Shannon Matthews: Last News

Social media users have slammed an "evil" comedy musical about the disappearance of schoolgirl Shannon Matthews, which has sold out shows at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.The musical, created by comedy duo Kunt and the Gang, is based on the true story of the faked abduction of nine-year-old Shannon, who was reported missing in 2008. After a major search, the schoolgirl was found hidden in the base of a bed in a grotty flat just a mile away from her home in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire.READ MORE: Sick bloke caught cooking cats and dogs as he prepared to eat neighbour's pet Her mum Karen Matthews had planned the whole thing with Michael Donovan - her then-partner's uncle - in a bid to split £50,000 reward money.

A documentary about Shannon Matthews abductor Michael Donovan airs tonight. He kept the sedated youngster under his bed in a fake kidnapping that left the nation shocked and sickened.

When the news broke that little Shannon Matthews was missing nobody imagined that her mum had staged the incident.

The family of the man who kidnapped Shannon Matthews say if cops had listened to them they would have found her right away.

Shannon Matthews was the victim of a hoax kidnapping plot set up by her own mother Karen Matthews back in 2008. The story of the school girl - who was found alive - and her disappearance is the focus of Channel 5 documentary The Disappearance of Shannon Matthews.The documentary, which also features interviews with several people who knew the family - including Shannon's best friend at the time Megan Aldridge - as well as police officers who found Shannon, is available to stream via My5.Here's everything you need to know about what happened to Shannon Matthews.Shannon Matthews was reported as missing on February 19, 2008, after she vanished on her way home from a swimming lesson outside her school in Dewesbury, West Yorkshire.

ITV drama No Return, made her think a little harder about what she'd do in that situationThe tale follows devastated mum Kathy, whose 16-year-old son is arrested in Turkey after being accused of sexually assaulting another boy.And after reading the "powerful" script, Sheridan was left in floods of tears.She explained: "I've never been to a read-through like the one for this. It was so powerful."I mean, I cried all the way through."I read it and was gripped - I had to know what happened."It gave me that jelly belly feeling of 'what would you do in that situation?'"She added: "They’re just ordinary people in an extraordinary situation and Kathy was an amazing lead role."The TV star continued to tell The Mirror that it's completely different playing these kind of roles now she's a mum herself."Playing roles before I had Billy to playing ones now I’ve had him, is totally different," she said."People had said you can’t understand the protectiveness and the overwhelming fear when you have a child and, he’s not even two yet, but I feel it."I hope it will resonate with the audience, they’ll be feeling all the angst as well."It’s every parent’s worst nightmare.

She’s one of Britain’s busiest stars so we may not be surprised to see Sheridan Smith back on our screens, but that doesn’t mean we’re any less excited. Her latest project, The Teacher, sees her take on the role of flawed staff member Jenna. She’s popular with the kids, but as her chaotic private life begins to catch up with her, Jenna’s accused of sleeping with a pupil.

There was relief on the Coronation Street cobbles as Joseph Brown was returned to his dad Chesney Brown.

BBC One drama The Reckoning will be written and produced by Jeff Pope and Neil McKay, the duo responsible for true crime dramas Appropriate Adult (based on Fred West's crimes) and The Moorside (based on the Shannon Matthews case)."To play Jimmy Savile was not a decision I took lightly," says Steve.

It's been exactly 12 years since Shannon Matthews went missing.

mum' Karen Matthews made several key mistakes that exposed the kidnap scandal of her own daughter.Schoolgirl Shannon Matthews vanished in February 2008 leaving the nation's hearts broke for her 'devastated' mother Karen.But the public had no idea she was just playing the part of a tearful mum as she begged for the safe return of her nine-year-old daughter.Mathews was actually part of an evil plot to hide and drug her child behind the scenes while she pleaded for help in front of television cameras, reports The Mirror.It was West Yorkshire Police who launched a mammoth search operation , the biggest operation since the hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper, while stricken friends and neighbours feared the worst.But one of Matthews' closest friends

When Shannon Matthews went missing, the nation's hearts broke for her devastated mother Karen.

told the Mirror : “I was elated. I couldn’t believe we’d found her and she was alive.

told the Mirror : “I was elated. I couldn’t believe we’d found her and she was alive.

Filthy floors, dingy walls and a heartbreaking lone keyboard - this is the house of horrors where Shannon Matthews was kept, tethered to a bed like a dog - for a harrowing 24 days.

Two hero policeman have described their feelings of utter joy when they discovered missing schoolgirl Shannon Matthews – and their sense of overwhelming relief that the little girl was still alive.

Shannon vanished in March 2008.The child disappeared on her way home from a swimming lesson in Dewesbury, west Yorkshire – and her mum Karen issued a tearful appeal on TV.However, Shannon had been drugged by her mum and her stepdad’s uncle Michael Donovan, who were both hoping to split the £50,000 reward.Paul and Nick first heard about Donovan on Day 23 of the hunt, the Daily Mirror reports. There was no answer at his flat so the pair decided to speak to June Batley, his neighbour downstairs.

documentary on the scam disappearance of a Yorkshire schoolgirl in 2008 will feature exclusive interviews and chilling footage never seen before.The Disappearance of Shannon Matthews will be shown on Channel 5 next, telling the story of a case that gripped the nation. The biggest manhunt since the Yorkshire Ripper was launched by West Yorkshire Police when the nine-year-old went missing on her way home from school in 2008, as reported by Leeds Live.

The best pal of Karen Matthews has welcomed the awarding of lifelong anonymity to the kidnap-faker’s children.

The Sun.Back in February 2008, the then nine-year-old went missing from her home in Dewsbury, Yorkshire.For over three weeks, cops searched for the youngster, her local community put out missing posters and the public waited anxiously for news. During this time, Shannon's mum Karen Matthews and partner Craig Meehan gave tearful interviews that tugged at the heartstrings, pleading for the little girl's safe return.

Shannon Matthews and her siblings have been granted lifelong anonymity preventing their new identities from ever being revealed.