Steve Coogan’s British drama The Lost King will be ‘changed’ after a successful lawsuit, which highlighted the “defamatory” depiction of a university employee. The 2022 movie followed the real-life discovery of King Richard III’s missing remains, underneath a car park in Leicester.
Sally Hawkins played the role of historian Philippa Langley as she pioneered the relentless search in 2012, alongside archaeologists from the University of Leicester. Meanwhile, actor Lee Ingleby played Richard Taylor, the university’s deputy registrar at the time.
Unhappy with the way he was portrayed in the movie, Taylor sued writer Coogan, as well as production companies Baby Cow and Pathé. He claimed that The Lost King had made him appear “misogynistic” and “weasel-like”.
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In June, Judge Jaron Lewis ruled that the film portrayed Taylor as having “knowingly misrepresented facts to the media and the public” about the discovery. He added that the “smug, unduly dismissive and patronizing” depiction could constitute as defamation.
According the BBC, all parties have now reached a settlement agreement which will see Taylor awarded “substantial damages”. The case will no longer go to trial.
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In addition to the financial settlement, the defendants will add an on-screen clarification to the beginning of the movie in versions shown in England and Wales. However, there will be no edits or cuts made to the footage.
The card will read: “Whilst in this film there is a character called Richard Taylor who is shown to be an employee of the University of Leicester, the portrayal of him is fictional and does not represent the actions of the real Mr Taylor, who was employed by the University of Leicester as its deputy registrar, and acted with integrity during the events portrayed.”
Speaking to the BBC, Taylor said: “I’m really pleased that we have finally established that the film is a defamatory portrayal of me – baseless in its depiction of me and a distortion of the search for Richard III.
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“And I don’t let that detract from what was a fantastic piece of teamwork, a collaborative experience where university academics and amateurs came together to search for Richard III.
“But it’s fantastic now, that we have established in court that The Lost King is a misleading, defamatory, untrue portrayal of what happened in Leicester back in 2012.”
A joint statement from Pathé Productions, Baby Cow Productions and Steve Coogan added: “As 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.
“We remain incredibly proud of this film and are pleased this matter has now been settled. As part of the agreement, no material editorial changes will be made to the film beyond an onscreen clarification at the beginning of the film.”
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Divya is a freelance writer with experience in entertainment and lifestyle news. Described as a “telly addict” since childhood, Divya was able to translate her interests into a BJTC-accredited, Honours degree in Journalism and Media. After working in communications and marketing, Divya joined Digital Spy as a Freelance News Reporter. She has also written for various publications including Metro, Asian World News and TwitCelebGossip; as well as interviews, features and reviews on her own blog. Divya prides herself on her TV, film and showbiz knowledge, always offering (not so) fun facts to her long-suffering friends and family. From soaps to superheroes, Divya is the go-to person for tailored recommendations and up to date information. Â