Al Murray celebrates Britain’s biggest DIY disasters in a four-part entertainment series that names and shames the perpetrators of some of the most heinous crimes the do-it-yourself world has ever seen. Each instalment features a themed collection of DIY debacles from wallpapering to roofing, telling terrible stories from British homes. The tales feature some tremendously good sports and their misguided masterpieces, as well as their long-suffering partners! The coveted Glass Hammer award awaits each DIY dummy we meet.
Part 1
Meet Graham from Southport, who has been fixing up his bathroom for over five years. Sadly, it still does not even have a bath, to the chagrin of his long-suffering wife Sandra. Amber from Watford has trouble with furniture. She loves flat-packs but cannot assemble them properly, as is evident in her disastrous attempt to build a chest of drawers. Also featured is Nick, a DIY maverick from Swindon. He built his own loft ladder, which unfortunately collapsed on to his head. Mario from Leeds wanted to impress his wife Gail with a gleaming new stainless steel kitchen, but instead simply covered his old cupboards in aluminium sheets. Now all his work is coming apart. Nigel is a DIY hero from Burton-on-Trent who survived a dramatic near-death experience with a nail gun. He somehow managed to shoot himself in the heart and survived. Finally, Lee from Hertfordshire has been putting off papering his front room, fearing the harsh judgment of his partner Michelle. When he finally has a go, it is easy to understand why.
Part 2
Meet Panny Panesar from Leeds, who has been hammering away at his kitchen for years, yet it looks like a bike shed. Nothing's fitted in properly and his extractor fan only works if the wind’s blowing! Chris Keenan lives near Southampton. For reasons known only to himself, his claim to fame is a talent for re-purposing possessions that work perfectly well into other things that don’t. Meanwhile, Mickey Francis is a DIY tornado. Never happier than when he is in repair mode, he has been battling away in the eye of a particularly wet storm: a perpetually leaking bathroom.. Jasmine Davidson is a busy single mum and part-time model. She may have perfectly manicured nails, but that hasn’t stopped her trying to lay her own flooring. It’s now in complete shambles, as her mother is only too keen to point out. Finally, Phil Arnold proved he is one of the nation’s most fearless DIYers by taking on the removal of a wasp nest in his shed. To the amusement of his wife, he did this, marched into battle armed with an electric fly swatter.
Part 3
Al Murray introduces more champion botchers in this entertaining series which pays tribute to some of the dodgiest DIY disasters ever perpetrated in British homes. This week’s champion klutzes manage to mess up a wide range of everyday challenges from fitting doors and laying floors to mending fences and building garden walls. Cases this week include Steve from Spalding who lives in a house beset by problems. After an earthquake, the house suffered from several huge cracks, which caused a flood. Overwhelmed by the task, Steve has barely fixed anything. Seven years after the disaster, the bedroom doors still do not even have handles! In Watford, Nitin’s garden fence is falling down. Even though he shamelessly admits that his DIY skills are virtually non-existent, he still has a go at fixing the offending wood work. Sadly, even with the help of his partner Anjali, the repaired fence remains as rickety as ever.
Part 4
Chris Lou from Warrington was midway into his extension project when he sprung a massive leak. To make matters even worse, the only way into the extension was through a tiny hole because the room lacked a door. Dawn Skeates is a Basildon resident with an aversion to electric drills. Whenever she needs to attach two objects, she uses glue, as a result of which things tend to come unstuck. Meanwhile, Ruairidh MacNeill from Argyll is lucky to be alive. While preparing to fix up his kitchen, he accidentally chopped his hand almost clean off and had to be flown by helicopter to hospital. His wife has since hidden the hazardous piece of equipment responsible for the accident to stop him doing any more damage to himself.
Showing posts with label Publisher: Channel 5. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Publisher: Channel 5. Show all posts
Friday, June 13, 2014
Thursday, June 12, 2014
42 Ways To Kill Hitler (2014)
We visits locations and use reconstructions to shed new light on the many attempts that were made to assassinate Hitler.
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
What The Dambusters Did Next (2014)
The daring raid is undoubtedly one of the most famous in the history of the Second World War, the subject of a great British blockbuster and countless books. But what did the elite fliers of No 617 Squadron RAF, otherwise known as the Dambusters, do after Operation Chastise? This new documentary provides a wealth of insight into the spectacular missions undertaken by the squadron after the deployment of the famous bouncing bombs in 1943.
