French Family Furious After RTE Programme Feeds Into Misconceptions About Their Daughter Katy

When model Katy French tragically died back in 2007, her family vowed to keep her memory alive and prevent what happened to their daughter, from ever happening to another young girl in her 20s again.

And, although they have spoken openly to the media about what happened on that fateful night – the night when Katy reportedly died of a cocaine overdose – they have spoken out about an RTE programme which they say depicts their daughter in an unfavourable light.

Scannal, an investigative documentary style production, shown on RTE last night, depicts the model as “a morality tale for the dying days of the Celtic Tiger” and the family say the broadcast is only adding to their anguish.

Katy’s sister Jill told the Irish Sun: “It is shocking that RTE have used Katy in this way. The documentary was obviously timed with ratings in mind with the court case ending last week.

“We are extremely angry at Katy being linked to Celtic Tiger excess and drugs. Katy was not a one-dimensional person. This programme is not representative of her and is causing us more pain.” 

She lived a party lifestyle but her parents insist that the media hasn't portrayed the real Katy

Kieron ‘The Wolf’ Ducie, 43, and his ex Ann Corcoran, 32, were given suspended sentences last week after being convicted of procuring cocaine on the night of Katy’s fatal collapse. 

Speaking on the programme, Ray Senior, owner of VIPIreland.com said "She was very pro active in her media. She wanted it. She knew she had a very short time span to break into it but this was her opportunity and she wasn't slowing down, she was really going after it. She was fearless." 

However, Katy’s parents and sister have slammed the programme saying the makers behind it failed to contact them for comment. 

Her sister Jill said “My sister was not some sort of non-stop party girl. To link her to to the downfall of the Celtic Tiger, to drugs, to criminals and to excess is disgraceful.”

However, RTE have hit back at the claims and in a statement said “Both the producer and commissioning editor for Scannal contacted the French family on two separate occasions regarding the programme and promo.”