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An academic is set to receive “substantial damages” following a court’s determination that his depiction in “The Lost King,” a Steve Coogan film about the discovery of Richard III’s remains, was defamatory.
Richard Taylor initiated legal action against comedian Steve Coogan, who co-wrote “The Lost King,” along with the production companies Baby Cow and Pathe Productions.
On Monday, it was announced that Mr. Taylor and the defendants had reached a settlement regarding the claim, which stemmed from Mr. Taylor’s dissatisfaction with his portrayal in the film.
Following the settlement, Coogan stated that “The Lost King,” which chronicles the search for the Plantagenet monarch beneath a Leicester parking lot in 2012, “was the story I wanted to tell, and I am happy I did.”
Under the terms of the settlement, the film will now include an introductory disclaimer, and the contested defamatory statements will not be reiterated.
Mr. Taylor’s High Court action alleged that the film depicted him in a “misogynistic” and “weasel-like” manner.
Speaking to the BBC outside the Royal Courts of Justice on Monday, Mr. Taylor stated: “I’m really pleased that we have finally established that the film is a defamatory portrayal of me – baseless in its depiction of me and a distortion of the search for Richard III.”
“And I don’t let that detract from what was a fantastic piece of teamwork, a collaborative experience where university academics and amateurs came together to search for Richard III.”
“But it’s fantastic now, that we have established in court that The Lost King is a misleading, defamatory, untrue portrayal of what happened in Leicester back in 2012.”
“The Lost King” centers on historian Philippa Langley’s role in the search, which involved archaeologists from the University of Leicester.
Mr. Taylor served as the deputy registrar of the University of Leicester at the time and was later portrayed in the film by actor Lee Ingleby.
In June 2024, Judge Jaron Lewis determined that the film depicted Mr. Taylor as having “knowingly misrepresented facts to the media and the public” regarding the discovery and as being “smug, unduly dismissive and patronising,” which constituted defamation.
The case was scheduled to proceed to trial, but lawyers for Mr. Taylor informed a hearing on Monday that a settlement had been reached.
In addition to the financial settlement, producers will include a disclaimer at the beginning of the film in versions shown in England and Wales.
The disclaimer will state: “Whilst in this film there is a character called Richard Taylor who is shown to be an employee of the University of Leicester, the portrayal of him is fictional and does not represent the actions of the real Mr Taylor, who was employed by the University of Leicester as its deputy registrar, and acted with integrity during the events portrayed.”
Producers have confirmed that no edits or cuts to the film will be made as part of the settlement.
Ms. Langley stated that she had intended to appear as a witness for the production companies but was unable to do so due to ill health.
She added: “It has been the most significant honour to have my story told by Pathe, Baby Cow and Steve Coogan.”
Coogan added: “Further to Philippa’s own statement, it is unfortunate that due to her ill health, we were unable to put evidence before the court so that the judge could independently come to a decision on the matter, which I would have preferred.”
“Philippa Langley instigated the search for Richard III. Philippa Langley insisted on the dig in the northern area of the social services car park where the remains were found.”
“Philippa Langley raised the majority of the money for his exhumation.”
“If it wasn’t for Philippa Langley, Richard III would still be lying under a car park in Leicester.”
“As already stated, the only changes to the film will be a front card, which will follow the existing card, which says that this film is a true story, Philippa Langley’s story.”
“That is the story I wanted to tell, and I am happy I did.”
In a statement following the hearing, Mr. Taylor, now the chief operating officer at Loughborough University, added: “Whilst it is clear to me that the defendants were misled as to the events of the discovery, they made a deliberate choice to accept those accounts, failing to speak or check basic facts.”
“Our work is twisted into a false caricature of university elitism, ivory towers and self-interest.”
Mr. Taylor acknowledged that Ms. Langley’s initiation of the project and her “driving confidence” were essential to the discovery of Richard III.
He added: “Hers was a remarkable contribution. But it did not extend to leading the archaeological search or scientific analysis, for which she was neither qualified nor experienced to lead.”
“I could have dropped Philippa’s approach for help into the waste bin when it arrived in 2011, and there have been days over the last three years when I wished that I had.”
“But I didn’t, and my decision to deploy the resources and expertise of the university enabled this search to happen.”
Daniel Jennings, defamation partner at Shakespeare Martineau, which represented Mr. Taylor, described the case as a “defamation David and Goliath moment.”
He stated: “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.”
“We live in an era of documentaries, podcasts and very public investigative journalism and there’s a growing trend for film and television productions to be labelled as ‘true accounts’ to grab audience attention and generate media buzz around new releases.”
Mr. Jennings suggested that the case “should act as a real warning for anyone looking to use those tactics.”
He added: “The law is very clear and there are defined routes to compensation for individuals who find themselves misrepresented.”
A joint statement from Pathe Productions, Baby Cow Productions, and Steve Coogan stated: “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.”
Additional reporting by Laura Hammond and PA Media
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