A new Freddie Mercury documentary will air on BBC Two in November, telling the story of the “extraordinary final chapter” of his life.
Titled Freddie Mercury: The Final Act, the documentary will chart events from the Queen frontman’s final gig, his death in November 1991 from complications of AIDS, through to the tribute concert on April 20, 1992 at London’s Wembley Stadium.
The documentary will feature new interviews with Queen members Brian May and Roger Taylor, along with Freddie’s sister Kashmira Bulsara, friends Anita Dobson and David Wigg, and PA Peter Freestone.
Acts who performed at the tribute concert will also be featured, including Extreme’s Gary Cherone, The Who’s Roger Daltrey, Joe Elliott from Def Leppard, Lisa Stansfield, Paul Young and the gig’s promoter Harvey Goldsmith.
Those who witnessed the impact of HIV/AIDS first hand, including medical practitioners, survivors and human rights campaigners like Peter Tatchell, have also been interviewed for the documentary.
Director James Rogan said: “Making Freddie Mercury: The Final Act has been an extraordinary journey into the final chapter of one of rock music’s greatest icons. Working with Queen and getting to see behind-the-scenes of some of their greatest performances and the legendary Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert was a rare privilege.
“Equally important was speaking to the people who had lived through the eye of the storm of the global pandemic of HIV/AIDS, with all its resonances with COVID today. Freddie’s death and the Tribute that Queen organised for him helped to change global awareness of this terrible disease at a critical time.”
Alongside the documentary, BBC Two will show Queen At The BBC in November – an hour-long special featuring Queen’s best performances shown on the channel over the years, including the band’s celebrated 1975 concert at Hammersmith Odeon, London.
The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert, devised by bandmates Brian May, Roger Taylor and manager Jim Beach after Freddie’s death, was attended by over 70,000 people and included performances from Elton John, David Bowie, and Annie Lennox.
Freddie Mercury: The Final Act will air on BBC Two in November.
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