HURST: THE FIRST AND ONLY

His story charts incredible highs and little-known lows and now, for the first time, he talks about the tragedies which have mirrored his remarkable achievements.

Hurst was a superb footballer, part of the only England team ever to win a World Cup. More than half a century later he remains a hero. But, like his teammates, he was abandoned by the game he served so well. Five years after retiring he was on the dole. He fought back to gain the respect and status he always deserved. But status compares little to losing a brother to suicide and a daughter to a brain tumour.

This is a life shaped by glory and tragedy, fame and normality. It is told in the company of David Beckham, Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer, Ian Wright and Wayne Rooney. And, in a World Cup year, we hear from Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling and Marcus Rashford - the strikers who can only dream of emulating Hurst’s triumph.
Hurst’s unique record features in every football book in every library across the planet. His achievements are recognised by former foes like Germany’s Franz Beckenbauer and modern-day superstars, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Harry Kane, Marcus Rashford and Megan Rapinoe.

The Hurst era has spanned massive societal change, from the monochrome of the fifties to the Technicolor of the seventies and beyond. Music, fashion and film were thrust into the foreground, and this documentary’s heartbeat will be a soundtrack which reflects those revolutionary times.