Smithsonian Channel & BBC Align for Europe in Chaos

Smithsonian Channel and the BBC have partnered to explore the origins of Brexit and the migrant crisis in Europe in Chaos.

Europe in Chaos will feature two hour-long specials that will show the arguments and clashes of personality among Europe’s leaders over the last decade amidst waves of refugees and Britain’s shocking referendum that fell in favor of leaving the European Union (EU). The back-to-back specials are set to premiere on Smithsonian Channel on Thursday, March 28, at 8 p.m.

The first hour of Europe in Chaos, titled “Brexit,” tells the story of how British Prime Minister David Cameron ended up calling for the referendum despite favoring remaining in the EU. Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs William Hague, former Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne and former Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg recreate the internal arguments that led to Cameron’s decision. The special also features insider accounts from the U.K.’s EU allies.

Titled “Migrant Crisis,” the second hour will show how European leaders struggled to address the influx of refugees arriving on Europe’s borders from Syria and North Africa in 2015. The crisis ultimately exposes a division between East and West, as German Chancellor Angela Merkel and others offer sanctuary while Eastern European countries argue to halt the flow of migrants and send them away.

Europe in Crisis comes from documentary filmmaker Norma Percy (The Death of Yugoslavia, Endgame in Ireland, Putin, Russia and the West and Inside Obama’s White House). It is produced by Brook Lapping Productions and Smithsonian Networks in association with BBC and France Television.