I remember this episode. I thought he was an awful bully!!!

So do I, but never thought this would happen. Very sad and probably could not have been anticipated but it does prompt the question: when does entertainment end and voyeurism begin. Perhaps this man just could not live with the public exposure of his perceived business and family failure. I sometimes think the themes in some of the tv soaps concentrate to much on the darker aspects of life, but at least they're only fiction.

What a very sad story. I watched that particular episode and don't remember much except thinking that the father was totally out of his depth in running a business.

Perhaps the programme did "unhinge" him slightly but my recollection is that he was a very stubborn man. This awful tragedy may have happened anyway. How terrible for their children.

I find Alex Polizzi's approach to be down-to-earth and supportive - although her good humour and patience is sometimes sorely tested by people who, having asked for her help, are very difficult and unappreciative.

He sounds a very nasty man though. I wonder why they hadn't married. (She changed her name to his by deed poll) I don't blame her for wanting half the house. Odd all round.

He deserves all he gets.

I didn't see the programme but I hate to see 'mental health' or outside factors such as appearing on a TV programme blamed for what was a planned murder by someone who was able to return home afterwards and 'open a beer and smoke a cigar'. Just like those abusive men who blame 'anger problems' when they assault their partners. They rarely have any problem controlling their anger with anyone other than their partners. Funny, that

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGVsfqK_HIU

Poor woman. He must have been a nightmare to live and work with.

Hmm. Looking at that video I think I have some sympathy for him in regard to the shop makeover. The tv woman sounds horrible. And he was right about the table being in the way of the recliner. He just sounds worried about his shop. Perhaps with good reason.

I think there was a lot more to it than that programme. Who's to say the programme had anything to do with the murder. There was mention of her seeing another man, for example. I think he might have been bullied by the rest of the family.

A lot ofTV programmes these days seem to involve some kind of ritual humiliation. Years ago the Japanese [or was it Chinese] used to have programmes that humiliated people and I hoped it wouldn't happen here. It might be more subtle, but it's still humiliation of a kind. Some people can't cope with it.

There's always an excuse isn't there - never their fault.

I thought we were talking about just this one particular situation. Not domestic abuse/ partner murder in general.

He went to her flat, stabbed her 'in a frenzied attack' then went home, poured a beer and smoked a cigar. What bloody pressures cause someone to do that? What possible excuse can there be? I'm sorry but I don't have any sympathy for him, only for her and their sons.

I did say I had sympathy in regard to the shop makeover - not in killing anyone!

Maybe the frenzied attack was momentary loss of control - an end of tether thing?

Maybe the cigar and beer was to calm his nerves?

Who knows.

You are kinder than me jingl. He left her dying. You wouldn't do that to a dog.

If I was the judge in this case I would give him the life sentence appropriate for the dreadful crime, but I would personally feel some compassion for him.

And in my summing up I would have some very strong words to say about the makers of reality tv programmes, and the self-promoting people employed on them.

I agree with your last paragraph, jingl but I don't feel any compassion for the man. The YouTube clip was only a small part of the programme and I can understand why the judge didn't want any members of the jury to access it on the internet.

It would certainly have clouded my judgement as a juror. The man was an out and out bully and the poor woman didn't deserve her fate.

I wonder if any of them have had a sneaky look?

Yes - that's true. The video was only a small clip, so I may not have got the full picture of him.

But, he definitely didn't seem at all keen on having the tv people "make-over" his shop. In fact, he resented it. But it went ahead anyway. So maybe you could say they bullied him. And perhaps they were accustomed to bullying him.

(By "they" I mean the family)

I don't believe being on a reality show would have caused him to stab his ex partner to death. That is the weakest excuse I have ever heard. She had left him because of his behaviour long before the television show. There is no excuse ever for domestic violence and never for murdering your spouse.

Family violence is big news at the moment in Australia, I think the media finally realised that a woman (and sadly many innocent children) is murdered every week by her husband or partner. I wonder how many women are murdered in the UK every week.

A man felt humiliated by being on a reality show so murders his ex. Give me a break!

The usual figure quoted here in the UK is between two and three women each week murdered by their partners or ex-partners Faye. Shocking isn't it?

I don't think the programe would have tipped him over the edge but when there have been high profile cases of men murdering their wives, ex wives and/or children it seems to be after a marital break up or when their business fails and they're ashamed that they can't support their family [remember the man that set fire to the family home and everyone died, including all the family pets]? It's very rare for a woman to kill her children; men seem to do it far more often as 'revenge' or out of shame.