MP for Plymouth Johnny Mercer to feature in Channel 4 documentary Dispatches about the war in Ukraine

MP for Plymouth Johnny Mercer will be the subject of Channel 4’s Dispatches in a short film documenting his recent visit to Ukraine. The former veterans minister and British army officer, and current MP for Plymouth Moor View, revealed last week that he had visited the war-torn country’s capital kyiv and other towns after having been invited by Ukrainian MPs.

As reported by PlymouthLive, Mr Mercer did not tell anyone about the trip in advance and visited Irpin, Bucha and kyiv. He spent six days away before returning and posting photos of the trip on social media.

The 30-minute film will document his time in the country as he met those who remained to resist the Russian invasion, including some who were already injured. Mr. Mercer said: “I want this film to communicate the incredible resilience and bravery of the people we met in Kyiv.

Read more: MP for Plymouth defied the government by traveling to the Ukrainian frontline

“I hope this will help my colleagues and the British public to make the right decisions about how we can all help Ukraine through this conflict, which is the righteous fight of our generation.”

The MP for Plymouth Moor View was accompanied on the week-long trip to Ukraine by television explorer Levison Wood and director Neil Bonner. They followed Mr. Mercer on his journey from Krakow to Lviv and to the scene of the fighting in Kyiv, so he could experience the realities of war and offer support to his Ukrainian counterparts.

Following the mass evacuation of women and children, they met those who remain and plan to resist, including some who have already been seriously injured in the fighting. Channel 4 commissioned BriteSpark Films to create the film in partnership with Wood’s production company, Blackmane Media.

Tom Porter, Director of Programs at BriteSpark Films, said, “It’s a privilege to work with Johnny and Lev on this film. Their material, collected under extraordinary circumstances, sheds light on the plight of the Ukrainian people from a very unique perspective.

The film will be directed by Erica Jenkin and Bonner, with Wood and Porter serving as executive producers for Blackmane and BriteSpark, respectively. Louisa Compton, News and Current Affairs Officer and Fact and Sports Specialist, added: “In this film, Johnny Mercer will bring us to the front lines of the biggest story of the moment.

“Reporting from the field will be invaluable both in showing UK viewers the reality of life as it is now for the Ukrainian people and in documenting the damage of Putin’s war to the civilian population.”

Want more news you love? Sign up for our tailored newsletters here.