A documentary about British teenager Jay Slater, who died last year, and another about the 2023 Nottingham attacks are among the new factual programmes due to air on Channel 4.
The Disappearance Of Jay Slater will follow the story of the youngster who went missing in Tenerife in 2024 and was found later dead, with exclusive access to film Mr Slater’s post-mortem and funeral.
The crew behind the documentary have been making it in collaboration with Mr Slater’s family, with the programme also set to look at the conspiracy theories that stemmed from the story, the online abuse that the family still receive and the media coverage of the story.
Rita Daniels, Channel 4 commissioning editor, said: “The story of Jay Slater captured the nation last summer with a fervour and intensity fuelled by armchair detectives and internet culture.
“We are so glad to be working with Anna on a sensitively handled exploration of the family’s experience, and understanding the impact of being in the middle of a social media storm, amplified by grief.
“The film holds a light up to our current society and is exactly the story that is a necessity for Channel 4 to tell.”
Produced by Candour Productions, it will also look at the world of online armchair detectives and the consequences of their actions.
Another Channel 4 documentary, The Nottingham Attacks, will follow the families of Ian Coates, Barnaby Webber and Grace O’Malley-Kumar, who were killed in a fatal knife attack by Valdo Calocane, a man who was known to police and mental health services, in 2023.
The 90-minute show, produced by Banijay UK’s documentaries label, DSP Films, will look at the families’ campaign for truth and justice following the killings, and the way their confidence in the NHS and police was impacted by the incident.
Anna Miralis, Channel 4 senior commissioning editor, said: “Channel 4 has an outstanding reputation for bold, topical and incredible access documentaries and The Nottingham Attacks is without doubt testament to this.
“Boasting a stalwart of incredibly talented filmmakers, I am sure this will be an extremely powerful and sensitively considered documentary.
“This is a vital and timely piece of storytelling of an appalling crime and will highlight the unimaginable impact it had on these remarkable families and show their unwavering desire to expose the truth.”
The channel is also due to release a documentary, produced by Passion Pictures, on the crimes of John Smyth, a senior figure at a Christian charity, who inflicted abuse on as many as 130 boys and young men.
His crimes began in his family home and escalated over decades and across continents until he was eventually revealed by church insiders, with a review finding his crimes were covered up by senior church officials.
Ms Miralis added: “This important film, made by a team of remarkable documentary makers, demonstrates the Channel’s unflinching commitment to tackle difficult subject matter and provide the opportunity to those who have been silenced to speak out and share their experiences.
“This is the deeply disturbing story of a man who was able to escape culpability and evade justice, and pays tribute to the courage of those deeply affected. Passion has worked hard to build trust and ensure incredible access.”
The release dates for the standalone shows have not yet been announced.
