The unsolved murder of one of Weston’s most treasured people was the focus of a documentary which aired this week.
Twenty years on from her death, the killing of journalist and broadcaster Jill Dando has been revisited in a programme commissioned by the BBC.
Jill, the face of flagship shows like Crimewatch, Holiday and the Beeb’s 6pm news bulletin, was brutally murdered on her doorstep in Fulham on April 26, 1999 in broad daylight – aged just 37.
Weston-born Jill started her journalism career at the Mercury in the 1980s before becoming one of the most recognisable faces on British television – being named BBC Personality of The Year in 1997.
The hour-long programme featured never-before-seen material and gave viewers an insight into one of the most complex investigations ever conducted in Britain.
Detectives, colleagues, friends and family featured in the documentary to offer a closer look into Jill’s life and the hunt for her murderer.
The show also examined how Jill’s celebrity status and the immense weight of public scrutiny affected the murder investigation – and explored the forensics and theories behind one of the nation’s most notorious murders.
David Brindley, head of commissioning for Popular Factual and Factual Entertainment, said: “Jill was one of the BBC’s most talented and well-loved presenters.
“Her death sent shockwaves through the country and sparked one of the biggest investigations the Metropolitan Police had ever launched.
“Twenty years on, with the crime still unsolved, this film reveals in detail the process of that investigation from those who were closest to it.”
A lasting legacy has been left since Jill’s death, with a public garden carrying her name at Grove Park and journalism training centres created at several schools across Somerset with hopes of inspiring the next generation of reporters.
To watch the documentary, log on to www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer
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