13 - MAI 01 - Interv. MC (ITV, Sky. blog)

01.05.2013 - Interviews "commémoratifs"

Transcriptions de Nigel Moore

1. ITV (Daybreak)  - Lorraine Kelly

Lorraine Kelly : It is very hard to believe that almost six years have passed since Madeleine McCann disappeared while on holiday in Portugal with her family.

Aled Jones : Two days ahead of that anniversary, Kate and Gerry McCann join us now. Thank you so much for joining us this morning. We were both mentioning... can't believe it's been six years. How... how have you coped in that time? Both of you?

Kate MC : Well, I... I think, you know, we've had tremendous support and that's been the main thing really which has carried us through and that support has... has continued.

AJ : It seems you've got very strong support together as well.

Gerald MC : Yeah, no, without a doubt and, errr... we've not always been at the same place at the same time and, errr... it's been pretty rare where both of us have been at out lowest ebb but, errr... you know, I think our relationship's ex... you know, incredibly strong.

LK : It is incredible. Because often times, you know, when something so horrendous happens to a couple, it can cause them to split up or it can cause troubles but it never has with you. It has made you stronger. I know that's a cliche but it doesn't mean that it's not true, it actually has made... brought you together even more. 

KMC : I mean, obviously it is a... a huge traumatic event, something like this, errm... you know, I think we were strong before it happened, which was a blessing and, errr... you know, we've always communicated well and I think that's really important but, you know, without doubt, the support we've had from family, friends and the general public is really helpful.

GMC : I mean it has been critical; the support, as well, and I think it's not just two people going through this, errm... Madeleine's abduction had devastating consequences for everyone around us, and...

AJ : Of course.

GMC : ...you know, the public really hit a nerve.

LK : How can the public help now though? What can we do now, six years down the line? Is there anything that you would like the public to do?

KMC : I think it's more of the same, to be honest, because, you know, you know, the search is very much ongoing, errm... nothing's slowing down, if anything I feel it's escalating with the work of the Met and, again, it's just be vigilant, errm... please still take your posters on holiday, you know, and... and don't forget about her. She's still missing, you know, we haven't lost hope. Our hope isn't any less than it was after the first 24/48 hours.

GMC : In... In some respects I think we're actually... apart from, you know, the early days and weeks, I think we're actually in a better position now in terms of working out what happened and the... having the Met involved has taken a huge amount of pressure off us now and they're doing all the things that we said needed to be done, which is great, and, you know, when they're ready they'll come forward and ask the public for help.

AJ : How difficult has it been for both of you watching Madeleine's contemporaries grow up, if you like?

KMC : Yeah, it's hard. Certainly initially, I thought that would be really, really difficult, errm... you know, and certainly when I used to school assemblies and it was her peer group, errm... you know, I could see her in there so that was quite emotional really but, you know, I still see Madeleine's best friend and actually I get comfort from that now, errm...

AJ : Mmm...

LK : Do you still keep in touch with them? Are they still pretty much part of your life?

KMC : Absolutely. I see them regularly.

AJ : But last time I spoke to you, you said that there were very few places in the world where you found solace and one of those was your local church and you had the key to it.

KMC : Yeah, well I... I initially had the key to the local church in Praia da Luz, errm... and I did spend a lot of time there and I do have the key to our local church as well and, you know, I don't always need to go there. Sometimes I can just go into Madeleine's room and sit down and I didn't even have to talk or pray, you know, I can just... think and, you know, and...

LK : Is it still the same as it was when she disappeared?

KMC : It is, no, it's... it's... still as it was really.

LK : She's part of the family...

AJ : Yeah

LK : ...this is the thing, isn't it? You know, you've always said that, with the twins as they grow up. They know their... their big sister, you know, she's... she's spoken about all the time.

KMC : Yeah, no, she is and... and that's her room and, I don't know, I mean, sometimes people have asked me, you know: 'Will there ever come a time when, you know, you change that room or...' and it's difficult, you know, because sort of in your head that... that almost indicates kind of moving on and...

AJ : Sure.

KMC : ...I'm not there.

AJ : What happens with the twins, you know, when they want to go on sleepovers or school trips. [Gerry McCann laughs] That's going to be tough, isn't it?

KMC : [pause] Yeah. [laughs]

GMC : Touchy subject.

AJ : Oh... oh really, yeah, yeah.

KMC : No, it's not. [laughs] I mean, I think I'm getting a little bit better and, you know, they haven't had any, errm... sleepovers with school friends or anything yet and I know that goes on a lot. Errm... although there is one potentially coming up soon, so I've given my blessing. Errm... you know, and...

