BBC Two Slates Doc on Britannic Disaster

LONDON: BBC Two and BBC Northern Ireland have commissioned Tragic Twin: The Britannic Disaster from Rare TV Group’s 360Production.

The doc special will air December 5 on BBC Two, marking the centenary of the sinking of Titanic’s sister ship. It explores why the Britannic sank so quickly (in 55 minutes) and uses unpublished diaries and letters of Britannic’s survivors to re-create the disaster. The vessel, serving as a hospital ship, was hit by an underwater mine off the Greek island of Kea. The special features presenters Kate Humble and Andy Torbet. Torbet goes on an underwater dive to inspect the wreck and Humble attempts to track down descendants of survivors in Belfast.

BBC commissioning editors Justin Binding and Diene Petterle commented, “It’s been a pleasure to commission a Belfast-based story that has such powerful resonance across the U.K. Tragic Twin sheds a new light on the story of Titanic and her sister ship and, with eye-witness testimony from survivors bringing the tragedy to life, it packs a powerful emotional punch.”

360Production has also been recommissioned by BBC Four to make season four of the Timewatch Guides.