The ITV Drama

[guest7363]

Why was Bamber taking valium?
In White House Farm episode three, Jeremy Bamber told officers DCI Taff Jones (Stephen Graham) DS Stan Jones (Mark Addy) that he has been taking Valium.

Carol Ann Lee mentions this exact incident in her book The Murders at White House Farm, which the series is based on.

She writes: “As the three men [DCI Taff Jones, DS Stan Jones and Jeremy] went through to the dining room, Jeremy explained hat the had taken Valium ‘so if I appear to be drifting away, you’ll understand it’s the effect of the tablets’.”

[lookout]

He'd have been zonked out with such a mixture anyway which is probably the state that suited him at the time, who knows ?

[Steve_uk]

I have no idea if his portrayal of Jeremy is accurate, but he's certainly portraying someone who is charismatic, a bit callous, and fond of having a good time. He showed emotion when he was saying to Ann that June loved the dog more than him, and he was shocked when she accused him, but I don't know if that conversation ever happened.

The portrayal of Julie is quite odd. So far she's pretty silent most of the time, and expresses very little emotion about anything.

They have to be careful what they depict, knowing some characters are still living. I suppose it also adds dramatic impact to those viewers unfamiliar with the story.

[lookout]

A lot of the drama will naturally be based on sensationalism to make for easier viewing.

[Steve_uk]

Don’t know how true it is?

Lee explains in her book how Bamber was prescribed valium by a doctor.

According to Lee, Bamber was given the tablets after Ann Eaton (Gemma Whelan) his cousin, accused him of killing his famiy.

She writes: “After Ann and Anthony arrived, something explosive passed between the group, although precise details have never emerged.

“Later, Ann would only say that they ‘must have accused Jeremy’ since ‘he showed the first sign of real emotion’ as they brought their simmering suspicions about him into the open.

“Whatever was said, he was in such a state that a doctor was called and prescribed him

You know I was thinking today that although Jeremy expected ructions from Ann Eaton post-murders he never anticipated Julie's evidence, or he would have married her at the turn of the New Year.

[sami]

You know I was thinking today that although Jeremy expected ructions from Ann Eaton post-murders he never anticipated Julie's evidence, or he would have married her at the turn of the New Year.

good point steve

[Reader]

He was prescribed valium tablets by the doctor, washing them down with alcohol.

On what date(s), and is there independent confirmation?

[David1819]

Don’t know how true it is?

Lee explains in her book how Bamber was prescribed valium by a doctor.

According to Lee, Bamber was given the tablets after Ann Eaton (Gemma Whelan) his cousin, accused him of killing his famiy.

She writes: “After Ann and Anthony arrived, something explosive passed between the group, although precise details have never emerged.

“Later, Ann would only say that they ‘must have accused Jeremy’ since ‘he showed the first sign of real emotion’ as they brought their simmering suspicions about him into the open.

“Whatever was said, he was in such a state that a doctor was called and prescribed him

Does AE (Gemma Whelan) directly accuse JB in person on the show?

[notsure]

I have no idea if his portrayal of Jeremy is accurate, but he's certainly portraying someone who is charismatic, a bit callous, and fond of having a good time. He showed emotion when he was saying to Ann that June loved the dog more than him, and he was shocked when she accused him, but I don't know if that conversation ever happened.

The portrayal of Julie is quite odd. So far she's pretty silent most of the time, and expresses very little emotion about anything.

the portrayal of anne is interesting isn’t it. because i’ve read stuff i think she’s a bloody gold digger and hated jeremy but i wonder what viewers think of her that don’t know as much. both my kids have been watching it and keep asking me questions but only because they know i’m interested in it,  but i’ll ask them when it’s finished who they think did it and what thier friends think

[Janet ((Formerly known as Takeshi))]

Does AE (Gemma Whelan) directly accuse JB in person on the show?

Oh yes! At White House Farm in the kitchen. Both of them end up in a very distressed and emotional state. JB returns to Goldhanger and takes a valium. AE almost has a nervous breakdown in the car outise WHF with her daughter there. Very powerful scenes.

