Steve Coogan ‘proud’ of Richard III film as he agrees to pay ‘substantial damages’ in libel case
Steve Coogan says he is “proud” of his film about the discovery of Richard III’s remains after he and two production companies agreed to pay “substantial damages” to a university academic.
The Alan Partridge star, his firm Baby Cow, and Pathe Productions have settled a libel claim over how Richard Taylor was portrayed in the 2022 movie The Lost King after he sued them.
Coogan, who co-wrote the screenplay and also starred in the film, said The Lost King was “the story I wanted to tell, and I am happy I did” following the settlement in the High Court on Monday.
The movie tells of how Philippa Langley led the search for the king’s skeleton.
Richard Taylor outside the High Court. Pic: PA
The lost remains of the Plantagenet monarch, who ruled England between June 1483 and August 1485, were discovered in a Leicester car park in August 2012, more than 500 years after his death.
In June last year, Judge Jaron Lewis ruled that the film portrayed Mr Taylor, who was deputy registrar at the University of Leicester at the time of the discovery, as “knowingly misrepresented facts [about the find] to the media and the public”.
Mr Taylor was also shown to be “smug, unduly dismissive and patronising”, which had a defamatory meaning, the judge said.
The case was due to proceed to trial, but lawyers for Mr Taylor, who is now chief operating officer at Loughborough University, told a hearing at the High Court on Monday that the parties had settled the claim.
Richard III reigned from 1483 to 1485. Pic: PA
Depiction caused serious harm – lawyer
His barrister, William Bennett KC, said Mr Taylor felt “the depiction of him in this untrue way in the film caused serious harm to his professional and personal reputations and caused enormous distress and embarrassment to him”.
“The defendants have now settled Mr Taylor’s claim in the libel against them for the publication of the film by paying him substantial damages.
“Furthermore, they have agreed to make changes to the film in order to withdraw the allegations complained of and to pay him his legal costs.”
The University of Leicester played a “crucial role in providing funds and academic expertise” for the project to find the remains, with Mr Taylor the “key co-ordinator of the university’s involvement”, Mr Bennett said.
A statue of Richard III outside Leicester Cathedral. Pic: Shropshire Matt/PA
On-screen clarification to be added to start of film
Coogan, and the production companies were not represented and did not attend but in a joint statement following the hearing, they said they were “incredibly proud of this film and are pleased this matter has now been settled”.
An on-screen clarification will be added to the start of the film, saying the portrayal of Mr Taylor in the film is “fictional and does not represent the actions of the real Mr Taylor”, who “acted with integrity during the events portrayed”.
In a separate statement, Coogan said Philippa Langley “instigated the search for Richard III. Philippa Langley insisted on the dig in the northern area of the social services car park where the remains were found. Philippa Langley raised the majority of the money for his exhumation”.
“If it wasn’t for Philippa Langley, Richard III would still be lying under a car park in Leicester. It is her name that will be remembered in relation to the discovery of the lost king, long after Richard Taylor has faded into obscurity.
“The only changes to the film will be a front card, which will follow the existing card, which says that this film is a true story, Philippa Langley’s story. That is the story I wanted to tell, and I am happy I did.”
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Mr Taylor said that he felt “cross” and “completely helpless” when the film was released, but the outcome represented “success and vindication” after “a long and gruelling battle”.
He said: “There have been moments over the last three years when I thought, when Philippa Langley approached me for the university’s support, I perhaps should have put the request in the bin, but I didn’t, and I think I was right not to do that.”
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Dame Joanna Lumley warns of ‘crisis hidden in plain sight’ – with 1.5 million older people set to spend Christmas alone
Dame Joanna Lumley has warned of a “crisis hidden in plain sight”, with 1.5 million older people set to spend Christmas alone.
Age UK spoke to more than 2,600 people and found 11% will eat dinner alone on 25 December, while 5% will not see or speak to anyone the whole day.
Applied to the overall population, the findings suggest 1.5 million people will eat alone at Christmas, according to the charity.
Dame Joanna said the “silence can be deafening” for those left isolated and called it “a crisis hidden in plain sight”.
The actor and campaigner is now joining other luminaries including Dame Judi Dench, Brian Cox and Miriam Margolyes to back Age UK’s campaign against loneliness.
The charity says its volunteers made more than 70,000 minutes’ worth of calls to people during Christmas week last year and is urging people to donate.
‘A tragedy we don’t talk about enough’
Age UK said it also supports coffee mornings and festive lunches to give lonely people the chance to enjoy in-person interaction.
Dame Judi said: “For so many older people, Christmas can be a time of silence – days without conversation or company.”
Succession star Brian Cox called the issue “a tragedy we don’t talk about enough”.
He said: “Far too many older people are left spending the season in silence, when it should be a time of warmth, connection and joy.”
Brian Cox is another of the campaign’s high-profile backers. Pic: PA
Margolyes, of Harry Potter fame, added: “Growing older shouldn’t mean disappearing into the background, we need to be seen, heard and celebrated.
“That’s what Age UK is striving for – they’re changing how we perceive age.”
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The charity’s chief executive, Paul Farmer, said: “Your donation could bring comfort, friendship, and care to an older person facing loneliness this winter.
“From friendly, weekly calls to local lunch clubs, we’re here to make sure no one spends winter alone. But we can’t do it without you.”
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