WORLDS COLLIDE: THE MANCHESTER BOMBING
BROADCASTER: ITV1 / ITVX, 2022
CREDIT: Series Director
PRODUCTION COMPANY: LABEL1
SYNOPSIS
Featuring emotional contributions from the families of those who lost their lives, Worlds Collide: The Manchester Bombing marks the fifth anniversary of an attack that shocked the nation to its core. The two-part special uses new revelations to piece together the chilling timeline of that day and explores how, five years on, the truth of what happened that night is finally emerging.
On 22nd May 2017, a British-born terrorist detonated a home-made bomb in the foyer of the Manchester Arena, killing twenty-two people and wounding hundreds more. In-line with the on-going public inquiry, two special films airing across two nights on ITV and made by Label1, the makers of twice BAFTA nominated and RTS Award winning series Hospital, reveal how multiple opportunities to stop the bomber in his tracks were tragically missed.
“The programme was about treading fine lines, and the joins between the story’s many awful and complicated strands were seamless.” ★★★★
- BEN DOWELL, THE TIMES
GALLERY
“When dealing with the killer, director Marcus Plowright understood the crucial difference between context and defence.” ★★★★
— Gabriel Tate, The Daily Telegraph
“In all these testimonies, hatred is conspicuous by its absence.” ★★★★
— Sean O'Grady, The Independent
The films present two polarising worlds that tragically collided, one of innocent young fans attending a concert by American pop superstar Ariana Grande and the other of a radical Islamic extremist who had grown up just miles from his eventual victims.
Providing wider context to the attack, the programmes delve into the role of MI5 and the emergency services, hearing directly from those there on the night and examining why decisions taken left victims helpless inside.
Revealing CCTV footage of the suicide bomber follows his steps in the days, hours and minutes leading to the attacks, as family and friends of the victims recall their stories and how one night changed their lives forever.
A 2 x 60 minute Label 1 Production for ITV. Series Directed by Marcus Plowright