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Daily Mirror
8 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Karen Matthews' odd 'intimacy' with toyboy lover that 'concerned' detectives
Karen Matthews became one of the most hated women in Britain when it was revealed she had known where her missing daughter Shannon was all along - we take a look at her odd love match Shannon Matthews was just nine years old when she was reported missing. The search for the schoolgirl from Dewsbury, West Yorks who was last seen on February 19, 2008, sparked a huge police investigation. The tight knit community in the town's Moorside Estate rallied round Shannon's mother Karen Matthews, who tearfully pleaded to the cameras: "Let Shannon go". But Matthews' distraught appearance was a facade - the evil mum had planned Shannon's kidnapping with Michael Donovan, the uncle of her then partner Craig Meehan. The sick plot was a ruse to make money from the publicity but instead, Matthews was found out and later jailed for eight years for kidnap, false imprisonment and perverting the course of justice. Now a new documentary has taken a deep dive into one of the most high-profile police investigations in recent history, with startling revelations emerging about key players in the case. When Shannon went missing her mother, then 32, was living with Meehan, 22 and her police liaison officer found their relationship concerning. "There were times that I was concerned for Karen," said retired detective Christine Freeman. "I think it wasn't easy for her with Craig, he was like having another child but also he was quite controlling of her. She never seemed able able to stand up and say what she wanted to do." Journalist Richard Edwards was a local reporter on the Yorkshire Evening Post when the news broke of Shannon's disappearance. He was invited into the home of Matthews and described her relationship with Meehan as "awkward". "The relationship between Craig and Karen, it was not one of obvious warmth or intimacy in any way," he said. "They appeared to be quite awkward around each other, it was almost like two unusual people who just happened to find themselves in each other's orbit for reasons unknown. They didn't even appear to really like each other." Meehan proposed to Matthews following her arrest. He was not involved in Shannon's kidnapping and never charged with any offence relating to her. The ex-supermarket fishmonger was later convicted for possessing images of child abuse and sentenced to 20 weeks in jail. It was reported this week he had been driven out of his home in Huddersfield, West Yorks, after graffiti was sprayed on the exterior wall calling him a paedophile. Matthews was released from prison in 2012 after serving half of her sentence. Donovan, who was also jailed for eight years his part in the twisted kidnap plot, died last year in hospital, aged 54. The Hunt for Shannon Matthews will be available on Prime Video in The UK & Ireland from Monday, August 17
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Man who investigated Shannon Matthews case describes moment he realised the truth
The search for Shannon Matthews, nine, became a major missing person police operation and, after several weeks, she was found at an address in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire A man who investigated Shannon Matthews ' disappearance has revealed the moment he knew the girl's mum Karen was the person behind it all. Richard Edwards, who was a local reporter at the time, appeared on This Morning yesterday to talk about his involvement in the case which saw a huge missing person police operation launched for the girl. She was found at her mum's then-boyfriend Michael Donovan's house in a plot to claim a £50,000 reward, and both Karen and Donovan were prosecuted and jailed. The search lasted 24 days in February and March 2008, during which time people on the estate near Dewsbury, West Yorkshire eventually became suspicious of Karen. It dawned on Mr Edwards himself Karen could be responsible when a man approached him - as he worked late on the estate one evening for a local newspaper - and pointed at Karen's house, insisting she had known along along where Shannon was. Speaking to Emma Willis and Andi Peters on the ITV This Morning sofa yesterday, Mr Edwards said: "There was one particular night where to this day I've never known who this person was. It was a Sunday night, a few days before Karen was arrested... "A car pulled up on the estate, I was working, it was late on the Sunday, it was dark and a guy got out and he said 'Where's that Richard Edwards from the Yorkshire Evening Post?' "I thought I've done something to offend this fella, but I need to front up. I said 'That's me'. He came over, he was right at the end of Mooreside Road and he pointed towards the house, he went 'She's done it. She's known where that little girl has been all along.' "Then got into the car and drove off and I thought right... that was weird. That was on top of the other stuff I'd been hearing. And then three days later she was arrested." The mum would later be charged with child neglect and perverting the course of justice. She was jailed for eight years after a jury found her guilty of those offences. But Mr Edwards still to this day - 17 years on - does not know who the man who approached him was. The journalist continued: "If he's watching this and wants to get in touch with me just to explain who he is and just clear up that tiny little outstanding part of the story. I would love to hear from him because he didn't tell me who he was, but he was right. He was right." Donovan was also jailed for eight years after the trial at Leeds Crown Court, after which he was convicted of kidnapping and false imprisonment. Donovan died of cancer in hospital at the age of 54 last year.
