Gold Rush: All about BBC One’s new Olympic documentary series

BBC One is airing a new documentary series looking at the UK’s Olympic success.

Gold Rush is a three-part series which the BBC describes as “the definitive story of Britain’s sporting journey from international embarrassment at the Atlanta Games in 1996, to Olympic glory in London 2012”.

They share: “It is a story of athletes, for whom those sixteen years represent a patchwork of personal triumph, adversity and, sometimes, bitter disappointment; a story of politicians and strategists, who oversaw British sport’s transition from a culture of semi-amateurism to a world-beating professional enterprise.

“And it’s the story of our nation – facing the embarrassment of being known as the world’s sporting ‘also-rans’; scoffing at the idea we could hope to host a Games on home soil; but emerging in 2012 with a renewed self-confidence in our own abilities, and our own shared identity.

“The narrative takes in how Britain won the bid to host the 2012 games, and the strategy that went into ensuring we wouldn’t face embarrassment on home soil. But although the no compromise approach led to glory, those wins sometimes came at a cost.

“The tale of highs and lows will be told through rich archive, as well as testimony from those at the top level, including our greatest athletes and their coaches, leading politicians, and others behind the scenes.”

Made by Blast Films, Gold Rush will air on BBC One from Monday, 5 July at 9PM and continue on Mondays and BBC iPlayer for three weeks. The final episode airs 19 July.

It’s one of three new sports documentaries by the BBC.

Also on their way to screens are Gods Of Snooker for BBC Two, which celebrates the golden age of snooker in the 1980s; and Freeze for BBC Three, which takes us into the fiercely competitive world of figure skating.

Clare Sillery, Head of Commissioning, Documentaries, History and Religion, said: “I’m delighted to announce three new documentary series telling the compelling stories behind some of Britain’s most loved superstars of the past and also of some of the young hopefuls making a bid for glory in the future.

“These promise to be a thrilling insight into the sheer talent, hard work and sacrifice it takes to make it to the top in sport.”