{"id":108845,"date":"2025-10-28T18:11:08","date_gmt":"2025-10-28T18:11:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/108845\/"},"modified":"2025-10-28T18:11:08","modified_gmt":"2025-10-28T18:11:08","slug":"steve-coogan-says-richard-iii-film-was-story-i-wanted-to-tell-after-agreeing-to-pay-academic-substantial-damages-the-irish-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/108845\/","title":{"rendered":"Steve Coogan says Richard III film was \u2018story I wanted to tell\u2019 after agreeing to pay academic \u2018substantial damages\u2019 \u2013 The Irish Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

Steve Coogan<\/a> has said his film about the discovery of the remains of Richard III was \u201cthe story I wanted to tell, and I am happy I did\u201d after he and two production companies agreed to pay \u201csubstantial damages\u201d to settle British high court libel claim over the film\u2019s portrayal of a university academic.<\/p>\n

Richard Taylor, deputy registrar at the University of Leicester at the time of the find, sued Coogan, his production company Baby Cow, and Pathe Productions for libel over his portrayal in the 2022 film The Lost King, which follows the amateur historian Philippa Langley and her search for the king\u2019s skeleton.<\/p>\n

Taylor\u2019s lawyers had asserted previously that he was portrayed in the film as \u201cdevious\u201d, \u201cweasel-like\u201d and a \u201csuited bean-counter\u201d.<\/p>\n

A judge had ruled previously that the film portrayed Taylor as having \u201cknowingly misrepresented facts to the media and the public\u201d about the find, and as being \u201csmug, unduly dismissive and patronising\u201d, which had a defamatory meaning.<\/p>\n

The case was due to proceed to trial, but lawyers for Taylor read an agreed statement to the court on Monday saying the parties had settled the claim.<\/p>\n

William Bennett, KC for Taylor, told the court: \u201cMr Taylor contended that 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

As well as paying substantial damages, the defendants had also agreed to pay his legal costs, and make an on-screen clarification stating that the portrayal of Taylor was \u201cfictional and does not represent the actions of the real Mr Taylor\u201d, and that he \u201cacted with integrity during the events portrayed\u201d.<\/p>\n

After the hearing, Langley said on her website that she had intended to appear as a witness for the defendants at trial as she wanted a judge to \u201cindependently come to a decision in this matter\u201d, but was unable to do so due to ill health.<\/p>\n

\"RichardRichard Taylor, chief operating officer at Loughborough University, outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London after settling his libel claim against Steve Coogan and production companies Baby Cow and Pathe Productions. Photograph: Callum Parke\/PA <\/p>\n

Coogan said in a statement he would have \u201cpreferred\u201d for a judge to rule on the case, and it was \u201cunfortunate\u201d due to Langley\u2019s ill health they were unable to put evidence before the court, and that the film was \u201cPhilippa Langley\u2019s story\u201d.<\/p>\n

He said Langley had instigated the search for Richard III, insisted on the dig in the area of the car park where the remains were found and raised the majority of the money for his exhumation.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf it wasn\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat is the story I wanted to tell, and I am happy I did.\u201d<\/p>\n

Coogan, Baby Cow and Pathe were not represented in court and did not attend.<\/p>\n

In the film, Taylor, played by Lee Ingleby, is shown as antagonistic towards Langley, played by Sally Hawkins, who spearheads the dig and is sidelined by academics when they seek to take credit for the discovery. Langley\u2019s husband is played by Coogan, who co-wrote the script with Jeff Pope.<\/p>\n

In 2022, Taylor told the BBC: \u201cI\u2019m portrayed as kind of a bullying, cynical, double-crossing, devious manipulator, which is bad, but then when you add to that I behave in a sexist way and a way that seems to mock Richard III\u2019s disabilities, you start to get into the realm of defamation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bennett said in his statement to the court that Langley \u201ccaused the remains to be found by driving forward a project to search for them\u201d in the car park in Leicester City centre more than 500 years after the monarch\u2019s death. He said the University of Leicester had also played a \u201ccrucial role in providing funds and academic expertise\u201d for the project, with Taylor the \u201ckey coordinator of the university\u2019s involvement\u201d.<\/p>\n

Speaking outside court, Taylor, now chief operating officer at Loughborough University, said he had felt \u201ccross\u201d and \u201ccompletely helpless\u201d when the film was released. He said the outcome of his libel case represented \u201csuccess and vindication\u201d after \u201ca long and gruelling battle\u201d.<\/p>\n

Taylor said Langley\u2019s initiation of the project and \u201cdriving confidence\u201d had made it possible for Richard III to be found. He added: \u201cHers was a remarkable contribution. But it did not extend to leading the archaeological search or scientific analysis, for which she was neither qualified nor experienced.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere have been moments over the last three years when I thought, when Philippa Langley approached me for the university\u2019s support, I perhaps should have put the request in the bin, but I didn\u2019t, and I think I was right not to do that.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a fantastic piece of academic work involving volunteers, involving the Richard III Society, involving academics, from many, many universities, on an international scale. I think it\u2019s a truly remarkable discovery, a really strong piece of teamwork.\u201d<\/p>\n

[\u00a0Steve Coogan: \u2018I\u2019ve always wanted to tell an Irish story, to make a film about a nice priest\u2019Opens in new window<\/a>\u00a0]<\/p>\n

A joint statement from Coogan, Pathe and Baby Cow said: \u201cAs a distributor and producer recognised for bringing complex, real-life stories to audiences, we are deeply aware of the responsibility that comes with such portrayals and approach each project with care, integrity, and a commitment to authenticity.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe remain incredibly proud of this film and are pleased this matter has now been settled.\u201d \u2013 Guardian<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Steve Coogan has said his film about the discovery of the remains of Richard III was \u201cthe story…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":108846,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[93,61,60,66407,66406],"class_list":{"0":"post-108845","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-entertainment","8":"tag-entertainment","9":"tag-ie","10":"tag-ireland","11":"tag-richard-iii","12":"tag-richard-iii-film"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/108845","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=108845"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/108845\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/108846"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=108845"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=108845"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=108845"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}