Q&A with Judge Rinder

Have you been able to film Judge Rinder since the pandemic began?

Judge Rinder’s been shut down since March 2020 because of the nuances and complexities of making a show with that many contributors. The fact that we’d have to test 50 people each episode and keep everyone socially distanced makes filming completely impossible.

Do you miss it?

The crew and I seriously miss each other. The Judge Rinder team is a family of six years and I love them in the truest sense of the word. I also miss giving free legal advice to those who don't have access to it – which is most people.

How did you make the switch from barrister to television personality?

Look at Wikipedia. Actually, that’s not quite accurate. In a nutshell, I pitched a reality format set in court to ITV and the woman I pitched to [Helen Warner] said it was the worst idea she’d ever heard. Instead, she put me in touch with producer Tom McLennan and he asked me to front a show that he came up with, which soon became Judge Rinder.

Do you prefer being a barrister on television or in an enclosed court of law?

I see them both as the same. What you see on television is exactly like a real court, just on screen. I must emphasise this: at the heart of Judge Rinder is integrity and dignity. I don’t shut the door behind me when I'm doing a case and think: “What would be funny for television?” The law always leads, which is why it’s been as successful as it has.

Have you ever become particularly attached to any of the families you’ve helped?

No, no, no, it’s a real court of law.

Has Covid-19’s disruption to the television industry made you anxious at all?

Yes, but I’m in a more privileged position than most. I’m more worried about the Judge Rinder team, many of whom haven’t worked in over a year. Most of them are young, so I feel an overriding responsibility to ensure that they have work.

Were you a reality TV fan before Judge Rinder?

I like transformational shows which have a heart. One of my favourites is Ladette to Lady from the early noughties, the Australian one.

Do you think that format could perhaps be seen as sexist or problematic today?

Sometimes you do have to look at past reality shows through a contemporary lens. We now see the world through a more aware prism in terms of sexuality, race, and other intersectional dynamics, so you often think: “Oops!” But I think with Ladette to Lady, it's so full of heart, and it's really women standing with women.

After your win on ITV’s All Star Musicals with your performance of Be Our Guest from Beauty and the Beast, would you like to get into theatre?

It depends what I was offered. I would do the King in Hamilton, that’s my favourite musical at the minute.

Do you have plans for the future of your television career?

I’d certainly like to continue telling true stories. The documentary I made about the Holocaust that aired in November 2020 – My Family, The Holocaust and Me [BBC One] – is the sort of work I’d like to continue to make. Television is a really important presence in social debates around complex and often challenging issues. My next hopeful project is to make something about Israel-Palestine and what happened in the Arab-Israeli War in 1948.

N.b. this interview was conducted before Rinder was awarded an MBE.