We were thrilled to hear from Old Hymerian Nicola Hammond (OH 1991 -93) who with others has made a Channel 4 documentary ' Go back to where you came from'  which has been nominated for a BAFTA award in May 2026. The 4-episode series features six British citizens with varying views on immigration, who retrace the journeys of refugees through places like Syria and Somalia.

I’m still in shock that Go Back has been shortlisted for a BAFTA. From the start it was a confrontational, emotionally charged and logistically complex challenge. Getting access to Somalia, Syria and Lebanon would probably prove impossible today, but when we filmed two years ago tensions were escalating. Right up until getting on the plane we weren’t sure it would happen. Getting daily military level intel on the countries you’re about to go can make you question your life choices. I’d volunteered for nine months on a refugee project in Greece so getting this series to air meant a lot to me. At least I had a choice about going to dangerous places, those living in conflict zones don’t. So many issues around immigration are heavily polarised, this programme was a chance to look at the humanity behind the headlines.You only really hear of refugees in the press as a statistic or a problem - to meet these people and get to know them as individuals as mothers, fathers, nurses, school kids, football supporters helps see the issue in a different light.I hope the legacy of Go Back is that it started some conversations and shed some light on a problem that has no easy fixes.Views often differed within the team on what stories we followed. Skills learnt at Hymers gave me the confidence to challenge decisions by standing up for what I believe in. It also taught me that differences can be strengths and that determination and perseverance do pay off.

Even though my A levels may not have gone quite as planned, I’ve still got a lot to thank Hymers for. Especially as my husband ( Edward Calvert 1985-92)  is also an Old Hymerian so there’s definitely that! 

Photo Credit to Channel Four Television Corporation 2026