A man at the center of the Jeremy Thorpe incident called his portrayal in a television drama “very nasty” and “caricature-like.”
The 2018 BBC three-part series A Very English Scandal examined the alleged affair between Norman Scott and the late former leader of the Liberal Party, Mr. Thorpe.
In 1979, the North Devon representative was cleared of involvement in an alleged plot to assassinate Mr. Scott.
The creator, producers, and actor Ben Whishaw of the series have been requested to comment.
Mr. Scott, who resides on Dartmoor in Devon and is 83 years old, expressed his displeasure with Whishaw’s portrayal of him in a podcast titled British Scandal: Jeremy Thorpe.
He said:
“Ben was putting on an excellent performance; he had met me, he knew me, and I hoped he would play me.
“It was, in my opinion – and I can say this because it’s my opinion – a dark comedy. It was a cruel act. Ben played me really well, however.”
Commenting on sequences from the series in which Hugh Grant portrayed Thorpe, he continued:
“But I did not walk down the steps of the Old Bailey proclaiming that I am homosexual, queer, etc. Because it’s just not me. I am not of that nature.”
“I scurried away after giving my testimony and returned to Devon. I was not present to perform such action. It was truly unkind. I was a stereotype.”
Based on the novel of the same name by author and newspaper arts editor John Preston, the series was created.
Mr. Whishaw stated during production that he felt a “connection” to Mr. Scott and wanted to “give him justice in his richness and human diversity.”
After entering the House of Representatives in 1959 as a Liberal, Mr. Thorpe led the party in the 1960s and 1970s.
Mr. Scott claimed they had a connection at a time when homosexuality was illegal – between men, it was legalized in 1967 – and in 1975, an attempt was made on his life on Exmoor.
Mr. Thorpe denied the affair and was found not guilty of conspiring and inciting Mr. Scott’s murder.
In 1979, at age 50 and after losing his position in the House of Commons due to the case, he retreated from public life.
He died of Parkinson’s disease at the age of 85 in 2014.
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