Michael Ciaran Parker (born 4 May 1952) is an English comedian better known by his stage name Michael Barrymore. His rather lanky appearance and madcap, hyperactive personality made him one of the most popular presenters of game shows and light entertainment programmes on British television.

With his then wife Cheryl as manager and the mastermind behind Barrymore's meteoric rise, he firstly won a 1979 edition of New Faces, and then became a regular panellist on Blankety Blank and the warm-up man for Larry Grayson on the Generation Game.^[1].

From there Barrymore rose to fame presenting ITV1 entertainment show Strike It Lucky from 1986, followed by Kids Say the Funniest Things and My Kind of Music. Barrymore was voted the UK's favourite TV star several times, and became one of the highest-paid stars on TV^[2].

Then in March 2001, the death of a partygoer Stuart Lubbock at his house in the village of Roydon tarnished his image. On 14 June 2007, Essex police arrested three men, including Barrymore, on suspicion of murder and serious sexual assault in the Paul Mulroy case, ^[3][4] but two days later Barrymore was released on police bail.
He answered bail on 10 September at a police station in Harlow, Essex. Police were then granted a further 12 hours to question him.^[5] He was later officially released without charge due to lack of evidence of him being involved directly in Mr Lubbocks death.

Coming out

At the height of his popularity, Barrymore suffered increasing alcohol problems. Barrymore claims he wanted to seek help, but that Cheryl continually told him: "No, you’re not (alcoholic). Don’t be stupid."^[6]

In mid-1995, Barrymore went to a pub The White Swan in London's East End, where he serenaded a startled crowd of muscled young skinheads with the words: "Start spreading the news, I'm gay today". Within 48 hours, every tabloid newspaper had printed its own version of the evening's events, including an untrue claim that the star had thrown away his wedding ring^[7].

In November 1995, Barrymore attended the National Television Awards, where clearly drunk he made a rambling, incoherent speech. At an after-show party on a live late night radio show, he publicly declared he was gay and "no longer wanted to live a lie", following which he split with Cheryl. Cheryl later claimed that Barrymore took the step and did not tell her because of his talks with Princess Diana.^[8]

Divorce

After several aborted reunions, Cheryl and Michael divorced in 1997 and Cheryl went on to publish the autobiography^[9] Catch a Falling Star which contained details of their acrimonious split. The couple subsequently had no contact, and Cheryl at her request ceased to be Barrymore's agent or manager.

Barrymore later suggested in his 2006 autobiography Awight Now: Setting the Record Straight that Cheryl was a control freak who controlled his every movement including his clothes,^[10] and she had created the character that was "Michael Barrymore", which also resultantly drove him to alcohol, drugs and gay affairs.^[11]

On 1 April 2005, Cheryl Barrymore died suddenly at the age of 55 at St John and St Elizabeth Hospital in St John's Wood, having been diagnosed with lung cancer just six weeks earlier. Shortly before her death she asked that details of her condition be kept secret from her former husband, and also left instructions that he should not be invited to attend her funeral.^[12]

Death of Stuart Lubbock

In the early hours of 31 March 2001, meat inspector Stuart Lubbock died after three witnesses, including Barrymore himself, claimed to have found him motionless in Barrymore's swimming pool. All charges were dropped when it later came to court, though witnesses could not agree on whether he was found floating on top of the pool or at the bottom of it. He had sustained severe anal injuries.^[13] However, the cause of death was found to be drowning.

Many tabloid newspapers accused Barrymore of holding drug-fuelled gay orgies in his home and asserted that he must have had some responsibility for the death. It was claimed that Barrymore had been seen at the party forcing cocaine onto Lubbock's gums,^[14] an allegation Barrymore denied.

Barrymore subsequently received a police caution for possession and use of cannabis, but no other charges were laid against him or anyone else in connection with the death, although two 'party-goers', unemployed Justin Merritt and drag queen Jonathan Kenney were arrested on suspicion of murder on 6 June 2001. The inquest that took place in September 2002 reached an open verdict.

In light of the verdict, and the fact that she was approached by a friend of the Lubbock family, Cheryl Barrymore decided to provide the Lubbock family lawyer with both a sworn affidavit and subsequent court testimony that her ex-husband had lied under oath, and could in actual fact swim. She also alleged the entertainer had rubbed cocaine on to the gums of other people as well as himself.^[15]

In November 2002 Barrymore's lawyers successfully demanded that Essex Police reinvestigate matters surrounding Lubbock's death. Their focus was on Barrymore's claims that the injuries inflicted upon Lubbock's body could have occurred while, allegedly, laying unguarded in the mortuary. He claimed it could be a case of necrophilia. After an investigation lasting over a year, Essex Police ruled that there was no evidence whatsoever to support Barrymore's claims, which were widely regarded as outrageous.

