The epidemic COVID-19 virus has caused international apprehension for everyday life, but in Wuhan, China, the initial location of the outbreak, the city on lockdown has become eerily empty. W5, Canada’s most-watched documentary series and North America’s longest-running investigative series, presents a rare, first-person account from one Canadian quarantined in the disease’s epicenter this Saturday with INSIDE WUHAN. Produced by Ballinran Entertainment’s Craig Thompson, in association with White Pine Pictures’ Peter Raymont and W5, the special report airs this Saturday, March 7 at 7 p.m. ET/PT on CTV, the CTV and CTV News apps, and CTVNews.ca.
After receiving notice that his apartment building was about to be placed into lockdown, C.R. Holmes, took to the streets – avoiding authorities, living in his car and in hotel rooms for days on end, and uploading the footage of the ghost city back to Canada. Scenes include driving down the city’s busiest streets, now deserted at what would normally be rush hour. Police check-points line the roads and one apartment complex has been placed entirely behind six-foot-high walls to prevent residents from leaving or anyone from entering. Told as a first-person account, Holmes explores how the residents continue to get food and, at the city’s main train station, finds its vast concourse completely abandoned.
While seemingly draconian the Chinese authorities’ quarantine of the city of 11 million is being credited for slowing and possibly containing the spread of the deadly virus. In recent days the numbers of new cases have been declining in China, but the lockdowns continue. There are warnings everywhere – on one street he notes signs proclaiming “don’t spread rumours.”
“At a time when the entire world is asking questions about these extreme measures, we are compelled to help uncover answers through this powerful, first-person storytelling,” said Anton Koschany, Executive Producer, W5. “Along with our partners at Ballinran Entertainment and White Pine Pictures, we believe viewers will find this personal account to be compelling and informative – continuing W5’s tradition of unparalleled investigative storytelling.”
In addition to airing Saturdays at 7 p.m. ET on CTV, W5 also airs Saturdays at 10 p.m. on CTV2 and Sundays (see local listings). W5 is also available on demand at CTVNews.ca/W5, and on the CTV and CTV News apps.
Presented by CTV’s W5, INSIDE WUHAN is a production of Ballinran Entertainment and produced by Craig Thompson, in association with White Pine Pictures. Executive Producer of White Pine Pictures is Peter Raymont. Executive producer of W5 is Anton Koschany. President of CTV News is Wendy Freeman.