Atomic TV secures first commission for Nat Geo military docuseries

Stephen McQuillan

Disney-owned National Geographic has ordered Defending Europe, a docuseries exploring how stories and sites played a crucial role in shaping the borders and countries of Europe as we know them today.

The 6 x 60-minute series is the first commission for Atomic Television, the UK factual launched at the start of the year with backing from Zinc Media Group.

Covering 2,000 years of history, each episode of Defending Europe focuses on a different country, taking a deep dive into the critical moments when each nation’s survival was threatened – from Hitler’s conquest of Europe to Napoleon Bonaparte, the Medieval Kings and Queens, the Roman Empire, and everything in between.

A cast of experts will explore the ingenious engineering and often mind-blowing scale of the defensive fortifications, weapons and strategies that were developed in response, following how these tactics adapted over time to counter new threats and technologies.

Supported by local specialists, each episode will investigate how these sites kept each country safe, forged and defined its national borders and helped build the character and identity of its people.

Defending Europe was commissioned for National Geographic by Simon Raikes. It is executive produced by Stephen McQuillan for Atomic at Zinc Media.