Britain's Nuclear Secrets: Inside Sellafield
Jim Al-Khalili uncovers the story of Sellafield. He encounters some of the most dangerous substances on earth, reveals the nature of radiation and even attempts to split the atom.
Lying on the remote north west coast of England is one of the most secret places in the country - Sellafield, the most controversial nuclear facility in Britain. Now, Sellafield are letting nuclear physicist Professor Jim Al-Khalili and the television cameras in to discover the real story. Inside, Jim encounters some of the most dangerous substances on earth, reveals the nature of radiation and even attempts to split the atom. He sees inside a nuclear reactor, glimpses one of the rarest elements in the world - radioactive plutonium - and even subjects living tissue to deadly radiation. Ultimately, the film reveals Britain's attempts - past, present and future - to harness the almost limitless power of the atom.
On TV
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How the production team split the atom
Clips
Music Played
Timings (where shown) are from the start of the programme in hours and minutes
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00:52Bat for Lashes
Lilies
Credits
| Role | Contributor |
|---|---|
| Presenter | Jim Al-Khalili |
| Director | Tim Usborne |
| Producer | Tim Usborne |
| Executive Producer | Jane Aldous |
| Executive Producer | Mark Tattersall |
Broadcasts
- Mon 10 Aug 2015 21:00
- Tue 11 Aug 2015 02:25
- Thu 13 Aug 2015 22:00
- Wed 4 Nov 2015 20:00
- Tue 24 Jan 2017 22:00
- Tue 21 Mar 2017 22:00
- Wed 3 May 2017 22:00
- Mon 8 May 2017 02:20
- Thu 23 May 2019 21:00
- Wed 5 Aug 2020 21:00
- Thu 6 Aug 2020 02:10
- Mon 27 Jun 2022 22:00
- Wed 9 Oct 2024 21:00
What do you do with old nuclear power stations?
How are they decommissioned safely and cheaply at the end of their operational lives?