BBC One increases reach and time spent with audiences and fuels growth of iPlayer
New BBC One commissions unveiled by Charlotte Moore, BBC Director of Content, as part of Edinburgh International Television Festival.
Published: 24 August 2020
BBC One’s unrivalled commitment to creativity, diversity and risk taking is the gateway into growing iPlayer. Audiences come to be informed, educated and entertained - and we offer a range that put simply, only the BBC is able to.
Speaking at the 2020 Virtual Edinburgh Television Festival, Charlotte Moore, Director of BBC Content said: “2020 has been unprecedented, and while the pandemic has had a devastating impact on so many, it has also highlighted the power of television and the valuable role that BBC One plays in people’s lives. BBC One has increased its weekly reach and time spent so far this year compared to the same period last year by doing what it does best; bringing the nation together with record numbers coming to our programmes. More young and diverse audiences turned to BBC One in uncertain times for information, entertainment, advice and support. And the crisis further underlined the public’s appetite for shared experiences and great stories.
"BBC One and iPlayer are inextricably linked. BBC One responded to the mood of the nation and people’s desire to escape and this lead to record breaking numbers on iPlayer. The role of iPlayer came into its own; firmly establishing itself as an entertainment destination in its own right as viewers with time on their hands were able to see the full extent of the content available to them.
"In the year ahead, BBC One will continue to fuel the growth of iPlayer even further. BBC One is the shop window for audiences to discover the full range of high quality programmes available on iPlayer and explore everything else on offer.
"This is what BBC One can uniquely do; it provides a live schedule that talks to people in the moment with content that feels relevant to all of us and reflects a changing modern Britain. BBC One’s unrivalled commitment to creativity, diversity and risk taking is the gateway into growing iPlayer. Audiences come to be informed, educated and entertained - and we offer a range that put simply, only the BBC is able to.
"The announcements I’m making today will only enhance our rich and compelling Autumn and Winter line-up that audiences have to look forward to. I’m committed to modernising BBC One’s mix of programmes to expand our range of ambitious and distinctive content for diverse and young people.”
The new commissions announced today include two dramas:
- The Following Events Are Based On A Pack Of Lies, the first original series from sibling writing duo Penelope and Ginny Skinner from Sister Pictures.
- Ralph And Katie is a new spin off series from Peter Bowker’s hit BBC One drama The A Word focusing on the well-Loved characters Ralph (Leon Harrop) and Katie (Sarah Gordy), written by Peter Bowker alongside new and emerging disabled writers made by ITV Studios & Keshet Productions in association with Tiger Aspect.
Three important and timely documentary films include David Harewood investigating the impact of race on coronavirus produced by Twenty Twenty. Anton Ferdinand on racism in football made by Wonder; and Patrick Kielty on Northern Ireland made by Dragonfly.
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- Documentary fronted by ex-Premiership footballer Anton Ferdinand
BBC One today announces it has commissioned Anton Ferdinand: Football, Racism & Me (w/t), a 1x60’ documentary from Wonder and New Era Global Productions Ltd. Filmed over the course of the 19/20 football season, regarded by many as the most racist in recent times, this urgent documentary follows Anton Ferdinand as he explores the problem of racism in football both past and present.
As someone who was at the heart of a high profile criminal trial for ‘on pitch’ racism, it’s a subject that burns deep for Anton. Now, as he approaches retirement from the professional game, Ferdinand meets players, managers and policy makers to get a better understanding of what happened to him and what’s happening in the game today. Armed with new information and revelations, the film follows Anton as he uses his own experiences to help others in an attempt to make a positive and lasting change.
The documentary also features intimate access to Anton, his friends and family to understand how his own experiences have affected those around him.
Anton Ferdinand says: “Racism is still a prominent issue in football and during the filming process alone, there have been numerous incidents on and off the pitch. I hope by sharing my own personal experiences of racism I can help people understand this subject better. It's of huge importance and should matter to us all. I would like to thank the BBC and New Era for supporting me and my family during this process.”
Jeremy Lee, Executive Producer for Wonder, says: “As someone who has been on the receiving end of some very high-profile racism in professional football, Anton is perfectly placed to explore this subject for the BBC. Recent shocking scenes from the stands and beyond show that it has never been more important to address this issue head on and look for answers.”
Clare Sillery, BBC Head of Commissioning, Documentaries, History and Religion, says: “With so many still being affected by racism in football, and in the wider society, we hope this documentary will help instigate a much needed conversation around this issue.”
Anton Ferdinand: Football, Racism & Me (w/t), was commissioned by Charlotte Moore, Director of Content and Clare Sillery, Head of Documentaries, History and Religion. The Commissioning Editors are Carl Callam and Max Gogarty. The Executive Producers are Jeremy Lee and Wendie Ottewill for Wonder; the Producer is Sian Guerra; and the Director is James Ross. Anton Ferdinand: Football, Racism & Me (w/t) will be distributed globally by Banijay Rights.
