Click Link To View Full Film www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04n6sm0
Baby P: The Untold Story featured exclusive interviews with many of those connected to the case and its aftermath, including Sharon Shoesmith, social workers Gillie Christou and Maria Ward, Ed Balls and the husband of Dr Sabah Al-Zayyat, the last medical practitioner to see Baby Peter before he died
Made by award-winning director Henry Singer by Sandpaper Films for BBC One, this 90-minute film examining the untold story of Baby P was be broadcast on Monday 27 October at 8.30pm.
The film brought together the timeline of events that unfolded once Peter Connelly’s tragic death became public. The case played out amidst a huge public outcry. This film reveals how some powerful institutions did not come under the spotlight while the glare of publicity focused firmly on social workers. Presenting a case far more complex than reported at the time, the film features interviews with many of those closely involved with Baby Peter, some speaking for the first time. They offer a revealing insight into the consequences and emotional cost of the case.
When the face of Peter Connelly, known as Baby P, made front page news in November 2008 it quickly became the case that shocked a nation. A 17 month-old toddler had died in London in 2007 - his mother, her boyfriend and her boyfriend’s brother were later convicted of causing or allowing his death. The events that unfolded months later revealed that Peter was known to the authorities, and that he and his family were visited over 60 times by various agencies. This revelation and his horrific injuries sparked one of the biggest media storms in recent times.
As the shock and disbelief heightened, the public wanted answers, they wanted to know who would be held responsible. Baby P: The Untold Story explores how different organisations and individuals responded to the public outcry. The film reveals what went on in those organisations, including Haringey Council’s Children’s Services Department, the Metropolitan Police, Great Ormond Street Hospital, Ofsted, media outlets and government. For the first time we hear from social workers Gillie Christou and Maria Ward, and the husband of the doctor who saw Peter in the days before he died.
Other interviews include Sharon Shoesmith, the former Director of Children’s Services at Haringey Council; Ed Balls, the then Children's Secretary; and Kim Holt, consultant paediatrician at St Ann's, the clinic run by Great Ormond Street Hospital.
Charlotte Moore, Controller, BBC One, says: "This BBC One documentary has been two years in the making and tells the most comprehensive story to date of what really happened to Baby P. Seven years on, those at the centre of the national scandal are finally prepared to speak openly about the clues that were missed, clues that may have helped save this child’s life. The film looks at all the agencies who failed to protect Peter. Henry Singer’s film exposes a story that goes way beyond the failings of social services.”
Director Henry Singer said: “When I realised that Peter Connelly’s tragic death wasn’t uncommon – a child dies once every ten days at the hand of a parent in this country – I realised that the extraordinary reaction to his death might tell us something really fundamental about our society, the media, politics and about us. When I discovered that there were other professionals besides the social workers and the doctor who may also have been in a position to save him, I found myself wondering – did we really get the full story about this little boy’s death and if not, why not?”
Maxine Watson, BBC Commissioning Editor, said: “This film offers a unique insight into what played out behind the scenes in the tragic case of Baby P. Henry Singer has managed to go beyond the tabloid frenzy and tell a very human story.”
