To feel a programme dramatising Shannon Matthew's disappearance is in poor taste?

[Annie592]

I watched it. I quite enjoyed it. (I think Sheridan Smith is amazing.). But it doesn't sit quite right with me. I want to be able to say why, but I can't explain it. Maybe because a real life case of a nine year old's abuse doesn't feel like something that should be used for entertainment? Wondering if anyone agrees and can articulate it better? Or whether it's actually an important topic to talk about and I'm being stupid. I honestly don't know. Would appreciate mumsnet thoughts!

If it was meant to show community spirit - I'm not sure it even managed that. The friend just seemed to be bullying others into helping, deliberately ignoring the police pleas not to interfere, and neglecting her own kids.

I thought it was informative. I agree too that Karen had some real issues and was easy to manipulate.

We started to watch it, but couldn't understand what he characters were saying and gave up.

May sound ridiculous, but it's true.

Is there realistically any difference between this and, say, the programme a couple of years ago about Fred West? His victims included his children who are still alive.

Put the subtitles on if you couldn't undrerstand.

Karen Matthews cousin was on tv this morning. She said that the family weren't told in advance about the programme.
They've been hounded in the past, windows smashed etc and it's brought it all back to the surface.
I decided not to watch it on principle. Although I realise that doesn't change anything!

I think its timing thats bothering people, if it were Myra hindley or Fred and rose west, that's fine. I think its important to remind people that abuse exists and comes in many forms. I also agree that the people who banded together ought to have a chance to put across how it was for them.

I couldn't watch that. Bleddy media vultures

It's too soon. Shannon is an adult now but might still be recognisable facially, and if she has a strong accent too (as some here are saying) her cover might be blown.

I didnt watch it either. What next a drama about the bloody Philpotts.

It was only 9 years ago FFS!

Shannon has been adopted well out of the area .I doubt she has a Yorkshire accent.

Its important I think to bring to light people who lied about what they did and spoke to the news about it, a lot of them loving the cameras and wanting the attention. Here's a few, and there's docs on Youtube you can watch about them all:

Karen Matthews
Stuart Hazel
Mick Philpott
Mitchell Quy

I don't think what Karen Matthews did needs bringing to light, there can't be an adult in this country that doesn't know what she did

Oh I'm not talking about Karen in particular, just in general - all the people I listed have been reported by psychologists to have loved the attention. I think at a time where reward money for cases is high its an interesting thing to look into - if presenting the cases as a drama makes people take notice etc then it might be the easiest way to do it IYSWIM

One of the programme makers - the producer? - was on Front Row on radio4 tonight discussing it. The interviewer gave him a pretty hard time.

.

Genuinely thought the acting was shit

Poor Shannon. The only real victim in all of this awful mess

Precisely

I haven't watched this, and wouldn't out of principle but, I do recall a jounslistic-crime type programme perhaps 2-3 years after it happened going through the real life steps the police took to investigate and solve it. They interviewed several family members and close friends, as well as Liason officers, police etc.

Does anyone remember it?

YourEmailInboxIsFull Was it ''Crimes that shook Britain''? They're docs that follow indepth in cases in the UK. Shannon Matthews to Shipman to the Wests. They're all on it - very interesting to watch.

I watched it.

I wondered about the children of the family and how they feel about it.

The other siblings have new identities as Shannon does but I wonder how it feels having your mothers utter betrayal and coldness dramatised on TV.

It was already in the public domain though

youremailinboxisfull

Yes I remember it.

I wonder if you'd all be saying "It was in poor taste" if it was about the middle class McCann's....

Anyway the point of the "story" being dramatised was to focus in on the strength of one working class community who rallied together for the benefit of a missing child; People power and the fact that said community were vilified and wrongly slandered by the media.

Unity in the face of adversity, etc.

Similar dramatisations have been commissioned about cases such as the Moors murderer's; We can't ignore history just because it's unpleasant, revisionism is lacking in taste also!

I know what you mean about feeling slightly uncomfortable watching it as the kids/wider family will have it all raked over again. I doubt it ever goes away though in reality. I was shocked at the casual way Karen Mathews asked the police what did it matter if she had six or seven kids.

I was never fooled though. I recall the police appeal and saying to my DH that she was in it up to her neck. Mind you, I've said that about several high profile abductions...