'Insensitive' disaster film dropped

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Families of those on the pleasureboat claimed the drama "sensationalises and misrepresents" the events of August 1989 when 51 people drowned in the Thames.

The broadcaster announced at the Edinburgh International Television Festival that the plug would be pulled on the £2 million film.

ITV drama consultant Nick Elliott said: "If we are broadcasting a programme about a massive issue we have to be able to say we stand by this film in every respect.

"I have always had certain problems with the writing and production of this film and we do not feel that these creative issues have been resolved."

Mr Elliott said the film would only be shown if creative changes were made.

He said: "If we put this film out we would be attacked because I don't think it is quite good enough. It is costing us £2 million not to broadcast it."

Margaret Lockwood Croft, whose son Shaun was killed in the accident, called on ITV last week to not screen the docu-drama.

"The film is distressing and insensitive because it spends a lot of time graphically depicting people drowning," she said at the time. The majority of the families and survivors were not consulted while the film was being made and we see nothing positive coming out of it."