Dispatches 1987
★ 6.5/10 · 13 votes TV-PG DocumentaryNews 40 seasons · 1026 eps Returning Series
Quick answer
What is Dispatches?
Dispatches is a long‑running investigative documentary series broadcast on Channel 4 that began in 1987. The programme examines a broad spectrum of subjects, including British society, politics, health, religion, international current affairs and environmental issues.
- Type
- TV series
- Year
- 1987
- Status
- Returning Series
- Episodes
- 1,026
- First aired
- Oct 30, 1987
- Last aired
- Feb 9, 2026
- Original language
- EN
- Origin
- GB
- Networks
- Channel 4
- Genres
- Documentary, News
- Updated
Planning tool
How long to binge?
Estimate the schedule using 1,026 episodes and an average 45-minute runtime.
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Overview
Dispatches is a long‑running investigative documentary series broadcast on Channel 4 that began in 1987. The programme examines a broad spectrum of subjects, including British society, politics, health, religion, international current affairs and environmental issues. It is recognised for its use of undercover techniques, often placing a covert reporter, described
Sources & verification
Dispatches (TV Series 1987- ) - IMDb
Dispatches (TV Series 1987- ) - Cast & Crew — The Movie Database (TMDB)
Dispatches — The Movie Database (TMDB)
Dispatches (1987) Full Cast & Crew - Plex
Dispatches (1987-2025) - Full Cast and Crew - Moviefone
Dispatches - Full Cast & Crew - TV Guide
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Should you watch it?
“Undercover journalists infiltrate organizations to expose hidden truths about British society.”
Reasons to watch
- Groundbreaking undercover access to secretive organizations
- Exposes important social and political issues in Britain
- Influential journalism that sparks public debate
Keep in mind
- Disturbing content may be upsetting
- Some episodes involve potentially triggering situations
You want to see fearless investigative journalism that goes behind closed doors.
Contains mature themes and potentially disturbing investigative content.
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Cast
Episode guide
Season 1 · 8 episodes
Open the complete Season 1 guide →- E1 The Plutonium Black Market Oct 30, 1987
- E2 In The Red Nov 6, 1987
- E3 AIDS - The Unheard Voices Nov 13, 1987
- E4 Divided by Law Nov 20, 1987
- E5 Selling the Tunnel Nov 27, 1987
- E6 Gunning for Government Dec 4, 1987
- E7 Kimberly Carlile - Falling Through the Net Dec 11, 1987
- E8 Korea: Poverty Prohibited Dec 18, 1987
Season 2 · 34 episodes
- E1 The Miner's Debate Jan 8, 1988
- E2 Waiting for the Consultant Jan 15, 1988
- E3 Danger! Men at Work Jan 22, 1988
- E4 Interview with John Stalker Feb 5, 1988
- E5 Iran: A Widening Gulf Feb 12, 1988
- E6 Palau: Paradise Lost Feb 19, 1988
- E7 Working for Welfare Feb 26, 1988
- E8 Radioactive Britain Mar 4, 1988
- E9 The Lobby Mar 11, 1988
- E10 Charity Fraud Mar 18, 1988
- E11 Single Union Deals With Employers Mar 25, 1988
- E12 Cuba From Inside Apr 8, 1988
- E13 Talking to the Terrorists Apr 15, 1988
- E14 Cancer Research Apr 22, 1988
- E15 Freemasonry May 6, 1988
- E16 The P.L.O. May 13, 1988
- E17 War in the Desert May 20, 1988
- E18 NATO's Nuclear Programme May 27, 1988
- E19 Illegal Betting Jun 3, 1988
- E20 What's Best for the Children? : Coventry Jun 10, 1988
- E21 The Raid on San Fernando: Communist Rebels in The Philippines Jun 17, 1988
- E22 Milky Business Jun 24, 1988
- E23 The Hashish Connection Jul 1, 1988
- E24 Disciples of Chaos Oct 5, 1988
- E25 Trouble on the Waterfront Oct 12, 1988
- E26 The Two State Solution Oct 19, 1988
- E27 Turkey: Trading with Torture Oct 26, 1988
- E28 Exporting High Technology from West to East Nov 2, 1988
- E29 Tibet - A Case to Answer Nov 9, 1988
- E30 The Day the Dream Died Nov 16, 1988
- E31 The Winds of Death Nov 23, 1988
- E32 The Battle for Stone Bassett Nov 30, 1988
- E33 The Countertraders Dec 7, 1988
- E34 A Very Polish Secret Dec 14, 1988
Season 3 · 39 episodes
- E1 Return to Year Zero? Jan 4, 1989
- E2 Gorbachev's Asylums Jan 11, 1989
- E3 Cooking the Books Jan 18, 1989
- E4 The Spy Who Broke the Code Jan 25, 1989
- E5 Buckets of Money Feb 1, 1989
- E6 The Copper Seven Story Feb 8, 1989
- E7 Afghan Feb 15, 1989
- E8 The Toxic Trail Feb 22, 1989
- E9 The Case of 'F' Mar 1, 1989
- E10 The Return of the Death Squads Mar 8, 1989
- E11 Burma - Dying for Democracy Mar 15, 1989
- E12 Voices From Long Larten Mar 22, 1989
- E13 Young, Homeless and Broke Mar 29, 1989
