Did Nigella’s PAs do the right thing in talking to the press? It's been of the most memorable legal cases of the year, and this week, Nigella’s former aides, sisters Francesca and Elisabetta Grillo, were cleared of the fraud charges against them. Today, they appear in the Sun newspaper, talking about life their Nigella (in not entirely complimentary terms) and the case. It is likely they received a huge fee for their interview, and that they will go on and secure further interviews with newspapers, magazines and television too on this topic. And who would do differently in their situation? They’ve experienced their names being blackened as they’ve been dragged through a high profile court case, and once it was complete, they would have had British newspapers (and possibly American ones too) offering them large sums for an interview. We’re talking life changing sums of money here. So have they done the right thing or not in speaking publicly and selling their story? Many would think selling their story is double-crossing Nigella, and for sure that could be seen to be the situation. However, do the sisters have anything else to lose in terms of their relationship with Nigella? Surely it’s long been beyond the point of repair, and the sisters clearly feel it is she who has betrayed them. And legally speaking, their version of events is the one that convinced the jury. So imagine you’re the sisters. Like anyone making news headlines or going through a high profile court case, you discover there’s interest in your story and money being offered. For the most part, at this stage, people are motivated by two things. Firstly, they may feel they’ve been publicly wronged, and are no doubt keen to set the record straight. They are probably genuinely short of cash at the moment too. They may well have huge legal bills to pay and certainly have experienced a loss of earnings over a prolonged period as they prepared for the trial. So, the sisters decided to talk – as would many in the same position. By speaking straight away and to a huge newspaper like the Sun, they’ve been canny. They’ve struck when the iron is hot, and when the fees on offer are at their highest. Had they waited a week or so, they wouldn’t be as ‘in demand’ for an interview with the press as they are right now. By talking right as the trial ends, and to a wealthy publication like the Sun, they’ve probably secured the highest possible fee. Still, it won’t have been an easy decision. In spite of everything, the sisters presumably have ongoing heartache over the events of the past year or so. They’ve lost an employer who they considered a family member. But the fact they’ve chosen to speak out now against Nigella shows they feel there is no way back to friendship, and that they must capitalise while they can, before moving on the next chapter of their lives. Natasha Courtenay-Smith is the director of press agency https://www.talktothepress.co.uk which helps individuals sell their story to the press or manage press interest in their lives.
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