Is 999 What’s Your Emergency real? The truth behind the Channel 4 emergency services documentary series

The hit documentary series is set to return to Channel 4 - but is what we see on the screen really the full story?
999 What’s Your Emergency is returning for its 14th series on Channel 4 (Credit: Channel 4) 999 What’s Your Emergency is returning for its 14th series on Channel 4 (Credit: Channel 4)
999 What’s Your Emergency is returning for its 14th series on Channel 4 (Credit: Channel 4)

999 What’s Your Emergency has been a runaway hit with viewers since it premiered on Channel 4 in 2012.

The documentary reality show will kick off its 14th series, giving audiences another peek behind the curtain of 999 responders.

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Many may watch the show and take it at face value, while others question the authenticity of the remarkable tales told on the show.

But just how real is 999 What’s Your Emergency?

What is 999 What’s Your Emergency about?

The show follows emergency service staff from all across the country as they respond to calls made to 999.

It makes use of fly-on-the-wall footage, following police officers, ambulance staff, firefighters and call responders to incidents, as well as interviews with emergency service staff and those involved in the incidents also.

Channel 4 describes the show as “an intimate and frank look at modern Britain through the eyes of the emergency services on the front line.”

Is 999 What’s Your Emergency real?

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The situations on the show have led some to question whether the show is in fact real or whether certain aspects of the storyline are orchestrated by producers.

While some of the incidents may seem unbelievable, the show does in fact follow calls made by real people in real life situations.

Previous episodes which shocked viewers includes one which saw a teen gang raid a South Yorkshire hotel armed with weapons, which was shown on series 13 of the show.

Police officers spoke to the children, who were not identified and had their faces blurred, on camera, with one youngster claiming that the stanley knife he had on him was not a knife.

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Other shocking scenes from throughout the show’s run includes police responding to gang stabbings and break ins.

On the flip side, 999 What’s Your Emergency also shows some real life heartbreaking situations which responders are shown dealing with.

As seen on the show, one incident saw police officers responding to a call where a woman with dementia was attempting to find the home of her late mother.

The woman had been reported to police by a kind stranger, who had attempted to get the woman home after she insisted that her mother lived at the property.

When is 999 What’s Your Emergency back on Channel 4?

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The popular show is set to return for its 14th series on Monday 17 January.

It will premiere on Channel 4 at 9pm, and will be available to watch live and on catch up on All4.

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