Channel 4’s Dirty Business… The Breakdown

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In an idyllic Oxfordshire hamlet, the fish in the river keep dying. Why? David Thewlis and Jason Watkins lead Channel 4’s shocking real-life drama of victims, whistleblowers and England’s water companies.

The promotional campaign was a combined effort from several skilled partners and included a fountain installation in London’s South Bank between 23-25th February 2026. Bronze-like statues vomit murky brown water, made in the likeness of real people, believed to have been made ill by polluted waterways. Viewers are invited to scan a QR code and listen to the first-hand stories of those affected. Curious photographer, Max Parker, took in the full impact of the installation while shooting press photos for the campaign launch.

Meanwhile, over at Curious HQ, we mucked-in alongside 4Creative designer, Aimi Awang, to produce a series of OOH assets for use across digivans, Transvision and regional press cover wraps. Dirty, polluted macro water shots are overlayed with text that bleeds and distorts in response to the surrounding pollution. Each asset is designed to get up close and personal, with strategic placement and clever copy that directly challenges the water companies who play a role in the fact-based drama.

All-together, the campaign shines a grim, but effective light on the new Channel 4 series and the decade-long investigation it’s based on.