Crimewatch – Wikipedia

British television programme produced by the BBC

British TV series or program

Crimewatch (formerly Crimewatch UK) is 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 cancellation 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 (which translates as File Reference XY … Unsolved). 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 joined the show.^[1]

Kirsty Young and Matthew Amroliwala replaced Ross and Bruce following their departures in 2007. The BBC announced on 15 October 2008 that they would move production of shows such as Crimewatch to studios in Cardiff.^[2] 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.^[3] 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 cancelled, citing declining viewership.^[4] The daytime spin-off series Crimewatch Roadshow (now Crimewatch Live) would continue to air, but will also air more episodes per year.^[5]Crime NI, a similar live monthly programme in partnership with Crimestoppers UK, was aired from 3 September 2021 to 11 April 2022 on BBC One Northern Ireland and presented by Wendy Austin and Dearbhail McDonald.^[6]

History[edit]

The idea for the show came from the UK programme Police 5 and the German Aktenzeichen XY… ungelöst (File Reference XY … Unsolved).^[7] 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 (particularly for sexual assaults).^[8] However, they favoured the idea of audience participation in the show.^[8]

Originally, Crimewatch UK (as it was then known) was due to run for only three programmes.^[9] It was regarded as an experiment when it was first shown due to doubts that the police would take part and^[9] scepticism as to whether witnesses and victims would welcome the idea. There was also concern that it could be considered to prejudice 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.^{[citation needed]}

The original theme music was “Rescue Helicopter” (1980) by John Cameron (Bruton Music).^[10]

Show format[edit]

Main programme[edit]

Crimewatch used to be shown once a month on BBC One usually at 9pm, with a Crimewatch Update at 10.35 (following the BBC News at Ten). Since March 2011 the show aired less frequently, roughly once every two months.^[11] 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.^[12] 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[edit]

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.

Involvement[edit]

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.^[12]

Despite initial police concerns about involvement^[9] (only three forces out of more than 40 agreed to participate initially), 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.^{[citation needed]}

Ratings and public response[edit]

At its peak, Crimewatch was seen by 14 million viewers per week. However, by 2017, credited to competition from other programmes, it had fallen to an average of 3 million.^[5]

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”.^[13] However, according to John Sears, senior English lecturer at Manchester Metropolitan University,^[14][15] 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.”^[16]

Presenters[edit]

Lead presenters[edit]

Presenter	Year	Additional information
Nick Ross	1984–2007	The main anchor and longest-serving presenter of the series since its inception. His catchphrase, “Don’t have nightmares, do sleep well” (which closed out most episodes), became a household phrase and was often spoofed in numerous other TV shows. During his time on the show, he had three co-presenters: Sue Cook, Jill Dando and Fiona Bruce. From May 1999 until January 2000, Ross presented the show alone following the murder of Jill Dando. He left the programme in July 2007 to concentrate on other broadcasting projects.
Sue Cook	1984–1995	British broadcaster and author, and first co-presenter of the series. Unlike her successors, Cook acted more as a second main anchor, sometimes presenting a larger segment of the programme than Ross. Cook left the series in June 1995 to focus on other broadcasting projects.
Jill Dando	1995–1999	British broadcaster and newsreader. Second co-presenter of the series, appointed following Sue Cook’s departure. The edition of Crimewatch broadcast on 20 April 1999 would be Dando’s last; she was murdered six days later (26 April). Her murder was reconstructed on the May 1999 programme, where an appeal for witnesses was made. Calls made by viewers initially draw the police onto a new line of enquiry, in which they identified suspect Barry George, who was later convicted of the killing, but was acquitted in August 2008 following an appeal. No further appeals for information were ever made on the programme, and the murder remains unsolved to this day.
Fiona Bruce	2000–2007	British broadcaster and newsreader. Third co-presenter of the series, appointed in January 2000 following the murder of Jill Dando the previous year. Bruce co-hosted with Ross until his departure in July 2007, but left the show in December 2007 to host Antiques Roadshow.
Kirsty Young	2008–2015	Former newsreader for ITV and Channel Five who became the main anchor of the show in January 2008. Young departed the series in December 2015 after seven years.[17]
Matthew Amroliwala	2008–2015	British newsreader who became the show’s fourth co-presenter, Amroliwala hosted both the “How they were caught” and “update” segments. He left the show in March 2015 to focus on his other role of international affairs correspondent for BBC News.
Martin Bayfield	2012–2016	Former rugby player and policeman turned sports commentator, who took over from Rav Wilding in January 2012 as the presenter of the “Caught on Camera” segment. Bayfield was the only remaining full-time presenter on the show when the BBC chose to reboot the format, and did not return.
Jason Mohammad	2015–2016	British rugby commentator and journalist, who initially took over from Amroliwala for two months on a temporary basis, before returning in October 2015 as a full-time presenter. Mohammad did not return to the show when the format was rebooted in September 2016.
Jeremy Vine	2016–2017	British newsreader, presenter and journalist who took over as main anchor as part of a new rebooted format in September 2016, which saw the programme travel across the country and broadcast from the scene of one of the main appeals featured in the episode.
Tina Daheley	2016–2017	British newsreader and former BBC Radio 1 journalist who took over as co-presenter in September 2016, taking over the roles of both Mohammad and Bayfield, presenting the “Caught on Camera”, “How they were caught” and “update” segments.