Black people in England and Wales are two to three times more likely to die of Covid-19 than white people (ONS Report). In Race, Coronavirus And Me (w/t), black British actor David Harewood sets out to investigate the reasons for this disparity in death rates between white and black and other minority ethnic patients, and to discover what the pandemic really tells us about health inequality in modern Britain.
In 2019 David featured in BBC One documentary David Harewood: Psychosis And Me, where he opened up about the psychotic breakdown he had in his twenties. With the risk of psychotic disorders up to five times greater for people from ethnic minorities, David now wants to find out why Covid-19 is also taking a disproportionate toll on black British and ethnic minority communities.
David Harewood says: “Covid-19 has had a profound impact on the whole of the UK but it has left a particularly devastating footprint in the lives of many black and other ethnic minority communities across the country, taking the lives of loved ones and relatives in shocking numbers. In this documentary I set out to understand the real reasons why this is happening and what can be done about it.”
Jack Bootle, Head of Commissioning, Science and Natural History, says: “The statistics are truly shocking and it’s vital we try to understand what lies behind them. With his intelligence, integrity and lived experience of health inequality, David is the perfect person to investigate this issue in a major new film for BBC One.”
Sreya Biswas, Commissioning Editor, says: "Health inequalities have existed silently for a long time in Britain, but the Coronavirus pandemic has opened a pandora's box where the shocking situation cannot be ignored any longer. The high rate of deaths among black, asian and minority ethnic people has to be discussed. David Harewood, as a black man of Afro-Caribbean descent, has seen his community hit the hardest and he wants to know why.”
Throughout the programme David will meet some of the country’s top medical researchers and doctors, who are examining the role genetic, environmental and social conditions play in determining health outcomes for black and other minority ethnic groups. He will meet the families who have lost loved ones to Covid-19 or to other health conditions that disproportionally affect the black community, and the front line workers whose jobs have left them more exposed to infection.
Race, Coronavirus And Me (w/t), a 1x60’ for BBC One, is made by Twenty Twenty. It was commissioned by Charlotte Moore, Director, BBC Content and Jack Bootle, Head of Commissioning, Science and Natural History. The Executive Producer is Emily Shields and the Director is Jason Barnard. The Commissioning Editor is Sreya Biswas.
Patrick Kielty: My Nation, Its Border And Me
To mark 100 years since the creation of Northern Ireland, Patrick Kielty will explore its story, from partition through to present day, in a one-off, authored documentary for BBC One. In 1921, against a backdrop of rebellion and conflict, Ireland was partitioned by the Westminster government - and Northern Ireland was born. Defined by its complex history, community divisions and diversity, Northern Ireland’s beginnings continue to influence many aspects of everyday life to this day.
With his inimitable style and a strong dose of humour, Patrick will embark on a journey to uncover some of the turning points in Northern Ireland’s history, meeting people whose stories have an intimate connection to the key moments in its first 100 years and discovering how their remarkable stories intersect with those of his own family.
He will try to make sense of some of the events which have shaped Northern Ireland: from the unionist families who got caught on the ‘wrong side’ of the new border to the British government’s interest in ending partition at the start of the Second World War in return for Ireland abandoning its policy of neutrality towards the Nazis. He will look at how partition has shaped the identities of the people of Northern Ireland, how they feel about their unique corner of the world today, and how their past is now shaping its future.
The film follows Dragonfly’s 2018 Grierson Award winning Patrick Kielty documentary, My Dad, The Peace Deal And Me.
Patrick Kielty, says: “It’s almost 100 years since the border was drawn in Ireland and Northern Ireland was born. Now is the perfect time to look at how that border came to be, what it means for the future, and how it has shaped my own family’s story.”
Clare Sillery, Head of Commissioning, Documentaries, History and Religion, says: "We are delighted to announce that Patrick will be presenting a film on this landmark anniversary for Northern Ireland in a way only he could do. With humour and compassion, he will explore one of the most contested borders in history to deliver a special insight into how it has shaped the people and their lives."
Executive Producer Tom Pullen, says: “After the success of the previous film, we’re delighted to be working with Patrick again to bring this fascinating yet often-overlooked part of our history to a BBC One audience.”
Patrick Kielty: My Nation, Its Border And Me is made by Dragonfly and produced in partnership with The Open University for BBC One. It was commissioned by Charlotte Moore, Director, Content and Clare Sillery, Head of Commissioning, Documentaries, History and Religion. The Commissioning Editors are Emma Loach and Justin Binding. It was Produced by Paula Nightingale and Directed by Paul Tilzey. The Executive Producers are Tom Pullen and Richard Bond.
