Dirty Business TV Drama

I’ll definitely watch it but it might have to be on catch up.

Channel 4’s new factual drama Dirty Business lays bare the criminal activity of Thames Water and other English water companies

Similar to the drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office, this is based on a decade-long investigation, factual drama Dirty Business follows real-life heroes Ash Smith (David Thewlis) and Peter Hammond (Jason Watkins) as they notice that their local patch of the River Windrush in The Cotswolds is becoming polluted. But when the water company sends over inconsistent data in response to their inquiry, the unlikely detectives begin an investigation into this environmental scandal that has resulted from England’s water being owned and run by multi-million international corporations..

We are recording this in case but will try to watch it tonight.

Yes, we have already marked it down to watch.

Horrifying and disgusting to see the appalling way these money grabbing companies are deliberately polluting our oceans and rivers, killing sealife and spreading ecoli amongst humans, how is this still happening in 2026, what is happening to our country ?!

Wasn't this part of Margaret Thatchers privatisation plan? It clearly hasnt helped the ordinary man and woman. Fortunately Scotland didnt quite follow the same path, although there are still issues with under investment

I live in the South West and am appalled at this tragedy. Please everyone have a look at the excellent awareness and campaigning by Surfers against Sewage.

Our water pressure was so low that my partner fitted an in-line pump. The pump was £300 and my partner fitted it.
No idea what a plumber would have charged for what was roughly 2 days work.

Grandmabatty

Wasn't this part of Margaret Thatchers privatisation plan? It clearly hasnt helped the ordinary man and woman. Fortunately Scotland didnt quite follow the same path, although there are still issues with under investment

The rivers are polluted and wildlife is under threat in Wales too.
Welsh Water is 'not for profit' but it seems to make no difference. Welsh water rates are high and due to increase substantially.

So where is the money going?

It's extremely well done. Thames Water is still in a little bit of trouble ( understatement here), years on from the events portrayed. Sadly, this group is now in charge of my supplier, Southern Water.
However, over the years, there has been money for executives, PR people, and shareholders, so there is that..

Foreign investors care only about profits, not providing a good or even safe service for people.

I love watching business dramas whether real of fictional. I great one is Industry on BBC. Its about the financial market and the way these cut throat companies operate. Love it!

Sorry, I started another thread as I hadn't seen this one.

The River Lym in Dorset was declared “ecologically dead” just a couple of years ago. I remember it when Kingfishers could be seen there. This is 21st century Britain. It’s shameful.

friendlyginger, I found I could not understand Industry the last episode at least. Talk about blinding with you gobbledy-gook, non of it made any sense, if you actually tried to decipher what they were saying. Surely they cannot make another series???

Gran22boys

The River Lym in Dorset was declared “ecologically dead” just a couple of years ago. I remember it when Kingfishers could be seen there. This is 21st century Britain. It’s shameful.

It’s shameful.

It is shameful.

I wonder what Margaret Thatcher would think now. Did she truly believe that privatisation of national industries would improve services? Perhaps she was naïve and did so, because, certainly, we needed change after the Trade unions had a grip on the country. I remember the strikes of the late 1970s, filthy streets, rats running around.
Did she think she was putting power in the hands of the public ie shareholders?

Because it's been a disaster. Capitalists, foreign companies, wealth funds based in tax havens. We have no say and, watching that programme, our own Environment Agency and other official bodies are complicit.

Even if the water company is "non-profit making", they are completey failing.
x.com/Feargal_Sharkey/status/1976919823041909065

We need more heroes to stand up to these companies.

Capitalists, foreign companies, wealth funds based in tax havens.
I'm so 😡 I didn't finish the sentence

Capitalists, foreign companies, wealth funds based in tax havens like sharks taking over one of our fundamental necessities. Let them swim in our waters!

I'm not sure that even if the water companies were to be re nationalised that things would be any better? And how much would that re nationalisation cost?
Also I don't understand why the Environment Agency doesn't do a better job at policing our water and protecting us?
The situation is disgraceful, but those two men were quite remarkable.

Also I don't understand why the Environment Agency doesn't do a better job at policing our water and protecting us?

We missed the last part of the programme but will try to catch up tomorrow.

Deregulation by the Tories, the Environment Agency awash (excuse the pun) with money from the water companies, self-regulation and people at the top stopping those with integrity from doing their jobs properly.

Unlike other privatisations the water one created effective regional monopolies. A very bad idea. Thank you, Tories. I think the companies should be nationalised without compensation but the heavy cost of improvements would fall on the taxpayer.

Also I don't understand why the Environment Agency doesn't do a better job at policing our water and protecting us?

The phrase “noses in the trough” springs to mind along with “you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours”
Cynical, moi?

This what I added to the other tread:

I have watched all 3 episodes.

This is the Thatcher legacy - utilities privatised so that the profit motive is bolted on to what is basically a service (not that Thatcher even understood that word) - shareholders to be remunerated, bosses to be paid massive uncontrolled salaries and bonuses, lots of money spent on window dressing and PR.

I have no idea how we crawl back out of this. Public services are simply wrecked.

And how much would that re nationalisation cost?

No doubt a lot - but the privatization also cost a lot and has proved to be deeply wrong in every possible way - philosophically, morally, practically. We cannot duck the need to re-nationalise.

I seldom feel vehemently about anyone, but Thatcher was a woman for whom I frankly felt total hatred. I was working in a public service (social work) when she came crashing in with her privatisation and outsourcing, and services have never recovered, with a massive toll in human misery. And her wiping out of industries and whole areas of the country's wealth and livelihood created more people in need of care services.

And all based on an economic theory that erroneously treated national budgets like domestic budgets.

She was a woman without humanity or morality.

Greed is at the heart of so much wrongdoing.

It's the Post Office scandal all over again. Cover ups. You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours. Greed over money and what makes me more angry is that these people get nice bonuses and meanwhile ordinary people like us pay for it through our bills.