UKTV’s factual channel, Yesterday, has commissioned a new series exploring the buildings and structures that were built to defend Britain from a German invasion during World War II.
Produced by Brighton based Indie Hello Mary, the eight-part The Buildings That Fought Hitler is a co-commission with Australia’s SBS and will premiere next year on Yesterday and on UKTV Play.
Presenter Rob Bell will look at a host of structures and buildings, from coastal defences, to secret bases used to house the auxiliary army, to the GHQ lines intended to protect the cities.
Using a mixture of archive photography, expert interviews, and first-hand testimony, the series shines a light on the 26,000 buildings that were built, the fascinating stories behind them, and the legacy that they left behind.
UKTV’s Daniel Thomas said: “Yesterday viewers love to see the forgotten stories of World War II and this series has just that.
“I’m delighted to have forged a new partnership with Hello Mary and be working together to reveal the fascinating secrets surrounding our country’s preparations for a Nazi invasion.”
Hello Mary CEO, Steve Regan, added: ‘Hello Mary is all about ideas from any genre that are returnable and work internationally and The Buildings That Fought Hitler is the perfect illustration of this mantra.
“It’s also a testament to our work with Parade who are just as ambitious as us in wanting to create content that works globally’