That Summer Day
Encyclopedia
That Summer Day is a one-hour docudrama
directed by Jon East, written by Clive Bradley (who also wrote Last Rights
), produced by Hannah Pescod and executive produced by Jon East and Mark Redhead
that provides a fictional account of the lives of six children on the day of the bombings of the London public transport system
on 7 July 2005. The drama combines fictional elements and archive footage from television and radio to document the effect the events had on the children. The programme's creation is the result from the correspondence the CBBC
website received following the events, from children struggling to come to terms with it. In the early development of the show, the creators visited schools and people from charities like ChildLine
, who had talked to children about the subject, to find out which themes and issues the programme needed to address to properly respond to the questions raised by children. The programme was filmed on location in London and at Islington Green School
. Several of its students were extras
during filming.
In the press release announcing the programme, executive producer
Mark Redhead said:
The racial and religious tension described becomes apparent when the Muslim
character Ayesha is not allowed on the bus by the bus driver because Muslim extremists are suspected to be involved in the attack. Another character, Ben, goes to find his father who travels through one of the affected stations, Liverpool Street tube station, on a daily basis.
The programme was broadcast on BBC2 exactly a year after the events it was based, on at 16:30 local time. It was later repeated on the CBBC Channel
on Sunday 9 July 2006 at 18:00 local time. The programme is the first fictionalized account of the attacks in the history of British children's television. The programme was repeated on the second anniversary of the bombings on the CBBC Channel at 17:00 local time and on 25 November 2007 the programme received a Children's BAFTA in the category Best Drama.
brown belt who just moved to London from Cleethorpes
, learns London has won the bid to host the 2012 Olympics. Unfortunately, his mood and his first day at his new school are quickly ruined when he learns the London Underground
has been bombed. His new-found friend Ben leaves school property in search of his father who may be at one of the attacked stations. Jack follows him.
As soon as the school staff learn about the attacks through a phone call from a concerned parent, the trip to a music competition is immediately cancelled and the music teacher convinces the students to practice in the music room until they can leave. Muslim Bass Guitar player Ayesha has been the focus of bully Kelly Davies since the start of the day when she accidentally bumped into her and made her drop her mobile phone. Kelly and her friend Marie start to taunt Ayesha and her friend Mike, saying that they're an item. This culminates in Kelly stealing Ayesha's brand new mobile phone. She warns her not to tell anyone or she'll be 'sorrier than she can dream'. However, Mike tells their teacher and gets Kelly punished. Ayesha is angry with him for the rest of the day and only forgives him when they're on their way home.
Kelly turns on Marie when she shows remorse for joining her in bullying Ayesha and throws her book out of the window.
Jack and Ben are still intent on finding Liverpool Street station
where Ben's dad works. When they enter a shop to ask for directions, a man agrees to take them there. When he attempts to mug Ben, Jack uses his judo skills to trip him up and the two boys run for their lives.
The entire class is waiting for the bus, but upon seeing Ayesha and her sister Jamilia, the driver makes a comment about not having their jihad
on his bus , closes the doors and drives off, leaving most of the kids out on the street. Kelly starts picking on Ayesha again, until Marie finally snaps at her telling her how stupid she is. Kelly turns away and walks home angrily. Ayesha, Mike and Jamilia walk the other way, discussing the mad and bitter bus driver.
Ben eventually finds his dad, who's covered in patches of soot and blood stains; he was travelling on one of the bombed underground trains and was one carriage down from the explosion. He's still in shock from what he's observed and most of his clothes are damaged by fire and shrapnel. He stops at a café and tells them he had to make a statement due to being so close to bomb. The carnage and devastation he's been made to see of those dying, dead and mutilated prove too much and he breaks down in tears as Ben and Jack look on taken aback of seeing Ben's dad crying. Eventually Ben, his dad and Jack go back to their homes. Jack's mum walks into her son's room to see him tearing up a newspaper with the Olympic rings on them and says that London won't always be like this. Jack sticks the picture on the wall and says that he thinks he's going to like it here.
