The Zelensky Story

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2024
Season 1
3 episodes

Documentary
History

Summary

Comedian, actor, president, war leader - in his own words. The extraordinary life of one of the world's most recognisable leaders, and how war in Ukraine changed everything.

Episode 1: Episode 1

Summary

Delving into the story of Volodymyr Zelensky, a comedian who played the president, then became the real President of Ukraine. Opening with the collapse of the Soviet Union, the programme looks at how the Maidan Revolution sparked a political awakening in Zelensky, as well as his role as the Ukrainian president in the hit TV show Servant of the People and his decision to run in real life

Review

David Butcher

The twists and ironies in the story of Ukraine’s wartime president are wild enough that this new three-part series doesn’t have to labour them. A comedian who runs for office, naming his party after the TV show where he played an everyman who becomes president? The far-fetched tale starts to make a little more sense, but only a little, when we gather that Volodymyr Zelensky was no jobbing comic by that stage, but an ambitious actor-producer with a string of hit films and TV shows. “God kissed him on the forehead,” says a collaborator.

It’s jarring to see him goof around in early talent shows. The clips are amusingly intercut here with what Vladimir Putin was up to around the same time — becoming Russian prime minister, meeting Tony Blair and so on. But it’s clear Zelensky already had charisma as a teenager. His wife Olena offers some choice insights, revealing that Volodymyr hadn’t warned (or asked) her before he announced on TV he would run for president. “He won,” she says, sounding almost regretful. “He always does.”

How to watch

Next showing

There are no live broadcasts scheduled for this show. But it is available via the streaming provider below.

Streaming

BBC iPlayer

Details

Released on

2024-09-04

Languages

Formats

Colour

Credits

Crew

rolenameDirectorMichael WaldmanDirectorLouis Lee-RayProducerJecca PowellExecutive producerDavid GloverExecutive producerJonathan Smith

All episodes

Episode 3

Episode 3

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Episode 2

Episode 2

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Episode 1

Episode 1

Summary

Delving into the story of Volodymyr Zelensky, a comedian who played the president, then became the real President of Ukraine. Opening with the collapse of the Soviet Union, the programme looks at how the Maidan Revolution sparked a political awakening in Zelensky, as well as his role as the Ukrainian president in the hit TV show Servant of the People and his decision to run in real life

Review

David Butcher

The twists and ironies in the story of Ukraine’s wartime president are wild enough that this new three-part series doesn’t have to labour them. A comedian who runs for office, naming his party after the TV show where he played an everyman who becomes president? The far-fetched tale starts to make a little more sense, but only a little, when we gather that Volodymyr Zelensky was no jobbing comic by that stage, but an ambitious actor-producer with a string of hit films and TV shows. “God kissed him on the forehead,” says a collaborator.

It’s jarring to see him goof around in early talent shows. The clips are amusingly intercut here with what Vladimir Putin was up to around the same time — becoming Russian prime minister, meeting Tony Blair and so on. But it’s clear Zelensky already had charisma as a teenager. His wife Olena offers some choice insights, revealing that Volodymyr hadn’t warned (or asked) her before he announced on TV he would run for president. “He won,” she says, sounding almost regretful. “He always does.”

How to watch

Next showing

There are no live broadcasts scheduled for this show. But it is available via the streaming provider below.

Streaming
- BBC iPlayer
Details

Released on

2024-09-04

Languages

Formats

Colour

Credits

Crew

rolenameDirectorMichael WaldmanDirectorLouis Lee-RayProducerJecca PowellExecutive producerDavid GloverExecutive producerJonathan Smith

Show more