A few years ago, we told you that Simon Cowell’s company Syco was teaming up with policeman-turned-presenter Mark Williams-Thomas to produce a UK true crime series to rival Netflix’s hit, Making A Murderer. There’s certainly an interesting 10-part true crime documentary to be made – but we doubt it’s the story they’re thinking of.
Jonathan King’s latest trial collapsed this week, with the judge placing a lot of blame on the conduct of Surrey Police. Singled out for particular, excoriating scorn was former Surrey policeman… Mark Williams-Thomas.
The judge pointed out that in King’s first case (in 2001) MW-T was the officer assigned to take statements from the accusers. He then left the police force, but took the names and contact details of King’s accusers with him and tried to sell them to the media (a big no-no for police officers). Somehow, much of the info seemed to end up in the hands of… Max Clifford.
Meanwhile, Jonathan King was arrested and put up on a £150,000 bail. This meant he was unable to take up the offer to be a judge on ITV’s talent show, Popstars, so King recommended a then-unknown industry figure to take his place… Simon Cowell.
Cowell got a job on the franchise’s spin-off, Pop Idol (in 2001), partly as a result of King’s recommendation. Cowell didn’t need to do anything to thank King however, as he’d already chucked £50,000 in towards his bail.
And how did Cowell celebrate his newfound stardom? By hiring the PR services of… Max Clifford (who, you may remember, died three years into an eight year prison sentence for sexually assaulting women and girls).
There’s a load more to this story – so Netflix, if you’re reading, call us. We have your next hit right here. |