BBC Studios produces Olympic Channel docuseries ‘The Vault’
Commissioned by Olympic Channel, BBC Studios Documentary Unit has produced ‘The Vault: Treasures of the Olympics’, a documentary series exploring the stories behind key artefacts from the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Presented by Olympian and Sport Industry 2025 host Jeanette Kwakye and broadcaster Rob Bell, the series has provided unprecedented access to the museum’s collections and included interviews with curators and Olympic athletes.
The first five episodes, available from 31st July on Olympics.com, have coincided with the one-year anniversary of the Paris 2024 Summer Games. The remaining episodes, focusing on Winter Olympic stories, will be released in autumn ahead of Milano-Cortina 2026.
Among the featured stories are German weightlifter Matthias Steiner’s gold medal performance following personal tragedy, British rower Helen Glover’s return to competition, diver Greg Louganis’ triumph after an HIV diagnosis, Rebeca Andrade’s victory over Simone Biles in Paris after two major injuries, and Julien Alfred’s historic sprint medal for St Lucia. Winter-focused episodes will include Olympic legends such as Gabriella Papadakis, Martin Fourcade, Fanny Smith, Aksel Lund Svindal, and Eddie “the Eagle” Edwards.
Rare items featured in the series include a 1924 gold medal rowing boat, a letter from Tokyo’s mayor inviting the 1940 Olympic Games before their cancellation, and Julien Alfred’s winning kit from Paris 2024.
Jeanette Kwakye said “The Olympics has a rich and varied history, so it was fascinating to be able to go behind the scenes in the museum and see some of their rarest treasures. I was also honoured to meet some of my fellow Olympians and hear the truly unique stories behind their journey to the Games.”
Rob Bell added, “To be let loose inside the Olympic Museum to film The Vault was one of the most exciting and fascinating experiences I’ve had in this career. The stories we cover are full of curiosity, wonder and emotion, and the curators we had the privilege of speaking to are so incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about their work.”
Kostas Karvelas, General Manager of Olympic Channel Services, said “We are thrilled to bring these incredible stories to life and seamlessly blend the rich treasures of the Olympic Museum with the remarkable achievements of Olympians.”
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