American Crime Story season 2 condemned by family of Gianni Versace: 'We didn't authorise this'

The new season tells the story of the fashion designer's assassination in 1997

The family of Gianni Versace has criticised the new season of American Crime Story which tells the story of the fashion designer's assassination in 1997.

Openly denouncing the anthology series' follow-up to 'The People v OJ Simpson' as a “work of fiction,” the family released a statement via the fashion house to media outlets which read: “[We] neither authorised nor had any involvement whatsoever in the forthcoming TV series about the death of Mr. Gianni Versace.“

It continued: “Since Versace did not authorise the book on which it is partly based nor has it taken part in the writing of the screenplay, this TV series should only be considered as a work of fiction.”

Édgar Ramirez stars in the new series as the titular fashion designer, who was assassinated by Andrew Cunanan (Darren Criss) during the serial killer’s 1997 murder spree. The series - which also stars Ricky Martin and Penélope Cruz as Versace's sister, Donatella - focuses on the ensuing hunt for Cunanan who went on to kill four more people.

US channel FX, which airs the series, later responded to the Versace family's statement.

“Like the original American Crime Story series “The People Vs OJ Simpson,” which was based on Jeffrey Toobin’s non-fiction bestseller The Run of His Life, FX’s follow-up “The Assassination Of Gianni Versace” is based on Maureen Orth’s heavily researched and authenticated non-fiction bestseller Vulgar Favors which examined the true-life crime spree of Andrew Cunanan. We stand by the meticulous reporting of Ms. Orth.”

The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story airs in the US on 19 January with a UK air date expected to follow soon after on BBC Two.

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