Ghislaine Maxwell – live: ‘They let Epstein die’, says disgraced socialite in Jeremy Kyle interview

Disgraced British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell has claimed that authorities allowed Jeffrey Epstein to die.

Conspiracies abounded after Epstein was found dead in a New York jail ahead of a trial on sex trafficking charges in 2019.

Maxwell, 61, who was convicted of sex offences for her part in Epstein’s sex abuse ring, has previously said she believes the disgraced billionaire had been murdered in jail, according to her brother Ian Maxwell.

The latest claim from Maxwell, made from a Florida jail, will feature in an interview with Jeremy Kyle tonight at 7pm on TalkTV.

In the interview, Maxwell also claims the famous photograph of Prince Andrew next to Virginia Giuffre is fake.

Ms Giuffre sued Andrew on claims he sexually assaulted her when she was 17 – which he vehemently denied, saying he had never met her. The duke went on to pay millions to settle a civil sexual assault case to Ms Giuffre.

Speaking from prison in the US, Maxwell said she is “sure” the picture, thought to have been taken at her Mayfair home, is not real.

Key Points

• Maxwell says authorities ‘let Epstein die'

• Prince Andrew and Virginia Giuffre photo ‘is fake'

• Media’s Ghislaine isn’t me, says Maxwell

KEY POST: ‘They let Epstein die’, claims Ghislaine Maxwell

12:08 , Sam Rkaina

Ghislaine Maxwell said authorities let Jeffrey Epstein die.

The disgraced billionaire was found dead in his prison cell in 2019 while awaiting a trial for sex trafficking charges.

Speaking to Jeremy Kyle on his TalkTV programme, Maxwell, the billionaire’s former girlfriend, was asked to address Epstein’s victims.

Speaking from jail, she said: “I say that Epstein died and they should take their disappointment and upset out on the authorities who allowed that to happen.”

“And as I said I hope they have some closure by the judicial process that took place.”

Maxwell says she 'doesn't believe' photo of Prince Andrew and Virginia Guiffre exists

19:55 , Joe Middleton

‘The photo is fake'

19:21 , Joe Middleton

Maxwell said the well-known photo showing the Duke of York next to Virginia Giuffre is fake.

She added: “It’s a fake. I don’t believe it’s real for a second, in fact I’m sure it’s not.”

Maxwell said there has never been an original and further “there’s no photograph” and that she had only seen a photocopy of the photograph.

I believe Epstein was murdered, says Maxwell

19:15 , Joe Middleton

Maxwell said that believes that Jeffrey Epstein was murdered.

Epstein was found dead in his cell at a federal jail in Manhattan in August 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. His death was ruled a suicide.

Maxwell said: “I believe that he was murdered. I was shocked. Then I wondered how it had happened because as far as I was concerned, he was going to... I was sure he was going to appeal. And I was sure he was covered under the non-prosecution agreement.

Maxwell said she wishes she had stayed in England and never met Jeffrey Epstein.

She said at the time she “never had a problem introducing people to friends” and that Epstein seemed “friendly with everyone” and didn’t know he was “so awful”.

The food is ‘beyond tasteless’

19:11 , Joe Middleton

Maxwell has been talking about her daily life behind bars. She said that she gets up at 6am and gets breakfast of cereal and a piece of fruit.

She said that she makes her bed “military style” and there is a proscribed way to do it. If you don’t do it in the correct way you get in trouble.

Maxwell said she then head’s to the prison’s law library for where she works and then later gets lunch, which can be a tifu dish which is “beyond tasteless”.

The interview begins...

19:07 , Joe Middleton

The interview on TalkTV with Ghislaine Maxwell has started.

Jeffrey Epstein’s island: What really happened there?

18:45 , Joe Middleton

Ghislaine Maxwell, the disgraced British socialite who was convicted of helping the late paedophile and financier Jeffrey Epstein abuse young girls, is set to hit the headlines again on Monday night when an interview she has given from her Florida prison is broadcast on UK TV.

But who exactly was Epstein, what went on at the two islands he owned in the Virgin Island, and who owns them now that he is dead?

The guests to Epstein’s islands came from across the world and from the highest ranks of society: celebrities and scientists and members of royal families, touching down in a private jet and then boarding a helicopter to the island.

Jeffrey Epstein’s island: What really happened there?

What does Ghislaine Maxwell sound like?

18:38 , Sam Rkaina

Socialite Ghislaine Maxwell has rarely been out of the news in recent years, due to her grooming trial and friendship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

But with the court hearings taking place in the US, there will be many Britons who haven’t heard her speak.

