TV ShowEnded

Network First

1 season

107 episodes

Documentary

Network First is a wide-ranging documentary strand broadcast on ITV in the U.K. from January 1994 to December 1997, and was a part replacement for First Tuesday. Unlike other documentary series on ITV such as World in Action, Network First, was not centred on current affairs or politics, but broadcast a range of one-off programmes covering various subjects such as biography, history, and science. Programmes were usually transmitted in the 22:40 slot after News at Ten, each usually running for an hour. The strand was not "owned" by any one ITV franchise, and individual programmes were contributed by the various ITV companies. As a strand, Network First never became a household "name" - unlike the likes of World in Action or This Week - possibly because of its diverse subject matter. The series appears to have been dropped quietly by ITV in the lead up to the high-profile axing of both World in Action on 7 December 1998 and News at Ten on 5 March 1999.

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Cast

Sandeep Sharma

Seasons

Network First is a wide-ranging documentary strand broadcast on ITV in the U.K. from January 1994 to December 1997, and was a part replacement for First Tuesday.

Ep 1
1.Florence and Robin
04-01-1994
Documentary set in San Francisco about a lesbian couple who have a long-term relationship and want a child of their own.
2.Women Who Kill
11-01-1994
Five women explain why after years of mental and physical abuse they finally killed their partners.
Ep 3
3.An Everest to Climb
18-01-1994
In October 1993 a party of climbers left for the Himalayas, including seven British mountaineers who had mental or physical disabilities. The film follows their attempts to climb t...
Ep 4
4.Supermodels
25-01-1994
A revealing look at the fashion industry with supermodels Naomi Campbell and Christy Turlington. The programme goes behind the scenes at Paris Fashion Week and tells sad tales abou...
Ep 5
5.Bhopal: The Second Tragedy
01-02-1994
Mark Tully returns to Bhopal, 10 years after the gas leak, to find that the American chemical giant has wriggled out of its responsibility towards the victims of the world's worst...
Ep 6
6.Nightfighters
08-02-1994
Follows the formation of the 332nd fighter group in Italy during World War II, the first all black air squadron in the United States Air Force, from its beginnings in Tuskegee, Ala...
7.Children of the Holocaust
15-02-1994
History of four Jewish children who survived Auschwitz.
Ep 8
8.Top Chef
01-03-1994
Young chefs compete with other chefs at the Ecole Superieure de Cuisine Francaise, cooking classic dishes against the clock. They have five hours to create two perfect dishes for a...
Ep 9
9.Ballet School
08-03-1994
A behind-the-scenes look at a term in London's Central School of Ballet.
Ep 10
10.Last Voyage of the Lusitania
22-03-1994
Documentary on the sinking by a U-boat of the 'Lusitania' in 1915 in which nearly 1200 men, women and children were drowned. Dr Robert Ballard investigates the wreckage to see if t...
Ep 11
11.Stigmata: A Modern Miracle?
29-03-1994
A documentary examining evidence from people claiming to receive the open wounds of the stigmata. The programme features stigmatics from around the world, including the three from...
Ep 12
12.The War Against the Mafia Part 1: The Founding Father
05-04-1994
How America's law enforcement agencies tackled the Mafia. Concentrates on the Gambino family from 1980 to 1993. Includes secret FBI recordings, interviews and allegations that the...
Ep 13
13.The War Against the Mafia Part 2: Death in the Family
12-04-1994
The programme begins with the funeral of Carlo Gambino, the model for The GODFATHER. His successor, Paul Castellano, turned the Mafia into a billion dollar business by controlling...
Ep 14
14.The War Against the Mafia Part 3: The King of Little Italy
19-04-1994
The programme looks at the rise and fall of gangster, John Gotti, who took charge after arranging the murder of Paul Castellano. Bribing his way to freedom, justice finally caught...
Ep 15
15.Mandela: From Prison to President
26-04-1994
An intimate portrait of South Africa's President-in-waiting, looking at the sacrifices Mandela made in his quest for peace and power and examines the problems he will face in the f...
Ep 16
16.Inside the Channel Tunnel
03-05-1994
The story of the bi-lingual company Eurotunnel which has taken possession of the Channel Tunnel, opening on Friday, 6th May 1994.
Ep 17
17.The Professional Beggar
10-05-1994
Documentary about the Orbis International Flying Eye Hospital, a charity-funded medical service that works at restoring sight to the blind in Third World countries.
