Steve Coogan 'proud' of Richard III film as he agrees to pay 'substantial damages' in libel case

Steve Coogan says helium is "proud" of his movie astir the find of Richard III's remains aft helium and 2 accumulation companies agreed to wage "substantial damages" to a assemblage academic.

The Alan Partridge star, his steadfast Baby Cow, and Pathe Productions person settled a libel assertion implicit however Richard Taylor was portrayed successful the 2022 movie The Lost King aft helium sued them.

Coogan, who co-wrote the screenplay and besides starred successful the film, said The Lost King was "the communicative I wanted to tell, and I americium blessed I did" pursuing the colony successful the High Court connected Monday.

The movie tells of however Philippa Langley led the hunt for the king's skeleton.

The mislaid remains of the Plantagenet monarch, who ruled England betwixt June 1483 and August 1485, were discovered successful a Leicester car parkland successful August 2012, much than 500 years aft his death.

In June past year, Judge Jaron Lewis ruled that the movie portrayed Mr Taylor, who was lawman registrar astatine the University of Leicester astatine the clip of the discovery, arsenic "knowingly misrepresented facts [about the find] to the media and the public".

Mr Taylor was besides shown to beryllium "smug, unduly dismissive and patronising", which had a defamatory meaning, the justice said.

The lawsuit was owed to proceed to trial, but lawyers for Mr Taylor, who is present main operating serviceman astatine Loughborough University, told a proceeding astatine the High Court connected Monday that the parties had settled the claim.

Depiction caused superior harm - lawyer

His barrister, William Bennett KC, said Mr Taylor felt "the depiction of him successful this untrue mode successful the movie caused superior harm to his nonrecreational and idiosyncratic reputations and caused tremendous distress and embarrassment to him.

"The defendants person present settled Mr Taylor's assertion successful the libel against them for the work of the movie by paying him important damages.

"Furthermore, they person agreed to marque changes to the movie successful bid to retreat the allegations complained of and to wage him his ineligible costs."

The University of Leicester played a "crucial relation successful providing funds and world expertise" for the task to find the remains, with Mr Taylor the "key co-ordinator of the university's involvement", Mr Bennett said.

On-screen clarification to beryllium added to commencement of film

Coogan, and the accumulation companies were not represented and did not be but successful a associated connection pursuing the hearing, they said they were "incredibly arrogant of this movie and are pleased this substance has present been settled".

An on-screen clarification volition beryllium added to the commencement of the film, saying the portrayal of Mr Taylor successful the movie is "fictional and does not correspond the actions of the existent Mr Taylor", who "acted with integrity during the events portrayed".

In a abstracted statement, Coogan said Philippa Langley "instigated the hunt for Richard III. Philippa Langley insisted connected the excavation successful the bluish country of the societal services car parkland wherever the remains were found. Philippa Langley raised the bulk of the wealth for his exhumation.

"If it wasn't for Philippa Langley, Richard III would inactive beryllium lying nether a car parkland successful Leicester. It is her sanction that volition beryllium remembered successful narration to the find of the mislaid king, agelong aft Richard Taylor has faded into obscurity.

"The lone changes to the movie volition beryllium a beforehand card, which volition travel the existing card, which says that this movie is simply a existent story, Philippa Langley's story. That is the communicative I wanted to tell, and I americium blessed I did."

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Mr Taylor said that helium felt "cross" and "completely helpless" erstwhile the movie was released, but the result represented "success and vindication" aft "a agelong and gruelling battle".

He said: "There person been moments implicit the past 3 years erstwhile I thought, erstwhile Philippa Langley approached maine for the university's support, I possibly should person enactment the petition successful the bin, but I didn't, and I deliberation I was close not to bash that."