Channel 4 to explore Nazi occupation of Channel Islands in two-part series 

To commemorate the 80th anniversary of the eventual Liberation of the Channel Islands, Britain Under the Nazis: the Forgotten Occupation (working title) explores one of the most contentious chapters of World War II British history, using first-hand accounts from those who experienced it.

In June 1940, Britain left the Channel Islands to the Nazis. 69,000 islanders were left to live under enemy rule, facing the agonizing choice of whether to collaborate, resist, or try to navigate a difficult middle ground. Their stories, drawn from rarely seen diaries, memoirs, and letters from both the occupiers and the occupied, are brought to life by actors for the first time.

Esteemed historians Gilly Carr and Louise Willmot combine their extensive research, including newly discovered documents, to reveal fresh insights into this overlooked period of fascism on British soil.

The Nazi invasion of Guernsey, Jersey, and Alderney was initially a propaganda victory for Hitler, who began a massive building project to turn the islands into a fortress.

What began as a so-called ‘model occupation’ quickly spiraled into a brutal display of Nazism, marked by persecution, anti-Semitic policies, mass deportations, starvation, and slave labor camps. Despite the lack of an official investigation into the Occupation, the division it caused continues to cast a long shadow.

 Emily Shields, Commissioning Editor at Channel 4 says: “Drawing on incredible first-person testimony, with stories that intersect, overlap and defy each other in ‘their ‘ version of the truth, Minnow have created a mesmerising portrait of life under Enemy rule.”