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ITV admits to death scenes error ITV admits to death scenes error
(about 2 hours later)
ITV has admitted that an Alzheimer's patient who was shown apparently "passing away" in a documentary's final scenes actually died three days later. ITV has admitted that an Alzheimer's patient who will be shown apparently "passing away" in a documentary's final scenes actually died three days later.
Publicity for the ITV1 programme, to be shown on 8 August, claimed it showed the final moments of Malcolm Pointon, 66, a composer from Cambridgeshire. Publicity for the ITV1 programme, to be shown on 8 August, claimed it would show the final moments of composer Malcolm Pointon, 66, of Cambridgeshire.
ITV now says the footage was of Mr Pointon slipping into unconsciousness. ITV now says the footage was of him slipping into unconsciousness and the programme will include a clarification.
It said it had issued a correction after film maker Paul Watson alerted them, and an inquiry was under way. ITV chairman Michael Grade said he had ordered a "thorough" investigation.
'Moving scenes' 'Zero tolerance'
In a statement, ITV said it wanted to establish the sequence of events that had led to the error. Legal media specialist firm Olswang has been appointed to carry it out.
It said it had made the clarification about the footage a day after Mr Watson called with his concerns. Mr Grade said: "We need to discover why the film was originally understood to include the moment of death only for it to be established, after the intervention of Malcolm Pointon's brother Graham earlier this week, that he died some days after the last scene in the film.
"This is a very serious matter. I am on record as taking a zero tolerance approach to deliberate deceit in television programmes.
"I intend to establish the facts in this case as quickly as possible. I will publish the conclusions of the report and then take effective action as necessary."
Earlier, in a statement, ITV said it said it had made the clarification about the footage a day after film maker Paul Watson had alerted them to his concerns.
In moving scenes, Malcolm is surrounded by his family and Barbara strokes his head as he passes away ITV publicity materialIn moving scenes, Malcolm is surrounded by his family and Barbara strokes his head as he passes away ITV publicity material
The statement continued: "When ITV did establish, later that day, that the death was indeed some days after the end of the film, we immediately agreed with Paul that a clarification needed to be made.
"ITV issued a statement the following morning."
Mr Pointon never regained consciousness after being filmed in ITV1's Malcolm and Barbara: Love's Farewell.Mr Pointon never regained consciousness after being filmed in ITV1's Malcolm and Barbara: Love's Farewell.
The publicity material, released to the media, said: "The film ends when [Mr Pointon's wife] Barbara calls Paul to ask him to come as Malcolm is about to die.The publicity material, released to the media, said: "The film ends when [Mr Pointon's wife] Barbara calls Paul to ask him to come as Malcolm is about to die.
"In moving scenes, Malcolm is surrounded by his family and Barbara strokes his head as he passes away.""In moving scenes, Malcolm is surrounded by his family and Barbara strokes his head as he passes away."
Intimate accessIntimate access
Mr Watson denied trying to mislead viewers with the documentary - a sequel to his award-winning Malcolm And Barbara: A Love Story, which chronicled Mr Pointon's early battle against the illness.Mr Watson denied trying to mislead viewers with the documentary - a sequel to his award-winning Malcolm And Barbara: A Love Story, which chronicled Mr Pointon's early battle against the illness.
Instead, he blamed the mistake on the material used for publicity.Instead, he blamed the mistake on the material used for publicity.
"Why would I want to fake a death when I've had access to every intimacy imaginable through that film?" he said."Why would I want to fake a death when I've had access to every intimacy imaginable through that film?" he said.
"My crime is that I did not compile that press statement and that I did not read it sufficiently clearly, if indeed I did see it properly and I'm sure I didn't.""My crime is that I did not compile that press statement and that I did not read it sufficiently clearly, if indeed I did see it properly and I'm sure I didn't."
Does it really matter whether it [his death] was two minutes, two days, two weeks after? Malcolm Pointon's widow, BarbaraDoes it really matter whether it [his death] was two minutes, two days, two weeks after? Malcolm Pointon's widow, Barbara
ITV director of television Simon Shaps said: "The film maker responsible, Paul Watson, has now confirmed that the film does not portray the moment of Malcolm's passing, which was in fact some days later. ITV director of television Simon Shaps said: "The film maker responsible... has now confirmed that the film does not portray the moment of Malcolm's passing, which was in fact some days later.
"This will be made clear at the end of the film on transmission and should have been made clear earlier.""This will be made clear at the end of the film on transmission and should have been made clear earlier."
But Mrs Pointon told BBC Radio Five Live the fact the film did not show the exact moment of her husband's death was not important.But Mrs Pointon told BBC Radio Five Live the fact the film did not show the exact moment of her husband's death was not important.
She said: "I want people to know that Paul filmed Malcolm's last semi-conscious moments, because after that... Malcolm slipped deeper and deeper into unconsciousness, into a coma, and he just faded away."She said: "I want people to know that Paul filmed Malcolm's last semi-conscious moments, because after that... Malcolm slipped deeper and deeper into unconsciousness, into a coma, and he just faded away."
She added: "Does it really matter whether it [his death] was two minutes, two days, two weeks after that point? It doesn't alter the fact Malcolm died of this illness.She added: "Does it really matter whether it [his death] was two minutes, two days, two weeks after that point? It doesn't alter the fact Malcolm died of this illness.
"And that's the message I wanted to get through, that Alzheimer's kills.""And that's the message I wanted to get through, that Alzheimer's kills."
'Important message''Important message'
The Alzheimer's Society said Mr and Mrs Pointon had made a "brave decision" to highlight the effects of the disease and it hoped the controversy surrounding the final scenes would not detract from the documentary's message.The Alzheimer's Society said Mr and Mrs Pointon had made a "brave decision" to highlight the effects of the disease and it hoped the controversy surrounding the final scenes would not detract from the documentary's message.
Director of external affairs, Andrew Ketteringham, said: "There is nothing fake about Malcolm's devastating decline."Director of external affairs, Andrew Ketteringham, said: "There is nothing fake about Malcolm's devastating decline."
ITV's admission comes after its chairman, Michael Grade, announced a zero-tolerance policy towards deception in programming. ITV's admission follows controversy over promotional footage for the BBC One documentary, A Year With The Queen, which the BBC promoted as showing the monarch storming out of a photo shoot, when in fact the scenes were out of sequence.
It also follows controversy over promotional footage for the BBC One documentary, A Year With The Queen, which the BBC promoted as showing the monarch storming out of a photo shoot, when in fact the scenes were out of sequence.
The BBC and film maker RDF Media later apologised and an inquiry is under way.The BBC and film maker RDF Media later apologised and an inquiry is under way.