An upcoming ITV drama about legendary comedian Tommy Cooper has sparked backlash for portraying him as a wife-beating alcoholic. The two-hour film, titled Tommy Cooper: Not Like That, Like This, focuses on the comic's hidden dark side, including his 17-year affair with personal assistant Mary Kay and his violent behaviour towards both his wife Gwen and Mary.
The drama, starring David Threlfall as Cooper and Amanda Redman as his wife, includes scenes where Mary ends up with a black eye after trying to take a drunken Cooper home from a pub. Writer Simon Nye, known for Men Behaving Badly, admitted he had reservations about depicting the attacks but defended the portrayal, stating it was based on accounts from Mary and her son. Nye said: 'Tommy was physical with his wife and she gave as good she got. He did try to replicate that with Mary but she was not the same person and it looked worse than it was.'
The film draws from a 2006 biography by Cooper's friend John Fisher. However, fans and the Tommy Cooper Society have criticised the drama, arguing the comedian should be remembered for his talent rather than rumours about his private life. Tudor Jones, secretary of the society, called it 'somebody's version of what they think happened'. ITV confirmed that Cooper's only surviving close relative, his daughter Vicky, was consulted about the drama.
The film also depicts Cooper's sudden death on live television in 1984, when he collapsed from a heart attack aged 63. The drama is set to air on Easter Monday.