Powys County Times
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Powys County Times
Cherie Blair says Barbara Taylor Bradford was ‘inspiration to me and millions'
Writer and barrister Cherie Blair has described Barbara Taylor Bradford as 'an inspiration to me, and to millions' at a memorial service for the author. The 70-year-old told the PA news agency she 'clicked' with the A Woman Of Substance writer when they first met in the early 2000s in New York. She paid tribute before the service at St Bride's Church in Fleet Street, London, on Thursday, which was attended by about 100 people, dressed in an array of colours, including actors, authors and fans of the novelist. Taylor Bradford died at the age of 91 on November 24 last year following a short illness, 'and was surrounded by loved ones to the very end', a spokeswoman said at the time. Mrs Blair, who is married to former British prime minister Tony Blair, said of the author: 'We're two northern girls of similar backgrounds, and we were friends ever since. 'Barbara was the woman of substance, she was elegant, she was warm, she was intelligent, she was feisty, she was an amazing person and a really good friend. 'Every time she wrote a new book, she would send one to me, but she also sent one to my mum too. 'She was a great novelist because she absorbed knowledge from all around her, she gave back so much, she never forgot her northern roots. 'She was my friend, and she's an inspiration to me, and to millions.' The ceremony began with the theme to the TV adaption of A Woman Of Substance, before a choir sang In Paradisum from Gabriel Faure's Requiem. The choir's performance was followed by a welcome and opening prayer from reverend canon Dr Alison Joyce, who spoke about Taylor Bradford's roots as a journalist at the Yorkshire Evening Post. Actor Liam Neeson, 73, who starred in the Channel 4 adaption of Taylor Bradford's book, also paid tribute to the novelist during the service, in a message read out by actress Jenny Seagrove. Neeson said in his message: 'In 1984, I had the great honour of playing Blackie O'Neill in the television adaptation of Barbara Taylor Bradford's A Woman Of Substance, and again in its sequel, Hold The Dream. 'It was a landmark moment — the first television drama series to reach more than 13.8 million viewers on Britain's Channel 4 — and something we were all incredibly proud of. 'But more than the numbers, it was Barbara's vision, her storytelling, and her fierce dedication to her characters that made the work so special. 'She was a force — elegant, brilliant and unstoppable — and I feel deeply privileged to have been part of bringing her words to life.' Seagrove, 67, who played Emma Harte in the adaption, told PA: 'Barbara championed women before a lot of other people. It's now fashionable to give women a voice, but Barbara fought for strong women. 'She wrote strong women. She was a strong woman.' The actress continued: 'Barbara was a force of nature, she didn't suffer fools, she had great attention to detail, she always had a chuckle, and always saw the funny side of things. 'She was deeply, deeply in love and loved by her husband, it was one of the most extraordinary relationships. 'She loved her dogs, I used to ring up because I love dogs, and we talked about whatever Bichon Frise she'd got at the time. 'She used to say, 'I put my makeup on as a mask, and then I go to battle', she went out there and took on the world, and boy, did she succeed. 'She was a friend, she meant a lot to me, her work changed my life. But more than anything, I'm here because I loved her, and I think probably everybody here was here because they loved her, because she was a remarkably loyal woman. 'If she loved you, she stood by you. That was it.' Also in attendance was TV presenter Fern Britton, 67, who told PA the 'moving, yet rich and warm' ceremony had brought her to tears. She said: 'The books will obviously stand as her legacy. 'But for me, it is seeing her walk into a room with a beautiful suit on, carrying an Hermes bag with an Hermes scarf tied around it and fabulous jewellery and her big smile – that for me, is her legacy.' Taylor Bradford's best known book A Woman Of Substance is a rags-to-riches tale set in the 1900s that follows the life of Yorkshire servant Emma who later heads up a business empire. Other TV adaptations of her books included ITV's Act Of Will starring Elizabeth Hurley and Victoria Tennant, and To Be The Best, a sequel to A Woman Of Substance with Lindsay Wagner and Sir Anthony Hopkins. The former US editor in chief of Elle magazine, Eve Pollard, who is the mother of Claudia Winkleman, told PA she felt her long-time friend had been in the church with her. The 81-year-old said: 'I found the service very moving and very Barbara, that was what was wonderful. 'I think Jenny Seagrove said she's in the room and you more or less felt she was and I said to somebody, 'can't we all go to our memorial services and then die quietly later?' because it was perfect. 'It had everything, it had New York in it and the Yorkshire side of it.' The author was often labelled 'the grand dame of blockbusters', with her books selling more than 91 million copies and having been published in more than 40 languages and in 90 countries. In April it was announced that Vera actress Brenda Blethyn will lead a new Channel 4 adaptation of A Woman Of Substance, playing protagonist Emma.
