Secrets Declassified with David Duchovny: Nutopia/ History US
Back in the glorious 1990’s, FBI agents Mulder and Scully revealed to us that “the truth is out there” with the cultural phenomenon that was The X-Files TV series.
Now, decades later, Mulder himself – David Duchovny – brings us real life secrets from governments, shady national agencies and brutal dictators – some only recently declassified. Using drama recon and archive footage, this new 10-part series offers a closer look at government projects and operations that have been shrouded in secrecy with the added intrigue of uncovering facts rather than fiction. Each episode of Secrets Declassified focuses on a different subject, with Duchovny speaking to experts, investigators, and insiders who shed light on previously unknown or misunderstood events.
Andreas Torner worked on Episode 10 called ‘Strange Weapons’. He talked about the edit saying “It was a remote edit and great fun to work on – excellent stories and some fantastic material to work with. It uses archive as well as extensive drama reconstruction. Some of the archive they dug up is really quite extraordinary. Well worth a watch!”.
Felix thought editing with Nutopia was an absolute blast, with a top-tier team being assembled to meticulously build authentic stories with amazing archive and dramatic reconstructions. He told us it was both a privilege and weighty responsibility to craft these stories in the edit with a reverence for the past and the people who really did suffer terribly or lost their lives in these real life events. The bar that Felix set was to always keep the story alive with the archive itself, selecting the material that will place the audience in the narrative so dramatically that it feels like the story is unravelling right before them. Melding sound design with music and dramatic reconstructions to deliver a horrifically unmissable film.
He cut Episode 8 – Unholy Alliances – helping the team to deliver intoxicating tales that do really mean that “the truth is out there”…
Catch Secrets Declassified on the History Channel from the 4th April.
A gripping new documentary series, The Undercover Police Scandal, pulls back the curtain on one of the most disturbing betrayals of trust in modern policing. This powerful series sheds light on the harrowing experiences of five women who were deceived into intimate relationships with undercover officers.
Charlie Webb was the main editor across this 3-part series and was tasked to help set the style. We spoke to him about working on it; “I really enjoyed the edit and working with a great team. It was a great challenge to structure and interweave this huge story in a way which would be easy to follow and constantly exciting. I think it’s a great series which only gets bigger as it goes on and I hope one which will help draw attention to a very important issue”.
At the heart of the series are Alison, Lisa, and Helen, three campaigners who, in their twenties, thought they had found love with like-minded activists. Their interviews make up the heart of the series which is interweaved with drama recon, with compelling storytelling and powerful firsthand accounts, this documentary is not just a story of personal betrayal, it’s a call for accountability.
The Undercover Police Scandal airs 6th March 9pm on ITV and is The Times’ Pick of the day . It will also be available on ITVX.
Flabbergast for BBC One Exec Producer: Andrew Snowball Adam Mitchell: Finishing Editor
Hosted by The Repair Shop’s Dom Chinea, a skilled craftsman himself, the show challenges a group of passionate amateur craftspeople to push their creativity, hone their skills, and develop solid business plans. The series is designed to help these aspiring creators take their unique talents to the next level, providing invaluable guidance in both crafting and business strategy.
Adam Mitchell has been an offline editor on the series before, but this time had a slightly different role, he commented; “ the most challenging thing was being the finishing editor on multiple episodes across the series and the balancing act of making sure they were formatted correctly and all notes were done and seamlessly edited into other editors’ work”.
Tune in on the 3rd March to watch the inspiring transformation of hobbyists into entrepreneurs.
Jake Lofdahl returned to Box to Box to help edit the highly anticipated seventh season of Netflix’s acclaimed docuseries, Formula 1 Drive to Survive which will premiere on the 7th March 2025. Jake said “I spent time working on many different scenes from lots of the eps and my full ep was 704. The episode was unusual for the fact that it focuses on one protagonist and looks at his internalised pressure – his rivals are less important to the overall story. The challenges for this series are that the season is unfolding as it’s being cut, so it’s a constantly changing beast. Then there’s the usual pressure that comes with big budget series, but for me I certainly learnt a lot about myself and just how far rushes can be pushed!”.
Mark Pickles also joined the team to edit episode 7 which focused on the Mercedes team, Lewis Hamilton leaving and who will replace him. He said “It was tough editing an ever-changing story, as it can be with working on a Sports docuseries. Lots of different factors to wrangle but was a great challenge and very satisfying to produce a very watchable episode.”
