Richard Whiteley was MI5 spy who helped jail me
ROYLE FAMILY STAR RICKY Actor claims Countdown presenter was part of secret plot
laughed off suggestions her husband was a spy as “nonsense”. But Ricky claimed: “Richard was a member of the security services, people didn’t know that, obviously. The security services paid to have the programme made, so they had to use someone of their own ilk to be the chairperson. It was common knowledge. “The security services use media people as part of the intelligence services. “I must have done Countdown four or five times. I didn’t know at the time, I wish I had known, I’d have strangled him.
“There’s all sorts of people involved. It was a carve-up right from the go.”
Ricky claims he has leaked, confidential documents which link then-PM Ted Heath and politician Woodrow Wyatt to the documentary, which he believes swayed the jury into convicting him of conspiracy to intimidate, unlawful assembly and affray.
He added: “We’ve only just scratched the surface.”
But asked where the papers came from, he added: “I can’t reveal my sources, we’d be hung, drawn and quartered. People would lose their jobs.”
Ricky took part in a 12-week building workers’ walkout in 1972, demanding better wages and safety regimes. Months after the dispute ended, he was one of 24 strikers arrested over picket-line clashes.
A trial took place the following year at Shrewsbury Crown Court and he was jailed for two years. He served 16 months.
Ricky believes the documentary prompted two jurors to change their original verdicts to guilty.
The hour-long film was followed by a 30-minute studio discussion, chaired by Richard.
But radio presenter Kathryn, who was his partner from 1994 until his death at the age of 61 in 2005, branded the claims a “load of tripe”.
She added: “He couldn’t even keep a secret – how would he be good in MI5?
“Trust me, I knew everything about Richard and this is nonsense. He could hardly work his mobile phone, never mind gadgets. He’d have been hopeless.
“I’m slightly annoyed because it’s easy to cast aspersions on somebody who has died, because you can’t libel the dead.
“It’s nice that Ricky Tomlinson is managing to get a lot of publicity from somebody who can’t defend himself.”
But she insisted Richard had a sense of humour and would be “looking down, laughing” at the claims. Kathryn added: “A friend said, ‘Did you realise you were a spy’s mole?’ Maybe I could have a new career? Please tell Daniel Craig I’m available.” call him, a complete cult. Now, perhaps, he has become an enigma of a certain variation…