Television Comes To London was first shown on the opening night of the BBC Television Service. Shot by Bill Barbrook, the film shows the activity behind the scenes in the year running up to the launch of the service. It was edited down to 15 minutes, set to an excerpt from Dvorak's New World Symphony, and transmitted through a telecine machine.
Just off the West End the small cafe bars of Soho provide a meeting-place for artists, musicians, buskers, show people, and exiles from the Continent. They are usually kept by industrious Italians or Swiss, and provide meals at unconventional times, as well as warmth and relaxation for the price of a cup of coffee. This documentary presentation by Mary Adams and Andrew Miller Jones brings to the studio the people who gather at Cafe Cosella.
Highlights of the films shown on BBC Television since it reopened in June after a seven-year gap caused by World War II. The BBC's television service had stopped transmitting on 1 September 1939, and did not resume until 7 June 1946 - the day before the first anniversary of Victory in Europe. The resumption of programming was introduced by Jasmine Bligh: "Good afternoon everybody. How are you? Do you remember me, Jasmine Bligh? Well here we are after a lapse of nearly seven years ready to start again and of course we are all terribly excited and thrilled."
At present many young men and women want to be doctors - far more than the medical schools can take. This programme shows what happens to the student who does gain admittance, and attempts to outline the tradition of medical teaching describing the legacy of knowledge that is handed from generation to generation. Only a few of the many great names can be remembered. Among them are Joseph Lister, Louis Pasteur, Edward Jenner, John Hunter, Laennec, Ambroise Pare, Vesalius, Galen, and Hippocrates. A documentary programme for television.Written and produced by Michael Barry. Among those taking part are - Basil Dawson, Milton Rosmer, Andrew Osborn, Jeannette Tregarthen, Una Venning, H. G. Stoker, Ronald Long, Stafford Byrne, Richard Shayne, Paul Martin, Morris Sweden, John Warner, Norman Webb, Merelina Watts, Richard Pearson, Marguerite Young, John Gatrell, Adrian Waller, Victor Platt, Hugh Paddick, Frederick Davies, Sheila Raynor, and Stuart Latham. The narrator is Andre van Gyseghem. Acknowledgments are due to: Dr. Douglas Guthrie, f.e. c.s.Ed... f.r.s.e.; Dr. Ronald MacKeith. D.M., Oxford, M.R.C.P., and the Scientific Film Society; the Dean of the Medical College and the Governors and Staff of St. Bartholomew's Hospital; and the Wellcome Historical Medical Museum, for help and guidance in the preparation of this programme.
A television documentary arranged by John Grierson. The story of the vast task of United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation known as UNESCO in bringing aid to the war-damaged and backward countries of the world. The programme also covers the great scheme for the reclaiming of the unexplored Amazon basin. The story told by John Grierson, Ritchie Calder, Jacquetta Hawkes, and Dr. Carneiro. Introduced by J. B. Priestley.
One of the series of brilliant documentaries made by British film makers during the war. It tells the story of a patrol by a British submarine off the coast of Norway, and shows vividly the hours of great danger which often followed a successful action. The Cast: Officers and men of the Royal Navy
A documentary film report by Robert Barr on the recovery of Western Germany under Anglo-American control. This is a reconstruction of a personal tour of Western Germany and Berlin at a critical moment in the history of a defeated nation The film used in this programme was specially shot by German cameramen working in association with G. del Strother
Written and produced by Robert Barr. A television documentary film made in Western Germany and Berlin during the present crisis. The day-to-day scenes in Germany, the effect of currency reform, and the airlift into Berlin filmed by German cameramen working in association with G. del Strother.
This historic film documents the restoration of the House of Commons which was severely damaged by a bombing raid in May 1941. It also commemorates the secret location, in nearby Church House Annexe, where MPs met following the destruction of the Commons chamber. The film features Sir Winston Churchill giving a light-hearted commemorative speech to mark the occasion. There is also rare footage of King George VI speaking from inside the restored House of Commons - he is the only monarch to have done so since Charles I. Many of the skills employed to restore the chamber to its original condition are also featured in sequences showing the craftsmen at work.
In 1954, Richard Dimbleby and a BBC film crew visited the Isle of Skye to record an episode of the early British television series About Britain. In this programme he gives viewers across the United Kingdom an insight into life on the island, meeting local characters and gaining an understanding of the lifestyle and culture of islanders, as well as spending some time with the Skye Mountain Rescue team and with Dame Flora Macleod at Dunvegan Castle.
First transmitted in 1955, We Live by the River is an atmospheric journey across London which follows two boys as they leave their homes in the East End to visit famous landmarks. Although there is no dialogue, the film captures many of the sights and sounds of post-war London.
First transmitted in 1956, each week 500 girls leave their provincial homes and arrive in London either to take up jobs or look for work. But flaring headlines in Sunday papers about what has occasionally happened to some youngsters causes parents to worry. Are they right to be worried? Robert Reid sets out to find out what really brings the girls to London, what happens when they get there, how they live, what sort of digs they find and what sort of people they are meeting and palling up with. This Special Enquiry seeks to identify the true reality of what awaits these young women upon arriving in the bustling capital.
First transmitted in 1957, this episode of Eye to Eye spans the Atlantic. The result is a wryly observed and evocative portrait of London, "a great place to live in but a hell of a place to visit", and New York which "is a great place to visit but a hell of a place to live in."Harmonica player Larry Adler's specially written soundtrack interprets scenes from the two great cities with piano accompaniment from Tom McCall.
Documentary looking at holidaymakers who take the 'Big Gamble' every summer - those who are willing to risk their savings on a stay at a British seaside resort, which could very well be ruined by bad weather. Filmed at Broadstairs beach.
First transmitted in 1958, Mr and Mrs Findlater take a light-hearted look at the daily routines of three other married couples. They follow the wives as they carry out domestic duties and the husbands at work, described as 'a club, no women admitted', a view reinforced by their lunches! Each shares their feelings about their roles and marriage. Young Mrs Coppard jokes about escaping abroad, while older Mrs Gyle-Thompson reflects on the changes she has undergone. Mr Clark, the husband with the lowest income, describes why he's content and wouldn't swap his wife for anyone. Some interesting interviews are also captured in the pub one Sunday.
Casting real doctors instead of actors, this film uses scripted scenarios and interviews to see the National Health Service through their eyes. The documentary also shows that there is still division among doctors as to whether the NHS was a sound idea in the first place.
Denis Mitchell's 1959 documentary is full of evocative images of a Liverpool still recovering from the post-war gloom.
After the Battle - 1. London - Ed Murrow Reports First transmitted in 1959, American reporter Ed Murrow returns to London where, during the war years, he had broadcast vivid descriptions of Britain during her "finest and darkest hours, trying to report the suffering, the sacrifice and the steadiness of her people" to a listening world.This film features dramatic reports of the Battle of Britain and the Blitz, which gave rise to his celebrated closing phrase “Good night and good luck.” Murrow returned to London to examine "what Britain has done with her years of victory." He reports from London’s East End which still bore the scars of the wartime raids, the London docks where dockers claim that taxing them for working on Sundays is "the greatest liberty that's been took by a worker in his life", and asks London's younger generation what kind of world they would like to live in. "This is London..." on the brink of the 1960s, from where Murrow argues that post-war hopes for better health, better education, better housing and full employment are falling short of expectations.
After a brief tutelage with innovative BBC documentary producer Denis Mitchell, Dennis Potter teamed with producer Anthony de Lotbiniere to film a documentary (later described by David Niven as "absolutely wonderful"). Returning to the Berry Hill roots of his childhood, Potter used interviews with locals (including his parents) to show changes in the working-class traditions of the Forest of Dean, where "the green forest has a deep black heart beneath its sudden hills, pushing up slag heaps and grey little villages clustering around the coal."
First transmitted in 1960, this film was written and directed by Ken Russell for the BBC. It follows the bohemian lifestyles of the tenants of an old London house in Bayswater and its housekeeper, Mrs Collings. The blend of documentary style filming, colourful anecdotes and stylised sequences produces a highly evocative and entertaining film as well as an early example of Ken Russell’s distinctive approach to film making.
Richard Burton narrates this stunning film of two Polish soldiers struggling to make a living from a derelict farm in Carmarthenshire. Eugenius Okolowicz and Vlodek Bulaj, soldiers exiled after serving in the Second World War, sought shelter in Wales. They came upon a desolate hillside farm which had lain unoccupied and decaying for 20 years. Neither of the Poles had farmed before, but the land was cheap because it was unwanted. This film tells the story of the men's 12th year living at Penygaer. But it is more the tragic story of the price they have paid for poor independence and of their unending struggle, in loneliness and hardship, to be themselves. (1960)
This footage is all that remains of the programme that was first transmitted in 1960. Sgt George Brown demonstrates training exercises in a wooded area is known as the 'trainasium'. The aim is for the recruits to overcome a series of physical obstacles which encourage movements of daring and agility. They are also set team challenges aimed at encouraging initiative.
Every year in May several thousand 'Lords of Little Egypt' meet for festivities in the Camargue. Mai Zetterling stays with the gypsies and reports on how they live their lives.
David Attenborough travels to Meru National Park in Kenya to meet Elsa the lioness and her cubs shortly before Elsa's death. In the late 1950s, game warden George Adamson and his wife Joy became the carers of three orphaned cubs - Elsa, Big One and Lustica - after George had been forced to kill their mother. Big One and Lustica were eventually sent to Rotterdam Zoo in the Netherlands, but Elsa remained with the Adamsons. Joy's quest to train Elsa to survive in the wild and Elsa's subsequent independence became the basis for the book and film Born Free.
A contemporary of Henry Moore, Yorkshire-born Barbara Hepworth has made Cornwall her home. This film by John Read examines how the Cornish landscapes have influenced Hepworth's work, and the artist takes us through the planning stages in the creation of her sculptures. (1961)
First transmitted in 1962, John Betjeman presents a documentary exploring the impact of the removal of steam locomotives from British railway services on the railway men who have maintained the system since the days of the Great Western Railway. The introduction of diesel engines meant a real departure from usual operational practices for the railway men who had dedicated their entire working lives to operating the iconic steam locomotive.
Originally produced for the BBC Model Railway Society, a short film marking the demise of the Glasgow trams after ninety years of service - the last trams to run outside of Blackpool to run in any British town or city until 1992.
Alan Whicker interviews billionaire J. Paul Getty, who discusses reports of his meanness, his unsuccessful marriages, why he keeps working and what he's had to sacrifice to become the world's richest man. Alan Whicker wrote of the interview: "In search of this elusive character who had never revealed himself or his secret and impassive thoughts, I stayed at his new home in Surrey, a Tudor mansion which belonged to Henry VIII. A gracious, somewhat absent-minded host, he lives comfortably in quiet splendour; many less rich men live much grander lives." "Producer Jack Gold and I found Paul Getty the classic anti-interviewer; reluctant, modest, shy, set in his conversational ways, and (as a man who always issues orders) unused to questions - for who would dare question the richest man in the world?) We did - at length. And Paul Getty talked of his money, and how he made it; his attitude towards ordinary folk and the public reaction to him; why he chose to live in England, yet requires Alsatian dogs and bodyguards... he dodged nothing. He was honest and self-searching."
John Betjeman looks at the Evercreech Junction to Burnham-on-Sea railway line in Somerset. Betjeman provides a unique profile of a working steam branch line railway as he travels along the original part of the Somerset Central Railway. Examining towns and stations along the way, Betjeman laments the tragic decline of steam railways. The journey culminates with a stroll around Highbridge Wharf, sentimentally narrated with a poem that sums up Betjeman's despair; 'Highbridge Wharf, your hopes have died...'.
Early 1960s documentary in which naturalist Peter Scott looks at the behaviour and habits of the brown hare. This is a rare, classic and important documentary from British TV's first wildlife series - Look (1956-69). The series established the BBC's Natural History Unit's impregnable position as the world's leading wildlife production facility, and the BBC's reputation as innovators of this type of programme.
Politically passionate and one of the first working class reporters at the BBC, Jack Ashley wanted to show the suffering caused by high unemployment in Hartlepool. With no work, no prospects, and little money, Ashley asked how the unemployed reacted to their situation in an increasingly affluent society. The documentary caused a storm when it was first shown in 1963, bringing Hartlepool’s problems to the attention of a national audience. After the programme aired parcels were sent to the contributors containing food, clothing, presents for the children and even an abundance of Christmas turkeys from people all over the UK. (1963)
It arrived suddenly on December 22... Tonight Cliff Michelmore, Derek Hart, Kenneth Allsop recall one of the worst cold spells of this century.
First transmitted in 1964, this film charts how London has grown in size and spread into the surrounding country. Written and narrated by architectural critic Reyner Banham, A City Crowned with Green describes the unique character of London as a capital city. Banham looks at how it has, from the time of Elizabeth I, defied the efforts of the planners to curb its growth but he is alarmed by the urban sprawl. Is to too late to get back closer to the heart and make London a city crowned with green?
This informational programme follows the British Army in Aden (Yemen) during the state of emergency in 1964. Aden is one of the last outposts of the British Empire and a strategic part of the Arabian Gulf guarding access to the trade routes that flow through the Suez Canal. The British colony has become a hotbed of insurgency, and the film follows British troops as they try to keep order in an increasingly violent mountainous region from where the insurgents regularly attack the Port area.
Peter Watkins' documentary portrays the 1746 Battle of Culloden that resulted in the British Army's destruction of the Jacobite uprising and, in the words of the narrator, "tore apart forever the clan system of the Scottish Highlands". Described in its opening credits as "an account of one of the most mishandled and brutal battles ever fought in Britain", Culloden was hailed as a breakthrough for its cinematography as well as its use of non-professional actors and its presentation of an historical event in the style of modern TV war reporting. The film was based on John Prebble's study of the battle.
First transmitted in 1964, this programme follows the lives of a group of British soldiers from 40 Commando Royal Marines, as they set up camp and patrol the North Borneo jungle, in search of elusive groups of Indonesian border terrorists.
A railwayman from St. Kitts, a bus conductor from Jamaica, a family of singers from Trinidad and a nurse from Barbados ... Philip Donnellan's Birmingham-based film gives a voice to West Indian immigrants who movingly describe their experiences of trying to integrate into a surprisingly unwelcoming ‘mother country’. Shot in 1964 the film provides an important snapshot of Britain in the early stages of momentous social change and first-generation Afro-Caribbean immigration. (1964)
A documentary record of the tumultuous career of Yugoslavia's leader and of the emergence of present-day Yugoslavia, incorporating the personal comments and opinions of Marshal Tito in conversation with Fitzroy Maclean. Film archive material from Belgrade, Vienna, Paris, New York, and the Imperial War Museum, London Made in co-operation with the television services of the United Nations, Yugoslavia, and Sweden
The award-winning documentary film about Covent Garden. Midnight - and large heavily-laden lorries converge on the narrow streets. Through the night-the furious activity of unloading and setting up stalls. Early morning - sees the arrival of the big buyers. Noon - the flower-sellers come to search for their bargains, and twelve hours have passed in the life of famous Covent Garden
First transmitted in 1964, students, professionals and married couples demonstrate the public's changing attitudes towards sex and marriage. What is the best reason for marriage? Is sexual experience an issue? How do men regard pregnancy and newborn babies? Is there a seven year itch? An insightful programme with frank discussions.
Playwright Charles Wood's view of the English seaside holiday. Last summer BBC film cameras visited Blackpool, Pwllheli Holiday Camp, Brighton, Eastbourne, Margate, Southsea, and the Isle of Wight. Commentary written and narrated by Charles Wood
Bermondsey, Camberwell, Deptford, and Southwark lie in the great bend of the river Thames opposite the Tower of London, an area which was extensively damaged during World War II. It has now been virtually rebuilt and is changed out of all recognition. This programme examines the response of a huge working community to changes as profound and disturbing to old ways as any that have taken place elsewhere in the United Kingdom. Therese Denny's documentary looks at the changes which have taken place in Bermondsey, Camberwell, Deptford and Southwark - areas that were extensively damaged in World War II. A variety of South Londoners, from old age pensioners to young bikers, talk about their daily lives and consider how South London - and by extension society as a whole - is changing. Are all of these changes for the better, or is something being lost?
The legendary 1965 BBC film on the pioneering recording by Sir Georg Solti of Wagner's "Der Ring des Nibelungen". Filmed during the recording of "Götterdämmerung" in the Sofiensäle with the Vienna Philharmonic, it features performances by the great Wagner singers Birgit Nilsson, Wlofgang Windgassen, Gottlob Frick and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau.
On the 50th anniversary of the state funeral of Sir Winston Churchill, a chance to see the BBC's full coverage of the day's events with this archive broadcast of the original live transmission from 30 January 1965. Introduced by the grandson of Winston Churchill, Sir Nicholas Soames.
Four young people huddle in the cold and discomfort of an old van as they travel, maybe hundreds of miles, to a singing engagement in a folk club, and back again to their home town of Hull. They are a group called the Watersons - Michael, Norma and Elaine Waterson, brother and two sisters, and their cousin John Harrison. The three Watersons were orphaned in early life and brought up by a fiercely matriarchal grandmother who said they had to stick together. Even today the closeness of the family unit is maintained. Despite the fact that two of them have married, they all live together in a single, scruffy terrace house, whose centre is a common kitchen, always full of friends and noise. This close, cosy home life is in total contrast to their professional life. In the last two years the Watersons have become one of the most popular folk singing groups in the country, yet they are far removed from the fashionable exhibitionist folk singers. This film is about the Watersons' world. It is about their lives - down to earth, vibrant, receptive, and haunted by all kind of influences from the past: their Irish tinker and farming ancestry, their grandmother's second-hand shop where a love of tradition grew up among horse brasses and sing-songs, the rich historical and trading association of the port of Hull. Above all it is about exciting old music, its source and its meaning today. In this film, the Watersons are played against the broader picture of the folk revival
First transmitted in 1966, Malcolm Muggeridge talks to the novelist John le Carre, who at the age of 34 had written the best-seller The Spy Who Came In From The Cold. Although their conversation covers much about the author's influences and ambitions - with the notable exception of any mention of his time as a spy - much of the interview looks at the modern phenomenon of the secret service agent as a hero. In a revealing insight, le Carre explains that his dislike of James Bond stems from the fact that Bond doesn't exist in a political context, making him more of an "international gangster" than a spy. Although Malcolm Muggeridge talks about his own, very brief, period of spying, John le Carre remains close-lipped about his (much more extensive) career in espionage. Le Carre (real name David Cornwell) began working for MI5 in 1952 and transferred to MI6 in 1960. There he remained until 1964, when a combination of Kim Philby's defection, which exposed many British agents, and his own growing success as a novelist caused him to leave the secret service. Le Carre remained secretive about his former career for many decades.
Francis Bacon's paintings have been called sick and corrupt. He has also been hailed as the greatest British painter since Turner. This film study - Bacon's first appearance on BBC Television - shows his work and its sources, and critically assesses his paintings. (1966)
A behind the scenes experience of the the famous 1966 VFL Grandfinal between St Kilda and Collingwood.
Choice reports on a unique British institution - the holiday camp. There are 100 of them, all over the country, and this summer nearly two million Britons will be joining in the fun. Derek Hart asks what kind of value holidaymakers will be getting for their money.
First transmitted in 1966, Going to Work looks at some of the many sides of the hectic fashion industry in the 60s. The programme features interviews with fashion designers Mary Quant and James Wedge, catwalk shows of the 60s, and follows the process of turning wool into finished cloth.
First transmitted in 1967, this documentary asks whether London really was 'swinging' during the 1960s.The film follows arts reporter Robert Hughes, writer Lewis Nkosi and journalist Olivier Todd to gather an Australian, African and French perspective on whether London really deserved its reputation as being a 'swinging, switched on' city. They begin their journey in Carnaby Street, the Mecca of swinging London.
A 45-minute trippy documentary of late 1960's London and is a fascinating time capsule of the remnants of a bygone age before Londons's extensive redevelopment in the late 1960's.
How robotics could shape human society. Your future is being created now - for better or for worse? How close are we to constructing the robot of the future? Will there be one in every house? How human will It look? These are some of the questions this programme tries to answer. Isaac Asimov, science fiction writer and prophet of the robot age, introduces the programme and predicts a future in which man and robots form a combined culture. A culture in which, to use his own words, 'mankind may want robots not only as helpers and servants but also as friends, as something with which they can identify'. Towards Tomorrow explores laboratories in England and America to discover how near scientists and engineers are to turning Asimov's science fiction into science fact.
The story of last seventy years of the Habsburg Empire centring on Emperor Franz Joseph who, at the age of eighteen, came to the throne in 1848.
BBC farewell concert from The Seekers, in London, England, on July 7, 1968.
On 1 May 1928, LNER locomotive 4472 'Flying Scotsman' made the inaugural run of a non-stop service from London King's Cross to Edinburgh Waverley. Now, exactly forty years later on 1 May 1968, Alan Pegler, owner of the locomotive Flying Scotsman since British Railways sold her in 1963, attempts to recreate the run. Various passengers, including Rev W Awdry, creator of Thomas the Tank Engine, talk about their memories of the locomotive.
First transmitted in 1968, this documentary shows life in the British Army of the Rhine as seen through the eyes of one of its regiments, the 17th/21st Lancers, as they complete a tour of duty. It reveals how they manage their routine whilst guarding the Cold War East German front and how they try to live a normal life with their families in a foreign and sometimes alien environment.
This program shows the newfound popularity of Professor Tolkien. Interviews show not only fans' opinions, but also feature interviews with Tolkien himself
First transmitted in 1968, Black, Coloured and Asian South Africans are interviewed in this eye-opening documentary about their views on apartheid. Included with the many dissenting views on apartheid are opinions on why different racial groups should live separately. Film footage that often shows the shocking racial exploitation allowed by apartheid accompanies the interviews. This documentary shows a protest by Church leaders against the Group Areas Act and features an interview with Desmond Tutu.
First transmitted in 1969, this documentary follows the construction of the world’s most advanced underground system. Macdonald Hastings narrates the story of one of the most complex tunnel engineering feats of its time. He reveals the isolation felt by the miners who spent six years burrowing deep beneath the streets of London, shows what they did beneath one of London's most famous department stores and explains why the ground at Tottenham Court Road had to be frozen during the hottest weeks of 1966. The result is a brave new world of transport with automated trains, two way mirrors, automatic fare collection and closed-circuit television, all choreographed by a computer programme played out by an updated version of a pianola located in a control room somewhere near Euston station.
This personal plea from Margaret Drabble is a lament for the death of the city, which questions whether 'civic redevelopment' is tearing the heart out of our cities. Are tower blocks, giant supermarkets and an ever expanding suburbia the way forward? Margaret Drabble thinks not and argues that a successful city combines areas where residents and office workers share a space and a multiplicity of shops serve their needs. She also challenges the myth that streets are traffic arteries and unsavoury places to be in, especially for children, arguing that it's traffic that's the problem, not kids. The documentary was based on Jane Jacobs' work "The Death and Life of Great American Cities" (1961), an influential book on urban planning in the 20th Century.
With Angels and Skins neck and neck in the contemporary Folk Devil stakes, presenter Harold Williamson decides to meet and talk with members of each group and, crucially, to speak to their parents, in order to find out what they’re really like.
This film looks at a handful of the 280,000 railwaymen who work in Britain, especially the men who worked on the former Midland and Great Central routes, as they reflect on their changing industry. Inside Sheffield Railway Men's Club former steam locomotive crew discuss the transition from steam to electric and diesel engines, and heatedly debate their respective merits. Meanwhile, on the Manchester-Sheffield line a former steam locomotive driver remembers what it was like to go through the Woodhead Tunnel, where driver and fireman had to crouch down to avoid the fumes and get breathable air. Signalman Michael Gatonby reveals life inside the signal box, one of the loneliest and busiest jobs on the railway line.
In just four months, the world's first jumbo jet goes into regular service over the Atlantic. Already 200 have been ordered by the world's airlines. Each is designed to carry nearly 500 passengers. The jumbo has been called a 'pilot's dream.' But will it also be an airport's nightmare? By next year, half a dozen of the giants may be queuing at peak hours to disgorge their passengers at London Airport. Round the world, airports face their biggest jam in history. Jumbo jets will revolutionise airport design. But they may also speed up other travel developments, with far-reaching effects on the design and peace, of our cities.
For the Safety of All. There are seventy-two manned lighthouses around the Scottish coast and it takes a vast and complex organisation to administer them. The isolated rock stations are serviced by four ships. These ships are crewed by seamen who know every rock in the gullies which are the hazardous landing places. This documentary is a story of storm and danger-and a story of lonely living. The Northern Lights followed the Pole Star, a Northern Lighthouse Board relief vessel and her crew as she serviced some of Scotland's most remote and inaccessible lighthouses. Although the Northern Lighthouse Board had begun the process of automation by then, several manned lighthouses remained and the crew of the Pole Star had the crucial role of taking relief crews and supplies to these lighthouses. In this programme, the Pole Star visits the Sule Skerry and North Ronaldsay Lighthouses in Orkney as well as the mysterious Flannan Isles Lighthouse where three lighthouse keepers disappeared in mysterious circumstances in 1900. Narrated by Tom Fleming
Pop Go The 60s! was a one-off, 75-minute TV special originally broadcast in colour on 31 December 1969,to celebrate the major pop hits of the 1960s.[3] The show was a co-production between the United Kingdom's BBC and West Germany's ZDF broadcasters. It was shown on both stations on the same day, with other European stations broadcasting the programme either the same day or later. Although a co-production, it was primarily produced by the BBC and recorded at the BBC's Television Centre in London, in late 1969, featuring largely only British pop acts and hits. History The show (which went out at 10:35pm) was presented by Jimmy Savile and Elfi von Kalckreuth. The two presenters introduced each act (with the exception of Cliff Richard), but neither was present in the studio recording with the artists, their links being added later. Savile spoke English, whereas Elfi von Kalckreuth speaks in German throughout. The BBC's Johnnie Stewart produced the show, while Stanley Dorfman directed. Both men were involved with the regular production of BBC music show Top Of The Pops and this show had a very similar look and production style. The artists performed on rostra, surrounded by a standing audience who danced along with the music. Klaus Weiding was the co-producer for the German station. The end titles are in both English and German. Some of the artists present in the studio performed live, singing with an orchestra directed by Johnny Harris but many mimed to their original studio recordings. The Ascot Dancers appeared with a large number of the performers. Although a British-West German co-production, only one West German artist appears and that is on a pre-recorded film insert. The only song performed in German is by Sandie Shaw, who performed incomplete versions of two songs. The participating artists were (in order of appearance):[4] The Who - I Can See For Miles Adam Faith - What Do You Want?[5] & Someone Else's Baby The Tremeloes - Silence Is Golden
James Cameron documentary relating to the cultural impact of the Apollo programme.
Original footage of the Apollo 11 full moon walk and commentary transmitted by the BBC on 20th and 21st June 1969.
Intimate portrait of the daily life of the British Royal Family drawn from 18 months of filming within Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and Balmoral.
The first duty of a state is to see that every child born therein shall be well housed, clothed, fed, and educated. (John Ruskin) How good a parent are you? Do you know the laws - old and new - governing you and your child? How far are you answerable, and how far is the State, for his health, safety, education, behaviour, hours of work? Cliff Michelmore and Magnus Magnusson give you the chance to check your knowledge of the rights and duties of parents; and of facts about children, from toddlers to teenagers. Keep your score and compare it with the three studio teams: Four Parents, Four Children and Four Experts - a paediatrician, a headmistress, a child psychotherapist, and a children's officer.
Marty Feldman, for many years a successful comedy writer before turning to performing, explores humour through the people who create it, comparing their traditions, motivations and anxieties with his own. Among the people Marty talks to are Peter Sellers, Eric Morecambe, Peter Brough and Archie Andrews, Dudley Moore and Barry Took.
First broadcast in 1969. In his 70th year, Alfred Hitchcock came to the National Film Theatre in London to talk to fellow director Bryan Forbes and to answer questions from an audience of film enthusiasts. With scenes from Blackmail (1929), The Lady Vanishes (1938), Psycho (1960), The Birds (1963) and Torn Curtain (1966).
BBC documentary following life in one of the last of the Irish roadshows "Existence as portable as the props, Travelling light, living in transit, always thinking of that next town just ahead." The first BBC NI documentary in colour, entertainers portrayed in this film are a rapidly dying breed, and are possibly the last surviving family in Ireland to dispense a nightly three-hour brew of blood and thunder melodrama. The Courtneys play in a wooden and canvas booth and their audience sits on benches on the grass to watch such dramas as East Lynne, Murder in the Old Red Barn, and The Cary! Chessman Story.
Filmmaker Roger Mills authored this documentary in 1969 and managed to capture the spirit of rugby league in the north of England. Mills tells the story from his own perspective, as a middle-class rugby union-playing southerner who was taught nothing of the game at school and who never knew that far off in the 'cloth-capped' north men took money for a very different type of rugger. The film is beautifully shot and shows the sport on and off the pitch. It deals with league's difficult relationship with rugby union and differences in attitude and culture. Among his interviewees is the late Brian Redhead, who describes league as an intellectual game. The documentary ends with classic behind-the-scenes access to a game featuring Featherstone Rovers. About half the Featherstone Rovers side work in the mines - they live in a small community but their ground is regularly thronged by talent spotters and the national press.
No star fell in love as often as Garbo did on the screen, but was she herself happy? 'I live in a corner. I am typically alone. I wish it could be otherwise, but it cannot.' This programme, narrated by Joan Crawford and first broadcast in 1969, looks at Garbo's art and life through her films. Extracts, courtesy of MGM, include Camille, Ninotchka, Queen Christina, Marie Walewska, Two-Faced Woman and Flesh and the Devil.
The story of the men and women who in just 10 post-war years produced a series of film comedies that were so original and funny that the name of the quiet residential London borough where they were made became world famous - they put Ealing on the map. Featuring excerpts from: Hue & Cry, Passport To Pimlico, Kind Hearts and Coronets, Whisky Galore, A Run For Your Money, The Lavender Hill Mob, The Man In The White Suit and The Ladykillers. (1970)
Ignorant of democracy but hungry for the West they cannot visit, the 17 million East Germans are a force that could decide the fate of Russia's European Empire. For most of the past decade they have been isolated by the Berlin Wall and a fortified border over 600 miles (965 km) long. Cold War attitudes have been slowest to melt in East Germany but this summer for the first time the German Democratic Republic opened its borders for three weeks to let in a BBC film crew. Tonight we see the first full-length report by a British television team on the life of the Germans who live 'Beyond the Wall.'
Gale Parsons was loving, intelligent and - according to everyone who knew her - had much to offer; everything to live for. But, aged just 19 and a drug addict, she was found dead in the basement of a derelict house in Chelsea. Harold Williamson and the Man Alive team first met Gale when making a programme about people who had been brought up in children's homes. What was apparent, even then, was her total loss of hope, her disbelief in any future. Now, the people who were in her life and who cared for her in and out of various institutions ask: need she have died? One of the first documentaries to draw attention to young homeless and drug addicted people, Gale is Dead was nominated for a BAFTA in 1971. Its director, Jenny Barraclough, received an OBE in the 2009 Queen's Birthday Honours List for her services to Documentary Film Making and Charity. (1970)
First transmitted in 1971, Daphne du Maurier, author of 'Rebecca' and 'Jamaica Inn', talks to writer Wilfred De'Ath about her life from her Cornish cliff-top home. In her first television interview, the cameras follow du Maurier as she walks through her house and its grounds, recalling key events from her life and revealing memorabilia from her famous theatrical family.She also reflects on the inspirations and influences that shaped her writing and shares archived manuscripts of some of her famous works.
Featuring contributions from Eleanor Bone, Cecil Williamson, Alex & Maxine Sanders [above], Doreen Valiente et al. Very much of its time and with some very rare footage, also includes reference to the famously unsolved murder of Charles Walton on Meon Hill.
Magnus Magnusson's guide to the Egyptian king Tutankahmun's celebrated visit to a London museum in 1972.
Reyner Banham Loves Los Angeles is a fascinating 1972 documentary about Los Angeles, in which architectural historian Reyner Banham is our guide. He argues that Los Angeles is a great city, praising both the city’s freeway network and its walkable nature. He says that “Los Angeles simply works” and “the building history of Los Angeles and London is very similar. The famous Georgian squares are the true prototype for Los Angeles.” Enjoy over fifty minutes of dubious L.A. celebration.
A moving film about people who live below the poverty line and their struggle to keep afloat. In the London Borough of Southwark the tenants of Chaucer House, a decrepit half-way house for homeless families, reach breaking point. Angry that once more Southwark had failed to deliver on their promise to tear down the flat block and provide adequate alternative accommodation they stage a demonstration and wait for the officials next move. At the heart of their demonstration is a plea for better housing, better treatment, more understanding and above all a better future. This highly acclaimed documentary examines the way the officials deal, not only with the tenants of Chaucer, but with those living on or below the poverty line - people subjected daily to interrogation, investigation - those who seem to have been rejected by society. Following the release of the documentary Chaucer House was demolished a year later.
Britain's first armed urban guerrilla group emerged in the early 1970s and came to prominence with the discovery of a bomb at the high security Paddington Green Police Station. Based on the book by the script writer, the film tells the story of the group's rise and fall through interviews with police and group members.
John Betjeman's meditation on the residential suburbs which grew up alongside the Metropolitan Line, the first steam underground in the world.
A documentary detailing the production of Elton John's "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" LP featuring footage from the recording session in France, interviews, and concert footage.
BBC documentary following a UK chapter of the Hells Angels motorcycle club.
Two of Britain's leading film directors - John Schlesinger and Gerald Thomas - share the anxiety, hopes and risks experienced by those involved with the movie industry. The Big Screen follows the production of four British films: the eighth James Bond film Live and Let Die, The Optimists of Nine Elms, science fiction-thriller The Final Programme and The 14. Actors Peter Sellers, David Hemmings, Jon Finch, Roger Moore and Jenny Runacre are among those seen at work
Cliff Michelmore gives you the chance to check up on your driving knowledge, and to check your score against two studio teams: Good Drivers The Lorry-Driver of the Year, The Woman Driver of the Year, The Most Promising Rally-Driver of the Year v Bad Drivers (the ones who got caught) Bernard Manning, Barbara Murray, Stirling Mos
A documentary about bomb disposal teams, their training, and the problems of maintaining a family life in one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. It follows three Ammunition Technical Officers in the British Army.
A 1974 documentary in which Dave Allen meets a variety of eccentrics, including a man who lives in a box on wheels and a man who pretends to fly a Lancaster bomber in his garage.
First transmitted in 1974, Sir John Betjeman, poet laureate, visits and explains the architecture of various churches in the Diocese of Norwich. Among the churches he visits are Sandringham church on the Queen's private estate, the Holy House of Our Lady of Walsingham and Norwich Cathedral
Dan Farson, the great nephew of Bram Stoker, travels to Transylvania to investigate the facts, the legend and the business interests which surround Dracula.
This film looks at their success in New York now and how it all began 15 years ago with Beyond the Fringe. There are many examples of their most famous sketches from Not Only ... But Also.
The Simpson family love travelling to remote parts of the world on holiday. Last summer they undertook a 200-mile expedition in canoes and on foot across West Greenland.
Some 7,000 men, women and children die in accidents in the home every year. Most of these accidents could have been anticipated and avoided. It's up to us to spot the dangers in our own home. Can you deal with a pan fire? A scald? Can you spot the extra hazards that threaten children or old people? Take our test and find out how safe you are at home. Cliff Michelmore asks the questions and gives the answers. Compare your score with our studio contestants: Delia Smith, television cookery demonstrator; Mary Miller, Daily Mirror 'Mrs Britain'; Stan Ward, group safety officer, Building Industry. They will take the test in the studio. The prizes can be high. A correct decision or keen observation in your home could save the life of one of your family.
Robin Day meets the new leader of Conservative Party, Margaret Thatcher, after 100 days in the job.
The story of the artist siblings Augustus and Gwen John, following their childhood in Wales, their days at art school in London, their love affairs and their painting careers. "As an artist, you've got to get excited before you can do anything, and beauty is a great excitant. Certainly, I have an interest in women. If it's beauty, it's love, in my case.' (1975)
Reporter Angela Rippon tells the story of CEEFAX - the BBC's latest form of broadcasting. She visits Kingswood Warren where BBC Research Department 'boffins' developed it; and looks at some of its uses: News, weather, travel, sports results, farm prices and business information. A look-behind-the-scenes at a television development that could be in everyone's home in just a few years' time.
This film includes a personal view of London's Bloomsbury area from actor Kenneth Williams, a visit to Brentford's Piano Museum, now known as the Musical Museum, before moving on for a spot of village cricket. Barry Norman covers the story as teams from Langleybury and Isleham battle it out in the Haig Village Cricket Championships to get to the final which will be played at Lords, "the Mecca of all cricketers everywhere."
n Railways The World About Us First transmitted in 1975, the 150th anniversary of global rail transportation is marked by a visit to India to survey one of the world’s most impressive railway networks. For rail enthusiasts India’s railway system, which has continued to utilize steam locomotives, represents one of the most spectacular systems the world has to offer.The World About Us team join forces with Michael Satow, who in 1970 took up the post of honorary adviser to the Rail Transport Museum in New Delhi, Asia’s first railway museum.As they set out to explore the Indian subcontinent in search of railway memorabilia, ranging from minute objects to full scale steam locomotives, the spectacular beauty of India’s railway system is revealed in all its glory.
'Knowledge is of two kinds, we know a subject ourselves or we know where we can find information upon it.' DR JOHNSON Can you really say what you think? Do you have a right to privacy? What about the neighbours? What right have they to interfere with our lives-or we with theirs? When do you have the right to say NO? Try our test and see how well you know your rights. Cliff Michelmore asks the questions and gives the answers. Compare your score with the two teams in the studio : Clement Freud MP for the Isle of Ely Willie Hamilton MP for Fife Central Norman St John-Stevas MP for Chelmsford will compete against Alfred Hinds four times champion of his rights Anna Raeburn of Woman magazine Jimmy Reid Trade Union official
Ghosts abound in Britain. Thousands of people have seen and heard what they believe to be phantom footsteps, abnormal phenomena, and ghosts of all shapes and sizes, sometimes even moving above ground level. In tonight's documentary Hugh Burnett visits some of the people who have tried to track them down, or heard and seen things they cannot explain. The film ranges from a haunted house, a „ haunted inn, even a theatre haunted by a butterfly - to Borley Church where many strange occurrences have been recorded.
Gore Vidal, the enfant terrible of American letters, then living in some splendour in Italy, talks about the ironies of succeeding so spectacularly in a world that he delights in attacking.
A special 60th anniversary programme in which Leo McKern walks the fields of Picardy and retells the story of this heroic and tragic battle. With the letters, diaries, and memories of men who took part. 1 July 1916 - the first day of the Battle of the Somme -was the worst day in British military history. In less than 24 hours 60,000 British soldiers became casualties; and nearly 20,000 of them died. The battle dragged on for another four-and-a-half months. It turned a gracious part of northern France into a landscape like the moon's. It produced anger and cynicism, but also incredible gallantry and courage. During it 1,200,000 British, French and Germans were killed or wounded. By the end of it the armies of Britain and her Empire had advanced about seven miles.
First transmitted in 1976, to celebrate the Poet Laureate's 70th birthday, Sir John Betjeman recalls in vivid detail the agonies and the delights of growing up, set against the background of his Highgate and Chelsea homes, holidays in Cornwall, boarding school and Oxford. The commentary is taken entirely from Betjeman's autobiographical poem, Summoned By Bells, first published in 1960.
Part of the BBC's 50th Anniversary celebrations, this documentary chronicles the history of BBC television.
Sea in the Blood Thalassaemia - meaning ' sea in the blood ' - is the name given to a once mysterious disease which was found in Mediterranean countries. More recently it was shown to be one of the most common genetic diseases in the world. Today, as a result of the applica-, tion of the most advanced methods of biology, more is known about this form of anaemia than any other disease. But this knowledge will not simply affect the sufferers; there is no doubt that its consequences for genetics are widespread and will affect us all. In less than a generation it is likely that many people will face difficult, many think dangerous, choices as a result of the new biology. Robert Reid looks at the work, how it affects people in underdeveloped countries, how it is 'already affecting people in Britain ', and what its wider effects might be.
Raymond Baxter, a former fighter pilot himself, talks to some of the men who built and flew the plane that played a key part in preventing the invasion of Britain in 1940. We learn how the Spitfire narrowly escaped being called the Shrew and find out about the significance of the elliptical wings. Douglas Bader explains the flying tactics Spitfire pilots used against Messerschmitts and Gordon Mitchell recalls his father Reginald, who designed the plane but died before it went into full-scale production. Called up in 1941, Raymond Baxter flew his first Spitfire when he joined No 65 Squadron in August 1942. He was mentioned in dispatches for his dive-bombing of V2 sites in 1944. After the war, in 1949, he joined the BBC and went on to have an illustrious career as a reporter, covering events such as the funeral of King George VI (1952) and the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II (1953). He was also a presenter on major science series including Eye on Research and Tomorrow's World.
The Search for Life in Outer Space. Documentary presented by James Burke to coincide with the arrival of Viking 1 on Mars in July 1976.
Can you marry your first cousin? Whom did the God of Love, love? Is that famous Lover John Barrymore or Rudolph Valentino? Who are the Romantic Runaways of 1953? Grab a pencil and see if you know more about Love than the studio teams. Ladies: Marjorie Proops, Daily Mirror columnist; Elizabeth Jane Howard, novelist; Gemma Craven, actress Gentlemen: Kingsley Amis, author; Bryan Forbes, film producer; Patrick Mower, actor Cliff Michelmore asks the questions and gives the answers. Christopher Cazenove and his wife Angharad Rees express the language of Love, but do you know who wrote it?
This documentary follows three months in the life of the 1st Battalion of the Royal Green Jackets (also known as the Black Mafia) as they move from their Dover barracks for a tour of duty at the Tower of London. The Royal Green Jackets are light infantry, trained to move fast. Above all they are riflemen and take pride in their reputation of being thinking fighting soldiers.
This programme tells the story of the private steam railway company the Strathspey Railway, which was engineered and run by a group of rail enthusiasts in Scotland.Through the use of restored locomotives the company was started purely to preserve steam passenger trains, as their fading presence across British rail networks, due to the introduction of diesel engines, was keenly felt among steam enthusiasts.
Joan Bakewell visits Haworth in Yorkshire, home of the Brontes, to see the setting in which the novelists worked.
This programme shows Her Majesty the Queen reviewing the British Army of the Rhine on her silver jubilee. It was the biggest gathering of British military troops and equipment since World War Two with over 500 vehicles and aircraft present.
Hugh Burnett interviews UFO witnesses, and people involved in UFO mythology.
A classic documentary from 1977, introduced by Melvyn Bragg, which explores the ideas and attitudes which have characterised one of the most popular shows on British television.
Reporter Martin Young follows the fortunes of a group of Glaswegian holidaymakers as they spend their annual Glasgow Fair holiday in the seaside resort of Whitley Bay, Tyneside, during the blistering July of 1976. There's crazy golf and a trawl around the arcades, followed by a drink at the club and a snooze on the beach. Refreshments of cheese rolls and drinks from a thermos flask complete the picture.
Insightful documentary, comparing the contrasting styles of Radio 1 Breakfast Show presenter Noel Edmonds, and Radio 4 Announcer John Snagge.
A profile of English novelist and poet Thomas Hardy, who is famed as a deeply reserved and secretive man that put his most private feelings into his poems, This programme features a look at the poetry he wrote after the death of his first wife, Emma.
A personal view of Jane Austen by Arianna Stassinopoulos.
This programme with Dudley Moore in the role of the layman investigates the physical and philosophical theories of time, including the variability of human estimation of time, the meaninglessness of concept of absolute time, the relativity twin paradox, time travel, the birth in detail and an envisioned death of the universe. Those explaining these concepts to him include Isaac Asimov, and actors in dramatizations, together with graphics and simulations.
TV special featuring footage filmed throughout Wings' tour of 1975/1976, following the band in England, Australia and America. It contains live concert performances featuring fifteen of Wings' greatest songs and home movies of Paul McCartney and his family, providing a fascinating profile of the McCartneys' life off-stage. The tour itself was a major triumph for Wings - the first time the group had appeared in Australia and America, and Paul's first performance in the States for ten years. Three million people saw the shows and a then-world record attendance for an indoor concert of 67,053 was set at the Kingdome, Seattle. Starting with Paul and Linda in Scotland, the special features the gradual build-up of the band and follows Wings on tour with hit songs such as Jet, Maybe I'm Amazed, Yesterday, Silly Love Songs and Band on the Run. The Wings line-up for the tour was Paul and Linda McCartney, Denny Laine, Jimmy McCulloch and Joe English.
This highly informative and educational two hour BBC program was written and conceived by Nigel Calder, author of several books on science, including Einstein’s Universe, upon which this program is based. It is hosted by Peter Ustinov, who serves both as our guide to understanding Einstein’s theories and speaks Einstein’s words to make his presence felt throughout the program. Ustinov becomes educated in Einstein’s theories by many of the best minds in science, who provide demonstrations to illustrate his teachings. These include experiments to help understand gravity, warped space, how light responds to gravity, the “Doppler effect” and how radio waves, as used in police radar, are an unbeatable way of measuring speed. From these simpler experiments much larger concepts are drawn, such as the discovery of a Binary Pulsar, the nature of black holes and how they are created, and the ultimate theory of how the universe was formed. Other demonstrations measure the speed of light, how time passes more slowly for people traveling in an airplane, the incredible accuracy of the Atomic Clock in Washington, DC and how time itself would appear to stop at the surface of a black hole. The conclusion of the program portrays Einstein as a great humanitarian. Although known as the “father of the Atomic Bomb”, his greatest concern was for the potentially devastating effects splitting the atom could have on the future of mankind. His famous letter to President Franklin Roosevelt warned that although the splitting of the atom to detonate an atomic bomb could be used to end World War II, it could also potentially be used for far more deadly ends. This last thought is the subject of another Nigel Calder book, Nuclear Nightmares, and a second BBC program to explore this subject in more depth.
Michael Rodd surveys the use of synthesisers,computer & multi-track recording techniques to create the new sounds of electronic music.
James Burke looks back on the Apollo Moon landings. Now that ten years have passed, the full story of how and why America sent men to the Moon ' for all mankind ' can be told. In this first programme, based on exclusive interviews with seven former Apollo astronauts and illustrated by the beautiful film they shot in space, the dramatic real-life adventure story of the Moon landings is told more frankly than ever before. Among other things, it is revealed that the first landing of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin ten years ago tonight was far closer to disaster than was admitted at the time.
