Crisis Command — Could You Run the Country? was a 2004 BBC2 role-playing interactive drama documentary which was based on realistic scenarios and dramatised situations that Britain could face one day.

The programme gave three people the chance to run the country during a potential disaster. The crises included terror attacks on London, flood, plague and hostage taking. Viewers were able to make decisions interactively at the same time as the studio players. The programmes were filmed in real time and edited down to one hour programmes. Each scenario was played once on BBC2, and then redone with a different set of "Ministers" on BBC4 immediately afterwards.

They receive advice from military, police and communication experts, but the final decisions are down to them alone. Presented by Gavin Hewitt

Gavin Hewitt

Gavin Hewitt is a British journalist and presenter, currently BBC News's Europe Editor, a post he has held since September 2009.-Life and career:...

, Crisis Command — Could You Run The Country? was a test of confidence and the ability to prioritise and keep calm in a tense and rapidly evolving situation.

It examined the dilemmas ministers face when dealing with crisis, and the hard decisions necessary to make to save lives.

Against the clock, the participants were able to call upon three advisors: military advisor Lord Tim Garden, communications adviser Amanda Platell

Amanda Platell

Amanda Jane Platell is a British-based Australian journalist, and from 1999 to 2001 was the press secretary to William Hague, the then leader of the British Conservative Party.-Early life:...

 and emergency services advisor Charles Shoebridge

Charles Shoebridge

Charles Shoebridge is a writer, broadcaster, and independent authority on issues of security, intelligence, terrorism and crime.A graduate of history and politics, and of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, he served for almost two decades until 2000 in diverse front-line policing and military...

.