Depp: I’m no Cinderella...
This Morning: 30 Unforgettable Years
There was a bit of a theme running through this celebration of the most famous British daytime TV programme of all time.
“Without This Morning there would be no Simon Cowell on television.”
“Without that This Morning audition Blue would never have happened.”
“This Morning kick-started Vanessa Feltz’s TV career.”
Yes, well done This Morning. You really do have an awful lot to answer for.
No one can begrudge this show its success, though.
As former host Judy Finnigan pointed out, before This Morning came along daytime TV was just “adult education, movies.” (That was an important comma right there, Jude.)
Unfortunately, daytime TV has suffered something of a ratings lull lately, so Alison Hammond’s claim that this show would go on for ever sounded a little optimistic.
Likewise, the fawning over Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield seemed a little over the top when you consider they are not even the ITV daytime double act that is setting the agenda right now.
Still, this was an enjoyable trip down memory lane for anyone who’s spent any time skiving at home these past three decades.
Commendably, like This Morning itself, this documentary didn’t dodge the difficult issues.
There was plenty on the John Leslie scandal, the disastrous Twiggy/Coleen Nolan relaunch, and Richard and Judy’s (at the time) sensational defection to Channel 4.
“I was never going to be Cinderella,” admits Johnny Depp.
Instead, with a barrage of accusations levied against him, the actor likens himself more to Quasimodo.
Johnny’s ex-wife Amber Heard accused him of domestic violence during a bitter divorce battle.
He became embroiled in a lawsuit against his former management, which was settled in July.
And a legal battle with a location manager who accuses him of violence (which he denies) on set of shelved film City of Lies rattles on.
“It hurts,” he tells GQ magazine. “To harm someone you love? As a kind of bully? No, it didn’t, it couldn’t even sound like me. “Initially, I just kept my mouth shut. I knew it was going to stick on me and it would get weirder.” Johnny describes Hollywood as a “vile circus”. “I was never going to be Cinderella,” he says. “I know this and accept it. “But it felt like within a very, very short period this version of Cinderella had been turned into the beast. He’s Quasimodo. “I could feel people look at me differently… Ultimately, the truth will come out.” The full feature appears in GQ’s November issue, out tomorrow.
Sadly, there was no time to dwell on the programme’s most shocking controversy of all.
Namely? The inexplicable decision back in 2002 to sack the TV critic who’d had just one year in the job.
Luckily, I’m reliably informed he’s not a bitter man and he wishes the show all the best for the future. There were rumours he was voting to leave, but Anton Du Beke insists he is still a remainer when it comes to Strictly Come Dancing. “No to Du Bekxit!” he vows. Happiness for me is your first E at Glastonbury Another candid revelation from Lily Allen