BBC TV Documentary: Neil Morrissey – Care Home Kid Pt1 Online, Pt 2 to follow

Neil Morrissey is a successful English TV and theatre actor firstly known for the sitcom Men Behaving Badly in the 1990s which transferred across two British network TV channels from Independent television (ITV) to the BBC, and more recently the BBC School drama series Waterloo Road and the voice of children’s character Bob The Builder. Morrissey and one elder brother were taken into social/foster care at 12 and 14 respectively, at the same time but remained separately housed until aging out of the system. Alongside their removal a third of the four brothers was also separately put in care for a shorter stay.

The first part of his journey to examine the years spent in social care form the two-part documentary Neil Morrissey: Care Home Kid, was shown last Monday, and the second part is transmitted tomorrow, Thursday 31st March, BBC2, 9pm. In the UK you can view both parts of the series on the BBC Iplayer until a week tomorrow, Thursday 7th April, deadline 10pm but since both parts last an hour the real deadline is 7.59pm on the 7th to stream all of it.

The review will follow when both parts have been transmitted and the 2nd episode covers life immediately after leaving care as an adult, but it just goes to show that only someone who been through the foster care system in any country is qualified to talk about it – in conjunction with any abuse suffered, which is openly discussed by other care home residents from Morrissey’s time there. In the days before Child Abuse Awareness Month begins in America, the BBC has delivered the perfect beginning to it. If it hits Youtube or BBC America, look out for it and we’ll try to signpost any repeats on TV which should trigger another seven-day streaming opportunity online.

The UK iPlayer link is here. If you can’t go direct to the link and a repeat has been shown then head to the iPlayer’s front page and search on the name of the actor to find the show.

– CBG