This Morning presenter Holly Willoughby is dismayed at the making of Detainment, a film recounting the murder of tot James Bulger.
The 37-year-old agreed “it doesn’t seem right at all” that the horrific 1993 crime where the two-year-old from Liverpool was abducted and beaten to death by two young boys was adapted for the cinema without contacting James’ family.
His mother Denise Fergus claimed director Vincent Lambe has never been in contact with her about the 30-minute film’s production which focuses on the police interrogation of Robert Thompson and Jon Venables.
Having called for the film to be boycotted, Denise was left disgusted earlier this week when the Oscar nominations were announced and Detainment was among the contenders for Best Live Action Short Film.
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“I’m so angry and upset,” she said in a heartbreaking tweet.
“It’s just reliving the nightmare,” she said during her appearance on ITV earlier today.
“I try to put it behind me. I’ve fought for all these years, and have done my best to be James’ voice, but to be hit with something like this is has just took me right back down.”
Denise continued: “To see that still of James being led to his death by them two, and to see it again by actors – especially the one who plays James – it’s heart rending.”
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And in a devastating riposte, she added: “The only good thing about this is the actor who plays James, he got to go home that night.”
Holly, clearly upset by the ongoing trauma suffered by Denise and her family, stated she felt the “extraordinary” situation seemed “unfair” on grieving relatives.
And commenting on Denise’s suggestion surviving members of a victim’s family should be consulted ahead of adaptions of real events, Holly concurred: “Absolutely, it’s your life.”
An emotional Holly later offered her deepest sympathies to Denise and her husband Stuart, expressing her regret at them having to relive such pain.
“I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry you’re having to go through this all again, I really am. It’s horrible, I’m sorry,”she told them.
Director Lambe told ITV in a statement his intention was not to upset Denise and her family by making Detainment.
He said: “The film was never intended to bring any further anguish to the family of James Bulger, and we never intended any disrespect by not consulting them.
“Whilst it is a painfully difficult case to understand, I believe we have a responsibility to try and make sense of what happened. Critics have specifically commented on the film being responsible and respectful to the victim.”
– This Morning is on ITV, weekdays from 10.30am
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