Andrea Gunning recently talked about the inspiration behind her hit podcast series 'Betrayal.'
Andrea Gunning Reveals How the O.J. Simpson Trial Inspired Her ‘Betrayal’ Podcast
As Andrea Gunning’s new series Betrayal: Secrets & Lies approaches for its season finale on May 17, the host sat down for a discussion about how her hit podcast and TV series came to be.
Turns out, the podcast’s roots trace back to O.J. Simpson’s trial that Gunning watched as a child.
From that trial, what deeply stayed with her was the pain and strength shown by Kim Goldman, sister of victim Ron Goldman.
Years later, as Gunning unexpectedly landed the opportunity to interview Kim, it paved her path towards true crime storytelling.
A chance collaboration with Kim opened the doors to the gripping world of Betrayal.
'It Was Just so Moving to Me'
Andrea Gunning speaks about her podcast 'Betrayal: Secrets & Lies.'
Speaking with the People magazine, Gunning recalled how she acquired the chance to work with Kim, while helping launch the audio division of Glass Entertainment Group.
That's when she started her true crime audio storytelling with Confronting: O.J. Simpson, a 10-part podcast series released in 2019.
Reflecting on the experience of speaking with Ron's sister, Gunning said, “It was just so moving to me that I wanted to share her story, what it was like for her to live through that trial, because I think it was always told through the lens of O.J. Simpson.”
She added, “And that really solidified how we wanted to approach true crime.”
Later, following the creation of the 2019 podcast, things led her to Jennifer Faison, and together, they launched the podcast series Betrayal in 2022.
The first episode dealt with Faison’s real-life experience about her husband’s affairs and misconduct, which helped Gunning connect to her “on this [on a] really deep level."
“I'd had a relationship that had its own share of infidelity and it was really intense. And so when Jen was sharing her story, I just connected to her,” Gunning stated.
“There was just this emotional access piece that I just related to, not as a storyteller, but as just a human being,” she added.
Gunning went on, “It kind of was the same as watching my mom watch Kim Goldman and feeling that emotional accessibility. And that's really what turned my interest into Betrayal.”
Soon, their 2022 podcast branched out into a franchise, which further grew into a docuseries that streamed on Hulu for three seasons.
'Betrayal' Partners With RAINN
Recently, Gunning released her new series Betrayal: Secrets & Lies, which premiered on ABC in March 2026.
In addition, her show has also partnered with the United States’ largest anti-s*xual violence organization, RAINN.
RAINN vice president of communications Jennifer Simmons Kaleba spoke about their collaboration with People magazine.
Reflecting on Gunning's work, Kaleba said, “It’s a courageous act for a s*xual violence survivor to share their story.”
“We owe it to survivor storytellers to meet that bravery with respect and care. By prioritizing agency over sensationalism, Betrayal is helping us set a new industry standard, one where storytelling becomes a tool for healing and accountability,” Kaleba added.