"we were cancelled"
Is a lot more of an easy climb down than
"No actress would touch us" or "we hadn't considered the implications of going ahead after the legal ruling for 'The Lost King'
In February 2024, Richard Taylor initiated legal action for libel against Steve Coogan, the production company Baby Cow, and the distributors Pathé, regarding his portrayal in The Lost King. Taylor claimed his character, as played by Lee Ingleby, was depicted in a highly negative "patronising and misogynistic" manner, and that the film suggested he took credit for the discovery, which he asserted was primarily Langley's achievement.
On 14 June 2024, a high court judge ruled that the portrayal of Taylor in the film was defamatory. The judge, Mr Justice Lewis, noted that the character was consistently depicted negatively throughout the film. Although the judge rejected Taylor's argument that the portrayal suggested misogyny or sexism, he concluded that the film's overall depiction would lead a reasonable viewer to believe that Taylor had misrepresented facts to the media and the public, had marginalized Langley's role, and had behaved in a smug, dismissive and patronizing manner. The ruling allowed the case to proceed to a full trial, requiring Coogan, Baby Cow, and Pathé to defend the portrayal of Taylor in the film.