The British game show brand, Bullseye, has made a donation to a charity supporting victims of crime in England and Wales after footage from the show featuring the convicted serial killer, John Cooper, was used in the production of the ITV series, Pembrokeshire Murders.
As a part of its deal with ITV, Bullseye ensured that its licensing fee for the use of the footage was donated to Victim Support, a charity that helps victims of crime to feel safer and find the strength to move beyond crime.
The three-part ITV miniseries, Pembrokeshire Murders, documents the real-life investigation that led to the eventual arrest of John Cooper for a strong of murders in the Pembrokeshire area. Early investigations had discounted Cooper as a suspect due to his appearance not fitting the police artist’s initial impression of the suspect.
However, Cooper was later convicted when investigating officers recognised him from his appearance on the British game show, Bullseye.
Bullseye creator and brand owner, Andrew Wood and his family were horrified to learn of the connection between the show and the serial killer. When the producers of Pembrokeshire Murders requested permission to use the content in the ITV drama, an agreement was reached that a Wood would charge ‘a significant fee for the clip’ all of which would be donated to Victim Support.
“We were appalled to find that a serial killer had appeared on our show and never wanted to benefit in any way from the footage,” said Wood. “But to be able to donate the fee for its use in the ITV series to Victim Support goes some way to helping those who have suffered at the hands of criminals.”
Bullseye remains a favourite among viewers in the UK and further afield and Bulldog Licensing, which manages the rights for the brand has built a successful consumer products programme for the property, spanning categories such as gifting, publishing, apparel and accessories and is in conversations with potential licensees to further expand the offering.
Rob Corney, MD, Bulldog Licensing, added: “We’re pleased that the team at Bullseye were able to create some good from such a terrible situation and offer much-needed support for victims of crime as a result.”
