Panorama Season 74, Episode 16: Scams, Lies and AI

Why Are Vet Bills So High?

More than half of UK households have a pet. We value their fun, love and companionship. But vet bills have rocketed in recent years, increasing by almost 50% since 2020. Richard Bilton investigates why it’s become so much more expensive to go to the vet. He speaks to industry insiders and hears from dog owners and cat lovers who found themselves in a dilemma when the health of their pet was dependent on paying bills that could run to thousands of pounds. A recent report has recommended changes to a market that has become increasingly dominated by large corporate chains and asks if the proposed changes go far enough.

29 min

Maxed Out: The Credit Card Trap

As the cost-of-living crisis continues, millions are leaning on credit cards to make ends meet. Are regulators doing enough to protect us from getting into debt?

29 min

Post Office: Who's to Blame?

It’s been called the worst miscarriage of justice in British history. Hundreds of postmasters were wrongly prosecuted after money disappeared from the Horizon computer system. But who’s really to blame for the Post Office scandal? With the public inquiry due to deliver its final report later in 2026, the Metropolitan Police says it is looking at more than 50 'persons of interest'. They include managers, investigators and lawyers. Reporter Andy Verity investigates some of those responsible for decisions that saw innocent postmasters jailed, lives destroyed and reputations ruined.

29 min

Our Man in Moscow

Panorama follows a year in the life of the BBC’s Russia editor, Steve Rosenberg, and his work reporting from one of the most hostile places in the world to be a journalist.

58 min

Knife Crime - What Happened to our Boys?

Kelyan Bokassa was murdered on a bus in broad daylight in Woolwich in south east London in January 2025. He was 14 years old. A few weeks earlier, his friend, 15-year-old Daejaun Campbell, was also murdered in a knife attack on a nearby street. Both boys were being exploited by criminal gangs. Their mothers tell Panorama they knew their sons were in danger, and that they desperately tried to get help. But they say the authorities failed them. The local council says it's working hard to tackle knife crime, and that it is committed to learning from what happened. So how did Kelyan and Daejaun slip through the cracks of a system which is meant to keep children safe? Reporter Frankie McCamley traces the lives of two lost boys and follows the mothers left behind, who now want answers.

58 min

Framed For Murder?

Omar Benguit has spent 23 years in prison for murder, but there's no CCTV or forensic evidence linking him to the crime. The main prosecution witness is a proven liar with a history of making false allegations. Panorama reveals how the police built their case around her, even though they had evidence that discredited her account. Reporter Bronagh Munro, who has been investigating the case for ten years, also talks to witnesses who say they were pressured to lie in court and finds information that strengthens Omar Benguit's alibi. The new evidence raises serious questions about the police's original investigation and suggests he may have been framed for murder. Dorset Police say the case has been dismissed twice by the Court of Appeal and that its investigation was thorough, detailed and very complex.

29 min

The Rising Cost of Health Benefits

One in ten working-age people in England and Wales now claims disability or incapacity benefits. The cost to the taxpayer has increased dramatically over the last decade and now stands at £56 billion a year – four times what is spent on the justice system. Disability benefits have seen the sharpest rise, particularly among young people, and more than half of the overall increase has come from claimants with mental health and behavioural conditions. So what's behind the increase? Reporter Bronagh Munro investigates the spiralling costs and asks whether the health-related benefits system is fit for purpose.

29 min

Will Robots Take My Job?

Robots can already do many jobs more quickly and efficiently than humans. Soon, they may be better than us at many more tasks. In Silicon Valley, plans are underway for massive changes in the workplace – prompting fears that millions of people will be replaced by robots and AI. So, will this future bring freedom from work in a world of unlimited resources or a dystopia where millions of workers are discarded and impoverished? Reporter Richard Bilton investigates the rise of the robots and what it could mean for all of us.

29 min

At War: Trump, Israel and Iran

As the conflict in the Middle East intensifies, Jane Corbin investigates the origins and aims of the US/Israeli offensive against Iran that could reshape the region.

29 min

Assisted Dying: What Next?

Will assisted dying ever happen in the UK, and how would it work if it did? The BBC's medical editor, Fergus Walsh, talks to leading supporters and opponents.

