Editor: Franco Bogino: Episode 2. 

Exec Producers: Sam and Tom Anstiss

Wonderhood for Channel 4

Starts 4^th February and will be available on Channel4OnDemand. 

In 2005, the world watched as one of the most famous figures in modern history stood trial. More than 2,000 journalists descended on Santa Maria, California, as Michael Jackson faced criminal charges in what became one of the most heavily reported legal cases ever.  Michael Jackson: The Trial, a new four-part documentary series for Channel 4, revisits this extraordinary moment in forensic detail.

This was always going to be a challenging edit, there was a huge amount of archive to watch through as the series examines footage from the courtroom and the media reporting around it. It also features contributors who have never spoken publicly before. Franco edited episode 2 and had to weave together the events of the trial while offering a deeper insight into Jackson’s life as it unfolded under constant media scrutiny.

The series explores not only the courtroom proceedings but documents how the trial became a global spectacle, reflecting the intense relationship between Jackson and the press. Beyond the trial itself, the series asks wider questions about race, fame, journalistic ethics and the American justice system, offering a thoughtful re-examination of a case that continues to shape conversations around celebrity and media coverage today.

Franco really enjoyed the challenge of this edit, he’s an experienced editor with an already impressive slate of documentary credits. A passionate and confident storyteller, Franco brings a strong creative edge to each project he works on. We spoke to him about this one and he had some interesting insights;“I really enjoyed working on this project. It was quite a complicated series to get right in terms of narrative structure and balance. It also had a lot of legal pitfalls because the Michael Jackson estate is extremely litigious. Wonderhood were amazing the whole way through. They understood the demands on the edits and offered a lot of support and resources to get the series completed on time. The Execs were particularly good at pre-empting the legal problems so that we didn’t have to make drastic changes to the cuts late in the schedule. Wonderhood also have a good relationship with Channel 4, so there was good communication between them about the tone and direction of the series. The editorial teams for all the episodes were a great bunch too, so the whole thing felt very collaborative”.

Michael Jackson: The Trial begins Wednesday 4 February at 9pm on Channel 4.

Episode 1- 4th February

Episode 2- 5th February

Episode 3 -11th February

Episode 4 -12th February

The series will then be able to view Channel 4 On Demand.