Harrowing 999 call from Michael Barrymore's mansion after pool tragedy released for first time

A partygoer tells the operator "I think the geezer's dead, mate" in a chilling 999 call after Stuart Lubbock is found face-down in Michael Barrymore's swimming pool

The harrowing 999 call made from Michael Barrymore's home after the pool tragedy has been released for the first time.

In the early hours of 31 March 2001, a phone call is made to Essex Emergency Services to say a body had been found in the swimming pool of the television presenter.

The 999 call has never been released to the public until now in new Channel 4 documentary Barrymore: The Body In The Pool, which will examine what happened on the night of Stuart Lubbock's tragic death.

Now, 19 years on, this landmark documentary explores the full story behind one of Britain’s most high-profile unexplained deaths, as told by the people closest to it.

At 05:48am, one of partygoers tells the operator he wants an ambulance to come to Beaumont Park Drive, Roydon, Essex.

A geezer's drowned in the pool," explains the caller, who has to reiterate that a man has drowned in the swimming pool.

The operator then asks if they have got the man, who we now know is Stuart Lubbock, out of the water.

After explaining that they have got Stuart out of the water, the caller then reveals they were at a party, adding: "Someone's just gone out and found him."

The distressed caller then tells the call handler that it was the first time he had been out in years and he has his kids every weekend.

Referring to the grim discovery, he adds: "You don't expect it, do you?"

There is then a jump forward as the caller shouts out to another partygoer as the ambulance arrives at Barrymore's house.

As someone waits on the main road for the ambulance, the caller says: "F**king hell. I think the geezer's dead mate."

At the time, Barrymore was one of the most popular entertainers in Britain and the incident sparked huge public interest with every detail poured over by the media.

Almost two decades on, a 90 minute documentary is set to shed new light on the investigation and reveal never before seen material and exclusive interviews with those involved.

Here is the full transcript of the chilling 999 call:

Operator: Where do you want the ambulance to come to please?

Caller: "No.4 Beaumont Park Drive, Roydon, Essex."

Operator: "Right, we'll get someone out for you."

Caller: "A geezer's drowned in the pool."

Operator: "Right...Sorry?"

Caller: "A fella's drowned in the pool."

Operator: "Are they still in the water?"

Caller: "No, we've got them out."

Operator: "You've got them out."

Caller: "There's a party going on and erm...Someone's just gone out and found him. I tell you what mate. The first time I've been out in four f**king years. I have my kids every weekend and..F**king hell. You don't expect it do you?"LATER

Operator: "The ambulance is being turned round now."

Caller: "They're turning round!"

Operator: "If you get somebody out there ready."

Caller: "They're waiting out on the main road mate."

Operator: "Yeah, right."

Caller: "F**king hell. I think the geezer's dead mate."

ENDS

Barrymore, now 67, and two other men - his ex-lover Jonathan Kenney and dustman Justin Merritt - were arrested and later released without charge, and police say the three have not been "completely eliminated" from inquiries.

Five others were at the party that night - Merritt’s younger sister Kylie, chef James Futers, and locals Simon Shaw, Claire Jones, then 17, and Kelly Campbell. Det Chief Insp Stephen Jennings told a press conference: “One or more of the eight people at this party are responsible for Stuart’s death.”

The show, which has the working title Unexplained, is said to forensically piece together the perspectives of Lubbock family's, detectives, forensic pathologists and eyewitnesses, to explore what happened that night at Barrymore’s Essex bungalow and the extraordinary events that followed.