BBC correspondent Jeremy Bowen will explore the “lives and motivations of those whose work revolves around death and destruction” as part of BBC1’s autumn schedule.
In a new series called Front Line, Front Row, Bowen – a former war reporter – will give “a frank, unsparing insight into the psychology of the war correspondent”. Sixty-two journalists have died while covering conflicts in the past four years.
Britain’s Secret Shame returns to the channel, presented by Sally Magnusson. The new series, subtitled Taking Liberties, will look at “why people who kill in their cars, while drunk or on drugs, sometimes receive such lenient punishment”. It will also examine why an apparently high number of people being held on remand are committing suicide in prison and why the family courts stand accused of being biased against responsible fathers demanding contact with their children.
In a further collaboration between BBC current affairs and drama and special effects, Dirty War will present a hypothetical scenario of a radiological “dirty bomb” attack on London.
The docu-drama is based on research into preparations made by the UK government, emergency services and planners to address the threat and will be followed by a live studio debate.
One Night In Bhopal will look at the disaster that occurred when the American-owned Union Carbide chemical factory leaked a cloud of poisonous gas in the early hours of 3 December 1984. The programme will mix drama, documentary, graphics and archive material.
The IRA attack on the Grand Hotel in Brighton during the Conservative Party conference in 1984 will be revisited in Brighton Bomb. The programme will access the original police investigation, exclusive interviews and special effects to give an account of the event.
By Wale Azeez
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