Stuart Aveyard, the academic historian who this week made a serious allegation of plagiarism against the BBC’s ‘A Secret History of the Troubles‘, television series – produced in Belfast by the Spotlight team – has withdrawn his claim following contact with the programme’s team in Belfast.
In a short email to thebrokenelbow.com, Aveyard wrote that following a discussion with Darragh MacIntyre, who presented the programme, he had decided to withdraw his claim:
MacIntyre also sent a detailed explanation of his dealings with Aveyard to thebrokenelbow.com in an email which was marked ‘Private and Confidential’. When asked if the email could be made public, and his explanation given a wider audience, he declined.
The Broken Elbow 
https://photos.app.goo.gl/aq7xtFAq2sWnQ7N38
Note the date of release. The publisher will not be happy about the controversy being killed off in advance of a sales boost. Just imagine the cover with the imprint ‘ as seen on BBCNI Spotlight’.
As Ted Kaczynski reliability quoted: ‘you can’t eat your cake and have it too’
Note it is a reprint……
So far the series has included some great archive news footage, but in terms of actual historical content it is not breaking any new ground. I admit Brendan Duddy encouraging the bombing of economic targets (I wonder did that include his own business?) was something I had never heard before, but everything else is well trodden ground. Having said that it’s only two episodes into the series so who knows what’s in stall.
I see the Belfast Telegraph is suggesting that the next episode will reveal Boston gangster, Whitey Bulger, ran guns for the IRA. Jesus, is there anyone who doesn’t know that fact already?.
https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/whitey-bulger-involved-in-shipment-of-weapons-for-ira-programme-claims-38521492.html
https://photos.app.goo.gl/sAYhVHQqos3jktM67
There is clearly something going on between the BBCNI Spotlight series and Stuart Aveyard.
Who will be the first to buy the £70 Kindle version of the 2019 reprint of an October 2016 book aptly titled No Solution?