BBC series about the ongest-running case in English legal history.

Mark Steel is fronting a new BBC Sounds podcast  about the ‘McLibel’ trial, the longest-running case in English legal history.

It came about when McDonald’s sued members of environmental group London Greenpeace in 1986, over their leaflet entitled What’s Wrong with McDonald’s?.

The fast-food giant strongly denied the claims that they exploit workers, damaged rainforests, mistreated animals, and promoted food that could harm health, even causing cancer.

In the new series, Shadow World: The People vs McDonald’s Steel explores the issues thrown into the limelight by the legal battle, which ran for ten years and produced wins and losses for both sides.

Activist Helen Steel, who defended the case alongside David Morris, was also one of several women who were deceived into long-term relationships with undercover police officers. 

The pair had to fund their own legal costs agains the multinational, but received significant pro bono assistance from lawyers including from Keir Starmer.

The BBC says: The series also investigates how the trial ultimately revealed a disturbing secret about the British state: one that directly affected Steel himself.

‘Mixing investigative storytelling with Steel’s trademark wit, Shadow World: The People vs McDonald’s offers fresh insight into a case that shaped public discourse on corporate accountability in the UK.’

Episodes will be available on BBC Sounds from August 13.

Published: 9 Aug 2025