On Barrymore's high-profile return to the UK in January 2006 to take part in Celebrity Big Brother, Essex lawyer and local activist Anthony Bennett initiated a private prosecution, comprising six charges regarding Barrymore's alleged misuse of drink and drugs on the night of the younger Lubbock's death. The action, which commenced in Epping Magistrates Court on 16 January 2006, prompted Stuart's father Terry Lubbock to contact Mr Bennett and they teamed up to form The Lubbock Trust ^[16]

The hearing of Mr Bennett's summons was adjourned until after 10 February 2006, to give Barrymore time to form a response.

On 28 January 2006, Barrymore met Terry Lubbock in person for the first time at a London hotel where they spent over an hour together. It was widely reported in the UK media that both men ended the meeting on good terms with Lubbock senior stating: "I don't hold you responsible for Stuart's death, I never have. I don't believe you had anything to do with what happened to him". The Sun newspaper arranged the meeting and on 30 January 2006 ran 5 pages of articles on the meeting, including a suggestion that key medical evidence had not been presented in the original inquiry into Stuart Lubbock's death - and that new statements from medical experts backed up claims Barrymore had made about events at the time. A year later 29 January 2007, however, The Sun ran a poll on whether Barrymore should resume his TV career, in which 13,000 readers responded 'No', to only 5,000 who said 'Yes'. The Sun ran a leader on the back of the poll describing Barrymore as "a pathetic and discredited liability".

At their private meeting, Barrymore and Terry Lubbock were reported to have agreed to jointly demand the death of Stuart Lubbock be reinvestigated. Despite these reports, Barrymore, in a letter to Terry Lubbock insisted he would only be prepared to co-operate if the police investigations were confined to proving that Stuart Lubbock's injuries happened after he was taken from his home in an ambulance.

On 10 February 2006, a District Judge at Southend Magistrates' Court blocked the private prosecution against Barrymore on the grounds of insufficient evidence being available for the case to continue.

On 30 March 2006, Terry Lubbock spoke to the James Whale Radio Show on TalkSPORT where he insisted that Barrymore must at least acknowledge that the injuries sustained by his son might have occurred at Barrymore's house. Terry Lubbock reiterated his belief that his son was assaulted on Barrymore's property, though he did not cite Barrymore as a perpetrator. On October 2 2006, Terry Lubbock accused Barrymore of being a liar during an appearance at a branch of Waterstones in Oxford Street, according to The Sun^[17].

In an interview with Piers Morgan in the December 2006 edition of GQ magazine, Barrymore claimed there were other witnesses to the events who were hiding information.

On 2 December 2006 police announced they were re-opening the investigation into Stuart Lubbock's death. The re-investgation followed a lengthy dossier submitted by Terry Lubbock's then lawyer Anthony Bennett cataloguing a series of alleged failures by Essex Police in the original investigation and claiming that there had been an elaborate cover-up of the true circumstances of Stuart's death. ^{[18] [19]}

On 22 December, 2006, following a successful complaint to the Press Complaints Commission by Terry Lubbock's former Solicitor Anthony Bennett, The Sun published the following letter from Terry Lubbock replying to The Sun's 5-page feature on Michael Barrymore earlier in the year which featured Terry's meeting with Barrymore:

Dear Sun, In January you published an article claiming I'd 'forgiven' Michael Barrymore for any involvement in my son Stuart's death. In fact, I've never accused him of the attack which four pathologists, the coroner and the police all say happened. Your article didn't reveal the continuing dispute between us - discussed at our meeting - as to where the assault happened. You reported that Stuart could have been assaulted after his body was removed from Mr Barrymore's home, although an investigation by Essex Police in 2003 proved Stuart's injuries happened at Mr Barrymore's house. Essex Police have now agreed to re-open the investigation. Analysis of the case casts doubt over whether Stuart's body was ever in the swimming pool, and suggests evidence of a cover-up of how Stuart died. Moreover, it shows Essex Police bungled the £8million investigation into his death. I've now asked the Independent Police Complaints Commission to recommend an outside police force carry out the re-investigation. I still want Mr Barrymore to tell police the whole truth about the night Stuart died. Yours sincerely, Terry Lubbock, Harlow, Essex.

