5 is to air Barts: Our Hospital Through Time with Alice Roberts from Lion TV and GroupM Motion Entertainment.
Commissioning Editor, Unscripted, 5, Kit Morey:
“It’s thrilling to be able to bring such an exciting new series to our viewers, as we take them on a visually arresting journey through time, stopping off at key moments in history all told through the prism of this unique, world-renowned medical institution.
“With access to Barts’ archives along with their staff and patients, we’ll immerse the audience in both the past and present, led brilliantly by Professor Alice Roberts who brings her passion and expertise for both science and history, guiding the viewer through a millennium of remarkable stories of pioneering medicine, scientific breakthroughs, and moving key moments in Britain’s social history – framed around the continuing inspiring work of the staff at Barts today.”
In the documentary, Professor Alice Roberts takes viewers behind the scenes at St Bartholomew’s in London to reveal how 900 years of history have built one of Britain’s greatest hospitals.
The world-famous ‘Barts’ is the oldest hospital in the UK still on its original site, and one of the oldest hospitals in the world. Founded in 1123, it’s almost as old as the Tower of London and older than the City of London.
People have been treated on this ancient site for almost a thousand years – miracle cures were reported in the early days of the hospital in the twelfth century, and now it’s a state-of-the-art centre of excellence for heart operations and cancer care, serving the very poorest communities in Tower Hamlets, the richest in the City of London, and people from all over the UK who come to it for its extraordinary medical expertise.
From the makers of Inside the Tower of London, each hour-long episode will give viewers a unique and fascinating look inside Barts Hospital today and its remarkable history – from present day medical staff to the treasures of its archives and restorers conserving its historic buildings and artworks.
Professor Alice Roberts:
“I’m very excited indeed to be embarking on this new series with 5, Barts and Lion Television. I was a medical doctor originally, before branching off into anthropology & history. In this series, I’ll be delving into how medicine and health has changed over the centuries, and how scientific discoveries have translated into real, tangible improvements in health.
“Barts is one of the oldest hospitals in the world and provides an excellent backdrop for exploring this fascinating history – and will also allow us to bring that story right up to the current moment – and even peer into the future at medical advances just around the corner.”
Barts: Our Hospital Through Time was produced by Lion TV and GroupM Motion Entertainment. Daniel Pearl and Sarah Sarkhel are Executive Producers, with Melanie Darlaston for GroupM Motion Entertainment, and commissioned for 5 by Kit Morey, Commissioning Editor, Unscripted 5.
St Bartholomew’s Hospital Chief Executive Professor Charles Knight OBE adds, “This series is a wonderful opportunity for more people to discover the real Barts – where nine hundred years of history meets state of the art, world-class, lifesaving care. We’re excited for viewers to see the extraordinary work of our teams and to share the story of a hospital that’s been at the heart of healthcare in the UK for centuries.”
