Get ready to dive into the heart of Christmas as this new Channel 4 documentary ‘John Lewis at Christmas’ follows the dedicated staff at John Lewis during their most magical time of the year. This behind-the-scenes journey offers a unique glimpse into how the iconic retailer prepares to bring holiday cheer to millions.
From the meticulous planning and creative energy behind the world-famous Christmas advert to the buyers’ exciting travels across the globe, every detail is crafted to capture the festive spirit. These buyers work tirelessly to understand the national mood and source over 1,500 unique decorations and irresistible edible treats, ensuring there’s something special for everyone. But the magic doesn’t stop there. In-store staff transform the shop floor into a winter wonderland, complete with Santa’s grottos and breathtaking displays, creating an enchanting experience for customers of all ages.
Dan Stewart who edited this one hour special said “This was a tight schedule with months of opportunity filming with John Lewis to become a C4 hour in six weeks with TX a week later! But it was fun to cut and to work with Producer Ben Duncan again”.
John Lewis at Christmas airs at 9pm, Sunday 15th December on Channel 4
As the latest instalment in National Geographic’s acclaimed One Day in America historical documentary franchise, Cult Massacre: A Day in Jonestown offers a comprehensive and thoroughly researched examination of the largest mass murder-suicide in American history.
On 18 November 1978, in the Guyanese agricultural commune of Jonestown, 918 people either committed suicide or were forcibly killed. Director Marian Mohamed describes her three-part series as a historical record tracing the cult’s origins, the activities that attracted the interest of US media and law enforcement, its move to Guyana and the subsequent massacre. Told by survivors and eyewitnesses, and supported by archive, including an hour of newly revealed footage and audio recordings taped around Jonestown at the time of the massacre, it’s an impressive example of investigative filmmaking, bringing a fresh perspective and immersive look into one of America’s darkest chapters.
Jennifer Hampson spent nearly 9 months editing with 72 Films on episodes 2 (‘How Much I’ve Loved You’) and 3 (‘Paradise Lost’). The episodes respectively focus on the final harrowing hours that precipitated the terrible events and their aftermath, involving a huge amount of archive footage.
Cult Massacre: One Day in Jonestown, which premiered in June at Sheffield documentary film Festival and has been streaming on Disney+ since, is now available on National Geographic and Sky.
Swiped: The School that Banned Smartphones, is a bold new two-part documentary exploring the impact of smartphones on children. The series sets out to answer one big question: What happens when kids ditch their phones for three weeks?
Hosted by Matt and Emma Willis (yes, they’re giving up their phones too!), the show follows Year 8 students at The Stanway School in Colchester as they take part in a 21-day smartphone detox. Partnering with researchers from the University of York, the experiment tracks changes in sleep, mood, focus, and overall wellbeing, with experts closely monitoring the kids before, during, and after. To dig deeper, the show includes medical expert Dr Rangan Chatterjee and a range of scientists, campaigners, and politicians.
Sean Schmolz edited episode one which highlights the experiences of the students but also raises important questions about technology’s role in education.
Swiped: The School That Banned Smartphones starts on Wednesday 11th December at 8pm on Channel 4.
US Television presenter Adam Richman ( Man vs Food) combines his two great passions – food and football. He visits Britain’s most famous football clubs and surrounding areas to seek out football’s finest grub and explore the connection between football and food around the UK. Dan Knight edited the Aston Villa and Manchester United episodes in which he found killer prawns and the ‘Desi Pub‘ …
The series starts Monday 2nd Dec 10pm on Food Network & streaming on @discoveryplus
BBC One Editor: Nick Follows Exec Producers: Mike Rudin and Adam Grimley
Getty Images
It’s tomatotastic this week! Tomatoes are a staple in many of our kitchens, but how much do we really know about what we’re eating? Nick Follows worked on this this Panorama investigation which see’s Runako Celina uncover the truth behind the tomato purees we use in pizzas, pasta sauces, and more. Tracing the journey of tomatoes from China to Italy and finally to the UK, she investigates whether products linked to forced Uyghur labour in Xinjiang, China, could be making their way onto the shelves of some of the UK’s largest supermarkets.
Panorama: What’s on Your Supermarket Shelves? The Dark Side of the Tomato Trade airs Monday at 8pm on BBC One and is available on iPlayer.
Nick also edited a Blood on the Shelves: The Secrets of Xinjiang’s Tomato Industry, part of the BBC World Service Documentaries. This 60-minute documentary also looks at the year-long BBC Eye investigation that uncovered that tomato paste produced using forced labour in Xinjiang, western China and how is likely being sold in major UK and German supermarkets. It’s available to watch here:
Rage Against the Regime: Iran is a gripping two-part documentary that delves into the extraordinary stories of resistance in Iran over decades of authoritarian rule. Directed by James Newton, it highlights the bravery of individuals who risked everything to challenge the regime. From striking steelworkers and political prisoners to women defying mandatory hijab laws and sneaking into football stadiums, these harrowing and inspiring testimonies paint a vivid picture of resilience.
Part one: We Are Like Raindrops aired last night and is receiving brilliant reviews. Ella has worked with the director before and was looking forward to working with him again on episode 2 which is showing next Wednesday. It focuses on the stories of the women who took on the Iranian regime, with the protest spreading across the country until the resulting crackdown led to arrests, injuries and deaths. Ella said “I found the contributor testimonies very powerful and wanted to be sure to show the continuing cost of their bravery in protesting and speaking out against injustice”.
