BBC accused of denying Cherie Blair an early view of Caplin documentary

The BBC was accused yesterday of barring Cherie Blair from watching an advance showing of a fly-on-the-wall documentary about her lifestyle adviser, Carole Caplin, filmed at the height of the "Cheriegate" affair.

Friends of Ms Caplin insist she was refused permission to take Mrs Blair to a private preview of the BBC1 film, to be broadcast on Thursday, which offers a day-by-day account of her handling of the controversy.

But the claim was vehemently denied by the film's producers, who said no such approach was ever made.

Ms Caplin is also said to feel "betrayed" by her close friend, Lynn Alleway, the freelance producer she gave permission to make the documentary.

The hour-long video diary, The Conman, His Lover and the Prime Minister's Wife, will reignite the furore over the involvement of Ms Caplin's partner, convicted conman Peter Foster, in Mrs Blair's purchase of two Bristol flats. Ms Caplin, say close sources, is also furious about the title, which they describe as "lurid and tabloid", and the BBC's rush to show it so soon after the debacle.

Though the video diary focuses on the strain on Ms Caplin's relationship with Mr Foster caused by media coverage arising from the affair, it is said to include a scene in which she talks to Mrs Blair over the phone.

Ms Caplin, who is still close to Mrs Blair, is said to have contacted her immediately after watching the finished film on Friday to tell her of her concerns.

A friend told The Independent on Sunday yesterday: "Carole asked first for her media adviser and then for Cherie to be able to see the film. She was turned down on both scores by the producers. She feels betrayed by somebody she thought was a friend. She feels that it's not helpful to her or Cherie that this programme is going out. She sees it as sensationalist programme-making by the BBC."

The friend added: "This all started at a time when Carole was feeling very confused and bombarded by all the media coverage surrounding her and Peter. Someone she thought was a close friend decided to come round and do a film about her that she believed was going to be called 'My Friend Carole'.

"The next thing she knows the BBC is promoting the documentary under this lurid, tabloid title. Her friendship with Lynn is now in deep freeze."

Asked if Mrs Blair was aware that Ms Caplin had requested she be allowed to watch the film with her, the friend said: "Yes. Carole spoke to Cherie beforehand. She speaks to Cherie most days. She spoke to her before she saw it and after she saw it."

However, the friend said no approach had been made by Mrs Blair herself to the BBC.

Alex Holmes, the film's executive producer, denied any request had been made by Ms Caplin on Mrs Blair's behalf.

"That's never been suggested, as far as I'm aware, and I would have been amazed if Cherie had expressed such a wish herself," he said. "She doesn't appear in the film, other than through her public appearances."

Mr Holmes also emphasised that the film, distilled from more than 70 hours of footage shot over 10 days last December, was made with Ms Caplin's consent. She had invited Ms Alleway into her home personally, and no pressure had been brought to bear on her beforehand.

Describing the documentary as "revealing rather than revelatory", he said it portrayed Ms Caplin and Mr Foster as "interesting, charismatic people", adding: "I hope people find it a satisfying full stop, rather than the opening of a new chapter."

That remains to be seen. Brief extracts show the film to be a largely anodyne, if sometimes revealing, portrait of Ms Caplin and Mr Foster. Shot largely in Ms Caplin's London flat, it features one scene in which Mr Foster fumes over the controversial statement in which Mrs Blair said she was "not a superwoman".

"Did these people have a moment's reflection before they made her statement, thinking 'wait a minute, it might hurt Peter'?" he says. "No. What right have they got to cause this much anguish and hurt to my family to defend their own well-being?"

At this, Ms Caplin appears in her dressing gown to chastise him, warning: "If you're seen to lash out, given your position already, will that make you look worse or better?"

He replies: "You know what I regret? That you weren't in the room with Alastair and Cherie before they wrote her speech because I think if they had heard what you just said, it would have had an impact on them and things would be different today. You have a conscience. Some people don't. I'm not suggesting Cherie, but there are others who don't."

A Downing spokesman said: "We dealt with these issues at the time and we've got nothing else to add."