TV programme accused of glorifying knife crime

ITV has been blasted by John Apter, Chair o the Police Federation, for its links with an American TV programme available on the History Channel, which has been dubbed ‘Bake Off with Blades’. Forged in Fire is a programme during which blacksmiths compete to create knives, axes and swords which are then tested by slashing, hacking and slicing dummies complete with fake blood.

Ex military personnel from the American armed forces act as judges to gauge the effectiveness of the blades when they cut through solid bone or decapitate mannequins. 

The programme is filmed in New York by a production company that is part owned by Britain’s ITV. John Apter has called for ITV to review its decision to produce this programme in the light of the epidemic of knife crime in the UK.