The BBC is to air a new documentary series detailing how the UK responded to the July 7 bombings in London almost 20 years ago.
The programme, 7/7: The London Bombings, will feature interviews with then-prime minister Sir Tony Blair, former Metropolitan Police commissioner Sir Ian Blair, and then-home secretary Charles Clarke, and looks at the three-week investigation to find the bombers following the attack.
On July 7 2005, four bombs were detonated on transport systems in the capital, killing 52 people and injuring hundreds as three Tube trains and a bus were targeted.
A series of attempted bombings followed, and in the subsequent manhunt for suspects, police shot dead innocent man Jean Charles de Menezes at a Tube station.
The story will be told from the perspective of those who were on the ground at the time, the families of the victims and emergency service workers, revealing how survivors dealt with life-changing injuries.
Simon Young, BBC head of commissioning for history, said: “It’s difficult to comprehend just how febrile and frenzied those weeks felt like in London and across the country, nearly 20 years ago.
“This series painstakingly pieces together the chain of events, moments of resilience and hope, as well as tragedy and horror. The result is a frank portrait of how the nation responded, when our streets became a new kind of front line.”
The four-part series, produced by The Slate Works, which produced multi-award-winning BBC documentary, 9/11: Inside The President’s War Room, will air on Sunday January 5 and Monday January 6 at 9pm on BBC Two, while the entire series streams on BBC iPlayer from January 5.
Adam Wishart, joint series director and producer, said: “After telling the story of President George W Bush on 9/11, we wanted to understand what happened to the British state when faced with a huge crisis of its own.
“What does it feel like to run the police or the country, when faced with the biggest attack on English soil? And what is it like when you or your family are caught in the blasts? How does anyone cope with the emotional consequences and the political repercussions?”
The show comes as Sky prepares to release its 7/7: Britain’s Day of Terror documentary on the bombings next year on Sky Documentaries and NOW, while Disney+ is also planning to release its Suspect: The Shooting Of Jean Charles De Menezes dramatisation 20 years after the attack.
