TV keeping mum about Kimberly

by BAZ BAMIGBOYE, Daily Mail

Last updated at 08:38 27 May 2005


A TV drama about David Blunkett's explosive affair with Kimberly Quinn is about to go into production.

And those working on the film, A Very Social Secretary, for Channel 4's digital network More 4 are so sensitive and jittery about leaks that cast and crew are being asked to sign legal documents effectively gagging them.

"It's a delicate situation because we're dealing with living people and the scandal is still fresh. I think people involved are worried that there might be action to stop it being filmed," someone who has seen the screenplay by Alistair Beaton told me.

Searching for the 'flavour' of the couple

The programme's producers, David Aukin and Hal Vogel, are said not to be searching for lookalike actors to portray the former Home Secretary and his ex-lover. Rather, they want actors who, as one interested party put it, have the 'flavour' of Blunkett and Ms Quinn, the publisher of The Spectator.

Indeed, one actor approached to portray Blunkett was Kevin McNally, but he was said to be unavailable because he's shooting-Pirates Of The Caribbean Two and Three back to back.

Beaton's script has been e-mailed to several other actors and actresses for their 'consideration', with a view to filling the lead roles. The casting director will also have to find actors to portray Ms Quinn's husband and her colleagues at The Spectator - including editor and MP Boris Johnson.

Actors are also being sought to play Tony Blair and other senior government figures who played behind-the-scenes roles as the Blunkett scandal (which many French friends tell me would have been ignored had it happened in their country) spun out of control.

Those connected with the film wouldn't speak directly to me. It was almost as if C4, putting its own brand of spin on things, was handling a real scandal rather than just a made-for-TV movie.

After much pestering, Mr Beaton eventually issued the following statement: "The story of David Blunkett is not only scandalous, it's also scandalously funny. It's a satirist's dream. I'm having a terrific time."

A comment made on behalf of Peter Dale, who runs More 4, was so dull I can't be bothered to repeat it here.

I do hope that Channel 4 can get a grip on itself, take its finger out of its aspidistra plant and stop behaving like a unit of BBC corporate publicity and a government Press department rolled into one.

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