Sack Kay Burley!
By Lynne Miles | 29 February 2008, 22:02
I’ve been a bit slow on the uptake here, but catching up on my blogs I stumbled across this by MatGB on Liberal Conspiracy.
Pamela Wright, the partner of Steve (recently convicted of murdering five prostitutes in Ipswich) was interviewed on Sky News last Sunday, to give her side of the story. Pamela was oblivious to Steve’s actions, or even that he visited prostitutes, and it goes without saying that this is a pretty nightmarish time for her. She was brave, but visibly distressed.
And do you know what Kay Burley asked her? She asked:
“Do you think if you’d had a better sex life, he wouldn’t have done this?”
No, seriously, she did. You won’t believe me (I didn’t believe it) so you can watch a three minute clip of the interview here. It’s about halfway. I almost fell off my chair. Apparently women are now obligated to put out on demand, lest their partner get fed up and turn into a serial killer.
Liveblogger Debi Linton is so pissed off she’s started off an internet petition to get Kay Burley sacked. Sign it, why don’t you?
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Feeds
Ruthie Samuel said:
Pamela Wright seems genuinely nice, the poor woman. Kay Burley clearly wanted to get tears out of her for the sake of good telly, horrible.
Posted on 01 March 2008 at 12:08 AM
Hannah Poupart said:
Oh I am so relieved to see this post! It must have been Monday morning I put Sky News on before work. I have already stopped with BBC News as it is little more than an entertainment programme.
I have been following this case and was quite interested to see an interview with the wife. But the personal questions about their sex life just made me cringe. So exploitative. AND then this question is thrown in. I shouted. And it was too early for shouting.
The implications of this question are despicable! For a start why is the lack of sex life the woman's fault? It implies that men have a constant unemotional sexual need that has to be filled, like animals. And women must submit to this need. So really it's her fault her husband used prostitutes is it? And then had to murder them.
I am so disgusted beyond belief. I cannot believe this question was even thought of - let alone asked. I am so enraged I can barely get the words out to express my annoyance.
Posted on 01 March 2008 at 9:21 AM
Lynne Miles said:
But hurrah the number of signatories has doubled overnight!
Posted on March 1, 2008 11:05 AM
Carrie said:
Kay Burley has ALWAYS been a terrible, insensitive, stupid interviewer. I loathe her.
Posted on 01 March 2008 at 11:14 AM
Sunny said:
I think a complaint to Ofcom would yield better results actually.
Posted on 01 March 2008 at 3:37 PM
EBaeza Chavez said:
It doesn't surprise me at all. When the Yorkshire Ripper, Peter Sutcliffe was caught, the papers tried to lay a huge amount of blame at the feet of his wife Sonja and the fact that she had been unfaithful. Its like the Maxine Carr/ Ian Huntley case, (although obvious Carr had committed a crime in lying for Huntley, whereas Sonja and Pamela are both innocent). Even though Huntley is 100% to blame for the Soham murders, the media chose to focus disproportionately on Maxine Carr and her culpability. Time and again women are blamed for what men do.
A better question for Burley would have been, "do you think if Wright had been convicted and properly punnished for previous sex attacks and domestic violence, he wouldn't have done this?"
Posted on 01 March 2008 at 5:19 PM
Depresso said:
I *knew* that someone would say that eventually, as soon as I read the Daily Male's exclusive interview with Ms. Wright. I can't recall the exact phrasing, but they did mention that the couple's sex life had waned in the past couple of years. I don't know what that has to do with anything, and oh my gods, this woman is appalling. Kay Burley, I mean, not Pamela Wright. My heart goes out to her, I cannot imagine what she's trying to deal with just now.
Posted on 01 March 2008 at 7:17 PM
Kirsty said:
I am beyond staggered and horrified at this. How can anyone, let alone another woman, believe that this is a legitimate line of questioning? I wish I could be more eloquent, but am afraid I am too busy spitting feathers.
Needless to say, I have signed the petition. And will be writing to Ofcom, and anyone else I can think of.
Posted on 02 March 2008 at 9:47 AM
Jennifer said:
Absolutely disgusting - what the hell was she thinking when she asked that question? As a matter of interest (excuse my ignorance on the matter) who comes up with the interview questions on sky news anyway? Would it definitely have been Kay Burley?
Regardless, she asked it and that makes her compliant to a horrendous thing to say and I did sign the petition. However, I will also be writing to Ofcom - and I think we all should - as that is likely to make a bigger impact.
Posted on 03 March 2008 at 4:25 PM
Fliss said:
Burley is the most insensitive women ever. Horrible
Posted on 03 March 2008 at 5:40 PM
Lynne Miles said:
I've just had a response to my complaint from Ofcom who say that although the line of questionning is 'crass' that it doesn't really come under their remit to sanction.
Posted on March 6, 2008 2:20 PM
JAmbo said:
This presenter is a sham, how on earth she ever got her job with Sky is beyond me. She is not unlike a female Alan Partridge.
Posted on 13 March 2008 at 9:28 PM