Northern Ireland

Stephen Nolan: BBC face calls to remove jailhouse interview with suspected overdose victim

Kieran McGrandles was interviewed by Stephen Nolan inside Maghaberry Prison
Kieran McGrandles was interviewed by Stephen Nolan inside Maghaberry Prison

The grieving family of a north Belfast man who were not told by the BBC about an interview during which he revealed to Stephen Nolan that he was sexually abused, has called on the corporation not to re-broadcast the footage.

The family of Ardoyne man Kieran McGrandles, who died earlier this year, spoke of their "shock and devastation" after hearing the revelation in a jailhouse interview.

They were not contacted by the BBC prior to it being aired.

It was broadcast this week as part of a six-part series made by Mr Nolan's production company Third Street Studios and fronted by the broadcaster.

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Mr McGrandles' mother Geraldine was only contacted by a Prison Service official about the documentary last Friday - one working day before it was due to be broadcast.

It is understood work on the series has been ongoing for around two years.

In a statement, the Prison Service said it became aware of his death last Friday and decided to "contact Mr McGrandles’ family out of a sense of duty and compassion to the family of a prisoner who was previously in our care".

"We were not asked to do so by any other party,” a spokeswoman added.

Mr McGrandles and another man, aged in his twenties, died at a property in the Elgin Street area of south Belfast on May 5.

With a troubled past and gripped by addiction, he is believed to have died from a drug overdose.

Earlier this year, Mr McGrandles was jailed for five months after assaulting a nurse who was treating him.

In an interview with BBC presenter Stephen Nolan he spoke openly about having suffered sexual abuse as a child.

At times he appeared agitated and angry threatening to shoot a police officer, doctor and sex offender dead at one point.

He also revealed he had taken medication not prescribed to him on the morning of the interview.

"I took medication this morning, it's not prescribed to me," he said.

"I went and bought it.

He also said during the interview "I am mentally ill".

The Irish News asked the BBC did it or Third Street Studios establish if Mr McGrandles was in a fit state to be interviewed.

The corporation did not directly respond.

All six episodes of the series have been put on the BBC iPlayer.

It is understood the corporation is planning to broadcast further material relating to Mr McGrandles next week.

His uncle Seamus McAloran said his family now wants all interview material relating to the father-of-one removed from the iPlayer and all future broadcasts.

"His mother Geraldine would call on the BBC to remove him from the iPlayer and the episode that has been broadcast," Mr McAloran said.

"He should also be removed from the next episode.

"He should not have been on the show in the first place because of his mental health issues and we believe he was high on drugs when he did it."

The BBC did not directly respond to the call by Mr McGrandles family.

Instead, it referred the Irish News to a statement issued on Wednesday.

"We take seriously our duty of care to everyone involved in BBC programmes and worked with the Northern Ireland Prison Service throughout the filming process," a spokesman said.

"The series was produced in accordance with the BBC’s editorial guidelines."  

Mr McAloran previously said that if the family had been consulted they would have asked for the interview not to be broadcast.

Mr McAloran also said prison officials should have stepped in.

"Those prison authorities had a duty of care to him and should not have allowed young Kieran to talk to them - there was a duty of care here," he said.

The Prison Service was contacted.

Independent councillor Paul McCusker, who knew Mr McGrandles, said "there are definitely questions for the Prison Service and for the BBC".

"And I would ask that both the Prison Service and BBC show support for this family and reach out to them," he said.

"I think the BBC should retract anything that involves Kieran, it's going to continue the distress for the family if it's shown again.

"They should omit any footage they have currently of Kieran, remove it from iplayer, and also ensure Kieran is not shown again on this programme."