A
group of 42 One Direction fans, known as “Larry Shippers” are
rumoured to have committed suicide, in response to the Channel 4
documentary Crazy About One Direction.
The
rumours began Friday morning on Twitter, via hashtags
#RIPLarryShippers
and #Larry Shippers. The story was soon trending, with most asking
could this documentary really be responsible for the deaths of 42
boy-band obsessed teens?
Channel
4 has come under scrutiny since the airing of Crazy About One
Direction, with many feeling the programme portrayed Directioners in
a negative light. Band member Liam Payne took to Twitter and attacked
the programme, stating:
He
added: “We couldn't give a f--- what any documentary says there
dramatized for entertainment and full of bulls--- anyway we all
know... How hard you work for us and see it everyday at our shows,
Let's all take a step back and think about what we/you have all
achieved... You should be proud.”
Despite
there being a lack of reliable news sources to back up these claims,
many fans of the band believe the rumours and Twitter has been
flooded with sympathetic messages towards the allegedly deceased.
The evidence suggests these are no more than strange internet rumours,
but regardless of the outcome, this story has opened up the debate on
what responsibilities television studios have to their viewers.
Words by Ben Gibson
