The Great Smog: Winter of '52

In December 1952 one of the deadliest peacetime tragedies in history struck London. Over four days, a stinking, yellow smog smothered the city, so dense people couldn’t see their hands in front of their faces. The capital and all its essential services ground to a halt. But far worse, the smog was loaded with poisonous gases and there would be devastating consequences. Over two programmes Doctor Xand Van Tulleken and Raksha Dave tell the story of how this catastrophe unfolded, moment by moment, as it took the capital by surprise and left tragedy in its wake. And we’ll reveal the shocking death toll this four day deadly emergency – a figure far higher than the 4000 deaths that Churchill’s government admitted at this time.