On Monday night they will get the chance, in a behind-bars interview with talk show host Jeremy Kyle on TalkTV.

Click here for the full story.

Yoga, jogging and etiquette courses: Ghislaine Maxwell’s new life as prisoner 02879-509

18:15 , Joe Middleton

Ghislaine Maxwell has been making new friends and working in a prison library since being sent to Tallahassee minimum security prison last year. Her etiquette courses have apparently proven popular among inmates, writes Bevan Hurley.

Ghislaine Maxwell’s new life as prisoner 02879-509 inside Tallahassee prison

Ghislaine Maxwell brands Prince Andrew photo a 'fake' in interview from prison

17:45 , Joe Middleton

Planes, pools and palatial properties: Twelve striking images from the Ghislaine Maxwell trial

17:15 , Liam James

Bevan Hurley looks back on the photographs that let the world see inside Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein’s relationship:

Twelve of the most striking images from the Ghislaine Maxwell trial

Ghislaine Maxwell says she had ‘no reason’ to suspect Epstein was ‘capable of evil’

16:30 , Liam James

Convicted sex offender Ghislaine Maxwell says she was blind to her former boyfriend Jeffrey Epstein’s “evil” in a new prison interview (Bevan Hurley writes).

In excerpts released ahead of her interview with Talk TV, Maxwell remains defiant about her convictions, and says that she regretted ever meeting the late paedophile.

“Clearly my association and the fact that I worked for him and spent time with him and knew him has devastated my life and hurt many people that I’ve loved and hold dear around me,” she tells a reporter.

“I didn’t know that he was so awful. I mean, obviously now, looking back with hindsight, of course. But at the time, I mean he had lots of friends. He was friendly with just about everybody you could imagine. There was no reason to imagine that he was someone who was capable of evil.”

Ghislaine Maxwell ‘hopes Epstein victims find closure’

15:37 , Liam James

Ghislaine Maxwell said she hopes victims of Jeffrey Epstein’s paedophile ring are able to “find closure”.

The disgraced socialite, who was jailed for procuring teen girls for Epstein to abuse, said: “I hope they have some closure by the judicial process that took place.”

Maxwell was sentenced to 20 years in prison on five counts of child sex abuse and trafficking sentences.

Jeffrey Epstein: How did disgraced financier die?

14:52 , Liam James

British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell may have been given a 20-year jail sentence for running a “pyramid scheme of abuse” and trafficking girls and young women for sex but the Jeffrey Epstein saga continues to have an afterlife (Josh Marcus writes).

In a recent ITV documentary, former associates of Maxwell suggested she may have had an intimate relationship with Prince Andrew, in addition to her long relationship with Epstein himself.

“From the way she was allowed to enter and exit the palace at will, we realised... suspected, that she may have had an intimate relationship with Prince Andrew,” former Buckingham Palace royal protection officer Paul Page said in Ghislaine, Prince Andrew and The Paedophile.

What happened to Jeffrey Epstein?

Jeremy Kyle: From life insurance salesman to ITV notoriety

13:50 , Liam James

Jeremy Kyle has been presenting his show on Rupert Murdoch’s TalkTV since last year.

In the next episode of his current affairs programme, Jeremy Kyle Live, the broadcaster, 47, interviews Ghislaine Maxwell.

The disgraced British socialite is serving a 20-year prison sentence in Florida for procuring teenage girls to be abused by the financier Jeffrey Epstein.

But what has Kyle’s career involved up to this point? Ellie Harrison walks back:

Jeremy Kyle career timeline, from life insurance salesman to ITV notoriety

Ghislaine Maxwell: How to watch Jeremy Kyle’s ‘behind bars’ interview

13:00 , Liam James

The special, which was pre-recorded, will be broadcast on Rupert Murdoch’s channel TalkTV on Monday 23 January at 7pm.

It is one hour long, and was filmed in a series of video and taped audio phone calls from the Federal Correctional Institute Tallahassee in Florida.

Get all we know so far from Ellie Harrison:

Everything we know about Jeremy Kyle’s interview with Ghislaine Maxwell

‘I feel completely divorced’ from media’s Ghislaine, says Maxwell

09:50 , Liam James

Ghislaine Maxwell said she feels “completely divorced” from the image of herself in the media.

In a teaser for the jailed socialite’s interview with Jeremy Kyle, to be aired at 7pm tonight, Maxwell suggests she does not relate to “the person that people talk about”.

09:03 , Liam James

Ghislaine Maxwell is reportedly teaching etiquette lessons to other prisoners in Tallahassee Federal Correctional Institution.

