MONDAY 12 SEPTEMBER
Documentary
Real Life: the Boy They Call Chucky
11:00pm - 12:00am
ITV1 London
VIDEO Plus+: 36251
Subtitled
2/6
The "Chucky" of the title is 12-year-old Christian, a screaming, abusive, volatile boy who routinely attacks his mother and terrorises his siblings. He was nicknamed "Chucky" by other kids after the evil doll in the Child's Play films, which might sound horribly cruel, and I suppose it is. But as the programme wears on any sympathy you might feel for Christian slowly ebbs. He's been diagnosed as suffering from ADHD, though you may wonder whether he really is simply a very, very naughty boy. Whatever the causes of Christian's dreadful behaviour, his mum Cath is at the end of her tether and trails him round various therapists looking for a "cure".
Alison Graham