The death and disappearance of Lancashire mum, Nicola Bulley, will be the subject of a new documentary, the BBC has announced.
The Disappearance of Nicola Bulley: the Inside Story will follow the events of January 2023, when the 45-year-old mortgage adviser walked her usual morning route along the River Wyre, and disappeared without a trace.
Bulley was last seen on 27 January as she walked her dog, and her body was found a mile from where she vanished on 19 February.
The story consumed the attention of the public, and led to a global media storm as both police and journalists were criticised for their handling of her case.
Lancashire Police were condemned for disclosing the mother-of-two’s personal health struggles with menopause and alcohol, as a report concluded that the disclosure was “avoidable and unnecessary”.
An inquest concluded Bulley’s death was accidental, that she fell into the river on the day she disappeared and died almost immediately in the cold water.
While a release date has not been announced, the documentary, produced by Bafta award-winning production company Rogan, features access to Bulley’s family and contributions from those closely involved in the case, including journalists and Lancashire Police.
It charts the tragic events as they unfolded, and follows the effect of media coverage and the investigations of amateur internet sleuths on Bulley’s family and the official police investigation.
“Collectively we thought long and hard about taking part in a documentary about Nikki,” said Bulley’s family in a statement.
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“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.”
Commenting on the impact of media attention, the family also added that they intended to influence more positive online behaviour with their story.
“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,” they added.
“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.
“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.”
