Zircon (satellite) - Zircon Affair

Zircon Affair

Main article: Zircon affair

As a result of TV interviews filmed with officials, particularly Sir Ronald Mason, the government's chief scientist, the government became aware that Campbell knew about the project. Shortly before the programme was due to be transmitted, in January 1987 the New Statesman published an account of Zircon. This triggered Special Branch police raids on the BBC offices in Glasgow, the offices of the New Statesman, and the homes of Campbell and his researchers, Jolyon Jenkins and Patrick Forbes. Master tapes were removed from the BBC, the government obtained an injunction preventing transmission of the programme, and the BBC postponed the transmission of the entire series. Four episodes were transmitted in April and May 1987, and the Zircon programme was transmitted separately in September 1988. The sixth episode, titled Cabinet, was held back indefinitely, and eventually remade and broadcast by Channel 4 in April 1991.