A reflection on her involvement with the PPE scandal of Covid…
The Rise and Fall of Michelle Mone tells the extraordinary story of Baroness Mone of Mayfair, the millionaire lingerie entrepreneur, who became notorious for a PPE scandal in the aftermath of Covid.
Simon Young, Head of Commissioning, History, BBC:
“It’s still unclear where this story will end, but there’s no better time to go back to understand where it all began, revealing the foundations of one of the most astonishing stories in the recent history of British business. We’re really excited to be working with Rogan Scotland, and our colleagues at BBC Scotland, to bring this series to the screen.”
The documentary will tell one of the most eye-opening business stories of our times. Michelle Mone was born and raised in the East End of Glasgow.
After working as a model, she created the lingerie company MJM and launched Ultimo, a new type of push-up bra. Riding a wave of entrepreneurial spirit in the 1990s, Mone discovered that she had a knack for promoting and marketing her products with the help of the tabloid press and TV producers. By the 2000s she was one of the most famous business women in Britain, having built a multi-million pound lingerie empire, and in 2015 she was appointed a Baroness.
During the Covid crisis, as a member of the House of Lords, Baroness Mone gained access to the so-called “VIP fast lane” to supply PPE to the government, proposing a company called PPE Medpro.
David Harron, Commissioning Executive, BBC Scotland:
“This is a fascinating and remarkable story and we hope that viewers will find this series compelling and thought provoking.”
For three years she and her husband Doug Barrowman publicly denied any involvement with the company, which was subsequently accused by the government of supplying faulty PPE. Then, in a high-profile television interview, Michelle Mone later conceded that she had lied to the press about her and Doug’s involvement in PPE Medpro, and that the couple stood to benefit from £60m of profit made on the deal.
The documentary series will hear from many of those who witnessed this rise-and-fall, including friends, former colleagues and advisors, journalists and lawyers involved in her story.
Erica Jenkin, Director:
“Michelle’s story is a compelling and multi-faceted one to tell. I’m excited by the creative challenge of bringing it to life and exploring what her journey reveals about the societal shifts that have shaped contemporary Britain. “
The Rise and Fall of Michelle Mone is a two episode series for BBC Two and BBC Scotland, made by Rogan Scotland.
