BBC announces Nicola Bulley documentary telling story of her disappearance
The one-hour documentary will feature exclusive interviews with Bulley's family and those closest to the case.
The BBC has announced that a new documentary focused on the disappearance of Lancashire mother-of-two, Nicola Bulley, will air later this year.
The one-hour documentary currently has the working title The Disappearance of Nicola Bulley: the Inside Story, and it will feature exclusive interviews with Bulley’s family and those closest to the case.
Bulley went missing in January 2023 while walking her usual morning route along the River Wyre in St Michael's on Wyre.
Her disappearance resulted in an international media storm, the result of which has raised questions about the handling of the case by police and the media.
She was found dead in February, with an inquest determining that her death was due to accidental drowning.
The synopsis for the documentary says: "Exploring the media coverage that ensued and the amateur internet sleuths that conducted their own investigations, the film examines their effects on the official police investigation and Nicola's family."
Clare Sillery, head of commissioning for BBC documentaries, said: "The disappearance of Nicola Bulley dominated the headlines in early 2023 and sparked weeks of false speculation on social media.
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"This new film asks important and timely questions about why this story resonated with the public to such an extent and what impact that had on those closest to the case, hearing directly from those in the eye of the storm.
"My thanks to Rogan Productions and to all the contributors – most importantly the family – for sharing their story with us."
Meanwhile, Bulley's family said in a statement: "Collectively, we thought long and hard about taking part in a documentary about Nikki. It wasn’t an easy decision.
"Nikki's face and name quickly became very recognisable, but there is so much to share about Nikki the person.
"Our sole aim is to provide the definitive record on Nikki to ensure she has the legacy that she deserves. Many people have aired their views about her disappearance and her untimely and tragic death, only we can speak about her as a mummy, partner, daughter and sister.
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"In addition, if our experience of being in the eye of a media storm makes people think twice about how they act and what they say online, then we will have achieved some further good.
"We’d also like to express our sincere thanks to everyone at Rogan Productions who have treated us with great care, respect and compassion throughout the process of making this documentary.
"It was emotionally draining reliving some of our experiences, but we wanted to do this for Nikki.
"Nikki's loss is felt by us all, every day. We have drawn a huge amount of comfort from the kindness of so many people, and we want to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has taken the time to contact us.
"We have so appreciated the many kind words and gestures during the worst times of our lives."
The Disappearance of Nicola Bulley: the Inside Story will air on BBC One and iPlayer later this year.
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Authors
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
