A documentary about the disappearance and death of Nicola Bulley will feature her family members telling their own story. Despite the emotional toll, her family wanted to ensure that Bulley has the legacy she deserves, according to director Rachel Lob-levyt. The program, called The Search For Nicola Bulley, examines the media coverage surrounding the case, as well as the impact of self-described “internet sleuths” and the response by Lancashire Police.
The Lancashire mother of two disappeared on January 27, 2023, while walking her dog in St Michael’s on Wyre, shortly after dropping her daughters off at school. On February 19, 2023, her body was found in a river. A coroner later determined that she died due to accidental drowning. The program includes interviews with the family, including Bulley’s partner Paul Ansell and her parents, Ernest and Dorothy Bulley, and her sister Louise Cunningham.
Lob-levyt explains that social media played a crucial, invasive role in the family’s experience of their loved one’s disappearance. Specifically, she criticizes “social media sleuths” who felt entitled to spread rumors about Bulley and the case. She notes that “opinion takes on similar weight to verified information.” Police also condemned people on TikTok as “playing private detectives” and submitting false information during Bulley’s disappearance.
Bulley’s family had previously criticized “wildly inaccurate speculation” after her death. They issued a statement through the production company Rogan Productions in which they described taking part as “wasn’t an easy decision.” They added that while many people had shared their views online, only they could give their perspective as “a mummy, partner, daughter, and sister.”
An independent College of Policing review of the investigation into her disappearance found that the relationship between police and the media was “fractured.” The review urged the relationship to be rebuilt and criticized the disclosure of personal information about Bulley’s health as “avoidable and unnecessary.” The Search For Nicola Bulley is set to be broadcast on October 3 on BBC One
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