Crimewatch


Crimewatch was a British television programme produced by the BBC, that reconstructs major unsolved crimes in order to gain information from the public which may assist in solving the case. The programme was originally broadcast once a month on BBC One, although in the final years before axing it was usually broadcast roughly once every two months.
Crimewatch was first broadcast on 7 June 1984, and is based on the German TV show Aktenzeichen XY … ungelöst. Nick Ross and Sue Cook presented the show for the first eleven years, until Cook's departure in June 1995. Cook was replaced by Jill Dando. After Dando was murdered in April 1999, Ross hosted Crimewatch alone until January 2000 when Fiona Bruce subsequently joined the show.
Kirsty Young and Matthew Amroliwala replaced Ross and Bruce following their departures in 2007. It was announced on 15 October 2008 that the BBC would move the production of shows such as Crimewatch to studios in Cardiff. Young and Amroliwala remained as the lead presenters until 2015. Following a brief period with guest presenter Sophie Raworth in 2016, it was announced that the show would relaunch in September 2016 with a new weekly format. The new presenters were announced as Jeremy Vine and Tina Daheley. The new series began on 5 September 2016, with the final episode broadcast on 20 March 2017.
In October 2017, the BBC announced that the main Crimewatch series had been axed, citing declining viewership. The daytime spin-off series Crimewatch Roadshow would continue to air, but will also air more episodes per year.

History

The idea for the show came from the UK programme Police Five and the German Aktenzeichen XY … ungelöst. Producers viewed the shows and rejected the overt reconstructions with music to build suspense in America's Most Wanted, and were also against the idea of filming the reconstruction from the perspective of the offender as in Aktenzeichen XY … ungelöst. However, they favoured the idea of audience participation in the show. Originally, Crimewatch UK was due to run for only three programmes. It was regarded as an experiment when it was first shown, partly because of doubts about whether the police would take part, witnesses and victims would welcome the idea, could it actually lead to arrests, and could it be considered in prejudicing a jury. In over 25 years, 57 murderers, 53 rapists and sex offenders, 18 paedophiles, and others were captured as a direct result of Crimewatch appeals.

Show format

Crimewatch used to be shown once a month on BBC One usually at 9pm, with a Crimewatch Update at 10.35. Since March 2011 the show aired less frequently, roughly once every two months. It featured approximately three or four cases per show, with each case featuring reconstructions of the crime. It was one of the largest live factual studio productions. The films shown often feature interviews with senior detectives and/or relatives or friends of victims. Key evidence is usually shown, such as E-FIT profiles of suspects and details of certain lines of enquiry.
Other features to the show included a "CCTV section", which showed crimes caught on CCTV with enhanced imagery of suspects. A "Wanted Faces" section was also featured: eight close-up pictures of suspects police are trying to trace are shown on screen. This section also frequently involves information about suspects, including aliases. These eight photos are shown upon the programme's closing credits, one of the few programmes in which the BBC do not 'show the credits in reduced size'.
Viewers could contact Crimewatch by phoning 0500 600 600, with the phone lines remaining open until midnight the night following the programme. Viewers could also send text messages to 63399. Due to the high demand for cases to be shown on the programme, many other cases are added to the Crimewatch website. These are joined by reconstructions, CCTV footage and wanted faces that have been shown on previous programmes. All reconstructions, CCTV footage, faces and cases remain on the Crimewatch website until the criminals are caught or suspects convicted. Crimewatch can be watched on the BBC iPlayer catch-up service for 24 hours from broadcast.

''Crimewatch Update''

Following the main programme, there was a 10–15 minute follow-up after the BBC News at Ten, with updates on calls and results from the earlier broadcast. This was removed when the show relaunched in September 2016.

Spin-offs

''Crimewatch File''

First aired on 10 August 1988, Crimewatch File is an hour-long programme devoted to the reconstruction and investigation of a single case including cases that the programme has previously helped to solve. Presented by Nick Ross and Sue Cook concurrently, more than thirty editions aired until April 2000, when the final edition, fronted by Ross, was broadcast. Following this, in latter years of the main Crimewatch programme, episodes would regularly feature segments and reports in a very similar vein to Crimewatch File.

''Crime Limited''

First aired on 28 April 1992, Crime Limited was the first spin-off from Crimewatch, described by producers as "a new ten-part series that takes the cameras behind the scenes of crime." Presented by Nick Ross and Sue Cook, the series includes features and reports that Ross described as " form part of our appeal for information". Ross commented that, "Crime Limited gives us the chance to go into these stories. Some are exciting, some are reassuring and some are frankly funny. Some, we hope, will help to limit crime." Cook left Crime Limited after the first series, leaving Ross as the sole presenter for two further series, which aired in 1993 and 1994.

