The Open University

See the British Isles like never before in new OU / BBC series, Wild Isles

7 March 2023

The highly anticipated natural history series, Wild Isles, presented by Sir David Attenborough, begins this Sunday (12 March) evening, taking viewers on a journey through some of Britain and Ireland’s most beautiful landscapes. The Open University (OU) and BBC co-production will begin on BBC One and iPlayer at 7pm on Sunday 12th March, informed by […]

The OU invites you to celebrate British and Irish natural beauty and #ShareYourWildIsles

7 March 2023

To celebrate the release of the highly anticipated Open University (OU) / BBC series, Wild Isles, the OU is inviting people to share their favourite British and Irish nature spots or species on social media, using the hashtag #ShareYourWildIsles. Simply head to The OU’s social channels and share your photo to get involved. If you’re […]

OU/BBC co-production goes behind the scenes of the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

28 February 2023

Saving Lives in Leeds, a new BBC documentary, produced with the support of two OU academics, features the challenging work of doctors and surgeons at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHT Trust. The eight-part series airs on Wednesday 1st March, 9pm on BBC Two and shows the tough dilemmas that doctors face each day behind the scenes, […]

Delving deep into the history of Welsh music

28 February 2023

Welsh Open University Music academics lent not just their individual expertise but their origins to help inform programme makers about Wales, ‘the land of song’, and the history of Welsh music in a BBC / OU co-production. ‘Wales: Music Nation with Huw Stephens’ looks at aspects of the musical history of Wales and is presented […]

New OU/BBC co-production showcases some of Scotland’s most remarkable women

21 February 2023

A new three-part series ‘The Women Who Changed Modern Scotland’ will tell the story of women who had a role in shaping Scotland over the last 50 years. Presented by Kirsty Wark, it will highlight the women who, throughout the decades have challenged the status quo, defied sexism to seize new opportunities and in more […]

Behind the scenes of the Parole Board

20 February 2023

Academics from the Faculty of Business and Law worked behind the scenes in a fascinating OU/BBC documentary about the process involved in hearing prisoners’ parole applications. In England and Wales annually, about 16,000 of the potentially most dangerous criminals are considered for parole before the end of their sentence and around 4,000 of them are […]

OU academics’ guidance in poignant BBC programme on autistic adults

15 February 2023

A new two-part BBC series Inside Our Autistic Minds has started giving a revealing look at what goes on in the mind of autistic adults with the help of naturalist Chris Packham who was diagnosed with Asperger’s in 2005. With the contributions of two OU academics, Kieron Sheehy, Professor of education, and Fiona Henry senior […]

‘A special school’ airs on BBC Two, BBC Cymru Wales and iPlayer

18 January 2023

Two academics from The Open University used their specialist skills to advise the BBC programme makers on a second series of A Special School, which airs on BBC Two on 20th February at 7pm. The three-part series goes behind the scenes in a compelling observational documentary that shows what is possible when boundaries are pushed. […]

Double award win for BBC/ OU co-productions

15 November 2022

Two programmes co-produced by The Open University and BBC have won accolades at this year’s Grierson Awards. The Green Planet: Tropical Worlds secured ‘Best Natural History or Environmental Documentary’. The landmark natural history series, presented by Sir David Attenborough was an immersive portrayal of an unseen, inter-connected world, full of remarkable new behaviour, emotional stories […]

New BBC/ OU co-pro follows James Arthur’s mental health journey

9 November 2022

A new BBC and Open University co-production featuring multi-platinum-selling singer-songwriter, James Arthur will air on BBC Three at 9pm on Sunday 13 November. James Arthur: Out of Our Minds follows James at a crossroads in his life. After being propelled to stardom following his X Factor win in 2012, James experienced a decade of highs, […]

OU News

Category: TV and radio