Shaw wins first C5 order for Japan disaster doc

Shaw, now editorial director at ITN Productions, will executive produce fast-turnaround documentary Tsunami: British Search And Rescue. It will air on 5 April and follows British efforts in the aftermath of the earthquake.

The 60-minute doc follows the work of the UK International Search and Rescue Team, which was sent to Japan to help survivors immediately after the disaster.

The ITN film crew left the UK at the same time as the rescue team and documented its work as it battled physical obstacles, emotional strain and the threat of radiation. Tsunami: British Search And Rescue was ordered by John Hay, commissioning editor for factual at C5.

Hay said ITN had captured an array of remarkable footage. “The access the ITN team had was second to none, and the track record of ITN Productions means I know we’ll get a powerful and moving film.”

Shaw added: “It’s the type of ultra-topical, high-quality current affairs programming that ITN Productions excels in.”

Shaw re-joined ITN Productions in January in the newly created role, having previously held several senior positions at the business before leaving to join C5 at its launch in 1997.

The doc will follow Channel 4’s rival fast-turnaround effort, Japan’s Tsunami: How It Happened, produced by Pioneer Productions, which aired on 24 March.