UNSCRIPTED 2025
Disease X: Hunting the Next Pandemic
Can science identify the next pandemic before it is too late?
In this ambitious landmark documentary, virologist Dr Chris van Tulleken sets off on an international hunt for the source of the next global pandemic.‘ Disease X’ is the name the World Health Organisation gives to the yet-to-be discovered virus most likely to cause the next pandemic. We don’ t know what it is, what it looks like, or how it will spread. But many believe it has the potential to be bigger and deadlier than Covid-19 or anything else we’ ve seen before.
Every pandemic in modern times has come from a Disease X or a novel strain of flu. Covid-19 is the most recent example, but it wasn’ t the first and it won’ t be the last. Our only defence is to try to get ahead of it, and identify where it will come from and what it will be – before it’ s too late. With millions of undiscovered viruses currently present in the world, Chris travels the globe to meet the scientists racing to prevent the next pandemic.
During his high-stakes investigation, Chris speaks to leading experts in the fields of virology, epidemiology, vaccinology and public policy around the world and he examines why new viruses are emerging at an increased rate, reveal the hotspots where they’ re most likely to appear, and profile the most concerning new disease outbreaks.
Duration 1 x 1 hr
STV Studios for BBC Two, UK
Watch trailer