Channel 4 commissions Bouncers series

22 August 2013

Channel 4 has commissioned Bouncers, a new six-part documentary series filming door staff in the North East and Essex, following the success of a one-off film shot in Newport and shown last year.

Made by Century Films and ordered by Channel 4 commissioning editor for documentaries, Anna Miralis, the series is an intimate and explosive portrait of Britain by night, seen through the eyes of the people best positioned to witness it first hand.

The series shows that Britain is out to get smashed - old and young, rich and poor, and across cultures - and it doesn’t seem to care about the consequences. Puking, fighting and falling over, it’s all part of the great British night out - and it’s the door staff who are left to clean up the mess.

But as well as some of the shocking and unsettling elements of our drinking culture, the series also features warm, insightful and funny stories that explore what’s behind people’s night-time behavior.

The door staff see it all; they are sober and wry observers, commentating and interpreting our weekend antics. Through them we take a jaw-dropping look at why Brits love getting so drunk and what makes us behave so badly.

The series shows that working on the doors is more challenging than ever. It’s not just enforcing door policy. Meeting and greeting, administering first aid, being guidance counsellors, mediating in domestic rows… who knows what the night will bring?! And all the while revelers take their safety for granted.

We also follow the stories of punters on their nights out - from ‘pre-loading’ at home on cheap supermarket booze and high-octane drinks promotions in the city bars, to staggering home with a kebab – and everything in between. 

And, once the hangovers have cleared, their sober insights reveal why they behave as they do. Is it just about having a laugh...or are there other factors at play?

The series is executive produced by Liesel Evans at Century Films. The films are produced and directed by Sam Roubicek, Chris McLaughlin, Becky Maynard, Max Fisher and Cathy Durbin.

Anna Miralis, Channel 4 commissioning editor for Documentaries, says:

"We made a single film about Bouncers in Newport last year, which was really revealing and the audience loved it. I thought it would be really interesting to take a deeper look, which a series allows. Bouncers provide an amazing insight into how Britain behaves at night and they get to see us at our worst - getting drunk, fighting and vomiting.

“And these days they're not just expected to enforce door policy, they're first aiders, social workers and relationship counsellors too. But I also wanted the series to hear from the punters, once they've sobered up, about why they act the way they do."