Channel 5 have commissioned London and Glasgow based Firecracker Films to produce a 60-minute standalone documentary for Channel 5 – Scandal!: When Sven Scored with Ulrika.
Twenty years ago, the 2002 World Cup in Japan was on the horizon and a sense of excitement gripped the nation. But England football manager Sven-Goran Eriksson was preoccupied with domestic matters, as he faced claims that he was playing away with fellow Swede and former television weather presenter Ulrika Jonsson.
The sport and showbiz world were stunned when the Daily Mirror broke the story in the Spring of 2002, just five weeks before the much-anticipated World Cup competition.
Front page headlines and an article in the paper’s 3am gossip column revealed how Sven and Ulrika had been engaging in a secret romance, while the England coach prepared for the most prestigious football tournament in the world. He also happened to be dating unsuspecting girlfriend, Italian lawyer Nancy Dell’Olio.
Through interviews and archive, this 60’ documentary takes us on a nostalgic romp through a celebrity sex scandal that stunned the nation. From those who were close to the story at the time, we hear juicy details of events, explore the unlikely pairing of the Swedish couple, and discover the surprising inside story of the subsequent media frenzy.
Kit Morey, Commissioning Editor, Unscripted at Channel 5 & Paramount+, commented: “Now that the World Cup has started, whether we love or hate the ‘beautiful game’, it’s been the perfect time to delve into the archives and take a nostalgic trip down memory lane with this entertaining and revealing documentary recounting the scandal that stunned the nation.”
Jenny Midl, Executive Producer at Firecracker Films, added: “It's been great working with Channel 5 on this fun and nostalgic documentary. Sven and Ulrika were the sex scandal of the noughties and it's been a delight to look back at how the soap opera unfolded and the nation responded.”
Scandal!: When Sven Scored with Ulrika is a 1 x 60’ documentary for Channel 5. It was commissioned by Kit Morey, Commissioning Editor, Unscripted at Channel 5 & Paramount+, and executive produced by Jenny Midl and Jes Wilkins at Firecracker Films.