Barrymore to be sued on TV trip to Britain

Michael Barrymore

Entertainer and New Zealand resident Michael Barrymore is being sued in relation to cocaine and assault charges - and he may be issued a summons while on Britain's Big Brother series.

British rights adviser Anthony Bennett said yesterday that he planned to apply at Harlow Magistrate's Court for a summons to be issued to Barrymore in relation to six charges, including assault and the possession and supply of cocaine.

The charges relate to events on March 31, 2001, at Barrymore's mansion in Essex, the same day the body of Stuart Lubbock, 31, was found floating in Barrymore's pool.

The incident sparked a sharp decline in the entertainer's career. He fled to New Zealand in 2003 and was granted residency the following year.

Barrymore, 53, has been on the Channel 4 Big Brother series since last week and the online betting agency betdirect has him at second-equal favourite to win.

He is living on the Big Brother set at Elstree Studios, Hertfordshire, and could be served on national television.

Harry Cichy, a spokesman for Mr Bennett, said he hoped Barrymore would be evicted from the show before being served. "We're not after publicity in that sense, we're after justice."

He said Mr Bennett was pursuing the private prosecution because he felt Barrymore had to be held to account for what happened.

"At the [Lubbock] inquest, Barrymore did not say anything on the grounds it would incriminate him. Then he fled to New Zealand and we thought he wasn't going to come back."

Mr Cichy said Mr Bennett decided to prosecute Barrymore when he learned the former star was returning to Britain.