Part two will air on Wednesday 4th Dec on BBC Two Part one and two are available on iPlayer
The shortlist for the 2025 Broadcast Awards has been announced and we’re so pleased and proud that some of the programmes our editors worked on were selected in various categories.
Best Documentary Series
Lockerbie, produced by Mindhouse Productions for Sky Documentaries – Charlie Hawryliw and Paul Holland worked on this documentary recounting the events of the events of the terrorist attack on Pam Am flight 103 in 1988.
Miriam: Death of a Reality Star, produced by Expectation TV for Channel 4 – This 3-part documentary about the life of Miriam Rivera, the world’s first trans reality TV star was cut single-handedly by Charlie Hawryliw.
Best Drama Series or Serial
Baby Reindeer, produced byClerkenwell Films for Netflix – Lem Lawrence contributed to the VFX for the popular dark comedy thriller.
Best Entertainment Programme
Squid Game: The Challenge, produced by Studio Lambert & The Garden for Netflix – Tim Fielding and Gruff Lovgreen both edited parts of this reality series based on the popular Korean thriller.
Best Multichannel Programme
High: Surviving a Dubai Drugs Bust, produced by Blast Films for BBC – Chris Scurfield cut 5 episodes of this historical drama doc for BBC Three.
Best Music Programme
Big Night of Musicals by The National Lottery, produced by TBI Media for BBC – Harry Anstey edited VTs for this special celebration of musical theatre.
Best Original Programme
Banged Up: Stars Behind Bars, produced by Shine TV for Channel 4 – Sean Schmolz worked across this new 4-part constructed documentary following a social experiment in which 8 celebrities are locked up with reformed criminals to experience what life is truly like in prison.
Best Popular Factual Programme
Married at First Sight UK, produced by CPL Productions for E4 – This E4 favourite returns once with editor Mike Kerr, bringing strangers together on their wedding day to find true love.
The Piano, produced by Love Productions for Channel 4 – This heart-warming competition series in which amateur pianist compete to play at the Royal Festival Hall returns for a second series. Editors Paul Bussey and Sean Schmolz cut the last two episodes of the series while Matthew Henley put together the audition tapes for the contributors.
Congratulations to all the programmes who made it to the shortlist, we’re excited to find out the winners on 5th February 2025 during the award ceremony.
In this new series by Plum Pictures, The Grand Tour’s James May dives into a unique phenomenon with the help of the Dull Men’s Club, a popular online community celebrating the ordinary and sometimes overlooked details of life. Together, they’ll tackle quirky yet thought-provoking questions like, “Why can’t a washing machine double as a cooker, so you can make a casserole while cleaning your whites?”
Cutting three episodes, Roy Williams, who has also previously worked on other James May projects, including James May: Our Man in India and James May: Oh Cook was thrilled to rejoin the Plum Pictures team again. He said, “It’s always a great team on the Plum/James May projects”.
The series promises to dive into the delightfully dull with a mix of humour, curiosity, and classic James May charm!
In Poland, archaeologists have uncovered a skeleton with a sickle across her neck and a padlock on her toe – a sign that people once believed this woman might be a real-life vampire. But there’s much more to this chilling discovery. She’s part of what’s now called the Field of Vampires, a site filled with up to 30 other “deviant burials,” all believed to be part of ancient attempts to keep the dead from returning.
With exclusive access to unprecedent archaeological discoveries, this two-part documentary series follows an international team of experts led by historical specialist Dan Jones, as they journey throughout Europe and the US to uncover the reasons behind these ritualistic burials and understand how the myth of vampires began. An intense forensic investigation of ancient skeletons in mysterious graveyards, ground-breaking DNA analysis, and pioneering facial reconstruction techniques piece together the stories of these characters that built a much larger myth.
Dave Richards cut both episodes and comments: ‘I particularly enjoyed the challenge of weaving the narrative threads of the the wider history of how vampire panics spread across 18th century Europe with the story of what happened to the the macabre, excavated remains of a woman believed to be a vampire. One of the major challenges of the film was creating an eerie and unnerving atmosphere out of an unassuming, agricultural field in rural Poland. The moving reveal of the forensically reconstructed model of the female victim, as she would have looked at the time, is a highlight.‘
The series starts 29th October on Sky History 9pm, just in time for the spooky season!
Will Mellor and Ralf Little are back together, now in their forties, these two best friends are on a mission to explore what it means to “do life better” as middle-aged men. Hitting the road in an electric car, they travel the length and breadth of the UK, sharing laughs, shedding tears, and learning more about themselves—and each other—than they have in the past two decades. Throughout their journey, Will and Ralf encounter fascinating characters and venture into unexpected worlds, stepping well outside their comfort zones. Each stop brings new challenges, opportunities for personal growth, and unforgettable memories.
In the first episode, edited by Roy Williams, Will and Ralf dive into the concept of strength—both physical and mental. They kick things off in Wrexham with Rebecca Roberts, a two-time World’s Strongest Woman, where they tackle Strongman events with mixed success. The duo then returns to Runcorn, home of Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps, where they find the Old Archer pub transformed into a Buddhist temple. Seeking inner peace, they face their physical limitations (and a few laughs) under the guidance of a Thai masseur known as ‘Ninja Nun.’ Roy Williams said he particularly enjoyed cutting the part based in the Buddhist temple.
Will & Ralf Should Know Better launches Monday 7th October at 10pm on U&Dave.
