Michael Barrymore – who is the subject of a Channel 5 documentary tonight (Saturday, June 29) – saw his career come to an abrupt end after the shock death of Stuart Lubbock.
Here is a timeline of the tragedy that ended the comedian’s career back in 2001.
Tragedy that ended Michael Barrymore’s career – what happened?
Back in 2001, Michael’s career effectively came to an end after 31-year-old Stuart Lubbock died at a party the comedian was hosting.
Stuart was found unconscious in Michael’s swimming pool at his Essex home in the early hours of the morning.
He was later pronounced dead in Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow later that morning on March 31, 2001.
Here’s everything that happened that led to Stuart’s death – and what took place after.
March 30, 2001 – Michael Barrymore meets Stuart Lubbock
Prior to hosting a house party, Michael and his partner Jonathan Kenney went to an Indian restaurant in Hertfordshire.
Later that evening, at around 1am, they moved on to the Millenium Nightclub in Harlow. It is here that they met Stuart.
Stuart and his brother Kevin were partying at the club but lost each other in the crowd. Stuart had broken up with the mother of his two children a few months earlier. So when they were separated, Kevin assumed he had gone home with a woman.
Instead, he had met Barrymore and his entourage. They went to his £2m home in Roydon, Essex, for an after-party at around 2.30am.
The impressive five-bedroom home boasted a hot tub and heated pool, all set within private, gated grounds. Inside, the home had three ensuite shower rooms, a bathroom and a studio office.
Including Stuart, there were eight guests present at Barrymore’s pool party.
March 31 – party and Stuart’s death
The TV star described Stuart as a “nice guy” who “seemed really happy” splashing around in his pool.
However, at 5am, his lifeless body was found in the water. Trained in first aid, Jonathan Kenney rushed to revive Stuart, as did paramedics who had been called. At around 5.45am, Barrymore fled the scene before the police arrived.
He said at the inquest: “That was not the right thing to do, I was panicking.”
At 8.32am on March 31, Stuart was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Initially police didn’t treat the house as a crime scene. It was instead accepted that Stuart had drowned after a toxic combination of heavy drinking, cocaine and ecstasy. However, post-mortem tests later discovered he had sustained severe anal injuries.
Essex Police also said evidence was removed from the crime scene. A swimming pool thermometer from the hot tub went missing. Meanwhile, a broken shed handle, seen by officers, also disappeared.
September 2002
18 months after the death of Stuart, after a five-day inquest, Essex coroner Caroline Beasley-Murray was told Lubbock had alcohol, ecstasy, amphetamine and cocaine in his system.
Three pathologists said that they could not confirm that Stuart had definitely drowned, leading to Ms Beasley-Murray recording an open verdict.
She said that none of the witnesses who were at the party “for three hours have given to this court an explanation about how Stuart Lubbock, a previously fit 31-year-old, should be found floating in a swimming pool at the premises, with a significant level of alcohol and drugs in his system, and have serious anal injuries”.
In 2003, Michael moved to New Zealand.
January 2006
In January 2006, almost five years on from Stuart’s death, the Lubbock family’s solicitor issued an application for Barrymore to be charged with six offences concerning his actions on the morning Stuart died.
The family solicitor attempted to serve Michael with his papers while he was appearing on that year’s Celebrity Big Brother.
However, the application was later dismissed by a district judge, who ruled that Michael had no case to answer.
May 2006
Kylie Merritt, a witness at the coroner’s inquest, was arrested on suspicion of perjury.
Merritt, who was present on the night Stuart died, told the inquest that she saw Michael put some cocaine on his finger and rub it on Stuart’s gums.
However, a month later, she stated that she could not be certain that her allegations were true.
December 2006
Seven months later, the Lubbock family solicitor presented a dossier on the case to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).
The IPCC then approved an investigation into 30 separate allegations of incompetence and possible corruption by Essex Police. These were in relation to the force’s investigation into Stuart’s death.
The next day, the police announced they were reopening the investigation into Stuart’s death.
June 2007 – Michael Barrymore arrested in Stuart Lubbock investigation
Michael was one of three people – along with Merritt and Kenney – who were arrested on suspicion of the murder of Stuart.
However, he was released a day later without charge after being questioned.
July 2015
12 years after the death of Stuart, Michael sued Essex Police for damages to his reputation and career.
He valued his claim at £2.4m.
August 2017 – Michael Barrymore sues Essex Police over Stuart Lubbock investigation
Two years later, the High Court ruled that Michael was entitled to ‘more than nominal’ damages against Essex Police.
However, in 2019, the decision was overturned by the Court of Appeal, which ruled that he would only be entitled to “nominal” damages.
It was later revealed that Michael had dropped his compensation claim against Essex Police.
February 2020
19 years on from Stuart’s death, Essex Police offered a £20,000 reward for information leading to a conviction in their hunt to solve the case.
In March 2021, Essex police claimed that a witness had given them “significant new information” about the case. They had made an arrest.
A man in his fifties, who was reportedly at the party, was then detained on suspicion of murder and sexual assault.
However, in August 2021, police announced that no charges would be brought against the 50-year-old.
They then said there was “insufficient evidence to reach the level where there is a realistic chance of a successful prosecution”.
September 2021
Stuart’s father, Terry, died at the age of 76 after a battle with terminal cancer.
“He thought about Stuart every waking hour, seven days a week,” a close friend told BBC News at the time.
“He’s died sad, knowing people never knew the truth about what happened,” he then added.
Essex Police vowed at the time that inquiries would continue.
Michael Barrymore: The Rise and Fall of Mr Saturday Night airs tonight (Saturday, June 29) at 9pm on Channel 5 and My5.
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