大象传媒

The new commissions include The Iraq War, which sees multi-award winning director of 大象传媒 Two’s Exodus, James Bluemel, return to the channel. His new five-part series is set to be a definitive account of the conflict and will examine in detail the human consequences of the Iraq War told by those who were there. The series will seek to challenge our view of what happened by throwing light on previously ignored perspectives and experiences and explore the far reaching human consequences on all those who were involved.

Mary Beard will turn her eye to one of the most enduring subjects in all of art: the nude human figure. The Nude Uncovered by Mary Beard will set out to explore why there are so many images of naked bodies now and in the past, questioning our own attitudes to nudity and nakedness and reflecting on the changing history of the way people have looked and understood the naked human form.

Romesh Ranganathan returns to 大象传媒 Two following the success of the Misadventures of Romesh Ranganathan for a brand new topical studio-based series, The Ranganation. His Ranganation is a group of 25 larger than life individuals from a cross-section of modern Britain who come together to take a look back over the week’s talking points to explore the news events and themes alongside comedians and expert guests.

Race Across the World is an ambitious new factual-entertainment series that pits travellers against each other in a challenging race to reach the Far East without taking a single flight. Adventurers will hit the open-road, with no modern trappings such as mobile phones, and travel through astonishing scenery and cross continents using whatever mode of transport they can. From trains to pickup trucks and ferries to tuk-tuks, it will be an illuminating look at the world and a competitive race to reach the finish line in the fastest time.

Also announced is The Rise of the Nazis (w/t), a dramatic history series that covers in detail how the Nazis took control of Germany. Leading historians will study the different psychological perspectives of Hitler’s contemporaries and highlight the incremental decisions and missed warning signs that could have prevented the rise of the Nazis.

Patrick Holland, Controller of 大象传媒 Two, says: “I am delighted to announce such a compelling, exciting and challenging slate of shows. Race Across the World is a major new format that promises adrenaline, adventure and extraordinary encounters, as we leave modern tech behind and travel without a safety net. Couple this with James Bluemel's unique take in the Iraq War, 72 Film's intense focus on the years that made Hitler unstoppable, Mary Beard's singular exploration of the role of nakedness and Romesh's hilarious new opinionated studio show, 大象传媒 Two really is the home to the most eclectic range of programmes, never shying away from complexity, engaging with the most refreshing perspectives and voices. With Michaela Coel's new drama announced earlier this week, we have a heady mix in-store for our viewers."

BW

The Iraq War (w/t)

Directed by James Bluemel, the multi-award winning director of 大象传媒 Two’s Exodus series, this new five-part series will examine the extraordinary gamble taken by America and Britain when they invaded Iraq. It is a gamble which didn’t pay off, the tumultuous ramifications of which are still being felt across the Middle East and Europe today.

The Iraq War (w/t) will be told by those who were there, and will seek to challenge our view of what happened by throwing light on previously ignored perspectives and experiences. It will include voices of regular, working class Iraqi families watching as their country erupts into civil war; voices of American and British soldiers, struggling to comprehend their orders or understand their enemy; voices of Iraqis who took up arms against what they saw as foreign oppressors; voices of American families dealing with the grief of losing a son or a daughter in a war they didn’t understand; voices of the parents of a suicide bomber who have had to come to terms with such violent desperation.

This unique series will ask what happens when an invading force overthrows a dictator, and explore the far reaching human consequences on all those who were involved.

The Iraq War (w/t) (5x60') is a KEO Films production for 大象传媒 Two. The Series Director is James Bluemel, Series Producer Jo Abel and the Exec Producers are Will Anderson/ Andrew Palmer. It was commissioned by Patrick Holland, Controller of 大象传媒 Two, and Clare Sillery, Head of Commissioning, Documentaries.

Race Across The World

Race Across The World, a new six-part series for 大象传媒 Two, will pit pairs of travellers against each other in a race to reach the Far East without taking a single flight, with no smartphone in sight. Each contestant will only have the cash equivalent of an air fare to their destination to pay for their overland travel. If they run out, they'll need to earn more.

Setting out on the adventure of a lifetime, the couples will hit the open road using whatever mode of transport they can - from trains to pickup trucks, from ferries to tuk-tuks - crossing continents and experiencing travel the way we once used to.