Brits in Bangkok (2014)
Bangkok Brits is a documentary series which follows different Brits who have moved to Bangkok in an effort to take advantage of the different opportunities on offer there.
The Spy Who Brought Down Mary Queen of Scots (2014)
With the aid of dramatised scenes and location-based interviews with leading historians, this film tells the riveting story of how, over an eight-week period in 1586, England's greatest spymaster used covert espionage techniques to foil a Catholic conspiracy to murder Queen Elizabeth I and engineered the execution of Mary Queen of Scots. Sir Francis Walsingham is recognised as one of history's master spies, thanks to the extraordinary trap that he set for Mary, Queen of Scots. Using a sophisticated network of double agents, informants, and secret codes he allowed Mary to believe that she was master-minding a plot to destroy Elizabeth. In fact, every move Mary made was tracked, by intercepting and decoding her correspondence. As a result, the Scots Queen was exposed as a threat to the Crown, and Walsingham was finally able to persuade Elizabeth to execute her.
Illegal Immigrants And Proud (2014)
Every day, hundreds of immigrants risk a potentially fatal journey in order to enter the UK illegally. Following on from the Channel 5 programme ‘Gypsies on Benefits’, this documentary film follows some of the 800,000 illegal immigrants who are thought to have settled in the UK and who have managed to live their lives largely below the authorities’ radar.
Thursday, May 22, 2014
*The Oap Killer - First Kill Last Kill
Professor David Wilson reveals how Kenneth Erskine's carelessness led to his arrest and subsequent conviction.In the summer of 1986, the elderly population of south London were terrified by reports that a killer was targeting them in their homes. In just 17 weeks, Kenneth Erskine, the Stockwell Strangler, embarked on a spree of sexual assault and murder that shocked Britain. In this film, eminent criminologist Professor David Wilson explores the difference between Erskine's first and last kills in an effort to understand what triggered these crimes and how he was caught.
Catching the Stockwell Strangler
Professor Wilson, a former prison governor and expert on serial killers, begins by examining Erskine's childhood. At school, he was known for violent and irrational acts, including stabbing a teacher in the hand, pushing another pupil under a bus and killing the school guinea pig.
He left school in 1979 and, when he started using drugs, his mother ejected him from the family home. He lived in squats and on the streets around the Stockwell and Brixton areas of south London, beginning a career in petty crime to fund his drug habit. That year, he was arrested five times for burglary, finally ending up in Feltham Young offenders Institution.
James Doel, his cellmate at Feltham, speaks for the first time of the disturbing images of death and mutilation of the elderly that Erskine painted while he was inside.
Catching the Stockwell Strangler
Professor Wilson, a former prison governor and expert on serial killers, begins by examining Erskine's childhood. At school, he was known for violent and irrational acts, including stabbing a teacher in the hand, pushing another pupil under a bus and killing the school guinea pig.
He left school in 1979 and, when he started using drugs, his mother ejected him from the family home. He lived in squats and on the streets around the Stockwell and Brixton areas of south London, beginning a career in petty crime to fund his drug habit. That year, he was arrested five times for burglary, finally ending up in Feltham Young offenders Institution.
James Doel, his cellmate at Feltham, speaks for the first time of the disturbing images of death and mutilation of the elderly that Erskine painted while he was inside.
Sunday, May 11, 2014
* Great Artists (2001)
An illuminating documentary series examining the lives and works of 14 of the greatest artists of the western world. What influences shaped these outstanding artists and what makes their work so remarkable and draws us to these paintings centuries later? Written and presented by art historian Tim Marlow.
Episode 1: Giotto
Tim Marlow presents the life and work of the Western world's most gifted artists, beginning with Giotto di Bondone, the son of a Tuscan shepherd. Born in 1267, Giotto began his apprenticeship at the age of 12, and with his naturalistic treatment of medieval Christian iconography, was recognised as the first in a line of great painters and architects who contributed to the Italian Renaissance.
Episode 2: Leonardo
Profile of scientist, engineer and inventor Leonardo da Vinci, whose extraordinary artistic genius gave rise to masterpieces including the Mona Lisa, the Annunciation and the Last Supper. Breaking new ground in portraiture and historical imagery, this giant of the Italian Renaissance applied his considerable and wide-ranging skills to make a unique contribution to the development of European art.
