PBS, NGCI hear Bigger Bang

Genius by Stephen Hawking

US pubcaster PBS and National Geographic Channel International (NGCI) have commissioned a six-part science series fronted by Stephen Hawking from a fledgling UK indie.

Genius by Stephen Hawking sets out to see if ordinary people can think like a genius, and is presented and narrated by the renowned theoretical physicist.

The programme is the latest production from Bigger Bang, the factual-focused UK prodco recently launched by former Darlow Smithson execs Ben Bowie and Iain Riddick.

The firm has already worked on Hubble’s Cosmic Journey and Mission Pluto for PBS and NGCI, with Bowie and Riddick executive producing.

Ben Bowie

The latest project revisits history’s greatest scientific breakthroughs, using experiments and large-scale mental and physical challenges to see if three ordinary people can make the same mental leaps as the greatest minds who ever lived.

Riddick and Bowie said: “We set up Bigger Bang to produce amazing blue-chip content. Science contains some of the most awe-inspiring, imaginative stories, and we want to tell them in the most mind-blowing way.

“With Genius, we wanted to see if Professor Hawking is right in his belief that most of us are far smarter than we realise – which is almost a scientific thesis in itself. There is nothing as satisfying as seeing somebody suddenly realise something so amazing that it changes everything. That’s what we tried to do, over and over.”

Iain Riddick

Bill Gardner, VP of programming and development for PBS, said: “The formation of Bigger Bang is a moment in the television and multiplatform media universe that will be felt for a long time.

“Ben and Iain have been innovative, inspiring filmmakers and storytellers throughout their long and stellar careers, and their continuing collaboration with Professor Hawking on Genius promises to bring new understanding and inspiration to audiences around the world.”

Bowie was previously MD of Darlow Smithson as well as a director and executive producer with 20 years’ experience – his feature doc Hawking kicked off the SXSW festival in 2014.

Riddick is a former commissioning executive producer for NGCI and was head of special projects at Darlow Smithson.