Exposure (British TV series)

Colonel Gaddafi gave the IRA enough weapons to turn a militia into an army. Exposure's first film examines his support for the Republicans and investigates the continuing danger of his legacy. Narrated by Paul McGann.

In this episode, ITV mistakenly presented footage taken from the game ArmA 2 as footage of a 1988 IRA attack. The broadcaster apologised, blaming human error.^[4] A spokesperson for ITV commented on the error and said:

"The events featured in Exposure: Gaddafi and the IRA were genuine but it would appear that during the editing process the correct clip of the 1988 incident was not selected and other footage was mistakenly included in the film by producers. This was an unfortunate case of human error for which we apologise."^[5]

Focusing on a city in Europe where the pollution is so bad, children struggle to breathe, DNA is damaged, and the vulnerable are forced indoors. This programme investigates the role played by a global multi-national.

This featured heart patients and follow them on their life journeys- narrated by Victoria Chalet

Mark Williams-Thomas investigates

Undercover investigation which reveals disrespectful behaviour by British funeral directors.^[6]

Former police officer Mark Williams-Thomas investigates sexual abuse of underage girls by Jimmy Savile. Five women (two of whom waived their right to anonymity) all state that they were assaulted or raped by Savile.^[7]

The programme was born out of an aborted investigation by the BBC's Newsnight in late 2011, on which Williams-Thomas had worked as a consultant,^[8] with reporter Liz MacKean and producer Meirion Jones.^[9]

Williams-Thomas took a leading role in the programme, having pitched a proposal to ITV after the BBC dropped the Newsnight investigation; he has praised MacKean and Jones for allowing him to do so.^[10] He says he researched the piece as if he were running a police investigation and admits that he was worried that both he and the programme-makers would be heavily criticised if other victims hadn't come forward in the wake of the broadcast.^[10]

The piece came within the usual budget for Exposure, costing around £170,000 for the ten-month investigation. It was broadcast in a later-than-usual timeslot of 23.15, but still attracted 2.5 million viewers (including time-shifted viewing) and a 23% audience share.^[1]

The edition won Royal Television Society awards in 2013 in the Current Affairs (Home) and Scoop of the Year categories.^[11] It was also given a Peabody Award in 2012.^[12] The programme gave ITV News a platform for extensive follow-up reports on the subject, which resulted in ITN winning the News Coverage (Home) category in the RTS awards in 2013.^[11]

Although it would become the highest profile edition of the programme to date, this episode was broadcast at the later-than-usual time of 23.10.

Residents forced out of an estate blighted by violence

The story of Banaz Mahmod, who was 19 years old when she became the victim of a so-called honour killing ordered by her own family. The programme features footage from a police interview with Banaz, who says she is being followed by members of the Kurdish community from which she originates, having walked out on an abusive forced marriage and pursued a relationship with another man.^[13]

The programme is a shorter version of the film Banaz: A Love Story, produced by Fuuse Films created in collaboration with Hardcash Productions for Exposure.^[11] Banaz won a Peabody Award and International Emmy Award in 2013,^[12] but lost out to another Exposure film, The Other Side of Jimmy Savile, at the Royal Television Society Journalism Awards in 2013.^[14]

In view of the programme's content, a warning about "graphic discussion of rape and murder" was aired in the continuity announcement at the start of this edition; unusually, this warning was repeated after the first commercial break before the programme continued.

Mark Williams-Thomas revisits his investigation into Jimmy Savile, which dominated the news in the weeks after it was broadcast. Set against a backdrop of the criminal and institutional investigations which had been launched in the intervening seven weeks, this programme features testimony from more victims and explores how Savile ingratiated himself with politicians and royalty.^[15] It also considers the question of how Savile was able to gain widespread access and power within NHS institutions, in spite of being unqualified for any of the roles which he purportedly fulfilled there.^[16]

The programme considers why charges were not brought against Savile after he was interviewed by Surrey Police in 2009; Williams-Thomas declares "for the record" during this segment of the programme that he used to work for the force.

Mark Williams-Thomas investigates new concerns over British paedophiles in Cambodia.

UK imams agree to perform underage marriages.

Conor Woodman investigates the shift in the UK cannabis industry from commercial to home-grown production and reveals how this move towards small domestic units can result in growers encountering the kind of violent criminals whom they had tried to avoid by growing their own supply. The programme explores the extent of cannabis cultivation in the UK and shows how major dealers are generating their profits by operating multiple small-scale sites.^[17]

An undercover investigation into the recruiting practices, administration and facilities at the Academy de London and London School of Business and Finance^[18]

An investigation into the effectiveness of the UK's cancer screening programme, exploring how some testing regimes have better early diagnosis and detection rates than others.^[19]

An investigation uncovers pressures, abuse and violence - as well as locked fire doors and lies about health and safety - behind the closed doors of Dhaka's sweatshops. Presented by Laura Kuenssberg, who had provided extensive coverage in the aftermath of the Rana Plaza factory disaster in April 2013 as ITV News Business Editor. This programme was broadcast shortly after Kuenssberg had departed ITN to rejoin the BBC,^[20] but she made appearances on ITV News bulletins throughout the day, trailing the edition. It was the first standalone edition in what had been billed as an eight-episode run when the series returned in autumn 2013.

This edition was produced by Hardcash Productions.

Mark Williams-Thomas investigates how privileges for foreign diplomats based in the UK are open to abuse. Issues explored include diplomatic immunity and the protected status of the so-called 'diplomatic bag' for moving items into and out of the country. The programme centres around a sting on a member of the Nigerian High Commission, who claims he can smuggle stolen goods out of the UK, but is later revealed not to have diplomatic status.^[21]

Exploring the issue of forced adoption and considering whether the power is being used too readily in the wake of several high-profile child protection scandals.^[22] Narrated by ITV News presenter Nina Hossain. Another standalone edition; the last episode in the 2013/14 series.

