Channel 4 Orders COVID-19 Racism Doc

STV Studios has been commissioned by Channel 4 to produce the tentatively titled documentary Is COVID Racist?

Authored and presented by Dr. Ronx, an A&E doctor in East London, the film explores why the coronavirus has killed more people of color from the NHS frontline and what the statistics can reveal about the structural failings at the heart of society. In the doc, Dr. Ronx will interrogate the possible causes, expose truths about health and race inequality in the U.K., demand answers and reveal solutions about what can be done to fix the problem. Is COVID Racist? is due for transmission in winter 2020.

Harjeet Chhokar, commissioning editor of factual, said: “The high percentage of BAME frontline workers in the NHS who have died from COVID is a shocking stat. And we don’t really know why. With Dr. Ronx’s medical background, they are the perfect person to investigate the reasons behind these shocking statistics but also to tell the stories of those who have lost their lives and the impact it has had on those around them.”

Craig Hunter, creative director for factual at STV Studios, said: “It’s essential that we understand why a disproportionate number of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic people have died as a result of COVID-19. Never has it been more crucial to understand the reasons why this tragic disparity exists, and Dr. Ronx is uniquely placed to bring this issue to light for Channel 4.”