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'I regret online post that I was Madeleine McCann'

When Julia Wandalt posted on social media that she believed she was the missing Rothley girl Madeleine McCann, she became a lightning rod for online anger.

Madeleine McCann's disappearance at the age of three - which remains unsolved - is one of the most widely reported in history. Online communities of obsessives have grown up around the case, and Julia's account was like petrol thrown onto a fire already burning across social media sites like Instagram, TikTok and X.

In the first of a new ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ series exploring extraordinary cases of online hate and the possibility of forgiveness, Julia reveals for the first time since this unfolded her motives and regrets about becoming involved in one of the world's most notorious missing persons cases.

ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Disinformation Correspondent Marianna Spring explains more.

You can listen to the first episode of 'Why Do You Hate Me' now on ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Sounds.

Release date:

Duration:

2 minutes