James Burke looks back on the Apollo Moon landings, following the astronauts' version of Apollo earlier this evening, this second programme goes right behind the scenes to examine the political imperatives that first fostered, then disowned Project Apollo. Born out of J.F.K Kennedy's frustration at Soviet success killed because of the cost of the Vietnam war, Apollo was a political football - as the top NASA managers reveal in exclusive interviews. Lunar scientists, too, have a story to tell. What, after ten years-analysis of moon rocks, did they get out of the $24-billion adventure? What, come to that, was in it for the rest of us?
This programme looks at the Rainhill Locomotive Trials in Rainhill, Lancashire (now Merseyside) in 1829, a competition to find the best passenger steam locomotive in Britain.On the 150th anniversary of the trials, replicas of its famous winner - Stephenson's 'Rocket' - and two of its competitors are rebuilt by modern day designers, and the trials are reconstructed in Hyde Park.
There is an explosion in naturist holidays. It is estimated that 15 million people spent their holidays with nothing on last summer - four times as many as ten years ago. One tour operator predicts that naturist holidays will soon be as popular as ski-ing. At Cap d'Agde in the south of France a gigantic naturist town is being built. Already it has accommodation for 20,000. Soon it will be twice the size. And its supermarkets, banks, cafes and restaurants are full of naked people English families explain why they choose to go naked - many preferring the less commercial, back-to-nature resorts; few approving of the Mr and Miss Nude Admerica pageants staged every year by a Californian entrepreneur ' to bring nudism out of the closet and into the public eye '. JOHN PITMAN traces the growth of the naturist movement this century, from its small-time beginnings in a park in north Germany, to the multi-million-pound business it is today - especially for France and Yugoslavia.
Cardinal Tomas O' Fiaich, tracing the journeys of Columbanus and the early medieval Irish missionaries.
Until 1978, Fred Dibnah was a steeplejack working locally to his own area of Lancashire. Whilst working on the Town Hall in Bolton, the local BBC TV filmed a short news item about him. As a result of this, Fred was approached by a television producer with a view to making 1 half-hour film as part of a series about people with unusual occupations. After several months of filming, the final article was an hour long documentary, screened in his own right. This won two awards for the producer.
A trade information film about an exciting modern extra for TV.
In 1979 filmmaker John Samson went on the road with a 22-year-old Eric Bristow, one of the rising stars of British darts. This film from the archives depicts Bristow between major competitions as he travels around the pubs and working men's clubs of Britain, challenging the local heroes and playing exhibition matches. Bristow takes on all-comers and breezily faces down a belligerent local radio host. (bbc)
At the beginning of the war hundreds of British civilians were recruited for an intelligence operation which has remained a closely-guarded secret. They were called VI's and they worked alone in garden-sheds and back-rooms. Their only contact was a mysterious Post Office Box Number. Tonight their story is told by Rene Cutforth.
Introduced by Penelope Keith As midnight approaches and brings with it the beginning of the 1980s, the final programme of the 1970s brings back memories of some of the BBC television programmes which achieved popularity, esteem or even notoriety during the decade. Among the well-known faces who have created an impact on our television screens over the past ten years: John Cleese, Michael Parkinson, Rod Hull and Emu, The Goodies, Elton John, Angela Rippon, Penelope Keith, Richard Briers, Felicity Kendall, Paul Eddington, Michael Crawford, David Frost, Larry Grayson, Morecambe and Wise, Esther Rantzen, Arthur Lowe, John Le Mesurier, Keith Michell, Ian Holm, Tom Conti, Derek Jacobi, John Hurt, Alan Dobie, Alan Bates, Anne Stallybrass, Susan Littler, John Duttine, Joanna David, Jeremy Brett, Anna Massey, Christopher Timothy, Robert Hardy, Clare Francis, John Curry, Olga Korbut, Nadia Comaneci, Mary Peters, Virginia Wade, Monty Python, Alistair Cooke, Dr Jacob Bronowski, Ronnie Barker, Ronnie Corbett, and The Wilkins Family of Reading.
How much do we in Britain know about Europe? Do they pay more tax than us? Do they have fewer strikes? Does an evening out cost more? What's the Duty Free allowance these days? Try this test and see how much, or how little, you know. Cliff Michelmore and Magnus Magnusson ask the questions and give the answers.
ABBA star in their first European TV special, recorded on location in the Swiss Alps. Also featuring special guests Kate Bush and Roxy Music.
Gwyn Richards reports from Tetbury in Gloucestershire, where every year on the spring Bank Holiday Monday they hold a Medieval Fair. The fair includes many of the familiar staples of an English village fair - Morris Dancing, fancy dress, a Punch and Judy show, and the like - and some less familiar ones, like the "wench auction." The main attraction, however, is undoubtedly the infamous Tetbury Woolsack races - a gruelling physical challenge that sees teams laden with heavy sacks of wool running up and down the 1 in 4 gradient of Gumstool Hill.
Anthony Burton travels from York through Leeds and Harrogate to discover more about Britain's industrial past and the role of railway companies in the 19th Century. Along the way, he finds out about the dark and dangerous work of tunnelling, the different classes of passenger coaches and the grandeur of railway hotels.
'When I look at a film without the music it's like lively death.' So says Steven Spielberg , director of Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind and 1941, all with scores by the American composer John Williams. Williams now has the composer credit for some 45 feature films, among them How to Steal a Million, Jane Eyre , Towering Inferno, Superman, Star Wars. Many directors will admit that music is crucial to a film's success, yet the composer's name is rarely known to the general public. This film looks at the craft and the pressures of film music through the work of JOHN WILIAMS , with extracts from several films, and sees him at work on his latest, the second of the Star Wars trilogy, The Empire Strikes Back, which has its London premiere on 20 May.
Brian Redhead reports from the 'Rocket 150' event held at Rainhill, Lancashire to mark the 150th anniversary of the world's first inter-city railway and the Stephensons' legendary Rocket locomotive. On display are 'celebrity' engines from across the country, including the 'Green Arrow', the 'Flying Scotsman' and the record-breaking Mallard-class train that bore its designer's name, 'Sir Nigel Gresley', as well as the king of the modern electric railway, the Advanced Passenger Train (APT).
An episode of Change of Direction featuring Buzz Aldrin
The fifth of six programmes from the Bristol Arts Unit investigates some of the mysteries of rock 'n' roll. XTC is a four-man rock group from Swindon, who spent a weekend in August at The Manor - a manor house near Oxford now established as a 'living-in' recording studio - making their new single "Towers of London". Shadowed by television cameras and microphones, the members of XTC - Andy Partridge, Colin Moulding, Terry Chambers, Dave Gregory - and their producer Steve Lilliwhite expound and demonstrate the complexities of multi-track recording.
"Make 'em laugh, make 'em cry, but above all, make 'em wait". the classic formula for soap opera, and it still fascinates us, 50 years after American soap manufacturers used it to capture audiences for their commercials. Angela visits the Crossroads Motel, meets J.R. and Sue Ellen (separately), and becomes Nelson's girl-friend in The Archers, in her search for the roots of the popularity and profitability of soap.
Are we facing in Britain an imminent tidal wave of crime? Certainly the way we are bombarded with crime stories in the press, on television and radio, we might be forgiven for a sense of unease. The prospect of being overwhelmed by crime clearly is disturbing. But has it fostered our fears unfairly and unnecessarily. Do we ironically face another different but hidden danger not so much from our lawbreakers but from our law enforcers? Will that prospect drastically change tne lives of each and every one of us? Tonight's documentary follows the police at work in the streets and the public's response to them. we observe the experience of victims and criminals alike, and reveay a view of the War on Crime. Narrator DEREK COOPER
A film profile of HRH The Prince of Wales Prince Charles has been described as self-conscious, vulnerable, ambitious and incurably romantic. In this documentary he talks about his life and loves. Historic news-reel film shows him growing up in a changing world under the influence of older members of his family. His schoolfriends recall the shy boy coming out of his shell. Prince Charles wants to succeed in everything he does, and his polo coach and helicopter instructor tell how he pushes himself to the limit. Hugh Scully follows the royal progress, including the Prince's recent visit to Australia and America, and looks at the woman who will have more influence on him than anyone else - Lady Diana Spencer
In ten days' time an estimated 1,000 million people will be tuning in to BBCtv and radio for the Royal Wedding of the decade. But how much do we really know? Cliff Michelmore and Magnus Magnusson invite you to join in this informal but informative quiz. See how you score against the teams. Michael Jayston , Angela Pleasence Anne Stallybrass and Vera Lynn Robert Lacey , Malcolm Williamson Michael Wood reports from Caernarvon Castle and Fred Housego takes a romantic look at royal marriages in history.
Three soldiers recall the famous occasion during the First World War when British and German troops abandoned their trenches on the Western Front on Christmas Day 1914.
This is a documentary on the reign of the last Shahanshah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi who was overthrown by Khomeini’s Islamic ‘revolution' in 1979.
Aubrey Beardsley was a phenomenon, as his contemporaries recognised. Between 1893 and 1898 (when he died from tuberculosis aged just 25) he developed into one of the world's most exciting graphic artists, and turned out hundreds of black and white drawings, which retain their power to fascinate, to amuse and to shock. In this film Brian Reade, Brigid Brophy, Ralph Steadman and a psychiatrist, discuss Beardsley's work and recall the story of his short life. The film has been made almost exclusively from Beardsley's original drawings. (1982)
Broadcast the week he died, this short documentary about Alex Harvey covers his background and his life as a musician and includes footage from performances and interviews with Alex.
A decrepit bus with nine entertainers on board leaves Inverness in a desperate bid to persuade the corpse of the variety road show to sit up. Through the Highlands to the island of Skye, the cast hump their ' props' from village to village playing up to three shows a night. Conditions are hard, complaints are many; jokes are cracked about the ' escape committee' until, finally, they form one ... The second of three programmes written and narrated by Ian Wooldridge
The effects of a one megaton nuclear bomb being exploded over London
In this film B. A. Robertson examines the Scottish contribution to rock and pop. The programme contains some rare and atmospheric film of Scottish stars in performance and in the recording studio. B.A. meets them and discusses their involvement with the pop scene.
Barry Norman looks at the attitudes towards success and failure among the famous and not quite so famous figures of Hollywood.
On March 1932, the baby son of American aviator Charles Lindbergh was kidnapped from his home near Hopewell, New Jersey. Four years later a German immigrant carpenter, Bruno Richard Hauptmann, was convicted of the murder of the baby and died in the electric chair. The Lindbergh Kidnapping was at the time the ‘Trial of the Century’, a worldwide sensation that inspired many films and books over the years, including Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express. But doubts have existed from the beginning about the guilt of Hauptmann. In 1982, with new evidence, his 83-year-old widow reopened the case and sued the State of New Jersey for the wrongful execution of her husband, but her claim was dismissed. Ludovic Kennedy looks at the evidence only recently made public and shows that doubts are now more than ever justified.
Barry Norman tells the story of a famous training establishment for would-be stars in the 1940s and 50s. The Rank Organisation called it 'The Company of Youth' but the press quickly dubbed it 'The Charm School', where youngsters from varied backgrounds and with little or no acting experience, were put under contract at £10 a week and trained at a church hall next door to Rank's Highbury Studios. Taking part are former charm school students Diana Dors, Pete Murray, Christopher Lee, Barbara Murray, Peggy Evans, Susan Beaumont and the Viscountess Rothermere, publicity executive Theo Cowan, Rank's Director of Artists Olive Dodds, and producer Betty Box.
Millions of Americans are determined to live through what they foresee as an inevitable nuclear war. Others are heading for camps in the remote back-country to escape the chaos of an impending political or economic cataclysm. They sing hymns, chant psalms of war, preach the survival of the fittest and arm themselves to the teeth. They are the Survivalists.... This film talks to women training with machine guns, to undergraduates taking courses in How to Stay Alive, to retired generals who run schools for mercenary killers, and to self-appointed clergy who say their native America has 'gone soft on the Devil and the Reds' and has become a 'Disneyland for Dummies'.
James Hunter traces the history of the crofter's struggle to gain security of tenure on the land they occupied from the beginning of the 1880s.
A documentary on the remaking, over ten years, of the A9 between Perth and Inverness - the highest trunk road in Britain. Work involved the diversion of a river and the building of many bridges.
Presented by Cliff Michelmore and Dr Miriam Stoppard With the competing couples: Terry Wogan and Helen Wogan Peter Davison and Sandra Dickinson Sharron Davies and Neil Adams During the festivities most of us have eaten and drunk too much and feel rather disgusted with ourselves-but just how much harm did it do and what resolutions should we make to improve our health for the New Year? Use the score sheet on page five to take part in this quiz and see how you get on against the three studio teams. Also featuring: Barry Cryer with DAWN PERLLMAN and CHUBBY OATES Film director LAURENCE REES
It is now two decades since the start of That Was the Week That Was-the programme that changed the Saturday-night viewing habits of a nation with its unique blend of satire and showbiz. Tonight Ned Sherrin , That Was the Week That Was creator and producer, offers the audience of 1982 a chance to share the team's original view of 1962
Documentary telling the story of Richard Noble's various attempts on the land speed record, including his successful record-breaking run on Nevada's Black Rock Desert on October 4th 1983.
Thirty years ago this week Elizabeth II was crowned. This programme celebrates and assesses the Queen's changing role and conveys something of the nature of the job itself. It shows the Queen in London and on her recent American tour as well as key events of the reign. Special permission was given to film the Queen holding an investiture at Buckingham Palace, with her family and President Kaunda during the recent state visit, and on the Royal Yacht with Prime Minister Trudeau and President Reagan. There are comments from some of the people who have worked with the Queen or observed her -Sir Harold Wilson , Edward Heath , James Callaghan , Sir Shridath Ramphal , Enoch Powell , President Kaunda, Sir Nicholas and Lady Henderson, William Deedes , Rich. ard Ingrams, Susan Crosland and one-time critic of the monarchy John Grigg (Lord Altrincham). From the royal tour comes a rich variety of comment and behind-the-scenes activity at a time when the British monarchy is arousing worldwide interest. Written and narrated by Ludovic Kennedy
Highlights of the team's expedition to Morocco begin this celebration of Blue Peter's 25th birthday year. In 1968 Valerie Singleton, John Noakes and Peter Purves set off on an epic journey by Land Rover. Their safari began at the BBC's Television Centre in London and ended in M'Hamid on the edge of the Sahara desert where the temperature was 135°F
Documentary in which the survivors of the eleven members of a Belfast schoolboy football team in 1969, talk about their experience of the troubles in Ireland and about two others members of the team UVF member Michael Atcheson, now in prison, and IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands.
Interpretations of Bosch's paintings have been varied and extreme: heresy, alchemy, drugs, witchcraft and, the most popular, that he was a member of a secret sect which practised orgies. Nicholas Baum , who has been fascinated by these haunting paintings for many years, began his investigation in the belief that we would never know their full meaning. After a journey which took him to Holland, Spain. and Portugal, he is convinced that he has found the key.
In 1953 the BBC produced a short black and white film of a train journey from London to Brighton in four minutes. The journey was repeated in 1983. Here are the two films side by side in wide screen. (c) 2008 on end of film.
Ian Holm narrates this documentary, originally broadcast in 1983, about Hollywood star Bette Davis. Spanning her life and career from the 1920s to the 1980s, on stage and on screen, the programme includes an interview with the actress herself.
Rene Cutforth introduces Dylan Thomas's friends, relatives and fellow broadcasters, who give an account of the person he really was.
Barbara Woodhouse, in conversation with Joan Bakewell, reveals some of the highlights of her life.
Billy Kay talks life, and music with Scottish Singer-Songwriter Dick Gaughan.
By the time of the partial collapse of the 23-storey Ronan Point tower block due to a natural gas explosion in 1968, local authorities were waking up to the scale of the deficencies and the cost of making safe the 750,000 flats built during the ten year boom. It then emerged that up to 6 million people were living in poorly constructed or dangerous system-built housing erected in the 1920s, 1930s and 1950s and beyond. Ironically, many of the proposed expensive remedial systems were found to be similarly untried, untested and unfit for purpose, and in some cases offered by the same construction industry chiefs previously vending the very inadequate building systems that now needed remedying. Fans of Adam Curtis's work should note that, as an early Curtis production, this solid investigative documentary lacks the narrative thread and unique voice that characterises his later work, but favourite themes are present, such as the collusion of the powerful and opportune, and the inability to learn from past lessons.
Narrator Kenneth Williams A special tribute to one of television's best-loved characters, Master Sergeant Ernest G. Bilko , featuring some classic moments from the series. Phil Silvers , star of the show, remembers the making of Bilko and the personalities involved. 'Regulars' and 'recruits' appear include Col John 'Melonhead' Hall PFC Duane Doberman Alan Alda and Bing Crosby.
BBC 2 looks back at its ill-fated launch night in 1964, through the memories of some of the main players in the Story, as recounted by Ludovic Kennedy.
The Battle for Santa's Software. This Christmas every high street will witness a battle of fantasy giants. Kong, Kokotoni Wilf , Zaxxon and Kentilla are part of the high-reward but high-risk computer games industry, suddenly worth £30 million a year. Commercial Breaks follows two companies as they seek a Christmas top ten hit. The whiz-kids of Imagine believe in the all-new Megagame - for the programmers at Ocean, it has to be a new version of last year's hero, Hunchback. But there are many other invaders on the way....
In 1949, at the height of the Cold War, the British and American Governments decided to fight back at the growing Soviet Empire with a secret plan of subversion. MI6 and the CIA would try to bring down the smallest and most vulnerable of the new Soviet-controlled regimes - Albania. In this film, for the first time, many of the agents involved tell their extraordinary story. It includes moonlit landings on deserted beaches, poison capsules, mysterious deaths in New York hotel rooms, and the crack bodyguard of King Zog. For some of the spies it was exhilarating fun and part of a great game. For the Albanians involved it was to mean death, for in the midst of the operation was a traitor.
Fishtails, thumbflips, aerials, walkovers and double-illusions-the language of the glittering, esoteric sport of baton twirling. Last August the top 80 of the world's 200,000 twirlers met in Milan for the 1983 Championships. This film follows European Champion Lesley Wood From Glasgow and the 1982 Men's World Champion, Glenn Bittend bender from the United States, through their preparations.
The War Game is a 1965 television film on nuclear war. Written, directed, and produced by Peter Watkins for the BBC's The Wednesday Play strand, its depiction of the impact of Soviet nuclear attack on Britain caused dismay within the BBC and in government. It was scheduled for broadcast on 6 August 1965 (the twentieth anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing) but was cancelled, the corporation publicly stating that "the effect of the film has been judged by the BBC to be too horrifying for the medium of broadcasting". It remained unseen on British television until 1985.
To the World's End follows the No. 31 London bus from Camden Town to World's End, Chelsea, meeting characters who live and work along the route.
Anthony Summer's BBC documentary focuses on the last few days in the life of Marilyn Monroe, and her connection with the Kennedy brothers, John and Robert.
''On The Eighth Day'' is chilling, a result entirely consistent with its aim. The one-hour documentary explores the possible ecological and atmospheric consequences of nuclear war, particularly as they would be expressed in a ''nuclear winter.'' Darkness would shroud the Northern Hemisphere; temperatures would fall. The planet would survive, but not as a hospitable place.
Billie Holiday's tragic story, from her traumatic childhood ' in Baltimore to her premature death in a New i York hospital at the age of 44, is told in the words of her closest friends and colleagues - but mostly through the songs themselves. Arena has assembled an unprecedented number of her filmed performances.
'Don't tell Richard Avedon, Scavullo, Cartier-Bresson or the dear departed spirit of Cecil Beaton, Harry, but you are my favourite photographer.' (TRUMAN CAPOTE). From his first job on the Hamilton Advertiser via the Daily Sketch and the Express, Benson has now reached the pinnacle of photojournalism, the prestigious magazine, Life. In this film he is interviewed at his Manhattan apartment by the Scottish novelist, William Mcllvanney , and seen on assignment in New York.
Richard Cooke is a photographer with a passion for air-to-air pictures. He is obsessed by a single aerial photograph: 'the RAF Aerobatic Team,'the 'Red Arrows', trailing smoke, flying straight at his camera. They say it is impossible and too dangerous. But that doesn't stop Richard. He gets a first and last chance to capture the £20 million snapshot.
George Stevens's remarkable film is acclaimed by historians as the most important colour footage taken during the war. Milestones covered include the liberation of Paris, the link-up between the Russian and American armies on the River Elbe and the Allied capture of the Dachau concentration camp.
Portrait of a community in the heart of South Wales almost one year into the miners' strike. This film does not involve actors, but portrays the lives and experiences of the people.
The documentary focuses on three traders, each located in New York, London, and Hong Kong. The traders are followed throughout a typical day in order to demonstrate the challenges and dedication of each trader.
Robert Symes investigates the background to Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein. Was her idea for creating human life based on fact? And who was the original Frankenstein?
'Joseph is coming out of a long sleep, like a hedgehog that's been in hibernation'. This time last year, 5-year-old Joseph Horsley had been virtually written-off by his doctors. He was probably blind. He couldn't sit, talk or do anything for himself. Joseph is a spastic quadriplegic. His parents were told to have another baby if they wanted to enjoy the pleasures of parenthood. Now his doctors say he will walk and eventually talk. But they are not the same doctors. This remarkable transformation has taken place not in England, but behind the Iron Curtain - in Hungary - by a method known as Conductive Education. It is a system beyond the reach of Britain's 10,000 cerebral palsied.This documentary film tells the story of the Horsley family's flight to Hungary, and their appeal to the Peto Institute to accept their son for treatment.
Ray Alan, Ken Dodd, Alan Freeman, Sir Charles Groves, Stuart Hall, Sooty, The Spinners, Harry Worth and Godfrey Talbot all help Tom O'Connor to mark 64 BBC years that began when receivers had 'cat's whiskers'.
England's winter of discontent showed yet again the absolute world supremacy of West Indian cricket. Top sports writer Ian Wooldridge goes to its Caribbean roots to discover why. Viv Richards , Gary Sobers , Clive Walcott , Everton Weekes and others tell their stories ... In Barbados and Antigua, Wooldridge looks for the youngsters who will succeed them. He asks how these tiny islands can produce such a stream of talent, and he concludes that 'the Windies' will be on top for at least another generation.
A programme that follows the production of a new recording of the music from South Pacific, the classic musical by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein.
Documentary about the British on the ski slopes of Europe.
A BBC documentary from 1987 tracing the history of Britan's famous Hammer studio. Interestingly, the title implies that the BBC was not immune from the common confusion between Hammer and Amicus; The House That Dripped Bood was an Amicus production.
Documentary about the iconic London Underground map and Harry Beck, the man who designed it.
In this instalment of the "Actor's Take on Movie Making" series, British film star Michael Caine (Alfie, The Cider House Rules, The Quiet American) offers advice to aspiring actors to help them succeed in a competitive business. Caine shares valuable trade secrets about character development; script preparation; voice, sound and movement; working with directors; and the sometimes brutal politics of movie-making.
Fifty years ago Professor John Morrison dreamed of rediscovering the secrets of the Greek Trireme. The design of this legendary warship - powered by 170 oarsmen and with a deadly battering ram - had long been forgotten. But the triremes had once given the Greeks supremacy in the eastern Mediterranean and allowed their culture to flourish. This year, after a lifetime of detective work among the art and literature of the ancient world, this gentle Cambridge scholar saw his dream come true. A replica, based on his findings, was built - and a trireme put to sea in the Aegean again for the first time in 2,000 years.
There is one crime on the record of Edward Earl Johnson, a 26-year-old African-American man from Mississippi - murder. He was convicted on the sole evidence of signing a confession he had not written. Johnson always denied the killing and appealed against his death sentence for eight years in the US courts. Fourteen Days in May is a countdown to an execution, revealing the effect on prison staff and other death-row inmates as time runs out for one young man.
This year's animal drama from wildlife film-makers John and Simon King features a female hedgehog called Priddy, who lives on the Mendip Hills. All the adventures that happen to Priddy in this film have been experienced by one hedgehog or another in real life. Narrated by John King Film edited by PETER SNOW Directed and photographed by SIMON KING Produced by JOHN KING BBC Pebble Mill
On four nights in the summer of 1985 Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band filled to capacity the Los Angeles Coliseum, home of the 1984 Olympics. It was the culmination of a 16-month world tour, during which Bom in the USA became the CBS label's biggest-selling album of all time. In this world-exclusive interview, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band talk to David Hepworth , with extracts from 14 previously unseen performances including 'Sandy' from Springsteen's English debut performance at the Hammersmith Odeon concert in 1975.
'There's no literary phenomenon quite like it - it's an accidental social history of England.' Every spring as the daffodils fade, another splash of yellow arrives; Wisden Cricketers' Almanack. It's as much a part of the new cricket season as the smell of bat oil and newly-mown grass. For 123 years Wisden, alone, has recorded the minutiae of this essentially English game. Reporter James Hogg , together with John Arlott , Benny Green and many other dedicated followers of the summer sport pay tribute to a unique sporting institution.
With humourist Spike Milligan. Spike starts in the town to which his parents emigrated in 1953. Spike thought they were mad - until he came and fell in love with the place - and its quirky Australian soul.
In a studio setting, Stephen Hawking, Arthur C. Clarke and Carl Sagan (who joins them via satellite) discuss the Big Bang theory, God, our existence as well as the possibility of extraterrestrial life.
Michael Wood tells a story of how a small Midland town rescued one of the largest castles of medieval England. Yesterday, Stafford Castle was reopened to the public after a ten-year dig in which archaeologists have filled gaps in the castle's 900-year history and in which Stafford has learnt that the past can be an asset.
A personal inquiry by Richard Taylor. Thirty-six years ago documentary film-maker Richard Taylor was serving as a military police subaltern in Korea. Near to his tent they were interrogating prisoners - and sometimes they tortured them. That was the start of a lifelong concern about torture. Is it simply something which happens under military dictatorships and communist regimes - or is it closer to ourselves than we like to think? This investigation is not a catalogue of horrors. It asks in a more profound sense what torture does to its victims, and what turns ordinary human beings into torturers. Prompted by a disturbing encounter with a former interrogator from El Salvador 's notorious Treasury Police, he follows a trail that leads to a hard, new world where terrorism, counter-insurgency and torture meet.
In the setting of the Crown Hotel in Harrogate, with its leisure breaks and conference facilities, Alan Bennett reflects on the subject of class.
How did Hitler win the support of the German people? Having fallen prey to his "fatal attraction," they were ready to support him in his road to war, genocide and an imperial German Reich that his propaganda machine claimed would reign for a 1,000-years.
The program features interviews with Costello, plus solo-acoustic performances of “God’s Comic,” “Deep Dark Truthful Mirror,” “Let Him Dangle,” “Pads, Paws and Claws,” “Baby Plays Around,” “Any King’s Shilling” and “Tramp the Dirt Down,” all from Spike, plus “Having It All,” written for the film “Absolute Beginners,” but not used (and eventually included on the reissue of 1986′s King of America).
John Davidson, a 15-year-old from Galashiels in Scotland, who had severe Tourette syndrome. John's life was explored in terms of his family and the close-knit community around him, and how they all coped with a misunderstood condition. Oliver Sacks, a neurologist, offers observations on aspects of John's behaviour. The documentary was narrated by the actress Eleanor Bron.
The world's most famous small car celebrates its 30th birthday. Mini enthusiasts around the world, including Spike Milligan and Tony Benn, explain the little car's unique character.
First transmitted in 1989, this frank and candid pair of films provides a thought-provoking record of life in the Army - here for the 1st Battalion, Light Infantry in Berlin - and highlights the very different perspectives of the squaddies and officers who made them.
A rock review of the decade with highlights from the most outstanding performances on BBC television over the past ten years. Featuring everyone from Soft Cell to Simple Minds, Human League to Housemartins, Bauhaus to Black Box , the Police to Public Enemy, Adam and the Ants to the Art of Noise as they appeared on programmes as diverse as Whistle Test, Crackerjack, Top of the Pops, Wogan and The Late Show.
In July 1969, the space race ended when Apollo 11 fulfilled President Kennedy's challenge of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to earth. No-one who witnessed the lunar landing will ever forget it. Breathtaking both in the scope of its vision and the exhilaration of the human emotions it captures, Al Reinert's classic 1989 documentary is the story of 24 men who travelled to the moon, told in their words, in their voices and using the images of their experiences.
In a rare television interview, Doris Day looks back over her successful acting and singing career, and recalls happy memories of working with Rock Hudson, James Cagney, Clark Gable and James Garner.
In this one-hour documentary produced by the BBC in 1990 and broadcast on BBC2, Douglas falls asleep in front of a television and dreams about future time when he may be allowed to play a more active role in the information he chooses to digest. A software agent, Tom (played by Tom Baker), guides Douglas around a multimedia information landscape, examining (then) cuttting-edge research by the SF Multimedia Lab and NASA Ames research center, and encountering hypermedia visionaries such as Vannevar Bush and Ted Nelson.
It lives in Britain, but few people have heard of it. It is adorable, but it is a pest. The Romans used to feast on them and some people still do. Diana Rigg narrates a programme on the edible dormouse - an animal that looks like a cross between a squirrel and a hamster, has invaded houses in the Home Counties, destroyed electrics and killed trees... but is protected by law.
This was one of two documentaries intended to mark 20 years of the Monty Python team in 1989 but broadcast the following year after the death of team member Graham Chapman.
Alexander Frater's 1991 film follows the arrival of monsoon the length of India, from the South coast, north to the "wettest place on earth".
Unreliable, dirty, expensive and outdated - the familiar complaints of commuters on British Rail. Andrew Harvey reports on how Network South East measures up and examines lessons that could be learnt from its European counterparts.
Looks at the simple patterns that underlie the myriad diversity of form in plants and flowers. Despite apparent complexity most leaf patterns and flowers are variations on three basic patterns, which are seen in vegetative and flowering primordia. Professor Paul Green of Stanford University explains how he thinks these pattern-generating mechanisms are controlled. Professor Brian Goodwin then uses time-lapse photography and computer animation to show how his mathematical model of pattern formation reproduces the patterns observed in the growth of a giant algae.
Elton John introduces this special programme celebrating the life and work of Freddie Mercury, the lead singer of rock band Queen, who died yesterday. The great showman is remembered by friends and colleagues, and featured in concert footage, including Queen's Live Aid appearance.
Part of BBC2's August Bank Holiday 1991 celebration of Lime Grove Studios and it's illustrious history in Film and Television.
In the 5th century BC, a war broke out in the eastern Mediterranean between two powerful states. It lasted 27 years and destroyed an empire. As it began, Thucydides, an exiled general, started writing the story of what he believed would be the greatest war yet known. He has been called the world's first historian and war reporter, his book a classic account of political power, the mistakes that cause war and the tragedy of defeat. The War That Never Ends presents a timeless classic to throw a light on today's crisis in the Gulf.
Join the BBC cameras as they go behind the glitter of Buckingham Palace and the pomp of Windsor Castle for a close-up look at the minutia of the monarchy. Culled from a year of unprecedented access to Queen Elizabeth II, the documentary trails the queen as she interacts one-on-one with her family, her staff, her public, and international heads of state. Go behind closed doors for Christmas with the royal family, eavesdrop on cocktail chatter with Ron and Nancy Reagan, and catch unguarded moments when the queen pilots her own jeep or romps with her dogs. Elizabeth R. is a once-in-a-lifetime glimpse into the everyday life of a queen.
This program tells the story of the final thunderous battle of the Napoleonic era featuring stunning excerpts from major feature films, specially filmed authentic reconstruction and re-enactment footage, plus dramatized 'eye-witness' accounts of the battle, it provides a unique record of one of the turning points in world history
Two men can rightly claim to have invented calculus, one of the most basic and fundamental tools in modern mathematics -- Isaac Newton and Godfrey Wilheim Leibniz. This presentation discusses the similarities and differences in the two men's findings published in the late 1680's.
The story of Granada, the company responsible for Britain's most enduring soap opera Coronation Street, the current affairs series World in Action, and highly praised drama from Brideshead Revisited to Prime Suspect. With contributions from Jeremy Isaacs, Gus Macdonald, David Plowright, Michael Parkinson, Gerry Robinson and Sir Denis Forman.
A celebration of the cultural heritage of the mythical land filled with pigeons, whippets and endless cups of tea. It draws on such Granada classics as Coronation Street, A Family at War and Nearest and Dearest to expose some of the myths about the north of England.
Ever since 1955 when Dickie Valentine stormed the charts with A Christmas Alphabet, the season of goodwill has been a bonanza for the record industry. There is scarcely a pop singer who has not made a Christmas record; from Cliff Richard to Bruce Springsteen , from Paul McCartney to Giant Haystacks. This programme plunders the best, and the worst, from the Yuletide pop archive, and combines them with some classic comedy.
What do the Beatles, Chernobyl and the Wombles have in common? Rock nostalgia, news footage and comedy archive have been rolled into one for a green Rock 'n Roll Years special which charts the growing concern for the state of our planet over the last 25 years
Those wonderful sunny family holidays in Portrush during the late 50s are recaptured on mainly amateur film.
HRH the Prince of Wales talks to Radio 1 DJ Simon Mayo in this special documentary to mark the second anniversary of the Prince's Trust Volunteers. The film follows the progress over three months of two teams on the scheme.
The last of the fascist dictators, General Franco outlived Hitler and Mussolini to rule Spain for 40 years. As modern Spain prepares to host the Olympic Games, the truth about Franco is a story it doesn't want to hear. Was he the saviour of Spain or a cruel tyrant? With unique access to Franco's family, including his only daughter Carmen, his confessor and key aides, and using previously hidden archives, including Franco's own home movies, Jonathan Dimbleby probes behind the veil of secrecy and amnesia which has obscured the true face of the man. Producer Anthony Geffen is acknowledged for his hard-hitting documentaries on world leaders such as Hirohito, Arafat and Ceausescu.
Advice for women on personal safety. The Home Office estimates that 180,000 rapes and sexual assaults take place every year in England and Wales. American research suggests that women double their chances of avoiding rape if they fight back. Some women who did share their views. Presented by Lynsey de Paul.
A documentary about Thomas Hardy's Dorset with Sir Michael Hordern.
Annie Lennox - Diva features an in-depth interview with the ex-Eurythmics singer as well as an extensive selection of archive footage.
A documentary about Shak, one of several cubs born to an ageing and partially blind vixen.
A documentary about Ava Gardner , the daughter of a sharecropper who became one of Hollywood's hottest stars. Her hugely successful career spanned 44 years, but she had a troubled personal life. Following divorces from Artie Shaw and Micky Rooney , her marriage to Frank Sinatra also ended, in 1953. By the time of her death three years ago, she had made more than 50 films including Pandora and the Flying Dutchman
Documentary presented by Jeremy Bowen (BBC) from 1993. It is filmed in and around Mostar at the height of the Bosniak-Croat conflict during the Bosnian War. Bowen himself recent appeared a war crimes trial at The Hague, to respond to accusations that he was biased by Croats, where the documentary had featured as evidence. This program tells of the destruction of Mostar and the Serb, Croat and Muslim soldiers who are fighting together in the Bosnian Army for the right to live together as they did before the war.
A year in the life of the "Hard Living" gang in Cape Town South Africa, led by the notorious Staggie twins, who capture a hostage from the rival "Mongrel" gang. Then one of the twins murders a leader of the "American" gang. The ANC tries to avert a full-scale gang war. Part of the BBC Beloved Country season.
The long-time editor of Blue Peter talks to Sarah Dunant about children, animals and the Blue Peter badge.
A specially extended video edition of the documentary filmed to mark the 30th anniversary of the long-running BBC Science Fiction serial, "Doctor Who". Linked by specially filmed footage featuring members of the cast from the series and various old foes & monsters, the show is explored in depth and there are interviews with members of the cast & production team plus input from experts, critics and fans, as well as plenty of (often rarely seen) archive footage and clips from the series.
A week of diverse programmes examining the Margaret Thatcher legacy begins with this chronicle of her "rock'n'roll years". The music of her decade in power forms the soundtrack to a rich seam of archive film that includes landmark events in the news, sport, television and cinema - the Kings Cross fire, the end of the Cold War, the sinking of the Herald of Free Enterprise, the Tiananmen Square massacre, the storms of 1987, the falling of the Berlin Wall, and the famine in Ethiopia which spawned Live Aid and 'Feed the World'. Clips of the Prime Minister in action include some previously unseen on television, and chart her rise, her rule and her fall.
Queen Elizabeth II's coronation was one of the biggest ceremonial occasions ever. Broadcast live, the events of 2 June 1953 were a defining moment of the 20th century, not least for television, as cameras brought the new medium into millions of British homes for the first time. It was the most ambitious and technically difficult broadcast the BBC had ever tackled.
A look at Elvis Presley's first million-selling release, Heartbreak Hotel. This film tracks down the song's writers, schoolteacher Mae Axton and country musician Tommy Durden, and discovers that Heartbreak Hotel was inspired by a real-life suicide in Miami in 1955.
Jonathan Meades explores the architecture of Nazi Germany, from its holiday camps to its concentration camps.
Documentary about Japanese comic books (Manga) and the Anime films inspired by them.
A revealing and often ribald look at the seaside resort where people can let their hair down, whether in the sedate atmosphere of the Tower Ballroom or on the world's biggest and fastest rollercoaster. Actor David Thewlis returns to his home town, a place where beer is drunk and dreams are played out against the backdrop of a thoroughly British fantasy.
A visit to three Blackpool hairdressing salons, where an elderly community carries on its daily life oblivious to the hordes of tourists on its doorstep.
Since the discovery of the body of children's nanny Sandra Rivett on 7 November 1974, Lord Lucan has been the prime suspect for her murder. This documentary sheds new light on the accepted theory of what happened that fateful November night in Belgravia.
With the cult of the Carpenters continuing to rival that of those other 70s stars Abba, here is another chance to see the Carpenters' debut BBC concert, recorded on their first British tour in September 1971. Hits include Close to You, Superstar and We've Only Just Begun, together with the odd Beatles tune and a Bacharach/David medley. Karen's drumming and Richard's keyboards are supported by their five-piece touring band and an orchestra under Johnny Pearson.
Earlier this year comedian Paul Merton achieved a life-long ambition when he topped the bill for a season at the London Palladium. Tonight viewers have an opportunity to watch the show which ran the comedy gamut from the sardonic wit for which Merton is famous to his hilarious salute to the ice skaters Torvill and Dean, not forgetting a comic version of the pantomime Aladdin, as never seen before. Featuring Lee Simpson and Richard Vranch.
The Battle of Austerlitz, also known as the Battle of the Three Emperors, was one of Napoleon's greatest victories, where the French Empire effectively crushed the Third Coalition. On 2 December 1805 (20 November Old Style, 11 Frimaire An XIV, in the French Republican Calendar), a French army, commanded by Emperor Napoleon I, decisively defeated a Russo-Austrian army, commanded by Tsar Alexander I and Holy Roman Emperor Francis II, after nearly nine hours of difficult fighting. The battle took place near Austerlitz (Slavkov u Brna) about 10 Km (6 mi) south-east of Brno in Moravia, at that time in the Austrian Empire (present day Czech Republic). The battle is often regarded as a tactical masterpiece. The French victory at Austerlitz effectively brought the Third Coalition to an end. On 26 December 1805, Austria and France signed the Treaty of Pressburg, which took Austria out of the war, reinforced the earlier treaties of Campo Formio and Lunéville, made Austria cede land to Napoleon's German allies, and imposed an indemnity of 40 million francs on the defeated Habsburgs. Russian troops were allowed to head back to home soil. Victory at Austerlitz also permitted the creation of the Confederation of the Rhine, a collection of German states intended as a buffer zone between France and central Europe. In 1806, the Holy Roman Empire ceased to exist when Holy Roman Emperor Francis II kept Francis I of Austria as his only official title. These achievements, however, did not establish a lasting peace on the continent. Prussian worries about growing French influence in Central Europe sparked the War of the Fourth Coalition in 1806.
The story of Project Apollo, the US space programme, from the early days of the space race with the Soviet Union to the first moon landing 25 years ago in 1969. Featuring interviews with astronauts and ground staff, plus spectacular and rarely seen archive film. Introduced by Neil Armstrong , the first man to set foot on the surface of the moon.
Writers Robert Bauval and Adrian Gilbert claim that the 4,500 year old pyramid is an instrument of worship in the stellar cult of the fourth Egyptian dynasty. Emma Freud talks to experts who have studied the pyramids.
Part of a celebration of Top of the Pops 30th anniversary, with a documentary looking at dance troupe Pan's People who appeared weekly on UK pop music show from 1970-1976.
Joanna Lumley agrees to spend nine days on an uninhabited desert island off the coast of Madagascar with just a basic survival kit and a film crew.
There may seem to be limitless patterns on wallpaper but mathematically speaking there are only seventeen.
A documentary exploring the life and work of the great Italian composer.
This Oscar winning feature documentary is the first and, to this day, the only truly comprehensive eye-witness account of the life and legacy of the iconic child diarist, Anne Frank. Combining surprising and often emotional interview, photographs, previously undiscovered family letters, rare archive footage (including the only known moving footage of Anne herself) with evocative contemporary film, and this haunting documentary was halied as a masterpiece in the British and American press when it was first released in 1995. By peeking away the onion skin layers of mythology and concentrating closely on the details of Anne's brief life, rather than her famous Diary the film makes real, as never before, the story of this one child and her family, and those who lived and died with her.
This World AIDS Day episode looks back at the public attitude towards gay men afflicted with AIDS before effective treatment regimes were available.
The BBC's award winning documentary looking at the impact the death of Ayrton Senna had upon the world of motor racing. Featuring interviews with key people from Senna's life in motor sport
A tribute to the humorist and musician Viv Stanshall , best known as a member of the 60s group the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, who died last month. The programme features a summary of his career and another showing of his last major work, Crank, first broadcast in 1991 on The Late Show. An autobiographical playlet, it combines monologue with six original songs and explores Stanshall's relationship with his father. Introduced by John Peel.
Hugh Doherty has spent a lifetime building tunnels. But now he is facing his biggest challenge yet - building London Underground's new Jubilee Line extension
In this special one-off chat show Bob Monkhouse talks to Ben Elton about his techniques, styles, working methods and influences. As well as being recognised as one of the country's leading comic talents, Ben Elton is also a scriptwriter, successful novelist and playwright.
Many writers are associated with one particular location, but the poet John Betjeman is linked with a number of places in Britain, including north Cornwall, Highgate in London, Oxford, the Vale of the White Horse in Oxfordshire, and Norfolk. This programme traces Betjeman's steps around many of the places he enjoyed and the words he used to celebrate them
Pop band Pulp have been making music since the early eighties, but they had to wait until 1995 before achieving idol status with their hit single Common People. Tonight's documentary follows the band on tour around Britain over a period of three weeks, culminating in their triumphant homecoming to Sheffield City Hall, and shows them dealing with stardom with a mixture of bewilderment and style.
The first of a two-part documentary on the role of the British Board of Film Classification in shaping British film-making and film-going.
The second of a two-part documentary about the history of British film censorship looks at the films that have faced problems since the 1970s, a decade in which there were storms over "A Clockwork Orange," "Last Tango in Paris" and "The Exorcist." Film-makers including Bernardo Bertolucci, Oliver Stone and Steve Woolley talk about their battles with the censors over sex and violence. Plus an examination of the video-nasty panic of the mid-eighties, which brought statutory censorship to Britain for the first time, and a look to the future in the age of the Internet.
A profile of the maverick pop icon of the 60s - hailed now more than ever as one of the greatest songwriters Britain has ever produced. In a unique and revealing interview, he talks about his career, breakdowns, songwriting and sexuality.
The first woman to hold major cabinet positions in the male-dominated world of politics, Barbara Castle, talks candidly about her life in Michael Cockerell's intimate film portrait. Branded by the Conservatives as Red Barbara, she also enraged her own party, Labour, by seeking to reform the trades unions. Her passionate approach to politics was mirrored by her private life. She tells of her first sexual encounters and of her love affairs. She also meets Tony Blair for the first time and delivers her verdict.
Whips pride themselves on their secrecy and discretion. Reporter Michael Cockerell uncovers their shadowy world and reveals how they operate. How close to reality is the fictional Chief Whip Francis Urquhart, in the drama series House of Cards? Government Whips can make or break ministers and ensure they know all the secrets of the private lives of their fellow MPs. One Tory MP claims that the Whips are a gestapo, but another says they are democracy's unsung heroes - as necessary for Parliament as sewers are for civilisation
BBC obituary documentary written and presented by Anthony Howard. Broadcast on the day of the death of Harold Wilson, May 24th 1995
Enoch Powell was regarded as the most controversial Tory of his time. Notorious for his "rivers of blood" speech on immigration, some saw him as a political hero, others as a racist bigot. Powell talks candidly to reporter Michael Cockerell, who reveals the private man behind the public figure.
Six stories of love and family life that illustrate how things changed irrevocably for those who returned home following the end of the Second World War as well as for those who welcomed back their loved ones.
Earlier this summer, British yachtswoman Lisa Clayton completed a record-breaking solo circumnavigation in her boat the Spirit of Birmingham. She documented her journey using on-board video cameras. This is the story of her remarkable and exciting nine-month journey around the world.
Profile of architect and designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh.
Scottish comedian Billy Connolly thought Glasgow was cold, until he encountered the Arctic Circle. Armed only with the most basic survival techniques and his banjo, Billy spends 10 days there, recording his experiences and emotions on a videocamera. Billy often jokes about his early days in Glasgow, but it left him tough, adaptable and used to the cold which should stand him in good stead when facing hunger and temperatures of minus 40 degrees Centigrade. But even this Scot will need expert guidance to survive Baffin Island in High Arctic Canada. An Eskimo ranger gives him a crash course in some of the tricks of the trade: how to build and repair an igloo, how to make water, how to catch and cook fish, how to spot crevasses and the wrong kind of snow, how to prevent sunblindness, how to ski pulling a pulk (sledge), how to walk on snowshoes, skidooing, kayaking, how to spot the onset of frostbite and how to deal with polar bears. An SAS Army expert is also on hand to give Billy basic survival tips, especially the rules of keeping warm. With great good humour, Billy fortifies himself for the real challenge which is to come: two days completely on his own. Only his self-operated video camera holds the secret of his hours of solitude long, lonely evenings and nights with no crew and no one to call on the phone. Hours during which he is contemplative, melancholy, miserable, witty and plain freezing cold. There are some beautiful shots of the majestic frozen scenery, some useful tips on keeping warm in the cold, and some entertaining moments, but the really fascinating thing about this programme are the insights into Billy's complex personality.
