Passion Pictures, BBC Arts and Fremantle have announced The Beatle and the Bass (w/t), a new feature-length documentary with Paul McCartney, directed by Arthur Cary (Surviving 9/11, The Last Survivors).

The film is one of three announced by the BBC as part of arts strand Arena’s 50th anniversary celebrations. Also commissioned are Turner: The Secret Sketchbooks and Lowry: The Lost Tapes (see below).

The Beatle and the Bass (w/t) tells the story of Paul McCartney’s original Höfner bass guitar; its disappearance and the fan-powered quest to find it.

In 1961, an unknown 18-year-old Paul McCartney bought the bass in Hamburg for £30. It was by his side throughout the birth of the Beatles powering songs like She Loves You and Love Me Do. It bore witness to their extraordinary rise to fame and the full course of the band’s journey. When it vanished in the early Seventies it was thought to be lost forever…

The Beatle and the Bass is a rock ‘n’ roll detective story featuring new interviews with Paul McCartney and many others who are personally connected to the bass. From Paul’s brother Mike McCartney to friend and artist Klaus Voormann, who knew the Beatles from the start. From roadies and collaborators such as Elvis Costello to the fans, experts and journalists behind The Lost Bass Project who embarked on a mission to track down the bass and rescue and restore it to its proper place in music history, and to the hands of its owner.

Emily Jeal, Head of Feature Documentaries at Passion Pictures says “From its beginnings, we knew The Beatle and the Bass was exactly the kind of distinctive, emotional and uplifting story that we love to tell. We’re thrilled to be growing our slate of films showcasing the world’s best talent, on and off screen. Working with Arthur Cary and BBC Arena to bring the unforgettable story of Paul McCartney’s lost bass to the screen is a true privilege.”

Ceire Clark, Fremantle’s VP of Non-Scripted Acquisitions, said: “This remarkable story takes us on a truly global journey, spanning decades and continents. The documentary offers a fresh perspective on music history, with access to McCartney himself and those who witnessed The Beatles’ rise from the very beginning. At Fremantle, we’re proud to be part of a project that celebrates the enduring power of music and storytelling to connect people around the world. We are thrilled to be reuniting with Passion and the BBC — two creative forces we deeply admire”.

The Beatle and the Bass is a Passion Pictures Production in association with Footprint Media Partnership. The director is Arthur Cary. Editor is Paul Carlin and producer is Katherine Anstey. The Executive Producers are Emily Jeal and Hamish Fergusson. Associate Producers are Scott Jones and Naomi Jones. It was commissioned for BBC Arts and BBC Two & iPlayer by Mark Bell and Suzy Klein.

Fremantle is handling global distribution of The Beatle and the Bass (w/t).

Turner: The Secret Sketchbooks unlocks the hidden psychology of J.M.W. Turner through his 37,000 private sketches, drawings, and watercolours. For the first time on television, these pages – Including erotic sketches previously thought to have been destroyed – are used as a window into Turner’s inner world, exposing his private thoughts, creative obsessions and emotional life. Helping unlock Turner’s life story is actor Timothy Spall, who portrayed the artist in Mike Leigh’s Mr Turner. He is joined by Tracey Emin, artist and filmmaker Sir John Akomfrah, Rolling Stone’s Ronnie Wood, psychotherapist Orna Guralnik, naturalist Chris Packham, and an array of leading art historians. Together, they guide viewers through Turner’s life and art, revealing how his 37,000 sketches not only chart his creative evolution but also provide an unprecedented psychological portrait of a man both visionary and vulnerable.

Turner: The Secret Sketchbooks is a Passion Pictures Production for BBC Arts. The Director is Rosie Schellenberg and Producer is Rosy Rickett. The Executive Producers are Kari Lia and Hamish Fergusson. It was commissioned for BBC Arts by Mark Bell and Suzy Klein.

Lowry: The Lost Tapes will bring to light a newly discovered treasure trove of unheard audio tapes recorded with the artist during the final four years of his life.

From the comfort of his own living room and inner sanctuary, Lowry’s real voice will be lip-synced “by one of our greatest actors.”

The documentary will foreground the touching, charming exchange between the enigmatic Lowry and his often surprising interviewer, a young researcher called Angela. But Lowry’s personal narrative also tells a bigger story, of a seismically changing Greater Manchester, where he lived, worked and painted so prolifically.

The film has been commissioned by the BBC from Wall to Wall Media to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the death of L.S. Lowry in 2026. It is commissioned by Suzy Klein and Mark Bell, the Executive Producer is Morgana Pugh, the Director is Peter Sweasey and the Producer is Hannah Mirsky.

Paul McCartney photo credit – © 2025 MPL Communications Ltd