Episode 3: Duerer
Tim Marlow examines the life and legacy of German painter Albrecht Durer, who set a new benchmark in self-portraiture and raised the artistic traditions of northern Europe to rival those of Renaissance Italy. Like his contemporary Leonardo da Vinci, Durer perceived the world with a scientist's eye, and his detailed studies of plants and animals remain unrivalled to this day. Featured works include The Four Apostles and Self-Portrait Holding a Thistle.
Episode 4: Michelangelo
Tim Marlow charts the life and work of celebrated Renaissance sculptor, architect and painter Michelangelo, most famous for the extraordinary scenes that adorn the ceiling of St Peter's Sistine Chapel in the Vatican.
Episode 5: Raphael
Tim Marlow examines the work of Italian Renaissance painter Raffaello Santi, known better simply as Raphael, who was born in 1483 and achieved so much in his short life that he was considered equal to Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. He was highly regarded for his many studies of the Madonna and Child, and artists adopted his idealised forms as the model of beauty until the end of the 19th century.
Episode 6: Titian
Tim Marlow reveals how the Renaissance movement found a new centre in the city of Venice and examines the life and work of Tiziano Vecellio, known to English speakers as Titian, who pioneered the use of oils with a radical approach to light, colour and brush strokes. His talent was recognised across Europe and he painted portraits of some of the 16th century's most powerful figures, including Pope Paul III and Charles V of Spain.
Episode 7: Bruegel
The life and work of Pieter Bruegel the Elder, generally considered the greatest Flemish painter of the 16th century, whose enigmatic works remain among the most distinctive examples of Dutch art, combining gritty humour with political comment. Tim Marlow reveals how Bruegel lived through a period of immense social change, whereby religious upheaval and the growth in trade and commerce had a monumental impact on him and his paintings and he was among the first artists to paint almost exclusively for the growing class of merchants and intellectuals.
Episode 8: El Greco
Tim Marlow charts the life of Greek artist Domenicos Theotocopolous, dubbed El Greco, one of the most distinctive painters of the 16th century. His work was considered in advance of its time - so much so that it was all but ignored for 300 years. El Greco developed a highly individualistic style which was initially criticised but went on to prove enormously influential, paving the way for the baroque and providing the inspiration for 20th-century expressionism.
Episode 9: Rubens
Tim Marlow explores the life and work of ground-breaking 17th century artist Peter Paul Rubens, who enjoyed an active and eventful career during the early 17th century. He was regarded as the chief exponent of the Baroque style, merging the grace of the Italian High Renaissance with the realism and landscapes of the northern tradition, and was perhaps best known for painting voluptuous female nudes within large-scale mythological allegories.
Episode 10: Velazquez
Tim Marlow explores the life and work of ground-breaking artist Diego de Silva y Velazquez, whose paintings provide a unique insight into the development of the Spanish monarchy in the 17th century - and the decline of the most powerful royal court in Europe.
Episode 11: Rembrandt
Historian Tim Marlow explores the life and work of 17th-century visionary Dutch artist Rembrandt Harmenszoon Van Rijn, who was famed for his skilful handling of light and shade in paintings portraying the human form. Born in Leiden, he was the eighth of nine children, whose passion for art led him to an apprenticeship with a local painter, and by 1625 he had a studio in Amsterdam, where he began painting the heads of relatives and neighbours, as well as producing 75 self-portraits. Demand for his talents soon grew and success came when he was commissioned to paint The Anatomy Lesson of Dr Tull.
Episode 12: Vermeer
Born the lowly son of an innkeeper and art-dealer, Dutch painter Jan van der Meer, better known as Vermeer, lived an uneventful life during which he created less than 40 works and died unknown outside his home town. Tim Marlow investigates how he came to be regarded as a talent as masterful as Rembrandt, examining the simple domestic scenes which led to his posthumous rise to fame.
Episode 13: Turner
Art historian Tim Marlow profiles influential visionary painter JMW Turner (1775-1851), who divided the critics with his rapid brushstrokes, treatment of light and tendency toward abstraction, but is now hailed as possibly the greatest British artist of all time.
Episode 1: Giotto
Tim Marlow presents the life and work of the Western world's most gifted artists, beginning with Giotto di Bondone, the son of a Tuscan shepherd. Born in 1267, Giotto began his apprenticeship at the age of 12, and with his naturalistic treatment of medieval Christian iconography, was recognised as the first in a line of great painters and architects who contributed to the Italian Renaissance.
