Seasons & episodes
S69 · E25The Dark Side of Horse Racing 2021-07-19 · 29 min
Horse racing is one of the most popular and profitable sports, a £5 billion industry in the UK and Ireland followed by millions. Panorama reporter Darragh MacIntyre investigates what can happen to racehorses when their careers end. The industry says that racing is now safer than ever, that the number of deaths on the track is falling and that the animals are looked after in retirement. Panorama discovers that off the track, many horses suffer career-ending injuries, and rather than being rehabilitated or retrained for life outside the sport, race horses that have been owned and trained by some of the biggest names in the industry have been put down, some meeting grisly deaths.
S69 · E26David Cameron and the Missing Billions 2021-08-09 · 29 min
David Cameron was paid to promote Greensill Capital’s financial products around the world. He helped convince investors their money was safe, and he tried to persuade the British government to invest billions of pounds of taxpayers’ cash. But Greensill Capital is now under investigation after it collapsed leaving investors facing billions in losses. So how much did the former prime minister know about Greensill and the investments it was selling?
S69 · E27Hunting the Social Media Fraudsters 2021-08-16 · 29 min
Ever wondered who might be behind those dodgy-looking texts trying to get you to part with your money? Panorama is on the trail of a new generation of fraudsters. Reporter Kafui Okpattah speaks to victims and investigates how cyber scammers use social media to promote fraud. Once hidden in the shadows of the dark web, they have moved into the open online. They are in plain sight, so why are the government and big tech companies failing to stop them?
S69 · E28Return of the Taliban 2021-08-23 · 29 min
The speed of Afghanistan's fall to the Taliban has shocked the world – but what sort of country will it become? The BBC’s Yalda Hakim was born in Afghanistan and travelled back there in the weeks before the Taliban took control. She meets a Taliban commander from the front line promising a Sharia state, and the Afghanistan vice president who was adamant he would never surrender. Also she hears from those who are now fearing for their lives and their futures. Panorama asks what is at stake for the Afghans who are now in their first week under Taliban rule.
S69 · E29The Great British Staycation? 2021-08-25 · 29 min
This is the year of the Great British staycation, with millions of us exploring holidays on our doorstep. But the impact of Covid has taken its toll. As the hospitality industry tries to make up for the financial losses of the last 18 months, the cost of some self-catered accommodation has risen by more than 40 per cent. The basic cost of a holiday to the Lake District can be as much as three times more than one to Italy’s Lake Garda. And though business is booming in some areas, tourism bosses say staff shortages are hitting them hard. Reporter Mobeen Azhar explores the truth about our staycations.
S69 · E30Who's Protecting Our Kids? 2021-09-06 · 29 min
Mariella Frostrup meets teenage girls who say they have been abused, assaulted or raped by teenage boys, and asks whether we should be doing more to protect our children. With exclusive new data from police forces, she reveals how reports of abuse have risen sharply in the past four years, despite government promises to tackle the problem. She asks if social media and pornography could be to blame, and if schools could be handling the problem better.
S69 · E31Dirty Secrets of the Cigarette Business 2021-09-13 · 29 min
Panorama unveils new revelations about the corrupt practices deployed by one of Britain’s biggest companies. Six years ago, reporter Richard Bilton revealed how British American Tobacco made secret payments to politicians and civil servants in East Africa. Now the programme uncovers evidence of bribery in South Africa and Zimbabwe. It shows how the multi-billion pound British company secretly paid almost 200 informants as part of a covert operation to damage its competitors.
S69 · E32Football's Broken Dreams 2021-09-20 · 29 min
It was the summer when football almost came home. Now Panorama investigates the system that has produced some of the England team’s brightest stars. Reporter Rory Carson, himself a former professional player, discovers that for teenage footballing prodigies it’s a high-pressure, big-money game, where they can be bought and sold, leaving some feeling discarded when they don’t make the grade. Rory hears from former players and their parents about the mental health impacts of being built up as the next Premier League superstar, only for their dreams to be shattered when they are dropped. He also investigates evidence of agents breaking Football Association rules designed to protect young teenagers from being financially exploited.
S69 · E33NHS: Wait or Pay? 2021-09-27 · 29 min
The number of people waiting for hospital treatment in England has hit a record high of 5.61 million, as the NHS struggles to clear the growing backlog of cases caused by Covid-19. Victoria Derbyshire meets some of those on the waiting list and hears about the profound effects it is having on their lives. She discovers that a growing number of people see no alternative but to pay for their own treatments using savings, bank loans and even crowdfunding sites. And she reveals exclusive research showing just how many people are now considering turning their backs on the NHS and going private instead.
S69 · E34Pandora Papers: Secrets of World Leaders Exposed 2021-10-03 · 29 min
Panorama investigates the Pandora Papers, one of the biggest offshore leaks in history, revealing the financial secrets of some of the most powerful people on the planet. Reporter Richard Bilton uncovers the hidden offshore deals that presidents, prime ministers and royalty don’t want you to know about.
