Feature Documentary
Sky

Feature Documentary

The story of Stephen Hawking revealing the true cost of his disability and success

Catapulted to rock star status and global fame by his book A Brief History of Time, Hawking became the most famous scientist on the planet. He sought to uncover the ultimate answers to the Universe and find a Theory of Everything – one mathematical theory that would let us know, in his words “the mind of God.”

Yet Hawking also faced a life-threatening and debilitating illness that had changed his life. Motor Neurone Disease robbed Hawking of his ability to walk, move and breathe and ultimately deprived him of his voice.

Hawking passed away in 2018. Now, his immediate family comes together to reveal the triumphs and tragedies of his dramatic personal story. Along with Stephen’s insights in his own words, his children, first wife, colleagues, carers and friends give intimate and surprisingly candid testimonies. They reveal what it was like to live with the superstar cosmologist and expose the toll that Stephen’s increasing fame and disability took on him and his family.

 

Watch Now

Exclusive access to Stephen’s personal archive, unseen photographs and rarely seen footage bring vividly to life the depth of the struggles Stephen faced, the brilliance of his mind, his determination in the face of extreme adversity, his battle to find a way to communicate, his rise to fame and the message of hope he delivered to the world.

Hawking: Can you hear me? peels back the curtain to reveal Stephen as a complex character. This is the very human story of a man in extraordinary circumstances – a husband, brother, father and friend.

Credits

Director
Oliver Twinch

Producer
Anthony Geffen

Editor
Doug Howarth

Executive Producer
Siobhan Mulholland

Executive Producer for Sky
Poppy Dixon

Line Producer
Jackie Chivers

Assistant & Archive Producer
Emily Harris

 

Production Manager
Lucy Butler

Directors of Photography
Geoffrey Sentamu
Paul Williams
Neil Barrett

Development Director
David Lee

Development Producer
Maddie Dodd

Visual Effects
Chris Parks Art

Composer
Stuart Miller