factual

Alarm bells are ringing in the unscripted world. Concern for the health of the sector has soared following two recent events: Channel 4’s decision to axe a number of shows and a survey by broadcasting union Bectu revealing that nearly half of UK freelancers working regularly in unscripted TV are now unemployed.

The Channel 4 casualties included the cancellation of Four Weddings and Andrew Neil’s Sunday-night political show being put on hold.

Writers Jeff Pope and Neil McKay, the duo behind The Moorside and Appropriate Adult, will shed new light on the story by shifting the perspective to the friends and families of the four young men who were killed by Port.

The police investigation into the deaths of Anthony Walgate, Gabriel Kovari, Daniel Whitworth and Jack Taylor was widely condemned, and forced their relatives to take the case into their own hands.

In a wide-ranging discussion, hosted by True to Nature founder Wendy Darke, the duo talked about creating “content worth paying for”, with Reynolds commenting that the “fight for audiences has never been bigger”.

Dixon was delighted at the first 18 months of Sky Documentaries, particularly its Factual Channel win at the recent Broadcast Digital Awards.

DJ Target and Krept and Konan will return to mentor the rapping talent as they search for the next biggest player in the game.

High-profile rappers such as Ms Banks, Wretch 32, Aitch and AJ Tracey have helped mentor in previous series, and the BBC has promised names just as big for the third.

The programme was filmed across new locations in Manchester.

There is also a new £20,000 cash prize up for grabs along with a mentor scheme to aid the winning artist create and launch new music after the competition.

The Truth About… Improving Your Mental Health

One in four of us will experience mental health difficulties in our lifetime, and that’s without the added pressures of the pandemic.

The programme will discuss the findings of Imperial College London and the BBC’s national survey of our mental health, which, with over 350,000 participants, provides a unique insight into the impact of COVID-19.

The five-part series explores race in contemporary Britain and why the need to challenge racism is a matter of urgency.

The films look at the systemic racism and injustice black people continue to face in Britain through testimony from comedians, politicians, nurses and doctors in the NHS, and members of the public who have experienced racial abuse.

BBC Three and BBC England have collaborated to form a new Factual Development Scheme for the North of England called Northern Voices.

The partnership is offering commissions to local independent production companies for new ideas for documentaries that reflect the experiences of young people in the region.

A new documentary talent must be attached to the pitch with a view to nurture them throughout production, as the partnership aims to improve both the production supply and talent pool from the region.

Produced by Barcroft Studios, the series of short films will explore a range of topics that surround young people in 2019 Britain.

Fix Up

A new style of debate show, Fix Up takes place inside the best-loved beauty salons and barbers in the UK.

The series tackles current issues and topics that impact Britain, including knife crime, abortion, cosmetic surgery, relationships and sex.

The venue has hosted royalty, rock stars and world leaders for over 130 years and will now open its revolving doors to ITV viewers, giving them a taste of what it means to be a guest at the prestigious hotel.

The five-part series will be filmed during the winter season and will showcase the hard work  and challenges that the employees overcome to make a visit to The Savoy magical.

From the opening moments of Seven Worlds, One Planet we know that we’re in safe hands. Orchestral strings soar as a deserted, sun­dappled beach comes into view. Sir David Attenborough strides out across the sand, a big, warm coat the only concession to his 93 years.

With his unique authority, he introduces a montage of images drawn from seven continents to give us hints of the emotion-stirring, jaw-dropping stories to come. It is immediately clear that, once again, both Sir David and the BBC’s Natural History Unit have excelled themselves.