factual

From the opening moments of Seven Worlds, One Planet we know that we’re in safe hands. Orchestral strings soar as a deserted, sun­dappled beach comes into view. Sir David Attenborough strides out across the sand, a big, warm coat the only concession to his 93 years.

With his unique authority, he introduces a montage of images drawn from seven continents to give us hints of the emotion-stirring, jaw-dropping stories to come. It is immediately clear that, once again, both Sir David and the BBC’s Natural History Unit have excelled themselves.

“Drag queens and TV are like peanut butter and jelly – the perfect combination,” added the show’s creator Fenton Bailey.

McCoy and Bailey – executive producers of RuPaul’s Drag Race, both here and in the US – were talking at a lively RTS Futures event in November that looked at how the show was brought to the UK.

The first series originally aired on BBC Two earlier this year and the finale became the channel’s highest rated episode for a new factual entertainment programme since 2016.

Celebrity Race Across the World will follow four famous faces as they embark on a journey across the world with no mobile phones, internet access or access to air travel.

Joined by a loved one, the celebrities will be expected to travel thousands of miles with only the cash equivalent of a one-way flight to their last destination.

Adam Woodyatt

Best known for playing Ian Beale in EastEnders, award-winning actor Adam Woodyatt will swap Albert Square for the MasterChef kitchen.

A Black And White Killing: The Case That Shook America centres on the tragic death of Larnell Bruce, a young black man who was run over outside a convenience store in 2016 by Russel Courtier, a member of white supremacist gang European Kindred.

CCTV footage of the incident was released shortly afterwards and went viral across the US, causing many to question if Bruce was killed because of the colour of his skin.

Can Jimmy Save the Bees? (w/t) sees Doherty explore the declining bee population in the UK and try to understand how the alarming trend can impact entire ecosystems that rely on natural pollination.

The former entomologist will attempt to revive the bee population to reduce the threat towards the viability of agriculture.

Based in Peterborough, Doherty will look at what can be done to solve the problem with local farmers, businesses, government officials and viewers.

The new commissions include a documentary examining if neuroscience can explain the making of murderers, a documentary that follows the journey of an Olympic gold medallist embarking on a daring cycle across the English Channel, and an exploration into the untold stories of the Black Africans who died fighting for Britain in the First World War.

“These are programmes with impact at their core - the power to challenge and provoke, shock and inspire,” said Fatima Salaria, Head of Specialist Factual at Channel 4.

Among the celebrities retracing their ancestors’ steps this season are Oscar winner Kate Winslet, Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe, music mogul Sharon Osbourne and Jack Whitehall who will be joined by his father Michael.

The father and son double-act will unravel their family’s link to the Newport Rising of 1839, while television personality Mark Wright will explore his Spanish and Jewish heritage with the discovery that his ancestor was tortured by the Spanish Inquisition.

The new commissions include a travelling dance series, a new dating show and a documentary about a family-run sex shop.

Channel 4 has also announced the return of the hit factual series The £1 Houses: Britain’s Cheapest Street, which gave people the opportunity to buy a house for just £1 and turn it into their dream home. 

Charlotte Church: My Family & Me (w/t)

Singer Charlotte Church gives a glimpse into her home life in this one-off documentary.

The new shows are part of a deliberate drive by the channel to offer distinctive content, in a bid to beat competition from streaming services and other broadcasters.

At the launch of the new slate, Ian Katz, the channel’s Director of Programming, said he wants to focus on “entertaining, mischievous and innovative shows about the big issues and arguments in Britain today.”

He added: “Many of the shows [launching in 2019] are not ones that the global digital giants, even as they plough billions into new content, would be remotely interested in making.”