Docudrama
In film, television programming and staged theatre, docudrama is a documentary-style genre that features dramatized re-enactments of actual historical events. As a neologism, the term is often confused with docufiction....
directed by Jon East, written by Clive Bradley (who also wrote Last Rights
Last Rights (TV serial)
Last Rights is a British three part mini-series, which first aired on Channel 4 on 24 March 2005.-Plot:It is set in the year 2009 in a Britain where voter apathy is at an all time high and a new political party has just been voted into office...
), produced by Hannah Pescod and executive produced by Jon East and Mark Redhead
Mark Redhead
British producer, director, and occasional actor. He was the producer of Bloody Sunday and an executive producer of God on Trial. He has been nominated for several awards and won a BAFTA TV Award in 2000 for The Murder of Stephen Lawrence.- Biography :...
that provides a fictional account of the lives of six children on the day of the bombings of the London public transport system
7 July 2005 London bombings
The 7 July 2005 London bombings were a series of co-ordinated suicide attacks in the United Kingdom, targeting civilians using London's public transport system during the morning rush hour....
on 7 July 2005. The drama combines fictional elements and archive footage from television and radio to document the effect the events had on the children. The programme's creation is the result from the correspondence the CBBC
CBBC
CBBC is one of two brand names used for the BBC's children's television strands. Between 1985 and 2002, CBBC was the name given to all the BBC's programmes on TV for children aged under 14...
website received following the events, from children struggling to come to terms with it. In the early development of the show, the creators visited schools and people from charities like ChildLine
ChildLine
ChildLine is a free 24 hour counselling service for children and young people up to 18 in the UK provided by the NSPCC. ChildLine deals with any issue which causes distress or concern, common issues dealt with include child abuse, bullying, parental separation or divorce, pregnancy and substance...
, who had talked to children about the subject, to find out which themes and issues the programme needed to address to properly respond to the questions raised by children. The programme was filmed on location in London and at Islington Green School
Islington Green School
Islington Green School was a comprehensive mixed secondary school from 1966 to 2008. The school was situated in North London and had an age range of 11 to 16. The City of London Academy in Islington replaced Islington Green School in September 2008...
. Several of its students were extras
Extra (actor)
A background actor or extra is a performer in a film, television show, stage, musical, opera or ballet production, who appears in a nonspeaking, nonsinging or nondancing capacity, usually in the background...
during filming.
In the press release announcing the programme, executive producer
Executive producer
An executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...
Mark Redhead said:
The racial and religious tension described becomes apparent when the Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
character Ayesha is not allowed on the bus by the bus driver because Muslim extremists are suspected to be involved in the attack. Another character, Ben, goes to find his father who travels through one of the affected stations, Liverpool Street tube station, on a daily basis.
The programme was broadcast on BBC2 exactly a year after the events it was based, on at 16:30 local time. It was later repeated on the CBBC Channel
CBBC Channel
CBBC is a BBC television channel aimed at 6 to 12 year olds. It complements the CBBC programming that continues to air on BBC One and BBC Two. Launched on 11 February 2002, it broadcasts from 7am to 7pm on Freeview, cable, IPTV and digital satellite, occupying the same bandwidth as, but a different...
on Sunday 9 July 2006 at 18:00 local time. The programme is the first fictionalized account of the attacks in the history of British children's television. The programme was repeated on the second anniversary of the bombings on the CBBC Channel at 17:00 local time and on 25 November 2007 the programme received a Children's BAFTA in the category Best Drama.
Plot
In the morning Jack Brodie, a judoJudo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
brown belt who just moved to London from Cleethorpes
Cleethorpes
Cleethorpes is a town and unparished area in North East Lincolnshire, England, situated on the estuary of the Humber. It has a population of 31,853 and is a seaside resort.- History :...
