Discovery Channel goes behind bars for The Krays: The Prison Years
LONDON, UK 3 August 2015: Discovery Channel delves into the untold story of infamous gangland duo the Kray twins in a one-off special commission, The Krays: The Prison Years.
The Krays: The Prison Years (1×60), produced by Woodcut Media, uses exclusive never-before seen footage, revealing interviews and subtle reconstructions to provide an alternative view of the fearsome pair who spent half of their lives locked up.
The documentary tracks their lives from the moment of arrest in 1968 to their deaths in 1995 and 2000, a period of history that has remained a mystery to the public for decades; from their 30-day trial and Ronnie Kray’s committal to Broadmoor, following his diagnosis as insane, to operations on the ‘outside’ and the twin’s various marriages inside.
The documentary is enhanced with first-hand accounts from the Kray’s friends and associates with contributors including mafia made man Wilf Pine, who was Ronnie Kray’s business manager, Freddie Foreman, the infamous gangland enforcer who was sentenced at the same time as the Krays for the disposal of the body of Jack ‘the hat’ McVitie and Maureen Flanagan, a close family friend and former model who Reggie proposed to three times whilst in prison.
Executive Producer Adam Jacobs said: “Using never-before-seen archive footage and those closest to the twins, we were able to reveal the secrets of their time behind bars and expose a different side to these notorious gangsters”.
Kate Beal, Chief Executive Officer & Joint Creative Director, Woodcut Media adds: “The story of the infamous Kray twins continues to captivate public interest and imagination, however up until now, little has been told of their time spent in prison. Through exclusive access to leading experts, the Kray’s confidants and archive that has long been restricted to the public, we take viewers on a powerful and compelling journey through their prison years.”
The Krays: The Prison Years was commissioned by Dan Korn, the former SVP Special Projects at Discovery for Graham Lafferty, head of Discovery Channel UK and Ireland. Kate Beal is Executive Producer for Woodcut Media. The documentary will air on Discovery Channel in the UK and Ireland in September.
ENDS
About Discovery Communications
Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) is the world’s #1 pay-TV programmer, reaching nearly 3 billion cumulative subscribers in more than 220 countries and territories. For 30 years, Discovery has been dedicated to satisfying curiosity and entertaining viewers with high-quality content through its global television brands, led by Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, investigation Discovery, Science and Turbo/Velocity, as well as U.S. joint venture network OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network. Discovery controls Eurosport, the leading pan-regional sports entertainment destination across Europe, Asia-Paci_c, the Middle East and Africa. Discovery also is a leading provider of educational products and services to schools, including an award-winning series of K-12 digital textbooks, through Discovery Education, and a digital leader with a diversified online portfolio, including Discovery Digital Networks. Discovery Networks International distributes 50 international brands via 352 localized feeds, with programming available in 45 languages. For more information, please visit www.discoverycommunications.com.
About Woodcut Media
With offices in London and Hampshire, Woodcut Media, a member of the family of Bob & Co businesses, specialises in the production of documentaries, producing specialist factual, factual entertainment and lifestyle programming and providing innovative and entertaining programmes for UK and international broadcasters. Woodcut Media’s operations are spearheaded by leading doc producer Kate Beal, who over the years has established strong relations with key broadcasters such as A+E Networks, Discovery Networks, ITV, and UK TV, as well as partnerships with leading distributors such as DRG, Content Media, Sky Vision, TCB Media Rights and Flame Distribution.
