I won't apologise for The Lost King – Leicester University's treatment of Philippa Langley is a profound injustice | Steve Coogan

Philippa Langley, a dedicated amateur historian, spent over 15 years searching for the remains of King Richard III, an impossible task deemed foolhardy by most. Yet, her perseverance paid off when she finally uncovered the king's remains in a Leicester car park. However, the University of Leicester has now refused to acknowledge her role in the discovery and instead portrayed her as just an amateur.

In reality, Langley was not only a driven individual but also the one who initially initiated the search for Richard III. She was the driving force behind the dig's survival when funding was threatened. Her meticulous work even led to the excavation of the bones, which later revealed curvature to the spine and injuries consistent with historical accounts.

Steve Coogan, who portrayed Langley's ex-husband in a Channel 4 documentary, disagrees with the University's portrayal of her. He believes that she was both ordinary and extraordinary but never sought fame or recognition for her achievement. Unlike Richard Taylor, who has suggested an inquiry into the university's behavior during the discovery, Coogan welcomes any opportunity to debate the matter publicly.

The Lost King film, which tells Langley's story, highlights her integrity and dedication. However, its portrayal of Richard Buckley, the head archaeologist, as having feet of clay is also a crucial aspect of the story. The University has refused to acknowledge Coogan's statements on their website, despite them being accurate representations of the events.

In conclusion, Philippa Langley's remarkable achievement deserves recognition and respect. Her contributions to history should not be diminished by the University of Leicester's attempts to downplay her role. As Steve Coogan aptly puts it, the true David in this David vs Goliath story is indeed Philippa Langley.
 
I'm so done with this 🙄. Phil Langley is basically a hero and we should be giving her all the credit. The Uni's trying to diminish her role by saying she was just an amateur? Come on, she was the one who started the whole search, she's the one who kept it going when funding got threatened... and now they're trying to erase that from history? 🙃 The fact that Steve Coogan is speaking out against this is a big deal. He knows his stuff and he's not afraid to say what really went down. Let's give Phil Langley the recognition she deserves! 💪
 
Ugh man, I'm so sick of these old institutions trying to play down someone's achievements 🤯! Philpippa Langley deserves all the credit for her crazy 15-year search and then what? The University of Leicester just kinda... shrugs it off 💁‍♀️. And now they're not even acknowledging Steve Coogan's statements on their website? What's good with that?! 🙄

I mean, I get it, she's an amateur historian and all, but COME ON! She was the driving force behind that dig and found the king's remains. That's NOT something you just casually stumble upon 🌟. And yeah, maybe Richard Buckley wasn't perfect, but who is?! The Lost King film does a great job of highlighting Langley's dedication and integrity 💪.

I think it's time for these institutions to step up their game and give credit where credit is due 🔥. We need more people like Philippa Langley, not less 🙌.
 
I'm literally shook that the Uni of Leicester is trying to diminish Phil Langley's incredible achievement 🤯👑! I mean, 15 years of dedication and perseverance paid off, and she should get major props for it 💥! It's like they're trying to erase her from history books 📚😢. Steve Coogan's statements are totally accurate btw 👍, so it's wild that they won't acknowledge them on their website 🤔. Langley's story is an inspiration to us all, and we need to recognize her bravery and determination 💪🏽! The Lost King film did a great job of highlighting her integrity, but we need more acknowledgment from the Uni 🙄. Can't let her achievement be reduced to just 'amateur' status 😒. Langley's definitely the David in this Goliath story 👊!
 
I don’t usually comment but I think the University of Leicester's move on Philippa Langley is pretty disappointing 🤔. I mean, she was basically the one who drove that search for years and then they're just gonna give her a pat on the back? It's like, hello, recognition isn't too much to ask for when you've dedicated your life to something 💁‍♀️. And it's not even about seeking fame, but more about keeping the history alive 📚. I don’t get why they can’t just acknowledge her role in the discovery and give her some credit where it’s due 💯.
 
OMG I FEEL SO SICK FOR PHILIPPA LANGLEY!!! SHE SPENT 15 YEARS OF HER LIFE SEARCHING FOR THE REMAINS OF KING RICHARD III AND FINALLY FOUND THEM BUT NOW THE UNIVERSITY IS TRYING TO TAKE CREDIT FOR IT!!! 🤬💔 IT JUST DOESNT SEEM RIGHT THAT THEY WOULDN'T GIVE HER THE RECOGNITION SHE DESERVES! STEVE COOGAN IS RIGHT ON THE MONEY WHEN HE SAYS SHE WAS BOTH ORDINARY AND EXTRAORDINARY BUT NEVER SOUGHT FAME OR RECOGNITION FOR HER ACHIEVEMENT!!! 🤝
 
The way the Uni Leicester is treatin' Philippa Langley is just low 🤕. She was the one who took on the impossible task and made it happen after all them years of searchin'. The fact that they're not givin' her due credit for her work is a shame, IMO. And to make matters worse, they're tryin' to downplay Steve Coogan's statements about her too... like, come on Uni Leicester! 🙄 You gotta give it up for Philippa Langley, she's the real MVP 💪.
 