- E14 Chico Apr 5, 1989
- E15 Carry on Flying Apr 12, 1989
- E16 The Most Neglected Crime Apr 19, 1989
- E17 Dispatches (26/04/1989) Apr 26, 1989
- E18 A Suitable Case for Treatment May 3, 1989
- E19 The Sins of the Fathers May 10, 1989
- E20 Not What the Doctor Ordered May 17, 1989
- E21 Warlord of Kayan May 24, 1989
- E22 The Ultimate Blasphemy May 31, 1989
- E23 Fit as a Fiddle Jun 7, 1989
- E24 Empire of the Sun Jun 14, 1989
- E25 Year of the Locust Jun 21, 1989
- E26 A State of Decay Jun 28, 1989
- E27 Terror Island Jul 5, 1989
- E28 The Spanish Connection Oct 4, 1989
- E29 The Day of the Technopath Oct 11, 1989
- E30 No, Prime Minister Oct 18, 1989
- E31 The Undoing of Edwina Oct 25, 1989
- E32 Mission Impossible Nov 1, 1989
- E33 In the Coal Hole Nov 8, 1989
- E34 The False Confession File Nov 15, 1989
- E35 Hungarians Not Comrades Nov 22, 1989
- E36 Twelve Days in November Nov 29, 1989
- E37 Licence to Kill Dec 6, 1989
- E38 Privatising Poland Dec 13, 1989
- E39 Road to Damascus Dec 20, 1989
Season 4 · 39 episodes
- E1 The Plunderers Jan 3, 1990
- E2 When Porton Pays the Piper Jan 10, 1990
- E3 Gamma Alarm Jan 17, 1990
- E4 The Great Leap Backwards Jan 24, 1990
- E5 Miracle Molecule Jan 31, 1990
- E6 Degrees for Sale Feb 7, 1990
- E7 Stalin's Ghost Feb 14, 1990
- E8 Troubled Waters Feb 21, 1990
- E9 Beyond the Rubicon Feb 28, 1990
- E10 A Greater Germany Mar 7, 1990
- E11 Gerry Mar 14, 1990
- E12 Legalise It! Mar 21, 1990
- E13 In the Name of Hunger Mar 28, 1990
- E14 Apartheid's Assassins Apr 4, 1990
- E15 Terms for Peace Apr 11, 1990
- E16 The Children of Fire Apr 18, 1990
- E17 The Russians A Coming Apr 25, 1990
- E18 The Most Neglected Crime May 2, 1990
- E19 The Great Green Hype May 9, 1990
- E20 Romanian Roulette May 16, 1990
- E21 A Tale of Two Cartels May 23, 1990
- E22 Dispatches (30/05/1990) May 30, 1990
- E23 The Stasi Tapes Jun 6, 1990
- E24 The AIDS Catch Jun 13, 1990
- E25 Eritrea: Fight to the Death Jun 20, 1990
- E26 Game on the Ice Jun 27, 1990
- E27 Guinness - The Inside Story Sep 26, 1990
- E28 Listen to the Children Oct 3, 1990
- E29 Rivers of Fire Oct 10, 1990
- E30 Bad Meat Trail Oct 17, 1990
- E31 The Oregon Formula Oct 24, 1990
- E32 Black and Blue Oct 31, 1990
- E33 Moscow's Mafia Millions Nov 7, 1990
- E34 Kingmaker of Karachi Nov 14, 1990
- E35 Divided She Falls? Nov 21, 1990
- E36 A Good and Faithful Servant Nov 28, 1990
- E37 The Case Against War Dec 5, 1990
- E38 Against the Odds Dec 12, 1990
- E39 The Prozac File Dec 19, 1990
Season 5 · 35 episodes
- E1 Giant of the Gulf Jan 9, 1991
- E2 What Happened at Christmas Island Jan 16, 1991
- E3 Mr Bush's Road to War Jan 23, 1991
- E4 Hanson Trust Jan 29, 1991
- E5 Saddam's Secret Army Jan 30, 1991
- E6 Crackdown Feb 6, 1991
- E7 Skeletons Have Names Feb 13, 1991
- E8 The Provoked Wife Feb 20, 1991
- E9 Thinking of the Soldier Feb 27, 1991
- E10 Voices From Tibet Mar 6, 1991
- E11 A Very British Recession Mar 13, 1991
- E12 Keep On Running Mar 20, 1991
- E13 Strange Case of Democracy Mar 27, 1991
- E14 Sir John's Shuttle Apr 3, 1991
- E15 A Dream Betrayed Apr 10, 1991
- E16 Tapping into Toxnet Apr 17, 1991
- E17 Mr Major's Number 10 Apr 24, 1991
- E18 The Promised Land May 1, 1991
- E19 The Ballot Fixers May 8, 1991
- E20 The Arthur Legend May 22, 1991
- E21 Saddam's Iraq May 29, 1991
- E22 Castro's Secret Fix Jun 5, 1991
- E23 The Movement Jun 12, 1991
- E24 The Committee Oct 2, 1991
- E25 Strange Customs Oct 9, 1991
- E26 In the Cleaning Machine Oct 16, 1991
- E27 Every Child in Britain Oct 23, 1991
- E28 Georgian Nightmare Oct 30, 1991
- E29 Missing in Action Nov 6, 1991
- E30 The Swiss Connection Nov 13, 1991
- E31 The Last Taboo Nov 20, 1991
- E32 The Truth that Sets Us Free Nov 27, 1991
- E33 Don King, Unauthorised Dec 4, 1991
- E34 Holding the Baby Dec 11, 1991
- E35 Christmas in Kurdistan Dec 18, 1991
Frequently asked questions
What kind of topics does Dispatches cover?
The series investigates British society, politics, health, religion, international affairs and environmental issues.
How does the show get its information?
Known for placing a mole inside organizations under journalistic investigation to gather evidence.
Is this a drama series?
No, this is a documentary series featuring real investigations and actual events.
Who broadcasts Dispatches?
The series airs on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom.
What makes Dispatches different from other documentaries?
Its signature approach involves undercover journalists infiltrating organizations to expose hidden truths.