Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has become a figurehead for freedom and democracy, and is known around the world as the brave and charismatic leader fighting to secure the freedom of Ukraine. 

Before he was elected as President in a landslide victory in 2019, Zelenskyy was an actor and comedian, known for voicing Paddington in Ukraine, winning the country’s version of Strictly Come Dancing and producing and starring in the satirical series, Servant of the People. 

Servant of the People acted as a precursor of Zelenskyy’s real life election victory, with the series seeing Zelenskyy play a modest high school teacher who accidentally becomes the Ukrainian President after he condemns government corruption in a viral video. 

The show was first broadcast in 2015 and was incredibly successful, running for three series and a feature film. 

Zelenskyy: The Man Who Took on Putin is a current affairs special commissioned by Louisa Compton, Head of News and Current Affairs at Channel 4.

The film looks at Zelenskyy's rise to power from the man behind the viral social media and TV appearances that became the political outsider who has stood up to the Russian war machine and Vladimir Putin. 

It will take an in-depth look at Zelenskyy’s beliefs and policies and how a former TV personality became President and now a war hero.

As head of Ukraine, Zelenskyy embodies the spirit of the defiant Ukrainian nation and their fight to remain free in their country. 

Channel 4 Chief Content Officer, Ian Katz, commented: “We know from the huge audiences coming to our comprehensive news coverage of the war in Ukraine that our viewers have a real thirst to understand the conflict and the individuals who are shaping it. 

“In the space of a few weeks Volodymyr Zelenskyy has become one of the most admired and speculated about men in the world and broadcasting our current affairs special, Zelenskyy: The Man Who Took on Putin and Servant of the People across Sunday night will give viewers access to deep insight into how he shot to political prominence, the foundations of his popular appeal and his intuitive grasp of how to exploit both traditional and social media.”

Zelenskyy: The Man Who Took on Putin will air on Channel 4 on Sunday 6 March at 6:45pm, followed by three episodes of Servant of The People at 10:35pm.

Series one and two of Servant of The People will be available on All 4 at a later date.