Madeleine McCann's parents blast "appalling" and "insensitive" BBC drama

[Crimson Dynamo]

Kate and Gerry McCann have hit out at the mini series The Moorside, which follows the story of nine-year-old Shannon, whose disappearance was made up by her mum Karen Matthews

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/03/17/article-2294644-02052B1000000578-676_306x423.jpghttp://i2.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article7523331.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/Sheridan-Smith-Main.jpg

They claim the programme has heaped more misery on both families, as Kate and Gerry McCann face the heartbreaking 10th anniversary of Maddie’s disappearance.

They criticised the screening of BBC mini series The Moorside, which kept alluding to their ordeal, as being in “poor taste and bad timing”, a close friend said.

The show is based on the staged kidnapping of nine-year-old Shannon who “vanished” from The Moorside council estate in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, in February 2008.

But the schoolgirl’s own mum Karen had callously made it all up.


Maddie’s plight was highlighted at least three times in the well publicised opening episode.

In one scene Karen’s pal and search co-ordinator Julie Bushby, played by Sheridan Smith, is discussing a candelit vigil after the mum’s TV appeal.

A friend, viewing the papers the next day, said: “It must be working all this, they are offering a reward of £20,000.”

Julie’s young son chips in: “They are offering two and a half million pounds for Maddie McCann. Is that because they’re posher than us?”

His mum replies: “It’s not a contest.”


A source close to Kate and Gerry said: “The whole Shannon Matthews saga only came about because of Madeleine’s disappearance and what the family wrongly thought they could claw through rewards and interviews.

"The BBC have been trailing it for a few weeks. Kate and Gerry think the whole thing is appalling, and in really poor taste and bad timing.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/nintchdbpict0002984632261.jpg?strip=all&w=960


Maddie’s mum, a former GP, and heart doctor dad Gerry, believe their daughter – who would now be 13, could still be alive.

The couple, both 48, from Rothley, Leics, are hoping “a miracle” reunites them with their daughter soon.

Scotland Yard are working on one last “throw of the dice” lead which Kate and Gerry are praying could solve the mystery. :clap1: :fc:

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/madeleine-mccanns-parents-blast-appalling-9777961
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Do you feel the pain and anguish that Kate and Gerry do about this BBC programme?

[chuff me dizzy]

McCanns didn't find it "insensitive" when they used another childs image to get publicity early days

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/fury-over-kate-and-gerry-mccann-294156

[Withano]

Im half way through watching it now, and I think they might have a point.

[Shaun]

A source close to Kate and Gerry said: “The whole Shannon Matthews saga only came about because of Madeleine’s disappearance and what the family wrongly thought they could claw through rewards and interviews.

"The BBC have been trailing it for a few weeks. Kate and Gerry think the whole thing is appalling, and in really poor taste and bad timing.

Imagine thinking they invented the concept of missing children.

[Vicky.]

I am concerned about the effect this program may have on Shannon. Do I give a crap what the McCanns think of it? Not particularly. You cannot really have a program about this without mentioning the obvious, and Karen did this to try and make some of the fortune the McCanns have made by a 'child disappearing'.

[user104658]

I agree with Vicky; I have concerns over the concept of the show as a whole (it seems tacky and exploitative) but not because of the mention of Maddie. If they were a family who had previously asked for privacy / to be left alone, fine, but... They have no problem with her name being "public domain" in general and Kate has even published a book of her own so... It's really the least of my concerns that she's mentioned a couple of times. It's relevant to the "story".

What concerns me is that a girl was horribly used by her own family in a money making scheme and she is now old enough to understand exactly what went on. The whole thing also smacks of being "a dig at scummy folks on council estates" in general (it even appaz has her from that show about chavs and crisps). None of it is something that I'm entirely comfortable with being played out for entertainment and to be honest, I suspect from the sounds of it, for laughs.

[Kazanne]

They are probably annoyed that Shannon was the focus of that program and not them.

[Denver]

They are probably annoyed that Shannon was the focus of that program and not them.

you spilt my tea

[Kazanne]

you spilt my tea

These people always have to poke their way into everything, They were happy to use Ben Needhams name when it suited them, They just want to steal the limelight and make it about them.

[Denver]

These people always have to poke their way into everything, They were happy to use Ben Needhams name when it suited them, They just want to steal the limelight and make it about them.

They only care about making money

[Black Dagger]

Dire pair of wankers.

[Kazanne]

They only care about making money

It does seem that way Adam:wavey:

[Jordan.]

me trying to care

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/03/17/article-2294644-02052B1000000578-676_306x423.jpg

[Shaun]

As they face the heartbreaking 10th anniversary... by gearing up for some appearances on Britain's Got Talent :whistle:

[Marsh.]

As they face the heartbreaking 10th anniversary... by gearing up for some appearances on Britain's Got Talent :whistle:

Not Kate doing a vanishing act on the twins?

