Blitz Street (Channel 4 2010, Tony Robinson)

In Blitz Street Tony Robinson delves into the history of the blitz in the most incredible fashion in this four part show marking the 70th anniversary of the devastating bombing raids committed by the Germans on Britain during World War II. A kind of mix between science and history, the series examines just what it must have been like to live through the constant, mighty air bombardment as the German Luftwaffe attempted to burn some of Britain’s biggest cities to the ground.

Setting up shop on a special street of terraced houses purpose built on a remote military base Tony and his team of scientists from the Ministry of Defence test out the bombs that would have been dropped during the war. First up is the SC50 which contains 25 kilos of TNT and which was actually the most used bomb during the early stages of the blitz. There is also the SC500 which featured a payload of 250 kilos of TNT. At one stage the Germans were dropping bombs on a truly massive scale and the second episode looks at the events of 14 November 1940 when the Luftwaffe almost razed Coventry to the ground. The second half of the series moves events forward towards the end of the war when Hitler’s scientists developed the deadly Doodlebug rocket which again gets the Blitz street test.

Quite an incredible show that really brings home the impact of what having to live through the horror of nightly bombing raids must have been like for Britain’s plucky residents during the second world war. Tony is in his element too, explaining the ins and outs of just what is going on.

production details
UK / Channel 4 – Impossible Pictures / 4×60 minute episodes / Broadcast 19 April – 10 May 2010

Executive Producer: Paul Wooding, Tim Haines / Producer and Director: Michael Wadding