Glasgow Times
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
Cherie Blair says Barbara Taylor Bradford was ‘inspiration to me and millions'
The 70-year-old told the PA news agency she 'clicked' with the A Woman Of Substance writer when they first met in the early 2000s in New York. She paid tribute before the service at St Bride's Church in Fleet Street, London, on Thursday, which was attended by about 100 people, dressed in an array of colours, including actors, authors and fans of the novelist. Author Barbara Taylor Bradford poses for pictures after she received her honour from Queen Elizabeth II (Steve Parsons/PA) Taylor Bradford died at the age of 91 on November 24 last year following a short illness, 'and was surrounded by loved ones to the very end', a spokeswoman said at the time. Mrs Blair, who is married to former British prime minister Tony Blair, said of the author: 'We're two northern girls of similar backgrounds, and we were friends ever since. 'Barbara was the woman of substance, she was elegant, she was warm, she was intelligent, she was feisty, she was an amazing person and a really good friend. 'Every time she wrote a new book, she would send one to me, but she also sent one to my mum too. 'She was a great novelist because she absorbed knowledge from all around her, she gave back so much, she never forgot her northern roots. Jenny Seagrove (left) and Cherie Blair attended a memorial service for Barbara Taylor Bradford (Jeff Moore/PA) 'She was my friend, and she's an inspiration to me, and to millions.' The ceremony began with the theme to the TV adaption of A Woman Of Substance, before a choir sang In Paradisum from Gabriel Faure's Requiem. The choir's performance was followed by a welcome and opening prayer from reverend canon Dr Alison Joyce, who spoke about Taylor Bradford's roots as a journalist at the Yorkshire Evening Post. Actor Liam Neeson, 73, who starred in the Channel 4 adaption of Taylor Bradford's book, also paid tribute to the novelist during the service, in a message read out by actress Jenny Seagrove. Neeson said in his message: 'In 1984, I had the great honour of playing Blackie O'Neill in the television adaptation of Barbara Taylor Bradford's A Woman Of Substance, and again in its sequel, Hold The Dream. 'It was a landmark moment — the first television drama series to reach more than 13.8 million viewers on Britain's Channel 4 — and something we were all incredibly proud of. 'But more than the numbers, it was Barbara's vision, her storytelling, and her fierce dedication to her characters that made the work so special. 'She was a force — elegant, brilliant and unstoppable — and I feel deeply privileged to have been part of bringing her words to life.' Liam Neeson starred in an adaptation of A Woman With Substance (Ian West/PA) Seagrove, 67, who played Emma Harte in the adaption, told PA: 'Barbara championed women before a lot of other people. It's now fashionable to give women a voice, but Barbara fought for strong women. 'She wrote strong women. She was a strong woman.' The actress continued: 'Barbara was a force of nature, she didn't suffer fools, she had great attention to detail, she always had a chuckle, and always saw the funny side of things. 'She was deeply, deeply in love and loved by her husband, it was one of the most extraordinary relationships. 'She loved her dogs, I used to ring up because I love dogs, and we talked about whatever Bichon Frise she'd got at the time. 'She used to say, 'I put my makeup on as a mask, and then I go to battle', she went out there and took on the world, and boy, did she succeed. 'She was a friend, she meant a lot to me, her work changed my life. But more than anything, I'm here because I loved her, and I think probably everybody here was here because they loved her, because she was a remarkably loyal woman. 'If she loved you, she stood by you. That was it.' Also in attendance was TV presenter Fern Britton, 67, who told PA the 'moving, yet rich and warm' ceremony had brought her to tears. She said: 'The books will obviously stand as her legacy. 'But for me, it is seeing her walk into a room with a beautiful suit on, carrying an Hermes bag with an Hermes scarf tied around it and fabulous jewellery and her big smile – that for me, is her legacy.' Eve Pollard attending a memorial service for Barbara Taylor Bradford (Jeff Moore/PA) Taylor Bradford's best known book A Woman Of Substance is a rags-to-riches tale set in the 1900s that follows the life of Yorkshire servant Emma who later heads up a business empire. Other TV adaptations of her books included ITV's Act Of Will starring Elizabeth Hurley and Victoria Tennant, and To Be The Best, a sequel to A Woman Of Substance with Lindsay Wagner and Sir Anthony Hopkins. The former US editor in chief of Elle magazine, Eve Pollard, who is the mother of Claudia Winkleman, told PA she felt her long-time friend had been in the church with her. The 81-year-old said: 'I found the service very moving and very Barbara, that was what was wonderful. 'I think Jenny Seagrove said she's in the room and you more or less felt she was and I said to somebody, 'can't we all go to our memorial services and then die quietly later?' because it was perfect. 'It had everything, it had New York in it and the Yorkshire side of it.' The author was often labelled 'the grand dame of blockbusters', with her books selling more than 91 million copies and having been published in more than 40 languages and in 90 countries. In April it was announced that Vera actress Brenda Blethyn will lead a new Channel 4 adaptation of A Woman Of Substance, playing protagonist Emma.
