When former champion footballer and actor Orenthal James – O.J. – Simpson passed away from cancer earlier this month at the age of 76, it brought back troubling memories for Closer writer Jean Jollands who secured an exclusive interview with him back in 1996.

It was just a few months after OJ was infamously cleared of murdering his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman in May 1994 that Jean sat face to face with him on a warm Sunday afternoon in a pub in Cobham, Surrey.

Here Jean reveals what is was like to meet the disgraced star.

She says, “Just seven months after the ‘not guilty’ verdict, OJ flew to the UK to appear on TV. A young nervy reporter in only my second proper job, I’d somehow convinced his PR, Max Clifford, to give me the newspaper exclusive. I believe that Clifford assumed that as a black journalist I would somehow give OJ an easier time of it.

“The other pub customers gawped, horrified or in shock, as I followed Clifford, OJ and Colin Patterson, the photographer out into the plush beer garden.

“OJ was dressed as if he were about to play a round of golf, in casual slacks and a pristine white polo shirt. His eyes looked dead though, as if he wasn’t really there, and his voice was dull and monotone, as if he was dosed up on something. Later he admitted he’d been on tranquilisers to get through the trial, but swore blind that he was no longer on medication.

“Almost immediately though, he started complaining. I’d smoked a cigarette beforehand to calm my nerves and he told me off. ‘As an athlete, I’ve always hated the smell of smoke’, OJ whinged, even throwing in a little cough to make his point. Embarrassed, I shot back, ‘Well, I can think of worse vices’.

“After that he did seem to visibly soften. He talked about how the UK public couldn’t get enough of him, insisting it was mostly the media that gave him a hard time. And he may have had a point as on several occasions we were interrupted by autograph hunters – mostly children – who looked totally in awe of him.

“For the rest of the interview he rattled off the details of his case, went on about how spiritual he was and how his ‘ordeal’ had shown him who his real friends were. There was never a flicker of emotion or remorse.

“Throughout the afternoon he did a good line in self-pity, emphasising that he was broke and in debt. Talking about how his loved ones had suffered too, he wiped his eyes as if holding back tears, telling me, ‘You know, I felt like three people had been murdered that night.’ I had to hide my shock when I realised he saw himself as the third victim.

“When I asked if he had any regrets, his reply was brazen. He said, ‘My only regret was when Nicole wanted us to get back together, I should have let her move back in.’ ‘So, where were you the night of the murders?” I eventually pushed. Ignoring my question, he came back with another rehearsed speech. ‘The only people who weren’t exposed to the media were those 12 jurors,’ he insisted. ‘That’s why they came back so quickly in the strongest possible way – with a quick verdict. A verdict of not guilty.’

“As we wrapped up and I packed up my stuff, OJ had one last parting shot. With zero shame or self-awareness he told me, ‘I loved Nicole and loved her forever – no one was more hurt than I was when she was killed.’
“Looking back now, at the photo of OJ and me side by side for the camera, I shudder. I was young, intimidated, and out of my depth. I didn’t challenge OJ nearly as much as I could have.

 “I often think about that day and if I could go back in time I’d ask him outright if was guilty instead of skirting around the subject. But he no doubt would’ve stuck to his well-rehearsed story and now he has taken the truth to his grave.”