Luna
01-01-2006, 16:59
A DISGUSTED family last night launched a furious attack on Big Brother for daring to bring back shamed Michael Barrymore to British TV.
And Terry Lubbock—grieving dad of Stuart Lubbock, found mysteriously drowned with sex injuries in the gay star's swimming pool—condemned the show's astonishing decision to include a hot tub pool in the house.
He fumed: "Channel 4 are obviously going to gain ghoulish publicity and viewers on the back of this. But I find the whole thing sick.
"I'd put Channel 4 in the dog house with Barrymore. They've got to be tarred with the same brush."
It was 31-year-old Stuart's death that sparked Barrymore's nosedive in 2001 after a glittering career as Britain's No1 TV entertainer.
The inquest's open verdict left many unanswered questions about "horrific anal injuries" found on dad-of-two Stuart's body, the drugs in his system and the way Barrymore fled the scene after the tragedy at his Essex mansion.
The fallen star—once the host of hit shows Strike It Lucky and My Kind Of People—later went bankrupt and vanished to New Zealand with boyfriend Shaun Davis.
Tempted
Now Barrymore, 53, sees the £150,000 Big Brother deal as his last chance to resurrect fame.
But angry Terry stormed: "It's sickening he's being paid all that money, totally wrong.
"Barrymore shouldn't be paid a penny before he comes clean about my son's death.
"Channel 4 have tempted him with a big carrot to come back but before anyone can consider him a public entertainer again, he must tell the whole truth about what happened that night."
Last night a spokesman for Barrymore refused to comment but a Big Brother insider revealed: "He signed on the dotted line days before Christmas. The producers were desperate to secure him and delighted he agreed.
"They had asked him last year, but he turned them down. This year, after lots of negotiations, they reassured him that the show was the best platform for him to relaunch his career. The bosses know he'll be the star of the show."
Angry Terry said: "They've probably told him my son's death is all in the past. And Barrymore believes it's a foothold to rebuild his career.
"He thinks everything's going to be cushty and he can win the public over again. But the truth is nothing has changed.
"Stuart's death remains a mystery. And I'm still searching for the truth."
Terry said Barrymore's return to Britain did offer him one glimmer of hope. He explained "I just hope he cracks in the Big Brother house as they all pour out their hearts to each other. Barrymore wants to portray himself as a decent bloke. But he'll come unstuck. The public will see through him.
"God knows what happened to my Stuart that night. He was an ordinary bloke working in a bacon factory. He wasn't gay. He was a good-looking, strong boy. A bit of a ladies' man.
"Someone knows what happened. And I'm determined to find out who. Barrymore's the key. I hope the other celebrities grill him.
"I'll be watching the show and listening to every word.
"And I hope the police will monitor it very closely, too."
And Terry Lubbock—grieving dad of Stuart Lubbock, found mysteriously drowned with sex injuries in the gay star's swimming pool—condemned the show's astonishing decision to include a hot tub pool in the house.
He fumed: "Channel 4 are obviously going to gain ghoulish publicity and viewers on the back of this. But I find the whole thing sick.
"I'd put Channel 4 in the dog house with Barrymore. They've got to be tarred with the same brush."
It was 31-year-old Stuart's death that sparked Barrymore's nosedive in 2001 after a glittering career as Britain's No1 TV entertainer.
The inquest's open verdict left many unanswered questions about "horrific anal injuries" found on dad-of-two Stuart's body, the drugs in his system and the way Barrymore fled the scene after the tragedy at his Essex mansion.
The fallen star—once the host of hit shows Strike It Lucky and My Kind Of People—later went bankrupt and vanished to New Zealand with boyfriend Shaun Davis.
Tempted
Now Barrymore, 53, sees the £150,000 Big Brother deal as his last chance to resurrect fame.
But angry Terry stormed: "It's sickening he's being paid all that money, totally wrong.
"Barrymore shouldn't be paid a penny before he comes clean about my son's death.
"Channel 4 have tempted him with a big carrot to come back but before anyone can consider him a public entertainer again, he must tell the whole truth about what happened that night."
Last night a spokesman for Barrymore refused to comment but a Big Brother insider revealed: "He signed on the dotted line days before Christmas. The producers were desperate to secure him and delighted he agreed.
"They had asked him last year, but he turned them down. This year, after lots of negotiations, they reassured him that the show was the best platform for him to relaunch his career. The bosses know he'll be the star of the show."
Angry Terry said: "They've probably told him my son's death is all in the past. And Barrymore believes it's a foothold to rebuild his career.
"He thinks everything's going to be cushty and he can win the public over again. But the truth is nothing has changed.
"Stuart's death remains a mystery. And I'm still searching for the truth."
Terry said Barrymore's return to Britain did offer him one glimmer of hope. He explained "I just hope he cracks in the Big Brother house as they all pour out their hearts to each other. Barrymore wants to portray himself as a decent bloke. But he'll come unstuck. The public will see through him.
"God knows what happened to my Stuart that night. He was an ordinary bloke working in a bacon factory. He wasn't gay. He was a good-looking, strong boy. A bit of a ladies' man.
"Someone knows what happened. And I'm determined to find out who. Barrymore's the key. I hope the other celebrities grill him.
"I'll be watching the show and listening to every word.
"And I hope the police will monitor it very closely, too."