18.Apollo: When the World Held Its Breath
26-07-1994
Documentary telling the stories of Apollos 11 and 13, two of the most important missions in space exploration, revealing how close they came to fatal disasters.
Ep 19
19.Murder in the Family
08-08-1994
Documentary about Roderick and Newall, the brothers accused of murdering their wealthy parents in New Jersey, USA.
Ep 20
20.Date Rape: The Investigation
06-09-1994
Documentary drama of a typical "date-rape" case, using actors to represent the victim, the accused and their friends; but real professionals to represent the police, medics, judge...
Ep 21
21.Date Rape: The Trial Day 1
07-09-1994
The alleged victim gives her evidence and is cross-examined.
Ep 22
22.Date Rape: The Trial Day 2
08-09-1994
The prosecution witnesses are now taking the stand.
Ep 23
23.Date Rape: The Trial Day 3
09-09-1994
The alleged rapist is cross-examined and the summing-up begins.
Ep 24
24.Date Rape: The Verdict
13-09-1994
Follows the alleged victim's case through the Crown Court, giving her evidence to the Court and the defence demanding graphic details of the alleged rape. We hear the jury's delibe...
25.Waking from Coma
20-09-1994
Report from the Royal Hospital in Putney, London, where pioneering work is carried out on severely brain-damaged patients who are in deep comas.
Ep 26
26.Inside Castro's Cuba
27-09-1994
Documentary on Cuba after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Features an interview with President Fidel Castro who speaks about their economic crisis, the US economic blockade and C...
Ep 27
27.Miami Front Line
04-10-1994
Documentary about the tragedy taking place on the coastal waters off Florida, where thousands of Cuban and Haitian refugees have perished - the victims of sharks, storms and the su...
Ep 28
28.The Secrets of Porton Down
11-10-1994
Documentary about human guinea pigs being used at the secret Porton Down research facility to help with the development of chemical weapons. Former volunteers talk about their heal...
Ep 29
29.Nicholas and Alexandra Part 1: Anointed by God
18-10-1994
First of a two part programme about the assassination of the last Tsar, Nicholas, and his wife Alexandra amid the bloody Russian revolution. Includes testimonies, letters, diaries,...
Ep 30
30.Nicholas and Alexandra Part 2: The Slaying of the Tsars
25-10-1994
Prince Michael of Kent reveals details of the tragic deaths of the last Tsar and his family, and the consequent discovery and identification of the family's remains in woods close...
Ep 31
31.Stalker Investigates
01-11-1994
Former deputy Chief Constable John Stalker investigates the murder of Hilda Murrell in 1984, including her involvement in anti-nuclear activities and the sinking of the Argentine c...
Ep 32
32.The Russian Love Connection
08-11-1994
Documentary offers an insight into the burgeoning industry in Post-Communist Russia of supplying Russian women as brides for Western men. Also follows the women as they leave their...
33.Flying the Flag - Arming the World
15-11-1994
The British arms business and its implications in World politics.
Ep 34
34.The Visit: Coma - Connie's Story
22-11-1994
A return visit to Connie Taylor, who was knocked down by a car outside her house eight years ago and nearly died. Featured in THE VISIT in 1987,she was starting to recover from her...
Ep 35
35.The Visit: Chariots of Wire
29-11-1994
Documentary about three young British businessmen who design and manufacture a revolutionary cheap wheelchair which they make available to people all over the world through a chari...
Ep 36
36.The Visit: A Life for Polly
06-12-1994
Documentary on Polly East, a five-year-old who has been diagnosed with leukaemia. Follows her family as she undergoes the painful and distressing course of treatment.
Ep 37
37.Between Life and Death
13-12-1994
Documentary about the Near Death Experience, and scientific research which has tried to explain how people who have technically died can make astonishing recoveries and remember in...
Ep 38
38.Talking to the Enemy
20-12-1994
Documentary about IRA's foot-soldier Dermot Finucane. The programme also records the moving testimony of Robert Ewart-Briggs, whose father was blown up in 1976 by an IRA landmine,...
Ep 39
39.The Plague Monkeys
03-01-1995
Documentary about a group of viruses, known as filoviruses, which can kill within two weeks and which are transmitted via monkeys.
Ep 40
40.UFO
10-01-1995
Documentary about the phenomena of UFO sightings, and the history of authorities ignoring or debunking theories associated with them.
Ep 41
41.Love, Lies and Bigamy
17-01-1995
Documentary about the experiences of four modern bigamists - three men and a woman - who were prosecuted.