Documentary covering the history of the American television science fiction series STAR TREK, founded by Gene Roddenberry in 1966, with interviews including actors Leonard Nimoy, Brent Spiner, Patrick Stewart and Nichelle Nichols. The programme considers STAR TREK's founding during the height of the Cold War, the civil rights movement and the Vietnam War, with its multicultural crew working together on the `Enterprise', and considers its cultural impact over 30 years and into the future.
This rare and revealing documentary from 1996 about artist Sarah Lucas is being shown to coincide with Lucas's retrospective at London's Whitechapel Gallery. Made by acclaimed director Vanessa Engle, the film shadows Lucas over four months as she makes her witty and provocative sculptures, often using everyday objects. With candid and often hilarious contributions from Angus Fairhurst, Gary Hume, Damien Hirst and Barbara Gladstone.
A 30-minute documentary broadcast on BBC2 in 1995, Ian Hislop delves into the story of the little known Roman satirist Juvenal, a man of whom his quotations are much more widely known than is anything about the man himself. Presented by Ian Hislop, starring Stephen Fry as Juvenal with comments from Auberon Waugh.
It’s 221 BC, and the veil of history is lifted to reveal life in the Qin Dynasty, under China’s first emperor, Shihuangdi. Noted historians, archaeologists, and other experts extrapolate from discoveries made in the ruler’s tomb, as they examine the political, intellectual, philosophical, artistic, and religious structure of Chinese society of the first dynasty. Sophisticated computer animation re-creates both the outer and inner structure of Shihuangdi’s tomb, complete with rivers rippling with mercury; decorative period artifacts; food larders; mummified concubines awaiting their master’s pleasure; and the now-famous 8,000-man terra-cotta army of statues standing guard to protect the dead emperor from his enemies in the afterlife.
Docudrama about the matrimonial disaster that took place 200 years ago between George, Prince of Wales and his wife Caroline of Brunswick.
The scientists on an expedition into the feared depths of the Bermuda Triangle, a region of the Atlantic Ocean between Bermuda, Miami (Florida) and Puerto Rico where a number of aircraft, ships and surface vessels are reported to have mysteriously disappeared. Laden with sonar’s and satellite surveys, the divers attempt to investigate the Bermuda Triangle from the bottom up, and they make some startling discoveries along the way.
Dusty Springfield narrates a documentary profile of the songwriter who won an Oscar for the Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid score, enjoyed stage success with Promises, Promises and whose classic songs continue to influence modern music. Featuring interviews with Dionne Warwick, Noel Gallager, Hal David, Herb Alpert, Elvis Costello, Cilla Black, Richard Carpenter, Carol Bayer Sager and Gillian Lynne.
Special documentary made after opening of the Second Severn Crossing in 1996, replacing the old suspension bridge as the primary link between England and Wales The program focuses on the design and construction techniques required to build the UK's longest bridge across an estuary with the second highest tidal range in the world.
Ever since the starship Enterprise first whisked across television screens in 1966, Star Trek has inspired audiences with its portrayal of a future, space-faring humanity boldly going where no one has gone before. Science: The Final Frontier takes a look at the science featured in the Star Trek shows and films and discusses whether any of it is possible. Part of Star Trek Night on BBC Two. Featuring Stephen Hawking, Roger Penrose, Lawrence Krauss (author of The Physics of Star Trek) and Andre Bormanis (science adviser to Star Trek).
An investigation into the unearthing of the supposedly lost lighthouse of Alexandria in Egypt- which was regarded as the seventh wonder of the ancient world. The 1995 expedition was led by the archaeologist Jean-Yves Empereur.
African American writer and poet Maya Angelou visits Burns Country in Scotland, where she enjoys performances of Burns's songs and poems as well as reading one of her own works.
Alexander, a student of the brilliant philosopher Aristotle, worshiped the god Amun which he believed to be his father. He suffered from epilepsy and was gay, when his partner died he sacrificed all 5,000 inhabitants of a village for him. Alexander's legacy was that a man could be a god, by he has many peoples, cultures and beliefs influenced his vast empire. Alexander the Great had a vision: one civilized world with him as absolute leader! An ambition which had all districts with enormous bloodshed as a result. His craving for power was so great that in our modern world has no equal! While his influence is still noticeable, we know still very little about him. Greek and English archaeologists searching for years for one of the world's greatest mysteries:. the last resting place of Alexander the Great and his golden sarcophagus Alexander The God King is a fascinating journey through time and separate the truth from the legends. The ambition of one man, the course changed our history!
Michael Cockerell's candid profile of Roy Jenkins, author, politician and socialite, claimed by some to be the best prime minister Britain never had.
It begins with cheers but almost always ends in tears. Yet, as the election looms, competition forthetopjob grows ever more intense. Why? The hours are terrible, money so-so, job security non-existent. On the plus side, there's free accommodation in central London and probably more power overyour country than any other leader in the western world. With the help of the present and previous incumbents,
A profile of legendary cricket umpire Dickie Bird, looking at his life on and off the field and featuring quotes from many well-known faces.
For all those bored by the general election, this programme reveals the truth behind election night television coverage and reports on the mistakes, the wobbly sets, the internal battles and the fierce rivalry between the BBC and ITN. Some of the most famous faces on TV can be seen floundering in front of the cameras. In a tale of changing times, the viewers have seen the illegible charts of the fifties give way to the slick graphics of the nineties.
One-hour BBC documentary on avant-garde rock musician Captain Beefheart introduced and narrated by John Peel.
Singer David Essex narrates a behind-the-scenes history of the nation's favourite radio station, from its 1967 launch by DJ Tony Blackburn to the present day.
Documentary about Black Wednesday, which looks at the events leading up to the GBP collapse and why it happened.
Documentary charting the effect that Kung Fu had on the British public's consciousness after the release of ENTER THE DRAGON.
Did a meteor wipe out the dinosaurs?
The sasquatch has pervaded American imaginations for generations. Many have dedicated their lives to searching for it. Go with a world-class photographer and group of bigfoot experts on the hunt, and find out what it's like to search for the sasquatch.
The 300th anniversary of the birth of artist and satirist William Hogarth is marked by this film, which ties in with a major exhibition at London's Tate Gallery. The engraver of The Rake's Progress might well have recognised 1997 general election issues such as Euroscepticism and sleaze allegations. Andrew Graham-Dixon, chief art critic of The Independent, explores the fascinating world of Hogarth and visits London sites associated with him, including the Painted Hall of Greenwich's Royal Naval College, Smithfield meat market, Soho and Bloomsbury.
The story of the cigar - from the tobacco fields west of the Cuban capital of Havana into the factories where poetry and daily newspapers are read aloud to the workers, to Hollywood cigar bars and the gentlemen's haunts of St James's, London. With the worldwide cigar market growing, smoking cigars is perceived as glamorous and yet this is occurring at a time when it is nearly impossible to smoke a cigarette in any public place in the United States. Cigar clubs are opening up in America despite the fact that Cuban cigars are banned. The film looks at the rituals and traditions of cigar smoking, the history of cigars and famous cigar smokers from all walks of life. With Lord Grade, Kenneth Clarke, James Belushi, George Wendt and Peter Weller.
Almost everyone who experienced Britain's devastating "great storm" of 1987 has a story to tell. Ten years on, this programme features reconstructions of extraordinary escapes, as well as amateur video and news footage of the millions of pounds' worth of damage caused across the South. Among the stories is that of an elderly couple who survived the destruction of their caravan (some of their neighbours' vehicles were blown five miles away); a boy who describes a supernatural experience worthy of The X Files; and the pregnant woman who couldn't get to hospital in time. However, the prize for the most extraordinary tale goes to the hotel guest who was found lying in bed exposed to the night sky, having slept through the entire roof being ripped off.
In tonight's special one-off documentary Alan Hansen and Gary Lineker present a tribute to one of the most popular events in world sport-the FA Cup final. On the eve of the Middlesbrough and Chelsea clash, Sir Stanley Matthews , Ian Rush , Sir Bobby Charlton , JimmyGreaves,lan Wright and Paul Gascoigne are just some of the football personalities who recall their own experiences of the big day.
A celebration of artists who have enjoyed a top-ten hit and then disappeared without trace. Featuring archive footage, interviews and performances by the likes of Renee and Renato, Joe Dolce, and the Crazy World of Arthur Brown. Producer Daniel Abineri Executive producer Tony Moss
The grand themes of Albert Camus' work and life are documented in three chapters: the Absurd, Revolt, and Happiness. His novels The Stranger, The Plague, The Rebel, The Fall and The First Man are all discussed, as well as his childhood in French Algeria, sometimes difficult friendships, role in The Resistance during WWII, 1957 Nobel Prize, his issues with Communism, living in exile in the '50s, and his accidental death at 47. His life is spoken about by the narrator, his sister-in-law, his son, his daughter, friends, critics, scholars and mistresses. The impression is of Camus as a charismatic, flawed, and yet principled man when it came to the task of confronting human existence without conforming.
Homosexuality and genes
Actress Joanna Lumley embarks on a oersonal adventure, as she retraces ajourney made by her grandparents in 1931 - through the mysterious kingdom of Bhutan in central Asia, one of the most isolated countries in the world.
Documentary from 1997 following the band as they discussed their recent career, revisited their old neighbourhood in Manchester and performed songs from their album Be Here Now.
A feast of old chestnuts from the glory days of Christmases past with this look at the rise and demise of the Christmas light-entertainment spectacular. This programme takes a look back at Christmas light entertainment shows from yesteryear, with highlights such as Val Doonican stuffing away until he can 'hang loose', Perry Como trying hard not to look awkward around Leo Sayer, and Petula Clark in a crinoline.
In 1947, the Assisted Passage Scheme began, devised by the Australian government to bring in white British settlers. For just £10, they could start a new life in a sun-drenched land of opportunity, and over the next 25 years, more than a million people took up the offer. The scheme's pioneers tell their story.
A revealing location documentary following actor-director Kenneth Branagh and a distinguished cast and crew as they film the first complete text cinema version of Shakespeare's tragedy.
As Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown prepares to unveil his first budget, Michael Cockerell presents a guide to howto carry out one of the toughestjobs in government. The programme includes reminiscences from seven former chancellors, and archive film on the secrets and stories behind past budgets.
His friends describe him as the nicest prime minister Britain never had. His critics might remember him as an old romantic who, in 1983, led the Labour Party to its worst election defeat for 50 years. Michael Cockerell 's intimate portrait of Michael Foot reveals a man of many paradoxes - a passionate socialist with unlikely Tory heroes, atub-thumpingorator, and a literary scholar. Featuring contributions from Foot's wife Jill, relatives, colleagues, and close friends (including Spike Milligan ), as well as from Foot himself, who talks openly about his relationship with Tony Blair.
Lenny Henry is dumped miles from civilisation in the Amazonian jungle to see how he manages to fend for himself. Accompanied by Lofty Wiseman, an SAS survival expert, the rainforest will be Lenny's home for two weeks.
Documentary celebrating the 21st anniversary of Grange Hill, the children's drama set in a comprehensive school. Stars of EastEnders Todd Carty, Susan Tully , Michelle Gayle and Sean Maguire were among those who appeared in it. In this programme, cast members past and present reveal the backstage dramas behind the series.
Documentary about the making of former Beatles' producer George Martin 's final album In My Life, featuring Beatles' songs performed by a host of actors, comics and musicians. Tracks include: Come Together - Robin Williams & Bobby McFerrin, A Hard Day's Night - Goldie Hawn, A Day In The Life - Jeff Beck, Here There & Everywhere - Celine Dion, Because - Vanessa Mae, I Am The Walrus - Jim Carrey, Here Comes The Sun - John Williams, Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite - Billy Connolly, The Pepperland Suite - George Martin, Golden Slumbers, Carry That Weight, the End - Phil Collins, Friends And Lovers - George Martin, In My Life - Sean Connery
Documentary details the life and career of writer Dennis Potter.
Documentary focusing on the Japanese Godzilla, featuring interviews with such people as Director Jun Fukuda, the wide of the late Ishiro Honda and Alex Cox. This documentary incorporates footage from rare shows like "Ultra Q" and films like "King Kong Escapes".
Arena explores the rise of the legendary crooner Frank Sinatra from his early family background to overwhelming showbusiness success. Interviews with friends, family and associates reveal a star-studded career in music and film alongside a fascinating private life of four marriages, liaison with the Kennedy family, Las Vegas business interests and an alleged association with the Mafia.
Melvyn Bragg and a panel of international experts debate what Darwin’s theory of evolution tells us about ourselves and human society. Filmed at the Linnean Society - the world’s oldest biological society - in Piccadilly, London. Panel: Steven Pinker, professor of psychology at MIT Meredith Small, Cornell professor of anthropology Steve Jones, biologist and a professor of genetics and head of the biology department at University College London Sir Jonathan Miller, theatre and opera director, neurologist, author, television presenter, humorist and sculptor
A personal portrait of Birmingham - home of Balti, ELO, heavy metal, conferences, 'Crossroads' and Cadbury's - from its architecture and canals to the Brummie accent and humour.
The story of Blue Peter's fondly remembered canines. The programme follows Bonnie through a normal studio day, uncovers the scandal of the dog who died and had to be replaced, and why John Noakes and the BBC fell out over Shep's future.
For the first time in Blue Peter's history, this documentary reveals the true character of those working behind and in front of the camera on Britain's longest continuously running children's programme. It charts Blue Peter's evolution from a hobbies show about dolls and trains to the BBC's flagship children's programme and discovers how Blue Peter was very nearly taken off air. Presenters of every Blue Peter generation give candid accounts of what it was like to work on the programme, and the editors past and present fight back at critics who say the show was too middle class. Narrated by Juliet Stevenson, Blue Peter Confidential questions whether Blue Peter still has a future in the multi-channel digital age and sets the record straight on the missing Blue Peter presenter who until now has been written out of the BBC archives.
Documentary film looking at the remarkable life of one of America's greatest black heroes. Paul Robeson was a national football star who became a successful stage and screen actor, and enjoyed international acclaim in films such as Show Boat. He used his formidable reputation as a weapon in the fight for human rights for black people in the thirties and forties, but fell foul of both the black and white establishments as a result of his support for communism. Robeson was denounced for un-American activities, trailed by the FBI, had his passport confiscated for eight years and finally died a depressed and reclusive man. In the centenary year of his birth he remains a shadowy and controversial figure in his native country. The programme uses eye-witness accounts and archive footage to construct this portrait of a complex man who sacrificed his career for the sake of social justice.
This tells the story of John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, English writer, poet, philologist and author of many stories, including most famously The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. It describes the importance of the rural English West Midlands, where Tolkien grew up, in shaping his literary imagination and how the ancient northern languages he studied and taught throughout his life influenced his writing. These factors stimulated him to provide a context in which his own, invented languages might be spoken: an imaginary land called Middle-earth. Accounts of the origins of The Hobbit and of The Lord of the Rings, and the phenomenal success that Tolkien somewhat reluctantly enjoyed when taken up by the counter-culture of the 1960s are included.
Bruce Springsteen reflects on his enduring career in an interview largely recorded in his New Jersey home.
A celebration of the UK's vibrant club scene hosted by DJ Pete Tong. Featuring interviews with Prodigy, Fatboy Slim and Massive Attack.
Palestinian writer Edward Said, now based in New York, embarks on a personal journey back to the country he and his family left in December 1947 - shortly before the state of Israel was declared the following year. As Israel celebrates its half-century, Said, who now suffers from leukaemia, revisits childhood haunts with his son and is shocked by the suffering of ordinary Palestinians and the sight of a group of Bedouin being forcibly displaced from their land. He also discusses Arab-Israeli relations with his close friend Daniel Barenboim, the pianist and conductor whose family migrated to Israel from Argentina in the early fifties.
Edward Heath was one of the most controversial prime ministers of the 20th century. He took Britain into Europe, but was brought down by the very trade unions he sought to tame. In an intimate portrait, Sir Edward talks about his life and career and of his stormy relationship with his successors.
The career of broadcaster and journalist Robin Day-who is 75 next Saturday- is celebrated in adocumentaryfeaturingDay's own reflections on his life. The film also includes clips from his encounters with political figures on programmes such as Panorama and Question Time
Michael Cockerell's series of how-to guides explaining the intricacies of top government jobs continues with a one-off programme revealing the tricks of a foreign secretary's trade. Present incumbent Robin Cook and six former occupants of the position talk candidly about the challenges of the job while Cockerell demonstrates how the demands and scope of the office have changed over the years. As Cook felt his way into the job, he admitted after his first fortnight that he "was not sure whether I had been kidnapped and was being held hostage
Ian Dury was unique ! A poet, a great songwriter with good band around him : Kilburn and the High Roads, the Blockheads ! Remember the Roadette song, What a waste, Hit me with your rythm stick... It's a really nice doc on his life, on his childhood,the polio, his music, his paintings, his battles! Ian Dury was always present in the doc and some guests were here : Humphrey Ocean, Baxter Dury, Chaz Jankel, John Turnbull...
The Greatest Wildlife Show on Earth is a month by month travelogue of the greatest sights of massed wildlife from all over the world. Each month focuses on just one such incredible show of wildlife. Specifically, the months are as follows: * January - Massed Monarch Butterflies in Mexico * February - Massive migration of Caribou in Newfoundland * March - Dancing of the Red-Crested Cranes in Japan * April - Red Garter Snakes in Canada returning to the surface after hibernating in the snow and having mass orgies. This footage may scare the youngsters. * May - 70000 gannets gathering together on one small rocky outcrop in Scotland * June - Grizzly Bears fishing for Salmon in Alaskan rivers * July - Flamingos feeding on a soda lake in Kenya * August - Emperor Penguins looking after their chicks during the dark winter in Antarctica * September - The incredible acrobatics of the Dusky Dolphins off New Zealand * October - Wildebeest Migration in East Africa. Once again this footage could scare younger viewers due to the presence of Crocodiles. * November - The incredible Red Crab migration on Christmas Island. * December - Coral spawning at Summer Solstice on the Great Barrier Reef.
Documentary charting the career of diva Dusty Springfield, who died in March, from Catholic schoolgirl to superstar. Springfield's trademark panda eyes and blonde beehive became famous around the world after hits such as You Don't Have to Say You Love Me and Son of a Preacher Man. Fellow musicians, including Elton John , Burt Bacharach, Neil Tennant of the Pet Shop Boys, Lulu and Martha Reeves , join fans, friends and archive footage to paint a picture of the complex and vulnerable singer.
Father and Son was a short documentary at the home of John Peel, exploring his relationships with his father and with his eldest son William. This was shown on BBC2 during John Peel Night, which was broadcast on Sunday 29 August 1999, the night before John Peel's 60th birthday. He mentions that at some date in 2001 he will be older than his father ever was. Peel would subsequently apologise to William both privately and publicly for his comments about him in the programme.
Documentary about one of Britain's greatest and best-loved bands. Slade scored six number ones in the 70s, a feat rivalled only by Abba. Formed in Wolverhampton and led by Noddy Holder, Slade sold over 50 million records worldwide during a 20-year career which saw them re-invent themselves as skinhead yobs, then mirror-hatted platform-shoe-pioneering glam gods, before finally re-emerging as hard rock heroes. Their poorly-spelled, self-written selection of terrace anthems included Cum on Feel the Noize, Coz I Luv You, Take Me Bak Ome, Mama Weer All Crazee Now and, unforgettably, Merry Xmas Everybody. Apart from Noddy and his bandmates - Dave Hill, Jim Lea and Don Powell - the cast here also includes Noel Gallagher of Oasis (who covered Cum On Feel the Noize), Status Quo, Toyah Wilcox, Suzi Quatro and Ozzy Osbourne.
Donald Morrison was born in the town of Megantic Quebec to parents who had emigrated from Lewis in search of a better life. However, the life awaiting them was full of difficulty. When he came of age, Donald headed west and worked as a cowboy, sending money to his parents to pay off the debt on their homestead. Donald's life began to unravel when the owner of the debt claimed that the payments had never been made and evicted the family. This documentary tells Donald's story as he went on the run accused of murder and trying to clear his name.
A look at the history of children's television broadcasting on the BBC, with lots of clips from classic shows interspersed with soundbites from celebrities.
Ross camp at journeys through the Denali National park in Alaska. Home to Rich wildlife and mount Kinley North America's highest mountain.
Documentary telling the story of a Jewish family that has been scattered far and wide by religious and racial intolerance throughout the years. From as far afield as Japan, Norway, Africa and the USA, different branches of the Shealtiels have begun to rediscover each other, their tale illustrating the global dispersal of the Jew
In the last few months, significant strides have been made towards locating the human body clock. This documentary follows the quest forthe elusive element and explores the brain's stopwatch -the device allowing the measurement of the passage of time.
Documentary tracing the history of the talent show from its earliest days as a radio vehicle for Canadian comic Carroll Levis through to Opportunity Knocks and New Faces, which launched a whole host of household names.Su Pollard , Mickey Most , Tony Hatch , Patty Boulaye and Nina Myskow are among those who talk about their experiences.
A documentary that follows some of Britain's young fashion designers as they compete for a prize that is worth more than £200,000. The competition, launched last September with the help of BBC TV's Looking Good programme, attracted nearly 200 entrants; eight were selected and challenged to produce a collection for the catwalk.
The political folk singer Woody Guthrie died in 1967. A prolific composer until illness curtailed his work at the end of the forties, Guthrie has been a major influence on artists such as Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen. In 1995 Guthrie's daughter Nora discovered hundreds of lyrics written by her father which had never become songs. She asked Essex troubadour Billy Bragg to compose a musical backing for them and, along with US country-rockers Wilco, he created the album Mermaid Avenue. This documentary charts Bragg's search around America for the man behind the myth, and the making of the album.
As a salute to Britain's longest-running medical drama which reached its 250th episode last month, Gaby Roslin presents this documentary which charts the success of the programme since its inception in 1986. Regular stars past and present reminisce about the drama as well as some familiar faces who just passed through.
Documentary in which four people share their emotional experiences of having a killer in their family. Among those taking part are John Sutcliffe , father of Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe , and Betty Scott , the mother of multiple-killer Dennis Nilsen.
For over a decade after Charles Lindbergh's historic flight across the Atlantic in 1927, the aviator was viewed as America's greatest hero. One of the most honoured private citizens on earth, in the air Lindbergh seemed to represent all that made America great. But back on the ground his stubborn prejudice and right-wing political views led many of those who had worshipped him to come to see him as a traitor. Archive footage and photographs contribute to this documentary portrait, which traces the aviator's meteoric rise to world celebrity, chronicles the tragic kidnapping of his son, and investigates racist and anti-Semitic attitudes which were revealed by Lindbergh's flirtation with Nazi Germany. Narrated by Stacy Keach.
A documentary offering an overview of the socio-historical context of Charles Dickens 's novel. There is comment from the cast and makers of Tony Marchant 's BBC dramatisation, who also talk about the filming of the classic.
Documentary recalling those times in United's history where their performances failed to live up to their fans' high expectations. In 1974, United suffered the indignity of relegation to Division Two - their fate sealed by a defeat at the hands of arch rivals Manchester City. Promotion back to the elite was secured the following season, but sustained success eluded United until the early eighties.
Thirty years after Neil Armstrong took that famous "giant leap for mankind", he introduces the inside story of Apollo 11. The programme looks at how the dedication and commitment of Nasa workers, from the astronauts' maid to the technicians, made the mission possible. Including an interview with the second man on the moon, Buzz Aldrin.
One-off documentary following dedicated shoppers on the first day of the winter sale at Harrods. The famous London store opens its doors to cameras for the first time, revealing the world of the obsessive bargain hunter.
This documentary goes behind the scenes of the lavish drama Aristocrats.. The programme talks to members of the cast and reveals how the 18th-century settings were created.
It is a year since the worst single act of the Troubles saw a car bomb kill 29 and injure a further 350 in the centre of Omagh,Northern Ireland. Liam Neeson narrates this poignant and powerful story of two children-16-year-old Claire Gallagher and ten-year-old Stephen Coyle - horrifically injured in the blast.
Documentary charting the sometimes stormy life and career of Hollywood actress Joan Crawford.
A fly-on-the-wall documentary following four top British athletes-m medallist John Maycock , modern pentathlete Stephanie Cook , rower James Cracknell and sprinter Joyce Maduaka as they start gruelling training sessions for the next Olympic games.Presented by Commonwealth gold medallist Iwan Thomas.
Gaby Roslin presents a documentary celebrating the 20th anniversary of BBC Children in Need on television. As well as reflecting on the achievements of a broadcast that has raised L255 million in its lifetime, tonight's programme also looks at the continuing reasons to raise money. Some viewers may find certain scenes distressing.
Every year thousands of premature babies are born in this country, and many die because they are too young to survive life outside the womb. This documentary, to mark the end of National Pregnancy Week, celebrates the lives of the survivors and reveals pioneering British research which will significantly reduce the numbers of premature births in the future.
When the Queen came to the throne in 1952, there were about 200 hundreth birthday telegrams to send out. This year, there are over 9,000 and the number is doubling every decade. In this documentary, contemporary centenarians reveal themselves to be busier and healthier than some much younger people, with passions as diverse as motorbikes, dancing, painting and religion.
Figures show a third of drugs given to children in hospitals have never been tested for use on them. In this documentary, parents of children who've died from drug errors tell their stories and doctors discuss the dilemmas of treating children with new drugs. Shelley Jofre and Steve Le Fevre report.
One-off documentary in which David, Shelby, Terri, Emma, and Natasha - five children between the ages of six and ten who live on the outskirts of Bristol - relate their views on the world around them. One boy's ideal day out would be to the Natural History Museum, another wants to grow up to be a tooth fairy, while another cannot distinguish between God and the prime minister.
One-off documentary in which advertising and marketing executives explain how they target products at children. With advertising infiltrating the classroom, British children are losing their innocence earlier than ever before. This film examines the techniques used to sell products to consumers as young as three.
A special documentary profiling the life and career of Scottish singing sensation Lulu, who first shot to fame at the tender age of 15 with the chart-topping single Shout.
Nightclub hostess Ruth Ellis infamously shot her lover i David Blakely dead in April 1955. This one-off drama-documentary, presented by Kirsty Wark and containing interviews, archive footage and a violent opening scene, reveals evidence that could have prevented her from becoming the last British woman to be hanged.
A documentary charting a year in the life of the staff and owners of Sudely Castle in Gloucestershire. Narrated by Alan Titchmarsh.
A one-off documentary that sets out to debunk the image of the women who were employed as hostesses at the notorious Playboy Club. Former bunny girls who have gone on to become writers, doctors and entrepreneurs recall a time of innocence, glamour and independence.
Documentary examining the growing epidemic of crime against Britain's phone companies. The programme reveals how powerful computers are being used in the war against "phone hacking", and also how crime-fighting squads are having to deal with gangs of youngsters stealing from public telephones. Narrated by Jamie Theakston.
Feature-length documentary that blends music with newly restored archive film to provide a decade-by-decade journey through the 20th century. The programme includes the very first moving pictures - recorded at the Paris World Exhibition of 1900 - and features performances from a range of artists such as Frank Sinatra, Shirley Temple, Judy Garland and the Rolling Stones.
An affectionate tribute to Johnny Morris, the television presenter who died earlier this month.He is remembered for his animal voices, and the programme includes archive clips as well as recollections from his colleagues. Hosted by Bill Oddie.
A documentary hosted by Eddie Izzard about the History of Monty Python, from their early lives and careers through the Flying Circus and movies to Graham Chapman's death and the question of another reunion. Features interviews with David Frost, Frank Skinner, Robin Williams, Kevin Kline, Trey Parker and Matt Stone. Part of Python Night.
Documentary examining Stalin's Gulag. Between the October Revolution and Stalin's death in 1953, millions of people died in the camps. The film explores the Gulag legacy, hearing from victims and perpetrators of the system.
Documentary which tells the remarkable story of a man whose visionary ideas about myth helped shape the whole Star Wars cycle of films. Joseph Campbell's writings are the missing link between ancient myths and modern movies, Homer and Hollywood 'high concept'. His ideas about the universal appeal of stories involving a 'hero's journey' have also influenced films as diverse as Mad Max and Babe. Campbell himself was a reluctant hero, who lived a scholarly life - he didn't own a television and rarely went to the cinema. Yet Campbell remains a force in Hollywood. With contributions from George Lucas, director George Miller, and writers Robert McKee and Richard Adams, among others.
Between 1974 and 1978 the Bay City Rollers were one of the most successful pop groups on the planet scoring 11 Top Ten hits in the UKand reaching number one in America. They sold in the region of 120-million records worldwide and their tartan image was copied by a generation of teenagers. But all the pressures of international touring took their toll and amid business rows over missing money the band split in 1979. The band members talk about their memories and how they have been recordingonce more. Also featuring interviews with celebrity fans including Jonathan King and Lowri Turner. Director Neil Dougan
Terry Wogan presents a compilation programme celebrating the unique talent of Arthur Lowe. Featuring interviews with those who knew him, and footage from both his classic comedy performances and his many straight roles.
In the latest how-to-do-it guide, Michael Cockerell films behind the scenes in the normally secretive Home Office. As well as crime, prisons and MI5, the Home Secretary is responsible for nudist beaches, mad dogs and massage parlours. Jack Straw and his predecessors talk candidly about the Cabinet's most dangerous and fascinating job.
The occasional series of documentaries lifting the lid on some of the top jobs in British politics offers a revealing insight into the life of the leader of the Opposition. Conservative leader William Hague talks about his often thankless task, while those who discuss the problems of life in opposition include Harold Wilson , Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair , Presented by Michael Cockerell.
The story of what happened to the leaders and members of the National Front, Britain's most successful far-right party, since their support collapsed in the 1979 General Election. Uncovered here, against a backdrop of street violence and vitriolic racism, is the "Massacre of Welling Library" in which the British National Party left 16 people in need of hospital treatment. Plus the influence of Italian neo-fascists on modern-day supporters.
Write about what you know, as creative writing students are always told. So Graham Greene did just that when he wove the story of his 13-year adulterous relationship with Catherine Walston into his 1951 novel The End Of The Affair. Son Oliver finds it all very fascinating, while daughter Anne is coldly disapproving of her mother's involvement with someone she regarded as selfish and demanding. Greene didn't help matters by naming his fictional cuckolded husband Henry; Walston Snr was called Harry.
An examination of NATO's intervention into Kosovo from a year on, and the divisions that arose between those involved.
First of a two-part examination of Tony Blair 's premiership. What Makes Tony Tick. Michael Cockerell draws on extensive interviews with the PM and behind-the-scenes footage to analyse what drives Blair, and asks how he has achieved such huge popularity among the electorate.
Victoria Wood presents the true story behind Britain's timeless comedy. Includes footage of the cast on location and incredible personal tales about the making of the series. Was Arthur Lowe really just like Captain Mainwaring? Why did the warden always end up in the water? And how did Corporal Jones find a bomb down his trousers? Find out why Dad's Army was the Queen Mother's favourite show.
Duran Duran came out of Birmingham and conquered the world during the 1980s. Originally a New Romantic band in full make-up and cossack pants, they rapidly became bedroom pin-ups for a generation of teenage girls. Led by Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes and John Taylor, Duran Duran dominated the British and American charts in the mid-1980s with classic singles such as Rio, Save a Prayer and Wild Boys. Pioneers of the MTV-style promo video - from the X-rated Girls on Film to Raiders of the Lost Ark spoof Hungry Like the Wolf - Duran Duran were the 80s equivalent of the Beatles in America and outsold Spandau Ballet and Wham! in their pomp. 60 million records later, Le Bon and Rhodes are seen touring America with their Pop Trash project from the early 2000s. The documentary reflects on the heady heights of Duran Duran's career, the cracks in their make-up plus the effects of sex, drugs and fame on ordinary boys from working class backgrounds. Apart from the key Durannies - Le Bon, Rhodes and John Taylor - the programme also features celebrity interviews with Debbie Harry, Yasmin Le Bon, Duran Duran managers Paul and Michael Berrow, Claudia Schiffer, Nile Rodgers and Lou Reed.
A documentary looking at the increasing pressure on museums and galleries to return cultural treasures acquired during colonial times to their countries of origin.
John Le Carré reveals his secret life as a spy.
Despite his repeated protestations of innocence, in the eyes of many OJ Simpson was and remains a guilty man. OJ - The Untold Story reveals that clues that some believe pointed away from Simpson as the killer were dismissed or ignored and highlights two other leads which could shed new light on the case.
The Aztecs are regarded as the most bloodthirsty of the Central American peoples, but they were also one of the most sophisticated. DrTony Spawforth discovers how, on arriving in Mexico, they created a new and brutal mythology from the relics of an earlier civilisation.
A documentary following pop singer Robbie Williams as he embarks on his debut American tour. The programme reveals the highs and lows of being young, rich and famous, and features exclusive footage of his American shows plus work in progress from his new album.
Jeremy Paxman introduces a selection of highlights and horrors from two decades of BBC2's news flagship. Ex-Home Secretary Michael Howard relives his verbal pummelling by Paxman, and there's another chance to see what has been tagged the BBC's worst-ever outside broadcast.
Documentary charting an extraordinary year for pop star Fatboy Slim , alias Norman Cook. The film follows him across five continents, performing at huge festivals including Glastonbury, clocking up 4 million sales of his album and taking time off to get married to DJ and TV host Zoe Ball.
Documentary following Las Vegas tycoon Sheldon Adelson as he embarks on an ambitious quest to build the world's biggest casino hotel. Situated in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip, the complex includes a$2.5 billion replica of Venice. But the project is fraught with difficulties.
A documentary profile of the Hollywood actor who, in 1954, was voted the world's most popular film star by Photoplay magazine. Featuring clips from This Gun for Hire, The Blue Dahlia, and Shane.
A documentary exposing the extent of the illegal trade in ivory, which is increasing as a result of rocketing demand for the commodity in the Far East. The investigation reveals the true scale of elephant deaths and the corruption behind this highly-organised business.
Documentary following Chief Inspector Martin Hemingway 's harrowing assignment to Kosovo last summer to collect evidence for the War Crimes Tribunal in the Hague. The programme provides a powerful testimony of a country's loss as Hemingway's team uncover an extraordinary story combining human savagery and courage.
Documentary following young British zoologist Dr Adam Britton on a quest through north-west Australia to uncover the mystery of the remarkable immune system of saltwater crocodiles. These wild beasts often lose limbs in attacks by other crocodiles, but their horrendous wounds rarely become infected, despite the filthy, bacteria-infested waters in which they live.
Nick Hancock reveals the lighter side of a usually serious subject as he charts 4,000 years of contraceptive history. His investigation uncovers unusual methods used by different societies to prevent unwanted pregnancy, while archive film gives an amusing insight into the reserved way in which the subject was often treated.
This one-off documentary looks at a year in the life of four students at the Italia Conti Theatre School. Ben wants to be on West End stages, Georgia's aiming for EastEnders, Kelli dreams of singing stardom and Tim just wants to act. Will they hit the big time?
To accompany BBC2's weekend of music from the festival, a documentary tribute to its founder, Michael Eavis , that follows him from August 1999 up to the eve of this year's event. In addition to the usual preparations, however, Eavis also had to cope with the death of his wife and festival partner, Jean. Featuring interviews with musicians plus previously unseen footage and Eavis's personal archive of the event.
In a one-off documentary actress Michelle Collins visits some of the disadvantaged communities of Brazil to highlight the importance of education
Documentary charting the Queen Mother's early life. Combining personal testimony with rare archive film, photographs and letters this film helps paint a portrait of an extraordinary woman.
Concluding a two-part examination of Tony Blair 's premiership. The Lady and the Lords. New Labour came to power pledging to abolish the 800-year-old right of hereditary peers to sit and vote in the House of Lords. Michael Cockerell tells the story of the efforts made by Lady Jay, the first female Labour Leader of the Lords, to get the bill through Parliament.
John Eliot Gardner 's personal quest to bring Johann Sebastian Bach 's music to the modern public entailed performing all of the composer's cantatas in a single year. This documentary follows the top conductor as he tries to pull off his most ambitious coup to date.
A documentary following a group of female boxers during their preparations for the third annual US Women's Boxing championships, to be held in Midlands, Texas.
Terry Jones investigates the truth of the Roman Games, uncovering what it took to be a gladiator and looking at why, to the noble ladies of Rome, these brave men were the rock stars of their day. The programme also examines how the legacy of the games lives on in the great sports arenas of the 20th century and reveals why the Romans would be as shocked by our violent entertainments as we are by theirs.
Documentary which follows a unique encounter between the Masai and a group of four Aboriginal Australians who travel to East Africa. Both communities share a common grievance in their struggle for land rights and the two groups exchange stories and experiences as they struggle to maintain their existence in the modern world.
Ronan Keating narrates this documentary on one of the most successful songwriters in the world. With songs like How Do I Live and Don't Turn Around, Diane Warren has provided hits for numerous artists, including Celine Dion and LeAnn Rimes.
A documentary in which extremists in the animal rights movement explain what formerly drove them to carry out arson and bombing campaigns, while those involved in research using animals describe what it is like to live in fear.
Documentary following the progress of teenager Josie Russell, whose mother and sister were murdered in the Kent countryside in 1996. The film reveals how Josie and her father Shaun have coped, and travels with them to South Africa to visit their former home.
Mark Lawson looks at the making of the epic documentary series A History of Britain by Simon Schama
Documentary which follows the creative process involved in assembling a body of songs for the Beautiful South's new album Painting It Red, and profiles the band's leader, Paul Heaton , revealing his patriarchal relationship with his fellow group members.
Nine years after his death from an Aids-related illness, and a quarter of a century after Bohemian Rhapsody first topped the singles charts, friends and relatives of Queen's flamboyant front man Freddie Mercury recall their memories in a frank portrait of his life. Featuring contributions from the singer's mother and sister, his former lovers, members of Queen, Elton John and opera star Montserrat Caballe.
Follow-up to the documentary Eyes of a Child, shown in September last year, which revealed the shocking extent of poverty in modern Britain. This film revisits children in Sheffield, Leicester and Portsmouth to see if government measures to tackle poverty have had an effect on their lives.
Radio 1 DJ Trevor Nelson meets "Scary Spice" Mel B who invites him into her home and takes him to a family party in Leeds, where she talks candidly about her life before and after fame, the breakdown of her marriage and hopes for the future.
Janet Leigh , Peter Bogdanovich and Charlton Heston contribute to this documentary which tells the dramatic behind-the-scenes story of Orson Welles 's film Touch of Evil, the subsequent controversial re-editing undertaken by the studio, and the recent restoration work that has enabled audiences to see as much of Welles's intended version as possible.
A one-off documentary examining part of the Orphic myth. Metamorpheus. In ancient legend, the women of Thrace killed the poet Orpheus in a Dionysian frenzy and threw his head with his lyre into the river Hebrus. Still singing, the head made its way to the island of Lesbos where it was established as an oracle. Professor Oliver Taplin sets out to follow the journey of the poet's head through modern day Bulgaria to the Greek island accompanied by poet Tony Harrison.
A disturbing documentary examining how tyrannies are created by ordinary people. Using as examples ground-breaking psychological experiments, Sheena McDonald shows how each and every one of us is capable of committing terrible acts against our fellow human beings.
Burt Lancaster , Adolf Hitler and i Laurel and Hardy are among the subjects of this documentary, which examines how the nature of what was perceived as male sexiness developed over the last century.
Exploration of life in Britain in the first year of the 20th century, using film footage, photographs, music, illustrations and first-hand testimony.
Celebrating the golden age of public transport - when railway stations were cathedrals, journeys were to be enjoyed and inventors sought new ways of getting around.
Performances of Christmas hits by Glam Rock bands / singers Radio l's Mark Radcliffe argues that the seventies were the golden age of the Christmas single. This programme takes a tongue-in-cheek look at its development.
The Tribunal of the Holy Office of the Inquisition (Spanish: Tribunal del Santo Oficio de la Inquisición), commonly known as the Spanish Inquisition (Inquisición española), was established in 1478 by Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile. It was intended to maintain Catholic orthodoxy in their kingdoms and to replace the Medieval Inquisition, which was under Papal control. It became the most substantive of the three different manifestations of the wider Christian Inquisition along with the Roman Inquisition and Portuguese Inquisition. The "Spanish Inquisition" may be defined broadly, operating "in Spain and in all Spanish colonies and territories, which included the Canary Islands, the Spanish Netherlands, the Kingdom of Naples, and all Spanish possessions in North, Central, and South America." The Inquisition was originally intended primarily to ensure the orthodoxy of those who converted from Judaism and Islam. The regulation of the faith of the newly converted was intensified after the royal decrees issued in 1492 and 1502 ordering Jews and Muslims to convert or leave Spain. The Inquisition was not definitively abolished until 1834, during the reign of Isabella II, after a period of declining influence in the preceding century. The Spanish Inquisition is often stated in popular literature and history as an example of Catholic intolerance and repression. Modern historians have tended to question earlier accounts concerning the severity of the Inquisition. Henry Kamen asserts that the 'myth' of the all-powerful, torture-mad inquisition is largely an invention of nineteenth century Protestant authors with an agenda to discredit the Papacy. Although records are incomplete, about 150,000 persons were charged with crimes by the Inquisition and about 3,000 were executed.
In the late 1940s and 50s, Mark Rothko (1903-70) was one of the leading American artists who created wall-scale abstract paintings that filled the viewer's field of vision and became a form of environment. Rothko spoke of wanting the spectator to feel inside the pictorial space, enveloped in his canvases luminous colour and apparitional surfaces. Together with painters such as Barnett Newman and Clyfford Still, he wanted to express a sense of the sublime, an idea associated with religious awe, vastness and natural magnificence. Filmed on both sides of the Atlantic, this documentary, chronicling Rothko's life and charting the development of his work, fills the screen with his softly defined, rectangular clouds of colour stacked symmetrically on top of one another: a visual language conceived to evoke elemental emotions with maximum poignancy. There are penetrating contributions from his daughter, Kate, and his son, Christopher, and comments from a wide range of friends, artists, art historians, collectors and curators. The focus is on Rothko's demands for the perfect setting for the showing of his work, an ideal he pursued throughout his creative life, typified by the story of his iconic Seagram murals, nine of which now hang in a dedicated room at London's Tate Modern. One of the murals commissioners, architect Philip Johnson, is among those who explain why Rothko refused to allow these works to hang in their intended venue, the exclusive Four Seasons restaurant in New York.
The day the loyal servant bit back. Sir Geoffrey Howe savaged Margaret Thatcher's leadership and her policies in his resignation speech to the Commons on 13 November 1990. The impact was sensational and immediate. Nine days later, Mrs Thatcher was forced to resign. Sir Geoffrey revisits his words and the emotions they engendered.
Michael Palin explores the lives and paintings of four Scottish artists known as the Colourists: John Duncan Fergusson, George Leslie Hunter, Samuel John Peploe and Francis Campbell Boileau Cadell. Their works hang in 10 Downing Street, but in their own lifetimes their vibrant vision shocked the critics.
As New Labour enters its third year in office, Michael Cockerell examines the work of its news machine under Alastair Campbell, Tony Blair's controversial press secretary. Shot over the last three months, tonight's film includes a unique glimpse of the media strategies developed to deal with controversies surrounding the London Mayoral election, the birth of Leo Blair, the visit of Russia's President Putin, and the PM's ill-conceived speech to the Women's Institute.
Jamie Theakston presents the history of Britain's best-loved music show, spanning four decades of great music and including archive footage of classic performances and backstage antics. As well as interviews with former presenters, such as Jimmy Savile and John Peel, there are also contributions from artists who have appeared on the show, including Pan's People, Robin Gibb, Noddy Holder, Blondie, Holly Johnson, Suggs, Noel Gallagher, Kylie Minogue and Robbie Williams.
Documentary on Marilyn's life told by herself from the taped interviews she gave to Life magazine and French Marie Claire less than a month before she died accompanied by rare and previously unseen footage.
Feature-length documentary recounting the making of Cleopatra, which starred Liz Taylor and Richard Burton. The 20th Century Fox's 1963 epic film has been called the most expensive film of all time, the biggest ever flop and the film that nearly bankrupted a Hollywood studio, while the scandal of the on-set romance between its two stars caused a media storm. Featuring rare footage, the film's original uncut trailer and interviews with those involved. A Prometheus Entertainment production.
Filmed over two years in India and the USA, Mark Kidel's award-winning documentary brings together archive footage spanning seven decades of Ravi Shankar's performing life, and provides a definitive account of the late sitar maestro's unique musical career.
Documentary looking at the events leading to the collapse of the Soviet Union with interviews from the people who were involved, some speaking for the first time.
Culture Club, Spandau Ballet, Visage, Marilyn, Adam and the Ants, Duran Duran, ABC... At the dawn of the 80s, a whole host of strangely dressed men in make-up burst forth onto the music scene brandishing synthesisers and kicking against the visual ugliness of punk. They came mainly from the London club scene, led by gender-bending host Steve Strange and pioneering electronic DJ Rusty Egan, and conquered the charts with classic tracks such as Do You Really Want to Hurt Me, To Cut a Long Story Short, Kings of the Wild Frontier, Planet Earth, Fade to Grey, Calling Your Name and Poison Arrow. Magenta Devine narrates this gay and colourful behind-the-scene documentary of sex & drugs & frocks & hair-rollers, which includes interviews with Boy George, Gary Kemp, Adam Ant, Nick Rhodes, Steve Strange, Rusty Egan, Marilyn, Jonathan Ross, Caryn Franklin, Fiona Bruce and Robert Elms.
Jonathan Meades explores the architectural legacy of Queen Victoria's reign.
Coinciding with the parole hearing of James Bulger's killers, this program offers a personal account of the murder from the perspective of Albert Kirby, the senior investigating officer. He returns to the crime scene, talks with James' mother Denise, visits a secure unit and talks about the wisdom of releasing the murderers.
A look at the expedition leading to the location of the sunken warship HMS Hood. One of the greatest sea battles of World War II ended in the destruction of two of the world's mighty warships and the loss of almost 3500 lives. Sixty years later, an expedition was launched to find Great Britain's HMS Hood and Germany's Bismarck. The Bismarck was discovered on July 9, 2001, 150 miles west of Brest in northern France, and ten days later, the Hood was located in the Denmark Strait in the North Atlantic.
Documentary tracing the development of Surrealism, the origins of which Meades believes lie in the human impulse to express the content of dreams.
A documentary chronicling the extremely demanding voyage of yachtswoman Ellen MacArthur who, at the age of only 24, became the fastest woman ever to singlehandedly circumnavigate the world.
