President Bush 'assassinated' in new TV docudrama

Surrounded by a crowd of panicking onlookers, the American leader is pictured just seconds after being gunned down by a sniper following an anti-war demonstration.

But rather than a repeat of JFK's shooting or Ronald Reagan's attempted assassination, this shocking image is part of a new Channel Four show.

The dramatic scene, which has caused outrage among Americans, has been created by a British film company for a programme about the effect of the War On Terror.

In Death Of A President, which will premiere at the Toronto Film Festival later this month (SEPT)before being shown on Channel 4's satellite channel More4 in October, the assassination is a starting point for a retrospective fictional documentary about what happened next.

This scene, which was created by putting the President's face onto an actor with digital wizardry, shows him being gunned down just hours after driving past an anti-war demonstration while doing a talk in Chicago.

The two hour drama, in which events are 're-created' by the use of footage and interviews, shows the media storm around the War on Terror as Muslims are fingered as the culprits before there is any evidence.

In the wake of the assassination, authorities focus on a Syrian-born man in the search for the culprit.

'In the hunt for the killer, this will show how America has been affected by the War on Terror,' said a spokesman. 'It is about the polarisation of America in all the events post 9/11.'

But the drama, which will be shown on Channel 4 after being screened on More4, has angered some Americans who have seen four presidents assassinated while in office.

Eric Staal of Republicans Abroad in London said last night: 'I wonder if they are celebrating the idea that the president could be assassinated.

'We've seen from early in his presidency the extremes that the political Left are willing to go to vilify him. This takes this vilification to a new and disturbing level.

'It is an appalling way to treat the head of state of another country.'

While a White House spokesman said: 'This does not dignify a comment (sic).'

The film, which Channel 4 describes as 'a thought-provoking critique of contemporary America' has been written and directed by Gabriel Range.

His previous work includes two docudramas for the BBC; The Day Britain Stopped, a fictional documentary on two planes colliding above London and The Man Who Broke Britain about a city trader who causes a national recession.

Death Of A President is not the only way More4 will be exploring the impact of the War on Terror, the channel announced at a launch yesterday.

The Trial of Tony Blair, by the makers of the farce A Very Social Secretary, will take a 'darkly humorous' look at what will happen to the Prime Minister after he leaves office.
Starring Robert Lindsay as Blair, a role which he also took in A Very Social Secretary about David Blunkett's affair with Kimberly Quinn the show will focus, the drama will kick off with his resignation.

The channel said: 'With Iraq still in turmoil and Gordon Brown in Number 10, The Trial of Tony Blair imagines how political events - now beyond his control - may shape both his future and his place in history.'

Other shows will include a real documentary on Iraq starring Saddam Hussein's daughter Raghad and Pamela Stepehenson conducting 'psychological interviews' with the Duchess of York and Stephen Fry.