The Moorside on BBC1

[21.05.2016]

Anyone watch it tonight? 1st of a 2 part drama series about Karen Matthews and how she faked the disappearance of her daughter, Shannon in a grand scheme to later find her and claim the reward money (from what I gather, she had seen how much the McCanns reward was and that inspired her idea). Brilliant drama and the casting was excellent, the lassie playing Karen in particular was spot on not only in the way she looked but the way she spoke and acted.

I remember it all unfolding when it happened in 2008. Just totally shocking that someone could put their own child through all that just to get money. Some folk are just overcome with selfishness and greed. Despicable woman and her boyfriend at the time was a weaselly looking creep as well who if i remember correctly was later found with child porn on his computer. How the pair of them thought they could pull something like that off and get away with it is beyond me, there isn't a brain cell between them! The programme showed how she often let her guard slip and let her distraught mother act slip sometimes which raised a few eyebrows. Even when they found Shannon and asked Karen to identify if it was her, she said yes then "can I go home now?". Unbelievable, gutted her daughter was safe and well because her little plan was about to be exposed.

Feel so sorry for her children who had to be put through the horrific ordeal of believing their sister was missing/hurt and for the community who spent days and weeks tirelessly searching and campaigning to help find the wee girl. Sometimes where you find the worst of human nature, you can also find the best and that community showed that when the chips are down everyone can rally together and help. Karen Matthews should be utterly ashamed, although she seems that thick that I doubt the full extent of what she did has registered with her.

God bless that little girl, that terror she must have gone through and having the misfortune to have such a callous, selfish and utterly repulasive mother. I only hope tonights documentary hasn't dragged her back to a place of dark memories and that she is living a far happier life with a new family who will give her the love she was once deprived of.

[Sir David Gray]

Anyone watch it tonight? 1st of a 2 part drama series about Karen Matthews and how she faked the disappearance of her daughter, Shannon in a grand scheme to later find her and claim the reward money (from what I gather, she had seen how much the McCanns reward was and that inspired her idea). Brilliant drama and the casting was excellent, the lassie playing Karen in particular was spot on not only in the way she looked but the way she spoke and acted.

I remember it all unfolding when it happened in 2008. Just totally shocking that someone could put their own child through all that just to get money. Some folk are just overcome with selfishness and greed. Despicable woman and her boyfriend at the time was a weaselly looking creep as well who if i remember correctly was later found with child porn on his computer. How the pair of them thought they could pull something like that off and get away with it is beyond me, there isn't a brain cell between them! The programme showed how she often let her guard slip and let her distraught mother act slip sometimes which raised a few eyebrows. Even when they found Shannon and asked Karen to identify if it was her, she said yes then "can I go home now?". Unbelievable, gutted her daughter was safe and well because her little plan was about to be exposed.

Feel so sorry for her children who had to be put through the horrific ordeal of believing their sister was missing/hurt and for the community who spent days and weeks tirelessly searching and campaigning to help find the wee girl. Sometimes where you find the worst of human nature, you can also find the best and that community showed that when the chips are down everyone can rally together and help. Karen Matthews should be utterly ashamed, although she seems that thick that I doubt the full extent of what she did has registered with her.

God bless that little girl, that terror she must have gone through and having the misfortune to have such a callous, selfish and utterly repulasive mother. I only hope tonights documentary hasn't dragged her back to a place of dark memories and that she is living a far happier life with a new family who will give her the love she was once deprived of.

:top marks I caught a bit of it tonight. You're right about the casting for Karen Matthews, it's uncanny how realistic her character looks. I actually thought it was archived footage they were using rather than an actress.

I remember this case very well and can't believe it was almost 10 years ago! It was a despicable crime and how any mother could do that to their own child is beyond belief.

The reports of how Shannon was treated whilst she was held captive is horrifying and for her mother to have only served half of an eight year prison term was shocking.

[21.05.2016]

:top marks I caught a bit of it tonight. You're right about the casting for Karen Matthews, it's uncanny how realistic her character looks. I actually thought it was archived footage they were using rather than an actress.

I remember this case very well and can't believe it was almost 10 years ago! It was a despicable crime and how any mother could do that to their own child is beyond belief.

The reports of how Shannon was treated whilst she was held captive is horrifying and for her mother to have only served half of an eight year prison term was shocking.

The casting is absolutely spot on, my mum said the same as you, she also thought it was some of the real footage when it started. The actress playing Karen even does that gormless facial expression and the way she shakes her head as she speaks.

I recall watching a documentary about it years ago and the police officer who was heading up the case at the time said her behaviour during the whole search was very odd. When she didn't have cameras around she would often be caught laughing and joking, then the moment she was in front of the cameras she was suddenly the distraught mother. The scene tonight where she got up and starting laughing and dancing to the police officers ringtone isn't made up, I remember the police officer telling that story in the documentary years ago and saying how bizarre it was. Certainly not the behaviour of someone who's young child is missing thats for sure. She's clearly a woman of extremely low intelligence therefore couldn't keep up the pretence and stick to one story.

[ColinNish]

I watched it as well, thought it was a bit "meh" tbh. Just a retelling of the story. Hoping next week will be better with the aftermath of her being found.

BTW, the step dad was never charged with anything in relation to the hoax, it was his uncle whose house the kid was found in.

The lassie playing Karen Matthews is in Game of Thrones apparently.

[21.05.2016]

I watched it as well, thought it was a bit "meh" tbh. Just a retelling of the story. Hoping next week will be better with the aftermath of her being found.

BTW, the step dad was never charged with anything in relation to the hoax, it was his uncle whose house the kid was found in.

The lassie playing Karen Matthews is in Game of Thrones apparently.

