BBC UNVEILS NEW DOCUMENTARY AND FACTUAL COMMISSIONS

The BBC have announced a range of new documentary and factual commissions.

Prison Break - Escape from the Maze (w/t)

A new feature length documentary about how 38 Republican prisoners escaped from one of Northern Ireland’s high security prisons. The film includes interviews with escapees and former prison officers – many of them speaking publicly for the first time.

It describes the tensions within the prison that led to the escape, the story of what happened on the day and the wider political and security situation that followed

Mary McKeagney, BBC Northern Ireland Commissioning Editor says: "The Maze prison escape was a significant and controversial moment in the Troubles. And its real-life consequences are still being felt. This feature-length documentary will explore the story of what happened in all of its aspects – providing new insights and sharing the experiences of people who were directly affected and involved."

Bel

Bel tells the story of Beldina Odenyo, the Kenyan Scottish musician, singer and songwriter, who performed under the stage name, Heir of the Cursed as well as working across Scotland’s theatre and poetry communities. After her acclaimed performance at the Scottish Album of the Year Awards in 2021, Bel took her own life. She left behind raw, intimate video diaries and a hard drive full of original songs of great beauty.

This stirring film documents the journey her sister and friends took to release her work posthumously, creating a heartfelt, insightful portrait of a complex, intelligent and profoundly talented young woman.

David Harron, Commissioning Editor, BBC Scotland, said: “Bel is a hugely powerful piece of work that tells the story of a singular talent who tragically passed when on the cusp of real success. The film brings her spirit and talent to the screen and will hopefully resonate with audiences who may not previously have been familiar with her work.”

Being Muslim After 9/11 (w/t)

Being Muslim After 9/11 (w/t) follows filmmakers Mobeen Azhar and Masood Khan on a journey through the country, speaking to people from across the Muslim community to explore how life has changed in the twenty-five years since the September 11th attacks. The film confronts questions around identity, belonging and what it means to be Muslim in modern Britain.

Mobeen Azhar said: "In so many ways, I've been working on this film for twenty-five years. I've never spoken about this publicly before, but the events of September 2001 were a major motivating factor for me pursuing a career in Journalism.

“There is a thread that connects that period of politics and what we see unfolding around us today. Making this film has been simultaneously therapeutic and devastating. It's a temperature reading and also a wakeup call."

Aberfan: The People's Fight (w/t)

The catastrophic collapse of a coal waste tip above the Welsh village of Aberfan remains one of the most devastating tragedies in modern British history. The slide engulfed a school and neighbouring homes, killing 144 people, including 116 children, in a disaster that shocked the world. But the disaster itself is only part of the story.

The documentary reveals the lesser-known struggle that followed, when a community shattered by grief was forced into a fight it should never have had to wage: to get the remaining tips removed and secure justice for its lost generation.

Determined to have their voices heard by the institutions that had ignored warnings about the danger posed by the tips, bereaved families and survivors came together to demand action. Meeting with delay, evasion and a lack of accountability from those responsible, the people of Aberfan found the strength to stand together and turn grief into a determined campaign for safety and change.

In their own words, survivors, bereaved parents and relatives of those at the forefront of the tip removal campaign remember how, in their darkest hour, the people of Aberfan battled the National Coal Board and the government.

Nick Andrews, Head of Commissioning for BBC Cymru Wales, said: “The story of Aberfan is not only about unimaginable loss, but about the strength and determination of a community in the aftermath. For one of the first times, this documentary gives space to those voices and reflects the courage shown in the fight for justice. Aberfan: The People’s Fight is an important part of how we mark this special anniversary across the BBC.”

The Telegram Terror Plot

The Telegram Terror Plot is coming to BBC Two and iPlayer. This new feature length documentary from Samphire Films for BBC Two and iPlayer reveals the extraordinary story of how a group of ordinary young British men became involved in a terror plot orchestrated by the Russian state.

Through first-hand testimony, exclusive access and unseen archive, we'll explore how - radicalised and recruited on encrypted messaging apps - these young men planned and carried out attacks on British soil, leading to the first ever convictions under the UK’s new National Security Act. The documentary will examine the troubling questions this raises about vulnerability, manipulation and the growing reach of hostile-state actors into the lives of young people in the UK.

Transmission details for all titles will be announced in due course.