GMC : It's... It has been difficult but, errr... you know, it's really important that Sean and Amelie get exposed to the same things that everyone else does and sometimes you've just got to stand back and, errr... you know, they do all their... their clubs and other things and in the past, errm... you know, Amelie has even been in to ski school for the day, so, you know, and that is hard letting go but, you know, you just take all the precautions.

KMC : It will get tougher. I mean, obviously as they kind of approach teenage years and... and want that freedom and, you know, obviously, you know, that's still a young age so they can't really see it from a parents' point of view.

LK : That's hard anyway, Kate...
KMC : And that's going to be a challenge.
LK : ...it's really hard...
KMC : Yeah, it is for everyone, yeah.
LK : ...but for you it's gonna be... it's gonna be even tougher.

AJ : We've got the anniversary on Friday. How... how will you spend it?

KMC : I don't know yet, is the honest answer and often it's one of those days until you get there you don't quite know how you'll feel. We always have a little service for Madeleine in the village, errm... and that will happen as always but we'll see... we'll see how we feel.

LK : Thank you...

AJ : Yeah.

LK : ...for coming in, you're astonishing. I don't know how you... and... and... the way that you've kept hope and kept going it's... it's incredible, it really is...

AJ : It's admirable, it really is

LK : ...and I'll be talking to you more after half past eight.

KMC : Yeah. Thank you.

GMC : Thank you.

2. ITV - Lorraine Kelly

Lorraine Kelly : Kate and Gerry McCann join me now. I can't believe it's six years. It's... for you, does it feel like it's gone by fast or how does it feel now, six years on?

Kate MC : Sometimes it feels like yesterday and other times, like you say, you just sit there... six years - how... how did that pass by?

LK : Where are we in the investigation right now?

Gerald MC : Well, the Met have, errr... been reviewing the case for the last couple of years and I think they're doing a brilliant job and an analogy we use is: 'There are so many more pieces in the jigsaw now' and, errr... I think they've made real progress and, from our point of view, taken a huge amount of pressure off us as parents of a missing child. So, we feel that, you know, what's needed to be done is finally getting done.

LK : Just wish it had been done right at the start, that's the thing, isn't it?

GMC : Well, reviews are always difficult, you know, there was huge amounts of information in different places. It's all been collated in... and gone over and every single lead's been looked at. So, I think, errr... you know, the Met will go public when the time's right but I'm sure there's... that there's a number of other areas that really do warrant further investigation.

LK : And I think it's astonishing how the two of you have been so strong and you've never given up hope.

KMC : Well, I don't think our hope's changed, really, since the first day or two. I think once Madeleine hadn't been found, errr... and there was no negative news, in the first day or two, we just thought there's a real chance, and it was a real chance she was alive and she's out there and nothing has changed since. Nothing has come to light that makes us think any differently.

GMC : I think...

LK : So, you just have to keep hoping.

GMC : I mean the difficulty is, in some respects, you... you don't know what's happened until you find the child or... or the person responsible and we've just got to keep going on... on that, and, errr... and there is real hope.

LK : And you support one another and get support from your family, as well.

GMC : Kate needs a lot of support [laughs]. No, it's, errr...

LK : You do, but both of you really have, you look as if when one is feeling really down, you know, the other one can help. You know, it's that kind of thing, isn't it?

KMC : I mean, it's been a long... a long journey and, you know, we're obviously a lot stronger than we were in the first couple of years and, you know, we've... we've spoken before about reaching different stages at different times, or one person having a bad day when the other persons actually doing okay - and that works both ways, you know. I think we're both in as good a place as we can be at the moment and, as we just said, we're really encouraged by the Met's work.

LK : And also by the public too.

GMC : Well, I was just going to say that, Lorraine that... that, you know, some weeks you can have a terrible time and the amount of support we've had from the public and people meeting you and... and just giving good wishes and support at the beginning was incredible - I think we have seen the best of people in this.

KMC : It still is, I mean, six years on, I mean, even like just... we had hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of Christmas cards and stuff and it really is humbling to think that, you know, obviously, we live with it every day for... but people who are unconnected, errm... to still be sending that much support and still thinking about Madeleine, it's really encouraging and it helps us beyond words, to be honest.

(et ça continue...)

3. Press Association 

GMC : I mean, in many ways things haven't changed and... and you could argue that we're... with the Met review two years in, that we're actually in a better place because, errm... so much more of the information has been collated and lots of pieces of the jigsaw are filled in. So, for us, it's... it's just about keep looking, errr... finding out what's happened to Madeleine and hopefully, errr... finding those responsible.

