ITV has announced the first tranche of factual commissions for ITVX – spanning documentary box sets, a new investigative series and the return of successful series, popular in streaming, that have won recommissions.
Commissioned by ITV’s Factual Entertainment department, ITV’s Controller of Factual Jo Clinton Davis said: “We’re excited about the opportunity ITVX presents for us and with our commissioning we want to broaden the palette of factual in very different and surprising ways.
“Documentary box sets with directorial ambition, on a diverse range of subjects, lead our developing slate; alongside series from new factual talent, including Laura Whitmore Investigates, which we are delighted to announce.
This is just the beginning of a range of new opportunities as the world of Factual opens up on ITVX, with much more to come.”
The previously announced 2×60 Rolf Harris: Hiding in Plain Sight (w/t) made by Optomen, will speak to Harris’ victims, the police who investigated him and colleagues who worked alongside him to tell the story of his rise and fall. Executive Producers are Tina Flintoff and Nick Hornby.
The Royal Family [w/t] is billed as a behind the scenes story of the world’s most famous family and is told through the perspective of the major personal challenges that faced the Queen and the monarchy throughout her reign.
Rare archive footage is set against new interviews with key figures – some of whom have never previously spoken on camera. Produced by 72 Films, makers of Rise of the Murdoch Dynasty and 9/11: One Day In America, runs across five hour long episodes and is produced in association with All3Media International, for ITVX. Ella Wright and Kate Quine are Series Producer/Directors and David Glover is Executive Producer.
A Year on Planet Earth will reveal “the incredible ways in which all life is connected and how massive natural events affect the lives of individual animals as the earth makes its annual journey around the sun.”
Filmed in over sixty different locations the epic documentary series will draw on the most dramatic stories from all corners of the globe.
Combining extreme weather, breathtaking landscapes, epic wildlife spectacles and fascinating animal families, this series “reveals our planet in a completely new light, uncovering how animals react and adapt to shifting habitats and unexpected events.”
Featuring a story arc across the seasons, A Year on Planet Earth, “is set to draw viewers in over a number of episodes, unfolding like a drama.”
Narrated by acclaimed actor, author and comedian, Stephen Fry, the series is produced by Plimsoll Productions for ITVX. The series is from a multi award-winning blue-chip natural history team, comprising Tom Hugh-Jones (Tiny World, Planet Earth II) and Dr Martha Holmes (Blue Planet, Hostile Planet).
A Murder In the Family: Each stand alone film in this new true crime series investigates three shocking murders, where the victim and perpetrator are family, telling stories of ordinary relationships that take extraordinary and ultimately tragic turns.
Using found footage – from victim’s social media videos and police bodycam film, text messages or call recordings, each story is pieced together from the victim’s point of view, without voiceover, allowing the victim, friends and family to tell their stories in their own immediate and intimate way.
From Knickerbockerglory TV, the makers of Netlix’s most watched documentary, American Murder: the Family Next Door, the new series for ITVX provides a vivid insight into the nature of murders committed within families and the impact on those left behind.
A Murder In the Family [w/t] is a Knickerbockerglory production. Executive Producer is Jonathan Stadlen and Series Producer is Cathy Durbin.
Laura Whitmore Investigates sees the presenter taking on a series of controversial issues in immersive, investigative films for ITVX, which will see her using her journalism skills to reveal new insights on each subject.
In this brand new series for ITVX, viewers will see a new side of Laura as she travels within the UK and further afield to delve into subjects that fascinate her and have an impact on our lives.
Laura Whitmore says: “It’s a dream come true to have this platform and work with a brilliant team at ITV through this series of investigative films. Getting back to my journalistic roots, I hope we can shine a light on some really important topics and issues, and delve into a variety of serious and interesting real-life subjects.”
The first two investigations in the series will be produced by Rumpus Media. Executive Producer is Fintan Maguire.
Following the success of the first series on ITV2, ITV Factual Entertainment have recommissioned a new series of Social Media Murders for ITVX.
This True-crime series exploring shocking cases that resulted in the murder of a young person, where in each instance, social media brought the culprit and the victim together, was ITV2’s biggest programme on ITV Hub after Love Island, in 2021.
The three films in the first series were made by Firecracker Films, Crackit Productions, and Knickerbockerglory Productions.
There will be five new films in the second series, which will premiere on ITVX.
Following the success of her recent ITV2 show, Olivia Attwood: Getting Filthy Rich, which explores online sex, and is the second biggest series on the ITV Hub in 2022 after Love Island, Olivia will now immerse herself in an even more eye-boggling and cash-crazed industry – and one which she, herself, is no stranger to.
As a veteran of two boob jobs, a thread lift and multiple injectables, Olivia Attwood is not entirely new to cosmetic surgery. But, in this fresh and immersive series, Olivia wants to go way beyond her previous experience to find out how science and social media are redefining beauty as we all chase the perfect selfie.
In each episode, Olivia will investigate a different part of the body, as she sets out to be the perfect guide to Olivia’s Perfect Vagina, Olivia’s Perfect Bum, Olivia’s Perfect Penis, Olivia’s Perfect Boobs and Olivia’s Perfect Face.
Olivia will embed herself with patients and practitioners, discovering the astonishing range of procedures now available and why so many people are so keen to undergo them. She will hop on to the table to try some out for herself and perhaps even sample the other side of the syringe by administering treatments.
The series is produced by Optomen Television.
Jon Creamer
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