This season captures the interpersonal chaos at Red Bull and Max Verstappen’s fourth World Championship, the huge announcement of Lewis Hamilton’s transfer to Ferrari for 2025, marking the end of his tenure with Mercedes. Also, the unexpected mid-season departure of fan-favourite Daniel Ricciardo.
Drive to Survive Season 7 lands on Netflix 7th March. One week before the F1 2025 season kicks off in full force.
Gordon Ramsay and Lisa Vanderpump return for the second instalment of Food Stars and bring their expertise and distinct leadership styles to the hunt for the next great innovator in the food and beverage industry. In a game-changing twist, contestants won’t just pitch their business ideas, they’ll also be vying to earn a spot on one of the moguls’ teams. With a life-changing $250,000 prize on the line, this competition series promises high stakes and high drama!
Editors Alex Soskin, Dave Berezai, James Sheldon and John Watts worked on the series for the first time, whilst Jamie Bull was part of the post team that set the format for the show on the first series and was delighted to return for more.
We caught up with a few of the editors to hear about their experience.
Alex Soskin talked about colaboration on a series such as this “Working on Future Food Stars was great fun, both Gordon Ramsay and Lisa Vanderpump gave the goods so that was fun footage to work with. Definitely the best takeaway was working with Studio Ramsay, Zach, JT and the producers and other editors. I was in-suite at the very start but then remote for the rest of the show. I remember days with lots of things to do, often editing different acts and the collaboration worked well. It felt like a well-run ship.” When we caught up with John Watts he said “It was an apprentice-style show, multi-camera, lots of music, multiple contributors with lots of separate audio tracks to mix. It was quite a tough gig but I did enjoy it and it was interesting to work for an American broadcaster and see how their style is different from the UK.” James Sheldon who worked on the Savoy episode (Ep 8) told us “It was a fun show to work on, I am a big fan of Gordon Ramsay’s shows. I worked fully remote on this series and it heavily relied on music scoring to drive the stories throughout the episode. As well as this, it required a lot of character arcs to build up not just across my own episode, but also to keep consistent throughout.”
Great work everyone!
Don’t miss the exciting launch of Future Food Stars US: Series 2 tonight 8pm on ITV2
Critics are raving about Our Knife Crime Crisis this week! In this latest doc from production company 22Summers, acclaimed actor and documentary producer Idris Elba dives into the harrowing reality of knife crime in Britain. In this deeply personal project, Elba meets victims, offenders, police officers, and grieving families to uncover the roots of the issue and explore how the cycle of violence can be broken.
The film features Pooja Kanda, whose son Ronan was tragically murdered in a case of mistaken identity. She sheds light on systemic failures and the risks faced by children excluded from school. Elba also visits The Royal London Hospital, where a pioneering programme embeds youth workers in the casualty department to support young victims of knife crime, offering them a way out of the cycle of violence.
Elba has meaningful discussions with King Charles and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer about solutions, advocating for earlier interventions. Reflecting on his own youth, Elba pushes for opportunities to be created for others, culminating in a knife crime summit at 10 Downing Street that brings together those directly affected to shape policy and inspire change.
We chatted to Franco about the documentary. He teamed up with director Ben Steele with whom he worked many times and built a great working relationship over the years. This project was a bit different to Franco’s usual work, he was excited to collaborate with Ben again and be involved with a big name like Idris Elba. Franco reflected on the creative challenges they faced: “With this type of commission, there’s always a risk it could feel like a presenter-led “trip around the bay” that is informative but lacking real heart. Our ambition was to buck that trend and make something that feels more like a well rounded documentary, with Idris going on a more personal journey, and where the audience could engage with the subject on an emotional level, and not only take in facts and figures”.
Our Knife Crime Crisis premieres on Wednesday, 29th January, at 9pm on BBC One.
Amanda and Alan’s Spanish Job. Voltage TV for BBC One
The dynamic duo are back, this time tackling their most ambitious project yet. Amanda Holden and Alan Carr are taking on a dilapidated three-storey townhouse in Andalusia, with plans to transform it into a stunning boutique B&B. With over 2,000 square feet to renovate, a crumbling roof to repair, and an outbuilding that’s barely standing, this project promises drama, laughs, and jaw-dropping transformations. Sam Frost and Steve Flatt both cut one episode each.