And the race is on to reach the finish line in the fastest time, making best use of their money - and strategy - to win a cash prize. This flightless race will allow the teams time to savour some of the world’s most beautiful and astonishing scenery, which the modern-day traveller seldom gets to see.

Each couple has their own personal motivation for taking part in this once-in-a-lifetime experience, immersing themselves in different cultures, forming bonds and friendships across cultural divides and relying on the kindness of strangers in order to stand the best chance of winning the competition.

Race Across The World is produced by Studio Lambert. Stephen Lambert, Tim Harcourt and Mark Saben are the executive producers; and Stephen Day is the series editor for Studio Lambert. It was commissioned by Patrick Holland, Controller of 大象传媒 Two and David Brindley, Head of Commissioning, Popular Factual and Factual Entertainment. The 大象传媒 Commissioning Editor is Michael Jochnowitz.

The Rise of the Nazis (w/t)

This gripping and dramatic 3x60' series uncovers how the Nazis took control of Germany.

How did 20th Century Europe’s most liberal democracy fall into the hands of fascists? From Hitler’s political scheming that turned Germany’s parliament into a House of Cards, his War on Truth leading to book burning, and his scapegoating of minorities, this series explores in extraordinary detail the events leading up to the outbreak of World War II.

The series will be made in the style of the RTS award-winning ‘Elizabeth I’s Secret Agents’. Leading historians will study the motivations of Hitler’s contemporaries - to get into the minds of the people most responsible for the machinations of the Nazi regime - as well as those who sacrificed their status, their jobs and in some cases their lives to try to stop the Nazis. Interweaving their different psychological perspectives will allow us to experience their different ambitions and agendas.

This series will show that history is not inevitable. As our historians take us through the biggest events of the period, from the Wall Street Crash to the backstairs dealings of the 1930 election, from the brutal Night of the Long Knives to Hitler becoming the all-powerful Führer of Germany - we highlight the incremental decisions and missed warning signs that could have prevented the rise of the Nazis.

The Rise Of The Nazis is a 72 Films production for 大象传媒 Two. It was commissioned by Patrick Holland, Controller, 大象传媒 Two and Tom McDonald, Head of Commissioning, Natural History and Specialist Factual. The 大象传媒 Commissioning Editor is Simon Young.

The Nude Uncovered by Mary Beard

In this 2x60' series, Prof. Mary Beard turns her quizzical eye on the most enduring subject in all of art: the Nude human figure. It seems paradoxical but also inevitable that in a ‘clothed’ society like ours we should have made and collected so many images of naked bodies now and in the past. Mary sets out to explore why and, although it’s a simple question, the answers she’ll uncover are far more complex and intriguing than we might at first imagine. Across the two episodes, Mary will take in a huge range of images; reinterpreting star artworks like Manet’s Olympia and Michelangelo’s David while shining a light on the hidden corners of image making.

Mary will also encounter artists and image-makers today and question our own attitudes to nudity and nakedness. For Mary, the nude figure is all too often taken for granted as a staple of art: some see it simply as an object of beauty, the wonder of the human form stripped to its essence, for others it is a fierce battleground of gender politics and power play. Mary will go beyond these extremes, reflecting on the changing history of the way people have looked at and understood the naked human form and uncovering the forces that have kept the naked human form in the frame of art for thousands of years.

The Nude Uncovered by Mary Beard (2x60') is a Lion TV production for 大象传媒 Two. Denys Blakeway is the Executive producer. It was commissioned for the 大象传媒 by Jonty Claypole, Director of Arts.

The Ranganation

Romesh Ranganathan hosts his own weekly show that takes a funny look back over the week’s biggest talking points. To help Romesh fully understand what the nation really think he consults with his very own focus group, The Ranganation. This larger than life focus group of 25 lovable, diverse characters, represent a real cross-section of modern Britain - the group also includes Romesh’s mum.

He’ll also be joined by comedy and expert guests to explore how current news events and themes are really affecting the Ranganation.

The Ranganation is a Zeppotron production for 大象传媒 Two. Ruth Phillips is the Executive producer for Zeppotron. It was commissioned by Patrick Holland, Controller, 大象传媒 Two and Kate Phillips, Controller, Entertainment Commissioning. The 大象传媒 Commissioning Editor is Ruby Kuraishe.

Related Media Centre Links

• Piers Wenger, Controller of 大象传媒 Drama, announces three brand new drama series written by three female writers authoring diverse and original shows for 大象传媒 One, Two and Three