James Nesbitt to Front New Series Exploring Events That Impacted Britain

A+E Networks UK has commissioned Avalon to produce the brand-new documentary series James Nesbitt: Disasters That Changed Britain for HISTORY.

The 6×60-minute series is due to air in early 2018. Presented by the titular award-winning actor whose credits include Cold Feet and Stan Lee’s Lucky Man, the series takes an unprecedented look at some of the most impactful events that affected Britain in the 20th and 21st centuries. The documentary series spotlights the human cost of the tragedies while seeking to explain the wider political, cultural and institutional context that contributed to them. It also examines the changes made in the wake of each disaster. With individual narratives explored by journalists Donal MacIntyre (Macintyre Investigates) and Anna Richardson (Super Shoppers, Naked Attraction), the series asks why warning signs were often ignored and how seemingly innocuous decisions contributed to the events that changed post-war Britain forever.

Each self-contained episode explores a different event, including the recent Grenfell Tower tragedy (2017), the Ladbroke Grove rail crash (1999), the Zeebrugge ferry disaster (1987) and the King’s Cross Fire (1987). The series will also examine the Piper Alpha oil platform explosion (1988) and the Munich Air crash (1958), both of which will be broadcast during their 30th and 60th anniversaries, respectively. James Nesbitt: Disasters That Changed Britain is currently in production. The series is distributed by Avalon Distribution, which is presenting the title to international buyers for the first time at ATF.

Dan Korn, the VP of programming at A+E Networks UK, said: “When confronted with the horrors of Grenfell, or any of the other terrible events explored in the series, it’s impossible to reflect not only on the loss of life and personal tragedies but also on the profound impact on British society as a whole. HISTORY is pleased to be working with James Nesbitt, Donal MacIntyre, Anna Richardson and Avalon on a series which reveals the full devastating impact and effect of the disasters which have shaped post-war Britain.”

Jamie Isaacs, executive producer for Avalon, added: “This documentary tells the story of Britain through the prism of some of the most harrowing events in living memory. By examining the long-term catalysts that contributed to these tragedies, viewers will understand the complex and compelling instances that led to disasters such as the Munich Air crash or the Ladbroke Grove rail crash.”