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GMC : The expertise and resource implications of what the Met can do they don't give us, you know, any concern, errr... it's fantastic. This is what we campaigned for and Kate will tell you that, you know, the Met are absolutely determined, errm... to see the job through, errr...

KMC : We al... you know, we always worried when... when people come in they're always really enthusiastic to help and obviously, as time goes by, if you don't yield results people's motivation can... can wane and yet, I'd say that was the opposite to what's happened with the Met. I think they've managed to uncover an awful lot and that's what's given them confidence and hope and I'd say they seem more determined than ever, which, for us, it's fantastic.

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KMC : I mean, they've coped amazingly well and, you know, in... in many ways they're... they're no different to any other 8-year old child. You know, they've grown up knowing that Madeleine is missing, errr... she's their big sister and we're trying to find her and she should be back with us, so... they know all that and any question that they've put to us we've answered and that's all we can carry on doing. I think communication and information makes everybody feel more comfortable and I think that goes for children as well. It relieves anxiety.

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KMC : On the anniversary we always have a service in the village, errm... we... we don't have any other plans. Her birthday is different and we both find that more difficult really because it's her special day and, you know, we should be there celebrating it. And... and we still do, we celebrate her anyway, errr... and... and the same will happen this year. We'll have a little birthday tea and a cake and, you know, that's... that's just a much harder day for us really.

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KMC : The marathon wasn't towards Madeleine's Fund, it was towards the charity Missing People, so... I mean, it does help to think that you can give a bit back and try and help, you know, other children, errr... who are missing and... and particularly other families.

4. Sky News

Gerald MC : I think we... with the review that the Met have been doing over the last two years I think we are closer to finding out what's happened just because more pieces of the jigsaw have... are filled in and that's been an incredibly important aspect but I think, for Kate and I, until we actually find Madeleine or the person responsible then, you know, we're still miles away.

Adam Boulton : But... but your... you feeling is what on what you know as to... to her disappearance? What... what happened do you think?

Kate MC : Well, we still don't know. All we know, she was, you know, she was taken from us, errm... and it is difficult when people say 'any closer?' As Gerry said, I don't know what the step before knowing is, you know, until you've found her or the person who's taken her, how close are you, you know? It's difficult.

Sarah-Jane Mee : And what's it been like, these six years? As you said, it's the not knowing that... that gets you.

KMC : Yeah, it is, it's a horrible, confusing situation to be in, errm... I think as time's gone on we've obviously got stronger and you do adapt to living in that situation.

SJM : And the level of public support hasn't dropped. I mean, everybody in this country particularly is very well aware of who Madeleine McCann is and her story. How much has... has that helped you personally?

GMC : Support has been tremendous, errr... and it's ongoing and I think, errm... it's hard to underestimate, errr... for a family who have been caught in a maelstrum in the public eye, just how, errm... how much that support has actually helped us and we get lots of mail still and people stop you in the streets - not so much where we live, where people are seeing you everyday, but if you're travelling around we get stopped and just a touch on the shoulder or something.

KMC : It's been incredible support, it really has.

GMC : Yeah.

AB : Are you still looking to the public to help? I mean, at this distance can they provide help? I mean, obviously, there's someone who knows what happened.

KMC : Yeah.

GMC : Absolutely. I think, you know, from our point of view, it's still about being vigilant and, errr... for potential sightings and, errr... when the Met are ready, errr... when they feel it is time to, errr... to ask for more information then, errm... they, you know, they'll do that in a proper public appeal.

AB : Kate, you... you've been running the London Marathon, errm... for, errr... Missing People, a charity you support. Is this a really unique and horrible occurrence or... or are other people losing children in this incredible unknown way?

KMC : I mean, I think there's... there's hundreds of thousands of missing children, errm... obviously, the... the number of children who have been abducted by a stranger is... is a very small percentage of that. But certainly from the family's point of view... from the parents point of view, that... obviously that sense of loss and pain is shared by all. So, it... it is a massive problem although obviously abduction... stranger abduction, I know parental abduction is another...

AB : [cuts in] It is very rare.

KMC : It is rare.

SJM : And in... in terms of your family life - because you have twins - errm... what's life been like for them the last six years? I mean, we understand that Madeleine is still very much a part of your family and you talk about her openly to them.

GMC : Absolutely. Well, the twins, I think from a distance, if you looked into our family, would look just like any other normal family, just with two kids there. Twins are... you know, do everything that other eight-year-olds do, and they've been a tremendous source of pleasure and joy for us. Errm... But they're... they're so adaptable and, errr... it's just a matter of fact to them that they've grown up with their... their older sister missing. Errm... But, you know, they... we talk to them openly about what we're doing; they know why we're in London today, errm... there's no subject off... off bounds for them.

