AN award-winning documentary made by a Charmouth man will be repeated at prime time on Channel Four this Monday. Almost five million viewers tuned in to watch The Boy Whose Skin Fell Off, a film by Eric Harwood, when it was first screened in March this year. An unprecedented interest in the story prompted Channel Four bosses to repeat the programme at the unusual time - for repeats - of 8pm. Monday's programme will repeat the moving film about 36-year-old-Jonny Kennedy, who had Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB), a terrible condition which meant that his skin literally fell off at the slightest touch, left his body covered in sores and led to a final fight against skin cancer. There will also be an update on the amount of money raised for DEBRA, the charity that raises money to fund research in to the condition, since the documentary was first shown. Jonny Kennedy agreed to work with Mr Harwood and filmmaker Patrick Collerton to raise awareness of the crippling condition and just the day before his death, managed to secure support from Cherie Blair for DEBRA. The film won a commendation at the Banff Film Festival in Canada and has now been shortlisted for the International Emmy Awards and the prestigious Grierson Documentary Awards in the UK. Mr Harwood, who has lived in Charmouth for three years and whose daughters attend Charmouth primary school, was previously controller of factual programmes at Central television and worked as a freelance journalist and independent producer. He also founded TV production company Planet Wild - which made the Big Breakfast - with Bob Geldof. Mr Harwood has also recently filmed the Chars in Their Eyes talent show in aid of Charmouth's community hall and DVDs of the event will soon be available to buy. Watch this space for details.
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