This feature-length documentary follows men and women in their daily lives aged from their early 60s to over 90. Those featured include active friends Connie and Joy and Chelsea Pensioner Archie.
United Nations statistics show that there are at least 60-70 ! million landmines around the world, and that 25,000 people are killed or maimed by mines every year. This documentary follows the making and trials of a radar-equipped airship which, its makers hope, will revolutionise the international fight against this scourge, and shows how its crew go about their work. Narrated by Robert Lindsay.
This documentary looks back on the golden era of the sport's heavyweight division, which at the dawn of global television broadcasts was dominated by Muhammad Ali. It recalls how Ali's charisma won over the British public, hears from his challengers, and-with Lennox Lewis 's first fight as world heavyweight champion going out live on BBC1 early on Sunday morning- shows how British boxing has developed since his reign.
Alan Hansen reveals how Britain's most talented footballers are discovered and groomed for a career that promises instant wealth and fame for the lucky few who succeed.
Four regular Casualty cast members assume their TV roles for real in this one-off programme which sees Ian - Kelsey (Patrick), Sandra Huggett (Holly), Catherine Shipton (Duffy), and Ian Bleasdale (Josh) thrown in at the deep end of the Royal London hospital's A&E department.
The' Secret History of Tinseltown under the Scalpel. The myth behind Hollywood glamour, including interviews with those who were responsible for the surgical makeovers of movie stars including Marilyn Monroe and John Wayne.
Documentary account of the colourful career of the London-born Scottish pop singer, with contributions from family, colleagues and admirers.
Documentary following Anne Robinson 's progress as she goes from BBC Watchdog presenter to quiz show host on The Weakest Link, a programme which has also taken America by storm. Exclusive backstage access reveals how Anne Robinson became part of the Hollywood system.
Documentary following Brigadier Alex "Birtie" Birtwhistle, a few days away from retirement, as he embarks on one last mission - to sort out the chaos of the foot and mouth crisis in the country's worst affected area, Cumbria.
On the eve of Liverpool's bid to win a major European trophy for the first time in 17 years, this documentary looks back - on the period during the seventies and eighties when the Reds were arguably Europe's top club side.
It was the worst domestic terrorist attack in US history - a bomb in Oklahoma six years ago that killed 168 people and injured 500 more. Timothy McVeigh , found guilty of planting the device, was due to be executed earlier today. Donal Maclntyre introduces this documentary about a tragedy that - literally and emotionally - ripped a city apart.
A documentary about Welshman Mark Davies who works in some of the most inhospitable and dangerous places on earth -the volcanos of Montserrat and Nevada Del Ruiz.
Donald Campbell died when his boat crashed at 300mph on Lake Coniston, Cumbria. For 34 years the crash remained shrouded in mystery, as the wreck of Bluebird lay submerged in the depths of the lake. This documentary follows diver Bill Smith 's four-year quest to find the remains.
With almost one billion messages sent each month in Britain, this documentary explores both the amusing and serious sides of the text phenomenon.
A nostalgic look back at tennis in the seventies, a period many see as the sport's golden age when Borg, McEnroe, Chris Evert and Billie Jean King lit up Wimbledon with their bewitching brand of showmanship, spirit and sex appeal.
As Madonna's first world tour since 1993 arrives in London tonight, this film examines her love affair with Great Britain. Friends and contemporaries, including Jean Paul Gaultier , Mel C , Britney Spears, Kylie Minogue and Hearsay, discuss her influence on British art, fashion and gender politics.
The phenomenon of stalking is tackled in this one-off documentary, which records the meeting between one young mother and the man she says is pursuing her. It also follows other stalking cases, observing how victims attempt unsuccessfully to shrug off their tormentors.
A one-off documentary celebrating summer-themed pop records from the past 40 years. Contributors include the Beach Boys, Alice Cooper , Martha Reeves , Hank Marvin , John Sebastian and John Peel.
Following on from the acclaimed Through the Eyes of the Old, director/cameraman Christopher Terrill now turns his attention to the 18-30s who are tackling the world head on. Some are excited, anxious or frightened, but most are determined and still convinced they are immortal. This documentary helps to provide new perspectives on music, sport, drugs, education, love and cyberspace.
Disasters in sport, in space, at sea and in everyday life illustrate that even the briefest moments of madness can have far-reaching, and potentially disastrous, consequences. Paul Merton narrates this wry compendium of tales of human error.
Huntingdon's disease is the commonest inherited brain disease. Left untreated symptoms involve losing control of mind and body. This documentary follows the fate of two people who volunteer to undergo a brain operation which for the first time offers the chance of a cure.
Documentary following gardening makeover expert Charlie Dimmock as she swaps water features for the circus ring to transform herself into a flying trapeze artist for a night. But with only a matter of months to learn her new skills from scratch, and a sell-out performance in front of family and friends looming, will Charlie cut the mustard?
A one-off documentary in which survival expert Ray Mears offers actor Ewan McGregor the chance to go on a trek of a lifetime. The star of Trainspotting and Moulin Rouge rises to the challenge and joins Mears on a trip deep into the Honduran jungle, accompanied also by explorer Dr Chris Begley of the University of Kentucky. After just a few basic lessons in survival, the team set off in search of a lost civilisation. How will McGregor cope with all that the Central American rainforest throws at him?
One-off documentary in which Britain's best-known magician tries to hit the big time in the United States. Beginning in Illinois, Daniels must rely on the skills acquired during 30 years of performing to build a new career in just four weeks.
A one-off special documentary following the cubs of a pride of lions on the African plains. Using "bouldercam" - a remote camera disguised as a rock - the film follows the cubs as they make their journey from infancy to adulthood. Narrated by David Attenborough.
In November 1983. at odds of 104 billion to one, Janet and Graham Walton gave birth to the only surviving all-girl ' sextuplets in the world. As Hannah, Lucy, Ruth, Sarah, Kate and Jenny approach their 18th birthday, they talk about their hopes for the future and their memories of the past.
A one-off documentary featuring one summer in the lives of three large families. Featured are the Langleys, who already had ten children and needed a vasectomy reversal for number 11. In the Wells household Grace is expecting her 12th babay, while the third family are juggle to put six of their nine children through private school.
From petty criminals serving heavy sentences to convicts who have hardened at a tender age, this documentary on children in prison around the world examines their lives and whether they are likely to benefit from their incarceration.
The EastEnders actress and dolphin-lover trades Walford for the sunnier climes of the Bahamas and Florida in this documentary where she comes face to face with the mammals in the wild.
With the help of candid interviews, this documentary helps shed light on the shady world of marriages based on deceit and duplicity, including the case of a bigamous union that lasted for decades.
The human genome contains the secret of human life, recording our evolution and holding the key to our future. In this one-off documentary, Robert Winston shows how the genome demonstrates how to build and run a person, thereby offering us the potential to interfere with fate.
In a documentary exploring the bond between a child and its pony, eight children talk about their feelings for their equine pets.
Documentary recalling the events of 28 January 1986, when the space shuttle Challenger exploded soon after its launch killing the crew of seven outright. The programme includes expert opinion and interviews with Nasa's senior manager at the time, Jud Lovingood , engineer Roger Boisjoly , and Grace Corrigan , mother of school teacher turned-astronaut Christa McAuliffe.
Documentary tribute to the singer-songwriter who died in a freak boating accident last year. The daughter of choreographer Jean Newlove and folk singer Ewan MacColl , she will be best remembered as the foil to a drunken Shane MacGowan on the Pogues Christmas hit Fairytale of New York. Contributions come from her partner James Knight , her mother and brother, and a host of music industry stars, including Bono, Billy Bragg , Johnny Marr and Janice Long.
A documentary following a small but growing band of would-be parents who, in their pursuit of the child they desire, refuse to be bound by their country's laws, rendering fertility an international business. Alan and Louise Masterton hope to use a controversial technique which can predetermine the sex of a child after losing their young daughter in an accident, while sixtysomething Jenny is seeking help abroad to become pregnant after being refused fertility treatment in the UK.
There is a new generation of pre-teen girls who possess the confidence, sense of style, and to some degree, the emotional complexities of a teenager, but who are aged between 7 and 11 years old. The marketing industry, who has recognised their spending power, coined the term "tweenagers" to describe them. This documentary follows three sets of best friends of this age group, from diverging backgrounds, through an average day.
There are now more new cases of HIV infection among heterosexuals each year than among homosexual men, and most of the 10,000 HIV-positive heterosexuals in Britain are women. In this moving documentary, three infected women talk openly about their experience of, and ways of living with, the virus.
A profile of one of the most exciting players that the game of snooker has ever produced, recalling the career of the twice world champion and crowd favourite and examining his turbulent life off the table.
A documentary which shows that arcane wizardry is not just the preserve of horror films and Harry Potter novels. For accounts assistant Andrew Stockall , it is a serious pursuit. Over the years he has taught a band of magicians for whom casting spells, conjuring up demons and putting curses on people are all part and parcel of everyday life.
Fifty years ago this weekend, a heroic last stand was fought against the Chinese Army by British troops serving with the UN in Korea. Veterans of the Battle of the Imjin river recall the event and the cruel aftermath in PoW camps.
As the biggest British film of the year opens in London, this documentary recalls the shocking wartime events that inspired the original novel, Captain Corelli's Mandolin. On the Greek island of Cephalonia, 90-year-oid Amos Pampaloni , who like the fictional Captain Corelli survived the worst military massacre of the Second World War, recalls how German reprisals left 9,000 of his fellow Italians dead. He also talks candidly about his relationship with a young Greek girl. The programme includes contributions from the novel's author, Louis de Bernieres , and the film's director John Madden. Narrated by Sean Pertwee.
A profile of celebrated film-maker Ken Burns, showing as a prelude to the first episode of his epic musical series "Jazz". At his home in the New Hampshire town of Walpole, the man who has been hailed as America's greatest documentary maker talks about his formative influences, his fascination with history and his previous award-winning series, "Baseball" and "The Civil War".
A documentary in which some of Britain's older citizens recall the circumstances of their childhoods early last century in a series of moving stories accompanied by rare archive film, stills and dramatic reconstructions.
Documentary following several British pilgrims astheyjoin three million Muslims from around the world to perform the Hajj -the annual pilgrimage to the sacred shrine at Mecca. The Islamic faith decrees that every Muslim who has the means should make this epic journey at least once in their lifetime and, this year, more than 20,000 travelled from various parts of Britain to Saudi Arabia for the event.
For the first time a British mosque - Birmingham Central - has opened its doors to cameras. The result is a documentary that offers a unique insight into the life of Britain's Islamic community and reveals the increasing struggles of women for reform.
Documentary on the hackers who wrote a programme capable of hijacking million computers.
As an antidote to England's 2001 Ashes defeat, a celebration of the 20th anniversary of cricketing all-rounder Ian Botham 's triumph in the 1981 Third Ashes Test. It offers a profile of one of Britain's most entertaining and best-loved sporting stars, but also reveals how his volatile personality ensured that he was rarely out of the public eye.
Documentary charting the fascinating life and work of Lee Miller , a model for Vogue in 1920s New York who became the only female photojournalist to cover the Second World War. Having given up photography in later life and virtually disowned her own work, Miller's extraordinary archive of 40,000 negatives was only rediscovered after her death. George Melly , David Hare , friends, colleagues and her only son, Tony Penrose , trace the story of her unconventional life through her own remarkable pictures and photographs, as well as rarely seen archive footage.
Ken Burns 's documentary on the visionary American architect. The film examines Wright's legacy, as well as the problems he faced reconciling his creative genius with more mundane matters such as his finances and his family.
The murder of Gianni Versace in July 1997 on the steps of his Miami mansion sent shockwaves around the fashion world. Versace's name had become associated with the best in designer fashion, and he was the couturier of choice for celebrities including Diana, Princess of Wales, Madonna and Elton John. This film, from the documentary strand Storyville, tells the strange story of his life and death.
In July 2000 a Concorde crash in France killed many people, bringing its unparalleled safety record in civil - aviation to a shocking end. This documentary tells the story of British Airways' flagship aircraft, showing how it gained its reputation as the last word in luxury air travel, and examines both the human tragedy of the crash and the war of words between the English and French as the accident's causes began to emerge.
A documentary follows Baz Luhrmann , the director of Strictly Ballroom and William Shakespeare 's Romeo and Juliet, as he travels round the world on a six-month promotional tour for his new film, which opens here tomorrow. A colourful reinvention of the film musical, Moulin Rouge stars Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman , contributors to this travelogue which culminates in the opening weekend in America.
A one-off documentary, showing as a companion to the series The Blue Planet, assessing the state of the world's oceans and the impact that humans have had on them. Presented by marine biologist Martha Holmes.
A revealing one-off documentary that provides an inside view of how Tony Blair and former prime ministers - including Harold Wilson , Margaret Thatcher and John Major - have run their cabinet, the highest decision-making body in the land. Through candid interviews, rare archive footage and filming inside No 10, presenter Michael Cockerell opens the door to the Government's own chamber of secrets as he seeks the answer to the question: is the notion of cabinet government an obsolete concept?
Nearly 20 years on from his series Police, criminologist and film-maker Roger Graef pays a return visit to Thames Valley Police to see how the service has evolved against the backdrop of social change. New problems have emerged over the years but, as this documentary shows, the service has responded with initiatives of its own to tackle them.
The men on whom Band of Brothers was based recall the reality of conflict in the Second World War. With Richard Winters , Fred "Moose" Heyliger, JB Stokes , Darrell "Shifty" Powers, Edward "Babe" Heffron, William "Wild Bill" Guarnere, Carwood Lipton , Robert "Popeye" Lynn, Lester "Leo" Hashey, Robert Strayer , Antonio Garcia and Donald Malarkey.
Drug addiction takes many forms and is shrouded in misinformation. This documentary explodes many of the myths, and reveals radical new measures to prevent smoking and cocaine addiction.
Jonathan Meades investigates the life of the architectural historian Nikolaus Pevsner, and the writing of his largest work, The Buildings of England.
Leo Regan follows his friend, photographer Lanre Fehintola, as he tries to go cold turkey (detox) from heroin in his council flat and without medication.
Tom Cruise narrates a penetrating documentary, which explores the many sides to Stanley Kubrick - film director, producer, writer, photographer, husband and father.
In this documentary, originally screened on BBC Knowledge, author Philip Pullman explores Oxford, where he was a student in the 1960s. The city provided the inspiration for the fictional Jordan College in Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy. The writer explains how his childhood and student days have fed into the imagined worlds of his books. Critics and literary experts also contribute, sharing their own insights into Pullman's work, including I Was a Rat! and the Sally Lockhart adventures.
Art critic Andrew Graham-Dixon reveals a fascinating history of the nation's love affair with the bottle as George Cruikshank 's forgotten masterpiece The Worship of Bacchus goes on show in the Tate Modern. Cruikshank's little known work depicts Victorian society's ambivalent relationship with the "demon drink" and still hits a nerve in contemporary Britain because it pinpoints the moment in our nation's history when going out to become intentionally drunk became the British leisure activity of choice.
Film revealing the inside story of William Hague 's doomed attempt to engineer a recovery after the Tories' landslide defeat four years ago. Nick Robinson asks whether Hague's successor, lain Duncan Smith , can fare any better, and if Thatcherism will always loom large over the Conservative Party.
Intimate and moving stories of loss and remembrance are told by friends and relatives of those killed in some of the major conflicts of the 20th century, from the First World War to the Falklands.
Great Natural Wonders of the World focuses on natural landscapes rather than wildlife. This show spends an hour highlighting some of the greatest visions of the world ever seen. It is arranged by continent and specifically covers the following: * North America - Deserts, canyonlands, Death Valley, Yellowstone, Yosemite, Mesas, the Grand Canyon and Limestone Caves * South America - Amazon River, Angel Falls, the Andes and glaciers * Pacific Ocean - Hawaiian volcanos & Coral Atolls * Asia - Mt Fuji, Guilin & the Himalayas * Europe - Alps, Rivers, Ice Caves, the Northern Lights * Africa - Kilimanjaro, Serengeti, Ngorogoro, Rift Valley & the Negev Desert * Australasia - Olgas, Uluru, Deserts, 12 Apostles (before one fell over recently), Kimberleys, Great Barrier Reef, New Zealand's mountains and fjords * Antarctica
Dramatised documentary describing how the Great Pyramid of Giza - the only one of the Seven Ancient Wonders to survive to the present day - was built.
A documentary about Tourettes sufferer John Davidson. This is a follow-up to the 1989 TV documentary John's Not Mad focusing on his present circumstances as an adult with Tourettes and the impact the earlier documentary had on his life. The film also follows an 8 year old who has been diagnosed with Tourettes.
Michael Palin presents a profile of the television career of David Attenborough, from controller of BBC Two to his wildlife programmes such as Life on Earth and The Blue Planet.
Actress Anna Chancellor, a distant relative of Jane Austen, discovers the woman behind the acclaimed novels through readings and reconstructions. Location shots of her homes in Steventon and Chawton and extracts from adaptations of her work are also featured.
A documentary film examining the reasons behind artist Michael Landy's decision to systematically destroy all of his possessions.
The documentary examines the life of Michel Houellebecq, Europe's controversial and dangerous writer, who offends people with his razor sharp attacks on modern life and is adored as a genius and a visionary.
With more than 100 television documentaries and over a thousand radio documentaries, Ray Gosling's name - and his reputation - were known to millions. But five years ago Gosling's face no longer fitted. Then when his partner Bryn became ill and later died, Ray's life fell apart. With mounting unpaid bills and debts, he found himself facing bankruptcy. In a moving and humorous portrait, Bankrupt: Ray Gosling follows Ray as he battles to save his home against mounting pressure from the VAT man and the Inland Revenue.
A documentary looking at the backgrounds of Charlie Chaplin and Adolf Hitler, and the production of the former's film "The Great Dictator".
Frida Kahlo is now the most successful Latin American artist that the world has ever seen. However, when she died in 1954 she was almost unknown. Tim Niel's film explores the life and afterlife of the iconic painter and includes interviews with Frida's friends and family, Tracey Emin and Salma Hayek, who plays Kalho in a new feature film.
Jimmy Page, Brad Pitt and Chrissie Hynde are among the contributors to this one-off documentary that looks at the talented singer and songwriter Jeff Buckley who drowned five years ago aged 30. The film explores what shaped Jeff Buckley, what he might have become and his personal and musical legacy.
Critic William Feaver explores the complex civilisation of the Aztecs.
A documentary, narrated by the late Richard Harris, exploring the roots of Arthurian legend. Historian Geoffrey Ashe is interviewed about the legend and the historical events that inspired it,while Harris (who played Arthur on stage and screen) narrates on location.
David Ervine of the Progressive Unionist Party and Sinn Fein's Tom Hartley explore the issue of war and memory as they walk the WWI killing fields of Northern France and Flanders.
The date is 1959. The place is Le Mans racing circuit, France. A little known Texan racing driver, Carrol Shelby, wins the most prestigious event in motor racing at his first attempt and is universally acclaimed as one of the best drivers in the world. But Shelby had a secret that was to prevent him ever driving again. This is the comeback story of a man driven by the desire to beat the world on the race track, and specifically to beat the might of motor racing, Ferrari. From his base in California with only a team of hot rodders for support, in three years Shelby put together a car that would take on the world and win. The Shelby Cobra, as it was known, is still an automotive icon today.
Nick Knowles explores the facts and the fiction behind the legendary Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot.
Recognised as a hugely influential prophet in Christianity, Judaism and Islam, Moses outlined a basis for morality which has lasted over 3,000 years. Using the latest scientific evidence and dramatic reconstruction, Jeremy Bowen chronicles the life of the great spiritual leader, finds explanations for some of the miraculous events that were recorded, and assesses his legacy.
Earlier this year 20,000 members of the public cast their vote on what they saw as the locations everyone should visit at least once. The result is a definitive wishlist of global hotspots. In addition to the top 50, four viewers file a report from their favourite place.
Historian John Brewer explores the rich culture of 18th-century London, and traces the birth of Georgian society.
How the contents of an enigmatic book unearthed in an Italian monastery in 1912 has confounded scientists and code-breakers.
30 years ago Britain's longest political trial ended at the Old Bailey with 10 year jail sentences for four young revolutionary anarchists. They were members of the Angry Brigade; a clandestine urban guerrilla group who, for a few short years in the early 1970s, went on a bombing spree that brought terror to the heart of the British political establishment. Targets included senior Government ministers, captains of industry and top ranking policeman. The Angry Brigade is a dramatised documentary which reconstructs the key moments and events of the time told through the eyes of one of the main members of the group. The programme explores how these largely middle class students made the journey from hippie idealists to urban terrorists and the police investigation that finally cracked them.
With the possible exception of the pyramids, Pompeii is arguably the foremost archaeological site in the consciousness of a European television audience. So how would you make a new programme about this Roman city that could be termed truly innovative without compromising the integrity of the archaeology? The Private Lives of Pompeii concentrated on the people that lived and worked in Pompeii at the time of its destruction, as depicted in the archaeology of their houses, their tombs and the surviving documents that relate to them. Rather than use a presenter, the programme uses three story-lines plaited together to form a clever multi vocal commentary. A female narrator (voice over) introduces us to the themes and ideas that lie behind the structure of the Roman society of Pompeii, themes which are then played out by actors illustrating the private lives of four key characters. A third commentary endorses what the viewer has seen and heard by relaying evidence through interviews with historians and archaeologists. The drama unfolds in the years between the earthquake of AD62 an the eruption of Vesuvius in AD79, a time, we are told, of uncertainty and change. An intense atmosphere is created through the re-enactments which are staged in the surviving streets and houses of Pompeii itself; thus curiosity about the private individuals elegantly leads us at the same time to the structure of Pompeian society and to many of the town's most important buildings. The digital effects only make their presence fully felt near the end of the programme when they are used to illustrate the work of the Pompeii Forum Project. Digital enhancement is used throughout the programme and is now extremely subtle: for archaeological viewers a clear distinction between the virtual and the real is likely to become an increasingly important issue. This was a complex and intelligent programme which stretched the medium and chivvied the televisually slothful viewer to keep up, while stri
Peter Snow presents highlights from today's three deep-sea dives around the world. In 2002 BBC organized three concurrent dives , first in Monterey Bay where unmanned submersible is lowered into underwater canyon which is over mile deep. Second dive is in Grand Cayman where submersible Atlantis will explore life at the spectacular Cayman Wall , Kate Humble reports . During the dive, the crew used bait to attract a deep-water giant, the six-gill shark. Third dive takes place in middle of the Atlantic 1200 miles west of Portugal, which is also deepest of the three dives, divers will descent in Russian submersible Mir from research vessel Keldish and the Mir will dive in the bottom of the ocean in 2300 metres .
News 24's coverage of 11 September.
In the Spring of 1980 heavily armed terrorists force their way into the Iranian Embassy in London. They demand the release of their comrades in Iran or they will kill all the hostages. After one of the hostages is executed by the terrorists, Margaret Thatcher ordered the SAS, Britain's elite counter terrorist unit to storm the building. Millions watched stunned, as live on air, the assault took place.
"A Very English Genius" is a documentary telling the story of how Michael Ventris became obsessed with the quest of cracking the earliest known writing system, Linear B, which originated in Greece. The documentary begins with his introduction to the ancient script, on a school trip to a museam, continues through his endeavours to crack the language, and ends with his unexplained death, providing various theories to what exactly caused his final demise.
Danny Baker and Danny Kelly take a nostalgic look back at some dramatic encounters between footballing Davids and Goliaths, focusing on those FA Cup matches in which, confounding all the odds, the underdogs prevailed.
John Beattie presents a profile of legendary rugby commentator Bill McLarem as he retires from the BBC.
While Joseph Mallord William Turner is considered by many to be Britain's greatest landscape painter, his private life reveals a man of extremes and contradictions. This docudrama explores the extraordinary story of a brilliant self-made man.
In the past the green iguanas of Central America have been used in movies to depict dinosaurs. This film explores how the social lives of these modern lizards may hold the clue to the behaviour of dinosaurs. Narrated by David Attenborough
On 1 July 1952, a 30-year-old architect called Michael Ventris made a BBC radio broadcast which was to secure his place in archaeological and history books forever. He announced that he'd deciphered Linear B, Europe's earliest known, and previously incomprehensible, writing system. His discovery was to revolutionise our understanding of Western civilisation. It was made all the more remarkable by the fact that Ventris was no more than an amateur enthusiast, a man passionately and often tortuously determined to crack the linguistic code which had puzzled experts, archaeologists and academics for three decades.
"Henry Kissinger is a war criminal," says firebrand journalist Christopher Hitchens. "He's a liar. And he's personally responsible for murder, for kidnapping, for torture." What is Hitchens on about? He could be talking about the lawsuit currently under way in Washington DC, in which Kissinger is charged with having authorised the assassination of a Chilean general in 1970. Or he could be referring to the secret bombing of Cambodia which, arguably, Kissinger engineered without the knowledge of the US Congress in 1969. Or perhaps Kissinger's involvement in the sale of U.S. weapons to Indonesian President Suharto for use in the massacre of 1/3 of the population of East Timor in 1975. These and several other recent charges have cast a haunting shadow on the reputation of a man long seen as the most famous diplomat of his age, the Nobel Laureate who secured peace in Vietnam, who secretly opened relations between the US and China, and who now, more than a quarter-century out of office, remains a central player on the world stage, only recently voted the number one public intellectual of the 20th century. Featuring previously unseen footage, newly declassified US government documents, and revealing interviews with key insiders to the events in question, The Trials of Henry Kissinger examines the charges facing him, shedding light on a career long shrouded in secrecy. In part, it explores how a young boy who fled Nazi Germany grew up to become one of the most powerful men in US history and now, in the autumn of his life, one of its most disputed figures.
Conductor Charles Hazlewood explores the life of composer Antonio Vivaldi, examining the development of his music and his most famous work, The Four Seasons. Having mastered the violin and been hailed a child prodigy, the ordained priest and teacher went on to court scandal by embarking on a passionate affair with a much younger woman, and ended his life penniless and far from home.
Brian Hanrahan reminisces about his experiences while covering the Falklands War in 1982.
In 1987, the BBC commissioned a play to mark the fifth anniversary of the Falklands conflict. But the play was not shown until 2002. This documentary examines the political furore surrounding the decision not to show it and talks to the main players in the drama.
In the face of war, Dan Cruickshank explores the wonders of a once-great civilisation, discovering monuments to rival the pyramids, treasure that outshines Tutankhamun's and even magical ancient sculptures of naked cavorting women, heroically hidden from the Taliban. Afghanistan stands at the crossroads of western and eastern civilisation, but its brilliance has been clouded by centuries of conflict - from the conquering armies of Alexander the Great and Genghis Khan to occupation by the British and the Russians and finally the rise of the Taliban. Travelling the most land-mined country in the world, dodging rival warlords and gangs of gunmen, Dan reveals for the first time the cultural tragedy of Afghanistan. But as he climbs the terribly scarred cliff face of the destroyed giant Buddhas of Bamiyan, he glimpses symbols of great hope for a lost civilisation.
A nostalgic look back at the heroes and villains that helped snooker become the UK's number one televised sport of the 1980s. (2002)
Film exploring what really happened on Omaha Beach, where over 2,000 men lost their lives during D-Day, and how it could have been very different.
Documentary on Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay's historic ascent of Everest in 1953. Including previously unseen material filmed on the expedition, and interviews with surviving members of the team and members of the rival Swiss team.
Step back in time and visit the "vanished city" on its last day, as the mighty volcano Vesuvius explodes in a 24-hour reign of terror. On August 24th, AD79, Pompeii's citizens witness day turning into night as 4 billion tons of pumice, rock, and ash burst forth from Vesuvius. Pompeii: The Last Day uses archaeological evidence, including the writings of one survivor, to unravel the mystery of those final hours. Lavish special effects reconstruct each stage of Vesuvius's cataclysmic eruption and its impact on soldiers, slaves, families, and lovers as they struggle with the unfolding tragedy. One of the greatest natural disasters - and most fateful days - comes to vivid life in this critically acclaimed dramatization.
The Colosseum in Rome is one of the world's most amazing buildings. This immense oval stadium was home to the most violent and deadly spectator sport in history, gladiatorial combat. The Roman gladiator whose story is told here is Verus, one of two victors in the only gladiatorial battle that was ever described in detail (by the Roman poet Martial in 80 A.D.). Using this factual record as its basis, Colosseum follows Verus as he is recruited from slavery, trained in gladiator's school, rises to favor among wealthy Romans, and ultimately battles his best friend, Priscus, to a crowd-pleasing draw in the inaugural games of glorious, brand-new Colosseum, the construction of which is shown in fascinating detail. Combining authoritative narration with diary-like voiceovers from Verus's perspective, this riveting 50-minute BBC production is simultaneously intimate and epic in scale, employing the latest in digital compositing techniques to achieve its unparalleled visual splendor. With well-cast actors speaking authentic Latin, this sumptuous production is both dramatically involving and exacting in every detail.
A documentary about the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, responsible for creating some of the most memorable television and radio music in British popular culture, including "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" and "Doctor Who" (1963).
This documentary reveals a very different Isaac Newton from that of popular myth – a much more fascinating and complex man than the powder-wigged puritan of the history books.
The United States and Britain are preparing to wage war on Iraq, for its undisclosed weapons of mass destruction. Israel's nuclear, biological and chemical capabilities have remained un-inspected. Meanwhile Mordechai Vanunu has been imprisoned for 16 years for exposing Israel's secret nuclear bomb factory to the world. Vanunu is seen as a traitor in his own country. He has been abandoned by most of his family and has spent 11 years in solitary confinement. Today only an American couple, who have legally adopted him, are among the few visitors he is permitted. This film is the story of the bomb, Vanunu and Israel's wall of silence. Part of the BBC Correspondent Series
Nicolae Ceausescu created a unique personality cult in the 1970s and 1980s, transforming communist Romania into one of the strangest regimes Europe has ever seen. Newspapers had to mention his name 40 times on every page, factory workers spent months rehearsing dance routines dressed as soldiers and gymnasts for huge shows at which thousands of citizens were lined up to form the words Nicolae Ceausescu with their bodies. When the Romanian economy and living standards plummeted in the 1980s, the line between theatre and life blurred completely. Ceausescu went on working visits to the countryside where he inspected displays of meat and fruit made out of polystyrene, and closer to home began work on what would have been the largest palace in the world. At the final parade in 1989, workers walked past their leader to the sound of taped chants and applause. Using Ceausescu's own archive of 35mm propaganda films, King of Communism offers a surprising and chilling view of the absurd world of the Romanian dictator's regime. "This is a real-life communist version of Springtime for Hitler," says director Ben Lewis. "It's an all-singing, all-dancing unmasking of the illusions of communism, but it's also a serious study of the experience, effects and legacy of the twentieth century's most destructive political system."
The Victoria Cross: For Valour is a 2003 BBC television historical documentary presented by Jeremy Clarkson. Clarkson examines the history of the Victoria Cross, and follows the story of one of the 1,354 men who were awarded it - Major Robert Henry Cain. The main part of the programme was to describe how in September 1944, Major Cain won what was described as the "finest Victoria Cross of the whole war" (Second World War) by his commanding officer Lt Col Derek Mcnally. It’s only at the end of the programme that it is revealed that Clarkson is married to the Major’s daughter who had no idea that her father was a VC winner until after his death in 1974.
This hour long documentary from BBC Three follows the award-winning reporter-sleuth Greg Palast on the trail of the Bush family, from Florida election finagling, to the Saudi connection, to the Bush team's spiking the FBI investigation of the bin Laden family and the secret State Department plans for post-war Iraq. These are the hard-hitting reports that have been seen in films like Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11, broadcast internationally on BBC Newsnight television, and are found in Palast's international bestselling book The Best Democracy Money Can Buy.
Towering Ambitions: Dan Cruickshank at Ground Zero is a documentary film in which, 2-years on from the 9/11 attacks, Dan Cruickshank examines plans for the World Trade Center site.
The extraordinary story of how the 19-year-old Mary Shelley created Frankenstein, one of the world's most terrifying monsters. Daughter of Mary Woolstencraft, wife of Percy Byshe Shelley and close friend to Lord Byron, Mary Shelley's life was every bit as extraordinary as her most famous work. Dramatising the adventures, love affairs and tragedies of her young life, the film shows how her monstrous creation reflected her own extraordinary experiences.
When US police investigated a double murder in the 1980s, they had no idea they were about to uncover the most daring trail of forgery and deception America had ever seen. Mark Hofmann dared to forge on a level previously undreamt of as he manufactured historic documents at the core of the American constitution and history. And he fooled everyone - the FBI, the CIA, the Library of Congress, even the best forensic experts in the world and his own wife. Hofmann's story begins in Salt Lake City and a growing hatred of the Mormon church - a hatred which would lead him to his first criminal acts designed to dupe a society only too willing to believe tall tales. And it's a perfect training ground for his ultimate goal - to make a fortune and fool America itself. Ultimately however, his ambition turns to murder.
Forty years ago autism was a highly obscure disorder which was thought to affect only four to five children in every 10,000, but now some British teachers are claiming to see it in one in every 86 children. Is there an epidemic of autism, and what's causing it? The documentary looks at the history of the condition, and current research into cause and treatment. It includes interviews with some of the world's leading experts on autism.
Profile of the Italian fashion designer who has provided outfits for everyone from Jacqui O to Mick J and, as a long-time movie-buff, dressed the stars of countless films.
On the 300th anniversary of the founding of St Petersburg, historian and author Orlando Figes explores the life of Sergei Mikhailovich Prokudin-Gorsky who was commissioned by the Tsar to document his vast realm on film; and presents a striking visual portrait, both of Russia on the eve of revolution and St Petersburg today.
To coincide with the 50th anniversary of his death, this documentary presents an intimate portrait of one of the greatest monsters of the 20th century, including fresh evidence about his relationships with women, his family and his inner circle.
St Paul - for BBC1 in June 2003, this one hour documentary, presented by Jonathan Edwards, looked at the story of St Paul, and aimed to reveal the background to the story of Paul. The programme used dramatised reconstruction, computer graphics and location filming.
My Family and Autism is a documentary with an upbeat look at the daily life of the Jackson family. Jacqui Jackson has four sons and three daughters, and all her boys are on the autistic spectrum. 14-year-old Luke guides us through their family life. Luke tells us what he thought about the BBC filming his family, we find out about the spectacles with colored lenses that he and his brother Joe tried out during filming, there are details of the diet that the boys are on to alleviate some of their symptoms and Joe is given a camera to capture the family at home.
The ruined Roman fort at Richborough in Kent contains a vast and mysterious slab of concrete, 30ft deep, which resembles a mausoleum or a strong room. In a fascinating programme based on informed detective work, the chief executive of English Heritage, Simon Thurley, shows how it was the foundation of a monumental arch built between AD80 and AD90. The arch, a symbolic gateway between land and sea, was covered in 400 tonnes of marble and surmounted by an emperor cast in bronze. The bulk and splendour would have reminded everyone for miles around what it meant to belong to the Roman Empire.
With 1984 having recently been revealed to be the book that people are most likely to have lied about having read it is worth remembering the man who wrote it, George Orwell. He remains perhaps the single most important literary voice of the 20th century. Unlike his contemporary left-wing writers Orwell actually became one of the dispossessed for whom he strove throughout his life and, consequently, was able to challenge ivory-tower intellectual leftism from a position of strength and knowledge. When the people of Spain rose up against fascism he did not write pamphlets in their support but picked up a rifle and went to fight. He combined a desire for revolution (which he believed to be the only way to improve the lot of the poor) with a fiery patriotism which celebrated the best things about the country and derided the worst. He was an idealist who was prepared to accept pragmatic realities. All this comes across with great force in George Orwell: A Life in Pictures. Made by or for BBC4 in 2003 A Life in Pictures is a fascinating film which straddles the boundary between cinema and documentary. Orwell died in 1950 after the completion of his magnum opus 1984. Despite having lived in a time in which motion picture cameras and audio recording equipment were generally available there is no film of him and not one single recording of his voice survives anywhere. The film is an attempt to create a visual record of George Orwell's life. Orwell himself is played by Chris Langham who does a masterful job of bringing the author to life and not only that but looks so like him that in many photographs it is sometimes impossible to tell whether you are looking at the actor or the original. The point is made early on that while the pictures are invented the words are not and everything that Langham (as Orwell) says during the film is something that Orwell wrote. It is a testament to Orwell's writing that it can be spoken by an actor and sound convincingly like the answer
A detailed account of the IRA’s attempt to blow up Margaret Thatcher and her cabinet.
Profile of the great British contralto Kathleen Ferrier. Contributors include Janet Baker, George Christie, Evelyn Barbirolli and Ian Jack.
A one-off documentary in which ex-drug user Carl John turned a camera on his own world and film his crack-addicted friends. With the co-operation of three prostitutes he'd known since children, he told the stories of Tanya, Nicky and Virginia
Dolly Parton is one of the world's great superstars, feted for her figure as much as for her music. Platinum Blonde goes inside her world to discover the woman under the wigs as she returned to the concert stage in the UK in 2002 after an absence of 20 years. Born into grinding poverty in rural Tennessee, Dolly has risen to the top of her tree in music, films and as a businesswoman who owns her own theme park. Friends, family and colleagues - including Lily Tomlin, Kenny Rogers, Billy Connolly, Dabney Coleman and Alison Krauss - help tell her story, along with the full and frank views of Dolly herself. With cameo appearances from Sinead O'Connor, Norah Jones, Jonathan Ross and Terry Wogan.
On the morning of Tuesday, September 11th 1973, two jets launched a deadly attack on the Presidential Palace of La Moneda in the heart of Santiago, Chile. The result was fire, the suicide of President Salvador Allende and ultimately the death or disappearance of over three thousand people. "Chile: The Other 9/11" pieces together the dramatic hour-by-hour events of the coup that brought General Augusto Pinochet to power and marked a turning point in the Cold War.
Andrew Graham-Dixon considers the work of Dante Gabriel Rossetti, the painter and poet who reinvented the Victorian ideal of female beauty... and who dug up his wife's coffin to retrieve poems he had buried with her. (2003)
In this 2003 BBC4 programme Francine Stock does a quick recap of Noam Chomsky's career as a pre-eminent figure in the field of linguistics and outspoken controversial political activist. But the main interview explores his critiques of western imperialist amp; corporate power and how he views it as being maintained through the media as well as advocating the use of popular world opinion as a potent counterforce in opposing the powerful elites and their servants.
How an obscure Soviet camera conceived at the height of the Cold War inspired a huge following.
Are sharks robotic killing machines or intelligent animals, capable of complex behaviour? Roboshark, an animatronic shark with a camera is used to film the behaviour of sharks.
The extraordinary yet true account of a secret US government-backed attempt to build a spaceship the size of an ocean liner and send it to Mars, Jupiter and Saturn, propelled by thousands of miniature nuclear bombs. Beginning in 1958 Project Orion ran until 1965, employing some of the best scientists in the world, including the brilliant British mathematician and physicist Freeman Dyson. "Freeman Dyson is one of the few authentic geniuses I've ever met", says Arthur C. Clarke. "Orion isn't crazy. It would work. The question isn't whether we could do it, but whether we should do it".
Gil Scott-Heron was one of the most influential musicians and poets of the last 50 years. In Don Letts's documentary, Gil tells his own story for the first time - from being one of the first black children to integrate an all-white Southern state school to becoming the Godfather of Rap. There are contributions from Chuck D, Mos Def, Richie Havens and the Last Poets, among others. Filmed in October 2003, Gil performs live and recites poetry out on the streets of Harlem, which have inspired so much of his music.
How did Hitler, Franco and Mussolini manipulate the beautiful game? Gary Lineker and Real Madrid's Alfredo Di Stefano are among the contributors.
Dramatised documentary which analyses the catastrophe and national tragedy that could happen to Britain if its already over-burdened transport systems reached breaking point. Set in the future on 19 December 2003 and presented as if it were a retrospective documentary made subsequently, complete with mock archive footage and hindsight interviews.
There have been many twists and turns in the journey of the controversial Eurofighter Typhoon. Conceived at the height of the Cold War by the UK, Germany, Italy and France to combat the superiority of the Soviet Union's air force, the aircraft's in-service delivery date of 30 June is ten years late and -- at a cost of more than £50 billion -- it's become the most expensive European defence project ever. The work of an unprecedented number of nations, the aircraft's troubled genesis has seen out the Cold War, the fall of the Berlin Wall, Bosnia, 9/11 and two Gulf wars. France dropped out in 1985 in favour of building a rival plane, the Rafale, and each change of strategy and political environment has left a legacy of compromise, escalating costs, manufacturing blunders, loose management and delays. The documentary exposes several crises where the project nearly came to a halt because of national self-interest and stubbornness and covers the calamitous events of 2002, the year when the first aircraft was due to be handed over to the Air Forces for training purposes. First the delivery date was postponed yet again and then the Spanish prototype, the DA-6, crash-landed near Madrid at a cost of £30 million prompting the governments of the four nations to delay the delivery date to June 2003. This 50 minutes documentary, produced by The Open University for BBC FOUR, talks to many key players involved in the drama of building a cutting-edge combat aircraft. Test pilots think the Eurofighter is "a deadly machine" and military experts point out that its ability to switch role by voice command, enabling it to fight air-to-air as well as air-to-surface battles, in all weathers, makes it the most sophisticated fighter-bomber of its age. But some, like defence analyst Susan Willett, think the plane is outdated and an embarrassment for the RAF. There are interviews with the test pilots, with Malcolm Rifkind (UK Defence Secretary 1992-95) and with Andr
This documentary was made by the BBC to celebrate the 40th anniversary of "Doctor Who". It features extensive interviews with the four remaining Doctors, interviews with various other members of the cast and crew, and many clips from the series showing the best of the dangerous and exotic monsters that did battle with 'The Doctor' over the previous four decades. It was introduced by Jon Culshaw, who impersonated the Fourth Doctor.
Professor Richard Dawkins spearheaded the biggest intellectual revolution of the past 20 years - but are his views still valid?
Documentary recalling the revolution in British advertising during the 60s and three men who were instrumental in bringing it about. David Puttnam, Alan Parker and Charles Saatchi, who all worked for the same agency, were among the first to recognise the social changes, with the emphasis on individualism, which were taking place, and the style of advertising needed to appeal to the new breed of customer.
Last December's "Cheriegate" affair did little to abate the rampant public cynicism reserved for politicians - a mistrust evidenced in the turnout at the 2001 general election, which was the lowest for more than 80 years. In this documentary, Michael Cockerell talks to figures including Edwina Currie , Max Clifford , Geoffrey Robinson and Neil Hamilton in an effort to see if spin, sleaze and ministerial failure is to blame, or whether the media's sneering political coverage is most at fault
Cyrille Regis, Ian Wright , John Barnes and John Fashanu celebrate the contribution by black players to British football
Michael Palin uncovers the tale of two wealthy American sisters, Etta and Claribel Cone, who, as patrons of Picasso and personal friends of Henri Matisse, amassed one of the world's finest collections of modern French art. The story takes him to Florence, Paris, Nice and the sisters' Baltimore apartment gallery.
Most of Thomas Hardy 's personal papers were destroyed at his request when he died, but one seminal notebook survived the flames. Its pages offer unique insight into Hardy's methods of research, showing how the writer took snippets from local newspapers and, using the immense power of his imagination, transformed them into some of the greatest literature ever written in the English language.
An intimate documentary profile of artist David Hockney as he returns to the theme of double portraits, three decades after some of his most iconic works, like Mr and Mrs Clark and Percy.
Counting down the top 11 gastronomic choices for the festive period - from roast goose to mince pies and Christmas pudding. Gordon Ramsay. Gary Rhodes , Antony Worrall Thompson , Ainsley Harriott , Clarissa Dickson Wright and Nigel Slater are among the chefs commenting on our seasonal indulgences, mulling over the fine art of making trifle and expressing horror that roast chicken appears on the list. Narrated by Richard E Grant.
A celebration of the classic children's series. Created in Paris in the early 1960s by Serge Danot, The Magic Roundabout was brought to the British screen by actor Eric Thompson, to the enduring delight of both children and adults.
Tetris is a computer game, but it behaves like a virus. Whoever comes into contact with it is gripped by its simplicity. Yet this simplicity belies a complex psychological power that prompted a global battle for financial rights every bit as gripping as the game itself. This film charts the birth of this most original of puzzles, from the hands of a computer programmer at Moscow's Academy of Science to its position as a multi-billion-dollar game. This is a story of communists playing at capitalism in a game that involved Robert Maxwell and intimidation from the heart of the Soviet state.
Documentary profiling the life of legendary country music star Johnny Cash, who died in 2003 shortly after completing the retrospective Unearthed, a five-CD set of the acoustic performances with which he resurrected his career in the last decade of his life, and after losing his wife, June Carter Cash. This first major retrospective of Cash's life, times and music features contributions from his daughter Rosanne Cash and son John Carter Cash, his longtime manager Lou Robin and fellow musicians including Little Richard, Cowboy Jack Clement, Kris Kristofferson, Merle Haggard and Elvis Costello. Cash was the son of a poor sharecropper from Kingsland, Arkansas, who sang folk, spiritual and country songs to himself while picking cotton in the fields. In the 50s he signed to Sam Phillips' Sun Records, scored his first hits and was part of the 'Million Dollar Quartet' with Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins. In the 60s, he created his famous 'Man in Black' persona, and became a huge country star with hits like Folsom Prison Blues, Ring of Fire, I Walk the Line and A Boy Named Sue, while torn between drug dependency, hellraising and a powerful spirituality. Cash had long since established himself as a man of the people with his prison concerts beginning with an incendiary performance at San Quentin in 1958. He ended the decade by finally marrying June Carter - a member of hugely influential US country dynasty the Carter Family - launching his own national TV series from Nashville, befriending the Native American movement and opposing the war in Vietnam while playing concerts for the soldiers in the field. After tough times in the 80s, Cash reignited his career with a new young audience in the 90s when he recorded with rap-rock producer Rick Rubin.
It's part of everyone's childhood and one of the greatest myths of all but did it really happen? This programme puts some extraordinary claims about Noah, his Ark and the Great Flood to the test, using CGI to build a clear picture of the historical Noah and the dramatic events that inspired the story of the Ark and the Flood. New archaeological discoveries suggest that the biblical story was based on a real event: there was indeed a massive flood in Mesopotamia in 3000BC. Noah himself, though, was far from the man the Bible says he was.
