A major new three-part documentary about the Piper Alpha disaster will air on BBC this month, promising the "fullest account yet" of what went wrong.
The first episode of Disaster at Sea: The Piper Alpha Story will be shown on BBC Scotland on Sunday August 24 at 9pm and also on BBC Two the following evening.
The series will revisit the events of that night and the months beyond, to reveal "a bigger untold story of the rush for North Sea black gold" and the legacy of the disaster on industry and individuals for decades to come.
At the heart of the series will be the unique and compelling testimony heard in the Cullen Inquiry. Revoiced by actors, the words of the men who lived through that night tell a remarkable human story, one that speaks to tragedy, heroism, and an uncompromising quest to uncover the truth.
The series will also feature interviews with the wives, partners, and children whose lives were changed forever, and the medics, lawyers and journalists who were caught up in the disaster.
Over three hours the films will paint an in-depth picture of the tragedy, the forces behind it, and its far-reaching aftermath.
BBC Scotland’s head of commissioning Louise Thornton said: “The Piper Alpha disaster had a huge impact on communities in the North-east of Scotland and beyond.
“The series will tell this tragic story sensitively. It will draw on new interviews and the detailed testimonies of the Cullen Inquiry.
“Over three episodes the series will give the fullest account yet of what went wrong.”
All episodes will be available to watch on iPlayer on August 24.