[James]

DOCUMENTARY: Tabloid Tales
Channel: BBC 1
Date: Tuesday 13th May 2003
Time: 22:35 to 23:15

(Jade Goody)
Documentary series examining the real stories behind tabloid news. Featuring a look at how the press onslaught of Big Brother contestant Jade Goody became so vicious that it resulted in one of the biggest Fleet Street U-turns of all time.

I know you'll all be watching.

[Janette]

Tabloids are scum and they could have ruined that girl's life!

One day, a high profile person is going to kill themselves over tabloid journalism but they will say "it wasn't our fault"


BO**OCKS!

[Romantic Old Bird]

I felt sorry for her at the time. However, both she and I think her mother have benefitted in the long term by the upturn in their fortunes.

jade's life is I suspect immeasureably better than it would have been had she not been on BB.

That being said, I have seen more than enough of her to last me a lifetime, and I won't be watching it!

[steve_o]

You couldn't get more high profile than Princess Diana and look what happened there with the so called press, the world a darker place because of it.

[kaphc]

But good to see, in the case of Jade, that the press can change their minds abd become supportive rather than on a witchunt!

[Kaz]

Fortunately for Jade, all the horrible press she got was when she was still inside the BB house. By the time she came out on the last day, the tide had turned and the press were on her side.

It could have been so different had Jade been up for eviction (which she definitely would have been!) the week that housemates' nominations were cancelled and PJ and Kate chose to see videos from their family in exchange for being nominated.

I still wonder whether BB deliberately did that to avoid Jade being evicted when the press were so 'anti' her . . . . . suppose we'll never know now.

[Romantic Old Bird]

They were talking to the Mirror editor (Giles??) on BBC this morning about the 'Tabloid Tales' series. He said Jade Goody was a tabloid dream because she read everything that had been written about her and laughed it off.

I think that is why they like her so much.

[Kaz]

Just reminding myself . . . and anyone else who might be interested . . . . that this is on tonight.

Despite it being about Jade, I think it could well be quite interesting.

[WILDCHILD]

I'll be watching - and in a way, I admire Jade for the way she handled the press attnetion. She just shrugged it off and she could laugh about it. Im not saying its good what they wrote about her but the way she dealt with it showed courage, I think. I couldnt have dealt with it like her, I would have been crying!

[kaphc]

Did anyone see this last night? What did you think?

[Stu xxx]

I thought it was really good x And any future housemates should have watched it so they know excatly what thet are letting themselves in for x

[peachy]

If I'd just been told I had been picked for BB4 and I saw that programme I'd be bloomin' terrified. (I was going to be cruder, but I thought better of it) It was disgusting how the papers behaved and how Piers Morgan had the gall to come and talk to her about it, I just don't know. If I'd have been Jade I'd have spit in his eye.

[Romantic Old Bird]

Hi I 've got nothing to add ,but I'm getting closer!

[Sticks]

It brought back memories of being appointed Jade's Cyber Devil's Advocate, as she was universally villified on day one It was also hard going, especially through the dark period of her unpopularity.

It was like being appointed a public defender for someone accused of a serious offence in the American court system, and an impossible task. Some here on this board I believe demanded that I step down from that role, but everyone is entitled to representation

I managed to get through it, and when Jade was guaranteed a place in the final week, I was released from the contractural obligation so I could campaign for Kate, at that point the only real prospect of a female winner of Big Brother.

And we succeeded

I hope this time that all the housemates will be totally bland and blend into the background, so I can remain neutral up to the end.

There is an contingency where I may have to side with a housemate, but more of that later should the need arise.

BTW Doesanyone think that Jade looks a lot better after changing her hair colour ?

[Mairi]

I sympathise, Sticks, because I too have a tendency to stick up for the underdog on occasion. It was particularly hard to do in Jade's case, though, because she was just SO ANNOYING!!!!

To be honest, I've made a point of not watching her since BB3 ended so I haven't a clue whether she looks better with dark hair or not!!

I do wish her all the best with her life, though.

[WILDCHILD]

I watched the show and was interested in it. As annoying as Jade is, I can't help but like her. She has been through a lot and the tabloids ripped her to shreds, she handled it well.

One thing I noticed about this show is you know the Daily Mirror is 'supposedly' Anti Big Brother? Well, the editor of one of the other papers said, 'They make out they are above all of it when really they are just in the troth like the rest of us'

Its true, the Mirror make out they arent interested in Big Brother but they take the time to write about it and use up pages of other news material. Admit it Mirror - you love Big Brother, just like the rest of the nation!

[susieq]

I thought the programme was pretty good (and I'm NOT particularly a Jade 'fan'). They didn't speak to her very much though, it consisted of lots of comments from journalists both from the tabloid press & the broadsheets.

The little they actually showed of Jade was good though - she took it all in her stride and just laughed it off. Good for her.

BTW - did anyone get even more scared by Jackie (Jade's mum) now she's got rather peculiar pink hair !!

[steve_o]

I saw the programme, and say good luck to her. She's made a bit of money out of it anyway, which can't be bad, and she took it all very well

[uzzie]

Jade is the best BB contestant... EVER!!!

[Romantic Old Bird]

I'm afraid I don't share that view.

Whilst I felt sorry for her during the cruel newspaper and Graham Norton comments, she was hystrionic and plain nasty a great deal of the time she was in the house. Her behaviour was pure 'I-beetha Uncavered'.

She also undoubtedly 'put on' her level of ignorance. I cannot believe that she could have functoned assisting the dentist and mixing amalgam etc with so little knowledge.

Since she came out she has had unrivalled press coverage I agree, but can anyone point to a specific skill or talent that she posesses? I certainly can't.

Personally I hope the current housemates eclipse her poste haste so she can get on with looking after her baby in peace.

[Romantic Old Bird]

Apart from that, I liked her!


By the way uzzie, WELCOME to TIBB!!