After seeing this film, stepping onto a beach may never be the same again. Until his untimely death, playwright, beachcomber and lobsterman Nick Darke lived on Cornwall's rugged and beautiful north coast. He came from a long line of seafarers and he still practised the right of 'wrecking', an ancient pastime that intriguingly put him in touch, through phone calls and the internet, with fishermen and oceanographers round the world. This haunting film, photographed by Nick's artist wife Jane, which uses atmospheric and evocative archive shot by his father, captures a unique portrait of his daily work as he combed the wild seashore for the wonderful hardwoods, exotic sea beans, fishing paraphernalia and fascinating artefacts deposited on Cornwall's beaches by the ocean's long haul drift. It's an uplifting tribute to a remarkable man whose house, garden and whole existence are full of the wonderful things he found and whose data and observations feed into important global ocean research and investigations.
On 12 August 1969, the disaffected Catholic and Nationalist population in the Bogside area of Derry, Northern Ireland, took to the streets to confront the Royal Ulster Constabulary, in the wake of the annual protestant Apprentice Boys parade in the City. The riots, which came to be known as the ‘Battle of the Bogside’, continued for almost 3 days and saw over 1,000 people injured. The ‘Battle’ ended when, in an unprecedented step, British troops were deployed into Derry. This decision, by the British Government at Westminster, was to shape the future of Northern Ireland for over thirty years. Through the use of previously unseen archive footage, ‘Battle of the Bogside’ takes us behind the barricades, into Stormont and Westminster, to reveal the inside stories surrounding the Battle and the political response to it. Interviews with key figures from within the Bogside, the RUC and the Northern Irish and British Governments recreate the drama as events unfold. Many of the contributors are speaking for the first time about those 3 days in August 1969.
The late, great and supremely enthusiastic Fred Dibnah's passion for Britain's industrial past continues apace as he sets about digging a 100-foot deep mineshaft in his back garden. In the programme the ex-steeplejack has reached a depth of 25ft in his bid to construct an authentic coal mine in his back garden, and visits some real working mines to pick up tips as he unveils his plans for a winding engine and railway.
A tribute to the late Fred Dibnah, steeplejack.
During the Six-Day War, Israel attacked and nearly sank the USS Liberty belonging to its closest ally, the USA. Thirty-four American servicemen were killed in the two-hour assault by Israeli warplanes and torpedo boats. Israel claimed that the whole affair had been a tragic accident based on mistaken identification of the ship. The American government accepted the explanation. For more than 30 years many people have disbelieved the official explanation but have been unable to rebut it convincingly. Now, Dead in the Water uses startling new evidence to reveal the truth behind the seemingly inexplicable attack. The film combines dramatic reconstruction of the events, with new access to former officers in the US and Israeli armed forces and intelligence services who have decided to give their own version of events. Interviews include President Lyndon Johnson's Secretary of Defence Robert McNamara, former head of the Israeli navy Admiral Shlomo Errell and members of the USS Liberty crew.
The Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square is the competition in the art world that everyone is talking about. How do you choose between a car covered in pigeon droppings, wooden cruise missiles and a disabled pregnant nude? Ben Lewis interviews the artists including Sarah Lucas and Marc Quinn, critic Brian Sewell and the art world mandarins who are running it to try and answer the questions that are troubling him. The programme was originally shown in 2004.
Paul Morley investigates the lasting appeal of art's very own Pop Idol. From failed Abstract Expressionist to pioneering Pop Art hero, Roy Lichtenstein revolutionised the art world with his big, bold, brash cartoon images of American culture. Even before Andy Warhol had picked up his can of Campbell's soup, Lichtenstein was making merchandise into art and cultivating his own durable brand, turning out work that was highly consumable and tirelessly reproduced. (2004)
Documentary about Sean O'Callaghan, a self-confessed IRA bomb-maker, murderer and doubnle agent. He was jailed for 539 years in 1988 but pardoned and released 8 years later.
A look at what the consequences could be if George W Bush is returned in the 2004 election and his Attorney General, John Ashcroft, decides to prosecute his vaunted war on pornography.
In Peter Hall's 1974 film Akenfield, the director used the residents of East Anglian villages to act in stories of rural life. Thirty years after the release of this unusual film, a new documentary sees the original producer/editor Rex Pyke gather together crew including Sir Peter Hall, author Ronald Blythe and members of the local 'cast' to see how life has changed for those featured and to recall the making of the production.
The remarkable story of Abdul Haq, warrior, peacemaker, visionary and martyr, whose fight to bring Afghanistan freedom and peace brought about his death.
Observational documentary about Natty, a 19 year old from Birmingham, who has just been released from prison, where he was sent for violent crime. Will financial and peer pressure lead Natty back into gang crime?
In 1968 Basil D'Oliveira, a brilliant South African-born cricketer who had made his home in England, became the centre of a row that rocked the political and sporting establishment. Immediately after scoring a superb 158 in the final test against Australia he was excluded from the England team picked to tour apartheid South Africa - apparently because of his race. This is the untold story of the English establishment's betrayal of Basil D'Oliveira and includes exclusive interviews with D'Oliveira himself.
From his log cabin in Montana, Rich Hall writes to his friend Mike Wilmot to come and join him in a lively, face-to-face debate, far from the distractions of modern technology. Together, the pair aim to form a small, free-thinking society, discuss the upcoming election, and "drink a shitload of bourbon". With Mike being Canadian, he has little or no knowledge of American politics, so Rich takes the opportunity to introduce him to how the whole system works; of course it may just descend into a series of drunken rants...
Telling the story of one of the defining genres in American contemporary music culture, including interviews with Beyonce Knowles, Mary J Blige, Wyclef Jean and Chaka Khan.
Twenty-five years ago the renowned art critic Robert Hughes made The Shock of the New, a landmark television series that examined the key cultural movement of the 20th Century. Now he's back to look at more recent work and to question whether modern art can still be shocking in its originality and understanding. In an age of media saturation it's perhaps even harder to tell what is good art and what is bad; but Hughes cuts through the marketing and the hype to reveal the art that is vital and will last; the art which defines the times in which we live. In a film which features interviews with David Hockney, Paula Rego, Jeff Koons and Sean Scully, Robert Hughes makes the case that painting, drawing, and the search for beauty matter more than ever before.
The Bhopal disaster is one of the world's worst industrial disasters in the history of mankind. The explosion at Union Carbide plant located at the heart of the city of Bhopal caused a release of toxic gas rolled along the ground through the surrounding streets killing thousands of people. The gases also injured anywhere from 150,000 to 600,000 people. Six safety measures designed to prevent a gas leak had either malfunctioned, were turned off or were otherwise inadequate. In addition, the safety siren, intended to alert the community should an incident occur at the plant, was turned off.
A 30 minute documentary on the life and writings of the greatest of all ghost story writers — Montague Rhodes James. This documentary was shown to launch a series of repeats of the classic BBC Ghost Stories for Christmas adaptations of his work.
Professor Bruce Denardo attempts to prove whether there is any truth behind the legend of the Bermuda Triangle, where many ships and planes have disappeared in mysterious circumstances. New investigation techniques reveal the truth behind the infamous disappearance of Flight 19. Graham Hawkes is also able to reveal, by using a state-of-the-art submarine, how five wrecks mysteriously wound up 730 feet down in the heart of the Bermuda Triangle.
Perhaps the only time Roni Size Delia Smith and John Humphries will appear on the same programme? Introduced by Jo Whiley. Interviewees include Phil Jupitus, Bejamin Zephaniah, Delia Smith, Roni Size, Nick Cave, Johnny Marr, Alan Hansen, John Humphries, Annie Nightingale,
Explores whether geniuses are born or made.
In 1956, Britain embarked on an unpopular war against Egypt, sparking public outrage and political crisis, and tarnishing the reputation of once-popular prime minister Anthony Eden. Egyptian politicians, soldiers and civilians tell their side of the story in a timely reminder of the dangers of failing to learn the lessons of history.
t's been 50 years since local motoring legend Paddy Hopkirk and his co-driver Henry Liddon won one of the biggest events in the sporting calendar, the Monte Carlo Rally. Paddy and former Top Gear presenter Jason Barlow retrace the original route at the wheel of a modern Mini Cooper. The film blends contemporary footage of their eight day journey with nostalgic archive clips, harking back to the heady days when the Mini was a cultural icon, owned by the rich and stylish.
Jorgen Leth's film focuses on the 1976 Paris-Roubaix single day bike race over the cobbled farm tracks of northern France, normally reserved for cattle. Leth covers the race with twenty cameras and a helicopter and captures the drama as some of the sport's greats, including Merckx, De Vlaeminck, Maertens and Moser, battle it out through the dirt and dust clouds.
A semi-documentary about the life of Verus, a captive from the Rome's Balkan province of Moesia, who is pressed into the harsh life of a slave in Italian rock quarry. He sees no long term future there, so when the owner of a gladiatorial school comes there to recruit prospective fighters for his school, he purposely picks a fight with another slave to attract attention. Both he and Priscus, the Celtic slave, join the school, become friends, and build careers as renowned gladiators, adored by the crowds in the arena and desired by women of the aristocratic class. The Emporer Titus completes his father Vespasian's pet project, the Colosseum, and wants the inaugural games worthy of his memory, so he specifically selects Verus to fight in them.
An investigation into a collection of photographs owned by murderers Ian Brady and Myra Hindley that police claimed may have led to the identification of the sites of their victims' graves.
Midge Ure looks back at the story of the Band Aid famine relief single he co-wrote and produced, featuring contributions from the pop stars who took part.
Drama-documentary depicting the life and times of the most flamboyant and colourful Renaissance artist of all.
Documentary exploring complaints levelled against singer Michael Jackson in 1993 by a 13-year-old boy, Jordan Chandler, whose allegations never came to court. The programme, in which it is claimed that a multimillion-dollar settlement was involved, talks to the boy's uncle, Jackson's former head of security and journalists who worked on the story.
On 19 August 1987, a 27-year-old loner and gun fanatic called Michael Ryan became one of Britain's most notorious mass murderers when, armed with a shocking arsenal of guns, he embarked on a killing spree in a quiet English town. Eyewitness testimony and reconstructions provide a chilling account of the bloodbath, while the one-off film also recalls how gun laws and police communication systems changed after the slaughter.
A light-hearted critique of the values of the 1960s.
On the edge of the Arctic Circle some of the biggest names in art and architecture - including Zaha Hadid, Anish Kapoor, Yoko Ono, Tatsuo Mihijima and Future Systems - recently gathered to produce an extraordinary collection of artworks made of ice and snow. See ice harvested by chainsaw, flaming vodka coursing through Hadid's ziggurat (and threatening to melt it) and Anish Kapoor get cross as his 'Red Solid' begins to look more like a pink slush puppy. Charlie Luxton investigates
David Attenborough narrates a documentary about different species of bear. Spy-cams blend into the environment to capture unprecedented footage of wild pandas, grizzly and polar bears, and also the only South American species - spectacled bear cubs. Underwater, we follow grizzlies diving for salmon and, in the woods of Minnesota, we spy on black bears and their tree-climbing cubs.
Contains very strong and offensive language In recent years the British National Party has denied that it's a fundamentally racist organisation and touts itself as a legitimate political party. But in a BBC documentary - The Secret Agent - a BBC reporter went undercover to infiltrate the BNP in the north west of England. What he captured on camera in secret filming is simply shocking: BNP activists fantasising about attacking mosques with rockets and Muslims with guns; members of the party admitting to campaigns of violence and intimidation against minority groups and a speech from the current BNP Leader Nick Griffin in which he boasts that his words could lead to seven years in prison if made public.
Author and journalist Steven Poole examines the creative explosion occurring in video games and the impact this major new form of entertainment is having on contemporary culture. Contributors include Lord Puttnam, Julian Opie, Professor Susan Greenfield and games impresario Peter Molyneux.
First transmitted in 2004 to commemorate the channel's 40th birthday, stars and programme makers come together to look back at the story of BBC Two.
For the first time ever the full story behind the nation's best-loved song, featuring a return to Rockfield Studios by Brian May and Roger Taylor where they rerecord the guitar and drum parts and tell the story of how the song came together. Narrated by Richard E Grant, the documentary includes exclusive rare recordings of Freddie Mercury performing the song in studio, Queen's first ever TV performance, and the making of the video, as well as interviews with Mercury's friends and family, The Darkness and Bjorn Ulvaeus from Abba.
Dramatised documentary, based on the experiences of the soldiers who invaded France in the D-Day Normandy Landings on 6 June 1944 which were instrumental in ending World War II.
BBC FOUR presents a profile of Vivian Stanshall - "The late, majestic Vivian Stanshall, one of the most talented, profligate, bizarre, infuriating, unfathomable and magnificent Englishmen ever to have drawn breath" - Stephen Fry. A veteran of the common law marriage between Sixties art school and rock 'n' roll, Stanshall was co-founder, lead singer and co-writer of cult Sixties sensation The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band, the missing link between satire and psychedelia, pop and performance art, pastiche and Python. Stanshall was a dapper Zappa, perfecting what he called "ballet for the vulgar". Like Peter Cook, he burnt himself out tragically early, virtually drinking himself to death before dying in a fire at his house in 1995. He was, as the title of his last ever broadcast put it, a Renaissance man: writer, composer, performer and painter. This film tells Viv's life story from mum and dad to Dada and Mummery. It follows his progress from an 'odd boy' Southend seaside childhood, through art school, his intro to and outro from the Bonzo Dog Band and subsequent spectacular resurfacings as solo artist with his Peel Show monologue about Sir Henry at Rawlinson End (later a book and a film starring Trevor Howard), his comic opera Stinkfoot performed on board the Bristol Showboat and at London's Bloomsbury Theatre and his final appearances with Rawlinson DogEnds. Tracing Viv's musical journey from its Bonzo beginnings to Rawlinson End and beyond, this expedition into the archival canyons of his mind is peppered with contributions from colleagues, close friends and comic descendants. But at its centre is a portrait of the man who made his life and art into what he called "a sur-Ealing comedy", drawing on a wealth of largely BBC audio and video. It combines interviews with his collaborators from the Bonzos and beyond, including band members Neil Innes, Legs Larry Smith, Rodney Slater and manager Gerry Bron, plus later associates like J
Even people who have never seen it claim that television in the Sixties was better than it is now, perhaps the best there has ever been. For three decades, commentators have hailed Civilisation, Cathy Come Home, Dad's Army and The Wednesday Play as prime examples of a 'golden age' of television. Far less time is spent recalling the ratings success of Miss World and The Black and White Minstrel Show. As part of BBC FOUR's mind-expanding trip back to the Sixties, writer and broadcaster Mark Lawson takes a fresh look at 1960s television and explodes some long-cherished myths about the era.
In a unique event, satellite link-ups bring together guests from five continents to debate some age-old questions on religion, and consider its place in the modern world. Does belief in a god make the world a better place? Which god should we worship? When is it right to wage war in their name? Jeremy Vine hosts the programme from London, and reveals the results of a unique poll in which 10,000 people from ten countries across the globe gave their opinions on religion and belief today.
It is five times hotter than the sun and turns sand to glass in an instant. It can shoot 80 kilometres up above storm clouds. And it may even have provided the original spark that created life itself. This pacy, stylish documentary reveals the full power of lightning, why it is so dangerous, and what scientists are doing to protect us. Statistically, you are most likely to be struck in Florida, playing golf on a Sunday in July. Hear victims tell touching stories of the real experience, and why they feel it has changed them forever. View cockpit footage of NASA pilots flying through active lightning storms and find out why some scientists think the pollution in big cities could be 'baiting' lightning on an incredible scale. The more we learn about this maverick force of nature, it seems, the more we have to fear...
Paul Morley investigates the lasting appeal of art's very own Pop Idol. From failed Abstract Expressionist to pioneering Pop Art hero, Roy Lichtenstein revolutionised the art world with his big, bold, brash cartoon images of American culture. Even before Andy Warhol had picked up his can of Campbell's soup, Lichtenstein was making merchandise into art and cultivating his own durable brand, turning out work that was highly consumable and tirelessly reproduced.
Professor Bruce Denardo attempts to prove whether there is any truth behind the legend of the Bermuda Triangle, where many ships and planes have disappeared in mysterious circumstances. New investigation techniques reveal the truth behind the infamous disappearance of Flight 19. Graham Hawkes is also able to reveal, by using a state-of-the-art submarine, how five wrecks mysteriously wound up 730 feet down in the heart of the Bermuda Triangle.
Harry Carpenter, Martin Peters , David Attenborough, Anne Jones, Brian Cowgill, Alec Weeks, Anita Lonsbrough, Tony Lewis , Jimmy Hill, David Vine, Henry Cooper and David Hemery recall how sport itself was transformed by a revolution in broadcasting
From Winston Churchill to Tony Blair , reporter Michael Cockerell reveals how the medical profession has colluded with Downing Street spin doctors to cover up the true state of British prime ministers' health.
Documentary from 2004 about Luciano Pavarotti, hailed as one of the greatest tenors of all time. The film chronicles his background and upbringing and follows him as he performs to sell-out audiences on three continents, culminating with his valedictory performances of Tosca at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. Backstage in LA, the tenor greets celebrity admirers, including Michael Caine and Dustin Hoffman. In Berlin, he is reunited with Three Tenors group members Jose Carreras and Placido Domingo. And in his Italian hometown of Modena, the maestro gathers top names in rock and pop, such as Bono, Queen, Ricky Martin and Andrea Bocelli, to raise money for the children of Iraq.
Presented by Robert Winston, How to Sleep Better is a practical guide to the world of sleep. The programme explores the common problems, dangers and the mysteries that have puzzled scientists for years. One in five motorway accidents are attributed to a lack of sleep, which was also a contributory factor in disasters such as Chernobyl and the Challenger shuttle explosion. This programme looks at the dangers of poor sleep, how people perceive their sleep and provides real solutions. Viewers can find out about practical tools to help them get a good night's sleep rather than resorting to over the counter drugs. Most people have suffered the torment of a sleepless night at some point in their lives - for some it's an ongoing misery. How to Sleep Better follows a group of self-professed poor sleepers as they take part in a 'sleep lab' to pinpoint what is keeping them awake.
Ben Lewis (The King of Communism, Art Safari), traces the strange history of French atomic tests in the South Pacific from the 1960s to the 90s - a story of liberty, equality and radioactivity. Thousands of Polynesian islanders were transformed from fishermen into nuclear technicians and Greenpeace activists sailed a tiny yacht into the test zone to end atmospheric testing. The film also shows how a tiny group of Tahitian radicals set up the world's only anti-nuclear resistance cell and how some former test workers from France and Tahiti now suffer from cancers that many believe are linked to fall-out from the tests.
One hundred years ago, on the Island of Hiva Oa in the Marquesas, a syphilitic and alcoholic Frenchman called Paul Gauguin died of a heart attack. At that point nobody realised the incredible impact Gauguin's work was to have on modern art. Art critic and broadcaster, Waldemar Januszczak has written and directed this examination of a man who was not only a great painter but sculptor, wood carver, musician, print maker, journalist and ceramicist. As well as telling the remarkable story of Gauguin's life, Januszczak also celebrates Gauguin's achievements and examines the various accusations of sexual misconduct, familial neglect and racism that are frequently made against him.
In World War II, there were mounting fears that Hitler was building an atomic bomb. Such a prospect depended on two of the world's top nuclear scientists; brilliant German physicist Werner Heisenberg, and his Danish mentor, Niels Bohr. In 1941, Heisenberg travelled 200 miles in secret to Copenhagen to meet Bohr. The meeting put both men at immense risk, and had a cataclysmic effect on their relationship. This film was made with access to their personal correspondence and newly released documents kept secret for half a century.
It was the defining moment of the 20th Century - the scientific, technological, military, and political gamble of the world's first atomic attack. This drama-documentary attempts to do what no other film has done before - to show what it is like to live through a nuclear explosion, millisecond by millisecond.
In August 1995 Blur and Oasis were engaged in a head-to-head chart battle which divided music fans and led to a wider argument about British pop music. John Harris, journalist and author of The Last Party - the definitive study of the entwinement of music and politics in the 1990s - presents a documentary charting the rise of Britpop, its brief romance with New Labour and the emergence of 'new lad' culture. Finally, as Britpop declines, he asks what legacy it has left.
Powerful myths and misconceptions have shaped our understanding of the moment which changed the course of WW2 - the evacuation at Dunkirk in 1940. But what really happened at Dunkirk and in the crisis before the days of the evacuation? This documentary takes a European look at the crisis and asks new questions from a French and German perspective as well as from a British point of view. Featuring interviews with veterans and historians from all three key protagonists, providing revealing insights into the events of May and June 1940.
In 1162 deep in the heart of Asia, a child was born. He was clutching a bloodclot: a sign from heaven that he was destined to be a great warrior, whose life was to become a legend. His name: Genghis Khan.
The massive fluctuations that El Nino causes in the world's weather systems have changed the course of history. Unusually cold winters and the resulting poor crops helped forment the French Revolution. Hitler's march across Russia was halted by one of the harshest winters on record. Severe drought in India in 1877 killed millions while a drop in sea temperatures, leading to dwindling food stocks, precipitated the fall of the mighty Aztecs. Would these events have happened without the impact of El Nino?
Film about the drawings of Michelangelo and the way that they illuminate this life, his artistic development, his religion and his inner torments. The film is presented Neil MacGregor Director of the British Museum and is filmed on location in Florence and in the Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo's drawings are some of the greatest of all time.
The Selfish Green was the opening event of Wildscreen 2004, a landmark debate on the future of conservation led by Jonathan Dimbleby with Sir David Attenborough, Professor Richard Dawkins, Dr Jane Goodall and Dr Richard Leakey.
In this 90-minute documentary, Rageh Omaar uncovers the hidden story of Europe's Islamic past and looks back to a golden age when European civilisation was enriched by Islamic learning. Rageh travels across medieval Muslim Europe to reveal the vibrant civilisation that Muslims brought to the West. This evocative film brings to life a time when emirs and caliphs dominated Spain and Sicily and Islamic scholarship swept into the major cities of Europe. His journey reveals the debt owed to Islam for its vital contribution to the European Renaissance.
This is the tragic story of Stuart Sutcliffe, the talented young artist who died at the age of 21 from a brain haemorrhage. Not only was he a painter whose work showed massive potential, he was also one one of the biggest influences on the Beatles, providing them with both their style and their name during his brief time as their bassist. With contributions from Stuart's fiancee, Astrid Kirschherr, and his sister Pauline.
A celebration of the toys which have survived across the decades, presented by a man who still plays with them. When James May was three, his father gave him a toy car for Christmas, and a life behind the wheel and under a bonnet became his destiny. Forty-two-year-old James takes us on a tour of his childhood mind as he rifles through his boy toy favourites which include Meccano, Lego, Scalectrix, Airfix and, his all time number one toy, the train set. His love of engineering and building things has shaped the ingredients of his entire toy cupboard. There's not a microchip in sight. He still plays with his toys - still loves building things with his various sets. Each toy prompts a story - a history told via archive, anecdote and obsessive collector.
Documentary telling the story of the day that music rocked the world. Bob Geldof recalls how, after 12 weeks of manic preparation, the big day finally arrived. But would it work, would the punters watch, and more importantly would they part with their cash?
Documentary which traces the story of Live Aid from its humble beginnings, a pop tune cobbled together in the back seat of a taxi, to the eve of the biggest televised event ever staged on both sides of the Atlantic.
The inside story of the Beach Boys from their formation in 1961 to the present day (2005).
All eight members of the Pogues return to the studio where their biggest hit - and one of the nation's favourite Christmas songs - was recorded. Fairytale of New York's producer Steve Lillywhite strips the song down to the basics, and video director Peter Dougherty reveals the tricks behind the making of the video - including how a cameo from Hollywood star Matt Dillon stopped the Pogues from almost being arrested.
Novelist Ian Rankin discusses the relationship between crime fiction and real life cases with authors including PD James, James Ellroy and Minette Walters. Show in relation to Jean-Xavier de Lestrade's documentary 'Death on the Staircase' aka The STAIRCASE.
A follow up to Jean-Xavier de Lestrade's acclaimed documentary series, The Staircase, this documentary reports on what happened to the film's leading protagonist, author Michael Peterson, since he was found guilty of murder. In an interview from prison, Peterson speaks on camera for the first time since his trial. Defending attorney, David Rudolf and prosecutor, Jim Hardin offer their thoughts on the trial as well as on the director Jean-Xavier de Lestrade.
They were the glamour girls on James Bond's arm, the vestal virgins in Up Pompeii, and the girls-next-door in Man About The House. They were the vampire victims dispatched in the first reel of Hammer Horrors. And they were the Carry On dolly birds, guaranteed to elicit a 'Phwooar' from Sid James. They were Crumpet! And this is their story. Tony Livesey sets out to rescue Crumpet from the condescension of history. Recalling his own childhood, growing up in front of the TV in a Burnley terrace, Tony takes us on a trip through three decades of popular culture. How did our thirty year fascination with Crumpet come about - and why did it end? What does it say about the unique British sense of humour - and about our changing attitude to sex? With contributions from Honor Blackman, Ingrid Pitt, Madeline Smith, Hill's Angel Sue Upton, Leslie Philips and Wendy Richards, and with cultural commentators like Dylan Jones, Germaine Greer and Ned Sherrin, Tony gets to the bottom of this uniquely British phenomenon.
A documentary charting the rise and fall of the spiv (dodgy dealer) in post-war Britain.
Drama documentary on the life of author John Wyndham. With contributions from writer Brian Aldiss, Keith Roberts (plant biologist), Amanda Rees (science historian), Keith Budge (headmaster, Bedales), Steve Jones (geneticist), Sam Youd (writer), David Ketterer (Wyndham's biographer), Sister Bede (family friend), Dan Rebellato (dramatist), Armand Leroi (geneticist), Maire McQueeney (literary guide), Nick Davies (zoologist), Matthew Smith (parapsychologist), Gerald Hodgett (Penn Club resident), Linda Partridge (biologist), and Tom Kirkwood (gerontologist).
This documentary focuses on Marilyn's health problems, including endometriosis and depression, and her addiction to prescribed drugs.
Based on David Maraniss's book They Marched into Sunlight, a documentary telling the story of two seemingly unconnected events in October 1967 that changed the course of the Vietnam War. Whilst a US battalion unwittingly marched into a Viet Cong ambush which killed 61 young men, half a world away angry students at the University of Wisconsin were protesting the presence of Dow Chemical recruiters on campus.
A look at the history of the ghost story, from tradition and folklore via the Gothic novel to the present, offering insights into the work of some of the genre's greatest writers.
Michael Cockerell describes the low politics of the 1975 European Referendum, complementing his 1970s documentary on the same subject. Thirty years on, both sides were more willing to discuss the referendum openly. The original political debacle made strange bedfellows: Enoch Powell, Harold Wilson and Tony Benn opposed continued membership, whilst Roy Jenkins, Shirley Williams and Margaret Thatcher supported staying in the Common Market, as the EU then was.
A profile of one of England's truly unique and underrated bands, The Fall. One of the most enigmatic, idiosyncratic and chaotic garage bands of the last 30 years, The Fall are led by the belligerent and poetic Mark E Smith and grew out of the fringe of the Manchester punk scene. By 2005, they had released in excess of three dozen albums, toured relentlessly, inspired two successful stage plays, recorded 24 Peel Sessions, and performed with contemporary ballet dancer Michael Clark along with various spoken word events. All this has happened under the guidance of Smith with various line-ups totalling over 40 different members. They have never conformed to fashion or musical trends and when asked why they were his favourite band, John Peel replied 'they are always different, they are always the same'. This is the first time that Mark E Smith has agreed to the story being told on television and he along with many of the major players take us through this unique English rock 'n' roll story. It is told alongside footage of their most recent and sadly now last Peel Session recorded in August 2004 at the BBC Maida Vale studios, and there is also film of John playing out the session at Peel Acres a week later. Contributors include past and present band members such as Marc Riley, Una Baines, Steve Hanley, Ben Pritchard and Eleni Smith, plus thoughts from key fans/critics including Paul Morley, Tony Wilson, Stewart Lee, promoter Alan Wise, original Buzzcocks manager Richard Boon, and Franz Ferdinand.
Short documentary about a pair of roe deer who have made a Scottish cemetery their home. Surrounded on all sides by a sprawling metropolis, these normally shy creatures are a magical addition to the city's urban population.
Documentary on the life of legendary composer/bandleader Sun Ra (born Herman Poole Blount).
They say that blood is thicker than water and this documentary puts that to the test by examining the brothers who have formed and fronted rock bands. From the Everlys to the Gallaghers via the Kinks and Spandau Ballet, it tells the stories of the bands of brothers who went from their bedrooms to become household names - often with a price to pay. With contributions from Martin Kemp, Matt Goss, Dave Davies, Phil Everly, David Knopfler and the Campbell brothers of UB40.
The documentary Clear the Skies explains how in the aftermath of the attack on the World Trade Center, fighter pilots were sent into the sky to ground every plane that was in the air. There were nearly 5,000 aircraft in the air that needed to be brought back down to the ground. The film includes interviews with pilots and government officials.
A hundred years ago, three quarters of the Herero people of the German colony of Namibia were killed, many in concentration camps. Today, the descendants of the survivors are seeking reparations from the German government. This film tells for the first time this forgotten story and its links to German racial theories. This powerful documentary by David Adetayo Olusoga took a sensitive and uncompromising look at the tragic circumstances leading to the massacre of three quarters of the Namibia population in German concentration camps built in Africa. The program included graphic reconstructions and did not shirk from showing disturbing scenes which revealed the savagery of European colonial ideology put into practice. The documentary also showed the 2004 footage of Germany's ambassador to Namibia expressing regret for their killing of thousands of Namibia's Hereros during the colonial era. Unsurprisingly, the Germans refused to agree to the justifiable calls for reparations. The program also explored the current call for land reforms where most of Namibia's commercial land is still owned by European farmers who make up 6 percent of the country's population of 1.8 million. Throughout it included interviews and powerful testimony from African survivors, descendants and reparation movement representatives thus making this a compelling program which both educated the audience whilst treating the sensitive subject matter with the respect it deserved.
Terry Jones hosts this documentary on the number one. It looks at early evidence of counting, the use of numbers for simple arithmetic in Sumeria, the development of large numbers and their use for engineering in Egypt, the worship of numbers by Pythagoras and the theoretical mathematics of the Archimedes. It also looks at the use of numbers by the Romans, the development of Arabic numerals in India, the discovery of the number zero, the development of algebra in the Islamic world, the decline of Roman numerals in the west, and the development of the binary system.
Documentary charting the formation, instant rise and success of Californian pop group the Mamas and the Papas. Interviews with the band, coupled with performance and archive footage, show the group in their heyday, and the band give detailed accounts of the writing and recording of their hit songs, as well as their personal responses to (and problems with) instant fame and success.
To generations Arthur Ransome's books, including Swallows and Amazons, were an integral part of growing up. But was there a darker side to the author? In this drama-documentary, the enthusiastic Griff Rhys Jones follows a trail that begins in Russia, reveals close links with many leading Bolsheviks, an affair with Trotsky's secretary and previously unreleased KGB documents about Ransome. But was Ransome actually spying for the British secret service all along?
Seventy years ago, Scottish regiments fought a forgotten war in the malaria-infested jungles of the far east. This documentary remembers the men who fought at close range with the Japanese and witnessed some of the greatest events of the 20th century.
Drama documentary with Michael Portillo exploring the beliefs and passions that drove Horatio Nelson's life, as reconstructions illustrate his military genius, scandalous lifestyle and heroic death.
Using the latest research into the original Christian and Muslim ancient sources and the insight of leading experts from both east and west, this drama-documentary challenges the popular view of Richard the Lionheart and Saladin's epic clash for control of Jerusalem. Richard emerges as a man who earned the name Lionheart for his murderous brutality as much as his chivalry. Equally, Saladin was not demonised in Europe, but revered for his displays of mercy towards the crusaders. Filmed on location in the Middle East, Richard the Lionheart and Saladin: Warriors of God recreates the heroic encounter between these two great men. It traces their very different origins, their struggle to understand each other, and the mutual respect that emerged as they battled for the destiny of the world's most sacred city.
Documentary directed by Paul Merton which traces the history of the Soho club, which served as the birth place of alternative comedy in the 1980s. Talking heads include Jack Dee, Clive Anderson, Alexei Sayle and Keith Allen.
Alton Towers, the second most paid for tourist attraction in the UK, spent £12 million on the ride 'Oblivion' - the world's first vertical roller-coaster and the subject of this documentary.
1945 - The year of Winston Churchill's greatest victory and his most devastating defeat. Just weeks after VE Day, a General Election saw him and his government rejected and the Labour Party swept to power.
In 1945, Winston Churchill was cast out of office by the British electorate. It was a terrible blow for the man who had just led his country to victory in the Second World War. But he refused to accept defeat, fighting back to become Prime Minister once more and writing a monumental history of the war. Professor David Reynolds tells the moving story of Churchill's wilderness years, in which old age and illness could not overcome his undiminished ambition.
A look at the life of Ian Fleming from when he was in Naval Intelligence as a Commander until his death in 1964. This docudrama gives an insight into what Fleming was really like and how he wrote the Bond novels.
Short documentary taking a look at a devoted pair of little owls who set up home in an old orchard in rural Herefordshire. From spring blossom to autumn apples, it follows a year in the life of the parent birds, their baby owls and the old fruit trees.
Weapons of Mass destruction are seen as a singularly modern concern. But this film reveals the secret story of Britain's development of WMD after the second World War, half a century before Bush and Blair and 'the axis of evil'. During the decade following WWII, British scientists plan - not for peace - but for a war which will be fought with chemical and biological weapons of mass destruction. This film exposes the dangerous, top secret tests, which were not just performed on British citizens, but actually put the British public at risk
Thirty years after the introduction of affirmative action, American universities have seen a new generation of black academics, including a brain drain from Britain. What are the implications on both sides of the Atlantic?
Drama-documentary recounting the events of the 1st July 1916 and the Battle of the Somme on the Western Front during the First World War. Told through the letters and journals of soldiers who were there.
Documentary exploring the lesser-known side of Arthur Conan Doyle, who solved real crimes as chilling and baffling as those investigated by his creation Sherlock Holmes. His two most infamous cases involved tracking down a madman who mutilated horses and brought terror to a quiet, leafy English village, and the brutal murder of a wealthy spinster which led Doyle to expose corruption at the heart of Britain's justice system. Driven by a deep sense of justice, Conan Doyle strove to prove the innocence of two wrongfully convicted men, so confirming the belief in minds of many that Sherlock Holmes and Conan Doyle were one and the same.
Professor David Reynolds tells the story of Labour's postwar government and examines the achievements of Clement Attlee, including the introduction of the NHS in Britain.
We Have Ways of Making You Talk is a documentary examining interrogation techniques and they’re consequences. Does water boarding work? What is the history behind that technique? These and other questions will be answered in this intriguing and sometimes disturbing documentary. Filmed in France, Israel, USA, Algeria, Argentina, Uruguay, South Africa and the UK, this BBC documentary explores the history of modern interrogation techniques and the rise of modern torture using revealing interviews with state interrogators and state torturers. The legacy of this history continues to shapes our present, especially in the United States, and some of these techniques have now become routine in the war on terror – be it the use of dogs, water-boarding, or sexual humiliation. This long, unbroken line of inhuman cruelty connects Nazi Germany to Abu Ghraib, and is an essential issue in today’s political landscape.
A sardonic look at the dark secrets of the British Film Industry of the 1920s and 30s, where scandal and sordid behaviour was almost as rife as in Hollywood.
Ronnie Corbett. David Jason and Leslie Phillips are among those paying tribute to the much-loved comedy legend, who died in October. Including clips from The Two Ronnies, Open All Hours and Porridge. Narrated by Jonathan Ross.
Profiling Ronald Searle , one of Britain's greatest graphic artists and the creator of the St Trinian's cartoons who, after growing exasperated by the public's obsession with the fictional schoolgirls, left the country in 1961. But what effect did Searle's self-imposed exile and experiences in a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp have on his work? Featuring contributions from fellow cartoonists Gerald Scarfe, Steve Bell, Martin Rowson and Posy Simmonds.
Tracing the 150-year history of the spiritualist movement and revealing the unlikely and surprisingly close relationship between science and a faith that claims not only that there is life after death, but also that communication between the two worlds is possible.
Doris Day has often been dismissed as an actress and overlooked as a singer, despite career highs such as Calamity Jane and Pillow Talk. Covering her early years as a band singer, and her troubled private life, this documentary re-evaluates one of the screen's most enduring legends.
29 May 1985: riots ahead of the European Cup final between Liverpool and Juventus cause a wall to collapse in Belgium s Heysel Stadium. Thirty-nine fans die and many more are injured. Incredibly, the match goes ahead and is broadcast around the world, as the authorities claim postponement could incite further trouble - yet many remain haunted by the decisions taken. Bruce Grobbelaar is among the players returning to Heysel to tell their stories for the 20th anniversary; this powerful and moving documentary also has contributions from victims and officials, and harrowing footage of the tragedy.
His ground-breaking albums such as the politically charged What's Going On revolutionised American soul, yet Marvin Gaye's personal life was marred by failed relationships, drug addiction and an abusive father who eventually destroyed him. This bittersweet profile features interviews with the singer and those who knew him, including Martha Reeves, plus performances of Let's Get It On, I Heard It through the Grapevine, Sexual Healing and others.
As America struggles to find a get-out strategy in Iraq, this documentary looks at the humiliation of their withdrawal from Vietnam 30 years ago. Tim Pigott-Smith narrates the remarkable story of the events leading up to that chaotic day, captured in images of Americans scrambling aboard a helicopter on the roof of the CIA building in Saigon - a traumatic moment that was to shape the American psyche for over a generation. Contains disturbing scenes.
Bafta and the BBC join forces to celebrate one of Britain's best loved entertainers with a special gala event. Julie Walters, Lenny Henry, Richard E Grant and Jim Broadbent pay tribute to Victoria Wood, with contributions from Peter Kay and French and Saunders. Featuring a look back over her career with clips of her work. Wood will then be given the prestigious Bafta Special Award followed by a preview of Acorn Antiques - The Musical.
18 With A Bullet captures the reality of life for the young members of the 18th Street Gang in San Salvador, now one of the most dangerous cities in the world. During the civil war in San Salvador, thousands of families migrated to America. Most of these settled in Los Angeles where many joined the notorious 18th Street Gang. Since the end of the war most have been deported back to San Salvador, taking their gang structures back to their homeland with devastating effects. This series follows a group of gang members as they fight their mortal enemies and eke out a living on the streets by selling drugs and thieving.
Documentary about the wild rabbits which live on sea cliffs on the Pembrokeshire coast alongside seabirds like puffins and seagulls. They come in many shades, owing to their intriguing history, and each spring the island of Skomer itself is transformed by wild flowers, creating one of Britain's most beautiful natural spectacles. The green and brown island turns blue and pink for a couple of spectacular weeks under a carpet of bluebells and red campion.
End Day is a 2005 docu-drama produced by the BBC that depicts various doomsday scenarios. The documentary follows the fictional scientist Dr. Howell, played by Glenn Conroy, as he travels from his London hotel room to his laboratory in New York City, and shows how each scenario affects his journey as well as those around him, with various experts providing commentary on that specific disaster as it unfolds. The following descriptions of the program were released by the BBC: "Imagine waking up to the last day on Earth..." "Inspired by the predictions of scientists, End Day creates apocalyptic scenarios that go beyond reality. In a single hour, explore five different fictional disasters, from a giant tsunami hitting New York to a deadly meteorite strike on Berlin."
What is the complex but fruitful relationship between Jewish people and German music? This award-winning film focuses on a pianist who played over 100 times in the Theresienstadt concentration camp.
Ade Edmondson takes a humorous look at the possibilities and consequences of last-minute Christmas shopping.
With a passion for art that is rivalled only by travel, Michael Palin combines both in a European journey to discover more about Vilhelm Hammershoi, an enigmatic Danish artist that has fascinated him for years. Curious to see more of Hammershoi's paintings and discover what kind of life the artist lived, Michael searches for clues in London, Holland and Copenhagen.
Documentary about the 2005 revival of Doctor Who, featuring cast interviews, behind the scenes footage and a look at the Doctor’s past.
The original 'dirty dancing' became a century-long craze, but behind it was a bitter tale of father and son rivalry. Lesley Garrett narrates this drama documentary, steps onto the dance floor - and even tries on the period underwear. The compelling story is illustrated with the music of the time, played by the Wiener Akademie orchestra in Vienna's sumptuous Hofburg Palace.
It is 200 years before the birth of Christ and Rome is the new superpower of the ancient world. She believes she is invincible - but one man is destined to change that. He is a man bound by oath to avenge the wrongs inflicted on his home and, in pursuit of revenge, he will stop at nothing. Hannibal explores the man behind the myth, revealing what drove the 26-year-old to mastermind one of the most audacious military moves in history. With 40,000 soldiers and 37 elephants, he marched 1,500 miles to challenge his enemies on their own soil. It was an act so daring that few people believed it possible. Hannibal combines drama, the latest historical research and state-of-the-art CGI to bring this spectacular story to life.
Insight into the recruitment for the RAF's elite formation flying team, as we follow nine eager pilots through the arduous selection procedure.
Dan Cruickshank presents a documentary revealing the story of the Dalai Lama, his secret Himalayan kingdom and the story of his exile, using eyewitness accounts from Tibetans including the Dalai Lama himself and colour archive footage of Tibet from the 1930s to 50s.
Based on diaries, records and eyewitness accounts, this is the story of the two Battles of the Somme from the perspective of British and German soldiers. It shows how the major lessons learned by the British Army leadership after the disastrous first attacks of July 1916 were turned into victory at the second attempt in September 1916, arguably the turning point for the First World War.
The famous digital divide is getting wider. A two-part documentary, "The Code Breakers," to be aired on BBC World starting 10 May 2006 examines whether free/ open source software (FOSS) might be the bridge? FOSS contains 'source code' that can be used, copied, studied, modified and redistributed without restriction. It has been around for over 20 years but most PC owners are not aware that the Internet search engines and many computer applications run on FOSS. "It's not that FOSS has had a bad press, it has had no press because there is no company that 'owns' it," says executive producer Robert Lamb. "But we found that in the computer industry and among the afficionados, it is well known and its virtues well understood."
Fascinating documentary exploring the life and work of the 15th-century painter whose imaginative depiction of hell and earthly pleasures have made him one of the world's best-loved artists.
Stephen Fry explores the world of manic depression, a mental illness which affects up to 4 million people in the UK, including himself. He sets out to uncover more about a misunderstood condition which drives those who have it from extreme highs to crippling lows. Stephen describes the impact on his own life and meets up with ordinary people and celebrities such as Robbie Williams, Carrie Fisher, Tony Slattery and Rick Stein to discuss what triggers it and why it often takes years to diagnose.
In the second of two programmes, Stephen reveals in detail for the first time how this illness overwhelmed him in the 1990s and caused him to attempt suicide, and also why he disappeared from a West End play. Since then, he has had to figure out ways of living with it.
Documentary following 15-year-old Yukina as she leaves home and moves to Kyoto to embark on the arduous training needed to become a geisha. The profession has always been shrouded in controversy, with some believing geisha are little more than high-class prostitutes. At such a young age, does Yukina really understand what this ancient profession has in store for her?
The Story of Pulp's Common People takes a forensic look at the seminal track, and attempts to shed light on its inspiration, its lyrics, and the man who wrote them.Jarvis Cocker goes back to St Martin's College, where he met the girl who would inspire him to write a song that examines class, politics and Britain in the 90's. Pulp are reunited back at their old rehearsal rooms above a pottery shop to reminisce about the song's success and what the track means to them.
When London won the race to become the host venue for the 2012 Olympic Games, the immediate reaction was ecstatic. But staging the Greatest Show on Earth is always vastly expensive - and usually fraught with difficulties. This film looks back at the architectural statements made by Olympic host cities since the Berlin Olympics of 1936, and finds an alarming tendency for them to bungle the planning, build inappropriate venues, and saddle their populations with mountains of debt.
Eddie Mair explores the history of drink in British politics. Many of our leaders, from Winston Churchill to George Brown, acquired a reputation for fortifying themselves to cope with the demands of the job, and many of the best and worst episodes in the annals of the corridors of power have been carried out by people under the influence.
In December 1981, the Penlee lifeboat was called out to help a stricken coaster off the coast of Cornwall. In hurricane winds and sixty foot waves, the crew of the Solomon Browne made an heroic attempt to rescue those on board the ill-fated Union Star. Using actual radio footage, eyewitness testimony and memories of bereaved family members, this film tells the story of that tragic night.
Drama documentary about the crimes committed by Nurse Beverly Allitt.
A historical drama documentary depicting the eruption of Krakatoa volcano in 1883. The volcano was located in the Sunda strait in Indonesia and its eruption resulted in tsunami, rains of coals and ash, and ended with a very hot tsunami. The eruption killed more than 36,000 people and those survived were left with burns.
Dramatised documentary which explores the reasons behind the sudden resignation on 16 March 1976 of British prime minister Harold Wilson. It is based on secret discussions that he had at the time with two journalists in which he alleges that the British intelligence services had made his position as prime minister untenable and that Britain was on the brink of a military coup, with Lord Mountbatten, the Queen's cousin, lined up to head an interim government after Wilson had been deposed.
At the dawn of the 18th century, most British artists were seen as incompetent, destitute and disreputable. One hundred years later, they'd achieved wealth, status and glory. In this documentary, Andrew Graham-Dixon exposes the scandal, greed and rivalry lurking behind the canvases of Hogarth, Reynolds, Gainsborough and Stubbs. He also tells the story of the arena in which this battle was fought: the Royal Academy of Arts.
The surprising story of how left-wing historian and crime writer, Raymond Postgate, rescued eating-out in post-war Britain.
It was the last battle on British soil but more than 250 years later Culloden remains one of the most controversial events in British history. This documentary takes a fresh look at the reputations of the Duke of Cumberland and Prince Charles and at the Jacobite struggle; exploring its legacy not just for those whose lives were changed by it, but also for the development of England and Scotland. The programme reveals how this monumental event signified a watershed between an older way of existence and a new era.
Richard Hammond embarks on a quest to find the truth about the most famous relic of all time - the Holy Grail. From the Aegean to the Atlantic, Hammond's journey takes him to some of the most beautiful and intriguing places in Europe. It's a route littered with some of the most extraordinary stories in history: ancient scrolls in the Vatican's secret archive; holy relics in Constantinople; medieval knights and hidden treasure in the South of France; Templars, Cathars and Nazis; conspiracy theories and false clues. Thought by many to be the very cup from which Jesus drank at the Last Supper, the Holy Grail has haunted public imagination for centuries, but left many unanswered questions. What is fact and what is fiction? Does the Grail exist or not, and what exactly is it?
