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Ian Bailey insists he’s no longer a suspect and tell-all podcast includes ‘an awful lot of things people aren’t aware of’
Exclusive: Former journalist Bailey is now set to release his own podcast ‘Ian Bailey in his own words,’ which he says will chart his arrest for the murder and his life as a suspect – as well as his breakup with long-time partner Jules Thomas in 202
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- 06:00, 24 FEB 2023
Murder accused Ian Bailey insists he’s no longer a suspect in the death of Sophie Toscan Du Plantier – as he launches his own podcast next week.
Bailey, who was convicted by a French court in his absence for the murder of Ms Toscan Du Plantier in Schull, Co Cork in 1996, says he is now only a “person of interest.”
“It’s been accepted many many years ago that I am not a suspect. It’s been classified and rebranded as though I am a suspect. But I’m not. I’m a person of interest,” he told us.
However, also speaking to this paper today, Sophie Toscan Du Plantier’s uncle said that in his family’s eyes, and in the eyes of the French court, Bailey is a murderer – and should be in jail.
“The only thing for us is we are extremely frustrated by the fact that Bailey is not in jail. That’s all.
“He has been convicted in France and for us this is the only point,” Pierre Gazeau said.
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Former journalist Bailey is now set to release his own podcast ‘Ian Bailey in his own words,’ which he says will chart his arrest for the murder and his life as a suspect – as well as his breakup with long-time partner Jules Thomas in 2021.
Speaking to this paper, Bailey says 2021 was an extremely difficult year for him – and he plans to tell his podcast listeners in detail about that breakup – and how he ended up becoming homeless.
“It will finish with the contemporary situation. I’ve just finished writing about what happened to me in 2021. I was completely overwhelmed.
“Two documentaries came out and Jules, you know my ex partner, told me that as far as she was concerned our journey was over.
“Then my life sort of unravelled,” he said.
“I became technically homeless and then I had to find a home. It was a very very difficult time and thanks be to God I’ve sort of come through it.”
Bailey denies the murder of Ms Toscan Du Plantier, who was bludgeoned to death with a large concrete block outside her holiday home near Schull in West Cork on the night of September 23, 1996.
He now says his podcast will reveal never-heard before elements of his story – and how he went from a journalist to prime suspect.
“The thing is there’s an awful lot of things that people aren’t aware of.
“This will be the first time that I’ve had my say on the matter. I’ve never told my own story in my own words,” he said.
Ms Toscan Du Plantier’s family however say they’ve no time for Bailey’s new podcast – but say it’s up to the public to decide if they wish to believe his story.
“For me and I think for my family it is not really important.
“Bailey is free to make what he wants in Ireland at the moment so he’s totally free to tell what he wants to tell.
“Now the question is how the people and to which extent the people can believe what he’s telling.
“We don’t believe what he’s telling because for us, in France, he’s a murderer.
“He has been condemned to 25 years in jail in France. If he is extradited he has the right to have a new trial of course but if he’s not, what we hope is eventually the Irish justice will take care of him,” he said.
For Bailey, he says making this podcast was extremely tough for him.
“It was a much tougher project than I could have imagined because it’s quite emotionally rifting in a way because you have to keep going back to things that have long passed.
“So I’ve got an introduction which will be going out in the next two weeks hopefully and then episode one will be available on multiple podcast platforms.
“I’m writing it, scripting, directing and producing it with the help of a sound engineer,” he said.
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