While unwinding to a recent episode of Middle England bete noire Russell Brand’s BAFTA-nominated comedy show Ponderland the other night, The Diary was pleasantly surprised to see a featured clip of 18 Red Lion Court barrister Matthew McNiff “acting for the prosecution” in an Anglia TV mock trial of lottery winner and “neighbour from hell” Michael Carroll.

McNiff’s legal performance was everything you’d expect from a respected barrister of 16 years’ call.