Did two British men persuade Ayatollah Khomenei to issue the fateful fatwa? This ten-part series tells the hidden story of the 1989 fatwa issued against Salman Rushdie - the forces which led to the death sentence and the recent attack on him - and the consequences for all of us. The series covers a 20-year period from 1979 to 1999 and explores race relations in Britain, identity, free speech and the connection between the fatwa and contemporary violent jihad. It was originally broadcast in 2019. For more information and other views on the story, producer Chloe Hadjimatheou has written an article for the BBC News website:

Presenters: Chloe Hadjimatheou and Mobeen Azhar

This episode includes a clip from ‘Oshin’ produced by NHK.