Ep 42
42.The Man Who Saved Animals
24-01-1995
Profile of conservationist Richard Leakey, the Director of the Kenya Wildlife Service, who for many years has been a prolific campaigner to save the world's wildlife.
Ep 43
43.Commando
07-02-1995
Documentary from behind the scenes with a Royal Marines commando unit as it takes part in a dramatic training exercise in Norway.
44.Desperately Seeking Asylum
14-02-1995
Report on the treatment of people arriving in Britain seeking asylum. Follows the stories of some of the refugees through each stage of the complicated process, and includes secret...
Ep 45
45.The Yardies
21-02-1995
Profile of the Yardies, a crime syndicate that's more powerful than the Mafia, originating from Kingston, Jamaica, now moving into Britain and America. A special police unit has be...
Ep 46
46.Confronting Crime
28-02-1995
Report on the pioneering work of Leeds Mediation and Reparation Service, as it brings victims and offenders face to face for the first time.
Ep 47
47.Hollywood Vice
07-03-1995
Profile of the career of detective Fred Clapp, who has been with the Los Angeles Vice Squad for 25 years, involved in undercover operations into prostitution and drug dealing to th...
Ep 48
48.The Troubleshooters
14-03-1995
For the last 25 years Belfast's leading press agency, Pacemaker, has built up a stunning visual record of The Troubles. It's photographers have witnessed the grief and suffering of...
Ep 49
49.Paul McKenna's Secrets of Hypnosis
21-03-1995
Documentary about hypnosis, exploring the uses for its technique, such as learning, pain control, and eyesight enhancement. Also looks into the more sinister uses of hypnosis for m...
Ep 50
50.Escape from Tibet
28-03-1995
The fortunes of a group of Tibetans as they try to escape from the Chinese over the Himalayas.
Ep 51
51.Small Miracles
04-04-1995
Documentary about the work of a London surgeon who operates on babies still in the womb, following a mother whose seriously ill unborn twins might be saved by womb surgery at the H...
Ep 52
52.What Makes Linford Run?
11-04-1995
Profile of the world class athlete Linford Christie and his relationship to his coach of 16 years, Ron Roddan.
Ep 53
53.Confession
18-04-1995
The subject matter of the television broadcast was a purported account by Mr Eamon Collins of his activities and experiences as a member of the Provisional IRA.
Ep 54
54.Vietnam: The Last Battle
25-04-1995
Documentary examining how Vietnam has fared since the end of the conflict with America twenty years ago. There is also a look at Hollywood distortion of the Vietnam War.
Ep 55
55.Confronting the Hit Men
02-05-1995
Documentary about the South African "Truth Commission", a reconciliation program, where former leaders of both black and white terror campaigns meet with the victims they orchestra...
Ep 56
56.Last Letters Home
09-05-1995
Re-creates nine Second World War stories through the letters that passed between forces abroad and their friends, families or lovers back home, including some servicemen who wrote...
Ep 57
57.Igor, Child of Chernobyl
06-06-1995
Documentary about Igor Pavlovets, who was conceived shortly after the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, and was born with deformities. The film follows Igor as he travels to England and doc...
Ep 58
58.Eilish: Life Without Katie
29-08-1995
Documentary about six-year-old Eilish Holton from Ireland, three years after she was surgically separated from her conjoined twin sister Katie, who sadly did not survive. This docu...
Ep 59
59.When a Woman Kills Her Man: The Investigation
05-09-1995
Documentary about domestic violence, portraying a hypothetical case of Rachel and Peter Palmer. Peter is found fatally wounded; and Rachel was charged with the murder.
Ep 60
60.When a Woman Kills Her Man: The Trial
12-09-1995
Concludes the dramatised examination of domestic violence, following the fictional trial of Rachel Palmer through to the verdict.
Ep 61
61.A Very Special Baby
19-09-1995
Documentary about the lives of four people involved in a surrogate birth. Christine had a hysterectomy at age 31, with the possibility of never having children. Then, her husband's...
Ep 62
62.They Shoot Horses, Don't They?
17-10-1995
Documentary from behind the scenes of British racing, revealing the way racehorses are treated, and what happens to them when they are too old or injured to race.
Ep 63
63.Fear and Counting in Las Vegas
24-10-1995
Documentary following the fortunes of Dominic O'Brien, World Memory champion, as he tries his luck at the card tables of Amerian casinos in Biloxi, Tunica, Foxwoods and finally, La...
Ep 64
64.Defender of the Children
31-10-1995
