapping, drugging and sex trafficking women, industry insiders who knew him during his meteoric rise in the 1990s speak exclusively to the BBC about their experiences.Daniel Evans, who worked at Bad Boy Records between 1994 and 1997, has told the BBC’s Investigations team that women were flown in for sex.He and other employees also recall a culture of big money, threats of violence and sex in the studios of Diddy’s Bad Boy record label. Diddy denies all the allegations.Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty hears about the findings from BBC Investigations Correspondent Rianna Croxford.The Diddy on Trial podcast is here to investigate the rumours, confront the theories, and give you the answers that you need.We also want YOU to be part of the conversation. Have you any burning questions about the cases or the upcoming trial? Heard a theory that doesn’t sit right with you? Get in touch now via WhatsApp: 0330 123 555 1.Presenter: Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty
Investigations Producer: Larissa Kennelly
Series Producer: Laura Jones
Sound Design: Richard Hannaford
Production Coordinator: Hattie Valentine
Editor: Clare FordhamCommissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts
Assistant Commissioner: Will Drysdale
Commissioning Producer: Adam Eland
Commissioning Assistant Producer: Rechmial Miller

Jan 31, 2025 • 7min
Breaking: Prosecutors add more women to Diddy indictment
Emergency episode alert! Prosecutors in New York have expanded their case against Diddy, adding more women to the indictment against him.The BBC’s Music Correspondent Mark Savage assesses what it all means.Combs has been in jail since September after an initial indictment charged him with racketeering, sex trafficking by force, and transportation to engage in prostitution. He denies all the accusations.We want YOU to be part of the conversation. Have you any burning questions about the allegations? Heard a theory that doesn’t sit right with you? Send us your thoughts!Get in touch now via WhatsApp: 0330 123 555 1The Diddy on Trial podcast is here to investigate the rumours, confront the theories, and give you the answers that you need.Presenter: Anoushka Mutanda Dougherty
Producer: Laura Jones
Sound Design: Richard Hannaford
Editor: Clare FordhamCommissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts
Assistant Commissioner: Will Drysdale
Commissioning Producer: Adam Eland
Commissioning Assistant Producer: Rechmial Miller

Jan 30, 2025 • 35min
Diddy’s $50m lawsuit - plus the very latest media claims
Diddy fights back with a $50m lawsuit against accusers.Meanwhile new investigations by other media outlets publish more allegations, including from Diddy’s ex-girlfriend, former assistant and yacht staff.He denies all allegations against him.Criminal Defence Attorney Shaun Kent and Rolling Stone’s Senior Investigative Reporter Cheyenne Roundtree explain all to Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty.The Diddy on Trial podcast is here to investigate the rumours, confront the theories, and give you the answers that you need.We also want YOU to be part of the conversation. Have you any burning questions about the cases or the upcoming trial? Heard a theory that doesn’t sit right with you? Get in touch now via WhatsApp: 0330 123 555 1.Presenter: Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty
Producer: Laura Jones
Sound Design: Richard Hannaford
Production Coordinator: Hattie Valentine
Editor: Clare FordhamCommissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts
Assistant Commissioner: Will Drysdale
Commissioning Producer: Adam Eland
Commissioning Assistant Producer: Rechmial Miller