Judge Rinder made excuse to leave courtroom after classic 'licky licky' incident

In the case in question, the defendant managed to leave the usually so sharp and eloquent barrister speechless with just two words... Well, one word twice, in fact - 'licky licky'.

"And he got his mate to market it - only his mate didn't market any of them.

"So I was asking, 'how do you take this stuff?', and he goes, 'well, you lick it like a sweet,' and the defendant out of nowhere just says, 'licky licky.'

"Now that's become some massive viral TikTok meme."

Watching back the clip, it's hard to understand how Rinder managed to carry on after the inexplicable interjection - but it turns out he did need a little recess.

He said: "I will tell you at the time, at that point where he did say 'licky licky', my court clerk, Michelle, I looked at her, she looked at me, and I stopped the case and said 'I'm awfully sorry, I have to go and look at some papers'.

"And I did go back to my chambers, and we did have a little bit of a giggle."

Hey, he may have a brain the size of a planet, but that doesn't mean he isn't human.

And while it may be hard at times to suppress his laughter during 'silly' moments, Rinder added that 'often the cases that seem the most pantomime can genuinely be the most legally challenging'.

His new show though sees him step out of the courtroom, as he analyses police interviews alongside senior detectives, body language experts and forensic psychologists, taking 'a unique look at the battle of wits between police and suspects in some of the most disturbing US and UK criminal cases in recent years'.

Explaining why he got involved in the show and what viewers can expect, Rinder said: "Often it's what happens in the interview room which is that critical bit of evidence, it's the most important aspect of a criminal trial sometimes.

"And we're now at a moment where lots of people who are armchair detectives, or others, can watch little gobbets, little bits of that interview, perhaps on YouTube, and so on and so forth. But this is the first time we can put it in one place and demonstrate A: how important it is, B: the kind of skill and deftness of really good police officers - be they detectives, be they in America or here - who are subjected to various legal rules, which mean they have to be enormously careful about how they ask questions, because otherwise the interview won't be admissible in court."

He continued: "How do they protect the defendant's rights? At the same time, they're all under a clock - a 24-hour countdown, in some cases - to crack the case, to make sure that the person who looks like they've done or committed the crime may, or may just, confess.

"And that isn't done through shouting or strong-arming, it's done through emotional and practical intelligence and judgement and a strategic approach. And it's extraordinary to watch."