BBC preps D-Day programming

The BBC has unveiled a range of programming to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day on 6 June.

BBC Chief Content Officer Charlotte Moore says: “The 80th anniversary of D Day is an important moment to reflect and pay tribute to those who were involved in 1944. We have a wide range of distinctive programming that will bring people together to commemorate across the BBC, including full live coverage of events from both sides of the Channel as well as special documentaries and editions of some of our most popular programmes on television and radio.”

There will be live broadcasts from Portsmouth hosted by Dame Helen Mirren, presented by Anita Rani and JJ Chalmers and a Tribute to The Fallen from Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s Bayeux War Cemetery in Normandy and Southsea Common in Portsmouth anchored by Kirsty Young along with other live events.

Along with special editions of The One Show, Antiques Roadshow, Bargain Hunt, Countryfile and Newsround, Wall to Wall is making D-Day: The Unheard Tapes brings to life original testimony from the Normandy invasion.

D-Day 80: The Allies Prepare

The D-Day 80 national commemorative event will broadcast live on BBC One and BBC iPlayer from 1015 until 1300 on Wednesday 5th June. Presented by Anita Rani with reporter JJ Chalmers, and with accessible commentary for the blind and partially sighted provided by Petroc Trelawny, the event will take place on the seafront in Portsmouth where, 80 years ago, the Allies departed for the beaches of Normandy.

The event, hosted by Academy Award-winning Dame Helen Mirren, will celebrate the incredible joint work of the UK, Commonwealth and Allied troops in preparing for the largest naval, air and land operation in history. This hugely ambitious endeavor turned the tide of World War Two.

The commemoration will pay tribute to the extraordinary bravery and achievements of our veterans and recognise the invaluable work of those on the Home Front, who helped make the invasion possible. Featuring powerful spoken word testimony delivered by well-known faces and military personnel, as well as exciting performances by big musical stars. Set on an impressive outdoor stage with a tri-service orchestra, there will be many heartwarming moments that bring to life this story of a pivotal moment in our history.

D-Day 80: The Allies Prepare, a 1×165’ for BBC One and iPlayer, is prod by BBC Studios Events. It was commissioned by Catherine Catton, Head of Commissioning, Factual Entertainment and Events. The Executive Producers are Cheryl Ko Pearson and Keir MacKenzie, the Series Producer is Catherine Stirk, the Producer is Joe Wheatley and the director is Simon Staffurth.

D-Day 80: Tribute to The Fallen

On the evening of 5 June, the eve of the 80th anniversary of D-Day, a tribute to the fallen takes place in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s Bayeux War Cemetery

in Normandy and Southsea Common in Portsmouth featuring stunning lighting displays, readings and music to mark this significant moment in history.

As darkness falls, each of the 4,600 headstones of those that fell will be individually illuminated across Bayeux War Cemetery, creating a poignant modern act of commemoration.

Kirsty Young anchors the live broadcast from Bayeux Cemetery, joined by special guests, guiding viewers through this remarkable story of our nation. Petroc Trelawny provides accessible commentary for the blind and partially sighted.

D-Day 80: Tribute to The Fallen, a 1×90’ for BBC One and iPlayer, is produced by BBC Studios Events. It was commissioned by Catherine Catton, Head of Commissioning, Factual Entertainment and Events. The Executive Producer is Alex Renton, the Series Producer is Rosheen Archer, the Producer is Louise Bracken and the Director is Tony Grech-Smith.

D-Day 80: We Will Remember Them

On 6 June, marking the 80th anniversary of D-Day, the nation will come together to pay tribute to all who served in the Normandy Campaign.

Set overlooking Gold Beach at the British Normandy Memorial in Ver-sur-Mer, the event, organised by the Royal British Legion and the Ministry of Defence, will be the first-ever National Commemoration at this location, holding special significance for the D-Day veterans who are in attendance.

Within the event, contributions will be grounded in living testimony, gathered through special conversations curated exclusively for this anniversary allowing us to hear the last remaining stories first-hand before we enter a post-witness era.

The event will conclude with a traditional act of remembrance, accompanied by a special tribute from the Red Arrows and Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, flying over Normandy to salute this remarkable generation and our nation’s heroes.

Paddy O’Connell, whose father proudly served during D-Day, will provide commentary, while Sophie Raworth reports live from the British Normandy Memorial, joined by special guests. Petroc Trelawny provides accessible commentary for the blind and partially sighted.

D-Day 80: We Will Remember Them, a 1×135’ for BBC One and iPlayer, is produced by BBC Studios Events. It was commissioned by Catherine Catton, Head of Commissioning, Factual Entertainment and Events. The Executive Producer is Alex Renton, the Series Producer is Rosheen Archer, the Producer is Louise Bracken and the director is Ollie Bartlett.