Episode 2: Leonardo
Profile of scientist, engineer and inventor Leonardo da Vinci, whose extraordinary artistic genius gave rise to masterpieces including the Mona Lisa, the Annunciation and the Last Supper. Breaking new ground in portraiture and historical imagery, this giant of the Italian Renaissance applied his considerable and wide-ranging skills to make a unique contribution to the development of European art.
Episode 3: Duerer
Tim Marlow examines the life and legacy of German painter Albrecht Durer, who set a new benchmark in self-portraiture and raised the artistic traditions of northern Europe to rival those of Renaissance Italy. Like his contemporary Leonardo da Vinci, Durer perceived the world with a scientist's eye, and his detailed studies of plants and animals remain unrivalled to this day. Featured works include The Four Apostles and Self-Portrait Holding a Thistle.
Episode 4: Michelangelo
Tim Marlow charts the life and work of celebrated Renaissance sculptor, architect and painter Michelangelo, most famous for the extraordinary scenes that adorn the ceiling of St Peter's Sistine Chapel in the Vatican.
Episode 5: Raphael
Tim Marlow examines the work of Italian Renaissance painter Raffaello Santi, known better simply as Raphael, who was born in 1483 and achieved so much in his short life that he was considered equal to Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. He was highly regarded for his many studies of the Madonna and Child, and artists adopted his idealised forms as the model of beauty until the end of the 19th century.
Episode 6: Titian
Tim Marlow reveals how the Renaissance movement found a new centre in the city of Venice and examines the life and work of Tiziano Vecellio, known to English speakers as Titian, who pioneered the use of oils with a radical approach to light, colour and brush strokes. His talent was recognised across Europe and he painted portraits of some of the 16th century's most powerful figures, including Pope Paul III and Charles V of Spain.
Episode 7: Bruegel
The life and work of Pieter Bruegel the Elder, generally considered the greatest Flemish painter of the 16th century, whose enigmatic works remain among the most distinctive examples of Dutch art, combining gritty humour with political comment. Tim Marlow reveals how Bruegel lived through a period of immense social change, whereby religious upheaval and the growth in trade and commerce had a monumental impact on him and his paintings and he was among the first artists to paint almost exclusively for the growing class of merchants and intellectuals.
Episode 8: El Greco
Tim Marlow charts the life of Greek artist Domenicos Theotocopolous, dubbed El Greco, one of the most distinctive painters of the 16th century. His work was considered in advance of its time - so much so that it was all but ignored for 300 years. El Greco developed a highly individualistic style which was initially criticised but went on to prove enormously influential, paving the way for the baroque and providing the inspiration for 20th-century expressionism.
Episode 9: Rubens
Tim Marlow explores the life and work of ground-breaking 17th century artist Peter Paul Rubens, who enjoyed an active and eventful career during the early 17th century. He was regarded as the chief exponent of the Baroque style, merging the grace of the Italian High Renaissance with the realism and landscapes of the northern tradition, and was perhaps best known for painting voluptuous female nudes within large-scale mythological allegories.
Episode 10: Velazquez
Tim Marlow explores the life and work of ground-breaking artist Diego de Silva y Velazquez, whose paintings provide a unique insight into the development of the Spanish monarchy in the 17th century - and the decline of the most powerful royal court in Europe.
Episode 11: Rembrandt
Historian Tim Marlow explores the life and work of 17th-century visionary Dutch artist Rembrandt Harmenszoon Van Rijn, who was famed for his skilful handling of light and shade in paintings portraying the human form. Born in Leiden, he was the eighth of nine children, whose passion for art led him to an apprenticeship with a local painter, and by 1625 he had a studio in Amsterdam, where he began painting the heads of relatives and neighbours, as well as producing 75 self-portraits. Demand for his talents soon grew and success came when he was commissioned to paint The Anatomy Lesson of Dr Tull.
Episode 12: Vermeer
Born the lowly son of an innkeeper and art-dealer, Dutch painter Jan van der Meer, better known as Vermeer, lived an uneventful life during which he created less than 40 works and died unknown outside his home town. Tim Marlow investigates how he came to be regarded as a talent as masterful as Rembrandt, examining the simple domestic scenes which led to his posthumous rise to fame.
