Format
Investigative Documentary / Current Affairs
Length
30-60 min
Timeslot
Varying, ITV1 / ITVX (often primetime specials)
Exposé length
2-4 pages
Accessible, exposé-driven, audience-facing. ITV Exposure combines investigative journalism with emotional storytelling — the story is made tangible through those affected. Tone is less academic than BBC Panorama, more direct and emotional. Undercover investigations and hidden cameras are core repertoire. Reporters are visible and guide the audience through the revelation. Exposure doesn't just inform — it moves. The film must land with ITV1's mainstream audience. Clarity over complexity, emotional impact over abstraction. Every film needs a clear headline and a clear result.
Journalistic-functional with high undercover content. Hidden cameras and covert footage are trademark. Confrontation interviews with those responsible. Victims tell their stories on camera. Documents, data, and org charts visually presented. Reconstructions used sparingly. Graphics for complex connections (money flows, networks). Look is clear and journalistic — no cinematic ambition, but professionally produced. Pace is high, narrative condensed.
Editorial notes
ITV Exposure is ITV's investigative flagship — Britain's largest commercial broadcaster. Best-known exposé: the 2012 Jimmy Savile documentary that uncovered one of Britain's biggest abuse scandals. Exposure doesn't run as a regular series with fixed slot, but as specials — often primetime on ITV1. Commissioned from external production companies and freelance teams. ITV places particular emphasis on accessibility for a broad audience — stories must be emotionally gripping and clearly understandable. Budget: typically £80,000–200,000. ITV has its own legal department that vets investigative films before broadcast. The strand has received multiple BAFTA and RTS nominations.