Days That Shocked the World

2026

Documentary

Days that Shocked the World explores the most iconic disasters of the last 50 years, combining eye-witness testimony with powerful archive footage, to learn how each tragedy changed both the lives of individuals and the world. The anthology series features one- and two-part episodes that coincide with key anniversaries of these defining global events: including the Challenger Space Shuttle explosion in 1986, the Chernobyl nuclear disaster of the same year, the 2000 Air France Concorde crash, the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001 and the 2011 Fukushima earthquake and tsunami.

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Production

Bossa Nova Productions, BriteSpark Films

Language

Status

Returning Series

First Aired

January 3, 2026

Last Aired

April 20, 2026

Networks

Channel 4, SBS

Where to Watch

Region US · Lang EN

No providers available for this region.

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Seasons & Episodes

Select a season to view episodes. Reddit links may contain spoilers.

Season

Space Shuttle Challenger

Air date: 2026-01-03

The truth behind the NASA rocket disaster of 1986 that killed seven US astronauts. Why did the launch go ahead after NASA engineers called for it to be cancelled?

Fukushima earthquake and tsunami (Pt.1)

Air date: 2026-02-17

In March 2011, Japan was hit by a devastating tsunami killing 20,000 and triggering a nuclear meltdown. Survivors and witnesses tell their extraordinary stories.

Fukushima earthquake and tsunami (Pt.2)

Air date: 2026-02-18

The tsunami provokes a major meltdown at the local nuclear facility. What happened to the safeguards? What went wrong at Fukushima?

Chernobyl nuclear disaster (Pt.1)

Air date: 2026-04-20

In April 1986, a huge explosion at Chernobyl blasted radioactive dust into the atmosphere

Chernobyl nuclear disaster (Pt.2)

Air date: 2026-04-20

Chernobyl left wreckage that will be radioactive for 20,000 years. But what caused it?

Concorde Crash

Air date: 2026-07-22

On the 25th July 2000, a Concorde leaving Paris for New York caught fire on take-off before crashing to the ground. But why? Investigators and loved ones recall the tragedy.

9/11 (Pt.1)

Air date: 2026-08-23

September 11, 2001 remains one of the most shocking events in world history, changing the world forever. In this first of a two-part documentary marking the 25th anniversary of the tragedy, rescue workers, survivors and witnesses relive the events of 9/11, revealing how a regular morning turned into an unimaginable nightmare. Some tell their stories for the first time, describing how chaos and fear grew minute by minute.

9/11 (Pt.2)

Air date: 2026-08-23

Within less than an hour, three hijacked aircraft had struck New York’s iconic Twin Towers and the Pentagon. But the nightmare was far from over. As a global audience watched in horror, the Twin Towers collapsed, the Pentagon continued to burn and, in western Pennsylvania, a fourth hijacked airliner, United Flight 93, crashed into a field. Amid the devastation and fear, extraordinary acts of heroism emerged. Rescue workers, survivors and witnesses remember the tragedy and the moments that changed the world forever.