The partner of Nicola Bulley, who tragically passed away earlier this year, has spoken out about the damaging impact of social media obsession on their family and the investigation. Paul Ansell described the fixation with the case as a “monster” that spiraled out of control, causing immense distress to the family and hindering police efforts.
Nicola Bulley disappeared on 27th January 2023 while walking her dog in St Michael’s on Wyre, Lancashire. Despite initial optimism that public interest would keep pressure on the authorities to find her, the attention quickly turned negative. As online “sleuths” began sharing misleading and hurtful claims, the family faced an onslaught of online abuse.
Paul explained to the BBC that the family initially saw the media coverage as a positive force but were soon overwhelmed by a barrage of speculation and accusations. He described the ordeal as “poking a monster” that unleashed a wave of unfounded theories, with amateur detectives even travelling to the area to conduct their own investigations, disrupting the police search.
Nicola’s disappearance and the subsequent social media frenzy have been the subject of a new BBC documentary, The Search for Nicola Bulley. The film delves into the events leading up to her disappearance and the toll it took on her family. Paul shared how the morning Nicola went missing began as any other day, with her taking their children to school before going for a walk with their dog, Willow. When she didn’t return, Paul’s concern grew, and a frantic search began after her phone and the dog were found by a bench near the river.
As the days passed, the family’s hope turned to despair. Paul recalled the emotional strain, particularly during the evenings when it got dark and hope of finding Nicola faded. He shared how their daughters would run to him after school, asking, “Have we found mummy?” The devastating impact on the children, and on Nicola’s parents, is heart-wrenching. Her mother remembers their youngest saying, “I hope mummy’s not cold and hungry,” highlighting the confusion and pain felt by the entire family.
The situation was further complicated by intrusive amateur detectives, some of whom travelled to Lancashire to “investigate” the case themselves. Their presence not only disrupted the police operation but also subjected the family to unfounded accusations and harassment. Paul shared that he received disturbing messages from strangers, accusing him of involvement in Nicola’s disappearance, which he described as “silencing” and traumatising.
Adding to the controversy, Lancashire Police disclosed personal information about Nicola’s struggles with alcohol and the menopause during a press conference, citing it as necessary to counter the growing speculation. Nicola’s family, however, felt this breached her privacy, and Paul believes she would have been “mortified” by the revelations.
Reflecting on Nicola’s life, her sister Louise spoke about how the menopause affected her, describing a period when she stopped taking her HRT medication and began drinking to cope. The police defended their decision to release these details, saying it was essential to dispel rumours circulating on social media.
Ultimately, Nicola’s body was found in the River Wyre on 19th February, bringing the search to a heartbreaking conclusion. Last year, the coroner ruled her death as accidental, caused by cold water shock. Despite this, social media users continue to propagate false information and conspiracy theories about the case.
The family hopes that by sharing their story, they can help others understand the human cost of online speculation and misinformation. “We’re just a normal family who’ve had a really tough time,” Louise said, urging people to remember that sometimes, terrible things happen without any sinister cause.
The documentary, The Search for Nicola Bulley, will air on BBC One on 3rd October at 21:00 BST and will be available on BBC iPlayer.
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