Michael Barrymore: Stuart Lubbock's dad wants to face entertainer on TV Published duration 15 June 2019

image caption Terry Lubbock said the stress of his son's death had caused him ill health

The father of a man found dead in Michael Barrymore's swimming pool 18 years ago says he wants to face the entertainer on television.

Terry Lubbock, 74, was speaking after Barrymore's TV appearance on Piers Morgan's Life Stories on ITV.

Barrymore told Morgan he "couldn't be more sorry" for the death of Stuart Lubbock, 31, at his Essex home in March 2001, but was "100% innocent".

Mr Lubbock said his life had been on "standstill for 18 years".

image copyright PA image caption Michael Barrymore said he still "hopes for answers" over the death of Stuart Lubbock

Essex Police launched a fresh appeal for information about the death to coincide with Strike It Lucky host Barrymore's interview last week.

Mr Lubbock said: "I would like to meet you, Michael [Barrymore] on television, in front of an audience, so they can see what my life has done to me.

"People have to understand that every day of my 18 years the stress has been there."

image copyright Other image caption Mr Lubbock was found dead in the entertainer's swimming pool in 2001

Stuart Lubbock's body was found in the pool of the house in Roydon, Essex, after a party in which drugs and alcohol were taken.

A post-mortem examination revealed he had suffered sexual assault injuries.

In 2007 Barrymore was arrested in connection with the death, but was later released without charge, and withdrew from public life.

His arrest was found to be unlawful because the arresting officer did not have reasonable grounds to suspect Barrymore, a High Court judge later ruled.

image caption Barrymore's Essex home became the centre of inquiries into how Stuart Lubbock died

Mr Lubbock said he was determined to get justice for his son and compared himself to a "long distance runner with my head down".

"I won't get distracted because there is a light up ahead, and that is the justice light," he said.

He added his voice to the police's latest appeal, saying: "We do need a spark, and we do need somebody to come forward."

In his interview Barrymore, now 67, told Morgan he hoped Mr Lubbock's family would get "proper answers", adding: "No parent should have to bury their young."

The BBC has been unable to contact Mr Barrymore for a response.