The creators of The Hunt for Raoul Moat have defended the drama against critics who have accused them of “making entertainment from tragedy”.
It’s fair to say, the ITV1 series has had its fair share of critics during its three-night run.
ITV announced the start of filming for the true crime drama starring Lee Ingleby back in April 2022 and, at that time, people were quick to question the sensitivity of the decision.
While many true crime fans welcomed the announcement, others weren’t so sure… They questioned why it was being made at all, suggesting it would “glorify” the serial killer.
Now the series has aired, outraged viewers have complained, accusing the series of “glamourising events”.
Writer Kevin Sampson – the man behind Anne – has subsequently defended the series, insisting the story aimed to focus on the victims, and not “fetishise” Raoul Moat.
Writer Kevin Sampson reacts to critics of The Hunt for Raoul Moat
Kevin Sampson, the writer of The Hunt for Raoul Moat, has insisted that the three-part ITV drama aimed to tell the “powerful and sensitive” story of the killer’s victims.
Talking to ED! ahead of the new drama’s release, he made the point that everyone has heard the name Raoul Moat, but few people knew the names of his victims – something Kevin hoped would change after the ITV drama.
Moat’s victims were ex-girlfriend Samantha Stobbart, her new partner Chris Brown, and police officer David Rathband. Raoul’s actions left Samantha hospitalised, while David remained in hospital for nearly three weeks and was permanently blinded. Chris tragically died.
David Rathband died by suicide on 29 February 2012, less than two years after the tragic events of July 2010.
Most people will remember the 2010 Northumbria Police manhunt, in which Roaul went on the run after committing his crimes.
Chris Brown has ‘been forgotten’
Kevin went on to say that Chris Brown’s family “felt that Chris had been forgotten” before the series aired.
He said: “So their stance was that they would like Chris to be honoured. They would like him to be remembered.”
Kevin also argued that some of the reaction to Raoul’s crimes “trivialised crimes against women”. The drama also set out to highlight “the malign nature of social media, who saw Raoul Moat as a hero“. Several wrongs that Kevin hoped to right in the new drama.
He added: “We didn’t consider fetishising a man on the run from the police.”
Meanwhile, producer Jake Lushingon explained: “Our aim is to shine a light on British history – the largest manhunt in British history. Most people don’t know who Chris Brown is. We are not exploiting the tragedy for cheap ratings; we have a responsibility to inform. We can shine a light in a way that documentaries can’t.”
Jake added: “We really wanted to tell the story through the eyes of the victims.”
In turn, Kevin revealed he made the decision to “spend the first 10 to 15 minutes getting to know Chris and Samantha”. He wanted to tell the story of two people coming together and starting to fall in love.
Were the families of Raoul Moat’s victims consulted?
Kevin Sampson told us that the families of Raoul Moat’s victims were consulted about the drama.
And Raoul Moat’s family were also told the drama was being made.
However, he made it clear that “it was never our intention to get into Raoul Moat’s point of view” and the focus was always going to be on the victims.
He said: “In terms of reaching out to his family, and asking for their perspective, we weren’t even considering fetishising a man on the run, who was giving the police the runaround.
“What we did do responsibly was to notify them and to invite any comments that they might have about our intentions.”
Producer Jake also explained: “Drama is cathartic. Obviously, we don’t want to just needlessly upset people, and throw it in their faces. But also, we think there’s a light that needs to be shined on this traumatic incident. So it’s tough when you won’t please everybody, but I think there is a strong case for it.”
However, several close family members have complained about the drama, including Samantha Stobbart’s sisters.
Read more: Raoul Moat’s long-lost father hits out at ‘distasteful’ ITV show amid concern for his grandchildren
