Channel 4 commissions Poison from Wonderhood Studios

Channel 4 has commissioned production from Wonderhood Studios Poison (working title), a comprehensive, two-part premium fact series based on a world-exclusive investigation by The Times Social Affairs Editor, James Beal. The series tells the story of a Canadian chef who was accused of sending over 1,000 packets of poison to suicidal young people around the world, leading to hundreds of deaths around the world.

Toronto resident Kenneth Law currently faces multiple first-degree murder charges in Canada and has pleaded not guilty to those charges. In the UK, the National Crime Agency identified 97 victims who died after purchasing poison sold on the Kenneth Law website. If Law is ever successfully prosecuted for all of these alleged deaths, he will become one of the most prolific killers in history.

With exclusive access to “Times”.investigation, series tells the gripping story of journalist James Beal, social affairs editor at The Times, and his harrowing investigation into the death of a young man who took his own life.

In 2022, James Beal was contacted by a grieving father who was looking for answers about the tragic death of his son Tom. Tom took his own life with a deadly poison he bought online. Although the police ruled Tom’s death a suicide, Tom’s father was not satisfied. He wanted to know who sent his son this deadly poison and how he got away with it.

But as James begins to investigate the poisonous substance, he begins to realize that Tom is not the only person who has died this way. Many young people around the world, from the United States to Canada, Germany and Australia, take their own lives in exactly the same way. Going undercover and posing as a suicidal young man, James discovers the dark world of online suicide forums and a website that is believed to be distributing deadly poison around the world…

Based on original articles by James Beal published in “Times”. and an accompanying, award-winning podcast, and packed with compelling testimony from the families of those who tragically took their own lives, the series follows James as he investigates these deaths and their possible connection to Kenneth Law, the Canadian chef. In this way, the series exposes the dangers and lack of regulation of online suicide forums in the context of a global mental health epidemic.

The series was commissioned by Anna Miralis, Simon Lee and Alisa Pomeroy for Channel 4. Poison (w/t) is a series directed and produced by BAFTA nominee Joy Ash (Fear Clinic, Super Surgeons and Pediatric Surgeons).Executive producers are Samantha Anstiss (Wonderhood Studios Creative Director), Tom Garton (Wonderhood Studios Chief Development Officer) and Times Media. Casey McConnell (Evacuation and Super Surgeons) is a production manager.

Samantha Anstiss, creative director at Wonderhood studios, says: “It’s an honor to work with bereaved families to tell this important story. Journalist James Beal and The Times’ groundbreaking and courageous journalism uncovered this shocking story, and Joy Ash’s BAFTA-nominated series, in her distinctive style, will tell this story with a strong sense of compassion, humanity and social purpose.”

Anna Miralis, senior documentary editor at Channel 4, said: “At a time when suicide rates among young people are rising, this series comes at a poignant time. It’s a gripping story that allows us to see who is behind the death statistics linked to Kenneth Law. The investigation into the discovery of a poison seller is an emotional drama with gripping suspense. This series explores the darker world of the internet and will hopefully help break the social silence surrounding suicide.”

Wonderhood Studios’ recent commissions and productions include BAFTA, Rose d’Or and Broadcast nominated documentary series Evacuation (Channel 4)Fear Clinic (Channel 4), The Kidnapping of Angel Lynn (Channel 4), Dodi: The last days of Playboy (Paramount+/Channel 5), My grandparents’ war (Channel 4), Supersurgeons: The Chance of a Lifetime (Channel 4), Girl Scouting: Fashion’s Darkest Secret AND Devil’s advocate (Documents on Heaven).