Growing up in the seaside naval town of Portsmouth on the South Coast of England, Stuart Fero spent his earliest years fascinated by a kid’s television program called Press Gang. The show focused on the activities of a children’s newspaper produced by pupils at the local school, and a young Fero was enchanted by the idea of making a difference. This idea stayed with him, and when he was 15, he established and edited a newspaper at his secondary school, giving him huge insight into journalism and the production process, and further solidifying his dream of working in the media. At 18, he moved to London and immediately began interning at the BBC and iTV, the two largest networks in the United Kingdom, and from then on, he has spent his life delivering impactful and informative productions to televisions all over the world.
“Studying film at such an early age, I knew all I wanted to do was be a producer and forge a career in the industry,” said Fero.
Now, he has done just that, as an industry-leading executive-in-charge, working on ground-breaking television programs. His work has been seen by millions on some of the most renowned networks, from The Zoo for Animal Plant to his most recent success, History Channel’s 9/11: Inside Air Force One, where he filmed on the iconic aircraft.
Fero loves seeking the truth and using his talents in producing to create dynamic documentaries that explore recent history and current events, and his resume is decorated with evidence of this. One such example is the series The Circus: Inside the Wildest Political Show on Earth for Showtime.
“I don’t think there has been a time in recent memory when politics have been more polarizing or divisive. With the onslaught of social media, we are bombarded by news (both real and fake) constantly. I think it’s important for a regular weekly political show to demonstrate both sides of the argument with trusted, well-connected hosts, and that is what The Circus provides. We shoot scenes beautifully with unprecedented access to interviewees. I knew instantly that I wanted to be a part of this whirlwind,” said Fero.
Hosted by John Heilemann, Mark McKinnon and Alex Wagner, this documentary series pulls back the curtain on the 2016 presidential race, revealing the intense, inspiring and infuriating stories behind the headlines. Key characters and events from the individual campaigns are presented in real time, as they are happening. The Circus is a non-partisan, never-before-attempted take on what promises to be one of the most fascinating and consequential elections in modern history.
“We’re living in a time when politics surrounds us, especially in America. It’s important to keep the story front and center, regardless of your political affiliation. As a Brit, this is the best and fastest way to learn about American politics, especially collaborating with some of the brightest minds on the subject. I love working on a television series with such a journalistic approach and being in the middle of such a high-pressure environment where the focus can change on a dime,” said Fero.
Producing the show is a large task for Fero, as it involves running multiple field and post teams that are shooting 24/7 all over the country to follow the latest breaking political news. He and his team have to be very structured in order to make it work while still being adaptable and responsive to any given situation, as they are reporting the ever-changing news. Fero’s decisions have to be considered but also made quickly and efficiently. It takes a cool head and calm manner to keep the ship steered in the right direction, and Fero is more than up for the task.
“Working on a weekly political show, we are in the midst of breaking news and what we think each episode could be about on a Monday can change entirely by Friday. You learn to expect the unexpected and it’s exciting to be at the center of all of that dealing with it each season,” he said.
Tracking the largest field of presidential candidates in U.S. history, the fourth season of The Circus returns to Showtime with eight new episodes this fall. Starting on Sunday, September 22nd, 2019 at 8 p.m. ET/PT, the network’s most-watched docuseries will continue its fourth season, which averaged more than one million weekly viewers earlier this year. The hosts will crisscross the country as an unprecedented cast of Democratic candidates barnstorm key states in their quests to face off against Donald Trump in 2020. Meanwhile, the president is pursuing re-election amid a growing threat of impeachment and looming international crises.
“It’s terrifically gratifying to be working on the flagship documentary series for a network as highly thought of as Showtime. We have a large team working remarkably hard on the show, and it’s satisfying to see their efforts pay off. Excerpts often get picked up by the wider media and are seen by an even larger audience. We’re already thinking about how 2020 could look, and it’s an election year. It’s definitely going to keep us on our toes,” said Fero.
Be sure to catch the show when it returns September 22nd, 2019.