The talented Sam Frost is once again bringing her expertise to the editing room for this series. Sam previously worked on Amanda and Alan’s Italian Job, and when asked about this project, she said: “I absolutely love working on AASJ – I’ve done both earlier series of AA Italian Job, and the team is lovely. Tom Cullum and Claire Walls are great execs, plus I got to work with one of my favourite EPs, Alan Boyle. It’s the perfect way to chase away the January blues – a lovely bit of fluffiness and light relief from everything that’s happening in the world!”
Sam also shared a sneak peek of what viewers can expect: “This time, I worked on the master bedroom episode, where Alan and Amanda attempt to work together on the same room – chaos guaranteed! Plus, look out for Alan’s first time in a kayak…”
Amanda and Alan’s Spanish job starts Friday 24th Jan 8.30 on BBC One and IPlayer
This new series follows Guy Martin as he dives headfirst into some of the UK’s toughest, most skilled, and often underappreciated professions. Think grit, determination, and just a bit of danger, Guy wouldn’t have it any other way! Over four episodes, Guy fully immerses himself in these challenging roles, undergoing rigorous training, living alongside his co-workers, and learning first hand about the culture and significance of each job. Forget emails and spreadsheets; Guy’s all about getting his hands dirty and showcasing the incredible people who tackle these demanding tasks every single day.
In episode one, edited byIan David Smith, Guy takes on being a Trawler Deckhand, as a Grimsby native, he is eager to explore life at sea and learn what it takes to bring in the catch. Aidan Sansom also worked on this episode and told us “Guy is a real trooper. He got stuck in, earnestly, every waking hour he was on that boat, and always with a huge smile on his face. Heaven knows how”. When asked about the edit Aidan explained “The director got a huge amount of coverage, giving us the scope to tell the story of life on a fishing trawler without having to cut corners. From the up-close and personal, to the beautiful drone footage, it was all there.”
Episode three see’s Guy attempting to be a Firefighter, training in realistic, high-pressure scenarios and was edited by one of our favourite scousers, Roy Williams.
This series isn’t just about the jobs, it’s about the people who do them, the skills they master, and the communities they serve. Guy Martin’s Proper Jobs starts Sunday 26th Jan 8pm on U and Dave.
There’s something uniquely comforting about watching Monty Don explore Britain’s gardens. From his thoughtful commentary to the beautiful greenery, it’s the ultimate relaxing escape and this new series is no exception.
In his latest adventure, Monty delves into what our gardens reveal about us as a nation. Starting from the rugged northwest coast of Scotland and journeying to the northeast of England, he uncovers stories rooted in both the land and the people who nurture it. From romantic castle gardens to the private retreats of the King himself, Monty’s shows how gardens flourish even in some of Britain’s most challenging environments. In the series Monty challenges us to reconsider what a garden can be. Whether it’s a windswept patch of wilderness or a designed sanctuary, each garden tells a story about creativity, and the connection between people and nature.
We’re looking forward to this one, after all, what’s more soothing than Monty wandering through castle grounds, and windswept coastlines? Episode 5 is beautifully edited by Helena Vagnolini. She talked to us about working on the show “It’s lovely to see the passion and creativity people put into their gardens and how varied they can be in this country. Of course sometimes bad weather, or the time of year would affect how the gardens looked when Monty was visiting, so it was important for us to show how people produce gardens in all elements (Scotland in particular was a rainy visit) and we were keen to tell the stories behind how they came to be and the people who so enthusiastically look after them”.
Grab a cuppa and settle in! Monty Don’s British Gardens starts Friday 8pm on BBC Two.
Chef Jamie Oliver is serving up delicious, budget-friendly meals alongside brilliant money-saving tips. From everyday recipes to creative ways to stretch your budget, this show is all about delivering big flavours without breaking the bank.
Sam Thompsetthas edited “Jamie Oliver: Simply”, “Jamie’s Air Fryer Meals”and now Episodes 3 and 4 of Jamie’s £1 Wonders & Money Saving Meals. Sam said, “ I always have a great time working on Jamie shows, the team are fantastic to work with and I spend most of my down time cooking the recipes I’ve been editing all day!”
Jamie’s £1 Wonders & Money Saving Meals starts Monday 6th Jan 8pm on Channel 4.
