On 12 October 1984, a bomb exploded in Brighton’s Grand Hotel, targeting Margaret Thatcher and the Conservative Party conference. This film, Bombing Brighton: The Plot to Kill Thatcher, airing on BBC Two, looks into the aftermath of one of the IRA’s most significant attacks on mainland Britain during the Troubles.
The bomb, planted by Patrick Magee, who was later sentenced to 35 years in prison, ripped through the hotel, killing five people and injuring 34 others. Although Thatcher herself escaped physical harm, the consequences of the attack were far-reaching.
The documentary includes a rare interview with Magee, conducted in 2022, in which he discusses his role in the bombing. It also features firsthand accounts from individuals whose lives were forever changed by the blast, including Edward and Jo Berry, whose father was killed, and John Gummer, the former Conservative Party chairman who was with Thatcher when the bomb went off.
Plus, a Special Branch surveillance officer and an eyewitness provide insights into the impact of the bombing and the efforts to prevent IRA attacks during the 1980s.
Bombing Brighton: The Plot to Kill Thatcher airs Tuesday, 8 October 2024, at 9:00 pm on BBC Two.