Episode 13: Turner
Art historian Tim Marlow profiles influential visionary painter JMW Turner (1775-1851), who divided the critics with his rapid brushstrokes, treatment of light and tendency toward abstraction, but is now hailed as possibly the greatest British artist of all time.
Friday, May 9, 2014
* 50 Shocking Facts About Diet and Exercise (2013)
A countdown show looking at the shocking truth behind what we eat and the often dangerous and misguided methods we adopt in order to lose weight. Scientists, industry experts and exponents discuss the pros and cons of fad diets, 'healthy' foods and extreme exercise regimes.
We all know about the benefits of exercise, good diet, looking good and living a healthy lifestyle, but most of the things that are good for us can bring side-effects that are precisely the opposite. Incontinence, infertility, infected genitalia, energy drink madness, hip replacements and even death are commonplace among the beautiful people as are botched surgeries, extremely dangerous self-harming diets and bizarre exercise programmes.
We all know about the benefits of exercise, good diet, looking good and living a healthy lifestyle, but most of the things that are good for us can bring side-effects that are precisely the opposite. Incontinence, infertility, infected genitalia, energy drink madness, hip replacements and even death are commonplace among the beautiful people as are botched surgeries, extremely dangerous self-harming diets and bizarre exercise programmes.
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
* Harold Shipman (2014)
On the tenth anniversary of his death, this two-part documentary claims to be the definitive account of Doctor Harold Shipman's notorious crimes. It certainly offers a thorough examination of how a respected pillar of the community was eventually exposed as Britain's most prolific serial killer.
One of the most astonishing aspects of the case is how Shipman got away with it for so long. Despite being outed as a drug addict in the '70s, he only ever received a fine and a warning for his conduct. Most agree that he should've been struck off. And yet he continued to practice and prey upon his patients for years thereafter.
Filled with contributions from former colleagues and relatives of his victims, the programme also contains several dramatic reconstructions. So often the risible bane of true-crime documentaries, on this occasion they're relatively restrained.
Part 1: Driven to Kill
The first instalment of this two-part programme looks at what drove Shipman to kill over a period of almost 30 years, examining his early school days as a model pupil up to his time as a junior doctor in Pontefract Hospital. Featuring interviews with Margaret Sivorn, who worked with him in Pontefract, and consultant forensic psychiatrist Richard Badcock, who was the only psychiatrist to assess Shipman.
Part 2: Catching Dr Death
The concluding edition of this two-part docu-drama looks at how Shipman covered his tracks and examines the unravelling of decades of lies that subsequently led to his conviction. In March 1998, staff at the local crematorium became suspicious of the deaths signed off by Shipman and alerted the coroner, but a police investigation was stopped after just three weeks. It was the subsequent death of Kathleen Grundy that triggered his downfall, and her daughter and son-in-law Angela and Phil Woodruff describe their reactions when they discovered that Shipman was bizarrely the sole benefactor of Kathleen's estate.
One of the most astonishing aspects of the case is how Shipman got away with it for so long. Despite being outed as a drug addict in the '70s, he only ever received a fine and a warning for his conduct. Most agree that he should've been struck off. And yet he continued to practice and prey upon his patients for years thereafter.
Filled with contributions from former colleagues and relatives of his victims, the programme also contains several dramatic reconstructions. So often the risible bane of true-crime documentaries, on this occasion they're relatively restrained.
Part 1: Driven to Kill
The first instalment of this two-part programme looks at what drove Shipman to kill over a period of almost 30 years, examining his early school days as a model pupil up to his time as a junior doctor in Pontefract Hospital. Featuring interviews with Margaret Sivorn, who worked with him in Pontefract, and consultant forensic psychiatrist Richard Badcock, who was the only psychiatrist to assess Shipman.
Part 2: Catching Dr Death
The concluding edition of this two-part docu-drama looks at how Shipman covered his tracks and examines the unravelling of decades of lies that subsequently led to his conviction. In March 1998, staff at the local crematorium became suspicious of the deaths signed off by Shipman and alerted the coroner, but a police investigation was stopped after just three weeks. It was the subsequent death of Kathleen Grundy that triggered his downfall, and her daughter and son-in-law Angela and Phil Woodruff describe their reactions when they discovered that Shipman was bizarrely the sole benefactor of Kathleen's estate.
