Dispatches - Season 35 / Year 2020

More than a decade has passed since major tobacco companies were found to have misled the public over the dangers of smoking. Now, one of the largest firms has said it wants a smoke-free future and offers so-called reduced-risk alternatives. Jane Moore examines Philip Morris International's campaign and investigates attempts to promote the brand in the UK, while billions of cigarettes continue to be sold across the world.

As Britain has grown into a nation of coffee lovers, Starbucks and Nespresso have become two of the world's biggest coffee brands. They have revolutionised what people drink and how they consume it. On the back of their success, both firms make bold claims about how their beans are ethically sourced and, in particular, that child labour is not used in their supply chains. But in this investigation, Dispatches travelled to Guatemala and discovered young children working long hours in gruelling conditions to pick coffee beans that supply these two coffee giants. Reporter Antony Barnett hears how a day's work can earn the children little more than the price of a Starbucks latte or a pack of Nespresso pods.

Reporter Antony Barnett sets up a fake charity and goes undercover to reveal how some of the most famous people in Britain are profiting from the fundraising work they do, such as posting on social media and appearing at events. Big-name stars from the worlds of reality TV, sport and entertainment, and one of the most famous women in the world, all agree to back the fake charity in return for cash.

Despite rising fares, millions of rail commuters suffer daily from delays and overcrowding. The Government wants to spend billions on new infrastructure, particularly in the north of England with HS2, but the new high-speed supertrain won't arrive until 2040. In the meantime, Liam Halligan asks how the rail network can be fixed.

With panic-buying stripping the shelves bare, Harry Wallop investigates whether the nation's supermarkets can cope with the current Covid-19 crisis. There has been an unprecedented demand for some household items and calls for shoppers to stay calm, but how will manufacturers, suppliers and big stores deal with it?

The World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, likes to think of itself as the premier global event for politicians, business leaders and celebrities to put the world to rights. It proudly boasts of a commitment to the empowerment of women. But what's the reality? Cate Brown investigates allegations of sexism, harassment and even sex workers operating during the WEF, with undercover reporters infiltrating the event, as well as testimonies from female visitors who are fed up of their treatment by men.

A&E doctor Saleyha Ahsan looks at the pressing questions many are now asking about the health service, inlcuding bed capacity, vital equipment such as ventilators, the number of nurses and protection of NHS workers. Dr Ahsan also examines the impact on the many thousands across the country who now face delays in receiving regular treatment and operations.

As coronavirus takes hold of Britain, Dispatches investigates the long-term effects of the outbreak and asks how the deadly Covid-19 is changing Britain in the long term. As the death toll rises, the programme looks at everything from seismic changes in economic policy to shifts in the way we view and treat other people, and from a drop in pollution to the widening of the gaps between rich and poor, young and old. The programme asks what a post-Covid 19 Britain, torn apart by the disease, might look like, and the potential changes to the way people live their lives for years to come.

Examining the the British government's approach to dealing with the coronavirus pandemic. With Britain's confirmed death rate from coronavirus now one of the highest in the world, and the Government's strategy to get the economy restarted and prevent a second spike still developing, Dispatches reporter Antony Barnett begins asking questions that may shed a light on how to beat the virus in the future. With the input of people at the heart of events, Barnett investigates the eight astonishing weeks that saw the UK move into lockdown, and reveals the key decisions and moments that led to the UK shutting down and that have determined what has happened since.

Matt Frei investigates the president's policies, actions and decisions during the pandemic, which has cost more than 200,000 American lives. There are revelations gathered from months of conversations with White House advisers and insiders, whistle-blowers, politicians who have worked with Trump and leading US scientists, as well as loyal Trump supporters.

Britain's service industry is battling for customers, but the public need to be convinced the big names are doing all they can to limit risk to exposure. Many hotel chains, transport companies, restaurants and pubs are making big promises of `deep cleans" and ``enhanced hygiene practices", but with the resurgence of Covid-19, Morland Sanders puts them to test and asks just how safe is it when we go out. Government public health guidance says regular cleaning of surfaces plays a vital role in limiting the transmission of Covid-19 in public settings. In a national experiment, the programme tests the cleanliness of the surfaces people might encounter on a commute, or going for a drink, a meal or a mini staycation? It also examines emerging research concerning airborne transmission of Covid, as well as meeting people whose wellbeing is reliant on the hygiene standards of the service industry.

As the furlough scheme comes to an end, the programme follows the response to a job advert for a minimum-wage server role at a Manchester restaurant. Almost 1,000 people apply, including Katie, a cabin services attendant; Faye, a cruise ship dancer; Jake, a hotel manager; and John, a ticket inspector. We get to know them, as well as Abi, the recruitment consultant in charge of narrowing down the field; and Kerry, a mum-of-two who lost her job at Bentley and is desperate to find a new position to avoid the family losing their home. Through the lens of this one position, Dispatches explores the jobs crisis brought on by Covid that is threatening to push unemployment over three million by Christmas.

After a presidential campaign like no other, the programme assesses the result and asks what happens next for America and its people.

In the month when the worlds' leaders should have been gathering in Glasgow to tackle global warming, Sophie Morgan investigates the carbon footprint of the technology industry and tests some of the environmental claims of some of the biggest names in the tech world. She also recruits two families to keep a diary of their online habits and together they discover some shocking truths about the hidden cost of their online habits.