Football's Darkest Secret

Editorial

BBC One West Midlands

Documentaries

Factual

Sport: Football

Three-part investigation into historical child abuse in English football.

Behind the goals, behind the glory - the child abuse football ignored. Their stories were overlooked for decades, until the survivors finally had their voices heard.

Series 1

BBC Two

BBC One London

London

BBC Northern Ireland region started on 19th April 1955 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One Northern Ireland.

BBC One Northern Ireland

The BBC East region started on 1st May 1959 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One East.

BBC One East

BBC One region covering Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire.

BBC One East Midlands

BBC One Wales

Wales

The BBC South region started on 5th January 1961 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One South.

BBC One South

The BBC North East & Cumbria region started in 1959 (tbc) as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One North East & Cumbria.

BBC One North East & Cumbria

BBC One North West

BBC One Cambridgeshire

Formerly part of a wider BBC One South East region that included London and part of the South region. Separated from BBC One London 2001-09-03 following reorganisation of the South East region.

BBC One South East

Simulcast of BBC One Northern Ireland in high definition. From 24/10/2012

BBC One Northern Ireland HD

BBC One Channel Islands

BBC One Yorks & Lincs

BBC One Oxfordshire

BBC One Yorkshire

Simulcast of BBC One Wales in high definition. From 29/01/2013

BBC One Wales HD

The BBC South West region started on 20th April 1961 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One South West.

BBC One South West

Simulcast of network BBC One in high definition. From 03/11/2010

BBC One HD

The BBC West region started on 1st September 1957 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One West.

BBC One West

BBC One Scotland

Scotland

Simulcast of BBC One Scotland in high definition. From 14/01/2013

BBC One Scotland HD

Simulcast of network BBC Two in high definition.

BBC Two HD

BBC Two England

England

Simulcast of BBC Two Wales in high definition

BBC Two Wales HD

BBC Two Northern Ireland

Until 03/01/2009 BBC Two Wales (analogue) was known simply as BBC Two Wales. BBC Two Wales (digital) was BBC 2W. From 03/01/2009 BBC Two Wales schedules on both analogue and digital became identical

BBC Two Wales

Simulcast of BBC Two Northern Ireland in high definition

BBC Two Northern Ireland HD

Daniel Gordon

Hugh Davies

John Battsek

Steve Boulton

Ron McCullagh

Jonathan Ossoff

Insight TWI

Football's Darkest Secret: Series 1: The End of Silence

The End of Silence

BBC One - Football's Darkest Secret, Series 1, The End of Silence

Former footballers speak out about the sexual abuse they suffered as youth players.

Former footballers, including Paul Stewart, David White and Andy Woodward, speak out about the sexual abuse they suffered as youth players and how it burdened them during their professional careers.

In November 2016, former footballer Andy Woodward came forward with a shocking tale of abuse that he suffered at the hands of his youth coach, Barry Bennell. In the storm that followed, hundreds of men made allegations against hundreds of their childhood coaches. 

The first episode of the series begins with Andy’s momentous revelation, then goes back in time to the 1970s to hear from former players Paul Stewart and David White as they describe growing up in Manchester with dreams of becoming footballers. Talented young players, they were soon picked up by respective local talent-spotters Barry Bennell and Frank Roper. It was the beginning of the nightmare for Paul and David - and for many other survivors. 

The programme charts these survivors from the years of abuse during their early adolescence, then explores how it affected them as they tried to pursue their footballing dreams as professionals. Whether Steve Walters starring as a youngster at Crewe or David White playing for Man City or Paul Stewart scoring in the FA Cup final for Spurs, they all feel they couldn’t enjoy their career highs because of the heavy burden of the mental scars they were carrying.

Football's Darkest Secret: Series 1

BBC One

Three-part series examining historic child abuse in youth football all across England between the 1970s and the 1990s, and the culture of silence that surrounded it.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Football's Darkest Secret

Series 1

The End of Silence

Contributors

Genres

Formats

Brand

Series

BBC One West Midlands

About BBC One