As the search for Nicola Bulley continues, Loose Women star Denise Welch has addressed the backlash about online “speculation” over her disappearance.
Speaking on the show today (February 9), Denise admitted she’s “obsessed” with true life crime.
And she also said that she and husband Lincoln are “guilty” of being armchair detectives.
She did, however, agree with fellow panellist Jane Moore.
She told social media commentators to “butt out” and let the police get on with the job.
Search for Nicola Bulley: Denise Welch responds to backlash
Denise said: “This is the problem, we’ve created globally all of these armchair detectives.
“And I am partly responsible because I’ve made no bones of the fact that in my mind I’m the ‘Crime Minister’. You know I’m obsessed with true life crime.”
She then added: “When I was young and you had the news at 6pm and a couple of newspapers, all of these things went on and you didn’t know very much about it.
You think that you know because you watch so many crime shows.
“But now we see it played out in real life and Lincoln and I are responsible for it because we know now, well we think we know, a lot about forensics.”
Speaking about the Nicola Bulley investigation, she then continued: “I was guilty of the other day, screaming at the television: ‘Why are people walking along that area? That should still be a crime scene. That should still be evidence.’
“Then I thought hang on a minute, there’s obviously a reason why they haven’t kept that. But you think that you know because you watch so many crime shows.”
Viewers hit back
Viewers were unimpressed that the ladies were discussing the search for Nicola Bulley, though.
They also pointed to items earlier on in the day on This Morning about her disappearance.
“So ‘don’t speculate about this case’ has been what ITV has said ALL Morning all throughout their programmes, while they sit there doing exactly that – speculating,” said one.
“Why are Loose Women allowed to talk about it and we’re not?” asked another.
“Why are the media allowed to speculate but when the public do it, it’s ‘armchair detectives’. When did the media get their training which qualifies them to speculate?” another asked.
“You are just adding to the speculation by talking about it,” another stated.
Read more: Channel 5 to host Nicola Bulley special, Dan Walker reveals
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