Good TV to put Prince Andrew on trial for 5

Good TV is to explore what would happen if controversial royal Prince Andrew was put on trial, in a two-hour special for 5.

Titled Prince Andrew: On Trial, the experiment will see a real barrister put to a real jury the question: is Andrew a liability to the Royal Family? The jurors will then deliberate, with audiences gaining first-hand insight as to how they would pass judgement on the royal.

The special, which will air tomorrow at 9pm on 5, was commissioned by 5’s director of creative strategy and commissioner Dan Louw. It is exec produced by Elliot Reed for Good TV, who said: “It’s the first time since the 17th century that a royal is on trial in England.

“The defendant Prince Andrew may not be charged with an offence, but two of the most eminent barristers in the UK battle it out in a courtroom for real, for and against the Queen’s second son.

“It’s a bold, unique experiment, a seamless blend of the real and the unreal.”

The special forms one pillar of a three-part 5 order for Good TV, titled ‘The Trial’, and builds on previous series examining well-known British criminal cases including James Bulger: The Trial and The Trial of Harold Shipman.

The other two episodes will be 90-minute features and also focus on high-profile royal legal disputes. They are: The Trial of Diana’s Royal Butler and The Trial of Fergie’s Dresser.

The documentaries will feature testimony from those who were in the courtroom during the trials, with prosecution and defence barristers sharing their stories and the arguments they presented in court. Court reporters, witnesses and court artists will also provide their experiences of the trials.

Using court transcripts, important moments in the court room will also be brought to life using dramatic reconstruction.

The singles are due to air later in the year.