**CW: This podcast includes discussions of rape and sexual assault**

This weekend saw the culmination of an extraordinary piece of investigative journalism that began four years ago. In 2019 Russell Brand - now accused of rape and sexual assault by women featured in the Sunday Times and Dispatches investigation - began a path of reinvention as a “ wellness guru “, eschewing main stream media platforms for a YouTube following of over six million.

So was the defensive reaction by so many of his fans already baked in? We discuss with Rosamund Urwin and Louisa Compton who broke the story.

Later, just when you thought it was safe to go back to your mortgage broker, Liz Truss is back. She’s unrepentant, she’s back on the tax cutting path and she says none of what happened was her fault...

Editor: Tom Hughes

Senior Producer: Gabriel Radus

Producer: Laura FitzPatrick

Planning Producer: Alex Barnett

Social Media Editor: Georgia Foxwell

Video Producer: Will Gibson-Smith

You can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents".

The News Agents is a Global Player Original and a Persephonica Production.

#russellbrand #investigating #inplainsight #NewsAgents #EmilyMaitlis #JonSopel #LewisGoodall

Download The News Agents with Emily Maitlis, Jon Sopel and Lewis Goodall from 5PM every weekday on Global Player: https://www.globalplayer.com/podcasts/42KuVj/

Emily Maitlis, Jon Sopel and Lewis Goodall – three of the UK’s top journalists – host a brand-new daily news podcast: The News Agents.

They’re not just here to tell you what's happening, but why. Expect astute analysis and explanation of the day's news – and a healthy dose of scepticism and the ability to laugh at it all when needed!

Episodes are available every weekday afternoon.

The News Agents is a Global Player Original podcast and a Persephonica production.