Landmark Win for Defamation and a Settlement Against Steve Coogan and Pathé Productions

Richard Taylor wins defamation case over portrayal in The Lost King

We are delighted to act for Richard Taylor, former Deputy Registrar at the University of Leicester, in his successful defamation claim against actor Steve Coogan and Pathé Productions following their portrayal of him in the 2022 film The Lost King.

The film, which tells the story of the discovery of King Richard III’s remains beneath a Leicester car park in 2012, presented events through the perspective of amateur historian Philippa Langley. Richard argued that his depiction in the film was false and damaging, wrongly suggesting that he had misrepresented facts, marginalised Ms Langley’s contribution, and behaved in a dismissive and misogynistic way.

On Monday 27 October 2025, the case concluded with a significant outcome in Richard’s favour. A statement was made in open court, the film will be amended, and the defamatory allegations will not be repeated.

A “defamation David and Goliath moment”

Daniel Jennings, who led the legal case and represented Mr Taylor, said, “This is a defamation David and Goliath moment and confirms what Mr Taylor has always believed: that his portrayal in The Lost King was damaging, harmful and untrue. Individuals often feel unable to speak up against large corporations and well-known personalities, but this win demonstrates that there is recourse when wrongs have been committed.”

He continued:

“We live in an era of documentaries, podcasts and very public investigative journalism, and there’s a growing trend for film and television productions to be labelled as ‘true accounts’ to attract audiences and generate media attention. Mr Taylor’s win should serve as a clear warning for anyone taking that approach. The law is unambiguous, and there are defined routes to compensation for individuals who find themselves misrepresented.”

“It’s been a long battle for Mr Taylor which has ended successfully, however it’s hard to ignore that the shine has been taken off what should have been a moment of celebration for one of the country’s greatest archaeological discoveries. The way Mr Taylor was portrayed was defamatory, and the court’s order recognises this in favour of the individual — in what could be the first of many defamation rulings if our appetite for ‘true accounts’ continues to grow.”

Judicial recognition

At the conclusion of the proceedings, the judge acknowledged the significance of the case, commenting that:

“These have been historical, momentous events, and being the subject of a feature film must be nerve-racking at the best of times. It is to the credit of the parties and their lawyers that the case has now been resolved in this way without going to trial.”

Protecting your reputation

At Shakespeare Martineau, we help individuals and organisations protect their reputations and respond swiftly and effectively to false or damaging allegations. Our defamation and reputation management team provides commercial, strategic advice to resolve disputes and safeguard public and professional standing.

If you believe you have been misrepresented in the media, on screen or online, our specialists can help.

Find out more about our defamation and reputation management services