In Ray Martin: The Last Goodbye, journalist Ray Martin takes an investigative deep dive into one of the nation’s last taboos – and life’s only absolute certainty – death. The 3-part documentary series will premiere on Wednesday 14 August at 8.30pm on SBS and SBS on Demand.
As he plans his funeral in the three-part documentary series, Martin discovers the trends, rituals, practicalities, and emerging tech around the way we lay ourselves to eternal rest. Meeting with morticians, medical students, undertakers and death deniers, Ray seeks to understand Australia’s relationship with death. What choices must be made along each stage of the dying act? Why do we choose certain ceremonies, songs and resting places? How do religions and cultures negotiate death differently? What options will open up to us in the future? And how much is it all going to cost us?
He’s joined by TV presenter, comedian, and writer, Gretel Killeen, who began her TV career on Ray’s ‘Midday’ show in the 1980s; longtime friend and collaborator, landscape photographer and Christian, Ken Duncan; historian Santilla Chingaipe; political satirist Mark Humphries; and comedian Alex Lee, all of whom bring a range of generational perspectives to the table.
Ray Martin: The Last Goodbye is produced by BBC Studios Productions Australia for SBS and hsa principal production funding from Screen Australia and SBS, with financial support from Screen NSW. BBC Studios will be distributing the series internationally.
It premieres Wednesday, August 14 on SBS and SBS On Demand.