Documentary about the efforts of Irish priest Shay Cullen to rid the Philippines of the child sex industry. Includes evidence of organised paedophilia tourism, with Britain providi...
Ep 65
65.Gettys - A Tragedy of Riches: Part 1
07-11-1995
Examines the life of the wealthy American Getty dynasty, focusing on John Paul Getty.
Ep 66
66.Gettys - A Tragedy of Riches: Part 2
14-11-1995
History of the Getty family focusing on J Paul Getty's grandchildren - Mark, who is a businessman; Balthazar, an actor; and Aileen who works promoting various AIDS charities with h...
Ep 67
67.Man and Animal
21-11-1995
New York dogs model Larry Roth canine fashions while Chinese cats marinate in the kitchens of Guan's Cantonese restaurants, the Jain monks in India commit a crime if they kill even...
68.Midnight Callers
28-11-1995
Documentary about those who phone a late night radio show in Bradford, discussing their personal problems: one seducing other men's wives; and a woman being the victim of a paedoph...
Ep 69
69.Peace for the Wicked: Tales of Ethnic Cleansing
05-12-1995
Documentary about a period after the Second World War in Germany, when many Germans were expelled from parts of their country, sent to ghettos and camps, and often murdered.
70.Guys as Dolls
12-12-1995
Documentary about transvestism and the effect it has on marriages and social relations.
Ep 71
71.Entertaining Angels Unawares
19-12-1995
Documentary examining the history of angels, looking at orthodox and unorthodox views of scientists and churchmen on the subject, and featuring interviews with people who claim the...
Ep 72
72.Frontline Britain: Part 1
27-02-1996
First part of a two-part documentary reporting on rising crime in Great Britain and the connection between crime and poverty.
Ep 73
73.Frontline Britain: Part 2
05-03-1996
Final part of a documentary examining the divisions in British society, and its fight against drugs. In London, violence and gang warfare from drug use is examined, and in Bristol,...
Ep 74
74.The Killing of Kathleen Waugh
12-03-1996
Investigation into the death of Kathleen Waugh, a woman with learning difficulties, who went missing four years ago. Irregularities in the management of the residential care home,...
Ep 75
75.Inside Burma: Land of Fear
14-05-1996
Documentary about the military ruling regime in Burma, its use of forced and child labour to build road and rail links, and how the participation of Western countries aid the syste...
Ep 76
76.Miss Popular's Crack City
21-05-1996
Documentary about two women whose crack-cocaine habits lead them to prostitution. Wendy was 13 when she started to sleep with men to support her habit; Karen Lawson was a middle-cl...
Ep 77
77.High Stakes at Highclere
28-05-1996
Documentary about life behind the scenes at Highclere, the Earl of Carnarvon's estate in Hampshire. A new castle manager is appointed, and makes changes to the tea room, the housek...
Ep 78
78.HMP Dartmoor
04-06-1996
Documentary about life inside Dartmoor Prison in Devon.
Ep 79
79.A View to a Kill
10-09-1996
Documentary about a Texan family who exercised a new state right to watch the execution of the man who brutally killed two of their children.
Ep 80
80.Three Men and a Balloon
17-09-1996
Documentary following Richard Branson and his fellow balloonists as they made plans to fly a balloon non-stop around the world. Bad weather, politics and financial squabbles preven...
Ep 81
81.Riddle of the Gaul
08-10-1996
Documentary about the 1974 sinking of the Hull trawler Gaul, in which all 36 crew members were lost. Inquiry concluded the Gaul had succumbed to bad weather; although there has bee...
Ep 82
82.The Connection
15-10-1996
Documentary following the heroin drugs trail from the poppy fields in Columbia to the streets of Britain. Carlton were fined £2,000,000 by the ITC over this documentary, as the pro...
Ep 83
83.Cut-price Package
22-10-1996
Documentary about nine British women who travel to Wroclaw in Poland for cut-price plastic surgery.
Ep 84
84.Going to Chelsea
12-11-1996
Follows Stephen Woodhams, society florist and garden designer, as he prepares and creates a garden for the world famous Chelsea Flower Show.
Ep 85
85.Psychosurgery
19-11-1996
Documentary following three people who have suffered from depression and have decided to try psychosurgery, where parts of the frontal lobes of the brain are destroyed in an attemp...
Ep 86
86.Breaking the Cycle
26-11-1996
Documentary about disruptive children and the help available to families to deal with them. Visits the Marlborough House Day Unit in Swindon, where children spend one day a week in...
Ep 87
87.The Widow, the Terrorist and the SAS
03-12-1996