Sunday, May 4, 2014
* Killing Spree (2014)
Killing Spree: Series 1 When a killing spree occurs, the inevitable reaction is one of shock and disbelief at the unexpected and unimaginably violent chain of events. This compelling new series features such murders in forensic detail, drawing upon the testimony of those involved and those who knew the perpetrator to tell the story behind each chain of rapidly executed killings.
Suffolk Strangler
In the winter of 2006, an infamous killing spree took place at different locations near Ipswich. After five female sex workers were murdered in quick succession, the press soon labelled the unknown killer as the Suffolk Strangler. The man responsible was 48-year-old forklift driver Steve Wright, who had a reputation for being quiet, reserved and straight-laced. Only later did it emerge that he had a history of gambling, had made a number of suicide attempts and frequently visited prostitutes. Moving into the heart of Ipswich's red-light district had given Wright the perfect opportunity to lead a double life. While his partner Pamela was working night shifts, he slipped into old familiar habits, kerb-crawling and picking up prostitutes.
Terror in Paradise
On 22nd July 2011, news of a double mass killing in Norway shocked the world. It was the brainchild of just one man – Anders Behring Breivik, who had spent years meticulously planning for his violent killing spree. Breivik had been diagnosed with psychological problems at a young age. His parents had divorced when he was just a year old and the strain of his troubled family life began to show as early as the age of four. Although he was a rebellious teen, he was well regarded at school and later settled into a steady job. However, as he reached adulthood, Breivik began to retreat from all social life and immerse himself in the world of online gaming and extreme politics. He became so obsessed with the notion that Islam was a threat to Norway that he planned to strike out at those whom he held responsible.
Raoul Moat, Northumbria Rampage
Growing up in Newcastle's West End, Raoul Moat never knew his father and had a troubled relationship with his mother. As an adult he yearned to create his own perfect family to rid himself of his painful childhood memories. But with this desire came a string of failed relationships and a personality on the edge of breaking point. The first victims of his callous spree were his ex-partner and her new boyfriend. On the surface it was a fatal attack by a jilted lover but deep down lay a paranoid resentment that would lead the gunman to actively target the Northumbrian police force. As the hunted became hunter, Moat ruthlessly shot a traffic officer at point blank range, blinding him for life. The police search escalated to unprecedented levels and the net appeared to be closing in on the gunman when his abandoned vehicle was found in the town of Rothbury. Despite an exclusion zone being placed around the immediate area, Moat evaded capture in the Northumbrian wilderness for more than three days. He was eventually cornered on a riverbank, and his rampage culminated in a six-hour stand-off. Moat had murdered one and left two critically injured, and there seemed to be only one way the spree was going to end...
The Miami Murders
Documentary about Andrew Cunanan, who killed at least five people across three American states in the summer of 1997, including fashion designer Gianni Versace. This film draws on the testimony of friends, bystanders and expert witnesses in an attempt to understand what drove him to kill.
Horror at the Mall
Documentary about the 2011 assassination attempt that was made on US congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in Tucson, Arizona. In just 17 seconds, this killing spree claimed six lives and left 13 other people seriously injured. This programme investigates the background and motivation of the killer, 22-year-old local resident, Jared Lee Loughner.
Columbine Massacre
The last episode in the series explores how two teenagers, who were just weeks away from graduating, embarked on a killing spree of such shocking magnitude that it was to make the name of an American high school synonymous with tragedy. 20th April 1999 began like any other day for the pupils of Columbine High School. However, it was to end as a day that would be tragically etched in American history after two of the school's students embarked on a murderous rampage that shook the local community to its core, pushed the emergency services to the limit and became headline news all over the world.
Suffolk Strangler
In the winter of 2006, an infamous killing spree took place at different locations near Ipswich. After five female sex workers were murdered in quick succession, the press soon labelled the unknown killer as the Suffolk Strangler. The man responsible was 48-year-old forklift driver Steve Wright, who had a reputation for being quiet, reserved and straight-laced. Only later did it emerge that he had a history of gambling, had made a number of suicide attempts and frequently visited prostitutes. Moving into the heart of Ipswich's red-light district had given Wright the perfect opportunity to lead a double life. While his partner Pamela was working night shifts, he slipped into old familiar habits, kerb-crawling and picking up prostitutes.
