"One of the most shocking and controversial unexplained stories of the last 20 years."
In the early hours of 31 March, 2001, a phone call was made to Essex emergency services to report that Stuart Lubbock’s body had been found in the swimming pool at the home of Michael Barrymore.
At the time, Barrymore was one of the most popular entertainers in Britain.
When paramedics arrived, Lubbock’s body was found by the side of Barrymore’s swimming pool.
Every detail of the story was scrutinised by the media but 19 years later, the death remains unexplained.
In Channel 4's new documentary, viewers will be shown the full story, with contributions from Lubbock’s family, detectives, forensic pathologists and eyewitnesses.
The 90-minute documentary aims to explore what happened that night at Barrymore's home and the events that followed the high-profile and unexplained death.
The documentary will feature never-before-seen material from inside the unsolved case. Interviews were conducted with Lubbock's family, detectives, forensic pathologists and eyewitnesses in a bid to explore what happened that night at Barrymore’s home.
The documentary will also examine the intrusive tabloid culture, the public's relationship to celebrity and their attitudes to homosexuality.
Terry Lubbock, Stuart’s father, said: "This documentary is about the questions around what happened to my son Stuart Lubbock. Finally. The story has become so distorted and confused over the years. So much has been said and written. It's time to put all the facts together in one place."
Channel 4 commissioning editor Alisa Pomeroy said: “This film is a reflective piece that tells the story of an unexplained tragedy that unfolded in the glare of an unforgiving media. It sheds light on the complex relationship between celebrity, the criminal justice system and an all-powerful tabloid press in the early noughties, but most of all, it’s the deeply moving story of the Lubbock family’s continuing quest for answers and justice, nearly 20 years on."
After being privy to an advanced screening of the documentary, the
BBC has reported that "crime scene mistakes" were made in the investigation, evidence was hidden and that "someone that was there knows what happened".
Barrymore: The Body in the Pool airs on Channel 4 at 9pm on 6 February.
Main image via Channel 4
