After being seduced by local radio in Manchester and Cumbria, Mike Smith thought he was set for an idyllic career reporting the changes in sheep prices at Lakeland farmers' markets but it didn't work out that way.
In his 10 years on the staff of BBC television he traveled the world working as a producer for Panorama as well as stints as an on-screen reporter, a writer for Radio 4 news, a producer for File on 4 and creating and series producing Word for Word - the summer long alternative for Start the Week.
He is now best known as a writer, director and executive producer of documentary journalism, including a over a dozen films for the BBC's flagship strands - Horizon (science), Everyman (religion) and Panorama (current affairs).
Executive Producer
Yesterday We Were In America - feature funded drama doc
Big Art - Channel 4
I Can't Believe I'm Telling You This - feature funded
The Secrets of the 12 Disciples - Channel 4
Watch This Space - Channel 4
Guns For Hire: Afghanistan & Congo - Sky One
We Are Detectives - Channel 4
Heroes - A short film for Live 8
Operation Muslim Vote - Channel 4
Election Unspun: What They're Really Thinking - Channel 4
Jump Britain - Channel 4
The Making of Jump Britain - E4
2 Tone Britain - Channel 4
The Real Little Britain - BBC 2 / 3
Producer / Director
2006
Gay Vicars - Channel 4
2004
4 Pieces of Me - Channel 4
Body Talk - (series of 2) Channel 4
2003
Jump London - (producer) Channel 4
Leaving You - The survivors guide to domestic violence - BBC3
2002
The Copenhagen Fallout - BBC4
Hackers - Angels & Outlaws - TLC
2001
Bin Laden's Biological Crusade - Panorama
4 x 4 - (template film) BBC1
2000
Mind of the Murderer - (1 of 3) - BBC 2 / Discovery
1991-1999
Mobile Mania - mobile phones safety - Panorama
File on 4 - Rebuilding Bosnia - BBC Radio 4
The Difference (Series of 3) - Channel 4
Pile Up - Sue Lawley BBC1
Sexual Chemistry (Viagra) - Horizon - shortlisted for Science Writers Award
Word for Word (series) - Radio 4
Dyslexic Criminals - Channel 4
Medicine's Missing Millions - Panorama
The Migrant Mafia - Panorama
File on 4 - No link between dietary cholesterol & heart disease
Everyman: Virgin and the Abbey - BBC 1
Volcano Stories - (series of 9) - BBC2
Hear No Evil - abuse in residential care - Panorama
The End of the Western World - BBC2
File on 4 - Killer Dust
Bad Blood - investigation into Hep C in UK blood - Panorama
The Line of Fire - police firearms policy - Panorama
Water (Money Prog) - BBC2
Purchasing Power - BBC2
The Mr Nice Guy Murders - OJ Simpson - Panorama
The Whole Truth - witness intimidation - Panorama
Soft Money Hard Sell - BBC2
Out Of Sight, Out of Mind - BBC2