User Reviews

Freddie Mills was a hugely successful boxed from the 1950's, when he retired he opened a Chinese restaurant and often featured on radio shows, to stay relevant Freddie tried to move with the times, but failed.

I thought this was a truly interesting installment, a very well made production, and Freddie's story is fascinating. The question asked here, did he commit suicide, or did somebody take his life?

Definitely troubled, he tried to make a career post boxing, but an affair, and the death of friend, Michael Holliday, another troubled talent, who knows, I honestly can't form an opinion based on the information we're given here.

All you can say, there's not much chance someone would choose to commit suicide in such a grim way.

Great visuals, they got the atmosphere of the era spot on, good use of clothes, cars and sets.

I inherited a signed photograph of Freddie Mills from my grandfather, who was a huge fan of boxing, Mills was definitely something of a legend at the time.

Very interesting, 8/10.

Edward Woodward presents the still notorious death of former Freddie Mills. Long thought to be suicide but Woodward is not so sure.

Freddie Mills was a household name back in the 1950s. He was Light heavyweight champion of the world. He had won over £100 thousand pounds in prize money.

Long regarded as a national hero in an era when British world boxing champions were few in number.

After retiring from boxing, Mills had opened up a nightclub. It initially did well but later Mills was consumed with money worries. He also had a long term affair which his wife found out about.

The body of Freddie Mills was found in 1965 slumped in his car. Shot through the eye at point blank range. The coroner thought it was suicide.

The program pondered many of the same points raised in the years since. Was Mills depressed as his fame and fortune ebbed away. His close friend Michael Holliday also killed himself.

Alternatively, as his nightclub was not as busy as it was, he came into contact with gangsters such as the Kray twins.

The show had nothing but conjecture to peddle. Maybe there is mileage in the lack of a suicide note and especially in the manner Mills suicide. No one will know for certain.

The second story involved Louise Masset who was half French and a woman of loose morals. She unashamed of it.

She had a son Manfred born out of wedlock. The father who was in France provided for the child but Manfred was placed with a foster mother.

Louise gave piano lessons and taught French. She also had a young lover, a 19 year old medical student.

One day Louise yanked her son away from her foster mother. She planned to leave Manfred with her father, while she would have a passionate weekend in Brighton with her lover.

Only Manfred was killed in a railway station waiting room. Louise was convicted for killing her child.

Edward Woodward gave a rather half hearted alternative explanation. Even he did not seem convinced with Louise's story of two sisters who operated a school and took Manfred away to teach him there.

There is a subtext of Victorian values and Louise certainly did not practice it.

Hence the jury's rush to convict. It might just had been Louise was guilty of not such a well planned murder.