Crisis Command

Amanda, Tim, Gavin and Charles

Crisis Command – Could You Run the Country?, was a 2004 BBC2 role-playing interactive drama documentary which based on realistic scenarios and dramatised situations that Britain could face one day. The programme gives three people the chance to run the country during a potential disaster. The crises included terror attacks on London, flood, plague and hostage taking. Viewers were able to make decisions interactively at the same time as the studio players. The programmes were filmed in real time and edited down to one hour programmes. Each scenario was played once on BBC2, and then redone with a different set of "Ministers" on BBC4 immediately afterwards.

They receive advice from military, police and communication experts, but the final decisions are down to them alone. Presented by Gavin Hewitt, Crisis Command – Could You Run The Country? was a test of confidence and the ability to prioritise and keep calm in a tense and rapidly evolving situation.

It examined the dilemmas ministers face when dealing with crisis, and the hard decisions necessary to make to save lives.

Against the clock, the participants were able to call upon three advisors: military advisor Sir Tim Garden, communications adviser Amanda Platell and emergency services advisor Charles Shoebridge.

Tremendously tense and properly - ie. sensibly - interactive, Crisis Command sought to demonstrate just how challenging managing a perilous situation can be. The bit at the end of each edition when Gavin announced, "You are now free to leave the Crisis Command centre" was the icing on the cake.

External links

• Crisis Command BBC at IMDb