Co-hosted by Professor Robert Winston and Dr Tanya Byron, this interactive special invites you to take part in a range of experiments to test your memory and receive practical help on how to improve it. Longleat House in Wiltshire is transformed into 'Memory Manor', a laboratory to explore how our brains work, what memory skills we're born with and which parts of our memory we can improve on.
The story of the rise and fall of a daring experiment into atomic energy. At a time when nuclear is firmly back on the agenda, this documentary meets the original Dounreay pioneers and charts the high and lows in the history of one of Britain's most ambitious scientific projects.
David Attenborough recounts his very personal experiences with the mountain gorillas of Rwanda. Ever since they were discovered over a century ago, these remarkable creatures have been threatened by loss of habitat, poaching, disease and political instability. But despite all odds their numbers have increased. David tells the extraordinary tale of how conservationists like Dian Fossey have battled to save the mountain gorilla from the brink of extinction.
A documentary exploring Frank Lloyd Wright's visionary architectural works and relating the story of his turbulent personal life.
Jonathan Meades looks at the fate of modernist architects in the Soviet Union after Stalin mandate of populism and monumentality.
July 1969 saw one of mankind's greatest technological achievements - the first landing on the moon. Unearthing rare archival footage from the BBC, this two-hour documentary compiles the sights, sounds, and electrifying drama of humanity’s first footsteps on the moon. Astronomer Sir Patrick Moore and veteran newsmen cover events as they happened from the launchpad in Cape Kennedy, mission control in Houston, and the BBC desk in London. Follow Apollo 11 astronauts from their preflight breakfast on July 16, 1969, to their splashdown in the Pacific eight days later. Share the suspense of countdown, the thunder of blastoff, the epic 218,096-mile flight--and, of course, Neil Armstrong’s "one giant leap for mankind." Interspersed with this live coverage, BBC reporter James Burke provides helpful--and sometimes hilarious--demonstrations of spaceflight technology, including donning a space suit, touring the Apollo capsule, and experiencing zero gravity. Originally broadcasted as part of BBC4's 'Moon Night' on February 27, 2006.
Veterans who served on WW2 aircraft carrier The Ark Royal talk about her history, as the wreck is rediscovered a kilometre below the surface of the Mediterranean.
Gay men fantasising about passing on HIV may encourage some to set out to become infected with the virus, a BBC programme has found.
Ben Woolley tells the story of a neglected masterpiece: Joseph Wright of Derby's An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump. Until recently, Wright was dismissed by many art critics as a minor provincial but Wright was in fact a virtuoso painter whose scientific paintings give a unique insight into the Enlightenment in Britain. Ben Woolley's deconstruction of this epic painting takes him from Wright's birthplace in Derby to East Germany, where he witnesses a reconstruction of the famous Magdeburg hemispheres experiment. He visits London's Royal Society and uncovers the strange history of animal experimentation in the 18th century.
Mark Daly investigates the racist murder of black teenager Stephen Lawrence in 1993 and presents new evidence which fundamentally challenges the alibis of the five main suspects.
A chronicle of a formative era in British broadcasting following World War II. Hitherto, radio output had been genteel and sedate, in the music hall tradition. But after 1945, a new generation of producers, writers and performers emerged, making radical, sometimes anti-establishment comedies including The Goons and Hancock's Half Hour. Also at this time, the dominance of radio was challenged by the re-emergence of television and the BBC's TV monopoly ended with the arrival of ITV in 1955.
Richard Hammond embarks on a quest to find the truth about the most famous relic of all time - the Holy Grail. From the Aegean to the Atlantic, Hammond's journey takes him to some of the most beautiful and intriguing places in Europe. It's a route littered with some of the most extraordinary stories in history: ancient scrolls in the Vatican's secret archive; holy relics in Constantinople; medieval knights and hidden treasure in the South of France; Templars, Cathars and Nazis; conspiracy theories and false clues. Thought by many to be the very cup from which Jesus drank at the Last Supper, the Holy Grail has haunted public imagination for centuries, but left many unanswered questions. What is fact and what is fiction? Does the Grail exist or not, and what exactly is it?
Without the use of modern conveniences, a group of historians and archaeologists prepare a Tudor feast as it would have been over 400 years ago. They wear clothes from the period, source food from the land, and use recipes from the era. They turn the clock back to rediscover a way of life from an age gone by.
Casualty 1906 is an innovative hospital drama that plunges the viewer into the Receiving Room (today's A&E) of the London hospital deep in the teeming East End. The drama is shot with the pace and action of its modern day counterpart and namesake, Casualty, but every case and character is true. Focusing on cases, characters and events taken from the actual hospital records, nurse's Ward Diaries and intimate memoirs, 'Casualty 1906' is an unbroken experience of life with pioneering doctors and nurses a hundred years ago among the desperately poor.
Documentary about a group of female singers whose voices make you weep, sang songs of heartbreak and betrayal, had lives that seem to mirror their music and deaths that came too soon and made myths of them all. Yet their voices triumph over tragedy and they became icons of the 20th century. Edith Piaf, the Urchin Queen, stood small but strong and became the voice of her nation and of everyone who ever made mistakes. Billie Holiday, the Jazz Queen, her voice full of pain and yearning. Judy Garland, Showbiz Queen, raised in the film studio that fed her addiction to pills and to fame. Maria Callas, Drama Queen, whose voice brought out the heartache in opera and whose life echoed the roles she played. And Janis Joplin, Wild Queen, who offered up a 'piece of her heart' and died of drug abuse at just 27. With contributions from Mickey Rooney, Charles Aznavour, Country Joe McDonald, KT Tunstall, Katie Melua and Corinne Bailey-Rae.
The Dead Sea Scrolls are the biblical find of the age - they contain the earliest versions of the Hebrew Bible, maps to hidden temple treasure, and insight into the mindsets of John the Baptist, Jesus, and the early Christians. But the scrolls were soon embroiled in controversy with allegations of conspiracy and cover-up, rumours that persist today thanks to The Da Vinci Code.
Stiff Records was founded by the visionary Jack Riviera and Dave Robinson. This documentary charts how the maverick label influenced the punk and new wave movements, championing such acts as Elvis Costello, Ian Dury, Lene Lovich, Kirsty MacColl and the Damned.
Robbie Williams features as presenters and stars get misty-eyed reminiscing. Plus archive performances from the good, the bad and the ugly. Contributors include Sir Jimmy Savile, Pan's People, Robin Gibb, Noddy Holder, Blondie, Holly Johnson, Suggs, Noel Gallagher and Kylie Minogue.
Celebrities including Elaine Smith, Ford Kiernan and Tam Cowan recall their favourite moments as the comedy strip family celebrates its seventieth anniversary.
By Charles Miller BBC Money Programme Google's ad system earned the company $1.5bn during the July to September quarter of 2005, almost double what it made a year earlier. And ad income is the power behind Google's stock, whose apparently unstoppable rise makes the financial community's initial scepticism now look humiliatingly wrong. At the last count, Google was worth around $140bn, almost five times its value at flotation, and comfortably more than the likes of Coca-Cola and Time Warner. Google's canny founders are also all too aware that Silicon Valley has seen many high tech companies, from Netscape to Pets.com, which in their heyday appeared to be unbeatable, but are now all but forgotten.
Over the last five decades, the girl group formula has yielded hit after hit. But this classic pop template is also guaranteed to deliver high drama and backstage rows. This nostalgic documentary examines the phenomenon as it applies to six celebrated girl groups - the Supremes, the Three Degrees, Sister Sledge, Bananarama, the Bangles and the Spice Girls - with contributions from artists, managers and producers.
Drama-documentary telling the story of Samuel Johnson's creation of the first English dictionary, in an attic room just off Fleet Street in Georgian London. The depressive writer-for-hire with Tourette's syndrome did for the English language what Newton had done for the stars, classifying words, fixing their meaning and bringing order to the chaos of language. It took him nine years, but in the process an anonymous writer became a literary superstar.
A look back at the history of the hugely popular children's series, Jackanory, in which a well-known actor would read a book to camera alongside specially-commissioned illustrations. With contributions from readers, writers and producers including Alan Bennett, Patricia Routledge and Quentin Blake.
Andrew Graham-Dixon explores the inspiration behind Ian Fleming 's first James Bond novel.
Documentary which follows four alcohol abusers - Vanda, aged 43; Mark, 29; Nigel, 49 and Toni, 26 - from the impoverished Medway towns of north Kent. Filmed over the course of a year, Paul Watson's camera follows them from Gillingham's Medway Maritime Hospital to their homes, resulting in a film that illustrates the troubles they face and the impact of their behaviour on those around them. The fact that two of the four died during filming is grim testimony to the illness of alcoholism.
This film tells the epic story of our love affair with the moon - what inspired it, how it faded away and how we are now falling in love all over again.
A revealing portrait of our closest star - the sun. Responsible for all life on Earth, the sun has always been worshipped. In the Stone Age, monuments were built to its constancy and predictability. New ways of observing the sun are revealing another side to it - a dark and violent side of turbulent storms and huge explosions. As scientists learn to understand the forces that drive it, they are also trying to control its power. If we could harness the sun's power output for a single second it would supply the world's demands for the next million years.
Nigel Planer recreates his spoof thespian Nicholas Craig for a look at the role of the actor in the 18th century, including tips on how to have a Georgian hissy fit, foppishness and acting with your bosoms.
Eddie Mair presents the story of how governments spin their way out of personnel crises, from John Profumo to Peter Mandelson and David Blunkett.
For the last nine months, Jamie Campbell and Joel Wilson have been on the trail of the fallen glam-rock star. Just what had he been doing in the years before his arrest in Vietnam?
Rick Stein celebrates John Betjeman's long love affair with the English seaside holiday and his deep affection for Cornwall. He travels around the area, speaking to people who remember the poet's visits, including Cliff Snell, who founded the Betjeman Centre. The programme culminates in a seafood feast cooked by Rick for guests including Betjeman's daughter, Candida.
A historical reconstruction of the discovery and nature of liquid crystals. Looks at how, nearly a hundred years after its discovery, British chemists found a way to exploit liquid crystals in the electronic display of technology. The programme also examines how some forms of liquid crystals have existed since the beginning of life on earth and how they are essential to the success of all life forms.
Examining the lighter side of being in a British science fiction television series, Nigel Planer plays classically-trained "actawr" Nicholas Craig in a one-hour special, How To Be Sci-Fi, which looks at the perils and pitfalls that lie ahead for anyone brave enough to grapple with that most demanding of mistresses – "outer-space acting".
Dramatised documentary about the tragedy which struck the Welsh mining village of Aberfan in 1966, when a mountain of coal slurry engulfed a school, claiming 144 lives, many of them children.
Examining the career of Leeds troubadour Jake Thackray, which saw him perform his unique style of satirical but hauntingly romantic music and poetry on television and radio, and live on stage, making appearances on The Frost Report, That's Life! and The Braden Beat.
Drawing on BBC archive footage, the beloved performer talks about his highs and lows.
BBC documentary about K-Dogg and his dream to become world "In The Groove" champion.
A documentary that explored the science and the story of five individuals in the Ulas family that walk with a previously unreported quadruped gait.
Former Atomic Kitten Jenny Frost faces up to her breast hang-ups and talks to other women about their experiences. Can Jenny learn to love her boobs?
This programme focuses on Britain's black community in the Georgian era, profiling the slave-turned-author Ignatius Sancho.
Writer Jacques Peretti grew up glued to darts: a gripping, beer-swilling sport with high scores and larger-than-life stars. In this documentary, he presents an eye-opening account of the sport's heady popularity in the 1970s and 1980s.
The story of James Cracknell and Ben Fogle's conquering of the Atlantic in a row boat. When celebrity rowers James Cracknell and Ben Fogle decided to compete in the Atlantic Rowing Race, they thought they knew what to expect. In reality they had no idea. Through Hell And High Water follows the incredible journey made by these two men. Rowing 2,930 miles, James and Ben recount their epic journey: a journey that sees them battle stormy weather, dehydration, life threatening conditions and colossal physical stress. At times, their remarkable voyage becomes a living hell, stretching their friendship to breaking point. Pushed physically, psychologically and emotionally to the limit, Ben and James often rowed naked to avoid serious chafing. They survived without water rations for 2 days, lost the few clothes they had in a freak wave, capsized, hallucinated, wept, fought, played games, grew beards and nursed blisters. Forty nine days later, they were the first pair to cross the finishing line, becoming the first ever British team to ever win the race. Included in the wealth of extras on the DVD are James and Ben’s heartfelt diaries.
My Small Breasts and I uncovers the complex, poignant, and sometimes amusing relationship women have with their tiny breasts. Talking candidly, three women reveal how they really feel about their own bodies and the lengths to which they'll go to change their situation. Sharon Tan is 28, and one of the three small-chested women featured on this film, seems the most well-adjusted. It isn’t clear whether this is because she’s naturally laid back or if her perspective was helped by having a boyfriend (Bronson) who’s clearly mad about her and happy to put up with no cuddles for 12 weeks while she stuffs her tits into a suction cup every night for 11 hours in an effort to swell them to a C cup. Kate Bailey, 22 is said to be too scared to go out because she thinks everyone is looking at her. When she gets the chance to visit a phototherapist in New York however, she somehow manages to drag herself out to buy some new clothes, and the flight to the Big Apple doesn’t seem to daunt her overmuch either. Laura Taylor has wanted a boob job since she was 14 but she can’t afford it. She’s discovered a website where men will help towards the cost in exchange for photos and emails from her. Armed with this potential source of income she visits a doctor to explore her implant options, and sits in on the surgery where a new-found friend is expanded to a D cup.
Drama-documentary telling the story of one of the last trials by battle to be fought in Europe, a tale of sex, brutality and political machination set in 14th century medieval France. A knight, Sir Jean de Carrouges, accuses his former best friend, Jacques Le Gris, of raping his wife Marguerite. Unable to obtain justice from his feudal overlord, Carrouges appeals to the king for the ancient right to fight a duel to the death to find out God's truth. There is much at stake. If Carrouges dies in the battle, Marguerite will also be burned to death as a liar. This tense story, told from records of the day, is set against the backdrop of the 100 years war between England and France, 14th century attitudes towards women, crime and punishment and the political intrigues of the feudal system.
Unfairly known as a one-hit wonder for his noirish novel The Thirty-Nine Steps, it tells the story of the real John Buchan, affording him the attention he has long deserved. Drawing on both his published works and his private correspondence and papers, with unique access provided by his latest biographer, is the first full television profile of an extraordinary man.
Alexander Waugh has been passionate about pianos ever since he was a small boy. Fuelled by an insatiable curiosity about the roots of his musical addiction, he sets out in search of other like-minded piano-obsessives to discover what it is about this instrument that has the power to turn seemingly rational people into compulsive lifelong piano junkies. Framed and punctuated by Alexander's effort to teach a novice to play the piano in a week, the film follows him on his quest around the concert halls and homes of classical and pop pianists like Paul Lewis, Jools Holland and Damon Albarn as well as a wide range of enthusiastic amateurs, including a child prodigy, a pilot and a national newspaper editor.
Profile of best-selling author Len Deighton, whose output ranges from the Harry Palmer espionage thrillers to books on military history and cookery. Contributors include Michael Caine and Max Hastings.
Castrati were the undisputed superstars of 18th-century musical culture, driving crowds wild with their intoxicatingly androgynous virtuoso voices. Nicholas Clapton, countertenor and castrato historian, analyses the anatomical mysteries of the castrato and the biological implications of castrato. He travels to Bologna, the adopted home of Farinelli, perhaps the most famous castrato. And for the first time in Britain, American male soprano Michael Maniaci, a young Baroque opera singer whose voice did not break at puberty, performs Mozart's Exultate Jubilate, a piece originally written for castrato Rauzzini.
The Moon - Ruler of the Night This exclusive BBC documentary tries to explain the ancient fascination of humans for the earthly satellite. Almost every night it stands on the sky, sometimes a small sickle, sometimes full and round. The full moon is a symbol of fertility and insanity, lust for murder and werewolves. But what influence does the moon really hold on our life? This movie shows the millenia old fascination for the earthly satellite - from the stone-circles of ancient moon-cults to the time of the cold war to new missions to the moon in the near future. Science has discovered the moon anew. After the race to space had been won by the Americans it quickly lost its magic/attraction. Already new and farther away targets were luring. The long awaited landing on the moon insofar turned out to be a disappointment as it only showed that the earth-satellite was exactly what had been observed in the sky: a cold, lifeless rock which only catches the attention of the eye because it reflects the light of the sun. This realization left no room for the century old myths and legends which surrounded the moon. Yet, while the public turned its attention to new discoveries, geologists just started with their examinations. The gathered moonstone told the story of the creation of the earth and its satellite from a new point of view. The moon itself emerged from the collision of the young earth and another planet some 4.5 billion years ago. Its rock hasn't changed much since and thus gives important clues to the history of the earth. Other celestial bodies like the Jupiter satellites Io and Europa and the Saturn-moon Titan turned out to be exciting worlds with gigantic volcanic eruptions, thick atmospheres and ice-covered oceans. Should our own moon too hold more than had been discovered until now? Indeed scientists found something of interest on the poles: a thin layer of ice which could provide humans with life-giving water. This discovery ignited the race to spa
A groundbreaking history of the British Enlightenment retraces the innovations in representative government, industrialization, religious tolerance, and individualism that made the eighteenth century so important in the history of England, and the world. Historian professor Roy Porter examines the contributions of 18th-century British scientists, philosophers, economists and industrialists to the era that shaped the destiny of modern Europe.
Jonathan Ross goes in search of his hero, Steve Ditko, co-creator of Spider-Man but virtually unknown to all but a handful of comic-book enthusiasts. In a one-off film for BBC Four, Ross, a noted comic-book enthusiast and obsessive Ditko fan, goes in search of the comic-book legend who lives his life as a recluse. Ditko should be a multi-millionaire. Many times he has been offered vast sums of cash in return for explaining why he left Marvel and, of course, Spider-Man, the character he co-created with Stan Lee back in 1961. Ditko and Lee worked together at Marvel for five years but, when Spider-Man was on the verge of becoming the best-sëlling comic book in the world, Ditko left the book and the company. While at Marvel, he had designed all of the characters, illustrated and inked each issue and provided Spider-Man with his unique look. He'd also plotted every story, leaving Lee to write the dialogue. In the years that followed he continued creating many new and wonderful characters for the biggest comic companies, as well as expressing his own political and personal views in independently published books. He has never explained why he left Spider-Man when he did, or why he has never returned to draw his most famous character again. It's a question that intrigues and perplexes comic fans all over the world. Meanwhile, Stan Lee's contribution to the Spider-Man phenomenon has left him well-known and wealthy. To discover what led to Ditko's unusual career path, and in an effort to ensure this reclusive genius receives the credit that he's due, Ross heads off in search of both the man and, hopefully, the truth. Ross's search takes him from the UK to Los Angeles. On his journey, he talks to those who have met and worked with Ditko, including Lee and another comic-book legend, Northampton-based Alan Moore.
Documentary about brother and sister duo The Carpenters, one of the biggest selling pop acts of the 1970s, but one with a destructive and complex secret that ended in tragedy with Karen Carpenter's untimely death at 32. Featuring behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with Richard Carpenter, family and friends.
Former General Motors high-flyer John DeLorean had a plan to build a stylish European sports car, at a price that would make it attractive to the American market. The site he chose for his state-of-the-art factory was on the outskirts of Belfast, a city best-known for sectarian violence and high levels of unemployment. The unexpected marriage of high-tech glamour with the gritty reality of 1970s Northern Ireland captured the public's imagination but this early optimism would end in failure. Although the cars looked great, the windows leaked and the engines seized; as his financial problems mounted the maverick DeLorean faced charges of drugs trafficking. Adrian Dunbar narrates the story.
HMS Coventry brought down more aircraft than any other ship during the Falklands War. As other British ships sank around them, Coventry believed they were invincible. But at the height of the conflict, HMS Coventry was sent on a risky mission to lure enemy bombers away from the troops landing in San Carlos Bay. The Argentineans duly obliged by sending waves of Skyhawks to take out the British Destroyer. By late afternoon on May 25th 1982, HMS Coventry had already survived two raids and shot down three enemy planes. But just as Captain Hart Dyke and his crew thought they had weathered the storm, the Argentineans launched one last attack. For the first time in 25 years the men of HMS Coventry tell their dramatic story.
Documentary looking at the music and mythology of a golden era in Californian culture, and telling the story of how Los Angeles changed from a kooky backwater in the early 1960s to become the artistic and industrial hub of the American music industry by the end of the 1970s. Alongside extensive and never before seen archive footage, the programme features comprehensive first-hand accounts of the key figures including musicians (David Crosby, Graham Nash, J. D. Souther, Bernie Leadon and Bonnie Raitt, music industry bosses (David Geffen, Jac Holzman, Ron Stone and Peter Asher) and legendary LA scenesters including Henry Diltz, Pamela Des Barres and Ned Doheny. The film explores how the socially-conscious folk rock of young hippies with acoustic guitars was transformed into the coked-out stadium excess of the late 1970s and the biggest selling album of all time.
Although believed to be gods by many ancient civilisations, who saw them as bringers of life or harbingers of doom, to Isaac Newton they were the key to unlocking the secrets of gravity. Hundreds of years later, a new breed of space mission can show what comets are really made of, where they come from, and their surprising influence on events on Earth.
Fifty years ago Sputnik was launched by the Russians, and the space age dawned. Starting with the jubilation, fear and panic that accompanied the launch of "The Red Moon", this documentary explores how satellites have now affected almost every aspect of our lives. Spy satellites and GPS (global positioning system) have transformed the military. Communications have been revolutionized, with Telstar, the first commercially-launch satellite, even becoming an international celebrity. Satellites have revolutionized our understanding of our climate, saving countless lives. Hubble, so nearly a disaster, went on to change the way we understand our universe. Thanks to satellites, the world is now a smaller, safer, and better understood place. The programme explores the technological milestones that have made all this possible but ends with a warning. Our civilization is now dependent on satellites, making us vulnerable were something to go wrong. Recent events in China have revealed just how vulnerable we might be, for they suggest we might be on the verge of another new age - of satellite terrorism.
This documentary speaks to some of the people who saw or met up with him in that last week. The woman who watched him lick his plate clean, and fail to sign a cheque, in his local restaurant; Duff Mckagan, former bass player of Guns n Roses, who sat next to him on the plane back to Seattle; his drug counsellor from rehab. There are also those who claim to have seen him in those last few days, to have touched the hem of his cloth. And there is Brant, who saw him in a dream the night before he died. It is a film about the generation of a myth. Of the deification of Cobain and the eery silence that fell over Seattle in the days following his death, when his ghost wandered the city.
The documentary is based around the Evel Knievel Days event in Butte, Montana. The presenter, Richard Hammond, spends four days with former motorcycle daredevil Evil Knievel. Knievel, by now 69 years old had become very ill, requiring an oxygen tank strapped up to him constantly to aid with breathing and 48 hours before the film crew arrived Knievel had a stroke.[2] At several points during filming, Knievel cuts the interview short and leaves before Hammond has finished asking questions.
In the days when Britain's car industry was the envy of the world, Rover epitomised everything to which the driver of taste aspired, but in 2005 it reached the end of the road. The film explores how Rover cars went from defining their eras to becoming victims of their times, telling the story behind the key models to the controversial joint ventures with Japanese and Indian manufacturers in later years.
When Luciano Pavarotti died in 2007, the world lost one of its finest voices. The 'King of the High Cs' was sought after by all the major opera houses in his early career. International superstardom came with his Three Tenors and Pavarotti and Friends concerts, and his version of Nessun Dorma was used for the BBC's coverage of the 1990 FIFA World Cup. This portrait uses archive and the memories of his closest associates- including Jose Carreras, Dame Joan Sutherland and Juan Diego Florez.
Documentary telling the tragic story of the greatest loss of fathers in British history. When the nation was called to arms in the patriotic fervour of 1914 it was difficult to imagine that, four years later, half a million children would have lost their fathers in battle. The impact of their deaths was devastating and never forgotten by their sons and daughters. Now in their 90s, they go on an emotional journey to remember their lost fathers, culminating in a visit to their graves in France.
Robert Baden-Powell's handbook Scouting for Boys, written in 1908, may be largely forgotten today but it is one of the most influential and best-selling books of all time. In the 20th century, only the Bible, the Koran and the Thoughts of Chairman Mao sold more. But they had fewer jokes, no pictures and were useless at important stuff like tying knots. In this entertaining and affectionate film, Ian Hislop uncovers the story behind the book which kick-started the Scout Movement - a work which is very eccentric, very Edwardian and very British.
Capturing the beauty of the English Lake District, a documentary which traces the life of writer and artist Alfred Wainwright, the eccentric Lancastrian who created a series of iconic fell-walking books which he hand-wrote, illustrated and published himself in the 1950s. Celebrating the centenary of his birth, the film captures his passionate love affair with the Lakeland landscape and explores how his books have become guide-book classics for millions of fell-walkers.
Documentary charting the extinction of the dodo and the lessons that could be applied to modern life.
The novelist Dame Beryl Bainbridge thinks she's going to die at the age of 71, because everyone in her family died when they were that age, from her mother and father to her grandparents, aunts and uncles. Opening with her 71st birthday, this uniquely personal film, made by Beryl's eldest grandson Charlie Russell, follows Beryl as she lives out her 'last year', prepares for her death and tries to write her final novel.
Documentary about the Debbie Harry-fronted New York band Blondie, who crossed pop with punk, reggae and rap and had no 1's in all styles, from their Bowery beginnings at CBGBs in 1974 to their controversial induction into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame. With exclusive backstage and performance footage from their 2006 UK tour, plus in-depth interviews with current and ex-band members and friends Iggy Pop, Shirley Manson, Tommy Ramone, and Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth of Talking Heads.
Graham Norton profiles the leading ladies of the disco era, including Gloria Gaynor, Donna Summer, Grace Jones, Chaka Khan, Madonna and 'honorary disco queen' Sylvester. Includes contributions from the queens themselves, plus Antonio 'Huggy Bear' Fargas, choreographer Arlene Phillips, songwriters Ashford and Simpson, disco artists Verdine White from Earth, Wind and Fire, Bonnie Pointer of the Pointer Sisters and Nile Rodgers of Chic.
Louis Theroux heads to Las Vegas, the fastest growing city in America, to take a look at the pastime that made it famous and meet the gamblers, the high rollers and the casino men who keep this town in the middle of the desert green with money. The Las Vegas Hilton is Louis's home over the course of one very memorable long weekend. Once the biggest hotel in the world, it is old school Vegas with a face-lift; this is the casino where Elvis played over eight hundred sold-out shows. We meet Richard Wilk, the Hilton's smooth-talking 'super host' who prides himself on his ability to say yes to his clients. Louis hangs out with Richard's high-rolling 'whales'. Whales like Allan, who flies in from Canada to party in a 25,000 dollar suite, ready to blow 200,000 dollars or more over the weekend. Louis makes his way past the dancing girls and flashing lights to find Martha, a glamorous septuagenarian who spends at least 1,000 dollars a day on the slots. She hasn't missed a day in ten years and has lost 4 million dollars. And there's John and Tim, Vegas regulars who take Louis under their wing as he nervously gambles his own money on one long night on the black jack table. They walk away at 5am - but are they winners?
Journalist Kate Silverton abandons the safety of her BBC studio to embark on an adrenalin-fuelled journey of discovery through Britain's fastest flowing rivers and most turbulent seas. Amid the pounding North Cornish surf, Kate's childhood fear of open water dramatically re-awakens. Now she must conquer not only strong currents, huge waves and white water, but also her own worst nightmares.
How the squalid streets of '70s New York gave birth to music that would go on to conquer the world - punk, disco and hip hop. In the 1970s the Big Apple was rotten to the core, yet out of the grime, grit and low rent space emerged new music unlike anything that had gone before.
Joseph Koerner explores the art, architecture and music of fin de siecle Vienna. Using one of Vienna's most famous sons, Sigmund Freud, as a key, Koerner attempts to unlock Vienna's psyche for clues as to why this unlikely city gave birth to modernism. Home to Klimt, Schoenberg and Hitler, he portrays an artistic and intellectual melting pot; a place where many of the great dreams, and nightmares, of the modern era were first imagined.
Documentary about the men who use sophisticated life-size dolls for sexual satisfaction and more - such as dates, affection and lifelong companionship. Featuring a young American man who gives his doll daily massages in the home he shares with his disapproving Mum and Dad; a British man who takes his doll out on day trips to the coast where she watches him hang- glide; and two Americans who live with multiple dolls, one of whom shares his eight synthetic lovers with his human girlfriend.
Dan Snow follows the making of the British Museum's biggest exhibition in a generation and tells the story of its subject, the First Emperor of China. Qin Shihuangdi is one of the most important but least well-known men in history. He founded the world's oldest political entity and created the spectacular Terracotta Army to guard his vast tomb. With exclusive access to the BM team for over a year, Dan follows the curator Jane Portal, and the design team, as they create a blockbuster exhibition in the historic Round Reading Room and he travels to China to see the original Great Wall, the sacred mountain Tai Shan, and the great necropolis at Xian with its thousands of warriors.
Documentary presented by Rageh Omaar which reveals the lives, hopes and fears of the young generation of Tehran, the most intriguing, talked about but least understood city in the world today.
Forty years after Britain's foremost 'underground' band released their debut album, 'Piper At The Gates Of Dawn', Pink Floyd remain one of the biggest brand names and best-loved bands in the world. This film features extended archive footage alongside original interviews with David Gilmour, Roger Waters, Richard Wright and Nick Mason, and traces the journey of a band that has only ever had five members, three of whom have lead the band at different stages of its evolution.
Louis struggles to come to terms with the infamous family who picket the funerals of soldiers in protest against an America that tolerates homosexuality.
Fifty years ago, Britain suffered its worst nuclear accident. On the night of 10 October 1957, a fire began to spread throughout the core of the Windscale nuclear reactor, sending radioactive dust across Britain. Using the taped recordings of the inquiry into the fire - which have been kept secret ever since the disaster and are heard for the first time - and featuring interviews with the men who risked their lives to prevent a tragedy, this film reveals how political ambition fuelled the fire and then dictated that the heroes of Windscale be made the scapegoats. The Windscale nuclear reactor was a project on an unprecedented scale. Designed to produce materials first for Britain's A-bomb, and then for the H-bomb, it was a triumphant statement of British scientific and technological prowess. But, beneath its image, Windscale had been built in a hurry - with dire consequences. Radioactive leaks were found and the core of the reactor began dangerously overheating. Some scientists warned that radioactive materials inside could catch fire. But the leaks were hushed up and the warnings ignored. Instead, Windscale was ordered to achieve even greater increases in output to meet a political deadline to explode Britain's first H-bomb. The result was potential disaster - the core of the reactor caught fire and radioactive dust began spreading over the country. Windscale workers faced a terrible dilemma - if they tried to put the fire out with water they risked turning the reactor into a gigantic nuclear bomb, and if they let the fire burn, it could contaminate people across a huge area. Risking death from explosion and radioactive poisoning, the Windscale men averted a major tragedy. The inquiry revealed that the warnings about the risks had been hushed up or ignored. But the government kept its findings secret, and instead blamed the fire on an "error of judgement" by the very workers who had first warned of the potential problems and then battled so heroic
Survival Expert Ray Mears takes actor Ewan McGregor deep into the Honduran Jungle in search of a lost civilisation. Ray is no soft option travelling companion - he tests people to the utmost in the wild. After just a few basic lessons in survival they set off to face everything the jungle can throw at them.
This special hosted by the BBC is an hour-long documentary set in Haddon Hall, in Derbyshire. Haddon Hall, started in 1195, is one of the most spectacularly preserved manors in England. Although the castle/manor has been used in literature, TV shows and movies and is currently open to visitors during part of the year, the Tudor kitchen hadn’t been used in 300 years. The team of historians and archaeologists in this fascinating documentary recreate a Tudor feast using period ingredients, recipes, kitchenware, and methods. They have three days to prepare and cook the [feast] and they use every minute. The first thing the recreationists do is light the big ovens using flint and steel with a bit of linen to catch the flame. They gather water in wooden buckets from the stream for water. They grind up sugar blocks, spices, and knead dough for all the dishes, explaining the importance of each to the Tudor feast. We learn from the experts how a boar would have been hunted, how fish in the river would have been caught, how confections were made, and food was prepared. They explain most of the dishes, including the boar, the peacock that has been skinned and stuffed with meat delicacies, and the desert subtlety which was gilded with gold leaf applied with a feather. They even set the feast hall and the tables as they would have in the Tudor period, and explain some table manners. Finally, the feast is enjoyed by several guests in period garb, a nice conclusion to an interesting and informative journey into the culinary past.
David Malone looks at four brilliant mathematicians - Georg Cantor, Ludwig Boltzmann, Kurt Gödel and Alan Turing - whose genius has profoundly affected us, but which tragically drove them insane and eventually led to them all committing suicide. The film begins with Georg Cantor, the great mathematician whose work proved to be the foundation for much of the 20th-century mathematics. He believed he was God's messenger and was eventually driven insane trying to prove his theories of infinity.
A warm, amusing and moving profile of the famous jazz singer and critic as he reflects on his life and music and visits his old haunts in Soho, Barcelona and Wales. With contributions from Dr Jonathan Miller and Humphrey Littleton.
Rough Crossings, presented by Simon Schama, tells the story of Britain, the slave trade and the American War of Independence; and how the British government offered freedom to enslaved African Americans if they would fight for the king. It focuses on the little-known, heroic story of three incredible men: freed slaves Thomas Peters and David George and English Naval Officer John Clarkson.
Nicky Taylor hits the drinking circuits of Britain to investigate what's going on with women on their nights out, asking how big is the problem, is the binge drinking to blame and what the link is between alcohol and aggression.
Lonesome George is officially the loneliest animal on the planet. He is the last remaining Pinta Island Giant Tortoise in existence; when he dies, his race will be extinct. He has become an icon of his native Galapagos Islands and symbol of the battle to preserve their unique wildlife. The islands are at a critical point in their history - threatened by illegal fishing, the demands of a booming population and an ever-expanding tourism industry - yet the will within the islanders to protect Galapagos is strong. This is both the personal story of Lonesome George and of the local characters intent on turning around the fortunes of their unique tropical paradise.
Actor, writer, director and presenter Stephen Fry reveals the things he considers his guiltiest pleasures. These include darts, romantic novels by Georgette Heyer, the work of Richard Wagner and TV game show Countdown. With the help of entertaining clips and personal recollections, the programme provides an amusing insight into the mind of one of Britain's favourite comedy performers.
Documentary to celebrate the great man's 50th birthday, with interviews from colleagues such as Emma Thompson and Richard Curtis.
Two contrasting artists of the Edwardian era come under scrutiny: Walter Sickert of the Camden Town School, who painted low life, and the glamorous John Singer Sargent, who painted the rich and famous.
With cameras in the car of a boy racer, the programme sets him the ultimate challenge - can he change from reckless speed freak into a model motorist before he kills himself?
Rageh Omaar tells the story of the Dead Sea Scrolls and uncovers the truth behind the myth. The biblical find of the age, they contain the earliest versions of the Hebrew bible, maps to hidden temple treasure, and insight into the mindset of John the Baptist, Jesus, and the early Christians. But the scrolls were soon embroiled in controversy, with allegations of conspiracy and cover-up, rumours that persist today thanks to The Da Vinci Code.
David Baddiel travelled to Russia in 2004 to see the remnants of his grandfather's factory, stolen by the Nazis. It is estimated that $150 billion of Jewish businesses, houses, art collections and cash were taken from Jews during the Holocaust. David embarks on a new journey to New York, Berlin and Poland to discover how Jews have been fighting to get their money back. Along the way he is forced to confront his own discomfort about the issue of Holocaust restitution.
Tommy Cooper was a national comedy institution whose catchphrase still remains in the language today. This bumbling giant with outsized feet and hands, whose mere entrance on stage had audiences erupting with uncontrollable laughter, was born in Caerphilly in 1921. This programme looks at the life and art of the man in the fez whose clumsy, fumbling stage magic tricks hid a real talent as a magician. His private life was complicated and often difficult but as far as his audiences were concerned, he was first and foremost a clown whose confusion with the mechanisms of everyday life made for hilarious viewing. Contributors include Tom O'Connor and Barry Cryer.
Jeremy Paxman presents a docudrama about tragic First World War poet Wilfred Owen, telling the poignant tale of his life from a childhood in Shropshire and northern England to his travels in pre-war France. Paxman visits the sites of the battles in which he fought and died, and there are reconstructions from Owen's experience in the trenches and in hospital, when he was writing most intensely.
Darcey Bussell, who retired from the Royal Ballet in 2007, introduces and demonstrates some of her favourite ballet moments with dancers Roberto Bolle and Jonathan Cope. Featuring some of her own performances and archive highlights, with music ranging from Scott Joplin to Tchaikovsky. The ballets include Giselle, The Nutcracker and a classic performance by Margot Fonteyn in Swan Lake.
Why are we so attracted to the music of nature? In this documentary, David Rothenberg interviews leading birdsong scientists and musicians, including Jarvis Cocker and Beth Orton, to support his controversial idea that birds might actually be singing for the sheer joy of it. The film features a unique musical composition combining human music with birdsong, with contributions from Peter Gabriel, the Guillemots - and even an eider duck and a woodpecker:
Marcus du Sautoy presents the story of those who have tried to capture one of the greatest unsolved problems of mathematics, the pattern of prime numbers. Filmed on location in America, India, Greece, Germany and England, the film includes interviews with some of the world's leading mathematicians.
Documentary about the work of the world's most famous space telescope. Hubble celebrated its 15th anniversary in 2005 and has been used to look into the furthest regions of the universe.
At midnight on 31st December 2006, Britain finally paid off the last tranche of its multi-billion dollar debt to the Americans from the end of World War 2. Sir Christopher Meyer, controversial former ambassador to Washington during the Bush and Blair era and author of explosive memoirs DC Confidential, tells the dramatic story of how we came to be mortgaged to the Americans, and reveals what this cautionary tale really tells us about our so-called special relationship.
This film investigates the variety of stories surrounding the New Testament account of the crucifixion, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus, by interviewing historians, theologians and historical researchers. This exploration of the latest theories about what really happened to Jesus 2000 years ago uncovers some surprising possibilities. At the heart of the mystery is the suspicion that Jesus might not actually have died on the cross. The film concludes that it was perfectly possible to survive crucifixion in the 1st Century - there are records of people who did. But if Jesus survived, what happened to him afterwards? One of the most remarkable stories concerns the charismatic preacher Jus Asaf (Leader of the Healed) who arrived in Kashmir in around 30 AD. Just before he died at the age of 80, Jus Asaf claimed that he was in fact Jesus Christ and the programme shows his tomb, next to which are his carved footprints which bear the scars of crucifixion.
Griff Rhys Jones reveals how Dickens created the idea of a traditional family Christmas through one of his best-known books, A Christmas Carol. From the moment it was published in 1843, the story of miserly Ebeneezer Scrooge captured the imagination of Victorian Britain. Santa Claus, Christmas cards and crackers were invented around the same time, but it was Dickens's book that boosted the craze for Christmas, above all promoting the idea that Christmas is best celebrated with the family. Interviewees include former on-screen Scrooge, Patrick Stewart, and writer Lucinda Hawksley, great-great-great-granddaughter of Charles Dickens himself.
Climate change is being felt the world over and if global warming continues to increase the effects could be catastrophic. Some scientists and engineers are proposing radical, large-scale ideas that could save us from disaster. The first three proposed ideas, featured in the film, look at reducing the power of the sun; thereby cooling the planet. The other two men in the program want to tackle the problem of excess carbon dioxide; the cause of global warming. Most of the scientists are reluctant advocates of these ideas, and all believe we should be cutting down on our use of fossil fuels to heat our homes and drive our cars. But is time running out for planet earth? Although these ideas might have unknown side effects, some scientists believe we may soon have no choice but to put these radical and controversial plans into action.
The story of US soldier James Joseph Dresnok, who deserted his unit in 1962 while guarding the peace in South Korea. After walking the most heavily fortified area on earth, he defected to the Cold War enemy, finding fame as a film actor and being hailed as a coveted star of the North Korean propaganda machine. Forty-five years later, this film reveals the lives of Comrade Joe and other American defectors.
Edinburgh is often described as the 'Athens of the North' but its most famous detective Inspector Rebus views Scotland's capital in quite a different light - it is a crime scene waiting to happen. As his creator Ian Rankin prepares to write the last ever Rebus case, the award-winning author re-visits the key locations from the books. From the city's 'pubic triangle' and the home of Scotland's most infamous madam to a police station where he was interviewed about a real murder, Rankin explores the hidden Edinburgh into which tourists never venture.
To mark the 30th anniversary, this documentary tells of the undercover investigation that rewrote the rules of drug policing and changed the way the drug trade operated in the UK.
Documentary looking at how British teenagers are increasingly being tempted by the limitless porn available on the internet, with some becoming addicts. Three of them tell their stories of differing use of porn and their battles to overcome its lure, providing a unique insight into a part of growing up today.
Documentary about Belgium's greatest boy detective and his creator Herge, as related in a rare taped interview by journalist Numa Sadoul. Featuring groundbreaking animation in which footage of Herge is synchronised to fit the audio interview, plus an interview with Tintin expert, the late Harry Thompson.
'My Family and Other Animals' made Gerald Durrell a national celebrity, but it was his pioneering work at Jersey Zoo that changed the way we treat endangered species. With contributions from his closest colleagues and friends, including David Attenborough and Desmond Morris, and drawing on his extensive TV archive, this is a revealing and warming portrait of a man who made a lasting difference to his family of animals.
Crime writer Ian Rankin investigates The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. Starting with Robert Louis Stevenson's nightmare in September 1885, Rankin traces the roots of this story, which stretches back to Stevenson's childhood. Grave-robbers, hallucinatory drugs and prostitution all play their part in the disturbing account of Henry Jekyll's double-life, as Rankin's journey takes him into the yeasty draughts and unlit closes of the city that inspired the tale - Edinburgh.
John Ware relates the inside story of how the British and American governments invaded Iraq but had no plan for what happened next - how to bring peace and democracy to a country of 26 million with no history of either. With testimony from British and Americans who were there, he reveals how the drumbeat to war drowned out the repeated warnings from the British Embassy in Washington and some British generals and civil servants about the 'black hole' in American post-war planning.
John Ware relates the inside story of how the British and American governments invaded Iraq but had no plan for what happened next - how to bring peace and democracy to a country of 26 million with no history of either. One former British general who was part of the reconstruction team described the failure by Washington and London to plan properly for the peace as 'snatching defeat from the jaws of victory'.
Poor James May. As he was stuck between his older and younger sisters, Jane and Sarah, the only toys he played with were their hand-me-downs. Sifting through the family toy box prompts James to share his tale of woe. Jane and Sarah do get their say, but not before James blows up the tree house family, races in a converted 'silver cross' pram, makes over a 'Girl's World' head, projects a Spirograph on the side of the Royal Festival Hall and makes his own Fuzzy Felt animated film.
Julia Hartley-Brewer examines the role of Leader of the Opposition and asks what lessons David Cameron can learn from history as he plots his path to power. He has already abandoned his party's confrontational stance as he bids to recast the image of the Tories as the nasty party and rebrand it as modern, compassionate and caring. The programme looks at what he can learn from the tactics of previous opposition leaders, from Winston Churchill to Tony Blair.
Rageh Omaar embarks on a unique journey inside what he describes as one of the most misunderstood countries in the world, looking at the country through the eyes of people rarely heard - ordinary Iranians. Omaar visited Tehran - the region's capital - once before as a news reporter, filming the incendiary demonstrations and recording the uncompromising statements from officials since the aftermath of the Islamic Revolution of 1979. But his experiences of being in the city never left him. Omaar's journey takes him under the skin of the city and he meets with local people who share with him their personal stories and feelings about the current state of affairs in Iran. There are stories of taxi drivers; wrestlers; business women; people working with drug addicts and the country's leading pop star and his manager – the Simon Cowell of Iran - who drove Omaar around Tehran in his Mercedes-Benz. Welcome to Tehran is told as a journey through Tehran, but also as a very personal essay by Omaar as he digs deeper into this complex and fascinating society.
Documentary which tells the story of a rock star and a quantum mechanic. Mark Oliver Everett, better known as E, is the lead singer of cult US band the Eels. What most of his fans don't know is that Mark's father, Hugh Everett III, was one of America's top quantum physicists. In 1957, Hugh Everett came up with a revolutionary theory that predicts the existence of parallel universes. The idea quickly seeped into popular culture but only recently has it been accepted by mainstream physicists. However, Mark was estranged from his father - Hugh died when Mark was just 19 - and knows little about his father's early life and virtually nothing about his controversial theory. With a soundtrack by the Eels, the film follows the wry and charismatic Mark as he travels across America to learn about the father he never knew. It is only by entering the paradoxical world of quantum mechanics that Mark can hope to understand why he was such a stranger to his own father.
As part of the Kidult season, this documentary tells the story of some of the brightest mathematical brains of a generation. Each year, exceptionally gifted teenagers from over 90 countries compete for medals at the International Mathematical Olympiad. The film follows a group of brilliant teenagers as they battle it out to become the chosen six selected to represent the UK. Many youngsters see maths as an ordeal, but for these teenagers it's a passion they are completely devoted to. We also hear how, for some, their extraordinary talent has left them ostracized at school. At just 15, Jonathan is the youngest contender in the group. A rocket-building enthusiast, he has already broken several UK distance records. However, Jonathan's academic gifts and scientific interests have led to him being bullied for being 'geeky'. Some members of the group are on the autistic spectrum, and find social and confidence issues affect their everyday lives. 17-year-old Daniel has been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome, but recognizes that 'it's good to be different'. Apart from mathematics, the most important thing in Daniel's life is his girlfriend Zhu Yan. The couple met when Daniel spent three months traveling around China, during which time he taught himself fluent Mandarin. He is desperate to win a medal at the Olympiad and we follow his progress as he gears up for the competition and brings Zhu Yan back from China to his family home in York with the intention of marrying her. As the competition day draws closer and minds and emotions are pushed to the limit, the film shows these young geniuses in their element, enjoying the subject they love and ultimately being celebrated as they deserve.