On 1 March 2007, the Independent Police Complaints Commission, following a complaint lodged the previous [December] by Terry Lubbock's former Solicitor Anthony Bennett announced an investigation into aspects of the police inquiry into Mr Lubbock's death after receiving complaints from the Lubbock family. It was reported that complaints surrounded information Essex Police gave to a coroner and pathologist after Mr Lubbock's death. In [May] the I.P.C.C. agreed with Mr Bennett a schedule of no fewer than 38 separate complaints relating to the original investigation into the death of Stuart Lubbock^{[20] [21] [22]}

On 14 June 2007, Essex police arrested three men, including Barrymore, on suspicion of murder and serious sexual assault in the Lubbock case. The two other men arrested were Jonathan Kenney, Barrymore's lover and partner at the time of Stuart Lubbock's death, and Justin Merritt, an unemployed former dustman at the time. The three men were held for questioning at South Woodham Ferrers Police Station, Essex. ^{[23] [24][25]} This followed reports in The Harlow Herald that police had seized tapes from the home of Barrymore's literary agent Tony Cowell allegedly containing conversations between Tony Cowell and Barrymore.^[26] On 15 June 2007, Police were given permission to question Barrymore and one other man for a further 12 hours. Barrymore's solicitor Henri Brandman also confirmed his client was one of the men arrested.^[27]

Later that day Barrymore was released on police bail pending further enquiries.^[28] His solicitor stated that Barrymore "categorically denied" the allegations made and had not been charged with any offence.^[29]

On 13 July 2007 Terry Lubbock announced he was parting company from Anthony Bennett, the lawyer who had acted for him over the past 18 months, amidst claims that The Lubbock Trust website was 'homophobic' and following the commencement of an Essex Police investigation into alleged 'hate crime' on the site, believed to have been prompted by a malicious complaint. ^{[30] [31] [32] [33] [34] [35]} The police quickly acknowledged there was no 'hate crime' on The Lubbock Trust website ^{[36] [37]}.

On the same day 13 July 2007, Terry Lubbock and Anthony Bennett launched their book on the Stuart Lubbock case: NOT AWIGHT: Getting Away With Murder. ^{[38] [39]}

21 July 2007 Terry Lubbock calls for a Public Inquiry into the death of his son Stuart Lubbock (Unreported. Source: Terry Lubbock Harlow).

On 31 July 2007 it was announced that Michael Barrymore had been re-bailed to appear at an Essex Police Station on Monday 10 September.^[40] He answered bail on 10 September at a police station in Harlow, Essex. Police were then granted a further 12 hours to question him.^[41]

On 10 September 2007 Barrymore was told that he would not face charges for the events that occurred. ^[42]

Career revival

The Lubbock incident severely damaged Barrymore's image as a 'wholesome' family entertainer. Following the revelations of Lubbock's death, ITV swiftly terminated his contract and his UK TV career subsequently collapsed. A new series of Kids Say the Funniest Things recorded prior to the scandal was pulled from the ITV schedule and never broadcast. It has also been reported that the BBC cancelled publication of Barrymore's life story^[43].

In September 2003, Barrymore staged a one-man show at London's Wyndham's Theatre, which closed after a few days due to scathing critical notices. He subsequently emigrated to New Zealand to live with his partner, Shaun Davis. In May 2004, he filed for bankruptcy, having also been made bankrupt in 1977, as a result of unpaid tax debts. He has since tried to rebuild his career with live stage shows in New Zealand and Australia with moderate success. In 2005, he appeared in the stage musical, Chicago, in Napier, New Zealand.

Celebrity Big Brother

In December 2005, it was announced that Barrymore was being paid £150,000 by Channel 4 to take part in the British version of Celebrity Big Brother commencing January 5, 2006. On his entry into the house, Barrymore received a generally positive reception from the crowd which brought him to tears.

Barrymore initially showed signs of strain in the Big Brother house, particularly during the first few days. His time in the house will particularly be remembered for his visibly strong dislike of model Jodie Marsh,^[44] and his difficult relationship with housemate George Galloway, which culminated in a 20 minute slanging match between the two men that became one of the defining moments of the series. The public clearly took to Barrymore, and on January 27 2006, he finished runner-up to fake celebrity Chantelle Houghton. Barrymore was visibly moved by the public support he had received when interviewed by Davina McCall after the show.