28 min

Living without Life’s Little Luxuries

With the cost-of-living crisis still squeezing household budgets, Colletta Smith investigates the consequences for communities, jobs and everyday life.

29 min

Dangerous Dogs: Is the Ban Working?

Two years ago, the government banned XL Bully dogs, promising it would save lives. Panorama investigates whether that commitment has been kept.

29 min

Trump's Immigration Crackdown

President Trump’s crackdown on immigration has led to a big drop in the number of migrants illegally crossing the border and a sharp rise in arrests in US cities. But his administration’s hardline approach has divided America. Two protesters have been shot dead on the streets of Minneapolis by federal agents, and an estimated 14 million undocumented immigrants are at risk of deportation. Reporter Darragh MacIntyre meets some of the families living under threat and asks whether the president’s tough policies are working.

29 min

Antisemitism - Why British Jews Are Afraid

Reports of antisemitic incidents have risen in the UK over the last few years, leaving many British Jews feeling fearful and under threat. In October 2025, a knifeman tried to enter Heaton Park synagogue - two members of the congregation were killed. Judith Moritz examines how abuse, intimidation and violence aimed at Jewish communities has become more widespread, hearing from the government’s independent reviewer of terror legislation who believes the normalisation of antisemitism makes violence more likely.

29 min

Iran War - The Cost at Home

Shock waves from the Iran War have already been felt in the UK. Fuel prices have risen and interest rates are on hold, but that could be just the beginning of a much bigger economic impact on energy bills, the price of food and mortgage rates. Reporter Rahil Sheikh meets families already feeling the squeeze, businesses having to adapt to a world turned upside down, and experts trying to make sense of it all. What could the war mean for the economy and the cost of living here at home?

28 min

The Dark Side of Married at First Sight

Panorama investigates allegations that raise serious concerns that welfare procedures on Married at First Sight UK have failed contributors, leaving them at risk of harm.

Maternity Failures: The Fight for Justice

As families demand answers for failures in maternity services, Panorama investigates how systemic neglect, inadequate staffing and a reluctance to learn from mistakes have led to heartbreak.

Predator: The Billionaire Football Boss

A joint investigation by Panorama and The Times newspaper into the behaviour of David Sullivan, who has announced he is stepping down as co-chair and director of West Ham United Football Club.

The Starmer Files: The Russian Connection

In May last year, three arson attacks targeted the prime minister, Keir Starmer. Two properties and a car were set alight. But who lit the fires and why? Daniel De Simone investigates and finds the shadowy figures behind the attacks were also behind fake far-right groups trying to stoke hatred and division in the UK. The fires fit a pattern in which hostile states such as Russia are increasingly using proxies here to do their dirty work. So could Russia be behind the Starmer fires?

29 min

Dubai: Is The Dream Over?

For decades, Dubai has sold itself as a safe place to live, do business and party. But when war broke out in nearby Iran, the city’s carefully curated image was shattered. Missiles and drones hit luxury hotels and critical infrastructure, expats scrambled for safety, and the government clamped down on sharing images of the war. Panorama reveals through the eyes of British residents, business owners and experts how Dubai’s promise of security and prosperity has been tested like never before.

29 min

There's A Gangster In My Flat

Criminal gangs are targeting the rental market to take over properties and use them to run their operations. Panorama reporter Hazel Martin speaks to flat owners who paid reputable agencies to do tenancy checks but still ended up handing over their keys to criminals using fake IDs and references. One flat was turned into a drugs factory, another became a brothel, and a third was sublet and ransacked. Even when there appears to be clear evidence of criminal behaviour, gangs are escaping prosecution, and landlords say it can take months to repossess their properties.

29 min

Andy Burnham: The Laura Kuenssberg Interview

What kind of prime minister will Andy Burnham be? Laura Kuenssberg has been behind the scenes with him during his first week in power. In his first major broadcast interview since taking office, she asks about his plans - and the challenges ahead.

29 min

Britain’s Strictest Schools

When running a big school, how much discipline is too much? Richard Bilton reports from an academy trust whose stakeholders say its strict policies on behaviour have gone too far.

29 min