Panorama
Season 2021
TV-PG
Long-running factual programme reporting on all aspects of life in Britain.
Where to Watch Season 2021
44 Episodes
- I Can't Breathe: Black and Dead in Custody
E2I Can't Breathe: Black and Dead in CustodyPanorama investigates why black men in the UK are more likely than white men to have force used on them by police and to die in police custody. Reporter Mark Daly follows the family of Kevin Clarke on their search for justice. Mr Clarke repeatedly said, 'I can’t breathe' as he was restrained by police on the ground for 14 minutes during a mental health crisis. He died soon afterwards, his words mirroring those of George Floyd, whose death in the US triggered a global debate on race and policing. The programme also reveals fresh evidence in Scotland’s most high-profile death in custody. Sheku Bayoh died in 2015 after being restrained by up to six officers. - The Jihadis from My Schooldays
E3The Jihadis from My SchooldaysPanorama reporter Olivia Davies went to school and college with three boys who later went to fight in Syria. She investigates why they abandoned the UK and what happened to them when they joined the barbaric Isis regime. Travelling to Syria for the first time, she tries to discover what turned three boys from ordinary families into brutal fanatics of the Islamic State group. - Vaccines: The Disinformation War
E6Vaccines: The Disinformation WarWith millions now vaccinated, Panorama investigates the scare tactics of anti-vaxxers – who are they, and what are their motives for trying to deter people from getting the jab? Reporter Marianna Spring reveals the scale of a social media blitz that has targeted vulnerable people and is now reaching young generations yet to be called for their vaccination. We witness the reaction of a test group exposed to one anti-vax video, all under the watchful eye of one of the UK’s most respected doctors. Will they be influenced by disinformation, or will their plans to be vaccinated remain unchanged? - The Missing Princess
E7The Missing Princess"I'm a hostage. I am not free... my life is not in my hands… I am worried for my safety." After Princess Latifa was thwarted in an attempt to escape Dubai in 2018, the world was told that she was back in the loving care of her family. But Latifa's friends, Tiina, David and Marcus found a way to get her a secret phone. A few months ago they lost contact. Now they have taken the decision to release some of the video footage and share her account with the world. Panorama tells Latifa's full story. - Rubbish Dump Britain
E8Rubbish Dump BritainFly-tipping is a national problem that is ruining our towns and countryside. There are more than a million incidents each year of illegally dumped rubbish in the UK. So why are so few people prosecuted for damaging the places we love? Reporter Richard Bilton investigates a crime that affects us all and meets some of those who are fighting back against the fly-tippers. - Let's Talk about Race
E9Let's Talk about RaceThe killing of George Floyd last year triggered a national conversation about race and racism in Britain. It’s a subject that can be uncomfortable and sometimes divisive, as BBC presenter Naga Munchetty discovers when she travels across the country to understand what race and racism mean in the UK today. - Cashing in on Covid
E10Cashing in on CovidAs the government faces mounting criticism that well-connected people made millions out of Britain's PPE crisis, Panorama investigates who won out. More than £12 billion was spent in the first six months of the pandemic on contracts to provide personal protective equipment. Reporter Richard Bilton meets one man who made £40 million on a deal and speaks to others who felt ignored in favour of less-experienced suppliers. As the government refuses to reveal the full details of all its so-called VIP deals, the programme reveals the high-profile connections to one lucrative contract. - Salmond v Sturgeon
E11Salmond v SturgeonThe inside story of the most sensational break-up in recent political history. Once close friends and allies, Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon took the SNP from nowhere to government, and Scotland to the brink of independence. Now sworn enemies, former first minister Salmond accuses some of those he once led of plotting to have him imprisoned. Reporter Mark Daly investigates and asks what the split could mean for the future of Scotland and of the United Kingdom. - Covid: Who Got It Right?
E13Covid: Who Got It Right?It’s a year since the UK began its first lockdown, and although Covid-19 poses similar threats to countries across the globe, different governments have followed different strategies. Having spent the year charting the impact of coronavirus in the UK, where the government says its decisions have been guided by the science, reporter Jane Corbin investigates the policies pursued by governments elsewhere. Using data to get to grips with the outcomes, she sets out to discover whether anyone got it right and to understand what lessons might be learned for the future. - Undercover: Inside the Covid Testing Lab
E14Undercover: Inside the Covid Testing LabPanorama goes undercover inside a lab analysing thousands of Covid-19 tests per day. Secretly filmed footage reveals a failing service with shoddy practices, where staff complain they are under pressure to meet targets despite the lab often running well below capacity. The programme discovers there have been three outbreaks of coronavirus among staff and that social distancing is poorly maintained. Test samples sometimes arrive poorly packaged and labelled, with equipment frequently malfunctioning, leading to contamination of results. The programme also discovers that tests, including some intended to find new variants of coronavirus, have been wrongly discarded or lost. - The River Pollution Scandal
E15The River Pollution ScandalPanorama investigates the scandal of our polluted rivers. Reporter Joe Crowley obtains data that reveals how some big water companies have been illegally dumping untreated sewage. He meets local people campaigning for a wholescale clean-up and exposes one company discharging sewage without a permit. - The Great British Staycation?
