The upcoming autumn schedule from the Northern Irish broadcaster BBC sees a raft of new regional factual programming and returning favourites in comedian Diarmuid Corr’s ‘Sketchy’ and ‘The David Meade Project’
Much of the new programming revolves around recent local historical events, which are covered in a series of single films. The films aim to tell stories of significant events in recent history such as ‘At the Crossroads’, which meets four of the mothers and daughters who were caught up in the events of the Holy Cross protest 10 years after it shocked the world.
Other factual programming includes ‘Bombs, Bullets and Business As Usual’ which tells the story of the world’s most bombed hotel, the Europa in Belfast. ‘Bombs Bullets and Business As Usual’ will feature testimonies from journalists like Anne Robinson and John Sergeant. The Marching Bands of the Shankill Road will also hit our screens in their own programme, in ‘The Men Who Won’t Stop Marching’, which was made by filmmaker Alison Millar who followed the marching bands for four months.
Other new factual arrivals include ‘Bloody Sunday: The Long Wait’, which tells the emotional inside story of the events that led up to the findings of the Saville Report, the multi-million pound inquiry into Bloody Sunday which concluded in June 2010; and ‘Hume’, the latest in a series of BBC NI docs which described the careers of key political figures in Northern Ireland, with exclusive access to John Hume.
Lighter factual programming included six-part reality series ‘Slim Chance: Fix my Family’, which follows the trials and tribulations of a group of families who are struggling to lose weight. Other new programming includes ‘Out of the Blue’, and eight part series looking at contemporary arts in Northern Ireland.
The schedule also includes the return of comedy sketch show ‘Sketchy’ starring stand-up comedian and actor Diarmuid Corr, and ‘The David Meade Project’, which sees mentalist David Meade perform his mind bending experiments on members of the public.
BBC Northern Ireland’s Head of Programmes, Ailsa Orr said that BBC Northern Ireland would continue its ”commitment to Irish Language and Ulster-Scots programming” and commented on the autumn schedule saying ”We believe these programmes reflect the people, their real life stories, the history and humour, the issues and themes which are relevant to Northern Ireland.”
