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AIBU?

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Michael Barrymore

585 replies

ChairsAndStairs · 06/02/2020 21:29

I’ve always wondered why his career was so badly damaged by what happened at his house.

It was awful that a man died, but he was never found guilty and it was never proved that he was in any way involved - as far as I remember.

He was so popular before and had a really strong career. AIBU to wonder why people turned against him so quickly?

I don’t mean this to be a goady thread, just generally wondering why he was the ‘only’ fall guy for what happened.

OP posts:
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6
sashh · 11/02/2020 11:34

If the pool was cold, is there any chance that time of death is way off?

Yes.

There is a saying in medical circles, you are not dead until you are warm and dead.

Another one is, "If you are going to drown, do it in cold water"

This due to rare cases where people have recovered hours after their heart has stopped due to drowning or freezing.

I expect the time of death would have been revised and estimated during post mortem.

Time of death is not as precise as TV shows would have you believe.

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 11/02/2020 11:40

Men pee in front of each other, if you were going in the hot tub surely you'd just get in naked or in your underwear, not go get changed into someone else's shorts

Some do, no way my son or husband would especially with people they don't know. I don't think it's odd to borrow a pair of shorts.

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 11/02/2020 11:41

The hot tub was presumably warm and heated but the big pool wasn't heated and freezing?

Nowayorhighway · 11/02/2020 12:28

I watched the documentary yesterday and I’m the same as a few other PP’s, I had no idea he didn’t drown and I also always pictured a huge party in a sprawling mansion. Unless very loud music was playing, there’s no way anyone at the ‘party’ (a small gathering really) didn’t hear or even see what happened. I also noticed he had very close neighbours from the birds eye shot so I doubt he was blaring loud music for that reason alone, I’d be surprised if they didn’t hear screams. Poor Stuart must have been in absolute agony. The media definitely portrayed it as a gay orgy of sorts at the time and I always guessed Stuart himself was gay. Not that it matters of course but just interesting how much misinformation occurred at the time.

I was very young when it happened and actually a fan of MB but that has obviously since changed... The guilt is honestly written across his face, I think he’d feel a lot better if he just came clean. He may not have assaulted Stuart himself but he knows who did, they all do.

category12 · 11/02/2020 12:44

I think if he wasn't involved, he'd 100% have spilled the beans by now. There's zero in it for him to keep quiet, unless he'd incriminate himself.

monkeytennis97 · 11/02/2020 13:31

Agree category 12

MzHz · 11/02/2020 13:44

I watched this yesterday. horrifying. Stuart's dad. poor man, his brother too.

the details given were horrendous, and I dare say the documentary didn't show everything.

I think the reward needs to be a LOT bigger to entice these people to loosen their tongues so justice can be done to the Lubbocks.

Roussette · 11/02/2020 13:49

I’d be surprised if they didn’t hear screams

They did apparently.

Badtasteflump · 11/02/2020 16:41

I've just watched the documentary. That poor man's family, the pain they are still going through over this is unthinkable. Michael Barrymore 100% knows more than he is saying and is a disgusting excuse for a human being. I didn't know the details before but I'm shocked that he is still invited onto tv shows (Piers Morgan, Dancing on Ice...) in light of what is common knowledge. Wtf?

Bouledeneige · 11/02/2020 16:58

I watched the documentary and it was an eye opener. Originally I thought it was a large party where probably over the top sexual activity went wrong - with an accidental drowning. And I thought it plausible that MB didn't have any idea what was happening at his party. At the time I thought there was an element of homophobia involved and some denial from the victims' family about the victim's sexual orientation. And a lack of understanding about how rough some drug fuelled group gay sex can be. Now I'm doubtful about those perceptions having seen the documentary.

Clearly there was a cover up, a tidy up and closing ranks amongst those present most of whom know exactly what happened that night. Whether or not Barrymore was involved I think he probably does know full well what happened to poor Stuart Lubbock. But he's been denying it so long he believes his own lies.