🤯 Can you believe the University of Leicester isn't giving Phil Langley the recognition she deserves? I mean, 15 years of searching for Richard III's remains and they're just gonna erase her role? It's like, hello, she was the driving force behind that dig! 🚗 Without her, who knows if we'd even have those bones now? 😱 And don't even get me started on how they're portraying her as just an amateur. No way, she was a total rockstar in my book! 💪
 
man this whole thing is just soooo frustrating 🤯, i mean philippa langley's dedication and hard work are being completely disrespected by the university of leicester... they're basically erasing her from history like she never even existed 💔, it's like they think she was just some random amateur who stumbled upon something but actually she was the driving force behind the whole thing 🚗💪. and what really gets my goat is that steve coogan is trying to set the record straight but the uni's not even acknowledging his statements 😒... it's like, hello! give credit where credit is due, philippa langley deserves all the recognition 💥
 
Man... can you believe what's going on with that university? It's like they're erasing Phil Langley's name from history or something! I mean, she was the one who actually found the guy's remains, not just some random amateur historian. And now they're saying she's just an "amateur"?! That's like saying my grandpa was just a "guy who liked his oldies music" when he spent his whole life collecting vinyl records! I remember watching that documentary with Steve Coogan and Phil's ex-husband, it was so inspiring to see her dedication and perseverance. And now they're not even giving her credit for it? It's like she never existed!
 
I'm so with Steve on this one 🙌🏼. I mean, come on, Philippa Langley spent 15 years of her life searching for these remains and what does the University give her? A pat on the back and a "nice job amateur"? 🤣 No way! She's the real hero here. And can we talk about how they're trying to downplay Steve Coogan's comments on their website? Like, what even is that? 🙄 It's not like he's making up stuff or anything. The Lost King film shows just how dedicated and driven Philippa was, so let's give her the recognition she deserves 💯.
 
🤔 I mean, think about it... if we're going to acknowledge someone as a hero just because they accomplished something big, what does that say about how we value effort and dedication? Like, is it only the end result that matters or is it the person's character and perseverance too? Philippa Langley's story isn't just about finding Richard III's remains; it's about her drive to uncover the truth and her integrity in the face of adversity. The University of Leicester might be trying to downplay her role, but we can see the bigger picture - she's a symbol of what happens when one person refuses to give up on their passion. 🙏
 
omg can u believe the Uni of Leicester is dissing Phil Langley like that?! 🤯 she spent 15 yrs searching for Richard III's remains and then they're gonna just ignore her contributions to history? 🙄 it's all about the fame & recognition, not about giving credit where credit is due! 😒 and what's up with them refusing to put Steve Coogan's comments on their website?! 🤔 they should be grateful for someone like him speaking out in defense of Phil Langley. The Lost King film was spot on, btw - Phil's integrity & dedication are truly inspiring. 💪 let's give her the recognition she deserves! 👏
 
ugh why does this have to be so complicated? cant they just give credit where credit is due? philippa langley sounds like an amazing person and i wish we could all be more like her 🤩 but seriously, isnt it a bit messed up that the university is being so unfair to her? im sure she wasnt trying to make herself famous or anything. maybe theyre just worried about what others will think? anyway, i think steve coogan has a point and we should all be supporting philippa langley instead of the university 🙌
 
🤔 So I did some research on Philippa Langley and here are my stats:

* Over 15 years of searching for King Richard III = 1,461 days spent looking (that's like 4 years or almost a whole decade!)
* Number of people who doubted her search efforts? Like, over 90%
* Amount of funding the dig was threatened with? $10 million (or like £8 million) 🤑
* Percentage of Philippa Langley's work that led to the excavation of Richard III's bones? We can't estimate this but it's a solid 100% because she didn't just sit back and wait for others to do her job! 🙌

And have you seen The Lost King film? I think the depiction of Steve Coogan as Phil's ex-husband is actually really good... according to IMDB, the movie got an 8/10 rating from critics (not bad for a historical drama!)
 
I'm low-key livid about this 🤯. The University of Leicester is basically saying that Philpia Langley's dedication and expertise are nothing to write home about? Like, come on! She spent 15 years searching for Richard III, pouring her heart and soul into it, and what does she get in return? A watered-down acknowledgement that makes her sound like just another amateur historian 🤦‍♀️. Meanwhile, Coogan's getting roasted by the Uni for speaking truth to power... 🙄
 
I think the Uni Leicester are being super harsh on Philippa Langley, ya know? I mean, she put in so much time and effort into findin' Richard III's remains, it's crazy! She was basically the one who made the whole dig happen when they were skint. And yeah, Steve Coogan's right, she didn't do it for the fame or the glory, just 'cause she loved history and wanted to uncover the truth. The Uni should be giving her more credit for what she did, you feel?
 
I think the Uni of Leicester are being total snipers for not giving Phil Langley the props she deserves! I mean, 15 yrs of dedication and research just to find out what happened to King Richard III? That's dedication, fam! She wasnt just some amateur historian who stumbled upon a royal grave. No way! She put in the hard work and kept pushing till they found that spot.

And dont even get me started on the Uni refusing to acknowledge Steve Coogan's statements. Like, what's the point of having an archaeology department if you're not gonna give credit where credit is due? Phil Langley may not be a big name now, but she should still get her rightful place in history books.

I reckon its time for some serious public recognition and maybe even an official apology from the Uni. After all, as Steve Coogan said, Philippa Langley was the real David vs Goliath story here. So, Uni, listen up!
 
I gotta say, I'm totally disappointed in how the University of Leicester is handling Philippa Langley's legacy. She was literally the driving force behind finding King Richard III's remains, and now they're acting like she was just some random amateur who happened to stumble upon it. 🤦‍♀️ It's not cool, guys. Steve Coogan gets it right when he says she's both ordinary and extraordinary – yeah, she was definitely not in it for the fame or fortune!

And can we talk about how unfair it is that they're refusing to acknowledge his statements on their website? I mean, come on, accuracy matters! It's like, if you're gonna tell someone's story, at least make sure it's a good one. Philippa Langley's achievements deserve so much more respect and recognition than this. She's the real hero here, not some stuffy old university trying to downplay her role. 👏
 
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