Richard Madeley has condemned those who took pleasure in the death of Jeffrey Archer, describing them as "hard, unfeeling, unforgiving flint-hearts" who are "totally shameless".
Writing in his opinion column, Madeley noted that while most mainstream media were kind and respectful after Archer's unexpected death on Monday, many keyboard warriors were delighted to trash the man's memory, with some messages unprintable.
He said the sheer pleasure these people took in the passing of someone who had never done them the slightest harm struck him most, adding that even if Archer had not been sent to prison 25 years ago, they would still have danced a jig on his grave because he was a Tory.
A chequered past
Madeley acknowledged that it is challenging to fairly remember someone with a past as chequered as Archer's, who sailed close to the wind on many occasions before comprehensively hitting the rocks when he sued the Daily Star newspaper for libel over claims he had slept with a prostitute.
The story was true, and Archer should have let it lie, but he made the fatal mistake of challenging it. He invented alibis, falsified evidence and told lies in the witness box, winning damages of £500,000. Years later the fabrication crumbled, and the bestselling novelist and leading Conservative figure was prosecuted for perjury and went to prison.
Madeley argued that Archer served his time and did his penance, and that in this country we believe in redemption, with the slate wiped clean when someone has been jailed and accepted their shame and punishment.
Second chances and charity work
Madeley and his wife Judy attended a couple of Archer's famous Krug-and-shepherd's pie parties after his release, not dreaming of refusing his generous invitations or judging him, as the system had already done that.
Archer was writing, raising millions for charity, and continuing to privately help some of those he had been imprisoned with, having taught illiterate inmates to read and write while inside.
Madeley concluded that those who exulted in Archer's death this week revel in the knowledge they will never be called to account, and that they are the shameless ones.
