Watson: Last few weeks have been 'awful'

Paul Watson, the maker of Malcolm and Barbara: Love's Farewell, spoke today of how he felt about the furore the documentary had caused.

The row started earlier this month when information released to the press about the programme indicated that it ended with Alzheimer's sufferer Malcom Pointon passing away, surrounded by his family. However, ITV confirmed later that the final scenes actually showed Pointon slipping into a coma; he died three days later and cameras were not present.

In an interview with the controller of BBC Two Roly Keating at MGEITF, Keating asked Watson how the last few weeks has been.

"Awful. It is awful. I can't believe it. I am very angry, and it's taken away from 11 years of observation. They [Malcolm and Barbara] gave me total and utter trust."

The man Keating described as having "transformed weekly topical observation documentary series" with his 1974 fly-on-the-wall documentary The Family, spoke passionately about his journey from art school student to film maker. Describing the medium, he said: "Filming is like making opera, when it works, it's sublime."

The maker of Rain in My Heart and Sylvania Waters said the documentary genre was important to society as it provided alternative viewpoints: "[It's about] Looking at the status quo and not repeating it, but questioning it. It's a multi-dimensional thing and you should be looking for different points of view," he said.

Referring to himself in his earlier career as the "cut-away king", Watson said he felt the genre needed to be "refreshed continually" to thrive, but warned that commissioners shouldn't shy away from investing in such films. "I think we have to consider very seriously whether we are providing the time, money and resources to make documentaries that will stand the test of history. I think we aren't," he added.

Praising the film editors he has worked with over the years, Watson said: "Editors are still the most uncontaminated part of the film industry. They are your conscience. They will not lie."

But he spoke of his concern that with the furore over "trust in TV" - of which Malcolm and Barbara has been a part - there would be a lack of people wanting to make documentaries in the same way.

"Who is going to make them? If you have nothing to inform history about - what are we doing? It isn't Wife Swap?" he added.