Press.disney.co.uk
The feature length documentary film, produced out of the UK, will follow multi-award-winning Welsh singer-songwriter Duffy, as she shares her deeply personal story
LONDON, UK (25 March 2026) – Disney+ has today announced a Hulu Original feature length documentary film that will follow Grammy, Brit, and Ivor Novello award-winning singer, Duffy.
In the late 2000s, Duffy was one of the biggest names in music, with her multi-platinum album Rockferry and its lead single Mercy hitting the top of the charts across the globe. Everything was looking up. And then she disappeared. For 10 years, Duffy vanished from the music scene, from social media, from the public eye, without a word. Then in 2020, Duffy published a harrowing post on her social media. She revealed that a decade earlier, she had been drugged, before being kidnapped and taken to another country, where she was violently and sexually abused. It had a devastating ripple effect across her entire life, cutting her off from the world. She’s barely been seen or heard from since – until now.
Documenting her life in this way for the first time, the documentary will be a retrospective film traversing Duffy’s life, from her upbringing in Wales, through to her meteoric rise to fame and her withdrawal from public life following her unfathomable experience.
The original documentary film will be driven by new, unprecedented access to Duffy, along with a rich and nostalgic archive, and interviews with family, friends, and close peers in the music industry.
The documentary is executive produced by Fernando De Jesus for Rare TV, who will produce the film in partnership with executive producer Matthew Worthy for Stellify Media. The film was commissioned out of the UK for Disney+ by Angela Jain, Head of Content, and Sean Doyle, VP, Unscripted, EMEA. The commission follows a successful pitch through a previously announced development fund created by Disney+ UK, in collaboration with Northern Ireland Screen, to help support and grow the production sector in Northern Ireland. The documentary film will be directed by Gill Callan from Northern Ireland.
Sean Doyle, Vice President, Unscripted, Disney+ commented, “Fifteen years ago, Duffy was one of the most famous singers in the world. Her voice was distinctly recognisable and powerful. Songs “Mercy” and “Warwick Avenue” from her debut album led to 3 Brit Awards, a Grammy and Duffy being at the peak of her career. And then she disappeared. This film will give Duffy the chance to tell her story in her own words. I am grateful to our collaborators at Rare TV for this unprecedented access, along with Stellify Media for handling this project with sensitivity and care. We set out in a search for impactful, female-led stories in collaboration with Northern Ireland Screen, and it’s a privilege that Duffy’s is the first we’re able to help tell. But above all, I’m especially in awe of Duffy - for her honesty and courage to share her story.”
Gill Callan, Director, adds, “Duffy’s life has been shaped by success and fame, but equally by pain, defiance, and an irrepressible sense of self. I’m drawn to the tension between vulnerability and confidence in her story and how a person can be deeply affected by their experiences, yet still find a powerful, expressive voice that is unmistakably hers.”
END
NOTES TO EDITORS
When reporting on sexual violence, please read the Independent Press Standards Organisation’s (IPSO) Guidance on Reporting of Sexual Offences. It explains protections for victims and outlines safe, sensitive practices.
ABOUT DISNEY+
Disney+ is the dedicated streaming home for movies and shows from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic, along with The Simpsons and outside the U.S., general entertainment brand Hulu. As the flagship direct-to-consumer streaming service from The Walt Disney Company, Disney+ serves as a connection point for audiences around the world with an unmatched collection of award-winning general entertainment and gold-standard family programming, the most trusted news, and global sports programming from ESPN. With unprecedented access to Disney’s long history of incredible film and television entertainment, it is also the exclusive streaming home for the newest releases from The Walt Disney Studios. For more, visit disneyplus.com, or find the Disney+ app on most mobile and connected TV devices.
ABOUT RARE TV
Rare is an award-winning international and independent production company with offices in Belfast, Dublin and London. Rare specialises in creating compelling factual films and series for both the US and UK markets.
DISNEY+ MEDIA CONTACTS
Max Damjanovic
Helena Keane
Molly Harley