Madeleine McCann

Of course, you have to feel deep sympathy for Kate and Gerry McCann. To lose a child must be absolutely horrific; to not know whether that child is alive or dead must be heartbreaking. And, of course they are going to continue to investigate their daughter’s disappearance. You shouldn’t expect anything less.

But does the fricking media have to report every single Christing story like it is the most exciting and important news in the history of mankind?

Investigators for Kate and Gerry McCann are probing claims that a girl calling herself "Maddy" was seen in the Netherlands after their child vanished.

Of course, this could be Madeleine McCann. More likely, it is a young girl with blonde hair who called herself something like Maddie. After all, Madeleine McCann is not the only young girl in the whole world, is she? So whilst this lead could come off (and I doubt it will) it seems to be highly unlikely.

So why is the media reporting it to the world? Are we going to report every single sighting of a blonde haired girl who may or may not have been Madeleine McCann for the rest of eternity, or at least until we all die of terminal boredom? Because I saw a girl who could have been Madeleine McCann on the walk to work this morning. I mean, could have been if you squinted a bit. And could have been if you had a hyperactive imagination. And were desperate for the incredibly minor celebrity status that comes with latching yourself onto a high profile criminal case.

Rehashed stories about Madeleine McCann are rapidly replacing rehashed stories about Diana as the most pointless waste of time in the media. There is nothing new to report, and there won’t be until the McCanns find out what happened to their daughter, one way or another.

In the meantime, how’s about the media shuts the fuck up about it and covers something else instead?