The Herald Scotland
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Cherie Blair says Barbara Taylor Bradford was ‘inspiration to me and millions'
She paid tribute before the service at St Bride's Church in Fleet Street, London, on Thursday, which was attended by about 100 people, dressed in an array of colours, including actors, authors and fans of the novelist. Author Barbara Taylor Bradford poses for pictures after she received her honour from Queen Elizabeth II (Steve Parsons/PA) Taylor Bradford died at the age of 91 on November 24 last year following a short illness, 'and was surrounded by loved ones to the very end', a spokeswoman said at the time. Mrs Blair, who is married to former British prime minister Tony Blair, said of the author: 'We're two northern girls of similar backgrounds, and we were friends ever since. 'Barbara was the woman of substance, she was elegant, she was warm, she was intelligent, she was feisty, she was an amazing person and a really good friend. 'Every time she wrote a new book, she would send one to me, but she also sent one to my mum too. 'She was a great novelist because she absorbed knowledge from all around her, she gave back so much, she never forgot her northern roots. Jenny Seagrove (left) and Cherie Blair attended a memorial service for Barbara Taylor Bradford (Jeff Moore/PA) 'She was my friend, and she's an inspiration to me, and to millions.' The ceremony began with the theme to the TV adaption of A Woman Of Substance, before a choir sang In Paradisum from Gabriel Faure's Requiem. The choir's performance was followed by a welcome and opening prayer from reverend canon Dr Alison Joyce, who spoke about Taylor Bradford's roots as a journalist at the Yorkshire Evening Post. Actor Liam Neeson, 73, who starred in the Channel 4 adaption of Taylor Bradford's book, also paid tribute to the novelist during the service, in a message read out by actress Jenny Seagrove. Neeson said in his message: 'In 1984, I had the great honour of playing Blackie O'Neill in the television adaptation of Barbara Taylor Bradford's A Woman Of Substance, and again in its sequel, Hold The Dream. 'It was a landmark moment — the first television drama series to reach more than 13.8 million viewers on Britain's Channel 4 — and something we were all incredibly proud of. 'But more than the numbers, it was Barbara's vision, her storytelling, and her fierce dedication to her characters that made the work so special. 'She was a force — elegant, brilliant and unstoppable — and I feel deeply privileged to have been part of bringing her words to life.' Liam Neeson starred in an adaptation of A Woman With Substance (Ian West/PA) Seagrove, 67, who played Emma Harte in the adaption, told PA: 'Barbara championed women before a lot of other people. It's now fashionable to give women a voice, but Barbara fought for strong women. 'She wrote strong women. She was a strong woman.' The actress continued: 'Barbara was a force of nature, she didn't suffer fools, she had great attention to detail, she always had a chuckle, and always saw the funny side of things. 'She was deeply, deeply in love and loved by her husband, it was one of the most extraordinary relationships. 'She loved her dogs, I used to ring up because I love dogs, and we talked about whatever Bichon Frise she'd got at the time. 'She used to say, 'I put my makeup on as a mask, and then I go to battle', she went out there and took on the world, and boy, did she succeed. 'She was a friend, she meant a lot to me, her work changed my life. But more than anything, I'm here because I loved her, and I think probably everybody here was here because they loved her, because she was a remarkably loyal woman. 'If she loved you, she stood by you. That was it.' Also in attendance was TV presenter Fern Britton, 67, who told PA the 'moving, yet rich and warm' ceremony had brought her to tears. She said: 'The books will obviously stand as her legacy. 'But for me, it is seeing her walk into a room with a beautiful suit on, carrying an Hermes bag with an Hermes scarf tied around it and fabulous jewellery and her big smile – that for me, is her legacy.' Eve Pollard attending a memorial service for Barbara Taylor Bradford (Jeff Moore/PA) Taylor Bradford's best known book A Woman Of Substance is a rags-to-riches tale set in the 1900s that follows the life of Yorkshire servant Emma who later heads up a business empire. Other TV adaptations of her books included ITV's Act Of Will starring Elizabeth Hurley and Victoria Tennant, and To Be The Best, a sequel to A Woman Of Substance with Lindsay Wagner and Sir Anthony Hopkins. The former US editor in chief of Elle magazine, Eve Pollard, who is the mother of Claudia Winkleman, told PA she felt her long-time friend had been in the church with her. The 81-year-old said: 'I found the service very moving and very Barbara, that was what was wonderful. 'I think Jenny Seagrove said she's in the room and you more or less felt she was and I said to somebody, 'can't we all go to our memorial services and then die quietly later?' because it was perfect. 'It had everything, it had New York in it and the Yorkshire side of it.' The author was often labelled 'the grand dame of blockbusters', with her books selling more than 91 million copies and having been published in more than 40 languages and in 90 countries. In April it was announced that Vera actress Brenda Blethyn will lead a new Channel 4 adaptation of A Woman Of Substance, playing protagonist Emma.
