How did it make you feel when your favourite television character died right in front of your eyes?

Whether it’s the death of Ned Stark in Game of Thrones, or Hayley Cropper in Coronation Street, the portrayal of death on TV hits audiences on a personal level and sparks conversations about how we deal with death, dying and bereavement.

Professor Helen Wheatley, Professor of Film and Television Studies, at the University of Warwick explores television's representation of mortality in her latest book, "Television/Death”.

From the early days of documentary to today's dramas and comedies, Wheatley's narrative examines television's evolving relationship with mortality, shedding light on both historical and contemporary perspectives.

She comments: "Television has always explored our fascination with and fear of death. I aim to illuminate how television shapes our understanding of mortality in my book.

“I’d like readers to rethink the boundaries between life and death in the ever-evolving landscape of television and the impact it has had on shaping our own understanding of death and dying."

Wheatley delves into the realm of television documentaries, uncovering the truth behind portrayals of home deaths, hospice care, and assisted dying.

As readers journey through television history, they are confronted with the stark realities and subtle nuances of death on the screen.

Later in the book, she examines how television, and the television archive, allows us to encounter both the ‘famous dead’ and those closer to us we have loved and lost.

Wheatley looks into television programmes that continue to broadcast or gain new relevance after the deaths of their creators, stars, or participants.

She investigates how these posthumous broadcasts create a unique viewing experience, blending nostalgia with a haunting sense of presence and absence.

For readers, this analysis shows how television serves as a medium for memorialising and reinterpreting legacies, offering a profound commentary on mortality, memory, and the enduring impact of media.

She examines the emotional landscapes of grief and bereavement in television dramas, offering insights into the human experience of death and the mysteries surrounding what comes after death.