E29The Great British Staycation?This is the year of the Great British staycation, with millions of us exploring holidays on our doorstep. But the impact of Covid has taken its toll. As the hospitality industry tries to make up for the financial losses of the last 18 months, the cost of some self-catered accommodation has risen by more than 40 per cent. The basic cost of a holiday to the Lake District can be as much as three times more than one to Italy’s Lake Garda. And though business is booming in some areas, tourism bosses say staff shortages are hitting them hard. Reporter Mobeen Azhar explores the truth about our staycations. - Who's Protecting Our Kids?
E30Who's Protecting Our Kids?Mariella Frostrup meets teenage girls who say they have been abused, assaulted or raped by teenage boys, and asks whether we should be doing more to protect our children. With exclusive new data from police forces, she reveals how reports of abuse have risen sharply in the past four years, despite government promises to tackle the problem. She asks if social media and pornography could be to blame, and if schools could be handling the problem better. - Dirty Secrets of the Cigarette Business
E31Dirty Secrets of the Cigarette BusinessPanorama unveils new revelations about the corrupt practices deployed by one of Britain’s biggest companies. Six years ago, reporter Richard Bilton revealed how British American Tobacco made secret payments to politicians and civil servants in East Africa. Now the programme uncovers evidence of bribery in South Africa and Zimbabwe. It shows how the multi-billion pound British company secretly paid almost 200 informants as part of a covert operation to damage its competitors. - Pandora Papers: Secrets of World Leaders Exposed
E34Pandora Papers: Secrets of World Leaders Exposed Panorama investigates the Pandora Papers, one of the biggest offshore leaks in history, revealing the financial secrets of some of the most powerful people on the planet. Reporter Richard Bilton uncovers the hidden offshore deals that presidents, prime ministers and royalty don’t want you to know about. - Pandora Papers: Political Donors Exposed
E35Pandora Papers: Political Donors ExposedWhen political parties accept donations, they are required to check who the donor is but not where the money actually comes from. Panorama's investigation of the Pandora Papers, one of the biggest offshore leaks in history, reveals the financial secrets of three major donors to the Conservative Party. Reporter Richard Bilton asks whether the rules governing political donations are fit for purpose. - Afghanistan: Life under the Taliban
E36Afghanistan: Life under the TalibanSix weeks after the complete withdrawal of US-led coalition forces, Panorama reports on how life has changed for Afghan people under Taliban rule. The streets may be more peaceful now, but human rights are under attack, healthcare is crumbling and many families are struggling to find enough food. British Afghan journalist Najibullah Quraishi and his team meet leading Taliban figures and ask whether Afghanistan is once again harbouring the international terror group al-Qaeda. - Online Abuse: Why Do You Hate Me?
E37Online Abuse: Why Do You Hate Me?Panorama investigates the rise of online abuse against women and asks why the police, the government and social media companies aren’t doing more to stop it. BBC reporter Marianna Spring discovers how social media algorithms are promoting hate and tracks down the trolls who send her abuse daily. She meets global politicians, Love Island contestants and a doctor on the frontline to explore the impact of online hate on women who use social media to do their job. - Wild Weather: Our World Under Threat
E39Wild Weather: Our World Under ThreatPanorama investigates a year of wild weather and hears how freak events are becoming increasingly commonplace, changing life right now for millions. This summer a small town was destroyed by fire after record-breaking high temperatures in the Pacific Northwest and Canada. Floods in Germany swept away entire villages. A plague of mice destroyed livelihoods in Australia's New South Wales. Dust storms from China swept thousands of miles to South Korea and the people of Madagascar are on the brink of the world’s first climate change-induced famine. By interrogating climate science and with exclusive access to new Met Office data, reporter Justin Rowlatt reveals where in the world the climate is changing the fastest and who will be most affected. - Buy Now, Pay Later: The New Debt Crisis?
E44Buy Now, Pay Later: The New Debt Crisis?The way we shop is changing, and buying now and paying later has never been easier. Purchases made through companies like Klarna and Clearpay have tripled to an estimated £2.7bn. The companies say they are revolutionising credit by helping customers spread purchases over a number of months, but debt charities are becoming increasingly concerned. Reporter Ellie Flynn investigates the Buy Now Pay Later market’s close relationship with retailers and asks is enough being done to protect customers from ending up with big bills they can’t afford.
