Duffy press shot
Singer Duffy will open up about her traumatic ordeal of kidnap and abuse in a new Disney+ documentary.
The 41-year-old shot to fame in the late ’00s, topping the charts with debut album Rockferry and single ‘Mercy’, before disappearing from the public eye in 2011.
In 2020 she disclosed on social media that 10 years earlier she had been drugged, kidnapped and taken abroad, where she was violently and sexually abused.
Duffy has not spoken about her ordeal since but will give an account, alongside family and friends, in a new feature-length documentary for Hulu on Disney+.
“Fifteen years ago, Duffy was one of the most famous singers in the world,” said Sean Doyle, Disney+’s vp of unscripted. “Her voice was distinctly recognisable and powerful. Songs ‘Mercy’ and ‘Warwick Avenue’ from her debut album led to 3 Brit Awards, a Grammy and Duffy being at the peak of her career. And then she disappeared.
“This film will give Duffy the chance to tell her story in her own words. I am grateful to our collaborators at Rare TV for this unprecedented access, along with Stellify Media for handling this project with sensitivity and care.
“We set out in a search for impactful, female-led stories in collaboration with Northern Ireland Screen, and it’s a privilege that Duffy’s is the first we’re able to help tell. But above all, I’m especially in awe of Duffy – for her honesty and courage to share her story.”
Gill Callan, the director of the film, added: “Duffy’s life has been shaped by success and fame, but equally by pain, defiance, and an irrepressible sense of self. I’m drawn to the tension between vulnerability and confidence in her story and how a person can be deeply affected by their experiences, yet still find a powerful, expressive voice that is unmistakably hers.”
The documentary is expected to be released on Disney+ this year.