''Crimewatch: Hot Property''

First aired on 21 May 1997, Crimewatch: Hot Property was a one-off special presented by Jill Dando. The programme's aim was to help people find their stolen property that were recovered in police raids.

''Crimewatch Extra''

First aired in late 1998, Crimewatch Extra was a short-lived spin-off from the main programme, which would give updates and reports received on the cases featured in the previous month's programme. Broadcast on BBC Choice, the series was presented by Emma Howard. Around ten episodes were broadcast, with the final episode airing on 25 August 1999.

''Crimewatch Solved''

Beginning on 10 August 1999, a new yearly programme entitled Crimewatch: Solved was transmitted, showing cases previously featured on the programme that resulted in convictions. Aside from 2002, a new edition was broadcast every year until 2010, when the thirteenth and final edition aired on 1 September 2010. Occasionally, episodes would review an entire high-profile case, such as an edition dedicated solely to the murder of Sarah Payne.

''Crimewatch Daily''

First aired on 27 November 2000, Crimewatch Daily was a daily version of the programme, aired between 10:00 and 11:00am on weekday mornings, that appealed for help with unsolved cases not covered in the main programme. Broadcast from a specially designed studio at New Scotland Yard, the series was presented by Phil Gayle and Jane Moore. Two further series aired throughout 2001, before the final edition was broadcast on 7 December 2001.

''Crimewatch Roadshow''

First broadcast on 1 June 2009, Crimewatch Roadshow is a daily version of the programme, in a similar vein to its predecessor Crimewatch Daily, that broadcasts on weekdays from 9:15 to 10:00am. As of 2009, the main Crimewatch programme did not broadcast in June, being instead replaced by twenty shows broadcast on a daily basis throughout the month. The Crimewatch Roadshow broadcasts live from a different area of the country for each episode, often containing features on how the local police force helps to solve everyday crime. To date, ten series of the show have been broadcast. Rav Wilding has presented all ten series, first appearing as a co-presenter alongside Sophie Raworth before being promoted to main anchor from the second series onwards.
Ginny Buckley, Miriam O'Reilly, Dave Guest, Alice Bandhukvari, Nicola Rees, Sian Lloyd, Sonali Shah, Michelle Ackerley and Tina Daheley have all appeared as co-presenters throughout the series' run. During the fifth series, former Crimewatch presenter Jacqui Hames co-presented every Friday, updating viewers on success stories from years past. In October 2017, it was announced that following the cancellation of the main programme, Crimewatch Roadshow would now broadcast two series per year.

Involvement

Several police officers have appeared on the programme from the studio, including David Hatcher, Helen Phelps, Jeremy Paine, Jacqui Hames, Jonathan Morrison, Jane Corrigan, and Rav Wilding. For many years the programme also included antiques experts John Bly, Eric Knowles and Paul Hayes to help with 'treasure trove' details of recovered goods believed to have been stolen.
Despite initial police concerns about involvement, Crimewatch developed a special status with police and was credited with an expertise of its own, notably through Nick Ross' long experience with public appeals. Unlike the American equivalent, America's Most Wanted, Crimewatch itself usually appeals for unsolved cases inviting viewers to be armchair detectives. According to the producers, about a third of its cases are solved, half of those as a direct result of viewers' calls. Its successes have included some of Britain's most notorious crimes, including the kidnap of Stephanie Slater and murder of Julie Dart, the M25 rapist, the road-rage killing by Kenneth Noye, and the capture of two boys for the abduction and murder of James Bulger.
Over the years, Crimewatch has featured appeals from all 43 police forces in the country. 1 in 3 appeals leads to an arrest and 1 in 5 lead to a conviction. 4 or 5 requests to air appeals are received from police forces every day.

Ratings and public response

At its peak, Crimewatch was seen by 14 million viewers per week. However, by 2017, credited to competition from other programs, it had fallen to an average of 3 million.
A study by the Broadcasting Standards Council found that Crimewatch increased the fear of crime in over half of its respondents, and a third said it made them feel "afraid". However, according to John Sears, senior English lecturer at Manchester Metropolitan University, it provides a beneficial role, performing "a social function by helping to solve crime, and drawing on the collective responsibilities, experiences and knowledge of the viewing audience in order to do so."

Presenters

Main show

Police officers

Stand-in presenters

''Crimewatch Roadshow''

Featured cases

Victims

''Crimewatch''

''Crimewatch Daily''

''Crimewatch Roadshow''

''Crimewatch File''

''Crimewatch Solved''

''Crimewatch Specials''

''Crimewatch Extra''

''Crime Limited''