Terror in Paradise
On 22nd July 2011, news of a double mass killing in Norway shocked the world. It was the brainchild of just one man – Anders Behring Breivik, who had spent years meticulously planning for his violent killing spree. Breivik had been diagnosed with psychological problems at a young age. His parents had divorced when he was just a year old and the strain of his troubled family life began to show as early as the age of four. Although he was a rebellious teen, he was well regarded at school and later settled into a steady job. However, as he reached adulthood, Breivik began to retreat from all social life and immerse himself in the world of online gaming and extreme politics. He became so obsessed with the notion that Islam was a threat to Norway that he planned to strike out at those whom he held responsible.
Raoul Moat, Northumbria Rampage
Growing up in Newcastle's West End, Raoul Moat never knew his father and had a troubled relationship with his mother. As an adult he yearned to create his own perfect family to rid himself of his painful childhood memories. But with this desire came a string of failed relationships and a personality on the edge of breaking point. The first victims of his callous spree were his ex-partner and her new boyfriend. On the surface it was a fatal attack by a jilted lover but deep down lay a paranoid resentment that would lead the gunman to actively target the Northumbrian police force. As the hunted became hunter, Moat ruthlessly shot a traffic officer at point blank range, blinding him for life. The police search escalated to unprecedented levels and the net appeared to be closing in on the gunman when his abandoned vehicle was found in the town of Rothbury. Despite an exclusion zone being placed around the immediate area, Moat evaded capture in the Northumbrian wilderness for more than three days. He was eventually cornered on a riverbank, and his rampage culminated in a six-hour stand-off. Moat had murdered one and left two critically injured, and there seemed to be only one way the spree was going to end...
The Miami Murders
Documentary about Andrew Cunanan, who killed at least five people across three American states in the summer of 1997, including fashion designer Gianni Versace. This film draws on the testimony of friends, bystanders and expert witnesses in an attempt to understand what drove him to kill.
Horror at the Mall
Documentary about the 2011 assassination attempt that was made on US congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in Tucson, Arizona. In just 17 seconds, this killing spree claimed six lives and left 13 other people seriously injured. This programme investigates the background and motivation of the killer, 22-year-old local resident, Jared Lee Loughner.
Columbine Massacre
The last episode in the series explores how two teenagers, who were just weeks away from graduating, embarked on a killing spree of such shocking magnitude that it was to make the name of an American high school synonymous with tragedy. 20th April 1999 began like any other day for the pupils of Columbine High School. However, it was to end as a day that would be tragically etched in American history after two of the school's students embarked on a murderous rampage that shook the local community to its core, pushed the emergency services to the limit and became headline news all over the world.
* The Jersey Slayer: Family Massacre (2014)
The Jersey Slayer: Family Massacre Documentary about Damian Rzeszowski, who killed six people in a frenzied attack at a barbecue at his family home in Jersey in 2011. Witnesses, the investigating officers and friends of the victims give their views on the 31-year-old Polish builder and what happened that day. The film also delves into his background and psyche.
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
* Extreme Railways (2012)
Chris Tarrant takes a series of extreme railway journeys across the world's toughest terrains.
Part 1: Congo's Jungle Railway
Chris travels to the Republic of the Congo for a gruelling but ultimately inspiring journey through the country's heart of darkness.
Part 2: Australia's Outback Railway
Chris crosses the Australian Outback on an amazing rail line - the 2,000 mile-long Adelaide to Darwin railway. Building the line proved to be a huge engineering challenge that took over 100 years to complete. In his quest to uncover the extraordinary story of this railway, Chris travels from Adelaide to Darwin, following the original ill-fated route of the line.
Part 3: India's Monsoon Railway
Chris travels down the Konkan rail line, which runs down the west coast of India, connecting the port cities of Mumbai and Mangalore.
Part 1: Congo's Jungle Railway
Chris travels to the Republic of the Congo for a gruelling but ultimately inspiring journey through the country's heart of darkness.
Part 2: Australia's Outback Railway
Chris crosses the Australian Outback on an amazing rail line - the 2,000 mile-long Adelaide to Darwin railway. Building the line proved to be a huge engineering challenge that took over 100 years to complete. In his quest to uncover the extraordinary story of this railway, Chris travels from Adelaide to Darwin, following the original ill-fated route of the line.
Part 3: India's Monsoon Railway
Chris travels down the Konkan rail line, which runs down the west coast of India, connecting the port cities of Mumbai and Mangalore.
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