Actor and press reform campaigner Steve Coogan and two production companies will pay “substantial damages” to a university academic to settle a High Court libel case over his portrayal in a film about the discovery of Richard III’s remains.
Richard Taylor, chief operating officer at Loughborough University, sued Coogan, his production company Baby Cow, and Pathe Productions for libel over his portrayal in The Lost King, which follows Philippa Langley and her search to find the king’s skeleton.
The lost remains of the Plantagenet king were found in a Leicester car park in 2012, more than 500 years after his death.
In June last year, Judge Jaron Lewis ruled that the 2022 film portrayed Taylor, who was deputy registrar at the University of Leicester at the time of the discovery, as having “knowingly misrepresented facts to the media and the public” about the find.
The judge also said the film portrayed Taylor as “smug, unduly dismissive and patronising”, which had a defamatory meaning.
Coogan starred in the film and was also join writer of the script.
Taylor told the Daily Mail that his portrayal in the film was “monstrous” and the film – which portrayed itself as a true story was “nonsense”.
He said the film “Created an impression of a male-dominated and misogynistic university intent on minimising Philippa Langley’s achievements, something we never did – we co-operated at every step and I had a good relationship with her.
“But in order to make that narrative work, all the brilliant female academics who took part in the project are airbrushed out.”
Coogan himself said yesterday: “That is the story I wanted to tell, and I am happy I did.”
Coogan has been a prominent support of the campaign group Hacked Off as a victim of press intrusion who received damages from the News of the World over phone-hacking.
Hacked Off, which was founded in 2011, has campaigned for better media accountability and redress for the victims of distorted and intrusive press coverage.
Coogan film caused “enormous distress”
The case was due to proceed to trial, but lawyers for Mr Taylor told a hearing on Monday that the parties had settled the claim.
Reading out a statement in court, William Bennett KC, for Taylor, said: “Mr 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.
“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.”
Concluding the hearing, Mrs Justice Collins Rice said: “These were momentous historical events and finding yourself represented in a feature film about them must be an unsettling experience, even in the best of circumstances.
“I hope that this very clear statement and the settlement… will help Mr Taylor put this particular experience behind him.
“It is much to the credit of both parties and their legal teams that the huge expense, stress and delay of a trial have been avoided in this case.”
Bennett said in the statement that Ms Langley “caused the remains to be found by driving forward a project to search for them” in the car park in Leicester city centre.
He continued that the University of Leicester played a “crucial role in providing funds and academic expertise” for the project, with Mr Taylor the “key co-ordinator of the university’s involvement”.
Coogan production company commited to “authenticity”
Coogan, Baby Cow and Pathe were not represented and did not attend.
In a joint statement following the hearing, they said: “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.”
The statement continued that the on-screen clarification would follow an existing card, which says: “Based on a true story. Her story.”
The clarification will state that the portrayal of Mr Taylor in the film is “fictional and does not represent the actions of the real Mr Taylor”, and will say that he “acted with integrity during the events portrayed”.
Taylor said following the hearing that the outcome represented “success and vindication” after “a long and gruelling battle”.
Speaking to the PA news agency, he said that he felt “cross” and “completely helpless” when the film was released.
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.
“It 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’s a truly remarkable discovery, a really strong piece of teamwork.”
Following the settlement, Daniel Jennings, defamation partner at law firm Shakespeare Martineau, who represented Mr Taylor, said the case was a “defamation David and Goliath moment” and that the portrayal was “damaging, harmful and untrue”.
He said: “Individuals often feel unable to speak up against large corporations and well-known personalities, but this win demonstrates that there is recourse when wrongs have been committed.”
He continued: “It’s been a long battle for Mr Taylor, which has ended successfully; however, it’s hard to ignore the fact that the shine has been taken off what should have been a moment of celebration for one of the country’s greatest archaeological discoveries.”
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