SBS, Channel 4 buy Like A Shot West docs

SBS in Australia and Channel 4 in the UK have picked up two shows that form part of a new historical documentary strand, launched by Argonon’s Like A Shot West.

24 Hours That Changed the World explores pivotal moments in history, with the first two specials delving into the end of the Second World War and the unconditional surrender of Germany and Japan. TVF International is handling further sales across the world.

The first film, 24hrs: The Fall of Nazi Germany, explores the German and Allied negotiations to end the war in Europe, tracking the crucial final hours in the lead up to VE Day, 8 May 8, 1945, before the Third Reich surrendered to Allied forces. 

With the war in Europe over, the second episode, 24hrs: The Japanese Surrender, marks the anniversary of VJ Day, 2 September, 1945, and the end of the war in the Pacific, which raged on for several months after the Germans capitulated. 

The series uses a countdown clock, with each episode in the strand focusing on the final 24 hours leading up to a crucial moment in history. Newly colourised archive footage is being used alongside expert interviews and dramatic reconstructions, with further episodes in the strand set to be announced shortly.

Henry Scott, managing director of Like A Shot West, said: “The iconic battles of World War II have been widely chronicled but little is known about the crucial events that led to the end of the war, ultimately shaping the world today.

“The first two specials in this gripping new documentary strand capture the tense but tumultuous moments that led to V-Day and V-J Day, coinciding with the anniversaries marked by millions in countries across the globe.”

Executive producers are Like A Shot head of development, Danny O’Brien, and Scott. Director is Rosemary Cafferkey, with Rachel Bailey, senior acquisitions manager buying for Channel 4, and Peter Andrews, head of network programming and Kaye Warren, acquisitions manager for non-scripted, striking the deals for SBS.