A HOLLYWOOD man who’s unarmed soldier son was murdered by an Iraqi mob is to have his campaign for justice made into a drama for TV.
Reg Keys was catapulted into the media spotlight when his son – Lance Corporal Tom Keys – was killed in 2003.
He took his fight for answers over why military policeman Tom and his fellow soldiers were sent, unarmed and with no radio communication, into a hostile Iraqi environment right to the very top.
Reg even stood against Tony Blair in the 2005 General Election in a bid to raise the profile of his campaign for the truth – and for an apology from the then Prime Minister.
Now his fight is to be turned into a BBC One drama documentary – with Hollywood star Tim Roth playing the role of the former paramedic.
The film – simply entitled Reg – has been created by award-winning television writer Jimmy McGovern, whose CV includes Brookside and Cracker, to name a few.
The 90-minute programme, which is expected to be aired in early 2016, also stars Becoming Jane and Death Comes to Pemberley actress Anna Maxwell Martin as Reg’s late wife Sally, who died in December 2011.
Filming is currently underway – and Mr Keys has just returned from a weekend in Liverpool where he met the writer and the stars of the show.
“It is all quite surreal really,” said Reg.
“To have a Hollywood star like Tim play me in a drama about my life and to have dinner with him to talk about it all is a world away from normal life.”
Mr Keys said he has never wanted fame or media coverage for himself – just for his campaign for Tom.
But he added he is delighted the production is happening, to show the role of Tony Blair did and to heap some embarrassment and hopefully some regret onto him.