AB : And you've kept Madeleine very much part of your lives. I mean your... you'll celebrate... that's probably the wrong word, but you'll mark her... her birthday with presents.

KMC : It is the right word, actually. I mean, to us, you know, obviously she should be here and we should be celebrating with her but we still celebrate her and her being part of our life, you know. And, yes, there's photographs round the house and there's a lot of memories of her, so she's very much alive in our house.

SJM : And what will you do to... to mark the day, which is on Friday?

KMC : I think, errr... we always find her birthday more difficult, if I'm honest. Errm... We don't have any major plans on Friday, although there's always a service, errr... in the village on the third, errm...

GMC : It is difficult, you know, it marks the day she was taken but, errm... it is, in many respects, just another day that she's missing but obviously...

KMC : [cuts in] It's a marker of time more than anything.

GMC : Yeah.

AB : Operation Grange is... is underway; the, errm... Metropolitan Police, errr... review, errr... of the case. How... is... does... is... is that limited in terms of time, in terms of active involvement. Are you expecting a... a report at the end of it, or something?

GMC : Well, the... the review is ongoing. We think they're doing a great job and in some respects because there was so much information, I get the feeling that the... the Met now feel that they're really just getting their teeth into it and they can see all these lines of inquiry that need followed up. So, errm... as far as I understand it, there's no timescale set and it's as long as progress is being made and we certainly feel, on the information we've been given, that they're... they're making excellent progress.

AB : And what about at the Portuguese end, where obviously there have been major problems in the past? Is that better?

GMC : Sure. Well, having the Met doing the investigative review is taking a tremendous amount of pressure off us and they're liaising directly with the Portuguese authorities and, you know, they're working hard, errr... with the Portuguese in... authorities and, hopefully, it will mean that we will find out what happened.

SJM : And Kate, how up to date are you kept with the ongoing investigation because you often hear families who are in your situation saying that they're just not being kept up to date enough, they're not being told enough information but is this a unique case in... in terms of you being given information?

KMC : Well, obviously, this is the review process but our... our communication's been excellent, I think, and we are kept up to date and if there's any questions we have, you know, we can contact them directly and they'll always come back to us, so we've been really pleased.

GMC : I don't... I don't think it's a special case, from that point of view though. Errm... Certainly what we have been told is that the Met, in particular, errr... have learnt from their past experiences with high profile cases and the level of engagement, errr... for the family's of... or the victims of serious crime, errm... is key.

SJM : And just finally, obviously, we're approaching the summer holidays; family's are going away with their children, errm... in terms of looking for Madeleine, I mean, when she first went missing you saw posters of Madeleine in all the airports. Is that something that you still want to continue? What would you say to families going abroad this summer?

KMC : Definitely, I'd say, you know, we've had so much support and thank you but please keep going, you know. Please contact us, we'll send out lots of posters and stuff, you know. Leave them around, you know. I think it... it's a reminder to everybody else, you know, and as you alluded to before, someone knows and it's just not... not... just not the people who are involved in the crime - other people will know as well, or be strongly suspicious and it just prompts people and pricks consciousness as well, so...

GMC : I suppose the key message is - if someone thinks they've seen Madeleine - it's contact the police, straight away.

5. Sur le site officiel

SIX YEARS. I don't think we are the only ones who find this hard to believe.

It's difficult to know what to write as each year passes, still without news of Madeleine. In many ways, nothing's changed. We still worry about her, we miss her as much as we ever did, we remain as determined as ever to find her and to know what has happened.

The one thing that has progressed significantly over the last year is the work of the Metropolitan Police. We remain greatly encouraged by their work and the many things they have managed to uncover so far. Their commitment and increasing determination parallels our own and brings us great comfort and reassurance. We continue to hope and pray that the Met working with the Portuguese Authorities will lead to a significant breakthrough. We need to find Madeleine and bring some peace to our family.

In the early days, Gerry remarked that we weren't sure whether this journey would be a sprint or a marathon. It's been much, much more than a marathon (I'm qualified to say that now!) We really appreciate how lucky we have been to be surrounded by such fabulous support for so long. Thank you to all our supporters for being there alongside us and for never forgetting about Madeleine. We're here for the long haul, for as long as it takes. Thank you for being there too.

And finally, a special 'thank you' to everybody who sponsored me to run the London marathon recently. Your kind donations, which have now amounted to more than £21,000 (fantastic!) will allow the charity, Missing People, to continue the search for many missing children and vulnerable adults, as well as provide essential support for their families. Your compassion and generosity will help to ease the suffering of many people.

Thank you.

Kate