Channel 4 Commission For 360production

Channel 4 has commissioned from 360Production The Last Heroes of the Somme (w/t) which will tell the forgotten story of the final Battle of the Somme. This 1 x 60 documentary marks the 100th anniversary which is being commemorated this year. The film has been ordered by Specialist Factual Commissioner Rob Coldstream for the long-running Secret History documentary strand.

November 13th 1916 saw the day of the final major British offensive of the Somme. This documentary will tell the forgotten stories of the men who helped turn the brutal battle of attrition from a crushing defeat into a turning point that helped Britain towards victory in WWI. Among those whose secret histories are revealed in the documentary are Jamaican brothers Roy and Norman Manley, tank gunner Joe Miles, and Vere Harmsworth, son of Daily Mail press baron Lord Rothermere.

Rob Coldstream, said: “100 years on from the final day of this iconic battle, we are thrilled with this moving tribute to the men who fought that day. It’s a film brimming with fresh insight and carries a real emotional punch.”

The Last Heroes of the Somme is produced and directed by John Hayes Fisher, with Emma Parkins and Justin Hardy executive producing for 360Production.

About 360Production:

Established in 2008, 360Production creates high-end history, science, factual, animated and educational content to the world’s foremost broadcasters and online platforms, including the BBC, YouTube, Yahoo!, Discovery, National Geographic and History. In 2014, the London- and Northern Ireland-based producer was the first company to be acquired by Rare Television, whose mission is to build an independent creative network to produce factual entertainment for TV, online and mobile.

360Production’s recent credits include Britain’s Pompeii: A Village Lost In Time; Digging For Britain, Lusitania: 18 Minutes That Changed The World; and James May’s Things You Need to Know. The company’s award-winning talent base combines the energy of mobile and games designers with the experience of BBC-trained writers, producers and directors. In 2015, factual-drama pioneer Ailsa Orr was appointed head of creative and international strategy management.