Documentary about the aftermath of the October 1977 hijacking of a plane by Palestinian terrorists. The four terrorists killed the pilot and held the passengers hostage for five da...
Ep 88
88.Silent Victim: The Untold Story of the Yorkshire Ripper
10-12-1996
Documentary re-examining the case of Peter Sutcliffe, asserting that he may have been responsible for many more crimes than those he was convicted for.
Ep 89
89.Conspicuous Consumption
17-12-1996
Documentary about the fashionable and exclusive department store Harvey Nichols, visiting the London and Leeds branches, talking to staff and customers.
Ep 90
90.Forgotten Mothers
14-01-1997
Documentary in which five women talk about how they gave their babies up for adoption in the 1950s and 60s, and the profound sense of loss and guilt they still feel.
Ep 91
91.Return to the Place of the Dead
21-01-1997
Documentary following two British soldiers - Bob Mann and Richie Mayfield - as they return to Borneo, where in 1994 they almost died. Bob Mann looks for a video he made containing...
Ep 92
92.Born to Be Small
28-01-1997
Stories of four families affected by dwarfism: a couple's baby with achondroplasia; a couple expecting their first baby; a teenager's operation to add three inches to her height; a...
Ep 93
93.Igor, the Boy Who Dared to Dream
11-02-1997
Sequel documentary about a year in the life of Igor Pavlovets, who was deformed by the Chernobyl blast. Igor is on holiday in Spain, captaining his team in the school sports day, c...
Ep 94
94.Breaking the Mirror: The Murdoch Effect
18-02-1997
Programme in which journalist John Pilger makes a tribute to the Daily Mirror newspaper. He traces the history of the tabloid, considering the influence of Rupert Murdoch and Rober...
Ep 95
95.All in the Genes
11-03-1997
Documentary examining genetic engineering and cloning, and how it is transforming medical science, showing scientists at work in efforts to prevent genetical disorders such as Hunt...
Ep 96
96.Stolen Brides
18-03-1997
Documentary about two girls who left Britain to join their Yemeni father in 1982 for a holiday, but were married and prevented from leaving the country. The programme follows their...
Ep 97
97.The Blind School
25-03-1997
Behind the scenes at the Royal Blind School in Edinburgh to record the inspiring story of how its pupils learn to overcome their visual disabilities.
Ep 98
98.The Boy Business
26-03-1997
Documentary about British paedophiles who prey on homeless and vulnerable children. The programme confronts the men who trade in child pornography, investigates the recruitment of...
Ep 99
99.Between the Lines
06-05-1997
Documentary about Paul Malone, who spent nearly ten years in jail after being found guilty of four armed robberies. The programme follows his attempts to have his convictions overt...
Ep 100
100.Victoria & Albert Part 1: He Influenced Me in Everything
13-05-1997
His Royal Highness Prince Michael of Kent presents his great great grandparents - Queen Victoria and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg. This programme deals with Albert's courtship of t...
Ep 101
101.Victoria & Albert Part 2: A Queen Alone
20-05-1997
The programme follows the life of Queen Victoria following the death of her husband, her self-imposed isolation during her long mourning, and her relationships with Prime Minister...
Ep 102
102.For the Love of Roy
23-09-1997
Documentary about the legacy of Roy Castle's battle against lung cancer. and the world's first lung cancer research centre in Liverpool. Friends of Castle pay tribute to him and hi...
103.Out of the Shadows
30-09-199751m
First part in a two-part documentary following the then shadow Chancellor Gordon Brown during the run-in to Labour's election victory in May 1997.
104.We Are the Treasury
07-10-199751m
Second part of a two-part documentary following Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown's transition into government, featuring his first month in office and events leading to his...
Ep 105
105.Life with Grace
14-10-1997
First part in a two-part documentary about Monaco's Princess Grace, from her Hollywood career and fairy-tale marriage to her dark side - troubled marriage, rumoured lovers, the pap...
Ep 106
106.Life After Grace
21-10-1997
Concluding part of a two-part documentary about Monaco's Grimaldi dynasty. After the early death of Princess Grace, the media turned their attention to her children, Albert, Caroli...
Ep 107
107.Windsor Restored
20-11-1997
Documentary in which The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales and The Duke of York give their personal accounts of the fire that ravaged the north-east corner of Windsor Castle i...

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