Documentary recalling the Hungarian uprising of autumn 1956, which, although it failed and was savagely repressed by the Soviets and their collaborators in Hungary, marked a crucial moment in the history of the Soviet domination of Eastern Europe and the Cold War. It was in many ways the prelude to the events of Prague in 1968 and the Solidarity movement in Poland. The flowering of optimism that moved masses of Hungarians, inebriated by the idea of democratic government and the end of Soviet-backed tyranny, provided a source of inspiration for other dissenters throughout the Eastern bloc. There was something immensely heroic about Hungary's freedom-fighters, who fought a just war against overwhelming odds and something tragic about their inevitable defeat, once they realised that the West would not come to their rescue and that Khrushchev was determined to not give an inch. The images of men, women and children climbing on Soviet tanks disabled by skilfully thrown Molotov cocktails, or young 'freedom-fighters' stalking the Budapest streets with machine-guns slung over their shoulders was instantly iconic. 200,000 Hungarians fled to the West, of whom only 40,000 returned. Many people were sent to prison and at least 1,200 executed. The wounds inflicted in those bitter days still fester today. The film brings together the memories of a varied group of men and women who tell the story of 1956 from a personal point-of-view, evoking the inner and outer drama of the events - how they affected them as people and how they shaped the mood of the city as a whole. The resulting mix of reminiscences offers a powerful and often deeply emotional account of events, the highs as well as the lows, that have universal significance.
Russell Brand sets out across America's vast heartland in homage to one of his literary heroes, Jack Kerouac and his classic novel, On The Road, which has inspired countless hipsters and restless souls to hit the road. Russell read the book when he was 19 and was excited by the sense of magic and possibility it conjured up. Travelling with his friend Matt Morgan, he sets off on a coast-to-coast adventure that becomes a journey of self-discovery.
Andrew Lincoln narrates a revealing documentary about the sun and our relationship with it over the years, from the worship of the Stone Age to the latest scientific research into ways to harness its power.
Alan Bennett narrates a documentary about James Ravilious, one of the great unknowns of British photography. Son of the renowned water-colourist and engraver Eric Ravilious, he dedicated his art to a small area of north Devon, where over a period of two decades he took more than 80,000 photographs. This collection has become one of the most comprehensive and poignant archives in the country, documenting an English world and way of life most people had thought long gone.
Sanjayan Muttulingam was forced to flee Sierra Leone when civil war erupted. Now a biologist in the United States, Sanjayan returns to his native land to find out what has happened to the animals which inspired him and the people he left behind.
PJ O'Rourke considers the unique role of the California governor, a position held by colourful characters from Arnold Schwarzenegger to Ronald Reagan, and reflects on a trendsetting, democratic state that has been home to hippies, urban rioting and all manner of alternative thinking.
Lesley Joseph narrates a documentary about the unlikely pin-ups of the 1970s music scene, from Gilbert O'Sullivan and Barry White to Leo Sayer and Demis Roussos. These were men whose lyrics conjured up images of candle-lit dinners, red roses and cosy nights in with the man of your dreams. For millions of female fans their romantic music was the perfect soundtrack for dreams of escape from the day-to-day drudgery of life in 70s Britain
To mark the 40th anniversary of the release of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles, the album's engineer, Geoff Emerick, heads back to the studio with some of today's top artists to create new versions of the album's classic tracks. Will today's musicians succeed in recording their versions of the songs using the original studio equipment from 1967, and with only a day to record each song? The Kaiser Chiefs, Razorlight and Bryan Adams are among those taking up the challenge
Jo Brand narrates a profile which celebrates the life and times of the BBC's first flagship live music programme, The Old Grey Whistle Test, which ran from 1971 to 1987. It looks at the music, the presenters, the TV rivals, the sparse studio and the legacy, finds out why Bob Harris whispered, what Sid Vicious tried to do to him and what Camel did with a woodwind quartet and why. All these questions are answered and many more, followed by loving compilations of those early 70s years, the era that time forgot.
On a night out in Doncaster - once crowned HIV Capital of the North - Stephen chats to young people about current attitudes to HIV and risky sex. He also visits his first love from Cambridge who, having separated from Stephen, later found out he and his new partner were positive. And he meets an HIV-positive grandmother, and a 16-year-old girl who has lived with the virus all her life.
In this second part he explores the impact of modern treatments and visits Uganda to investigate why drugs are unavailable there. He also takes an HIV test himself, and wonders why so many others are reluctant to do the same. His conclusion is that, while things have improved medically, the situation seems worse than ever psychologically and socially.
Documentary about the UK record label Stiff Records
Stella Rimington (former MI5 Director General) on the UK's relationship with Russia over the last 150 years
Documentary which looks at the Irish folk revival of the last 20 or 30 years. 60 years ago virtually unheard abroad and largely unloved at home, Irish music has given the world a sense of Ireland and Ireland a sense of itself, as the country has risen from an impoverished post-colonial upstart to a modern European power. Contributors include Christy Moore, Paddy Moloney of The Chieftains, Ronnie Drew of The Dubliners, Liam Clancy of The Clancy Brothers and Shane MacGowan of The Pogues.
Documentary which looks back at Britain during the 18th century, a time of sexual excess and liberation, particularly in London. Vast amounts of erotic art and literature were produced – from the debauches of Fanny Hill, the orgies pictured by Thomas Rowlandson and accounts of the activities of the Hellfire Club. Presenter Matthew Sweet argues that the creators of this erotic enlightenment were not merely grubby pornographers, but that they conjured new ways of understanding human subjectivity.
Since its first foray onto the airwaves on Monday October 28 1957, the Today programme has been setting the nation's agenda. To celebrate its 50th anniversary, this film looks back at some of the most memorable moments in Today's history, drawing on some of the best audio from those 50 years, and remembering and talking to some of those who have been involved in and with the programme.
Britain's withdrawal from India in 1947 triggered one of the biggest migrations in history. 15 million were displaced and more than a million lost their lives. The story is told through the testimony of people who lived together for centuries, but were forced out of their homes as one of the largest and most ethnically diverse nations in the world was divided. Dramatised reconstructions evoke some of the mistrust, violence and upheaval that ensued.
Michael Rosen investigates the quietly subversive world of cartoonist William Heath Robinson, whose crazy contraptions send up the 20th century's blind faith in machines and technology. From his extraordinary cartoons of World War One which expose the absurdity of the technology of war to his mocking illustrations of middle class life-style and etiquette, Rosen reveals Heath Robinson as a suburban visionary.
Documentary about Belgium's greatest boy detective and his creator Herge, as related in a rare taped interview by journalist Numa Sadoul. Featuring groundbreaking animation in which footage of Herge is synchronised to fit the audio interview, plus an interview with Tintin expert, the late Harry Thompson.
Ewan McGregor celebrates the 70th birthday of Scotland's most famous icon.
Presented by David Attenborough. After millions of years evolving at sea, crabs have found new ways to breathe, move, avoid enemies and prevent themselves from baking alive. For every challenge land poses the crabs have found a solution, from digging wells to developing lungs. But the biggest shock is how far they have reached - the middle of the desert!
A celebration of the shows that have tickled our festive funnybones over the years, from the Morecambe and Wise and Mike Yarwood spectaculars of the 1960s and 70s, to the Only Fools and Horses specials of the 1990s. Plus more recent yuletide treats, such as The Royle Family and The Catherine Tate Show.
Highlights of TV coverage from the year that saw New Labour rise to power, the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, and the birth of Dolly, the first cloned sheep.
Using archive editions of Newsnight, the Nine O'Clock News and Question Time, Brian Hanrahan traces the chronology of the Falklands war from invasion through to final victory, including: news coverage of the Task Force setting off from the UK; the re-capture of South Georgia; the sinking of the Belgrano; the attack on HMS Sheffield; and the battle of Goose Green. Presenters who feature in the original BBC coverage include Robin Day, Peter Snow, John Simpson and Donald McCormick.
Victoria Wood goes in search of the legacy of British dominion over much of the globe as she tours the empire of her illustrious namesake. The multi award-winning writer and comedian finds an enduring British influence in Calcutta and Darjeeling in India, before heading for Hong Kong and Borneo.
Documentary which goes in search of the colliding worlds of pop and kids' TV, including the embarrassing moments, strange kids and bizarre incidents that illuminated the many facets of the genre. With interviews from past programme makers, presenters, pop stars and record company executives, including Sarah Greene, Mike Read, Stephen Gately, Tommy Boyd, Searchers and Emma Forbes.
Documentary following the final archaeological exploration of the interior of the largest man-made mound in Europe - Silbury Hill, one of our most mysterious prehistoric landmarks. It also tells the story of the people who built Silbury, people whose beliefs drove them to sculpt the landscape of the Avebury area, leaving a legacy of great structures. Major discoveries help us to understand the monument, revealing that it was built when prehistoric Britain was on the brink of great change.
The story of Colin McRae, the first British driver to win the World Rally Championship, is told by those who knew him best - his co-drivers Derek Ringer and Nicky Grist, the team bosses at Subaru, Ford and Citroen and his father Jimmy, himself a five-time British rally champion.
To mark the 100th anniversary of the Scouting movement, a celebrated roll call of former Guides, Scouts, Cubs and Brownies - including Cherie Blair, Ronnie Corbett, Betty Boothroyd and Arthur Smith - relive nights under canvas, fiddling with knots and singing around the campfire. Meanwhile, Neil Morrissey mucks in with some of today's Scouts for a weekend at camp. Plus, historical and classic comedy clips from the likes of Harry Enfield, the Goodies and Little Britain.
Should England have its own national anthem and should the song be Jerusalem? This documentary explores the enduring appeal of one of the nation's favourite hymns.
Our understanding of Edwardian Britain is dominated by images from flickering footage and formal family portraits. But a remarkable discovery has been made which for the first time gives voice to the Edwardians. Hundreds of recordings have come to light which reveal the accents and dialects of British Prisoners of War held in German camps and recorded during World War One. This archive presents a unique glimpse into the way ordinary men spoke at the time. Joan Washington, a voice coach and expert in British accents, sets out to tell the story of these recordings and piece together how the Edwardians spoke. She returns to the hometowns of some of the prisoners to meet their families and play them the recordings. Listening with an expert ear to the differences between the voices of the prisoners and their families, Joan explores how far all our accents have changed over the century.
From the streets of New York City to the studios of the BBC comes the cream of the New York rock scene, including classic archive performances from the Ramones, New York Dolls, Television, Blondie, Lou Reed and many more.
Today New York is America's greatest city. But 30 years ago this summer, they couldn't even keep the lights on. A blackout plunged seven million people into darkness. Then the nightmare began. Anarchy exploded on the streets: thousands of shops were looted, whole neighbourhoods were burned, it seemed the civilisation of the city had come to an end.
Biography of British motor racing sensation Lewis Hamilton, which tells the story of his incredible rise to fame from humble beginnings in Stevenage to the glitz and glamour of formula one. Includes interviews with Murray Walker, Denise Lewis, Colin Murray, Maxi Jazz and Trevor Nelson.
Alan Titchmarsh presents a tribute to the influential gardener and writer, Christopher Lloyd, who died in January 2006, and who challenged the tyranny of good taste in the garden.
Documentary about zoologist/anthropologist Desmond Morris. With contributions from experts such as Richard Dawkins, Oliver James and Morris's old friend David Attenborough, it asks how credible Morris's observations and conclusions really were in books such as The Naked Ape, and whether there is still anything to learn from studying humans in the way that he did.
Scot Thomas Telford is perhaps Britain's greatest engineer, and nowhere benefited more from his genius than Highland Scotland. 250 years on from his birth, scores of his creations still stand as testament to his achievements - roads, bridges, churches and the great Caledonian canal. This film reveals and celebrates Telford's Highland legacy.
One of Northern Ireland's most engaging columnists and writers Newton Emerson takes a celebratory yet irreverent look at Craigavon, unearthing the original plans, meeting the evicted farmers and visiting the residents of the experimental city.
A look at the colourful lifestyle and inspiring music and lyrics of Shane MacGowan, former lead singer of the Pogues. Featuring specially-recorded performances of MacGowan's songs.
Drama based on the events of May 1915, when the passenger liner Lusitania was sunk just off the coast of Ireland by a single torpedo fired from the German submarine U-20 and almost 1,200 passengers and crew lost their lives. Bitter controversy surrounded the sinking. Was the ship as innocent as she seemed? Had the British government secretly used a passenger ship to carry explosives? Worse still had Winston Churchill deliberately sacrificed then Lusitania to bring America into the war?
One flush and as if by magic our waste disappears forever, but hidden beneath our streets is a subterranean wonderland where everything we drop down the loo ends up. The boys from the brown stuff are the unsung heroes who pick up from where we leave off. Picking their way through build-ups of fat, with rats for company, it's their job to make sure our movements keep on moving all the way to the sewage treatment plant. Documentary maker David Clews follows the men, known in the sewage trade as flushers, who work under the streets of London. For 150 years flushers have spent their working lives knee deep in excrement, a special band of brothers united in their goal to keep our streets faeces free and save us from infectious waste and diseases. They date back to times when men weren’t afraid to get their hands dirty, a job was for life and a day’s work meant hard graft. But times are changing for the flushers of London. Since privatisation and the introduction of modern machinery flusher numbers have plummeted. Once an army 900 strong, now there are only 39 left. One more is about to go, too, as Kenny, the boss, is retiring after 30 years of service. And a new era is also about to begin. For the first time in years the next generation of flushers have been hired. But can the pampered young cope with life underground?
Documentary showing how drab post-war Britain was enlivened by the trad-jazz scene, which ballooned into our first mass youth culture, with thousands of young people dancing the night away in dimly light underground clubs, from Soho's infamous Cy Laurie Club to The Cavern Club in Liverpool. George Melly relives his Rabelaisian youth on the road whilst revisiting some the pubs, clubs and concert halls he once played in. His hilarious stories of singing, drinking and sleeping his way around the country, staying in rotten B n B's and playing to University students are confirmed and embellished by interviews with fellow band members. We learn how 50s Britain saw the emergence of two rival jazz groups - the modernist scene centred around professional bebop musicians Ronnie Scott and friends, and the more amateur raucous style of the trads. Trads wore oversized ex-army gear and duffel coats, drank beer and occasionally took speed to keep awake during their all night parties, whereas the modernists wore sharp suits and black dresses and some musicians dabbled with hard drugs. The bouncer from Cy Laurie's club, Bill Palmer, and regular club goers describe how hundreds of strangely clad trad fans crammed into the club every weekend. Musician Laurie Morgan explains how Archer Street in Soho was the centre of activity for the emergent modernist scene.
1973 was the year when television realised its potential. Elvis Presley's Aloha from Hawaii became the first show with a global audience of one billion and the arrival of large-screen colour TV sets confirmed that as a domestic fixture, the television had come of age. In this film, Mark Lawson looks back at five of the most popular programmes of the year - That's Life!, The Burke Specials, The Generation Game, The Onedin Line and Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? - to consider what their success tells us about life in Britain at this time. With contributions from the former controller of BBC One Bill Cotton, Likely Lads writers Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais, drama producer Verity Lambert and television critic Chris Dunkley.
A look at the cultural phenomenon of the ghost story, from folklore to the present.
Margy Kinmonth meets millionaire customers and world-famous designers as she explores the anachronistic but little-explained pocket of the fashion industry known as haute couture.
Michael Cockerell tells the story of how prime ministers have coped with life after Number Ten, after Tony Blair became the youngest member of the ex-PMs' club for a hundred years.
Documentary about the controversial 1970s union boss Derek Robinson, who led the British Leyland workers into a series of strikes.
Was Wales involved in the slave trade? Two hundred years after the trade was abolished, Sean Fletcher travels to Jamaica to look for clues.
Documentary which tells the inside story of the rise and fall of Beatlemania, using previously unseen archive footage and interviews with those who accompanied the Beatles on tour. By 1966 they had played over 1,400 gigs, toured the world four times and sold the equivalent of 200 million records. At the height of their popularity, and without warning, they pulled the plug and never toured again.
Graham Norton profiles the leading ladies of the disco era, including Gloria Gaynor, Donna Summer, Grace Jones, Chaka Khan, Madonna and 'honorary disco queen' Sylvester. Includes contributions from the queens themselves, plus Antonio 'Huggy Bear' Fargas, choreographer Arlene Phillips, songwriters Ashford and Simpson, disco artists Verdine White from Earth, Wind and Fire, Bonnie Pointer of The Pointer Sisters and Nile Rodgers of Chic.
Documentary presented by Jeremy Clarkson on the raid of the German drydock facilities in St Nazaire, France. This was the only site capable of repairing the German battleship Tirpitz, due to it's size. The St. Nazaire Raid (also called Operation Chariot) was a successful British seaborne attack on the heavily defended docks of St. Nazaire in occupied France on the night of March 28, 1942 during World War II. The operation was undertaken by Royal Navy and Army Commando units under the auspices of Louis Mountbatten's Combined Operations. The obsolete destroyer HMS Campbeltown commanded by Stephen Halden Beattie and accompanied by 18 shallow draft boats, rammed the St. Nazaire lock gates and was blown up, ending use of the dock. Commandos landed on the docks and destroyed other dock structures before attempting to fight their way out. All but 27 of the commandos were either killed or captured: 22 escaped back to Britain in the motor torpedo boats and 5 to the Spanish border. The loss of St. Nazaire as a dry dock would force any large German warship in need of repairs to have to return to home waters. Five Victoria crosses were awarded to men involved in the raid, which has been called The Greatest Raid of All.
Documentary about Gretna Football Club. After unprecedented recent success, Gretna FC are striving to turn the dream of playing in the Scottish Premier League into a reality.
From 2007, a line-up of star performers celebrate the very best of Edward Elgar's music in the 150th anniversary year of his birth.
Andrew Marr explains how Edinburgh changed from a squalid provincial city into a beacon of intellectual thought.
Britain is weighed down by the biggest breasts in Europe. The average chest size of a British teenager has grown dramatically over the past 10 years and is now a whopping 36D. For some young women this is a cause for celebration, for others it can lead to a life of misery as they face bullying and physical pain. Thousands of teenagers - some as young as 13 - are now going under the knife in order to reduce their bust size and "fit" in. This documentary follows the lives of three women who feel defined by their naturally large bust size. One is terrified of having breast reduction surgery but with her breasts causing her chronic back pain she knows it may be her only option. Another hopes that alternative therapies and an exercise regime will downsize her chest; and the third, a fashion student, struggles to be taken seriously in a world where she feels only women with 'small boobs' can look attractive.
Chef Antonio Carluccio goes to his beloved Italy with a Renaissance cookbook for a guide. He follows the trail of its author, Bartolomeo Scappi, who cooked for the cardinals, emperors and popes of the sixteenth century. Antonio resurrects 500 year old recipes, cooking eel in Venice, porcini mushrooms in Lombardy, and stuffing a suckling pig in Rome. He ends his journey with a banquet fit for a pope.
Harpist Catrin Finch takes a musical journey to discover the ancient and fascinating history of the harp in Wales and the world, with interviews and performances from internationally-renowned guests including Alan Stivell, Carlos Orosco, Alemu Aga, Isabelle Perrin and Elinor Bennett.
Professor Brian Cox visits Geneva to take a look around Cern's Large Hadron Collider before this vast, 27km long machine is sealed off and the experiment begins. When up and running, it is capable of creating the conditions that existed just a billionth of a second after the Big Bang. Brian joins the scientists who hope that the LHC will change our understanding of the early universe and solve some of its mysteries.
Anglican priest Peter Owen Jones explores the huge number of ancient Christian texts that didn't make it into the New Testament. Shocking and challenging, these were works in which Jesus didn't die, took revenge on his enemies and kissed Mary Magdalene on the mouth. Pete travels through Egypt and the former Roman Empire looking at the evidence of a Christian world very different to the one we know, and finds over seventy gospels, acts, letters and apocalypses all circulating in the early Church.
This year sees the 20th anniversary of the Carbon 14 dating of the Shroud of Turin that deemed the most famous relic in Christendom a fake. But since then, despite many attempts, no one has been able to determine who the forger was or how the forgery might have been done. This documentary sets out to discover exactly what it is about the image on the Shroud of Turin that has defied imitation and explores new evidence that may challenge the Carbon 14 verdict.
Lionel Mill's film has unique access to Prince Saud bin Abdul Mohsen, one of the rulers of the rich, powerful and secretive Saudi royal family. This is a fascinating insight into the conflicts between tradition and modernity in one of the world's most conservative and autocratic countries.
Former Bond girl Joanna Lumley investigates the life of Ian Fleming to coincide with the centenary of his birth and the UK release of the 22nd Bond movie, Quantum of Solace. On a journey which takes her from London to Jamaica, driving Aston Martins, firing Berettas and being surrounded by 24 million pounds' worth of diamonds, Joanna discovers how Fleming poured his personal experiences of war-time espionage, love, luxury and death into his most alluring literary creation, James Bond.
What happens when young women pursue the glamorous lifestyle of WAGs? Is it all it's cracked up to be? Radio 1's Annie Mac meets the winners and losers of the WAGs' world and discovers the amazing tactics some women are using to bag a footballer, but soon she discovers that it can also be a world of exploitation and ruthlessness which has many victims. A recent survey suggests young women are choosing 'celebrity' over traditional jobs. Annie wants to know why and what happens to this wannabe generation when they pursue their dream. Amongst the champagne and excitement, Annie finds young women turning their youth and beauty into cash, careers and opportunity. At first she is impressed by their hard work, toughness and optimism. She teams up with club hostess Maria and meets Lizzy, the presenter of TV's WAGs World, who has a range of business ventures based on her WAG status. But Annie also meets other women who have had a tough time. As their stories unfold, she realises just how ruthless and cutthroat this world really is, one where both men and women can be exploited and where nearly everything has a price.
Documentary examining the the events leading up to the Israeli war of Independence in 1949, its continuing impact on Arab/Israeli relations and the implications for the Middle East peace process.
Fashion journalist Louise Roe goes on a journey to discover why women have boob jobs not just once but, in some cases, again and again. She meets four women in their twenties who have gone under the knife to get the perfect pair of boobs.
Documentary following Chelsea White, a teenager considering a career as a Page 3 girl. She began modelling when she was six but at 17 is too old to be a teenage model and too small for the catwalk. Inspired by Kelly Brook and Jordan believing topless modelling is a fast route to fame and fortune, but it is illegal to do a glamour shoot until the age of 18. For the two months leading up her birthday Chelsea goes on a journey to learn what the glamour industry is really like, seeking advice from agents, photographers and the current queen of glamour, Keeley Hazell, on whether or not she should bare all.
Documentary presented by Anglican priest Pete Owen Jones which explores the huge number of ancient Christian texts that didn't make it into the New Testament. Shocking and challenging, these were works in which Jesus didn't die, took revenge on his enemies and kissed Mary Magdalene on the mouth - a Jesus unrecognisable from that found in the traditional books of the New Testament.
Documentary introducing the world of the body-part double: men and women who have such perfect hands, feet, legs - even bottoms - that they earn a living modelling them and standing in for the stars. Not even in the world of film, pop videos and magazines can models be all-over beauties, or acting heroes perfect physical specimens. Appearing as Michelle Pfeiffer's legs, Kate Moss's hands and Kylie's body, meet the people who are in demand as standards of beauty become ever more exacting.
Journalist Nicky Taylor travels to Amsterdam to investigate the growing debate about the legal classification of cannabis. While there she helps out in a coffee shop that sells the drug, and discovers first hand what the effects of cannabis are on everyday life. Back in the UK Nicky finds out about the genetically modified cannabis skunk, cheap and increasingly sold on the streets. The programme asks whether the drug can make you mad, if it is worse than alcohol and if it is stronger than it used to be. Nicky takes part in a month-long medical trial to find out.
David Howard, professor of music technology at the University of York, presents a documentary about the human voice, explaining just how it works and why replicating it is such a challenge. Comedian Jeremy Hardy and impressionist Rory Bremner are amongst the contributors.
An amazing journey in Norway's Far North as Joanna Lumley pursues a lifelong dream to track down the elusive, stunningly beautiful Northern Lights - 'the true wonder of the world,' as she puts it. Joanna grew up in tropical Malaysia, and as a little girl never saw snow or felt cold. Inspired by fairytales and picture books, she always longed to make the journey north. At last she travels north across the Arctic Circle, up through Norway to Svalbard, the most northerly permanently inhabited place on Earth, where she has to cope with temperatures approaching minus 30 deg C. With a box of crayons in hand, her journey takes her from train to boat, to husky-sled, to snowmobile, as she is pulled ever northwards by what she calls 'the strongest point of the compass'. She explores the romantic fjords of Lofoten and learns to ride a snowmobile, speeding across endless expanses of Lapland tundra with a Sami herdsman in search of his reindeer. As she reaches the Arctic Ocean, she prepares for bed in a hotel made entirely of ice. Everywhere she goes, she asks about the mysterious Northern Lights.
Since his assassination in 1968, Martin Luther King has become known and celebrated throughout the world as a champion of freedom. But there's another side to this man that's in danger of being forgotten - King the raging prophet of God's judgement on the West, the Baptist pastor who said that his mission was 'to redeem the soul of America'. Forty years after his death, politician and campaigner Oona King goes on a journey through the Deep South in search of this aspect of his leadership.
For a year, BBC cameras have filmed the Prince of Wales at home, abroad, at work and on duty. Now, for the first time, we can see and hear for ourselves the private and passionate man behind the controversy and the headlines. As the Prince of Wales turns 60, he has defied convention to become one of Britain's most outspoken and prolific campaigners, as well as being a businessman, ambassador for Britain and a father. This revealing film goes behind the closed doors of the Prince's world and gives us the chance to make up our own minds about the man who, one day, will be king.
Documentary in which a team of top UK virologists exhume the body of statesman, military officer and diplomat Sir Mark Sykes from a country churchyard in an attempt to detect the genetic footprint of one of the most dangerous viruses the world has ever seen, the Spanish Flu. It may be that an aristocrat who died nearly 90 years ago holds the key to preventing a modern bird flu pandemic.
Stephen Fry examines the story behind the first media entrepreneur, printing press inventor Johann Gutenberg, to find out why he did it and how, a story which involves both historical enquiry and hands-on craft and technology. Fry travels across Europe to find out how Gutenberg kept his development work secret, about the role of avaricious investors and unscrupulous competitors and why Gutenberg's approach started a cultural revolution. He then sets about building a copy of Gutenberg's press.
Documentary telling the story of enduring 1960s children's animated marionette show, Thunderbirds. Creator Gerry Anderson, as well as cast, crew and fans, reveal how space travel and new technology promised an exciting future, as Thunderbirds captured the spirit of the age. There's a look at how Gerry's team created futuristic special effects from their humble studios in Slough and why the show was axed after just 32 episodes. Contributors include the voice of Lady Penelope, Sylvia Anderson.
Documentary tracing how human understanding of the jet stream - a ribbon of fast moving air high in the atmosphere - has grown. It has been responsible for bewildering effect on bomber pilots in World War II, turbocharging modern transatlantic flyers, the infamous 1987 hurricane and the devastating floods of recent years. Scientists now believe this powerful weather phenomenon is now changing its pattern of behaviour and could have an even bigger impact on our climate and the way we live our lives.
As the credit crunch bites and a global economic crisis threatens, Robert Peston reveals how the super-rich have made their fortunes, and the rest of us are picking up the bill.
Historian Michael Wood delves through medieval court records to follow the fortunes of a village in Hertfordshire and, more particularly, the family of peasant Christina Cok. The 14th century was a perilous time in British history, shot through with famine, plague and war. It was a time of climate change, virulent cattle diseases and, above all, the Black Death. But it was also the time when modern mentalities were shaped, not just by the rulers but increasingly by the common people. It was the beginning of the end of serfdom, the growth of individual freedom and the start of a capitalist market economy. Michael chooses an everyday story of a medieval country family through which to illustrate the bigger picture of how the character and destiny of ordinary British people was being shaped. It is history told not from the top of society but from the bottom - and especially through the eyes of the forgotten half of the workforce, women. Michael brings to life the story of a 14th-century extended family: peasant Christina Cok, her father Hugh, estranged husband William, and her children John and Alice. Michael shows us that though their lives might at first seem quite alien, you only have to scratch below the surface to find uncanny connections with modern-day Britons. In them, you can see our beginnings as a nation of shopkeepers and the roots of the British love affair with beer and football. Perhaps more importantly is the triumph of that sturdy and cussed streak of individualism that has been a characteristic of 'Britishness' down the centuries.
Documentary looking at how Detroit became home to a musical revolution that captured the sound of a nation in upheaval. In the early 60s, Motown transcended Detroit's inner city to take black music to a white audience, whilst in the late 60s suburban kids like the MC5 and the Stooges descended into the black inner city to create revolutionary rock expressing the rage of young white America. With contributions from Iggy Pop, Alice Cooper, George Clinton, Martha Reeves, John Sinclair and the MC5.
Documentary looking at the history of Liverpool, the former gateway to the British Empire whose character was built on the dockside by seafarers and immigrants who came from around the world seeking a new beginning. It examines how the city's maritime history and mixture of people has made its citizens uncertain of their English identity.
Film historian Matthew Sweet presents a documentary reappraising over half a century of British B movies, from John Mills on the wrong end of a whipping in The Lash through to the giant gorilla Konga running amok in Croydon. Sweet argues that the cheapness of these films, unlike the A film, ensured they often portrayed Britain as it really was, even when (as in the case of 1970s sex movies) that wasn't necessarily a nice place to be. John Mortimer and Michael Winner are among the interviewees.
Art critic Andrew Graham-Dixon visits an exhibition at the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, which contains a treasure trove of the world's most important illuminated manuscripts. Germaine Greer joins the modern-day illustrator Quentin Blake to consider the religious and political power of these beautiful medieval masterpieces, and to assess their place in the history of art and book production.
Comedian Rich Hall goes west to find out what killed off that most quintessentially American of all film genres, the western. Through films such as The Searchers, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence, Little Big Man, The Wild Bunch and Unforgiven, Rich charts the rise and fall of America's obsession with its own creation myth - the Wild West. He explores how the image of the cowboy as a moral, straight-talking heroic figure was created by Hollywood but appropriated by Washington, as one president after another sought to associate themselves with this potent symbol of strength and valour. From Tombstone to Texas, Montana to Wyoming, Rich travels across a landscape that is both actual and mythic in the minds of not just Americans, but all of us. With his customary wit and intelligence he unpicks the truth from the fiction of Hollywood's version of frontier life, draws parallels between popular western narratives and America's more questionable foreign policy, and celebrates the real heroes of the west - John Ford, John Wayne, Sam Peckinpah, Arthur Penn and Clint Eastwood. Filmed on location in Arizona, Montana and Wyoming and incorporating interviews and archive clips of some of the best-loved westerns of all-time, the film is Rich Hall's personal salute to a genre of film he feels passionate about.
Using unseen archive footage, new filming and interviews with those closest to the action, Michael Cockerell tells the inside story of the 20 years that took Margaret Thatcher from Commons new girl to her election in 1979 as the first ever female British prime minister.
John Harvey presents a documentary about writer Henning Mankell, Sweden's most popular author internationally and the creator of the Kurt Wallander detective series.
Victoria Wood presents the true story behind Britain's timeless comedy (and the Queen Mother's favourite show), with footage of the cast on location and incredible personal tales about the making of the series. Was Arthur Lowe really just like Captain Mainwaring? Why did the Warden always end up in the water? And how did Corporal Jones find a bomb down his trousers?
The great cathedrals were the wonders of the Medieval World - the tallest buildings since the pyramids and the showpieces of Medieval Christianity. Yet they were built at a time when most of us lived in hovels. Architectural historian Jon Cannon explores who were the people that built them and how were they able to achieve such a bold vision.
A discussion of the mathematics of chaos that tries to tie it to climate change and fluctuating financial markets.
James Martin sets his sights on the gruelling Mille Miglia, the annual 1000-mile race through Italy in which over 300 classic cars compete. In its infamous history, the race has tested the talents and endurance of such legends as Fangio, Nuvolari and Sir Stirling Moss. Ever since he was kid in Yorkshire, James Martin has been mad about cars. Now a successful chef, he has put his money where his dreams are and has a garage full of Formula One cars, American classics and oddball delights - from hand-painted Harleys to bubble cars, fibreglass cross-country rough riders and a newly restored Mustang with all the trimmings. Having the power has not been enough - he wants the glory too. So he sets his sights on the Mille Miglia. Taking part has always been a dream for James. He searches for the right car and the right co-driver, and the costs mount as the day of his dreams draws near. In Italy, the support crew, girlfriend Sally and his real pride and joy assemble. The 1948 Maserati has left a 800-thousand-pound hole in the Martin finances - a lot of omelettes. Will the car stay the course? Will Sarah measure up? Is James as tough as he thinks he is? Can a non-Italian actually win? Can he beat the three other competitors with whom he bets on the race? Do the Italians always drive on the right? Should he have bought an English car instead? Crucially, what makes 700 grown men and women drive headlong through the elements for three days with little sleep and less comfort than offered by a sit-on lawn mower?
Northern Ireland has had many historic days in the last 40 years. October 5th, 1968 could be the most important. In this documentary, many of those who took part in the Civil Rights march in Derry on this date talk of the international influences that drove them to take to the streets in protest. Featuring interviews with the voices of dissent in America, Europe and Northern Ireland.
Drama about the life of Florence Nightingale, based largely on her own words, which tells the true and unexpected story behind this most unusual woman - adored by the masses, hated by the few and credited by historians as the brilliant mother of modern nursing.
Documentary in which novelist James Hawes attempts to demolish a number of myths and misconceptions about the life and work of cult writer Franz Kafka. The programme was filmed on location in Prague and Frankenstein in the Czech Republic.
In 1961 Newry man Robert McGladdery was convicted and executed for the brutal murder of local girl Pearl Gamble. His trial caused a media storm and proved a landmark in the debate on capital punishment in the United Kingdom. Now for the first time, using never-before-seen police evidence and private court papers, BBC Northern Ireland tells the story.
A look at the mythical roots in art and literature of Merlin - magician, hero and historical mystery. Merlin is the archetypal wizard, Welsh and Celtic in origin but with connections across the water in Cornwall and middle Europe, and, of course, the Arthurian legends. Clearly, Merlin is the distant relative of Dumbledore and all those weird and wonderful wizards in literature.
In one of the most magical stories ever told, a bright star led the wise men from the east to the new Messiah. Now scientists are looking back into the skies of the ancient world to find out if the Magi could have witnessed a real astronomical event. Could the star of Bethlehem have been a comet, an alignment of planets or even a supernova? Who were the wise men, and why were they watching the night skies? Could evidence from a clay tablet from Babylon, an ancient manuscript from China, a fresco in the Catacombs of Rome and biblical texts help to finally unravel the greatest astronomical story in history?
Documentary in which singer Alesha Dixon, concerned about the increasing pressure on women to conform to an ideal body type, investigates the practice of airbrushing and retouching that has become a staple of magazine photos. Keen to discover whether these images simply celebrate the female form or whether they make harmful, unrealistic demands on women and society, her journey sees her sitting in on 18-year-old Ellie's boob job, hearing fashion mag insider Liz Jones and celeb mate Cheryl Cole complain about the beauty industry and appearing on a front cover with her own body beautiful untouched.
Documentary which follows 19-year-old Amy Hall, full-time drama student, single mum and lap dancer. She can make up to 300 pounds a night dancing but the money doesn't go far, with food and nappies to buy, childcare to pay for and a college course to fund. The late nights also mean she feels both her daughter and college work are being neglected. Amy stands at a crossroads - to give up dancing and concentrate on her degree and dream of becoming an actress or carry on for the sake of her daughter.
Ian Hislop brings his customary humour, analysis and wit to the notorious Beeching Report of 1963, which led to the closure of a third of the nation's railway lines and stations and forced tens of thousands of people into the car and onto the road.
Documentary about how Tristan da Cunha, the most remote inhabited island in the world and a seven-day boat trip from Africa, could hold the key to unlocking one of the great mysteries of modern medicine - the genetic basis for asthma.
Documentary telling the story of Lee Barnes, a student who took the banks at their word and helped himself to 40,000 pounds of their credit in just over a year. Lee shows how he got away with it, how he went on the run and how finally he decided to give himself up. The big question now is whether he does or does not go bankrupt.
Drama based on the true story of an outrageous medieval heist, told in the style of Ocean's 11. When Dick Puddlecote is released from a Flanders jail in 1302 to discover his friends, his livelihood and his woman are all in hock to the king, he decides to exact a very modern form of revenge - break into the vault at Westminster Abbey and steal the king's gold. There’s just one catch - failure would earn him and his gang ruthless torture, swift punishment and potentially an eternity in hell. A true story sourced from original trial records, this bold comedy-drama combines the energy of a British heist comedy with the veracity of factual dramas and the bawdiness of Chaucer, breathing life into a strange and foreign world full of priests and prostitutes.
There could be nothing more sweet and sentimental than the sound of traditional carols performed by a velvet-voiced choir at Christmas. Or so you would think. Composer Howard Goodall uncovers the surprising and often secret history of the Christmas carol. Far from being accepted as part of the celebrations of Jesus' birth, over the centuries carols have been banned by both church and state. The carols we sing seem set in stone and yet they can have up to 400 regional variations. Individual carols have caused controversy - While Shepherds Watched had to be cleaned up by the Victorians for being too crude and there's a suspicion that O Come All Ye Faithful was a call to 18th century Jacobites to rebel. The documentary celebrates the enduring power of the carol with a variety of performances from folk singer Bella Hardy to the choir of Truro Cathedral.
During the 1970s, BBC shows like Morecambe and Wise, the Two Ronnies, the Generation Game, Dad's Army and Parkinson transformed the world of television entertainment and delighted audiences in their millions. The man behind the success of these shows was entertainment impresario Sir Bill Cotton, who died in 2008. Stars including Ronnie Corbett, Sir Michael Parkinson and Bruce Forsyth celebrate the golden age of entertainment and remember the man who made it happen.
Jeremy Marre tells the story of Marvin Gaye, one of the great and enduring figures of soul music. His life was one of sexual confusion, bittersweet success and death by the hand of his own father. Includes interviews with the singer's family, friends and musical colleagues, with re-enactments, and archive film of Marvin on stage, at home, and in the recording studio.
This new documentary takes a side-ways look at one of Scotland's highest profile industries, Scotch whisky production. The Whisky Dream, made by Demus Productions, is a wry look at the amazing tale of two English wine merchants Mark and Mary Reynier, who together with Gaelic speaking islanders Jim McEwan and Duncan MacGillivray, embarked on a venture some whisky purists dubbed ‘a hair-brained scheme’. In December 2000, eccentric vintner Mark Reynier overcame astonishing odds to raise the £7.5million needed to buy Bruichladdich, one of the world’s last 19th Century malt whisky distilleries. Aiming to recreate a malt whisky which ‘died’ with American Prohibition in 1929, they have further ‘stirred the pot’ in the whisky industry by, controversially, using a wide variety of wine casks to mature the spirit. The Whisky Dream witnesses through their eyes the birth of the first new Scottish single malt for a decade, debunks some whisky mythology and goes behind the marketing hype to uncover the art of the master blender. MD of the company Mary Reynier says: “We’ve created something new, brought into the world something that’s never been seen…And we’ve created it ourselves.”
As the British Museum prepares to launch its spectacular exhibition on the Emperor Hadrian, Dan Snow takes us on a journey around Hadrian's vast empire. Immortalised in the UK after building a Wall on the edge of his Empire, which bears his name to this day. Hadrian's Wall, as it is known, is just a tiny portion of a massive structure Hadrian had built to protect the Roman Empire, with similar, sister walls running through northern Europe and still more in north Africa. His legacy also includes the Pantheon in Rome. Hadrian brought the Empire to an unparalleled period of peace and prosperity. At the heart of this great Empire, however, lay a mystery - Hadrian's relationship with a young man, Antinous. The friendship led to Antinous being deified by Hadrian following his death, in strange circumstances, on the Nile. Dan Snow uncovers the genius and the dark side of Hadrian: peace-maker, frontier-builder, star-crossed lover, architect - and ruthless oppressor of the jews. But still, Dan concludes, Hadrian was one of the greatest Roman emperors.
Documentary detailing the creation of Ming Emperor Yongle's palace, the Forbidden City. Forged from hundreds of thousands of timbers felled in the remote corners of his empire, and massive stones dragged across ice from the frozen north, Yongle marshalled a million workers to his vision. At 180 acres and with 9000 rooms, it remains the greatest palace on Earth. For five centuries, what went on behind its blood red walls was forbidden to all but the intimate court of the Emperor. Now, the long neglected chronicles of the Ming Dynasty, many specially translated into English for the first time, will tell how the despotic emperor clawed his way to the top, betrayed his own family and killed all in his path to steal the throne. And how he constructed a gilded palace that was also a prison; stocked with concubines, policed by eunuchs and rife with greed and treachery.
Documentary to mark the 500th anniversary of arguably the world's most influential architect, Andrea Palladio. The villas, palaces and public buildings he designed for the aristocrats of Vicenza and Venice, as well as his seminal Four Books of Architecture, defined an architectural style that became known as Palladianism. Its influence can be seen everywhere, from the stately homes of England to the White House. The Palladian villa has been described as the 'perfect house', combining austere grandeur with an inspiring, intimate human scale. The film takes us on a ravishing journey through the plains of the Veneto, visiting the surviving villas and exploring in detail what makes them work, with contributions from leading experts as well as the owners who know and love them.
Professor David Reynolds takes a fresh look at the extraordinary events and personalities that brought about the armistice of 1918, venturing beyond the familiar British account of Remembrance Day to unravel how the other side, the Germans, plunged to total defeat in just a few months at the end of the war. In a journey that takes him through command centres and battlefields, he uncovers a story of wounded egos, mental illness and political brinkmanship as statesmen and generals haggled over the terms of peace, while, at the front, the soldiers fought on with sustained brutality. For many Germans, the armistice was a betrayal of all they had fought for and it caused lasting resentments that would eventually fuel Adolf Hitler's rise to power. Reynolds argues that the bitter endgame of the 'war to end all wars' tragically sowed the seeds of even more appalling conflict to come.
Documentary in which art critic Robert Hughes travels across Spain in search of the reality beyond the mythology of Spanish painter Francisco Goya. Goya has long been Hughes' favourite artist but has become a particular obsession since a near-fatal car accident left Hughes living with nightmares of Goya's often dark and violent imagery.
Blondie is perhaps the most commercially successful band to emerge from the 1970s punk scene. The original lineup consisted of Deborah Harry (vocals), Clem Burke (drums / percussion), Jimmy Destri (keyboards), Chris Stein (guitar / bass guitar) and Gary Valentine (bass guitar / guitar). New York City-based Blondie was formed in 1974, honing its musical skills at the famous punk rock club, CBGBs, and eventually emerging on top of the new wave scene and then crossing over to the pop music mainstream. Their self-titled first album, Blondie, reflected a punk ethos and 1960s girl group sensibilities or, the Ramones meets the Ronettes, as one music critic opined. Blondie made six albums from 1976 to 1982, the most successful being Parallel Lines, considered by many music critics to be one of the best rock albums of all time. Within this time span, from the late seventies to the early eighties, Blondie constituted a major force on the rock/pop scene, producing a string of hit singles internationally. The most well-known of these singles are the reggae-inspired "The Tide Is High," the rap song "Rapture," and the disco-flavored "Heart of Glass" and "Call Me." More recently, in 1999, the single, "Maria," debuted at number one in the United Kingdom, making this song the sixth number one single for the group there. With this hit single, Blondie reached yet another milestone–the first band to have had a number one single in each of the last three decades in the United Kingdom. And the new album, The Curse of Blondie, and its first single "Good Boys" build on that success. So Blondie continues to make music history and the band's legacy grows. The members of Blondie are true pioneers in every sense of the word. Mark Radcliffe narrates a documentary about New York band Blondie, from their early beginnings in Bowery clubs like CBGBs alongside other up and coming bands like The Ramones, Patti Smith & Talking Heads. The documentary tracks their years of international success, t
Professor Jim Al Khalili delves into over 50 years of the BBC science archive to tell the story behind the emergence of one of the greatest theories of modern science, the Big Bang. The remarkable idea that our universe simply began from nothing has not always been accepted with the conviction it is today and, from fiercely disputed leftfield beginnings, took the best part of the 20th century to emerge as the triumphant explanation of how the universe began. Using curious horn-shaped antennas, U-2 spy planes, satellites and particle accelerators, scientists have slowly pieced together the cosmological jigsaw, and this documentary charts the overwhelming evidence for a universe created by a Big Bang.
Portrait of the eccentric, charismatic British motor racing legend Graham Hill, a man who lived and died during a time when sex was safe and racing was dangerous. Uniquely, he won the Formula 1 World Championship, the Indy 500 and the Le Mans 24 hours; he won the Monaco Grand Prix five times and was a great raconteur and a dashing figure with a keen eye for the ladies. Features contributions from family, close friends and former colleagues including son Damon and track rival Jackie Stewart.
Cultural historian Andrew Hussey goes on a gastronomic tour through French history, from Versailles, the spiritual centre of French power politics and the birthplace of French cuisine, via the French Revolution and the creation of the Michelin guide, through to nouvelle cuisine and ethnic fusion food. For Hussey, France emerges as the 'Republic of Food', a place where the health of both its democracy and its civilisation can at any one time be gauged by how well its people are being fed. Some of France's top chefs, including Paul Bocuse and Pierre Gagnaire are among those he meets on the way.
Benjamin Woolley presents the gripping story of Nicholas Culpeper, the 17th century radical pharmacist who took on the establishment in order to bring medicine to the masses. Culpeper lived during one of the most tumultuous periods in British history. When the country was ravaged by famine and civil war, he took part in the revolution that culminated in the execution of King Charles I.
In 1986, Alastair Campbell had a mental breakdown, the culmination of months of intensive stress at work, too much alcohol, and myriad complex issues. Campbell believes that speaking openly about mental illness helps to de-stigmatise it and so in this startlingly frank documentary he relives the traumas of his breakdown. He talks to some of those who witnessed it, and though it was more than 20 years ago, the journey opens up painful memories. In the end Campbell believes the experience left him stronger and able to cope with the stresses and strains of working at the seat of power.
Documentary tracing the modern history of the comedy pop song from the birth of the charts in 1952 to its reinvention in the new millennium. We discover that George Martin was the missing link between the Goons and the Beatles, that the Barron Knights invented the parody song and that the Two Ronnies were not big fans of Not the Nine O'Clock News. Almost everyone appears in the comedy song's chequered history of peaks and troughs, from the 1960s satire boom to the 1970s golden period of Monty Python and Billy Connolly and on through the wilderness years of 1980s novelty naffness and the genre's redemption in alternative comedy and the likes of Victoria Wood and Alexei Sayle.
