BBC raises Expectation’s Road Trip

UK pubcaster the BBC has ordered a raft of factual programming including a show from Peter Fincham and Tim Hincks’ fledgling prodco that will see ex-politican Ed Balls explore the Deep South of the US.

Alison Kirkham

Ed Balls: My Deep South Road Trip (3×60′, working title) is from Expectation’s factual arm and will follow Balls as he immerses himself in the lives of those who voted for Donald Trump as US president.

Amy Flanagan and Colin Barr, who joined Expectation earlier this year from Channel 4 and Minnow Films respectively, are among exec producers.

Elsewhere BBC1 will air Vicky McClure: My Dementia Choir (2×60′, WT), which is being produced by UK prodco Curve Media where the executive producer is Camilla Lewis. It features Line of Duty actor McClure, whose grandmother died from the disease, exploring the extent of music’s power in fighting the condition.

BBC1 will also broadcast How Women Won The Vote With Lucy Worsley (1×90′) next year to mark the centenary of women in the UK being allowed to vote. It’s being produced by UK-based Brook Lapping with Emma Hindley attached as exec producer, and joins Lenny Henry: The Commonwealth Kid on the pubcaster’s flagship channel.

Fronted by comedian Henry, the special is from Burning Bright Productions and Douglas Road Productions and examines the deep-rooted relationship between the Commonwealth and its 2.3 billion people. Executive producers are Clive Tulloh and Barbara Emile.

BBC2, meanwhile, will broadcast The House (4×60′), which is from Twenty Twenty Productions and follows the history of a property over more than 100 years, while Blast! Films’ Kensington examines the poverty divide in one of London’s most affluent areas.

Heart Transplant, also for BBC2, examines the concept of presumed consent for organ donation and is from 7 Wonder, while BBC4 will air From Ice To Fire – The Incredible Science Of Temperature. It explores our perception of temperature and is being made by BBC Studios Science Unit.

Alison Kirkham, who was named controller of factual commissioning last year, said the titles “demonstrate my on-going commitment to bringing audiences high quality, challenging and timely content with a breadth, scale and impact not found anywhere else.”