D-Day: The Unheard Tapes

Coinciding with the 80th anniversary of the invasion, D-Day: The Unheard Tapes relives one of the most extraordinary days in the history of modern warfare using powerful eyewitness accounts recorded with those who experienced it first-hand. The series features a trove of rare audio recordings sourced from archives around the world, bringing together British, American, German and French perspectives for the first time. Many of them have never been heard publicly before.

Young actors, cast to resemble the interviewees at the time of the war, lip-sync the original testimony in documentary settings, to recall moments of bravery, fear, chaos and confusion, and these memories are interwoven with immersive, fragmented documentary-style dramatic recreation.

Together, they tell the story of the fateful Normandy invasion and the bloody battle that followed, in which over 100,000 people lost their lives.

This is the story of D-Day, told by those who were there, as they lived through it.

D-Day: The Unheard Tapes a 3×60 for BBC Two and iPlayer, was commissioned by Jack Bootle, Head of Commissioning, Specialist Factual, and the BBC Commissioning Editor is Simon Young, Head of History. It is a co-production between the BBC and The HISTORY® Channel. Executive Producers for The HISTORY® Channel are Eli Lehrer and Jennifer Wagman. The series is being made in partnership with The Open University, Imperial War Museums and The National WWII Museum.

It is produced by Wall to Wall Media where the Executive Producer is Morgana Pugh, the Series Producer is Zoe Jewell, and the Series Director is Mark Radice.

The One Show

The One Show will be marking the 80th Anniversary of D-Day with an extended special on 5th June during which we’ll meet one of the few remaining D-Day veterans as he’s reunited with an original Dakota that’s been painstakingly restored. We’ll be bringing together some of the last surviving women of the Royal Navy (WRNS) who played key roles in the operation to share their inspirational stories. Plus alongside some special guests, we’ll be showcasing how people are coming together across the UK and in France to mark the occasion and there’ll be a poignant performance from The D-Day Darlings as we meet the younger generation of singers they’ve inspired. Also that week, with the help of Katherine Jenkins, we give a very emotional One Big Thank You to a dedicated volunteer who gives up her time to help veterans.

The One Show is made by BBC Studios for BBC One and iPlayer. The Executive Producer is Joanne Vaughan Jones and the Commissioning Editor is Alex McLeod

Antiques Roadshow: D-Day

For this special edition of the Antiques Roadshow, Fiona Bruce is in Normandy in France to commemorate the 80th Anniversary of the D-Day landings in June 1944.

Filmed in Normandy and at the D-Day Story Museum in Portsmouth, the episode features remarkable first-hand testimony from those who were there, including veteran Ken Cooke. Across five beaches, codenamed Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword, ‘Operation Overlord’ was the largest seaborne invasion in history – an event that would turn the tide of World War II, and lead ultimately to the defeat of Germany and victory for the Allies just under a year later, in May 1945. With our Roadshow experts at locations across the UK, we unfold the story of D-Day through various items brought in by our visitors, and rare artefacts held in various museums.

Antiques Roadshow: D-Day is made by BBC Studios for BBC One and iPlayer. It was commissioned by Catherine Catton, Head of Commissioning, Factual Entertainment and Events. The Series Editor is Robert Murphy and the series is Produced and Directed by Matt Thomas. The Commissioning Editor is Jasmyn McGuile.

Countryfile

Anita Rani and Charlotte Smith will be discovering how Dorset played an important role in in the build-up to D-Day.

They’ll be visiting Studland Beach, where in April 1944 there was a full-scale dress rehearsal for D-Day and Tyneham village, which was requisitioned by the War Office in 1943 and used to train troops.

And Adam will be finding out how the UK’s farmers helped the country prepare for D-Day.

Countryfile, a 1×60′, is made by BBC Studios Factual Entertainment for BBC One and iPlayer It was commissioned by Catherine Catton, Head of Commissioning, Factual Entertainment and Events. The Series Producer is Gavin Ahern, the Series Editor is Mark Beech and the Line Producer is Sophie Wright. The Commissioning Editor is Jasmyn McGuile.

Bargain Hunt: All About D-Day

Bargain Hunt remembers the 80th anniversary of D-Day with an episode featuring two teams of Armed Forces veterans, filmed at the National Botanic Garden of Wales in Carmarthenshire. Joining experts Stephanie Connell and John Cameron are former Wren (Women’s Royal Naval Service) Carolyn, former Women’s Royal Air Force veteran Irene, and former RAF servicemen Dan and Mike. Presenter Danny Sebastian meets photographer Seimon Pugh-Jones, who talks about his work providing artifacts for the sets of blockbuster films and TV series, such as Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers. Seimon also shows Danny a mobile museum that he has created, dedicated to telling the story of the Normandy landings of 1944.

Bargain Hunt: All About D-Day is made by BBC Studios for BBC Two and iPlayer. The presenter of the episode is Danny Sebastian. The episode is directed by Michael Bower. The series producer is Joanne Dunscombe and the executive producer is Paul Tucker. The Commissioning Editor is Lindsay Bradbury.