Channel 4 commissions Sex Ed: Then and Now (w/t)

10 October 2018

 

Channel 4 has commissioned Sex Ed: Then and Now (w/t), a 3 x 60’ series exploring the history of sex education in Britain from Spelthorne Factual.

From September 2020 sex and relationship education will for the first time become mandatory for all children in England. To coincide with this, next year the government plans to release new statutory guidance to replace the current “outdated” regulations last updated at the turn of the century in 2000. This informative and entertaining series utilises a wealth of video archive to examine what young people have been taught in the past and uncover exactly what school children today do and don’t know about relationships and sex.

The series will feature parents and their children, including celebrities with their offspring, as they watch, review and react to past sex education material covering everything from puberty to pregnancy. These conversations will provide a thought-provoking insight into the relationship between what has been taught in schools and what gets discussed in the home. The three episodes will also feature celebrity talking heads revealing fascinating anecdotes about their personal experiences and memories of sex education.

Features and Formats Commissioning Editor Vivienne Molokwu commented: “This is a timely series which uses fascinating archive to explore the nation’s changing attitude to sex and sex education through the ages. It will provide a platform for parents, young people and viewers to discuss and debate different views, share personal experiences and encourage an open conversation around sex and relationship education in Britain.”

Co-Executive Producer for Spelthorne Factual, Matt Edmonds, said: “As we uncover some beguiling and sometimes bizarre archive from the past and find out what kids and their parents think about it now, this is sure to be a highly enlightening lesson for us all.”

ENDS