In June 2022, Maxwell was sentenced to 20 years in prison and fined $750,000 for helping sex offender and billionaire financier Jeffrey Epstein abuse teenage girls.

Now, as Prisoner 02879-509, she is instructing her fellow inmates to “maintain high moral standards” and impress in a job interview.

Bevan Hurley takes a look at Maxwell’s life inside:

Ghislaine Maxwell’s new life as prisoner 02879-509 inside Tallahassee prison

Prince Andrew’s fall from grace as Queen’s ‘favourite’ son

08:00 , Sravasti Dasgupta

Once second in line to the throne and widely purported to be the Queen’s “favourite” child, Prince Andrew has suffered a sharp fall from grace over the last decade.

Before her death, the Queen was often said to be particularly fond of her middle child, but he has been plagued by a string of controversies.

Chiara Giordano has more:

Prince Andrew’s fall from grace as Queen’s ‘favourite’ son heckled by her coffin

Harry mentions Prince Andrew scandal in new book, reports claim

07:30 , Sravasti Dasgupta

Prince Harry has reportedly referred to the scandal involving “Uncle Andrew” in his book Spare.

In the book, Harry reportedly wrote that Meghan worried their family would be left unprotected after they moved to Montecito, California.

He reassured her, writing in his book: “Never. Not in this climate of hate. Not after what happened to my mother [Princess Diana]. Also, not in the wake of my Uncle Andrew.”

“He was embroiled in a shameful scandal, accused of the sexual assault of a young woman and no one had so much suggested that he lose his security. Whatever grievances people had against us, sex crimes weren’t on the list,” the excerpt read.

Maanya Sachdeva reports:

Harry addresses Prince Andrew scandal in new book, reports claim

Prince Andrew paid Virginia Giuffre to settle sexual assault case

07:00 , Sravasti Dasgupta

In March Prince Andrew paid his financial settlement to Virginia Giuffre following a seven-month case in which he was accused of sexually abusing her when she was 17.

The Duke of York, who denies any wrongdoing, faced calls to confirm how he funded the multimillion-pound out-of-court settlement – which is reported to be as much as £12m.

Read more:

Prince Andrew pays Virginia Giuffre to settle sexual assault case

Prince Andrew: Who is the royal and where is he in line to the throne?

06:30 , Sravasti Dasgupta

Last January, after Prince Andrew was accused of sexual assault by Jeffrey Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre, he was stripped of his HRH title.

Andrew has vehemently and continuously denied these claims.

In September the Duke of York was granted an exception to wear his military uniform for the Queen’s funeral, despite no longer being a working member of the royal family.

Katie O’Malley, Saman Javed report on who the prince is:

Where is Prince Andrew in line to the throne?

Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre says she was wrong to accuse Alan Dershowitz of sexual abuse

06:00 , Sravasti Dasgupta

Last year Virginia Giuffre admitted she might have been wrong to accuse Alan Dershowitz of sexual abuse in a new court filing, bringing to an end a three-year legal battle between the pair.

Read this November report by Bevan Hurley:

Virginia Giuffre clears Alan Dershowitz of sexual abuse as they settle lawsuit

Prince Andrew and Virginia Giuffre photo is fake, says Ghislaine Maxwell

05:30 , Sravasti Dasgupta

Disgraced British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell has said that the well-known photo showing the Duke of York next to Virginia Giuffre is fake.

Speaking from prison in the US, Maxwell, who was convicted of sex trafficking and has previously cast doubt on the authenticity of the photo, said she is “sure” the picture is not real.

In an interview with TalkTV, due to be aired on Monday evening, Maxwell said: “It’s a fake. I don’t believe it’s real for a second, in fact I’m sure it’s not.”

She added: “Well, there’s never been an original, and further there’s no photograph, and I’ve only ever seen a photocopy of it.”

Read more:

Prince Andrew and Virginia Giuffre photo is fake, says Ghislaine Maxwell

Prince Andrew ‘plotting bid to overturn £3m settlement with accuser Virginia Giuffre’

04:31 , Sravasti Dasgupta

Prince Andrew is weighing up a legal bid to overturn the multimillion-pound settlement reached with a woman who accused him of sexual assault, and even force an apology, reports say.

The Duke of York was accused of sexual assault by late billionaire Jeffrey Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre who alleged that she was forced to have sex with Andrew aged 17 by the financier and jailed socialite Ghislaine Maxwell.

Andrew has vehemently denied these claims.

Emily Atkinson reports:

Prince Andrew ‘plotting bid to overturn £3m settlement with accuser Virginia Giuffre’