ITV News presenter Julie Etchingham fronts an investigation into forced domestic servitude. The programme includes interviews with those who have experienced modern-day slavery after being brought to the UK. It also considers how changes to visa rules, designed to toughen the immigration system, could be responsible for trapping victims in slave-like conditions^[23] and features an undercover sting on a recruitment agency which promises non-existent jobs to foreign domestic workers in return for a fee. The culmination of the sting sees a producer on the programme confront the woman who had been secretly filmed.

The lack of pictures resulting from the need to obscure identities and provide an appropriate visual accompaniment to disturbing cases studies is addressed with the use of still drawings of the situations under discussion.

This edition was produced by Hardcash Productions.

This edition reveals how real-time information from mobile phones was used by coalition forces to target suspected insurgents during conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. At the height of the military action, up to a dozen addresses were raided per night in an effort to capture or kill the individuals concerned.^[24]

Some senior military figures involved in the operations defend their use and effectiveness, while other analysts suggest they hampered efforts to negotiate an end to the conflicts - perhaps even improving the gene pool of insurgent fighters, making them more difficult to defeat militarily.^[25]

The programme is narrated by former Parachute Regiment commander Sean Rayment and produced by Brook Lapping Productions.

An investigation into charities alleged to be promoting extremist views, including white supremacy, anti-semitism and jihad.^[26]

ITV News presenter Mark Austin presents and also conducts several interviews, including one in which the Charities Commission admits it does not have the power to close charities for the reasons highlighted by the programme.

This edition explores a condition known as Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, which can affect the offspring of women who consume alcohol during pregnancy. It focuses on the apparently contradictory advice given to pregnant women in the UK about a 'safe level' of alcohol intake.^[27]

The programme features several sufferers of FASD and follows the progress of one child with severe behavioural and developmental problems whose adoptive parents are seeking a definitive diagnosis. They are given access to advanced facial profiling techniques which aid in confirming the condition.^[28]

Research is revealed from the United States which claims an analysis of various studies shows alcohol to be a greater risk factor to unborn babies than heroin.^[27]

Good Morning Britain and ITV News presenter Ranvir Singh presents and takes on an active reporter role, conducting the majority of interviews, including a combative encounter with a consultant obstetrician.

This edition aired in peak time at 21.00, the only occasion to date on which the strand has done so. It was produced by October Films.

An investigation into Islamic extremism in the UK, featuring interviews with reformed extremists.^[29] The film is made by Deeyah Khan and produced by her production company Fuuse.

An undercover reporter investigates the rise in sham marriages, passport forging, and human trafficking.^[30]

ITV News presenter Mark Austin looks into the failures of patient care at an NHS Out of Hours service in London, discovering unqualified doctors and understaffing.^[31]

ITV News presenter Julie Etchingham investigates the increasing pressure on schools in the UK to deliver good grades from their students, leading to teachers dishonestly marking exam papers higher than they should be. It is produced by Hardcash Productions.^[32]

An investigation into the strict Islamist regimes of Saudi Arabia, featuring covertly-shot footage and interviews with a number of activists.^[33]

An investigation into the allegations that Clement Freud, a former Member of Parliament for North East Cambridgeshire, had abused two girls in the 1940s and 1970s. Presented by ITV News presenter Julie Etchingham.^[34]

A documentary about the lives and experiences of ex-Muslims: people who have left Islam to become atheists, and who often face discrimination, harassment, ostracism and violence for leaving Islam, both in the UK and abroad. The film is made by Deeyah Khan and produced by her production company Fuuse.^[35]

Documentary revealing the stories of thousands of women who were pressured to give up their children for adoption following World War II.^[36]

An undercover investigation into hostels in the UK and the way that homeless and vulnerable people are treated there.^[37]

A documentary uncovering previously unreported specific evidence that raises questions over witness statements given in the wake of the Hillsborough disaster. It explores the possibility of an alleged cover-up by the police. Presented by Peter Marshall.^[38]

An undercover investigation into far-right extremist groups in Britain, including scrutiny of the UK Independence Party and questions about the extreme views of a contender to become their leader, Anne Marie Waters.^[39]

Deeyah Khan travels to America to meet with some of the most prominent neo-Nazis and white supremacist leaders in the US today to seek to understand the personal and political reasons behind the apparent resurgence of extremism in the US.^[40]

A covertly filmed investigation into children's homes, showing evidence of understaffing and lack of training.^[41]

An investigation into the state of prisons in the UK, showcasing an extensive look into a riot that happened in December 2016 at HM Prison Birmingham, which became Britain's worst prison riot in 25 years.^[42]

An investigation into the Birmingham pub bombings that occurred in 1974, revealing the identities of the prime suspects involved and confronting one of them, Michael Patrick Reilly, about their possible involvement in the bombings. Presented by John Ware.^[43]

A documentary following the stories of four women who are challenging those who have ruled Iran for 40 years and defying the ayatollahs. Inspiration for the film came when a woman removed her headscarf on one of the busiest streets in Tehran, the capital of Iran.^[44]

An investigative documentary into the rise of trolls and online abuse directed towards Members of Parliament on social media following the 2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum. It features interviews with several MPs, including Conservative MP Nicky Morgan and independent MP Anna Soubry, both of whom have been targeted because of their views towards having a "soft" Brexit or remaining in the European Union.^[45]

Marcel Theroux, Directed by Jon Blair^[46]