David Cameron has pledged to ask Culture Secretary John Whittingdale to investigate an ITV drama, The Secret, which was made without the consent of the family of a murdered woman. The case was raised in Prime Minister's Questions by Labour MP Louise Haigh, who represents Lauren Bradford, the daughter of the victim.
Lauren Bradford's mother was initially believed to have died by suicide in 1991, but it was later discovered in 2009 that she had been murdered by her husband and his lover. The drama, starring James Nesbitt, uses the real names of the family members, causing further distress.
Haigh told the Commons that her constituent was powerless to stop the production, and that despite contacting ITV and regulator Ofcom, no rules appeared to have been broken. She asked the Prime Minister whether victims should have a greater role in the telling of their stories.
Cameron recalled instances from his time in the television industry where decisions caused hurt to families, and said he would ask Whittingdale what could be done in this case and for future situations. Bradford previously wrote in the Guardian about the additional trauma caused by the dramatisation, stating that 'private grief becomes public property' when deemed a good story.
An ITV spokeswoman defended the drama, stating it was based on a thoroughly researched book and court cases widely reported in the media. The programme makers informed the families and offered them the chance to view the series before broadcast, though they did not seek approval or authorisation.
