BBC NHS documentary Hospital filmed during aftermath of Khalid Masood Westminster attack
Exclusive: Corporation is expected to show the dramatic moments the victims and the terrorist arrived at St Mary’s Paddington in the BBC2 series
The BBC's NHS documentary series Hospital has filmed footage of hospital doctors urgently responding to the injuries suffered by victims of the 22 March Westminster terrorist attack, as well as material featuring the attacker Khalid Masood, RadioTimes.com can exclusively reveal.
RadioTimes.com understands that the producers are hoping to include as much material as possible from the day, and that the aftermath of the tragedy will form the entirety of the opening of the episode of series two, expected to launch in June.
It is expected to show the terrible drama and panic of that day, including the fact that Masood arrived at St Mary's Hospital in an ambulance accompanied by armed police. He was pronounced dead at 3.35pm.
The production team has sought permission from all those receiving treatment asking them whether they could feature them in the programme, and some are understood to have acquiesced.
“It is a decision for editorial policy and the programme is still in the edit,” said a senior BBC source.
Another source, who has seen a rough edit of the programme, said that the show will see Masood arriving in a trolley, with a voiceover informing viewers that he was the attacker and that he "passed away".
RadioTimes.com understands that the BBC is not required to seek permission from Masood's family to use the footage because it is said to be “fleeting” and only included him in the background.
“Even if he survived it would probably be quite possible to use the footage of him without permission,” suggested one production source.
The programme is currently being edited and no decision has so far been made about what will and will not be included, with the BBC needing to clear the programme with its editorial policy department. The series, as with all filming in hospitals, is "subject to an established and proven set of protocols" explained a BBC source.
The Westminster attacks began when Masood, 52, drove his car across Westminster Bridge into pedestrians causing devastation and resulting in the death of four people.
After his car crashed into the perimeter wall of the Palace of Westminster, Masood ran into the ground of the Houses of Parliament, fatally stabbing a fifth victim, unarmed officer PC Keith Palmer, before being shot by a police firearms officer.
In total six people, including the attacker, died as a result of the attacks and more than 50 were injured, some of them severely.
The second series of Hospital will film the five hospitals in the Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust "to illustrate the achievements and challenges facing the NHS".
The focus will be on St Mary's Paddington but it will also include other hospitals in the Trust such as Hammersmith Hospital and Charing Cross Hospital.
The first series of Hospital was principally filmed in St Mary's and averaged 2.42m viewers across the series.
Critics praised the series for highlighting issues such as the beds crisis in the NHS and the problem of so-called "health tourists" who travel to the UK for free treatment with no ability to pay for it.
The BBC declined to comment on the second series footage of Masood or the victims.