After Big Brother

Remaining in the UK, Barrymore was booked to be the guest host on Channel 4's The Friday Night Project for the edition broadcast on February 3, 2006. Emerging from backstage to greet the audience, he was clearly moved by an undeniably enthusiastic and positive response. As a consequence, he even had trouble with his pre-scripted lines until well into the show's first half ^[45].

On 11 October 2006, Barrymore appeared on ITV1's The Sharon Osbourne Show, where Sharon's dog bit Michael on the hand. On the same day he appeared on BBC Radio Manchester's gay programme in conversation with Ashley Byrne (excerpts of which can be heard at www.canal-street.co.uk).

It was announced that for Christmas 2006, Barrymore would play the title role in Bill Kenwright's new production of Scrooge - The Musical"^[46] The combination of the controversy attached to Barrymore's name and the family nature of the show attracted much criticism of the producers and of Barrymore himself. Barrymore performed the lead role at the Empire Theatre, Sunderland, but the production's scheduled transfer to the West End was cancelled.

After Barrymore had completed his role in Scrooge - The Musical, he returned to New Zealand with his on-and-off partner since 1997, Shaun Davis. But the relationship soon turned sour, and by March 2007, Shaun Davis had split with him - not for the first time. The Sun reported on 9 April 2007 that "Michael Barrymore got dumped by his boyfriend after becoming obsessed with being a star again. Shaun Davis, 31, hated the way Barrymore, 54, was behaving like 'the big I am', said friends. A pal said: "Michael wanted back his showbiz career. Shaun, who is a quiet person, felt his ego was getting out of control. It is very sad". [The Sun'', 9 April 2007].

Caroline Aherne has written a pilot quiz show for Barrymore, called Bolero, which will be filmed in June or July 2007.^[47]

On 21 July 2007, the Daily Mirror reported that Barrymore, a few days earlier, had had to be restrained in a gay club called The Fire in Vauxhall, South London, after he was seen trying to force an Ecstasy tablet down the mouth of a young 17-year-old gay man who had only recently 'come out'. Barrymore was described as 'like a man possessed'. Earlier in the evening it was claimed that Barrymore and his partner had been thrown out of another gay club, Heaven, and refused admittance at another, in Soho. The Daily Mirror's informants were 25-year-old social worker Gavin Topley and a friend of his.^[48]

In popular culture

In February 2007, Mad O'Rourke's Pie Factory pub in Tipton, West Midlands, England, attracted media controversy with a new pie called the Barrymore Pie, which ridiculed Stuart Lubbock's death. [4]

TV credits

• Now Who Do You Do? (1976)
• Seaside Special (1977)
• Cabaret Showtime (1978)
• Starburst (1981)
• Russ Abbot's Saturday Madhouse (1981)
• The Michael Barrymore Show (1983)
• Get Set Go (1984)
• Strike It Lucky (1986) (Name changed to Strike It Rich from 1996 to 1999 series)
• Saturday Night Out (1988)
• Mick And Mac (1990)
• Barrymore (1992)
• Twilight (1993)
• My Kind Of People (1995)
• Richard Reeves' Mung Bean Salad Show (1997)
• My Kind Of Music (1998)
• Kids Say The Funniest Things (1998)
• Animals Do The Funniest Things (1999)
• Barrymore On Broadway (2000)
• My Favourite Hymns At Christmas (2000)
• Bob Martin (2001)
• GMTV (2002)
• The Salon (2003)
• The Late Late Show (2003)
• Celebrity Big Brother (2006)
• The Friday Night Project (2006)
• The Bigger Picture with Graham Norton (2006)
• This Morning (2006)
• The Wright Stuff (2006)
• The Sharon Osbourne Show (2006)
• Offside (2006)
• Strike It Lucky - Interactive DVD (2006) - produced by FremantleMedia

References

• The New Zealand Herald Barrymore not to blame for son's death, said father [5]
• Simpson, Mark (March 2, 2003). "Tears Of A Clown (interview, uncut version)". Independent On Sunday.
• "Barrymore quits comeback show". BBC News. September 19, 2003.
• Tendler, Stewart (January 16, 2006). "Barrymore death pathologist to stop working for police". The Times.
• "Solicitors bid to delay Barrymore prosecution". ITN. January 23, 2006.
• Haywood, Lynsey (October 3, 2006). "'Liar' rage at comic Michael". The Sun.

External links

• Fan Website
• Michael Barrymore at IMDb