Whilest giving every sympathy to the family of the nurse who (apparently) killed herself after being hoaxed, I'm a little concerned at some of the detail that is now emerging, and feel further questions need answering.

The nurse (apparently) cut both her wrists, and left three (suicide?) notes prior to hanging herself.

She was clearly troubled ... and I wonder how many other nurses are "balancing on the edge" whilest in charge of patients and (potentially lethal) drugs?

But - congratulations to the Palace - who have managed to shift ALL the blame onto the DJs in Australia (who cannot possibly have known what effect their prank would have) - and away from themselves.

In The Know wrote:


But - congratulations to the Palace - who have managed to shift ALL the blame onto the DJs in Australia (who cannot possibly have known what effect their prank would have) - and away from themselves.

obviously it didn't occur to them that publicly humiliating a nurse may have consequences.
Says a lot about today's media where anyone or everyone from 'dolers' to the royal family can be fodder for a mass media in pursuit of profit.

As ever, blame where it's truly due.

The media which the MAJORITY of us do not subscribe to.

The media bullied and humiliated the poor woman (and mother) who clearly tried to slash her wrists, and then also hanged herself.

Oh, well, back to safely picking on a few pervs, as long as they're not the many unknown - among their own !

In The Know wrote:
congratulations to the Palace - who have managed to shift ALL the blame onto the DJs in Australia ........ and away from themselves.

How are the Palace to blame for this death, please tell?

Exactly Bertie; nobody is to blame except the woman herself. Many people have to suffer far worse things than being labelled by the media as falling for a prank call.

All this sad incident does is highlight the development of the species - where some fractured souls are so affected by media coverage that they decide it would be a good idea to destroy the lives of their loved ones, husband, children.

It's the BBC's fault!

JK2006 wrote:
[quote] nobody is to blame except the woman herself quote]

I'd agree that the lady made the decision to commit suicide and it was her reaction to the situation that made her believe suicide was an appropriate option.

However I do think there is some blame to be attached to the media and the Australian DJ's for creating the amount of ridicule she has to suffer. She may have been gullible in not recognising that the phone call was a prank but she did perform her job correctly and put the call through to another department. All the media outlets played the clip she featured on and she was the butt of many jokes. Maybe calling it a "contributory factor" is a better description than blame.

The one "good" thing that will come from this very sad case is that there will be more thought given to pranks and practical jokes that are aired. It's a shame something as bad as this has to happen to change attitudes.

I can't help wondering if Stuart Hall or Dave Lee Travis had committed suicide would a similar reaction occurred. I don't know if either of these two people are guilty or innocent but regardless the assumptions made by many must be causing a significant level of depression.

hedda wrote:

Says a lot about today's media where anyone or everyone from 'dolers' to the royal family can be fodder for a mass media in pursuit of profit.

Let's be fair. hedda - the media only gives the public what it wants.

No one has to buy !!!

Bertie wrote:
How are the Palace to blame for this death, please tell?

Well, if they were not so pedantic about a silly woman who had a headache / sickness - and demand all the "protocol" / protection / security etc - / maybe no one would have cared, or bothered to even attempt a prank?

The poor nurse was so frightened about what she had done (and upset her bosses / the Palace) that she killed herself !!!

I repeat; don't look at the specific elements that provoked the suicide - look at the general development in humanity where people are now so seriously affected by unimportant things like being mocked by media (or even being falsely accused) that they kill themselves.

Hey: Get over it.

Surely the important things are happiness of family, children, friends? Killing yourself makes those areas WORSE, not better (and much worse for yourself, if you value life).

I don't blame Royal family, media, hospitals, gossip, sneering trolls ('twas ever such)... I blame our world that has so increased the value of "reputation" where what matters is being true to yourself and your loved ones.

Bertie wrote:
The one "good" thing that will come from this very sad case is that there will be more thought given to pranks and practical jokes that are aired. It's a shame something as bad as this has to happen to change attitudes..

... but how can anyone tell what anybody's reaction is likely to be to a silly prank ?

What are we to do - ban all jokes?

I wonder if the hospital would have put her under such pressure had it been any other patient - and why did they put her such pressure for this patient?

The Palace cant wash their hands and say its nothing to do with us.

Clear nuff from all the good comments here.

Mere humans are now just sub-human commodities!

Merry Xmas.

(P.S. No surprise In The Krap STILL thinks that a majority subscribe to bent-media, whereas TRUE stats show it's way below 50% - DOH.)

JK2006 wrote:
Surely the important things are happiness of family, children, friends?

Agree entirely, JK

The newspapers are tomorrows fish and chip wrappers ... and who buys them anyway?

We get the media we want.
Be like me - ignore it all !

Keith Vaz's role in all this the most sickening:

www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-22477...nk-Tony-Soprano.html

In The Know wrote:
Bertie wrote:
The one "good" thing that will come from this very sad case is that there will be more thought given to pranks and practical jokes that are aired. It's a shame something as bad as this has to happen to change attitudes..

... but how can anyone tell what anybody's reaction is likely to be to a silly prank ?

What are we to do - ban all jokes?

I wonder if the hospital would have put her under such pressure had it been any other patient - and why did they put her such pressure for this patient?

The Palace cant wash their hands and say its nothing to do with us.

from what i read laws may have been broken- secretly recording someone and asking for medical details etc. Not getting her permission to broadcast and so on.

Come on she was an Asian nurse and probably felt very humiliated with a natural shyness.

It's not the nicest start to Kate & William's family.

In The Know wrote:

We get the media we want.
Be like me - ignore it all !


One of your more baffling posts. Ignoring media stories is the one thing you don't do.

I only wish you did and save us from the drivel you spout on an all to frequent basis.

JK2006 wrote:
Hey: Get over it.
Sorry JK, most of the time you're "the voice of reason" to a greater or lesser extent, but in this you're very wrong.

Most of those who come under the media microscope are rich/famous/both, in high profile, privileged, glamourous contexts, for whom media attention is part of the deal, and who are probably already personally predisposed towards wanting attention anyway.

This was an immigrant nurse in a middling role, who in her wildest nightmares couldn't ever have suspected that just another day at work could ever lead to her becoming A WORLD-WIDE LAUGHING STOCK, staring down the barrel of being sacked, and being almost certainly unemployable afterwards (would you hire "The Royal Hoax Call Nurse" for your hospital?) You do not become a nurse to lead a "life on the edge", and she just didn't sign up for this...

All that said, she clearly had other issues, and these events were a last straw of some type, but she must have been affected to a degree unimaginable to most of us in order to have considered suicide and all its repercussions to her family be preferable to "getting over it"...

Metal Mickey ROCKS !

Bertie wrote:
One of your more baffling posts.

I can only assume that you accept entirely my explanation (that you asked for) that the Palace is partly to blame (for the nurse's death), since you have not commented further.

... or perhaps you are out of ideas ?

In The Know wrote:

I can only assume that you accept entirely my explanation (that you asked for) that the Palace is partly to blame (for the nurse's death), since you have not commented further.


I can't understand how anyone could think the Duchess of Cambridge going to hospital with morning sickness and having royal protection was partially responsible for the nurse's death so really I can't argue with you any further on the subject.

I will let anyone who's interested read what you have written and perhaps they will be able to understand your words of wisdom.