UMVA has learned that Michael Barrymore is taking a stand against a social media account that has been spreading false allegations about him, including claims of domestic abuse and a connection to disgraced broadcaster Jimmy Savile.
The 74-year-old former TV presenter has shared an emotional video on TikTok, speaking out against what he describes as 'misinformation' surrounding the death of Stuart Lubbock, a 31-year-old father of two who died at Barrymore's Essex home in 2001.
Barrymore claimed the TikTok account has subjected him to sustained harassment, accusing him of numerous unrelated allegations, including abusing his former wife and being friends with Savile. He vehemently denied these claims, stating, 'I never did. Please, absolutely not. I never have been in my life.'
The presenter accused the account of being more focused on attacking him than seeking answers about Lubbock's death, saying, 'It's just clearly that this individual doesn't give a f* about Stuart Lubbock. It's all me in the thumbnails, my face, pointing fingers, question marks, and making the whole story so it's just one sided.'
Barrymore reiterated his innocence in the case, stating, 'There is no evidence that connects me or anybody else at my house to the death of Stuart Lubbock, and there never will be, because it's fictional and it's made up.'
Lubbock was found unconscious in the swimming pool at Barrymore's Essex home following a party in March 2001. His death sparked one of the most controversial and heavily scrutinized investigations in British celebrity history.
Officers who later reviewed the inquiry acknowledged mistakes were made in the crucial early hours after Lubbock's death, with concerns raised about how the scene was preserved and evidence gathered.
Barrymore has consistently denied any involvement in Lubbock's death and has argued that he became the focus of public suspicion despite there being no evidence linking him to the death. In 2007, he was arrested and questioned alongside two other men who attended the party, but all were later informed they would face no charges.
The entertainer has also been involved in a lengthy legal battle with Essex Police, winning a wrongful arrest claim against the force in 2017. Barrymore also criticised aspects of the original investigation and repeated claims he has previously made regarding evidence and post-mortem findings.
He appeared particularly frustrated by what he described as a failure by social media platforms to act on complaints he had raised, stating, 'I've just got back from an overnight in London, and the cyber police, the Met, are looking into this as a serious case of harassment and defamation.'
Barrymore concluded by addressing those behind the allegations directly: 'All those that want to bring me down are having a jolly good time at the moment. It's just wrong. You should be ashamed of yourself. F* you, whoever you are doing this.'