[lookout]

the portrayal of anne is interesting isn’t it. because i’ve read stuff i think she’s a bloody gold digger and hated jeremy but i wonder what viewers think of her that don’t know as much. both my kids have been watching it and keep asking me questions but only because they know i’m interested in it,  but i’ll ask them when it’s finished who they think did it and what thier friends think

I've been reading a few blogs about it here and there and the remarks are pretty mixed. One poster asked " if we know who did it by the time it reaches the 36th episode ", others have said it was slow and some poor acting involved. Viewers don't seem to find it very bowelgripping, overall.

It can't be anything else but a  "whodunnit " as opposed to an outright accusation.

[Caroline]

the portrayal of anne is interesting isn’t it. because i’ve read stuff i think she’s a bloody gold digger and hated jeremy but i wonder what viewers think of her that don’t know as much. both my kids have been watching it and keep asking me questions but only because they know i’m interested in it,  but i’ll ask them when it’s finished who they think did it and what thier friends think

Don't know as much or who have formed the same opinion as yourself?

[David1819]

Oh yes! At White House Farm in the kitchen. Both of them end up in a very distressed and emotional state. JB returns to Goldhanger and takes a valium. AE almost has a nervous breakdown in the car outise WHF with her daughter there. Very powerful scenes.

AE has said that they never revealed their suspicions to him.

Here is the statement that CAL got this information from. Relevant parts in red -

"I have been asked if any of us said to the police at
this meeting that we suspected Jeremy of the murders.
On reflection I cannot honestly recall if we pointed
the finger at Jeremy. We only stated our belief that
Sheila could not have killed Uncle Nevill, Aunt June
and the twins. However I have no doubt in my mind that
we had said enough to indicate what our thoughts were.
I'm not sure how long the meeting lasted.
I have been asked by the City Police to expand upon my
exhibit CAE/5.
On the side headed 'Questions*' the list is a series
of questions that I wanted to ask DCI Jones at the pre-
arranged meeting at Witham Police Station on Friday 9th
August 1985, that I have previously described. The last
two lines and then the black ink on the reverse were
written by me actually during that meeting, while the
blue ink at the top on the reverse was written again by
me but after the meeting, when I was putting my
thoughts together to make my witness statement to the
Essex Police.
On reflection we must have accused Jeremy because when
I was at Jeremy's cottage on Friday after the Witham
meeting Jeremy showed the first sign of real emotion."

My interpretation of this is - AE is saying she accused JB of being responsible to the police. Not directly to JB himself.  AE is now assuming "on reflection" that the police told JB their suspicions and that's why he was upset.

[notsure]

no i will just be interested to know what others think that haven’t read about it. i’m wondering what i would think watching it if i hadn’t read about it. i’m not saying i know as much as many on here but i know what i have read about has made me feel as though he may be innocent. if i were to be watching the docu series and hadn’t read anything about it what would i think then?

[Janet ((Formerly known as Takeshi))]

AE has said that they never revealed their suspicions to him.

Here is the statement that CAL got this information from. Relevant parts in red -

"I have been asked if any of us said to the police at
this meeting that we suspected Jeremy of the murders.
On reflection I cannot honestly recall if we pointed
the finger at Jeremy. We only stated our belief that
Sheila could not have killed Uncle Nevill, Aunt June
and the twins. However I have no doubt in my mind that
we had said enough to indicate what our thoughts were.
I'm not sure how long the meeting lasted.
I have been asked by the City Police to expand upon my
exhibit CAE/5.
On the side headed 'Questions*' the list is a series
of questions that I wanted to ask DCI Jones at the pre-
arranged meeting at Witham Police Station on Friday 9th
August 1985, that I have previously described. The last
two lines and then the black ink on the reverse were
written by me actually during that meeting, while the
blue ink at the top on the reverse was written again by
me but after the meeting, when I was putting my
thoughts together to make my witness statement to the
Essex Police.
On reflection we must have accused Jeremy because when
I was at Jeremy's cottage on Friday after the Witham
meeting Jeremy showed the first sign of real emotion."

My interpretation of this is - AE is saying she accused JB of being responsible to the police. Not directly to JB himself.  AE is now assuming "on reflection" that the police told JB their suspicions and that's why he was upset.

That is the way I understood it also. There have been a few scenes which I suspect never happened. Like Jeremy giving a speech to the press waiting outside the Coroner's Court after the verdict. I am pretty sure that never happened, although I haven't been able to find information it.