| Alt Name: | Intimate Universe: The Human Body |
| Genre: | Science |
| Director: | Richard Dale Emma De'Ath Andrew Thompson Peter Georgi Christopher Spencer Liesel Evans John Groom |
| Presenter: | Robert Winston |
| Country: | United Kingdom |
| Language: | English |
| Num Episodes: | 8 |
| Executive Producer: | Lorraine Heggessey |
| Producer: | Richard Dale |
| Company: | BBC The Learning Channel |
| Channel: | BBC One |
The Human Body is an eight-part documentary series, first shown on 20 May 1998 on BBC One and presented by medical scientist Robert Winston. A co-production between the BBC and The Learning Channel, the series looks at the mechanics and emotions of the human body from birth to death.
The series was nominated for numerous awards, winning several, including three BAFTA awards, four RTS awards and a Peabody Award.
Described as the BBC's "first major TV series on human biology",[1] it took over two years to make and aimed to be the definitive set of programmes on the human body. The series was produced by Richard Dale and presented by Professor Robert Winston, a fertility expert.
The series used a variety of different techniques to present the topics being discussed, including endoscopes and computer graphics for internal shots, time-lapse photography to show the growth of hair and nails, magnetic resonance imaging and scanning electron microscopy.[2]
The series gained 6.3 million viewers and an audience share of 38%.[3]
The series was nominated for numerous awards, winning several, including three BAFTA awards, four RTS awards and a Peabody Award.
| Year | Award | Result | Category / Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Best Factual Series (Richard Dale)[4] | ||
| Originality (Richard Dale) | |||
| Best Graphic Design (Tim Goodchild, David Haith) | |||
| Best Photography (Factual) (Chris Hartley, David Barlow, Tim Shepherd, Rob Franklin) | |||
| Best Sound (Factual) | |||
| Royal Television Society Awards | Best Graphic Design – Programme Content Sequences (Tim Goodchild, David Haith)[5] | ||
| Best Lighting, Photogtaphy & Camera - Photography Documentary/Factual (Chris Hartley, David Barlow, Tim Shepherd, Rob Franklin) | |||
| Best Visual Effects (Tim Goodchild, David Barlow, Tim Shepherd, Steve Bowman) | |||
| Craft and Design Innovation | |||
| Team Award[6] | |||
| Most Popular Documentary Series[7] | |||
| "Never needlessly technical and always witty, energetic, and innovative, The Human Body takes us on an incredible voyage, and for so doing, is deserving of the Peabody Award."[8] | |||
| 1999 | International Monitor Awards | Documentaries – Director (Christopher Spencer for "The End of Life") | |
| San Francisco International Film Festival Silver Spire | Television – Science and Nature (Alan Bookbinder, Lorraine Heggessey, Richard Dale, Christopher Spencer for "The End of Life") | ||
| International Documentary Association Awards | Limited Series (Sandra Gregory, Richard Dale) |
A DVD of the series was released in July 2001 and includes a 50-minute feature on The Making of the Human Body - A final overview that reveals the techniques and developments that made the series possible.[9]
The series was adapted into a film released for IMAX cinemas, with Robert Winston returning to narrate. The film won the Giant Screen Theatre Association's Best Film For Lifelong Learning award.
The book accompanying the series was written by Anthony Smith. According to one review, "Smith transcends anatomical trivia to record our bodies' powerful tale with empathy and clarity."[10]