BBC Studios Documentary Unit has been commissioned by Olympic Channel to produce The Vault: Treasures of the Olympics, a 10-part series which explores the stories behind the artefacts held in the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Presenters Olympian Jeanette Kwakye and engineering expert/presenter Rob Bell were given unprecedented access to The Olympic Museum, where they spoke to the Museum’s curators and many of the Olympic legends behind the stories.
The first five episodes have been released on Olympics.com, to help mark the one-year anniversary of the Paris Summer Games. The second half of the series will be released in the autumn – ahead of the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics 2026.
The first five episodes include the compelling story behind how German weight-lifter Matthias Steiner won gold just months after losing his wife in a tragic accident. In the second part of the Season, the series speaks to guests including Gabriella Papadakis, Martin Fourcade, Fanny Smith, Aksel Lund Svindal and ‘Eddie the Eagle’ Edwards.
The series will also show some of the rarest artefacts held in the Museum collection, for example the letter from the Mayor of Tokyo welcoming the 1940 Games, later to be cancelled due to the outbreak of the Second World War.
Kostas Karvelas, general manager Olympic Channel Services, said: “We are thrilled to bring these incredible stories to life and seamlessly blend the rich treasures of the Olympic Museum with the remarkable achievements of Olympians.”
Rowland Stone, executive producer added: “It’s a privilege to be part of such an evocative retelling of Olympic history, realised in such a compelling and contemporary way. We’re delighted to make such a fitting tribute to the world’s greatest sports event.”
Kwayke said: “The Olympics has a rich and varied history, so it was fascinating to be able to go behind the scenes in the museum and see some of their rarest treasures.
The Vault has been produced exclusively for Olympic Channel by BBC Studios Documentary Unit, and is freely available worldwide on Olympics.com.
Olympic Channel is the IOC’s global content studio and content media destination, accessible through Olympics.com. It showcases original programming, live coverage of Olympic-related sports events, and a 24/7 linear feed. With over 100 productions, Olympic Channel offers series and films, iconic moments and behind-the-scenes documentaries, athlete profiles, and coverage of Olympic-related sports and events.