He was charged with having child porn on his computer though. They must have seized his computer as part of their investigation and found it. Creepy looking weirdo.

Your right, next weke should be good when they go into how they finally caught her. Although I doubt it was very hard, her behaviour combined with her lack of emotion when Shannon was found plus the fact she's thick as mince probably made the police investigation pretty easy to suss that she was involved in some way.

[ColinNish]

He was charged with having child porn on his computer though. They must have seized his computer as part of their investigation and found it. Creepy looking weirdo.

Your right, next weke should be good when they go into how they finally caught her. Although I doubt it was very hard, her behaviour combined with her lack of emotion when Shannon was found plus the fact she's thick as mince probably made the police investigation pretty easy to suss that she was involved in some way.

I knew about the child porn, that's why i said he was never charged with anything to do with the actual hoax. :)


I'm more interested on the aftermath with how the community coped with being duped.

[Pretty Boy]

Just watched this after recording it.

It was a bit surreal watching it as I remember the whole thing like it was yesterday. At the time I thought the whole community coming together was quite inspiring and even with the true story coming out that is still the case as most didn't know the truth. A pretty disturbing story all round and I just hope Shannon Matthews is doing as well as possible given the circumstances of her childhood.

[steakbake]

On the McCanns - they put up the money knowing that no one could possibly collect it.

Discuss.

[easty]

On the McCanns - they put up the money knowing that no one could possibly collect it.

Discuss.

Agree

[ColinNish]

On the McCanns - they put up the money knowing that no one could possibly collect it.

Discuss.

Lot of interesting stories doing the round about them just now.

[wpj]

Lot of interesting stories doing the round about them just now.

Plus a weekly update from the daily express

[pacoluna]

I seen it as a very voyeuristic programme and thought it was uncomfortable to watch however I was engrossed with it and carried on watching. I wonder what Shannon who only just turned 18 would feel about it being aired and I also wonder if she was consulted.

[21.05.2016]

I seen it as a very voyeuristic programme and thought it was uncomfortable to watch however I was engrossed with it and carried on watching. I wonder what Shannon who only just turned 18 would feel about it being aired and I also wonder if she was consulted.

Having read the book about the whole story, it was very clear Shannon had a very unhappy home life with a mother who deprived her of any love and affection and was engrossed in her own greed and selfishness. Karen Matthews cared more about her string of lovers and herself more than any of her children. My heart broke when it told of how when the police were searching Shannons room they found a note Shannon had written to her brother saying "do you think we will get any tea tonight", to which the other wrote back "maybe a packet of crisps". Heartbreaking. The house was a total mess and Karen spent any money she had on fags and cheap beer.

I hope Shannon and her siblings are now with families who love them and give them the happiness and the life that their mother should of but didn't. No child deserves to be born into a family like that. Karen clearly saw her children as nothing more than extra £ in her benefits package.

[Sir David Gray]

I see Karen Matthews has been reported in today's papers as saying that she's frightened for her life after the programme was aired.

Now she knows a little bit about how her daughter would have felt.

Karma's a bitch.

[ColinNish]

Having read the book about the whole story, it was very clear Shannon had a very unhappy home life with a mother who deprived her of any love and affection and was engrossed in her own greed and selfishness. Karen Matthews cared more about her string of lovers and herself more than any of her children. My heart broke when it told of how when the police were searching Shannons room they found a note Shannon had written to her brother saying "do you think we will get any tea tonight", to which the other wrote back "maybe a packet of crisps". Heartbreaking. The house was a total mess and Karen spent any money she had on fags and cheap beer.

I hope Shannon and her siblings are now with families who love them and give them the happiness and the life that their mother should of but didn't. No child deserves to be born into a family like that. Karen clearly saw her children as nothing more than extra £ in her benefits package.

Who wrote the book?

[HUTCHYHIBBY]

The backlash from the community in pt2 will be a tad hostile I would imagine, I've not looked into it in any detail but, I wonder if relief at the child being safe(ish) or anger at being duped will come to the fore?

[HUTCHYHIBBY]

Just watched pt2, it makes you wonder about what goes on in the aftermath of these stories once the camera crews pack up and go home.

[pontius pilate]

Enjoyed this immensely. Out of the two friends one remained in touch ( Sheridan Smith's character) the other knew something wasn't right. Read today that the boyfriend was attacked in jail again ( good stuff). Also the McCans stayed the documentary was in bad taste I find the fact that they two are still whoring the press everytime young Madeline is mentioned on t.v is appaling. That is a story for another day.

[ColinNish]

Aye, it was good. Slightly different from what was reported in the press.

[Hiber-nation]

Just watched pt2, it makes you wonder about what goes on in the aftermath of these stories once the camera crews pack up and go home.

I know, it was plastered all over the front page of the Daily Star but it would all be intrusive tabloid bollox.

Some stunning acting in the series, the actress who played Karen Matthews was scarily good.

[SuperAllyMcleod]

Gemma Whelan - she is getting so much praise here I think we should at least give her a name check. [emoji4]

She's also in Game of Thrones and Upstart Crow (BBC 2 comedy). The characters she plays in these three programmes could not be more different, she is almost unrecognisable from one to the other - she will go far in her career, very good.

[Jim44]

Gemma Whelan - she is getting so much praise here I think we should at least give her a name check. [emoji4]

She's also in Game of Thrones and Upstart Crow (BBC 2 comedy). The characters she plays in these three programmes could not be more different, she is almost unrecognisable from one to the other - she will go far in her career, very good.

I think the make up team deserve plaudits for transforming Gemma Whelan and Sheridan Smith, two good looking women, into a couple of washed out chavs.