The UK finally let politicians fight on TV—what could possibly go wrong?
With Britain's first-ever political leaders' television debate imminent, award-winning reporter Michael Cockerell uncovers what it's like to take part in these contests and how leaders try to win them. He tells the inside story of why it has taken so long for such debates to arrive in the UK. The programme features candid interviews with US Presidents and their advisers on the tricks of the debate trade. Blending new film and behind-the-scenes footage, some never seen before, it's a tragicomic tale of high politics and low cunning. From John F Kennedy and Richard Nixon through to Barack Obama, candidates are seen being prepared for their debates, then in the sometimes funny, sometimes disastrous results on live television. Cockerell shows why for our would-be next Prime Ministers - Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg - the three debate stages across Britain will be what one former US President calls 'Tension City'.
Editing
Seamlessly stitches decades of debate disasters into one delicious hour.
Production
Michael Cockerell's unmatched access to presidents and PMs alike.
Director
James Giles
Michael Cockerell
Self - Presenter
Neil Kinnock
Self
Charles Kennedy
Self
Michael Dobbs
Self
Don Hewitt
Self
Richard Nixon
Self (archive footage)
John F. Kennedy
Self (archive footage)
Robin Day
Self (archive footage)
Nikita Khrushchev
Self (archive footage)
Pat Buchanan
Self
Pierre Salinger
Self (archive footage)
Harold Wilson
Self (archive footage)
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
This aired weeks before the historic 2010 debates that ended two-party dominance and gave us coalition government.
Don Hewitt, interviewed here, literally invented the televised debate format in 1960—and spent 50 years defending it.
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