Police officers[edit]

Presenter	Year	Additional information
Chief Supt. David Hatcher	1984–1999	At the time of his appointment a Chief Inspector, Hatcher presented the “Photocall” section for 15 years. The first and longest-serving police officer to feature on the programme, Hatcher retired from both the force and the programme in October 1999, having reached the rank of Chief Superintendent. During his time on the show, he had two co-presenters: PC Helen Phelps and DS Jacqui Hames.
PC Helen Phelps	1984–1990	Co-presenter of the “Photocall” section alongside David Hatcher for six years.
DS Jacqui Hames	1990–2005	Succeeded Helen Phelps as co-presenter of the ‘Photocall’ section alongside David Hatcher. Remained with the show for 16 years, before quitting in 2005. Co-presented the Friday episode of Crimewatch Roadshow in 2013.[18]
Rav Wilding	2004–2011	A Detective Constable at the time of joining the show in June 2004 on its 20th anniversary, Wilding host a segment entitled “Caught on Camera”, which replaced the previously featured “Photocall” section. Wilding departed the main show in December 2011, but continues to present the Crimewatch Roadshow.

Stand-in presenters[edit]

Presenter	Year	Additional information
Pattie Coldwell	1988	Co-presented episode broadcast in April 1988 as Sue Cook was unavailable.
Sian Williams	2012 and 2015	Williams acted as main anchor in episodes broadcast in July 2012, May 2015 and October 2015, as Kirsty Young was unavailable.
Sonali Shah	2015	Presented four shows in the wake of Amroliwala’s departure, before Jason Mohammad was appointed as a main presenter.
Sophie Raworth	2016	Took over as temporary main anchor following Kirsty Young’s departure. She presented the first three shows of 2016, before the show was taken off-air and rebooted with Jeremy Vine as main anchor.

Featured cases[edit]

Victims[edit]

Suspects and criminal offenders[edit]

Transmissions[edit]

Series	Start date	End date	Episodes	Main presenter(s)	Co-presenter(s)
1	7 June 1984	20 December 1984	6[44]	Nick Ross	Sue Cook David Hatcher Helen Phelps (Absent for Episode 2 of Series 4)
2	21 January 1985	12 December 1985	9[44]
3	30 January 1986	18 December 1986	10[44]
4	29 January 1987	8 December 1987	10[44]
5	12 January 1988	8 December 1988	10[44]
6	12 January 1989	7 December 1989	11[44]
7	18 January 1990	6 December 1990	10[44]		Sue Cook David Hatcher (Absent for Episode 4) Helen Phelps (Episodes ?–?) Jacqui Hames (Episodes 4–10) Colin Fry (Episode 4)
8	17 January 1991	5 December 1991	10[44]		Sue Cook David Hatcher Jacqui Hames
9	23 January 1992	10 December 1992	10[44]
10	21 January 1993	9 December 1993	10[44]
11	20 January 1994	2 December 1994	10[44]
12	19 January 1995	13 December 1995	10[44]		Sue Cook (Episodes 1–6) Jill Dando (Episodes 7–10) David Hatcher Jacqui Hames
13	25 January 1996	10 December 1996	10[44]		Jill Dando David Hatcher Jacqui Hames
14	14 January 1997	16 December 1997	13[44]
15	27 January 1998	15 December 1998	13[44]
16	26 January 1999	14 December 1999	10[44]		Jill Dando (Episodes 1–4) David Hatcher (Episodes 1–8) Jacqui Hames
17	25 January 2000	13 December 2000	11[44]		Fiona Bruce Jacqui Hames
18	24 January 2001	20 December 2001	12[44]
19	13 February 2002	18 December 2002	13[44]
20	5 February 2003	17 December 2003	11[44]
21	27 January 2004	14 December 2004	11[44]		Fiona Bruce Jacqui Hames Rav Wilding (Episodes 6–11)
22	1 February 2005	20 December 2005	12[44]		Fiona Bruce Jacqui Hames (Episodes 1–?) Rav Wilding
23	31 January 2006	20 December 2006	11[44]		Fiona Bruce Rav Wilding
24	8 February 2007	20 December 2007	10[45]	Nick Ross (Episodes 1–6) Fiona Bruce (Episodes 7–10)	Fiona Bruce (Episodes 1–6) Rav Wilding
25	23 January 2008	15 December 2008	10[45]	Kirsty Young	Matthew Amroliwala Rav Wilding (Absent for Episodes 2 & 3 of Series 28)
26	27 January 2009	21 December 2009	10[45]
27	27 January 2010	14 December 2010	10[45]
28	26 January 2011	15 December 2011	8[45]
29	26 January 2012	21 November 2012	8[45]	Kirsty Young Sophie Raworth (Episode 2) Sian Williams (Episode 5)	Matthew Amroliwala Martin Bayfield (Episodes 2–8)
30	14 February 2013	28 November 2013	8[45]	Kirsty Young	Matthew Amroliwala Martin Bayfield
31	22 January 2014	4 December 2014	8[45]
32	21 January 2015	14 December 2015	8[45]	Kirsty Young (Episodes 1–2, 4–5, 7–8) Sian Williams (Episodes 3 & 6)	Martin Bayfield (Episodes 1–5, 7–8) Matthew Amroliwala (Episodes 1–2) Sonali Shah (Episodes 3–6) Jason Mohammad (Episodes 6–8)
33	8 February 2016	10 March 2016	2[45]	Sophie Raworth	Martin Bayfield Jason Mohammad
34	5 September 2016	26 September 2016	4[45]	Jeremy Vine	Tina Daheley
35	27 February 2017	20 March 2017	3[45]

