CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED CAUSE OF DEATH RETURNING TO CHANNEL 5

“This documentary series following the work of a Coroner is grimly fascinating, although you may want to watch with your eyes half shut” Daily Mirror 

 “If you love Silent Witness then this stark new series will be right up your street” Inside Soap

 **** “This fascinating new observational documentary series… also acts like a true-crime documentary” Daily Mail

"Fascinating and hard-hitting series” Sun TV Magazine 

 **** “A respectful inside look at process from mortuary to inquest” Telegraph   

LONDON, MONDAY 12 DECEMBER: Channel 5 has announced today the commissioning of two new series of the factual documentary, Cause of Death, which follows real life coronial investigations, medical processes, and police investigations as they unfold the mysteries in a previously closed and taboo world.    The hit documentary series which takes viewers inside the world of the Senior Coroner for Lancashire & Darwen, is produced by Candour Productions, and has been commissioned for two eight-part (8 x 60) series due in 2023 and 2024.   

 The first series of Cause of Death was acclaimed by audience and critics alike and a ratings hit for Channel 5, pulling in a consolidated average audience of 1.6 million viewers per episode during its four-week run. With 1.7 million viewers tuning into the finale, the series has reached 5 million viewers overall.   

Cause of Death sees the detective story from a whole new angle as it’s the Coroner’s job to ensure that no-one who suffered from a sudden, unexplained, or unnatural death goes to the grave with vital questions unanswered. The 360-degree series tracks the deceased from the moment they are found or brought into the mortuary, to the inquest months later.      

Each self-contained episode looks at a number of different stories and the families at their centre. With exclusive access to the Coroner and his team, the series follows as they uncover the truth behind a series of cases as they come in, provide comfort to the next of kin and guide them through a difficult and unfamiliar process, coordinate medical enquiries, post mortems and CT scans and liaise with the police leading up to the inquest.   

With unprecedented access from start to finish and using audio reconstructed from the original transcripts from behind the closed doors of inquests, Cause of Death provides a unique insight into the coronial process.    

Channel 5 and Paramount + Commissioning Editor, Daniel Pearl, says: “Cause of Death is a truly extraordinary new factual hit. Its first series garnered both high praise and high ratings in equal measure owing to the sensitive way that Candour approached this difficult subject and the great care taken to work with all the contributors.”   

Executive Producer Anna Hall says: “This has been a ground-breaking series to make – and we are thrilled that the sensitive work of the police; all the hospital staff and of course the Coroner and his officers have been recognised in telling these incredible stories of what happens when someone dies in unexpected, sudden and suspicious circumstances. This order will be transformational for Candour as we continue to grow our production talent in the north of England”.   

Cause of Death is commissioned by Daniel Pearl and executive produced by Anna Hall at Candour Productions.   

ENDS 

For more information please contact: Jamila Atta – jamila.atta@vimn.com   

NOTES TO EDITORS: 

About Channel 5 

Channel 5 is a public service broadcaster and the UK’s third largest commercial TV station. Launched in March 1997, Channel 5 has been part of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS) since its acquisition in September 2014. Channel 5 and its digital brands – 5STAR, 5USA, 5Select, 5ACTION and the on-demand service My5 – offer a diverse range of issue-led documentaries & popular factual celebrating the British countryside and drawing talent to the channel, accessible history, premium drama and critically-acclaimed children’s, news and current affairs programming. Through its agenda-driving commissions, Channel 5 leads on societal issues from inequality to homelessness and mental health, aiming to tell the story of modern Britain by reflecting the lives of people across the nation. In 2018, Channel 5 won its first BAFTA for Cruising with Jane McDonald. The following year, Raped: My Story won best Single Documentary at RTS. In 2020, it won crowned Channel of the Year at the Broadcast Awards and by the RTS. In addition that year, it secured its first ever Grierson award win in the ‘Best Single Documentary – Domestic’ category with Suicidal: In Our Own Words. In 2021, it won best factual entertainment at the Broadcast Awards for Springtime on the Farm. It also won best drama at Voice of the Listener & Viewer for All Creatures Great & Small the same year. 

 About Candour Productions 

Candour is a multi award winning female-led production company based in Leeds. We specialise in telling hard hitting stories with compassion and sensitivity. Our founder and Creative Director Anna Hall has been nominated for 6 BAFTAs and has twice won the hugely prestigious WFTV Award – once for Best Factual and once for Best Producer. She is also the only woman ever to have been nominated in two consecutive years at the BAFTA Craft Awards for Best Factual Director. In the last year Candour was nominated for a Grierson, a BAFTA and a RTS Doc for our C4 film The Family Secret and we have won Best Indie at the RTS Yorkshire Awards two years running.