S69 · E35Pandora Papers: Political Donors Exposed 2021-10-04 · 29 min
When political parties accept donations, they are required to check who the donor is but not where the money actually comes from. Panorama's investigation of the Pandora Papers, one of the biggest offshore leaks in history, reveals the financial secrets of three major donors to the Conservative Party. Reporter Richard Bilton asks whether the rules governing political donations are fit for purpose. Update 3 December 2021: Following publication, Mr and Mrs Chernukhin have made legal complaints about this programme. They say that the programme is defamatory of them. In their complaint, they have told the BBC that no deal (corrupt or otherwise) was ultimately concluded with Mayor Luzhkov in respect of the properties in Moscow.
S69 · E36Afghanistan: Life under the Taliban 2021-10-13 · 29 min
Six weeks after the complete withdrawal of US-led coalition forces, Panorama reports on how life has changed for Afghan people under Taliban rule. The streets may be more peaceful now, but human rights are under attack, healthcare is crumbling and many families are struggling to find enough food. British Afghan journalist Najibullah Quraishi and his team meet leading Taliban figures and ask whether Afghanistan is once again harbouring the international terror group al-Qaeda.
S69 · E37Online Abuse: Why Do You Hate Me? 2021-10-18 · 29 min
Panorama investigates the rise of online abuse against women and asks why the police, the government and social media companies aren’t doing more to stop it. BBC reporter Marianna Spring discovers how social media algorithms are promoting hate and tracks down the trolls who send her abuse daily. She meets global politicians, Love Island contestants and a doctor on the frontline to explore the impact of online hate on women who use social media to do their job.
S69 · E38Coca-Cola's 100 Billion Bottle Problem 2021-08-25 · 29 min
Coca-Cola sells more than 100 billion throwaway plastic bottles each year. Panorama investigates their promises to crack down on plastic waste. Globally, more of Coke's plastic packaging is found littered than any other brand. Filming on the ground in Samoa, the Philippines and Uganda, this film asks if Coca-Cola is on track to achieve its pledge to create a world without waste.
S69 · E39Wild Weather: Our World Under Threat 2021-11-03
Panorama investigates a year of wild weather and hears how freak events are becoming increasingly commonplace, changing life right now for millions. This summer a small town was destroyed by fire after record-breaking high temperatures in the Pacific Northwest and Canada. Floods in Germany swept away entire villages. A plague of mice destroyed livelihoods in Australia's New South Wales. Dust storms from China swept thousands of miles to South Korea and the people of Madagascar are on the brink of the world’s first climate change-induced famine. By interrogating climate science and with exclusive access to new Met Office data, reporter Justin Rowlatt reveals where in the world the climate is changing the fastest and who will be most affected.
S69 · E40Online Pimps Exposed 2021-12-14 · 29 min
The sex industry has been transformed by the internet, and most sex workers now meet their customers through online sites. Their pictures can be seen next to adverts for lawn mowers and patio furniture, but has the move away from the streets made prostitution any safer for the women involved? Reporter Bronagh Munro investigates the online pimps who traffic vulnerable women for sex and the high-profile website that is helping them to cash in.
S69 · E41The Electric Car Revolution: Winners and Losers 2021-11-24 · 29 min
The electric vehicle revolution is hotting up, and Tesla is leading the charge. The trillion-dollar car company is now worth more than all the other major car makers put together. But where does Tesla get the rare metal for its car batteries, and how ethical is its supply chain? Reporter Darragh MacIntyre meets the African nuns who say Elon Musk’s company must do better. They’re demanding the world’s richest man does more to protect some of the poorest people on the planet.
S69 · E42Delivering Christmas: What’s in Store? 2021-12-01 · 29 min
As we gear up for Christmas, Panorama asks if the UK’s supply chains will be able to deliver in time. Reporter Jane Corbin goes on the distribution front line to hear from companies struggling to find enough HGV drivers to move essential foods around the country and speaks to farmers who fear their crops will be left to rot if they can’t find enough workers. With wages rising and the recent hike in energy prices putting pressure on costs, the programme analyses household bills and asks whether families are facing a New Year hangover.
S69 · E43Crisis in Care: Follow the Money 2021-12-06 · 29 min
Tens of thousands of elderly people live in care homes owned by international investors. Panorama asks how much money is being taken out of the system.
S69 · E44Buy Now, Pay Later: The New Debt Crisis? 2021-12-13 · 29 min
The way we shop is changing, and buying now and paying later has never been easier. Purchases made through companies like Klarna and Clearpay have tripled to an estimated £2.7bn. The companies say they are revolutionising credit by helping customers spread purchases over a number of months, but debt charities are becoming increasingly concerned. Reporter Ellie Flynn investigates the Buy Now Pay Later market’s close relationship with retailers and asks is enough being done to protect customers from ending up with big bills they can’t afford.