Entertainment

Barrymore party-goers must never have any peace, says dead man’s father

Terry Lubbock hopes a new Channel 4 documentary will persuade someone to come forward and explain what happened to his son Stuart.
Terry Lubbock hopes a new Channel 4 documentary will persuade someone to come forward and explain what happened to his son Stuart. Terry Lubbock hopes a new Channel 4 documentary will persuade someone to come forward and explain what happened to his son Stuart.

The father of a man found dead in entertainer Michael Barrymore’s swimming pool after a party nearly 20 years ago says the people who were there will never find peace unless they tell police what they know.

Terry Lubbock, 74, of Harlow, Essex, says he hopes a new documentary will persuade at least one party-goer to come forward and explain what happened.

Stuart Lubbock, 31, was found dead at Barrymore’s then-home in Roydon, Essex, on March 31 2001.

A Channel 4 documentary, Barrymore: The Body In The Pool, will be broadcast on Thursday.

The documentary charts the police investigation and details Barrymore’s attempts to regenerate his career.

“Stuart’s at peace now,” Mr Lubbock told the PA news agency. “No-one can hurt him any more.

“But the ones who were there on the night that he died must never have any peace. Never.

Stuart Lubbock
Stuart Lubbock Stuart Lubbock was found dead in Michael Barrymore’s swimming pool (Essex Police/PA)

“Their life must be hell, and it will be hell until the day they die if they don’t come forward and explain what happened.

“They must always be wondering what the people they know and meet are thinking.

“And some of them must be innocent.

“It must be terrible, and this documentary will make it worse.

“Millions will watch it. It will be repeated again and again.

“Maybe some of them who were there will now realise what we’ve gone through and decide to do the right thing.

“I hope they do.”

Last year, Barrymore spoke about Mr Lubbock’s death.

He told Piers Morgan’s ITV show, Life Stories, that he “couldn’t be more sorry” and that he was “100% innocent”.

Barrymore was arrested in 2007 but never charged with any offence.

He sued Essex Police and claimed that a wrongful arrest had cost him about £2.5 million in lost earnings.

But Court of Appeal judges concluded he should get nominal damages.