Spin-offs[edit]

Crimewatch File[edit]

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.^[46] Presented by Nick Ross and Sue Cook concurrently (with Jill Dando taking over from Cook in 1996), 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[edit]

Crime Limited was the second spin-off from Crimewatch which took cameras behind the scenes of the crimes. The first series aired on BBC One over ten episodes in 1992 and was presented by Nick Ross^[47] and Sue Cook. A second series ran in 1993 and a third series ran in 1994.^[48][49]

[edit]

First aired in late 1998,^[50]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,^[51] the series was presented by Emma Howard. Around ten episodes were broadcast, with the final episode airing on 25 August 1999.

[edit]

Title	Airdate	Presenter(s)
Crimewatch Extra 1	8 February 1999	Emma Howard[53]
Crimewatch Extra 2	9 March 1999[54]
Crimewatch Extra 3	6 April 1999[55]
Crimewatch Extra 4	6 May 1999[56]
Crimewatch Extra 5	2 June 1999[57]
Crimewatch Extra 6	30 June 1999[58]
Crimewatch Extra 7	28 July 1999[59]
Crimewatch Extra 8	25 August 1999[60]

Crimewatch Solved[edit]

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.^[61] Aside from 2002, a new edition was broadcast every year until 2010, when the thirteenth and final edition aired on 1 September 2010.

Crimewatch Live[edit]

The BBC has aired a number of weekday Crimewatch programmes. Originally shown between 2000 and 2001, Crimewatch Daily was the first 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. Originally shown between 2009 and 2020, Crimewatch Roadshow was the second daily version of the programme, that was broadcast on weekdays from 9:15 to 10:00am. From 8 March 2021, the show’s name was changed to Crimewatch Live and is aired between 10.00 and 10:45am on weekday mornings.

Crimewatch Specials[edit]

Crimewatch also aired a number of one-off programmes.

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.^[62]

Crimewatch Specials transmissions[edit]

Subtitle	Airdate	Presenter(s)
Hot Property	21 May 1997[62]	Jill Dando
Cracking Crime: Don’t Have Nightmares	18 September 2002[63]	Nick Ross Fiona Bruce Peter Snow
Killer on Camera	12 March 2008[64]	Kirsty Young
On the Streets 1	17 March 2008[65]
The Killing of Sally Ann Bowman	8 April 2008[66]
Innocent: the Colin Stagg Story	18 December 2008[67]	—
On the Streets 2	7 May 2009[68]	Kirsty Young
On the Streets 3	11 August 2009[69]
Catch Me If You Can: Murderers	17 May 2011[70]	Philip Glenister
Taken: The Milly Dowler Story	30 June 2011[71]	Kirsty Young
Riots Caught on Camera	18 August 2011[72]	Rav Wilding
Catch Me If You Can: Armed Robbers	6 September 2011[73]	Philip Glenister
Caught in the Crossfire	23 August 2012[74]	Kirsty Young

New Zealand version[edit]

A licensed New Zealand version of Crimewatch was broadcast on TVNZ from 1987 until 1996 and was replaced by NZI Crimescene which was aired in 1997 and 1998. Based on the original BBC format, it was shown once a month on TV One.

In its first year, Crimewatch was shown on fourth Mondays at 8pm before moving to fourth Tuesdays at 8pm in 1988 and 8.30pm from 1989 (with a Crimewatch Update aired at around 11pm) until mid-1996. The programme moved to TV2 on 1 August 1996 and aired at 8.30pm on a fourth Thursday until it ended later that year.

Ian Johnstone presented the New Zealand version throughout its entire run, and was joined by Natalie Brunt (1987–88), Carol Hirschfeld (1989–93), Tiana Tofilau (1994) and Mairanga White (1995–96) as successive co-presenters. Calls to the show’s special phoneline helped police solve approximately 1,400 cases.^[75]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

External links[edit]