The musical movie about the Shannon Matthews case has still not been released – but it has already proved polarising.
It has been debated on Loose Women and one councillor dubbed it “bang out of order” while the brains behind it told critics to stick to Ed Sheeran.
But a former prisoner has now shared her thoughts having served with some of the most evil women in Britain.
Francesca Fattore, who rubbed shoulders with Mairead Philpott who was released in 2020 after becoming the ‘UK’s most hated mum’ for killing her six kids alongside her husband, believes the musical is in poor taste.
She told the Daily Star: “It is kind of sick really as no one knows if the child has any trauma from this. I really don’t think the girls in prison would like it either as they have children and anything to do with kids is the worst thing inside prison.
(Image: Francesca Fattore)
“Is mocking kidnapping your own child a musical? It is mocking hiding your children away for money and breaking the law. Musicals are supposed to be fun and something you enjoy so how is pretending to kidnap a child enjoyable?”
Francesca, who was inside for drug offences and later transformed her life after meeting Kate Middleton, added: “There are crazy people out there who will do anything for fame. I understand documentaries are made but a musical feels like it makes their crime a joke.”
Shannon Matthews: The Musical – The Movie is being released on Amazon on November 15 and pokes fun about the girl’s bizarre disappearance.
(Image: K**t and the Gang)
(Image: Neil Vary)
She was just nine when she vanished in Dewesbury, West Yorks, in 2008. But three weeks after a huge manhunt was launched, she was found alive in the home of Michael Donovan, the uncle of her mum Karen Matthew’s then boyfriend.
The pair hatched the warped plot to claim the £50,000 reward money before they were eventually jailed.
But despite Francesca sharing strong thoughts on the upcoming film, one man who won’t be fussed is K**t from K**t and the Gang who previously rapped about the royals before the Shannon Matthews project.
His favourite song from his musical is Shannon Ain’t Dead (She’s Under My Bed) and he recently spoke to the Daily Star after critics slammed the film that was inspired by his Edinburgh Fringe musical in 2022.
(Image: Neil Vary)
The independent artist told us: “This country has always had large swathes of the population who seem to be just waiting for something to get offended about.
“I don’t know what it is about setting something to music that gets people’s backs up, but I guess it’s good for them to have something to focus on now and then, otherwise they’d only be sat around playing Candy Crush.
(Image: K**t and the Gang)
“Having seen some of the reactions from people who haven’t seen it, I am dreading what they would say if they actually did. But then if, like a lot of people, you’ve been spoonfed a diet of tepid diarrhoea like Mrs Brown’s Boys and Ed Sheeran, anything a bit different or challenging will be hard to digest.”
But not everyone sees the funny side and Dewsbury West councillor Amma Anwar previously said: “The musical is sick and bang out of order. Imagine being that poor lass Shannon and reliving these cruel and sadistic moments again.”