Madeleine McCann: Entertaining The Viewers At Home
SEPARATING fact from fiction in the Madeleine McCann case is hard for some. It is what Anorak calls Faction.
As the Telegraph reports, ITV has sought to distance itself from allegations that it is cashing in on the Madeleine McCann story by broadcasting Torn, a drama about a missing girl.
A spokesman says the show was written two years ago. Readers learn that ITV offered the McCanns a chance to preview the show. Such is their celebrity.
And the show will go on.
And Anorak readers will realise that this is not the first time fiction has impacted upon fact.
Back in May, EastEnders shelved one of it plots. In the show, Dawn Swann was to have had her newborn baby taken by the wife of the baby’s father. Wife had paid mother to have the child and than found to her great horror that surrogate and husband had been having an illicit affair in hotel rooms after mother had been hired to pretend to be another man’s wife.
The BBC decided this fictional story was too close to the very real drama of Madeleine McCann’s disappearance. It would be too painful for viewers to watch.
As developments have shown, the similarities between the EastEnders plot and the McCanns ordeal cannot be overstated. Well done the BBC.
In the same month, Coronation Street cancelled a plot which saw a child taken.
Coronation Street’s producers had filmed “identical scenes” to those being played out in Portugal.
Claire and husband Ashley Peacock were appealing for help. Just like Madeleine’s parents. Claire was holding her child’s security blanket. Just like Madeleine’s mother holds the Maddy Catty. Claire was handing out pictures of her child. Just like Madeleine’s mum.
The story was cancelled. And those unable to split fact from fiction won the day. And the broadcasters got to show how much they cared and were in tune with the public’s mood.
(In Corrie, Claire was seen pushing her baby into traffic. Given the allegations now levelled against Kate McCann, would ITV now broadcast that scene?)
But now the show will go on. And will go on because we have no idea what happened to Madeleine McCann. All the hype, the marketing and the paedo-panic have failed in their stated objective: to find Madeleine.
The show goes on. So too the case…
Posted: 19th, September 2007 | In: Madeleine McCann Comments (23) | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed: RSS 2.0 | TrackBack | Permalink
Comments
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September 21st, 2007 at 9:49 am
Anorak is running out of steam again. All the inbreds who were convinced of the McCanns guilt without enough conclusive evidence appear to be leaving in their droves. Great news.
They can get back to what they do best… BNP rallies and AA meetings.
September 20th, 2007 at 6:33 am
Mary: If thats all you can come up with, you sound as dump as the Portuguese police.
September 20th, 2007 at 5:47 am
So now not only are big PR guns and lawyer guns needed but calling the dogs out on people. Is that it Golden Retriever?
September 20th, 2007 at 5:42 am
Golden Retriever,
You say, You say, You’re a peice of %$#@. Keep it contained over there.
Is that a threat? I am unsure how to interpret?
September 20th, 2007 at 5:40 am
Golden Retriever,
You say, You’re a peice of %$#@. Keep it contained over there.
I ask over where?
September 20th, 2007 at 5:39 am
Golden Retriever,
Where are you talking about when you say this:
You’re a peice of %$#@. Keep it contained over there.
September 20th, 2007 at 5:36 am
You can go on if you want to. I don’t mind.
September 19th, 2007 at 11:26 pm
12 - That’s what you call NICE?? You need to get out more often Patricia
Unless you’re on the same drugs as Teddy Boy. Hallucenigenics. Of course his excuse is that he has about 7 alter egos - and steals lines from American posters too. Then he’s off trashing the likes of them.. And he’s not funny I may add. Hey Ted, I’ll make youse a deal, youse keep your hairy arse over on your turf, and don’t be comin around our door no more for “salmonella” (check the spelling while you’re at it) in DC restaurants. I guess you didn’t get the hint after the first round of “salmonella poisoning”…LOL - so let me make it loud and clear - “we ain’t interested in your anti american rhetoric” So Keep it on Anorak, he encourages your type to post here - calls it “satire”? Now, that’s funny!! I call it xenophobic.
Here’s what is funny though: you and your alter egos run out of material and have no problem borrowing from us - yesterday, it was Abe Lincoln, today I see it’s others lines. You’re a peice of %$#@. Keep it contained over there.
Oh, when you go on vacation next week, do you take all your alter egos with you? Or leave some of them back under the rock you crawled out from underneath? Just wondering…
Wonder what Miss Marple is up to? Or Ian? Or noonethere…..need I go on??!!
September 19th, 2007 at 10:59 pm
I havent a clue anymore if the Mccanns are guilty or not but everytine someone uses the word “ludicrous”, “laughable”, “insane” or “ridiculous” about the suspicion against them I become more convinced that they are!
September 19th, 2007 at 3:02 pm
There is a perception that because a story happens to be in the public eye that this somehow means that stories in TV programs need to be altered or cancelled to avoid ‘upsetting the parents’. I can only assume that this is why, since no-one else can claim to be closely enough involved to be affected by what happens in a TV story.
It therefore follows that the producers of these shows believe that parents of children in similar circumstances who do not have the benefit of this much publicity would not be upset by these stories. It seems to me that they believe that the only people who are important are those in the public eye.
September 19th, 2007 at 2:56 pm
oh I hope they don’t pull Torn - I was going to watch that!
September 19th, 2007 at 12:56 pm
After visiting the forum I can tell the British people are nice. Regardless, after watching Clarence Mitchell and the PR manipulations I will worry from now on when the British government asks for assistance. YES. So, one cute girl Madeleine has been like a preview of the big picture? The big picture is watch just how low the UK PR will go. Hopefully many people have been keeping an eye on all of this.
September 19th, 2007 at 12:32 pm
My question is how far back was there a strong indication of a death theory involving Madeleine?
How many people had privacy invasion as a result of Madeleine missing and how many could have possible had Madeleine or anything to do with her disappearance?
Wow, to investigate people in a country other than the UK, would the UK need approval? For example, if it was in some absurd way thought someone across the pond could have Madeleine would the US need to approve an investigation? Wow, The question is an attempt to evaluate phone, computer privacy. Does anyone have a clue anymore? I ask as a result of reading articles early on about the investigation.
September 19th, 2007 at 12:28 pm
yep I couldnt have said it better, the odd shopping trolley too - no wheels of course
can you believe it, I got sent back cos I couldnt add 5 + 9 ha ha put 13
September 19th, 2007 at 12:25 pm
Stray dogs and lorry drivers?
September 19th, 2007 at 12:24 pm
I agree Ben, its a bit like the M1 over there
September 19th, 2007 at 12:20 pm
hey you guys dont mind me being on here,
there is a load of suffregettes on the other forum.
its bedlam
September 19th, 2007 at 12:12 pm
dont give the mccanns ideas, they will be hosting there own big brother just now, no no
September 19th, 2007 at 11:56 am
the highest so far.
September 19th, 2007 at 11:14 am
Clarence who packed his job in instantly after being asked to work as the mccanns spokesman said this,
Mr Mitchell, who spent a month with the couple in Portugal after Madeleine went missing on May 3, said: “Sometimes I was with them for up to 14 hours a day. During that time I never saw or heard anything that gave me cause for concern.
Thats some holiday you had there Clarence from your previous job.
You must have hated all that time off.
September 19th, 2007 at 10:58 am
turd
September 19th, 2007 at 10:54 am
2nd -
September 19th, 2007 at 10:39 am
Gotta do it…. 1st