Documentary gets court go-ahead

Channel 4 defended its decision to broadcast the show

A court bid to block a TV documentary about a woman who lives with four different personalities has failed.

The Channel 4 programme Being Pamela, which follows 32-year-old Pamela Edwards from St Helens, Merseyside, will be shown next week.

The local council, which looks after her, and the UK's official solicitor argued she lacked the capacity to give permission to take part in the film.

But the High Court in London backed her right to freedom of expression.

Mrs Edwards suffers from dissociative identity disorder, struggling with four personalities she has named Andrew, Sandra, Margaret and Susan.

'Significant judgment'

She is looked after in her home by 20 staff from St Helens council at a cost of £500,000 a year.

Jan Tomalin, Channel 4's controller of legal and compliance, said the decision had important implications.

"In freedom of expression terms, I anticipate it will be a significant judgment for the rights of people with mental health problems to talk freely about their lives and discuss matters private to them in public if they choose to do so," she said.

Mr Justice Munby, sitting in the family division of the High Court, made the ruling but did not give his reasons.