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Tony Blair is one of Britain's most successful and controversial leaders. With unprecedented access, including Blair and family, this series charts his meteoric rise to power. And what happened next. Featuring an in-depth interview with Tony Blair himself, his story is also told through those who knew him best – friends, allies, and opponents. Peeling back the layers of political spin and tabloid sensationalism, the programme offers a fresh perspective on the man who transformed the Labour Party and reshaped Britain. The series goes beyond the headlines to explore the key moments that shaped Blair’s leadership, providing a gripping insight into one of the most influential Prime Ministers of the modern era.
A profile of the former prime minister, in which director Michael Waldman charts his meteoric rise to become one of the world's most powerful leaders, through interviews with Blair, his wife Cherie and their children, as well as former colleagues and opponents. Blair begins by revealing the early traumas that drove him into politics and how, after repeatedly failing to get selected as a candidate for Parliament, he won the very last seat left in the country.
The former prime minister discusses his second election victory, after which he built a close relationship with President George Bush. When terrorists struck the US on 9/11, he took a leading role in building support for the US-led war in Afghanistan. But when President Bush decided he wanted to get rid of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, the PM had a decision to make. He talks to director Michael Waldman about the decision to go to war in Iraq, which many see as his greatest mistake.
Weakened by the Iraq War, Tony Blair battles to a third successive election victory. Fighting to make a difference in the time that he has left in office, he instigates global changes to world poverty and deals with a major domestic terror attack. In a high-stakes political drama, Blair is forced out by his own party and replaced by his oldest ally, Gordon Brown. Out of power, he seeks to build a new legacy while defending his time in No10. Criticised for making money from authoritarian regimes, while much of what he stood for is dismantled at home and abroad, still he pushes on, building a new organisation, and wielding some influence across the world in new ways.
Tony Blair
Self
Michael Waldman
Narrator (voice)
Cherie Blair
Self
Peter Mandelson
Self - Long-time Blair ally
Bill Clinton
Self
Alastair Campbell
Self - Blair’s communications director
George Osborne
Self - Former UK Chancellor
Andrew Neil
Self
Jeremy Corbyn
Self - Critic voice
Kathryn Blair
Self
Euan Blair
Self
Leo Blair
Self