, learns London has won the bid to host the 2012 Olympics. Unfortunately, his mood and his first day at his new school are quickly ruined when he learns the London Underground
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
has been bombed. His new-found friend Ben leaves school property in search of his father who may be at one of the attacked stations. Jack follows him.
As soon as the school staff learn about the attacks through a phone call from a concerned parent, the trip to a music competition is immediately cancelled and the music teacher convinces the students to practice in the music room until they can leave. Muslim Bass Guitar player Ayesha has been the focus of bully Kelly Davies since the start of the day when she accidentally bumped into her and made her drop her mobile phone. Kelly and her friend Marie start to taunt Ayesha and her friend Mike, saying that they're an item. This culminates in Kelly stealing Ayesha's brand new mobile phone. She warns her not to tell anyone or she'll be 'sorrier than she can dream'. However, Mike tells their teacher and gets Kelly punished. Ayesha is angry with him for the rest of the day and only forgives him when they're on their way home.
Kelly turns on Marie when she shows remorse for joining her in bullying Ayesha and throws her book out of the window.
Jack and Ben are still intent on finding Liverpool Street station
Liverpool Street station
Liverpool Street railway station, also known as London Liverpool Street or simply Liverpool Street, is both a central London railway terminus and a connected London Underground station in the north-eastern corner of the City of London, England...
where Ben's dad works. When they enter a shop to ask for directions, a man agrees to take them there. When he attempts to mug Ben, Jack uses his judo skills to trip him up and the two boys run for their lives.
The entire class is waiting for the bus, but upon seeing Ayesha and her sister Jamilia, the driver makes a comment about not having their jihad
Jihad
Jihad , an Islamic term, is a religious duty of Muslims. In Arabic, the word jihād translates as a noun meaning "struggle". Jihad appears 41 times in the Quran and frequently in the idiomatic expression "striving in the way of God ". A person engaged in jihad is called a mujahid; the plural is...
on his bus , closes the doors and drives off, leaving most of the kids out on the street. Kelly starts picking on Ayesha again, until Marie finally snaps at her telling her how stupid she is. Kelly turns away and walks home angrily. Ayesha, Mike and Jamilia walk the other way, discussing the mad and bitter bus driver.
Ben eventually finds his dad, who's covered in patches of soot and blood stains; he was travelling on one of the bombed underground trains and was one carriage down from the explosion. He's still in shock from what he's observed and most of his clothes are damaged by fire and shrapnel. He stops at a café and tells them he had to make a statement due to being so close to bomb. The carnage and devastation he's been made to see of those dying, dead and mutilated prove too much and he breaks down in tears as Ben and Jack look on taken aback of seeing Ben's dad crying. Eventually Ben, his dad and Jack go back to their homes. Jack's mum walks into her son's room to see him tearing up a newspaper with the Olympic rings on them and says that London won't always be like this. Jack sticks the picture on the wall and says that he thinks he's going to like it here.
Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Sanchez Adams | Ben |
| Rhea Karimpanal | Ayesha |
| Michael Curtis Parsons | Jack |
| Susie Wokoma | Marie |
| Perry Millward Perry Millward Perry Millward is a young British actor primarily known for his work on stage , and with a growing number of film and television credits... |
Mike |
| Rosie Mahoney | Kelly |
External links
- CBBC to screen London bombings drama
- Official show website at Hattrick.co.uk
- "Drama gives kids' view of bombing", Newsround article. (last updated 4 July 2006; accessed 6 July 2006)
- "Young actors tell their London bombing stories", Newsround article. (last updated 4 July 2006; accessed 6 July 2006)
- "In pictures: Behind-the-scenes at That Summer Day", Newsround article (last updated 4 July 2006; accessed 10 July 2010)
- "Q & A: That Summer Day producer Hannah Pescod", Newsround article (last update 6 July 2006; accessed 10 July 2010)
- "London bombings one year on: Your thoughts" (includes some reaction from children to the programme, Newsround article (last updated 10 July 2006; accessed 10 July 2010)