Daily Star apologises

Matt Lucas has accepted undisclosed damages for invasion of privacy over articles published in the Daily Star after the suicide of his former civil partner.

Publisher Express Newspapers apologised for the stories and for any distress they caused, and also agreed to pay the Little Britain star’s legal fees.

The High Court heard that the paper’s stories – including a claim that Lucas had been placed on suicide watch after Kevin McGee was found dead in his Edinburgh flat – were without foundation.

According to the BBC, Lucas’s solicitor John Kelly said: ‘Publishing these false claims considerably aggravated the hurt and distress,’ said.

In a statement Lucas, who was not at court, sad: ‘This has been and continues to be a very difficult time for me and all those who loved Kevin. My deep pain and sorrow have been made even greater by the intrusive and defamatory stories made about my private life in the Daily Star just hours after Kevin's death.

‘I had no choice but to bring these proceedings to protect my private life and my right to grieve in peace.

‘I'd like to add that I take no pleasure or sense of triumph in this settlement. I am just relieved that this case has been resolved and I sincerely hope this sort of intrusive reporting will now end.’

Published: 25 May 2010