UKTV’s Yesterday Commissions Two Shows

 LONDON: The UKTV channel Yesterday has commissioned two shows for 2010 as part of its year-long programming event The Spirit of 1940.

Co-written and presented by John Nettles (Bergerac, Midsomer Murders), The Channel Islands at War will mark the 70th anniversary of the German invasion and occupation of the Channel Islands. The project is produced by Pug Films. From Optomen Television comes the tentatively titled Ration Book Britain. The show will commemorate the beginning of food rationing in Britain as chef Valentine Warner (What to Eat Now) explores the food and recipes that kept wartime Britain alive for 14 years.

UKTV’s director of factual and factual-entertainment commissioning, Jane Rogerson, said, “These two commissions give us the perfect opportunity to unearth and capture personal insights that are becoming rarer and rarer to create two captivating programmes that really add another dimension to recognised historic events such as the occupation of the Channel Islands and rationing.”

Yesterday’s acting channel head, Adrian Wills, added, “With its massive lineup of significant events such as Dunkirk, food rationing and Churchill becoming Prime Minister, 1940 is arguably the most important year in British history, and one that we believe defined the British spirit for many decades thereafter.”