[Cherie]

I am concerned about the effect this program may have on Shannon. Do I give a crap what the McCanns think of it? Not particularly. You cannot really have a program about this without mentioning the obvious, and Karen did this to try and make some of the fortune the McCanns have made by a 'child disappearing'.

it does feel very wrong on all sorts of levels, it's not like its raising awareness or doing any good, its just making "drama" for a Tuesday night out of a families nightmare.

[Marsh.]

No different to the countless other movies/shows made from real life stories.

I like how they've focussed on the Julie woman and the community's genuine concern and hard work to find Shannon and not on the despicable Matthews themselves.

If anyone thought the show itself poked fun at the working class or council estates in general clearly didn't watch it.

[jet]

They only care about making money

I don't know much about the case itself, but a lot of people on the other thread here seem to think that Maddie died accidentally after neglect and the McCanns covered it up to avoid conviction and prison.
I could get why they would be afraid of their careers being ruined; their little twins being left parentless etc, - what I don't understand is why then they would think to themselves "Okay, we've got rid of her body, so that's that done, now lets make a ****load of money out of her and enjoy the media attention; might as well".
That wouldn't make them neglectful, terrified parents, that would make them monsters...and unless they actually planned to kill Maddie in cold blood to make big bucks out of her death, I just don't get 'how they only care about making money'. It doesn't make sense.

[Northern Monkey]

I don't know why the McCanns even need to be mentioned or involved in this tbh.I think it's a bad decision to air this because that girl is possibly going to have people coming up to her talking about the show and her without them even knowing it.She's going to have to hear everyone's opinions of her and her family and have the whole thing brought up again.

[Marsh.]

I don't know much about the case itself, but a lot of people on the other thread here seem to think that Maddie died accidentally after neglect and the McCanns covered it up to avoid conviction and prison.
I could get why they would be afraid of their careers being ruined; their little twins being left parentless etc, - what I don't understand is why then they would think to themselves "Okay, we've got rid of her body, so that's that done, now lets make a ****load of money out of her and enjoy the media attention; might as well".
That wouldn't make them neglectful, terrified parents, that would make them monsters...and unless they actually planned to kill Maddie in cold blood to make big bucks out of her death, I just don't get 'how they only care about making money'. It doesn't make sense.

They used money raised for the purposes of finding their missing daughter to make mortgage payments on their house. That's not normal IMO.

[Crimson Dynamo]

No different to the countless other movies/shows made from real life stories.

I like how they've focussed on the Julie woman and the community's genuine concern and hard work to find Shannon and not on the despicable Matthews themselves.

If anyone thought the show itself poked fun at the working class or council estates in general clearly didn't watch it.

:clap1:

[jet]

They used money raised for the purposes of finding their missing daughter to make mortgage payments on their house. That's not normal IMO.

So do you think they purposely killed her and got rid of her body to make money? Or do you think it was an accident and a cover up and they have morphed from parents who left their children alone for 30 min intervals (which turned into a tragedy) into monsters with no conscience who crave money and media attention? I just can't get my head around the latter scenario at all.

[Smithy]

Leaving your children alone on holiday is pretty appalling too tbh :idc:

[Marsh.]

So do you think they purposely killed her and got rid of her body to make money? Or do you think it was an accident and a cover up and they have morphed from parents who left their children alone for 30 min intervals (which turned into a tragedy) into monsters with no conscience who crave money and media attention? I just can't get my head around the latter scenario at all.

I'm not going to pretend to know what happened to Maddie, but they've shown themselves to be monsters either way IMO.

[jet]

They used money raised for the purposes of finding their missing daughter to make mortgage payments on their house. That's not normal IMO.

An alternative is if their careers were neglected because they were devoting most to their time to finding Maddie, I guess bills still need to be paid. :shrug:
I don't know a lot about the case, and at the moment I'm just trying to work out in my head what I think about it.

[Marsh.]

their careers were neglected

An unfortunate turn of phrase. :fan:

[Denver]

An alternative is if their careers were neglected because they were devoting most to their time to finding Maddie, I guess bills still need to be paid. :shrug:
I don't know a lot about the case, and at the moment I'm just trying to work out in my head what I think about it.

You dont use charity money to pay your bills off end of

[jet]

I posted this in the other thread but this one is more active and I'd like some feedback on this:

I haven't read it so thanks for the link Niamh.
I don't know as much as most here seem to about the case, but what puzzles me is if the McCanns are guilty, why would they not just let the case fizzle out years ago and get on with their lives having got off scot free? Why would they continually bring attention to it over and over, year after year and rake it all up yet again trying to sue the books author?
It's not as if they were hard up for the money they could make out of it; and they seem too astute and intelligent not to realise they would be accused of doing it just for attention. I just don't get what their aim is in keeping the case alive and in the news for all these years if they are guilty with the much increased chance of being caught out which those actions would bring...

[Glenn.]

me trying to care

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/03/17/article-2294644-02052B1000000578-676_306x423.jpg

Pissing