Highlights include Mark Gatiss’ quest to uncover the overlooked talent of artist John Minton, a behind-the-scenes look at this year's Grayson Perry co-ordinated RA summer exhibition and a new documentary about the tragic life of Sylvia Plath featuring exclusive testimony from her daughter, Frieda.
The summer line-up includes:
The five new documentaries will take on teenage homelessness, gun crime, parenthood, war and the UK economy.
”The BBC factual department has had a fantastic 12 months, winning multiple awards including Baftas, RTS Awards and Griersons," said Alison Kirkham, Controller of BBC Factual Commissioning.
The new studios, part of the Stratford Waterfront development by the London Legacy Development Corporation, will be a base for the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Chorus and the BBC Singers and will regularly be used by the BBC Concert Orchestra.
The site will allow the BBC to record and broadcast more live music with the new music recording equipment and rehearsal space. BBC’s radio stations BBC Radio 1, 1Xtra, Asian Network, Radio 2, Radio 3 and 6 Music, plus BBC Introducing, will all curate and broadcast performances regularly from the site.
Years and Years follows the Lyons, a busy Mancunian family. There’s Daniel who is getting married to Ralph, Stephen and Celeste worrying over their children, man-eater Rosie and estranged Edith. At the head of the chaotic family is Gran, the regal Muriel. When their lives all converge on one crucial night in 2019 the story is propelled into the future following the lives and loves of the Lyons over 15 years in a Britain rocked by volatile political, economic and technological advances.
In May 2015, Rio Ferdinand’s wife Rebecca lost her life to breast cancer, leaving behind her husband and three children. The documentary that followed captures the footballer’s own grief and worries for his children as he speaks, frankly and movingly, on camera. He meets other families coping with bereavement and loss, and looks at what help is available for parents and children who have lost a loved one.
Filming is set to begin in June, with John Malkovich (Being John Malkovich, In The Line Of Fire, Dangerous Liaisons) leading an all-star cast as Belgian sleuth Hercule Poirot.
For almost a decade, UKTV, currently owned jointly by BBC Studios and Discovery, has been screening innovative and successful original entertainment shows. Over the past five years, the number of original shows has grown fivefold. Today, UKTV commissions in every genre, other than children’s, news and current affairs.
