Channel 5 issued a stark warning to viewers before its much talked about true crime drama Maxine had even begun on Monday night, as many viewers left horrified by the subject matter.
Three parter Maxine is all abou t Maxine Carr, the woman who hit headlines for all the wrong reasons 20 years ago, as the girlfriend of Ian Huntley, who provided him with a false alibi after he had killed missing Soham school girls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman.
Maxine wasn’t in the East Cambridgeshire village when the two 10 year-olds vanished but claimed she was, after Ian claimed Holly and Jessica had spoken to him outside of his and Maxine’s home on the night they vanished, when the tragic truth was in fact very much different to that.
READ MORE: What happened to Maxine Carr? Channel 5 debut drama about Soham murders criminal
Huntley was eventually charged with the girls’ murders, with him still in prison now, while Maxine served 21 months of a three and a half year sentence for conspiring with him to pervert the courts of justice.
The events of August 2002 are back in the primetime spotlight once again thanks to Maxine, which started on Channel 5 on Monday night. And, before the opening scenes rolled, an announcer for the broadcaster had a word of warning for viewers, saying: “A warning for strong language and upsetting scenes from the outset.”
The warning came as some viewers immediately called for Channel 5 to take Maxine off air. Taking to Twitter, one blasted: “If channel 5 had any decency they would pull the plug on this really not fair on Holly and Jessica's family.”
Taking the same stance, a second tweeted: “ Are Channel 5 trying to make us feel sorry for Maxine Carr? A woman who lied & covered for her evil boyfriend. A man who killed two beautiful children. It's 20 years since this horrendous & awful event & I don't think anyone needs to watch,” but, of those who say through the first episode, some praised the way it was done.
Being far more positive about Maxine, one Twitter user wrote: “Credit where it’s due, whilst the quality on channel 5 can be hit & miss, the first episode of #Maxine was great tonight. I’m looking forward to the following 2 episodes tomorrow & Wednesday”
*Maxine continues at 9pm on Channel 5 on Tuesday, with the final part airing at the same time on Wednesday.
READ NEXT:
*How many episodes of Maxine are there?
*Channel 5's Maxine cast as true crime drama starts
*What happened to Maxine Carr?
*Benidorm star 'confuses' viewers with role in Channel 5's Maxine
