Portrayal of real people in drama
Whenever appropriate, and where their role is significant, living people portrayed in a drama or their surviving near relatives should be notified in advance and, where possible, their co-operation secured. Any proposal to go ahead without the consent of the individual portrayed or their surviving near relatives must be referred to Controller Editorial Policy for approval before a commitment is made to the production.
Approval will only be given when it can be shown that the following three criteria are met:
- there is a clear public interest.
- the portrayal is fair.
- the portrayal is based on a substantial and verifiable body of evidence whenever practicable.