I’m a criminal barrister – five things your favourite TV shows including EastEnders & Happy Valley get WRONG about crime
ONE of London’s top criminal barristers has revealed five things that your favourite crime TV shows constantly get wrong.
Tony Wyatt said he’ll either be sitting on the couch shaking his head, or will have to switch the TV off because he can’t handle what he’s seeing.
The lawyer, who saved Anthony Joshua’s boxing career, told The Sun Online: “It’s probably like a doctor watching a medical show.”
And it’s not even just crime shows that wrongly portray his job – the likes of EastEnders and Happy Valley include scenes inside court, too.
Tony has now revealed what “really annoys” him about much-loved crime shows – and why he thinks Brits should know, too.
‘Objection’
Some series portray courtrooms playing host to screaming matches between barristers and solicitors – with “objection” often heard.
But Tony said that couldn’t be further from the truth – much like other big statements said in front of the gallery.
A lot of that commentary shown on the telly doesn’t even happen in real life, he said.
The lawyer, who also writes best-selling crime novels under the name Tony Kent, added: “You see quite a lot of ‘objection’ – it just doesn’t happen.
“And some give evidence of something that you just couldn’t talk about – or opinions.
“Including a barrister giving a speech to a witness.”
The gavel
The wooden mallet that a judge smashes into the desk in an attempt to get the courtroom’s attention is called a gavel, and it has become a symbol of law on the telly.
And although it is used in America, you won’t see one in a UK court.
Tony said when aspects like this are deliberately wrong, it “annoys” him, adding: “If they’re well written and well done I really enjoy them.
“If they get stuff wrong for the right reason, I can live with that – I don’t care.”
Summoned to the bench
Tony said it’s not uncommon to see lawyers asked to come up to the bench to speak to the judge on telly – but, again, it never happens.
He said it’s rare to even see anyone move around the courtroom.
The barrister said: “No one is asked to appear at the bench.
“And there’s quite a lot of movement on TV – we don’t do that.”
Fake laws
Quite often laws are outlined in shows – and viewers soak them in – but Tony said there are instances where the shows get the law “really wrong”.
He said: “It happens quite a lot. It really annoys me.
“We became lawyers because we like this stuff. It’s the reason we got involved.
“We can watch it and be entertained, not watch it and be annoyed.”
‘So wrong’
Tony said while he will sit and shake his head at shows – then laugh with his lawyer pals – he gets concerned about viewers soaking in the information.
He said: “It’s definitely giving them the wrong idea and it can be dangerous in that respect.
“People think because it’s grisly it might be closer to the truth – but they’re not.”