But I still think there's an element of homophobia involved. I have no interest in the desperate attempts of MB to be in the spotlight again. Out of respect he should put his hunger for fame and neediness aside and be grateful he hasn't faced worse consequences. And maybe do something more worthy and humble for the rest of his days rather than vaingloriously seek to regain what he's lost. Of course he could try telling the truth about that night - but that ain't going to happen.

sashh · 12/02/2020 05:02

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor

According to MB he was getting shorts for the people he did know and then they came out and Stuart was already in the swimming pool, so the only person who (according to MB) didn't want a pair of shorts was the stranger.

knowmenclature · 12/02/2020 05:23

So he ran from the crime scene, not a good look.

The timings meant only MB and two others at the small gathering had the opportunity.

MB claimed he had new evidence, that it was an hcp at the hospital that had inflicted the awful damage after death.

This couldn't have happened, as there victim was bloodied and wrapped in blood stained towels when taken away, bleeding before death. He also had petechiae as a result of strangulation prior to death.

The suspect weapon was a pool thermometer, visible in pictures, but removed from the crime scene, as was other evidence.

A police officer involved said there were mistakes made that meant he couldn't be convicted of murder.

The police had believed everyone saying he'd drowned, until it was obvious from the PM that he couldn't have.

Three people are suspects, and they're not talking, but they know what happened to that lad and it was horrific.

knowmenclature · 12/02/2020 05:25

Oh yes, and how come MB left DOI immediately, Hmm

Good timing, the documentary.

IHateUserName · 12/02/2020 06:41

From Michael Barrymore's character alone, self-absorbed, arrogant, fame hungry & desperate to re-start his career, he sounds guilty. Because he sounds like the sort of person who would happily be flinging wild accusations at everyone else who was in that house if he thought it would take the heat off him & get him back on TV. & that he sure as hell wouldn't have let anyone else's actions ruin his career. MB staying silent about them is as telling to me as the rest of them staying silent about him.

MarthasGinYard · 12/02/2020 09:02

Merrit who made the 999 call supposedly lives as a recluse on an old canal boat so it says in some tabloid.

Izzabellasasperella · 12/02/2020 21:36

This is interesting.
statement-analysis.blogspot.com/2019/07/michael-barrymore-what-happened.html?m=1

fripperyclose · 12/02/2020 21:43

Has he ever explained why he invited Lubbock back to his in the first place?

MarthasGinYard · 12/02/2020 23:12

Interesting read

Couldn't actually stand to watch him on PM. Such a complete air of insincerity.

Even more convinced of the complete cover up.

Emijen · 12/02/2020 23:18

I watched this yesterday and I genuinely felt so ill. He 100% knows what happened, even if he didn’t do it himself. You can see it on his face

MulticolourMophead · 13/02/2020 08:48

Izzabellasasperella Thst link was an interesting read.

KatherineJaneway · 15/02/2020 01:05

I just watched the documentary. It is amazing to me that at least one of those 8 people is guilty, but not one of them will say who did it.

Why the loyalty? Barrymore is not that rich surely? He hasn't worked in years so cannot be constantly paying them off.

avamiah · 15/02/2020 02:18

Let’s be honest here ,
A person died in his property at a party and nobody seems to know how it happened ??
Of course he has to stand up and speak the truth .
The family need answers and in my opinion there is a huge cover up .

Lalala205 · 15/02/2020 02:37

@KatherineJaneway I'd imagine it boils down to legal culpability vs a pay off tbh. If witnesses were involved and declined to provide evidence at the time they'd be pretty screwed now. I'm bloody sure if I'd attended a party where someone had died from legitimate circumstances I'd have supplied the police with any speck of information I knew to help with the investigation.

category12 · 15/02/2020 10:22

Do presenters get money from reruns or are they just paid at the time and it belongs to the TV company?