The Grand Hotel, Brighton on the night of the bombing. (Image: BBC/Keo Films/Collection/Getty Images)
As the 40th anniversary of the Brighton Bomb approaches, a feature-length BBC documentary for BBC Two and iPlayer from the makers of the award-winning Once Upon A Time In Northern Ireland includes new and exclusive testimony from some of those who were there, and those who were involved in the atrocity.
The Brighton bomb which exploded on 12 October 1984 was one of the IRA’s most significant attacks on mainland Britain during the Troubles. Directly targeting Margaret Thatcher, the bomb blew a gaping hole in the Grand Hotel. Although the Prime Minister was physically unharmed, the bomb had devastating consequences.
Five people were killed in the blast and 31 others were seriously injured.
Patrick Magee received eight life sentences for his role in planting the Brighton bomb and was released in 1999 as part of the Good Friday agreement, having served 14 years of his 35 year sentence.
In 2022, Pat Magee gave a revealing in-depth interview about his role in the bombing. In addition to Magee’s interview, this film includes the testimony of those whose lives were profoundly affected by the Brighton bomb, some of them speaking publicly for the first time.
Contributors include Edward and Jo Berry whose father was killed in the attack; John Gummer, former Conservative Party Chairman who was with Mrs Thatcher the moment the bomb went off; a Special Branch Surveillance Officer responsible for trying to prevent IRA attacks in England during the 1980s; and an eyewitness who worked at a local nightclub. The film also draws on archive material from the time.
The Brighton Bomb is an emotional and tense story.
Magee planted the bomb three weeks before the Conservative Party Conference, and it lay hidden behind a bathtub in room 629 all that time.
The film looks at the politics of this period, the devastation of the night itself, the subsequent search for Magee and his arrest, and how the Brighton bombing continues to have present-day effects, including for its many victims.
Clare Sillery, BBC Head of Commissioning, Documentaries, says:
“The Brighton Bomb was a deadly attack aimed at the very heart of the British establishment. Forty years on, this film tells the story through the eyes of those who were directly involved and affected. These personal perspectives raise profound questions for us all - about political violence, revenge and remorse. Is it ever right to forget? And is it possible to forgive?”
Eddie Doyle, Head of Commissioning, BBC Northern Ireland, says:
“This is an important and timely addition to our portfolio of programmes exploring the legacy and impact of the Troubles. Having Keo Films and Walk On Air at the helm, the team behind Once Upon A Time In Northern Ireland, means the story around this particular event will be told in a sensitive, revealing and compelling way.”
The documentary will air tonight Tuesday, 8 October from 9:00pm - 10:15pm, and afterwards on BBC iPlayer.