A CONTROVERSIAL TV drama about serial killer Harold Shipman is being screened tonight, despite a wave of public protest accusing broadcasters of insensitivity.

Bolton senior judge, Dame Janet Smith, who is chairing the Shipman Inquiry, and the families of the victims have all appealed to bosses at ITV to shelve plans to broadcast the programme.

But the television company decided to go ahead, even though Dame Janet has yet to publish the interim report outlining the number of patients Shipman is thought to have killed.

A number of families refused to co-operate with the programme makers and some of those who did left a private screening of the film in tears.

Dame Janet wrote to David Liddiment, head of channels at ITV expressing "strong concerns" about the broadcast.

Bolton MPs Dr Brian Iddon and David Crausby have also criticised the decision to go ahead with the £1.5 million drama so soon after the serial killings came to light.

Dr Iddon said: "I think it would have been better to have broadcast it after the inquiry was over. The relatives feelings should be paramount."

"I certainly think it is too early and is an insensitive time," added Mr Crausby.

Shipman, from Hyde, Greater Manchester, is currently serving life at Frankland Prison, Co Durham, after being convicted of murdering 15 of his mainly elderly female patients.

But the families of 500 patients are currently awaiting decisions by the Shipman Inquiry as to whether the former family GP murdered their loved ones.

Dame Janet has not announced when the report will be published, though it is expected within the next three weeks.

Yorkshire TV has turned the GP's story into a drama-documentary called Shipman, with James Bolam in the title role.

The ITV1 film shows Shipman murdering a few of his unsuspecting elderly victims by injecting them with morphine.

But the film centres mainly on Detective Inspector Stan Egerton -- played by James Hazeldine -- who was one of four detectives who led the inquiry into Shipman's activities.

Det Insp Egerton died last autumn, two weeks after seeing a rough cut of the film which he praised for its accurate portrayal of him.