ITV to air McCanns' only TV interview

chris

ITV1 is to air the only televised interview with Kate and Gerry McCann on the first anniversary of the disappearance of their daughter Madeleine.

The hour-long documentary will follow the McCanns as they talk about Madeleine and their campaign to try to prevent other parents having to go through their ordeal.

No payment is being made to the McCanns for their part in the programme, which is provisionally called Madeleine McCann.

The ITV controller of current affairs and documentaries, Jeff Anderson, said the broadcaster would donate £10,000 to the Find Madeleine Fund.

The ITV documentary team has followed Kate and Gerry McCann since early January.

Footage will include shots of the couple in their home in Rothley, Leicestershire, and travelling to Brussels and Washington as they pursue their campaign.

They talk about Madeleine, the night she went missing in May last year, becoming "Arguido" suspects in Portugal, and their decision to return to Britain.

The programme is being made by independent producer Mentorn Media, a subsidiary of Tinopolis, and executive produced by Steve Anderson, who oversaw BBC1's recent special edition of Panorama about Madeleine's disappearance.

Anderson said: "Amid all the controversy, what should be remembered is that a little girl is still missing and her family is trying its best to find her.

"We have been with Kate and Gerry McCann as they have pushed for a better system across Europe to help stop child abduction.

"They are determined to do whatever they can to make sure that what happened to Madeleine doesn't happen to another child.

"They also speak frankly and honestly about Madeleine's disappearance, which is undoubtedly one of the biggest stories of the past 12 months."

As revealed by MediaGuardian.co.uk earlier this month, the McCanns have been in talks with ITV for some time about a documentary on how different countries treat missing children.

The couple have also been approaches by a number of other documentary makers and broadcasters, including Touching the Void producer Darlow Smithson and Channel 4.


source: MediaGuardian

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