BBC announces programming to mark 30 years of Kurt Cobain’s death

The BBC has announced special programming to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the death of Kurt Cobain.

A range of content will be aired across both television and radio to celebrate and remember the life and legacy of the Nirvana frontman, who died by suicide on April 5, 1994.

BBC Two and iPlayer will dedicate a Saturday night of programmes to Cobain and Nirvana in April, which includes a new documentary, Moments That Shook Music: Kurt Cobain. The documentary tells the story of the last days of Cobain’s life using rare archive footage, some of which has never been seen on British TV before.

Some of the footage includes the reaction of the electrician who found Cobain’s body when installing a security system at his Seattle home, statements of police at the scene and the confusion and devastation of fans hearing the news. There is also footage of the moment a tape recording of Courtney Love reading a final letter of Cobain’s to fans at a vigil and an interview with Cobain from just months before he died.

“Kurt Cobain’s life and death has turned into myth and legend since his passing,” said Jonathan Rothery, head of BBC Popular Music TV. This documentary tries to demystify that moment in time by telling the story direct from the scene, via fly on the wall footage filmed by those that were there.”

The same night, BBC Two will also air 2021’s When Nirvana Came To Britain, which examines Nirvana’s relationship with the UK, Foo Fighters‘ headline performance at Reading Festival 2019 and The Live Lounge Show from 2017, which also features Foo Fighters.

Meanwhile, on April 5, Radio 6 Music will remember Cobain with ‘Kurt Cobain Forever’, which will see each presenter on air from 7am to 7pm play one Nirvana track an hour.

The songs will be introduced by voice notes from famous Cobain fans, including musician and producer Steve Albini, Michael Azerrad (author of Come as You Are: The Story of Nirvana), Stuart Braithwaite of Mogwai, Kristin Hersh of Throwing Muses and 50FootWave, musician Nuha Ruby Ra, painter and author Billy Childish, Courtney Taylor-Taylor of The Dandy Warhols, Carlos O’Connell of Fontaines D.C., Lia Metcalfe of The Mysterines and more.

A variety of programmes will also come to BBC Sounds on April 5, including last year’s Kurt Cobain Forever Playlist and Nirvana Live, 2015’s The First Time With…Dave Grohl, 2023’s Nirvana at the BBC, featuring Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic and Butch Vig in conversation from the BBC archives and Deep Dive into Nevermind, in which various artists share their memories and passion for the 1991 album, with it also played in full.

Meanwhile, on Radio 2, Jo Whiley will be playing tracks from ‘Nevermind’ and sharing listeners’ memories in her shows from April 2 and 4, while Dermot O’Leary will mark the anniversary by playing a Nirvana track in his weekly vinyl slot on his show on Saturday April 6.

The programming follows the announcement of a new series called Courtney Love’s Women on 6Music and BBC Sounds.

The series will see the music legend share her “ultimate soundtrack to her life” as she reflects on the women in music who have “shaped her journey, her sound and her next chapter”.

Across eight episodes that will air from April 8 to April 15, the Hole founder and singer will journey through the eras of her life and the music that made her alongside her friend and music podcaster and writer, Rob Harvilla.

Meanwhile, Novoselic spoke to NME last year about the 30th anniversary of Nirvana’s final album, ‘In Utero’, and how life changed after Cobain’s death.

Asked if he’d reunite with the surviving Nirvana members again, he replied: “I’d like to. I always love. There was a time after Kurt died when I said to myself, ‘I’m never going to play these songs again’. That was part of the grief I went through. We don’t want to overdo it, we try to make it special and be grateful.

“When the opportunity comes, we do it if it feels right. In the meantime, we just remember Kurt and do our thing.”