Steve Coogan Faces Libel Lawsuit Over 'The Lost King' Portrayal

Former University of Leicester official sues over depiction in film dramatizing Richard III's discovery.

Steve Coogan and his production company Baby Cow, along with Pathé Productions, are being sued by Richard Taylor, a former University of Leicester official, over his portrayal in the 2022 film 'The Lost King'.
The film, which dramatizes the discovery of Richard III's remains, depicts Taylor as 'devious', 'weasel-like', and 'dismissive' towards Philippa Langley, the amateur historian who led the search.
Taylor's legal team argues that the film portrays him as patronizing, misogynistic, and mocking Richard III's disability, linking physical deformity with moral failings.
The defense argues that 'The Lost King' is a dramatization, not a documentary, and that it represents Langley's perception of events, denying any portrayal of Taylor as misogynistic or mocking disabilities.
A ruling on preliminary issues in the claim is expected at a later date, as the case raises questions about the portrayal of real-life figures in dramatized accounts.