OU/BBC Series 'The Met' Returns for a fourth series

OU/BBC Series 'The Met' Returns for a fourth series

A captivating fourth series of The Met, co-produced by The Open University (OU) and the BBC, is set to air on BBC One tonight (Tuesday 24 October) at 9pm.

The six-episode series provides insight into the Metropolitan Police in the face of complex cases and during a challenging period for the force.

Filmed over a period of ten months, the series offers an unfiltered look into the lives of Metropolitan police officers as they navigate one of its most challenging periods in the forces history.

The first episode will follow detectives as they investigate the murder of a 17-year-old boy and gather evidence against a human trafficking gang, all while public trust in the Met reaches a record low.

The series was created with input from OU academic consultants Dr Nicky Miller, Director of Knowledge into Practice in the Centre for Policing Research and Learning, Faculty of Business & Law, and Professor Louise Westmarland , Head of Discipline in Social Policy and Criminology in the Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences, who each provide expert insights and analysis throughout.

Lifting the lid on how the police work

Dr. Nicky Miller's research interests are focused on putting research into practical use and looking into what helps and what gets in the way of using research in the real world. She is also focused on improving policing by bringing together police and academics. Speaking on her involvement in the series, she said:

“I have really enjoyed working on this series and seeing what is involved in a production of this nature. Public confidence in the police is low and therefore it is more important than ever to evidence the realities of policing at the front line and the challenges that officers are faced with in performing their role. This series contributes to that greater understanding.”

Professor Louise Westmarland’s research expertise is in gender and policing, police culture, domestic homicide, ethics and integrity. Speaking on her involvement in the series, she added:

“This is an important and insightful series that really lifts the lid on how the police work, including their thoughts, feelings and decision-making processes. It shows how difficult it can be to investigate and solve some crimes, but also how satisfying it is to bring offenders to justice. A real fly on the wall, no holds barred view of policing, which includes the way some citizens find the way the police work as oppressive and discriminatory.”

More content and exclusive interviews

Viewers can also explore additional online resources related to the series on the OU Connect Broadcast website. These resources include additional interviews with senior officers about the challenges and future of modern policing.

This series was commissioned by Broadcast and Partnerships and is supported by the Faculty Of Business And Law, and the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. The OU Nominated Academics are Dr Nicky Miller and Prof. Louise Westmarland and the Media Fellow is Alessandro Saroli with support from Prof. Zoe.Walkington

The series has particular relevance to the following qualification pathways: