Channel 4 commissions an impressive raft of new history docs

16 February 2017

 The Royal House of Windsor is a major six part series with new access to the Royal Family archives revealing the inside story of Britain’s most powerful dynasty and their struggle to survive over the past 100 years.  

Channel 4 is marking the 50th anniversary of the decriminalisation of homosexuality with a number of new projects: Not Guilty charts the stories of some of the 15,000 British men criminalised for offences under long-defunct anti homosexuality laws.  Epidemic[w/t]. reveals how an unlikely coalition of gay campaigners Tory politicians, and pioneering doctors came together to fight AIDS in the 1980s – and changed Britain forever in the process. In 50 Shades of Gay (w/t) Rupert Everett, in a series of surprising encounters with gay people of all ages, delivers his own personal take on the changes in gay life and culture that have happened in Britain in the past 50 years. And Coming Out (w/t) reveals how while campaigners were battling Parliament for legal reforms,  the real frontline in the fight to win acceptance for gay culture was the arena of pop music.

 

Rob Coldstream, Commissioning Editor, Special Factual said; " History can tell us as much about the present day as it does about the past and I’m thrilled to announce this slate of programmes – its incredibly wide ranging but at its heart is brilliant new journalism, and a fresh lens onto the past that offers new insights into our own times."  

 

  Following the success of Meet The Trumps: From Immigrant to President and the award winning Interview With a Murderer, Channel 4 continues to reveal the history behind the headlines- this time with two new scoops from the world of secret intelligence:  

 

Hunting the KGB Killers (w/t) reveals for the first time the remarkable details of the Scotland Yard investigation into Alexander Litvinenko’s murder by Russian agents in London in 2006. 

 

Spying on the Royals (2x60) uncovers sensational new evidence of a secret M15 spying operation against Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson, with new royal revelations and a timely insight into the early days of wiretaps, bugs and covert government surveillance. 

 

 In addition to these titles, major new historical adventure series MUTINY is set to TX in early March. In this spectacular history hybrid, nine men are setting out to test themselves against one of the greatest survival feats of all time  – Captain Bligh’s 4000 mile voyage to safety through some of the world's most unforgiving seas after the legendary Mutiny on the Bounty.  They will attempt to make the same epic journey with the same rations, facing the same conditions in a tiny wooden boat - to discover whether modern men can measure up to the heroic feats their predecessors

 

The Royal House of Windsor

 

This new six part series will tell the story of one of the great dynasties of recent history. It’s a gripping family saga beginning in 1917, when Britain was at war with Germany, and the King George V changed the royal family’s name from the  German Saxe Coburg-Gotha, to the quintessentially British “Windsor”. Throughout their turbulent reign the Windsors have always followed one crucial rule – survive whatever it takes, whatever the cost.  This landmark series uncovers their secrets of self-preservation with the help of family insiders, fresh research and unique access to the Royal Archives held at Windsor Castle. The series combines never-before-seen film archive and new interviews with key members of the Queen’s extended family including Lord Ivar Mountbatten, Princess Olga Romanoff and Lady Elizabeth Anson. The result is an insightful narrative that rips aside the royal mask to reveal the human frailties and the secrets of the family that built Britain’s most powerful family dynasty.

 

Production company: Spungold Television 

 

On July 27th 1967 Homosexuality was decriminalised. We have commissioned a series of programmes to mark this momentous event.

Not Guilty tells the stories of some of the 15,000 British men living with criminal records for offences committed under long-defunct anti homosexuality laws.  On 1st February 2017 the government passed a new ‘Alan Turing law’ granting pardons for those convicted – but some are refusing to accept a pardon, demanding instead a full apology.  At the heart of the film are emotional testimonies of persecution long after the 1967 Act first began to decriminalise homosexuality in Britain.

 

Production company: Testimony Films

Epidemic (w/t) This landmark film tells the uplifting story of how an unlikely coalition of Tory politicians, pioneering doctors and gay men came together to fight a deadly disease with no cure – and how Britain was changed forever by the battle against AIDS in the 1980s.  Together they overcame a homophobic press, the ignorance of the medical establishment, and the outright hostility of Margaret Thatcher, in order to create a campaign that would change hearts and minds about AIDS – and gay men.  Not only did their effort stem the tide of the AIDS plague – but by making us talk publicly about sex in a new way, they helped to create a more liberal Britain - that has lasted until today.

 

Production company: Blast Films

 

50 Shades of Gay (w/t)

 

Rupert Everett charts the changes in gay life and culture over the last fifty years, from men in their eighties who cottaged with palace guards, to young transgender people coming out as the 'only trans in the village' in rural Britain.  Since 1967 much has been achieved in terms of openness and acceptance, but have some of the things that Rupert most wants to celebrate about gay culture - its rebelliousness and outsiderness, for example - faded in the process of assimilation into the mainstream?

Production company: Swan Films 

Commissioning Editor: Sara Ramsden  

Coming Out (w/t)

 

After homosexuality was legalised 50 years ago, this is the story of how it was pop music that won the battle for hearts and minds, and made it OK to be gay.

 

While politicians and protestors focused on legal reform, another struggle was going on – the battle for hearts and minds. The fight to win mainstream status for queer culture was waged, and won, by a group of pioneers who used popular music as the stage for a revolution. Put simply: it was pop music that made it OK to be gay. Channel 4 marks this momentous anniversary with the story of the fearless & flamboyant artists– from global icons to hidden heroes – who used pop music as gay culture’s Trojan Horse, seducing us all with a soundtrack to die for.

 

Production company: Alley Cats TV

 

Random Acts 

 

Channel 4's dedicated short arts strand Random Acts is partnering with Tate on its Queer British Art 1861-1967 exhibition, which marks the 50th anniversary since the decriminalisation of male homosexuality in the UK. The six shorts, which will be directed by contemporary LGBTQ  directors, will explore queer identity and will be shown in the exhibition at Tate Britain from April to October, and on Channel 4 as part of its LGBTQ programming.

 

Co Commissioners:  Editor, Channel 4,  Catherine Bray and Tate

 

As part of the Gay season we also have a one-off feature commissioned from Spungold TV, where famous faces champion the buildings where extraordinary moments in Britain’s gay history took place – from the House of Commons to the Royal Vauxhall Tavern.

 

Hunting the KGB Killers (w/t) is a 90 minute documentary to be shown later this year revealing, for the first time, the remarkable details of the investigation into Alexander Litvinenko’s murder. With unprecedented access to the key Scotland Yard detectives who have never before spoken to the media, this real life spy thriller details a unique police investigation which spanned the UK and Russia and ultimately led to Vladimir Putin’s Kremlin. The film will feature exclusive interviews with  Litvinenkos wife Marina and his son Anatoly. It is the first time Anatoly has spoken on camera about the murder of his father.

 

Production company:  True Vision North Production

 

Spying on the Royals 

 

The two part series uncovers brand new details of a secret M15 spying operation against Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson, offering royal revelations and a timely insight into the early days of bugs, wiretaps and covert government surveillance.   In the wake of the 80thanniversary of the abdication Edward VIII, the greatest royal romance of the 20th century can now be seen through a unique new perspective: the eyes of those who spied on Edward VIII, and Wallis Simpson creating a secret dossier and revelatory film like no other.   The film reveals the royal scandal through the words of the officers who targeted, tailed and tapped Edward and Mrs. Simpson’s phone calls. 

 

Production company: Brave New Media TV