I am joined by the marvellous Seymour Platt, a name might not be familiar with, but you may well know his mother’s name, Christine Keeler, and the Profumo Affair that she was involved in back in the early 60’s. Although the ‘scandal’ took place 70 years ago it is still as topical now, the affair featured in 'The Crown' and more recently this year with the BBC dramatization ‘The Trial of Christine Keeler’.

I first came across the Christine Keelers name after watching the 1990 film Scandal featuring John Hurt, Ian McKellen and Joanne Whalley Kilmer as Christine. For those unfamiliar with what happened, it was 1961 and Christine Keeler a 19 year old model and showgirl had a brief affair with John Profumo the Secretary of State for War in Harold Macmillan’s Tory government, Profumo was a very powerful man and was tipped to be the next British Prime Minister. At the time the affair was first revealed public interest was heightened due to reports Keeler may have also been sexually involved with a Soviet Naval attaché Captain Yevgent Ivanov. Christine had been introduced to both men by osteopath and high society type Stephen Ward. There was huge concern within the ranks that the affair had put Britain’s National Security at risk.  And as the description for the film Scandal reads:

“ When the affairs are made public, the resulting scandal costs many people their political careers, and someone's life.”

But as Seymour explains during the podcast there are two stories at play here in Christine’s life. The other involved a very violent man who stalked and abused Christine for years called Lucky Gordon. It is during a statement to the police about an attack on her by Lucky Gordon during which Christine omitted the names of two witnesses were present during the attack, and later this lie was the solel reason that Christine got sent to prison charged with perjury. 

Seymour, a business analyst for many years, sadly had his career grind to a halt when COVID-19 struck. Time at home gave Seymour and wife Lorraine a chance to look through all the newspaper articles and court documents pertaining to his mum’s conviction. The pair went on to create a website celebrate his mum’s life and her legacy.

It was when Seymour applied his ‘business analyst’ thought process to his mum's story, as well as to all the police and court documents that the misjustice of Christine’s prison sentence became apparent. Since launching the website there have now been significant interest from various legal types surrounding Christine’s case. A ‘Petition of Mercy’ is now in motion and Seymour and the legal team are hopeful that his mother will receive a full pardon posthumously.

Seymour is so joyful and funny he had me laughing throughout or chat with all his stories, including falling at Phil Collins feet, crying on cue for John Hurt in the back of a Limo in America as well as his mum’s famous Christmas turkey incident and her affair with one of The Beatles!

You can check out the website which is a celebration of all things Christine Keeler at www.christine-keeler.co.uk

www.christine-keeler.co.uk

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