Documentary in which self-confessed medieval foodie Clarissa Dickson Wright tracks down Britain's oldest known cookbook - The Forme of Cury, a 700-year-old scroll written during the reign of King Richard II from recipes created by the king's master chefs - and wonders if this ancient manuscript may have influenced the way people eat today. On her culinary journey through medieval history she reawakens recipes that have lain dormant for centuries and discovers dishes that are still prepared now.
Documentary telling the story of swing, an obscure form of jazz that became the first worldwide pop phenomenon, inspired the first ever youth culture revolution and became a byword for sexual liberation and teenage excess well before the Swinging Sixties. In the process, swing threw up some of the greatest names in 20th century music, from Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington to Billie Holiday and Frank Sinatra. The film uses archive and contemporary accounts to shed light on why it endures today.
For a century, Britain's newspapers have been run by a handful of extraordinary men - the press barons. Andrew Neil tells the remarkable story of Britain's newspaper proprietors and their relationships with the Prime Ministers of the day. From Lord Northcliffe and Lloyd George, to Lord Beaverbrook and Winston Churchill, to Rupert Murdoch and Gordon Brown, it's a tale of power and intrigue at the very top, and the epic battles between Fleet Street and Downing Street.
As three unconventional politicians - Ken Livingstone, Boris Johnson and Brian Paddick - battle it out to be Mayor of London, John Sergeant tells the story of Westminster's lone riders, the rebels who have refused to play by the rules. Combining interviews and archive, he explores our enduring fascination with politicians who dare to be different and do their own thing.
A documentary looking at Enoch Powell's Rivers of Blood speech on the 40th anniversary of its delivery. The documentary charts sacking from the Cabinet of Edward Heath after the controversial speech which predicted violence on the streets of Britain and which quoted Roman poet Virgil's prophesy: "I see the Tiber foaming with much blood". The documentary also examines the effect of the speech on Britain's immigration policy.
Former cabinet minister Michael Portillo assesses the legacy and continued influence of Margaret Thatcher on the Conservative Party. He talks with former colleagues about the highs of the Thatcher years and the lows that followed for the Tories, speaking frankly about his own personal regrets and the damage Thatcher inflicted on the party in the wilderness years after John Major's premiership.
Simon Russell Beale tells the story behind Allegri's Miserere, one of the most popular pieces of sacred music ever written. The programme features a full performance of the piece by the award-winning choir The Sixteen, conducted by Harry Christophers.
Jimmy Doherty, pig farmer and star of Jimmy's Farming Heroes, travels to Nepal to meet an ancient group of people who risk their lives to farm their local honey. A keen beekeeper with a passion for honey, Jimmy has always been blown away by the sheer variety of flavours, appreciating a good honey like others enjoy a fine wine. So when he heard about an ancient group of people in Nepal who are willing to risk their lives to taste their local honey, he knew he wanted to share the experience. As a 'honey hunter' Jimmy must scale a massive cliff to reach the home of more than two million bees and dangle 200 feet up to get their honey. If successful, the reward is not only to learn more about these amazing bees, but also to taste one of nature's finest bounties - beautiful wild honey.
Fifty years after his death, this musical and psychological portrait of Ralph Vaughan Williams explores the passions that drove a giant of 20th-century English music. It explores the enormous musical range of an energetic, red-blooded composer whose output extends well beyond the delicate pastoralism of his perhaps most famous piece, The Lark Ascending. The film tells the story of his long marriage to his increasingly disabled wife Adeline and his long affair with the woman who eventually became his second wife, Ursula. The effect of these complicated relationships on his music is demonstrated in performances of orchestral and choral works, specially filmed at Cadogan Hall, London by the Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Richard Hickox and by the singers of Schola Cantorum of Oxford. Among the contributors is the late Ursula Vaughan Williams, who was interviewed shortly before she died at the age of 96.
Documentary looking at how life in the Welsh countryside has changed in the last 50 years. Long-lost archive clips give a rare glimpse of the sights and characters.
John McDouall Stuart was Australia's greatest inland explorer. His maps enabled Charles Todd to construct a telegraph line through the continent, which allowed Australia to communicate on the world stage. It made Todd a hero - but it cost Stuart his life.
Marking the 2008 centenary of Alistair Cooke's birth, this documentary is a revealing portrait of one of the most celebrated broadcasters of the 20th Century, whose Radio 4 programme Letter from America spanned 58 years. Seen for the first time are extraordinary 8mm home movies shot by Cooke from 1933 onwards, charting his discovery of America, his passions and his friendships. This is a chance to see America as Cooke first saw it - the raw material for a lifetime of journalism. Some of the most fascinating of these films were made during his close friendship with Charlie Chaplin. Thought lost for years, they show Chaplin at leisure on his yacht with Paulette Goddard and Cooke, and are among the most candid footage ever shot of the star. Cooke's story is told in his own voice and in interviews with family and close friends. Both first wife Ruth Emerson Cooke and Jane Cooke - his wife from 1946 - share their memories, and actress Lauren Bacall also recalls their friendship.
In December 1938, Eilean nan Ron was abandoned by its people. This film accompanies one of the few surviving residents, 90-year-old Kitty Ann MacQueen, as she takes to the air in a helicopter to return to her childhood home - the tiny remote island near Skerray in Sutherland. During Kitty Ann's last years on the island, she was a school teacher and has clear memories of what life was like for the islanders. Despite having lived in England for 60 years, Kitty is one of the few remaining speakers of what was the prevalent language of the island - Sutherland Gaelic.
A look at pre-1980s British policing techniques, and whether the "old-style" policing techniques were as bad as their portrayal in "Life on Mars" (2006) or whether they may have proved more effective than modern-day political correctness.
Film about one of the most iconic images of the 20th century, when the radical spirit of the Sixties upstaged the greatest sporting event in the world. Two men made a courageous gesture that reverberated around the world and changed their lives forever. There were a number of unforgettable performances at Mexico City Olympic Games and many world records were broken, but the enduring image from the 1968 Games was when African-American athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised their gloved clenched fists in support of the Black Panther movement during the Star Spangled Banner, after receiving gold and bronze medals for the 200m sprint. They were subsequently banned from the Games for life. This documentary asks what inspired them to make their protest, why it carried such a powerful message and what happened to the unlikely revolutionaries following the Games.
Documentary which reveals how the humble mouth-organ has been bent to different forms of music-making, featuring interviews and demonstrations from the world's leading players. With over a billion sold, the harmonica, often dismissed as a toy, was the first great democratiser in music creation, and Rory McLeod, Will Galison, Paul Jones, Brendan Power and Charlie Leighton are among those highlighting the instrument's appeal.
Following on from the BAFTA-shortlisted Panorama programme ]Taking on the Taliban, and the critically acclaimed follow up, What happened after taking on the Taliban, Ben Anderson catches up with 24-year-old Lance Corporal Jack Mizon of the Queen's Company, Grenadier Guards. Mizon was a hero in Aghanistan, in the thick of some of the fiercest fighting that left two of his fellow soldiers dead and many more seriously wounded. He was honoured for his bravery, but back home in the UK he is struggling to readjust to civilian life and has become involved in frequent fights near his Aldershot barracks. Anderson follows his exploits for two months in Afghanistan and then back home as Jack is charged with assault and GBH, stripped of his rank, and faces the prospect of four years in a civilian prison.
Walter Tull was a pioneering black British footballer and the first black officer in the British army, who died heroically fighting in the First World War and yet is virtually unheard of today. Former Eastenders star Nick Bailey relates the story of this forgotten hero, investigating war records to establish whether there was a colour bar in the British Army and asking how Tull managed to become an officer despite army regulations requiring only men of 'pure European descent'. Bailey also tries to discover why Lieutenant Tull was denied a Military Cross for heroism even though his commanding officer recommended him for one. Tull's parents died before he was seven years old and he was sent to an orphanage in London's East End, but despite that he won a place in the first team of one of Britain's most famous clubs, Tottenham Hotspur. However, after just seven games and great match reports, he received such racial abuse he never played for the first team again. Far from giving up, Tull rebuilt his football career and then signed up for military service at the first opportunity.
Documentary examining the the events leading up to the Israeli war of Independence in 1949, its continuing impact on Arab/Israeli relations and the implications for the Middle East peace process.
Rob Brydon narrates a dramatised/animated documentary which reveals the clash at the heart of the Medieval mind - between the reason and the supernatural - using rational process to dissect the divine. In 1307 the full weight of medieval justice descended on the sleepy town of Hereford. But this court wasn't summoned to prove innocence or guilt. The man on trial wasn't a murderer, or a criminal. In fact he wasn't even alive. This was a holy inquiry, called by the Catholic Church to prove whether a dead English bishop was actually a miracle-worker - and whether he should be made into a saint. His case comprised several alleged miracles, the most notorious being the spectacular resurrection of a hanged man. A Welsh terrorist executed by the state, hanged twice just to make sure, this wanted criminal somehow came back from the dead. And now a papal court would use all the instruments of legal process - witness statements, forensic evidence, cross examination - to prove whether it was truly a miracle.
Documentary about the evolution of innuendo on the BBC and how it led to the collapse of the corporation's prim and proper attitudes.
Daisy Asquith investigates the mysterious world of children's entertainers. The idea for the film came to her whilst on a typical seaside holiday where a different children's entertainer would set up in the hotel ballroom at six o'clock each evening and perform a different act. From animal petting to sea shanties to balloon buffoonery, it seemed an almost thankless task. Kids screaming, crying, badgering and demanding whilst performers attempted to maintain their professional cool and pull yet another hankie from their sleeve or fall face down again, knowing it's guaranteed to make a four-year-old laugh. She started to wonder who these people were, how they ended up here, whether this was their life-long ambition and how they knew what the children wanted. Then those creeping doubts and stereotypical fears stated to rear their ugly heads: don't you have to be a bit weird to do this sort of thing, are they all failed adult entertainers and do they all still live with their mothers? Back home, Daisy started to investigate further and soon found all her preconceptions challenged in a world of pirates and pumpkins, comedy handshakes and rabbits in hats. This is a film about what she found.
Documentary using archive footage, eye-witness testimony and contributions from some of the world's most distinguished historians to tell the story of the British wartime operation that rescued Hitler's hoard of looted art. During the war, the Fuhrer amassed about 2,000 old masters, stripped from the greatest galleries and museums in Europe. The Bonzos were the covert group sent to retrieve these treasures
Writer and pop addict Paul Morley explores and celebrates the beauty and mystery of the pop single.
Thirty-one years after his death, the elfin, glam rock star Marc Bolan 's rise to fame is retold with a mixture of rare concert footage, home movies and contributions from friends.
Documentary charting the success of Scottish pop bands in the 1980's and 90's.Featuring acts such as; Orange juice, The Associates , The Bluebells and The Proclaimers
Celebration of the magic of pop music and the skill and musical dexterity that goes into writing, performing and producing hit records. Conductor Charles Hazlewood explores the mechanics of pop songs such as Imagine, Tomorrow Never Knows and Back to Black by breaking them down into six key areas, aided by contributions from a cast of writers, producers and arrangers including Guy Chambers, Martin Fry, Steve Levine, Richard Niles, Nick Ingman, John Altman and Rob Davis.
Documentary looking at the history of the iconic quiz show University Challenge. Featuring famous ex-contestants such as Stephen Fry, John Simpson, Julian Fellowes and Miriam Margoyles plus hosts Bamber Gascoigne and Jeremy Paxman, it traces the origins and development of the programme. From the first show transmitted in 1962 to the present day as it is being immortalised on film in Starter for Ten, a celebration of the triumphs, disasters and quirky characters of an enduring TV institution.
With a passion for art that is rivalled only by travel, Michael Palin combines both in a European journey to discover more about Vilhelm Hammershoi, an enigmatic Danish artist that has fascinated him for years. Curious to see more of Hammershoi's paintings and discover what kind of life the artist lived, Michael searches for clues in London, Holland and Copenhagen.
A journey back to the 1950s for a look at the wildest pop music of all time in a film that tells the stories of Bill Haley, Elvis Presley, Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis and Buddy Holly, giants from an era when pop music really was mad, bad and dangerous to know. The programme features the artists themselves, alongside people like Bill Haley's original Comets, the Crickets, Buddy Holly's widow Maria Elena, Jerry Lee Lewis's former wife Myra Gail and his sister, Chuck Berry's son and many more, including June Juanico, Elvis' first serious girlfriend. Other contributors include Tom Jones, Jamie Callum, Paul McCartney, Cliff Richard, Joe Brown, Marty Wilde, Green Day, Minnie Driver, Jack White, the Mavericks, Jools Holland, Hank Marvin, Fontella Bass, John Waters and more. Elvis's pelvis was just the start. Who had to change the lyrics to their biggest hit because the originals were too obscene? Who married their 13-year-old cousin? Who used lard to get their hair just right? And what happened on the day the music died?
Respect Yourself is an authoritative film about one of the great stories in rock and roll. The story is about Stax Records whose hits include Sittin' On the Dock of the Bay, Soul Man, If Loving You Is Wrong (I Don't Wanna Be Right), Knock On Wood and Respect.
The Two Ronnies, Noel Edmonds, Andre Previn, Morecambe & Wise and Tony Blackburn are among the famous faces on this nostalgic feast - from soap-opera cliffhangers to tension on Top of the Pops. Presented by Phill Jupitus
Documentary in which Andrew Graham-Dixon reveals how the Medici family transformed Florence through sculpture, painting and architecture and created a world where masterpieces fetch millions today. Without the money and patronage of the Medici we might never have heard of artists such as Donatello, Michelangelo or Botticelli. Graham-Dixon examines how a family of shadowy, corrupt businessmen, driven by greed and ambition, became the financial engine behind the Italian Renaissance.
Profile of the 1970s glam band Roxy Music, who reformed after 25 years to make a new album. The film traces the musical development of the group from 1972 up to the present day, as we discover how they influenced a generation of musicians such as Siouxsie and the Banshees, Duran Duran and U2 and why they are still a musical force to be reckoned with today. Featuring interviews with band members Bryan Ferry, Brian Eno, Phil Manzanera, Andy Mackay, Paul Thomson, Eddie Jobson and Gary Tibbs, plus fans including Bono, Siouxsie Sioux, Nile Rodgers of Chic, John Taylor of Duran Duran and Alison Goldfrapp.
Tribute to the prolific television and film producer, who was involved in making such shows as the original Doctor Who, Jonathan Creek , Minder and Eldorado.
Documentary celebrating the marvellously mirthful saga of Edmund Blackadder. Featuring interviews with key cast and crew members, and rare rehearsal footage.
A compilation of BBC studio performances of some of the great Manchester bands from the 1960s to the present, including Freddie and the Dreamers, The Hollies, 10CC, the Buzzcocks, The Fall, Joy Division, James, M-People, Oasis and many more.
An Irish language documentary featuring the natives of Inishbofin Island off the coast of Donegal, which is only habitable during the summer months, whether by humans or by the rare and elusive corncrake. The film chronicles the annual migration of the two populations to the island - the return of the corncrakes from sunnier climes and that of various families and individuals from the mainland to their ancestral homes where, isolated from most modern conveniences, they struggle to preserve a dying way of life.
Profiling the leading men of the glam rock era, Lisa Tarbuck guides us through the glittering careers of Marc Bolan, David Bowie, Noddy Holder, Brian Ferry, Elton John and honorary glam king Suzi Quatro. Industry men including producer Tony Visconti, songwriter Mike Chapman and photographer Mick Rock give the insider angle to the work of these artists.
Antonio Carluccio travels to Sicily to discover more about Lampedusa's novel The Leopard.
Documentary. At the Munich Olympics of 1972, Ugandan John Akii Bua powered round the inside lane in the 400m hurdles, past English favourite and reigning Olympic Champion David Hemery, to win the gold medal, 10m clear of the field. The clock showed 47.82, an astonishing new world record. Akii Bua was the first African to win gold in an event under 800 metres. He was also the first man to break the 48 seconds barrier in the 400 metre hurdles, an event so gruelling its nickname is 'The Mankiller'. But, while David Hemery retired to respectable fame and fortune, Akii Bua returned to a Uganda carving the name of its military 'President', Idi Amin, into genocidal notoriety. After the glory of 1972, John never found prosperity in his country, beautiful but blighted by the Amin slaughter, tribal rivalries and poverty. Akii Bua's tribe, the Langi, were the primary victims of Amin's slaughter, and John's national popularity could only protect him for so long. In 1979, Akii Bua fled for his life to Kenya. In the trauma, his wife gave birth prematurely, and the baby died. The couple did not even have the money to bury him. Shortly afterwards, Akii Bua presented his former coach, Englishman Malcolm Arnold, with 12 foolscap notebooks. Arnold, astonished, found they contained Akii Bua's life story, written in longhand, in pencil, in English, his third language. In 1983, with Amin ousted, Akii Bua returned to Uganda, his achievements and place in history seemingly forgotten. This is a film about the pinnacle of athletic achievement - and the search to discover what followed. The John Akii Bua Story is the story of one man, and of Africa itself; its glory, potential and tragedy.
On a wild autumn night in 1588 a gold-laden warship from the Spanish Armada was wrecked on Antrim's treacherous north coast. For nearly four centuries the Girona lay undiscovered, until treasure hunter Robert Stenuit found the wreck and secretly began to salvage its golden hoard.
Don Letts's hilarious and colourful profile of the godfather of funk, whose 50-year career has defined the genre. From his 1950s days running a doo-wop group out of the back of his barber store, through the madness of the monster Parliament/Funkadelic machine of the 70s to his late 90s hip-hop collaborations with Dre and Snoop, George Clinton has inspired generations of imitators. Contributors include Outkast's Andre 3000 and Macy Gray.
Documentary about the 18-year odyssey of a group of enthusiasts who set out to build a brand new mainline steam engine from scratch in 1990.
Around the World in 20 Years is a BBC television travel documentary first broadcast in December 2008, presented by Michael Palin. It follows him as he retraces the Dubai - Mumbai leg of his journey Around the World in 80 Days. Also featured is his reunion with the captain and crew of the al-Sharma dhow, in which he had undertaken the journey 20 years ago. Palin finds the captain of the al-Sharma in Gujarat and is heartily welcomed. He also reunites with several of the surviving crew members and discovers several of them have since died, including the old man whom he'd let listen to Bruce Springsteen on his Walkman during the voyage. The captain also reveals that the al-Sharma was lost at sea in the Indian Ocean some years before when it was being towed for repairs.
Back in 1980, a teenage Steve Cram was part of a team of British athletes who defied their government to go behind the iron curtain and compete in the Olympic Games. Steve Cram returns to the Russian capital to relive the story of the most controversial Olympics of modern times. An Olympics boycotted by the United States because of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and blighted by allegations of cheating and state sponsored doping. But these were also the games of Daley Thompson, Duncan Goodhew, Alan Wells and the incredible rivalry between Sebastian Coe and Steve Ovett. It's a fascinating story in which we hear how the games that threatened the very existence of the Olympic movement actually changed it for the better and, decades later, provided an unexpected bonus for the whole of British sport.
Michael Portillo revisits the family of a school friend who committed suicide as a teenager, discovering how the tragedy has coloured their lives ever since. His friend Gary was popular and good-looking, a gifted musician and a clever student. But just before his 16th birthday he committed suicide, leaving a note telling his parents he loved them and asking them not to be sad. In detailed and moving interviews with Gary's parents and younger brother, Michael learns how incredibly difficult it was for them to fulfil this plea. The implicit message from Gary's family to anyone who may be in despair and thinking of ending their life is to think hard about how it is going to affect those they are leaving behind. Despite the sadness, the courage shown by the family as they revive such painful memories is uplifting. Home videos reveal a happy and carefree family. The music in the programme was composed by Gary. After being lost for 40 years, it was rediscovered in the making of the film and performed by his younger brother.
In July 1992, Rachel Nickell was murdered on Wimbledon Common in front of her two-year-old son. What followed was one of the nation's most controversial murder investigations. Police used a honey trap to get a confession from one man, Colin Stagg. He suffered death threats, physical attacks, imprisonment, and became one of the most hated men in Britain. This drama documentary tells the shocking story of how police targeted an innocent man, and includes an exclusive interview with Stagg.
Britain's National Health Service celebrates its sixtieth birthday on 5 July this year. Serving over one and a half million patients and their families every day, the NHS is the biggest service of its kind in the world. It is universally regarded as a national treasure - the most remarkable achievement of post war Britain. Yet, surprisingly, the National Health Service very nearly did not happen at all. In the months leading to its launch it was bitterly opposed - by the Tory Party and the national press. But its most vicious and vocal opponents were the very people its existence depended on - surgeons, nurses, dentists and Britain's 20,000 doctors. To get the NHS at all required the persistence and determination of one man - Nye Bevan, Labour's minister of health. This film tells the extraordinary story of the six months leading up to its traumatic birth.
Marty Feldman was one of the greats of British comedy. He was a splendid physical clown who hoped to emulate Buster Keaton , but the system that made him a star withdrew its support when they couldn't pigeonhole him. John Cleese , Michael Palin and David Frost are among those who contribute.
The story of South Yorkshire's Highgate Greyhound Stadium, which each week attracts a motley crowd of characters to the world of flapping - independent, unregulated greyhound racing. In the days when the mines dominated South Yorkshire, flapping was a way of life. But as the mines have closed, so have the tracks. In 1948, there were over 130 flapping tracks in the UK. By 1984, the year of the miners' strike, there were less than 60. Today there are just 11. The tracks may be dwindling, but to those involved flapping remains an obsession and Highgate is at the centre of these dogmen's lives. At Highgate, 'Tricky' Russ is in charge and as proprietor is all powerful in this unregulated world. But financially, the track is in trouble and his son shows no interest in entering the family business. In step the track's landlords who have regretted their decision to lease the track and are now determined to restore it to its former glory.
Re-United follows Munich Air Crash survivor Harry Gregg on an intensely personal journey that re-unites the former Manchester United goalkeeper with the people and places inextricably linked to the single darkest moment in British sporting history. For the first time in 50-years Harry revisits the scene of the crash in Munich that claimed the lives of 23 passengers, including eight of the team known affectionately as the Busby Babes.
Documentary investigating the mystery behind the death of singer-songwriter Kirsty MacColl, killed by a speedboat in Mexico in 2000. The boat, travelling at high speed in an area restricted for divers, belonged to one of Mexico's wealthiest businessmen but no-one has been prosecuted over the incident. Kirsty's mother Jean's search for the truth and her attempts to bring those she believes are responsible to justice are documented here.
Remember Living in the Past? It was the 1970s documentary series in which six families spent a year living in the Iron Age, working, sleeping and eating as their ancestors would have done 2,300 years before. Thirty years on, What Happened Next? catches up with the people who took part. Some still sport neolithic beards, while others nurse ancient grievances - one man describes building a house from mud and wood during the wettest spring of the century as "sheer hell".
In the early 18th century, Antonio Vivaldi composed music for La Pieta in Venice, a home for children who were abandoned at birth. The institution had its own all-female orchestra and choir who provided entertainment in the church for visiting tourists. This film tells the story of that extraordinary partnership through the eyes of a modern group of female singers and musicians as they travel to Venice to recreate Vivaldi's music in the Pieta as it sounded 300 years ago.
In this programme, David Attenborough asks three key questions: how, and why, did Darwin come up with his theory of evolution? Why do we think he was right? And why is it more important now than ever before? David starts his journey in Darwin's home at Down House in Kent, where Darwin worried and puzzled over the origins of life. David goes back to his roots in Leicestershire, where he hunted for fossils as a child, and where another schoolboy unearthed a significant find in the 1950s. And he revisits Cambridge University, where both he and Darwin studied, and where many years later the DNA double helix was discovered, providing the foundations for genetics. At the end of his journey in the Natural History Museum in London, David concludes that Darwin's great insight revolutionised the way in which we see the world. We now understand why there are so many different species, and why they are distributed in the way they are. But above all, Darwin has shown us that we are not set apart from the natural world, and do not have dominion over it. We are subject to its laws and processes, as are all other animals on earth to which, indeed, we are related.
Dan Cruickshank presents a documentary revealing the story of the Dalai Lama, his secret Himalayan kingdom and the story of his exile, using eyewitness accounts from Tibetans including the Dalai Lama himself and colour archive footage of Tibet from the 1930s to 50s.
Charles Rangeley Wilson, author, journalist and BBC 2's Accidental Angler, travels to Japan to explore the Japanese people's passionate relationship to fish.
Documentary in which George Lamb dives into the world of legal party pills and herbal highs. Legal highs are sold openly and legally in shops across the UK and on the internet. There are thousands of different pills, powders and herbs that promise the same effects as illegal drugs, but for much less hassle - no arrests for possession and no backstreet dealers to visit. Lamb sets out to discover why they are legal and whether this means they can also be called safe. He meets people who take them, a man who sells them and a doctor who says they are potentially more dangerous than class A drugs. He travels to Guernsey, where most of the young people he meets have tried them, and finally decides to try one for himself. They might be legal and easily accessible, but should they be used? This film presents all the information needed to make a decision.
Writer Paul Morley takes a journey back through time to revisit his own adventures and misadventures in fashion and meets the pop stars who he feels are responsible for the way he looks now.
Cleopatra - the most famous woman in history. We know her as a great queen, a beautiful lover and a political schemer. For 2,000 years almost all evidence of her has disappeared - until now. In one of the world's most exciting finds, archaeologists believe they have discovered the skeleton of her sister, murdered by Cleopatra and Mark Antony. From Egypt to Turkey, Neil Oliver investigates the story of a ruthless queen who would kill her own siblings for power. This is the portrait of a killer.
British novelist Marcel Theroux is fascinated by Wabi Sabi, a theory of Japanese aesthetics in which imperfection and transience are the touchstone of beauty. The Japanese say that if you can understand Wabi Sabi, you will understand Japan and the Japanese. Yet at the same time they have immense difficulty in explaining the concept themselves, so Marcel travels across Japan, from Tokyo to Kyoto and then on to the mountains of Fukui, trying to unravel the meaning of this baffling concept that is at the heart of what makes the Japanese tick. It is a challenging, funny and ultimately moving journey that starts under the bright neon lights and craziness of Tokyo and ends in an austere Zen Temple in the snowy foothills of Japan's eastern mountains.
An extraordinary insight into the secretive world of the Old Order Amish of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. When two radical Amish men, Ephraim and Jesse Stoltzfus, start to question some of the most fundamental aspects of their Amish culture, they face excommunication from their church and total rejection by their friends and family.
Andrew Graham-Dixon takes a journey into the art and soul of the Samurai, who ruled Japan for 700 years and were much more than mere warriors.
Documentary which tells the story of evolution theory since Darwin postulated it in 1859 in 'On the Origin of Species'. The theory of evolution by natural selection is now scientific orthodoxy, but when it was unveiled it caused a storm of controversy, from fellow scientists as well as religious people. They criticised it for being short on evidence and long on assertion and Darwin, being the honest scientist that he was, agreed with them. He knew that his theory was riddled with 'difficulties', but he entrusted future generations to complete his work and prove the essential truth of his vision, which is what scientists have been doing for the past 150 years. Evolutionary biologist Professor Armand Marie Leroi charts the scientific endeavour that brought about the triumphant renaissance of Darwin's theory. He argues that, with the new science of evolutionary developmental biology (evo devo), it may be possible to take that theory to a new level - to do more than explain what has evolved in the past, and start to predict what might evolve in the future.
There are some who believe that Darwin's theory of evolution has weakened religion, fuelled in part by Richard Dawkins' publishing phenomenon The God Delusion. Conor Cunningham argues that nothing could be further from the truth. Cunningham is a firm believer in the theory of evolution, but he is also a Christian. He believes that the clash between Darwin and God has been hijacked by extremists - fundamentalist believers who reject evolution on one side, and fundamentalist atheists on the other. Cunningham attempts to overturn what he believes are widely held but mistaken assumptions in the debate between religion and evolution. He travels to the Middle East where he shows that from the very outset, Christianity warned against literal readings of the biblical story of creation. In Britain, he reveals that, at the time, Darwin's theory of evolution was welcomed by the Anglican and Catholic Churches. Instead, he argues that the conflict between Darwin and God was manufactured by American creationists in the 20th century for reasons that had very little to do with science and religion and a great deal to do with politics and morality. Finally, he comes face to face with some of the most eminent evolutionary biologists, geneticists and philosophers of our time to examine whether the very latest advances in evolutionary theory do in fact kill God.
An estimated 70 per cent of women try to lose weight before they get married and Claire Richards, one fifth of superstar pop group Steps, is no exception.
A documentary exploring the causes of the 1929 Wall Street Crash. Over six terrifying, desperate days in October 1929, shares crashed by a third on the New York Stock Exchange. More than $25 billion in individual wealth was lost. Later, three thousand banks failed, taking people's savings with them. Surviving eyewitnesses describe the biggest financial catastrophe in history. In 1919, the US had emerged victorious and dominant from World War One. Britain and its European allies were exhausted financially from the war. In contrast, the US economy was thriving and the world danced to the American tune. Easy credit and mass production set the tone in the roaring twenties for an era of consumption like none that had ever been seen before. The stock market rose and investors piled in, borrowing money to cash in on the bubble. In 1928, the market went up by 50 per cent in just 12 months. The crash was followed by a devastating worldwide depression that lasted until the Second World War. Shares did not regain their pre-crash values until 1954. This is the story of a financial disaster that we hoped could never happen again.
We explore the story behind the discovery of an early primate fossil, Darwinius masillae, nicknamed Ida, in a shale quarry in Germany. The fossil is believed to be around 47 million years old, and is extraordinarily well-preserved. Originally unearthed in 1983, Ida lay in the hands of a private collector for 20 years before it was shown to a Norwegian paleontologist, Dr Jørn Hurum. Realising that Ida could turn out to be a significant missing link between modern primates, lemurs and lower mammals, he persuaded the Natural History Museum in Oslo to purchase the fossil and assembled an international team of experts to study it. Their findings were announced in a press conference and the online publication of a scientific paper on 19 May 2009.
Documentary bringing to life Gavin Pretor-Pinney's international bestseller, The Cloudspotter's Guide, which draws on science, meteorology and mythology for a magical journey through the world of clouds. Presented by the obsessive and excitable Pretor-Pinney, it is no dry treatise on the science of nephology, but a playful trip through the varied beauty and distinctive personalities of the ten principal cloud types. From the ethereal cirrus to the terrifying cumulonimbus, the film tells the story of the short but eventful life of clouds, and their importance to our planet. We find out how immense quantities of water can stay up in the sky for so long and how lightning and thunder are created. Aided by his worldwide network of Cloudspotters, Pretor-Pinney also sets out to prove the existence of a totally new type of cloud, which finally leads him to present his findings to a panel of top scientists. Featuring stunning images filmed by the world's most experienced aerial cameraman, it inspires, informs and challenges all those who have ever wondered about the heavens above.
Fulfilling a life long dream to be an astronaut, May was given the opportunity to fly to the edge of space in a Lockheed U-2 spy plane. To do this he first had to spend three days training with the United States Air Force at Beale Air Force Base and then learning how to use a space suit correctly. Following this he was shown being taken on a 3 hour flight reaching an altitude of over 70,000 feet, piloted by instructor pilot Major John "Cabi" Cabigas. This programme tied in with another May documentary an hour earlier on BBC Two called James May on the Moon to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Apollo moon landings.
In this programme James May commemorates the 40th anniversary of the Apollo moon landings. The show saw May interviewing Apollo moonwalkers Harrison Schmitt, Alan Bean, and Charlie Duke, before himself experiencing weightlessness and G-forces similar to that of a Saturn V rocket launch. As a passenger in a Lockheed U-2 spy plane, May flies to the edge of space where he is able to clearly view the curvature of the earth.
Can we trust the food we eat? Reporters Tom Heap and Simon Boazman set off on a mission to find out, revealing the tricks of food labelling and uncovering the world of food fraud.
On July 20th 1969, the ‘Great Southern Land’ of Australia had just twelve and a half million inhabitants and was known more for its kangaroos then its space program. But at the moment Neil Armstrong planted the first human footstep on the moon, all that would change in an instant. One Small Step – The Australian Story, produced exclusively for BBC Worldwide Channels by Freehand premieres on BBC Knowledge, Channel 619 on Monday July 20 at 7:30pm as part of Moon Week. Presented by Australian journalist and author Peter FitzSimons, the 60 minute documentary explores the front-line role Australian radio astronomers and technicians played in the Apollo 11 moon landing and the uniquely Australian approach they brought to the task. We meet the characters directly involved in bringing live pictures from the moon to the rest of the world and hear about the dramas of this most remarkable day. Their stories will be interwoven with snapshots of Australia from July 20th 1969 as we relive the day leading up to one of the most significant events in this country’s brief history. Myths will be debunked and real stories uncovered. Australians saw clearer pictures “live from the moon” than anyone else on Earth – and became the first witnesses to this momentous footstep in history. This was no ordinary television signal. After travelling 384,000km, it would inspire Australians from all walks of life and bring a sense of future possibilities to the nation. With Neil Armstrong’s “one small step”, Australia – would take a “giant step” onto the world stage. And just like the surface of the moon – would also cease to be a remote place largely unknown to the rest of the world.
Documentary about the love affair between the British and their caravans, which saw the country establish the world's largest caravan manufacturer and transformed the holiday habits of generations of families. In telling the intriguing story of caravanning in Britain from the 1950s through to the present day, the film reveals how caravans were once the plaything of a privileged minority but after World War II became a firm favourite with almost a quarter of British holidaymakers. It explores how changes in caravanning across the years reflect wider changes in British society, in particular the increased availability of cars during the 1950s and 60s, but also the improved roads network and changing attitudes towards holidaymaking and leisure time. Enthusiasts and contributors include Dorrie van Lachterop from the West Midlands and Christine Fagg from Hertfordshire, remarkable and adventurous women who started touring alone in their caravans during the 1950s.
Top chefs and celebrities pay tribute to one of the most original broadcasters of his generation, Keith Floyd. Rick Stein, Marco Pierre White and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall are among those honouring the legendary chef and bon viveur, whose ground-breaking shows changed the face of TV cookery for ever.
Poet and gadget lover Simon Armitage explores people's obsession with upgrading to the latest technological gadgetry. Upgrade culture drives millions to purchase the latest phones, flatscreen TVs, laptops and MP3 players. But is it design, functionality, fashion or friends that makes people covet the upgrade, and how far does the choice of gadgets define identity? Simon journeys across Britain and to South Korea in search of answers.
Bees are dying in their millions. It is an ecological crisis that threatens to bring global agriculture to a standstill. Introduced by Martha Kearney, this documentary explores the reasons behind the decline of bee colonies across the globe, investigating what might be at the root of this devastation.
Through the life cycle of one mobile phone, this documentary investigates the million and one ways in which the mobile has made itself indispensable to modern life. One in every two human beings has a mobile, and this inanimate lump of plastic and minerals is made privy to people's innermost secrets - conversations with friends, lovers and family. It holds family photos, plays favourite music and yet, as an instrument of communication, it has its paradoxes. People are dumped by text, some pretend to be deep in a telephone conversation to avoid speaking to real people and others are affronted when their bellowed conversations on public transport are overheard. Then, at the end of a strangely intimate relationship, it becomes one of the one billion phones discarded every year - reconditioned for re-use or smelted down for the precious metals it contains.
Choirmaster Gareth Malone joins forces with the BBC Singers to explore the styles and techniques that create a choir. He finds out why there are four sections, what is polyphony, what links Bach and the Beach Boys, what difference the venue makes and what is the choral combination that is guaranteed to touch an emotional chord.
Documentary following a generation of post-punk musicians who took the synthesiser from the experimental fringes to the centre of the pop stage. In the late 1970s, small pockets of electronic artists including the Human League, Daniel Miller and Cabaret Volatire were inspired by Kraftwerk and JG Ballard and dreamt of the sound of the future against the backdrop of bleak, high-rise Britain. The crossover moment came in 1979 when Gary Numan's appearance on Top of the Pops with Tubeway Army's Are Friends Electric heralded the arrival of synthpop. Four lads from Basildon known as Depeche Mode would come to own the new sound whilst post-punk bands like Ultravox, Soft Cell, OMD and Yazoo took the synth out of the pages of the NME and onto the front page of Smash Hits. By 1983, acts like Pet Shop Boys and New Order were showing that the future of electronic music would lie in dance music. Contributors include Philip Oakey, Vince Clarke, Martin Gore, Bernard Sumner, Gary Numan and Neil Tennant. With Moogs turned up to 11, a 1970s/80s journey through the BBC's synthpop archives from Roxy Music to New Order. Track listing: Roxy Music — Do the Strand Tubeway Army — Are 'Friends' Electric? Sparks — Beat the Clock The Human League — The Path of Least Resistance Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark — Messages Ultravox — Vienna Depeche Mode — New Life New Order — Temptation Soft Cell — Say Hello, Wave Goodbye Japan — Ghosts Yazoo — Don't Go Tears for Fears — Mad World Eurythmics — Love is a Stranger Heaven 17 — Temptation Howard Jones — What Is Love? Pet Shop Boys — Opportunities
Dan Snow travels to Mexico to investigate the history, character and legacy of Montezuma, the last great ruler of the Aztecs of central America. He uncovers the extraordinary story of the Aztecs themselves, a cultured and civilised people whose lives were governed by eleborate ceremony and blood-curdling ritual. Dan Snow also discovers how, in a titanic clash of cultures, their leader Montezuma faced up to a mortal threat from another world - the weaponry, gold-lust and greed of 16th-century Spanish conquistadors.
Documentary telling the story of silicon chip inventor Robert Noyce, godfather of today's digital world. Re-living the heady days of Silicon Valley's seminal start-ups, the film tells how Noyce also founded Intel, the company responsible for more than 80 per cent of the microprocessors in personal computers. Noyce defined the unconventional, innovative culture of Silicon Valley - the likes of Apple and Google would be influenced by his egalitarian management style, which was inspired by his religious upbringing. Podfather shows why Noyce may be the most important person most people have never heard of. Contributors include industry giants Gordon Moore and Andy Grove.
Documentary which looks at how a radical generation of musicians created a new German musical identity out of the cultural ruins of war. Between 1968 and 1977 bands like Neu!, Can, Faust and Kraftwerk would look beyond western rock and roll to create some of the most original and uncompromising music ever heard. They shared one common goal - a forward-looking desire to transcend Germany's gruesome past - but that didn't stop the music press in war-obsessed Britain from calling them Krautrock.
An eccentric team of British engineers attempts to break the longest standing land speed record in the world in a steam-powered car built in a shed in Hampshire. Driven by Hampshire-based tycoon Charles Burnett III and grandson of Sir Malcolm Campbell, Don Wales, the attempt takes place at Edwards Air Force Base in California as the team goes in search of a runway big enough to break records on.
At 72, actor Richard Wilson - who famously died himself as Victor Meldrew - wonders why, when it's life's one certainty, people have such difficulty discussing death. In that Palinesque style that he's developed, Richard travels around the country meeting people and finding out how death is dealt with in the 21st century - how people face it, what happens when we die, and the different ways people cope with death and grief. New rituals like roadside memorials and ghostbikes are regular sights on the roads, but old traditions of cremation and burial still dominate. Richard meets members of the plethora of people whose jobs bring them into daily contact with the dead. He follows the elaborate processes dead bodies must go through as they are passed from pathologist to embalmer, funeral director to crematorium, and finds out why individuals should make choices about death while they can. In all it's a gentle and touching film that handles its subject matter with care and grace. It maybe about something that we're all going to have to face whilst rather preferring not to, but mostly, it's about living.
The untold story of two infamous labourers, Burke and Hare, who embarked upon a year-long killing spree in Edinburgh during the 19th century to provide corpses for the most famous anatomist of the day, Dr Robert Knox. The common perception is that Burke and Hare were Scottish graverobbers but, as this programme reveals, they were serial killers from Northern Ireland. Presented by Dr Alice Roberts and Dr Mark Hamilton, this programme uses dramatic reconstruction to investigate this macabre tale.
Documentary which explores television's fascination with forensics, revisiting classic shows like Quincy and Marius Goring's The Expert and looking at the appeal of contemporary dramas such as Silent Witness, Waking The Dead and CSI. The film examines how scientific advances like genetic fingerprinting have been reflected in the crime drama, finds out how pathology got so sexy, how accurate the science shown on screen actually is, and how TV cops solved crimes before DNA. Contributors include Sue Johnston from Waking The Dead, Tom Ward and William Gaminara from Silent Witness, and old Quincy himself, Jack Klugman. Plus comment from crime writers, scientists and detectives.
Peter Capaldi reveals a flair for presenting in this new documentary looking at the art of Scotland, as it reflects the changing face of the nation as part of BBC Four's This is Scotland season. The actor, a graduate of the Glasgow School Of Art, brings an interesting perspective to this feature-length piece, admitting that his early gift for drawing fell by the wayside as a young man but that he has once again taken to sketching. Peter doesn't pretend to be an expert, but acts as an intuitive guide to cottish art in this programme, which spans the 17th century through to the modern-day Glasgow Boys. Dropping into his alma mater, Peter says: "What gift I had was for drawing faces, so I'd certainly come to the right place if I wanted to learn that most particular of Scottish arts – the portrait. But then, you see, punk rock happened and whole armies of us abandoned our surplus greatcoats in favour of peroxide hair, pvc trousers and guitars. With this programme, I've been offered a second chance to learn anew about the great traditions and history of Scottish painting." With a quizzical look when talking to experts, Peter takes a tour through the early days of Scottish art and its influences, such as the Enlightenment, the Ossian works and representations of famous Scots such as Burns. He radiates a keen eye and accessible passion for the subject when viewing the paintings featured or talking to some of the major living Scottish artists, including Alison Watt, John Byrne, Sandy Moffat, Peter Howson and Calum Colvin.
Bogey, Bacall and Mitchum play it tough as Matthew Sweet celebrates the hardboiled world of noir movies.
Sue Perkins charts the changes in British taste towards domestic art by delving into the stories of contemporary bestsellers, charting the history of post-war prints and aiming to see first hand what the average British person displays above their mantelpiece. Half of British living rooms have art on their wall bought from high street stores, and many of the British artists who created them are among the country's most successful - but we've never heard of them.
Documentary in which artist and writer Matthew Collings explores the concept of beauty in art. Is beauty only in the eye of the beholder, or is there something more universal we can say about it? Collings takes the viewer on a sumptuously illustrated tour of 10 of his favourite beauty experiences from the history of art. The works of art he chooses each illustrate one of the timeless principles which he believes underpin and explain the rush of pleasure we get from beautiful art. They are all art experiences which he has loved for many years, but in this film he explores with each artwork what it is that is making their particular kind of beauty happen. Collings's personal list inspires some big questions about why art matters to us, and aims to get viewers thinking and arguing about what their own personal Top 10 might look like. The 10 art experiences range right across history, from the prehistoric cave art of the Dordogne to the hi-tech super-modernity of a Norman Foster-designed bridge in southern France, and from some of the indisputable masterpieces of the Renaissance to the much more debatable pleasures of contemporary art. Collings leaps fearlessly across history, making unexpected and revelatory comparisons between the art of different eras, and helping us to see the principles that underlie them. Collings's list includes works by Piero della Francesca, Michelangelo, Magritte, Gauguin and American artist Robert Rauschenberg, amongst others.
Documentary charting the history of the supernatural on British television, and how ghosts have been portrayed on the small screen. From Hamlet to Most Haunted, the apparitions have abandoned their traditional haunts of drama and comedy and crossed over into factual and reality TV. Ghosts in the Machine celebrates classic ghost stories like The Stone Tape, and Whistle and I'll Come to You. It revisits controversial shows like Derren Brown's Seance and 1992's Ghostwatch, which convinced thousands of viewers that Michael Parkinson was possessed by a poltergeist. The film examines the recent explosion of interest in the paranormal. How did ghosts get their own genre, and how did television become the medium of the medium?
To mark his 75th year, a rare glimpse into the life and work of Alan Bennett, one of the UK's best-loved writers. Given exclusive access to the key moments in his year, including final rehearsals of his new play, The Habit of Art, the programme gains unique insight into someone who can truly be described as a national treasure - a title Bennett would, no doubt, hate. Through candid interviews, classic archive footage, new work and personal testimony, this documentary celebrates the many sides, public and private, of the reluctant elder statesman of English culture.
In 1979, artist Kit Williams turned Britain into a giant treasure map, promising a golden hare, buried in the earth, to the first person who solved the riddle of his book Masquerade. The hysteria that followed the hunt drove Williams underground, where he has continued to create complex and beautiful art, which he refuses to publicly exhibit. In his first interview in two decades, Kit lifts the lid on life before and after Masquerade. Did the hare deprive us of one of our most gifted painters?
Documentary which explores the most important day in the career of the legendary Johnny Cash. Cash's concert at Folsom State Prison in California in January 1968 touched a raw nerve in the American psyche and made him a national hero at a troubled time in American history. Using the stark images of rock photographer Jim Marshall, graphic techniques, archive footage and interviews with Merle Haggard, Cash's daughter Rosanne, band members Marshall Grant and WS 'Fluke' Holland, alongside former inmates of the prison, the film documents this explosive concert, the live album that followed and a transformative moment in the lives of Cash, the inmates of Folsom Prison and the American nation in the troubled year of 1968.
Every year millions of people in Britain try to lose weight, and most fail. We are constantly bombarded with advice about dieting and the latest slimming fads. But what really works? In this programme, medical journalist Michael Mosley investigates the latest scientific breakthroughs in slimming, uncovering ten of the simplest ways you can shed those pounds. From the slimming secrets of soup to our brain's response after skipping meals, what he discovers may completely change the way you think about diets, health and losing weight.
Professors Iain Stewart and Professor Kathy Sykes take a timely look at global warming ahead of the Copenhagen summit, exploring the world's leading climate scientists' vision of the planet's future.
For the first time since 1990, Delia returns to television screens at Christmas time to unveil a celebration feast packed with indulgent, scrumptious recipes.
The story behind Not The Nine O'Clock News, which launched the careers of its key performers Rowan Atkinson, Mel Smith, Griff Rhys Jones and Pamela Stephenson.
Documentary about progressive music and the generation of bands that were involved, from the international success stories of Yes, Genesis, ELP, King Crimson and Jethro Tull to the trials and tribulations of lesser-known bands such as Caravan and Egg. The film is structured in three parts, charting the birth, rise and decline of a movement famed for complex musical structures, weird time signatures, technical virtuosity and strange, and quintessentially English, literary influences. It looks at the psychedelic pop scene that gave birth to progressive rock in the late 1960s, the golden age of progressive music in the early 1970s, complete with drum solos and gatefold record sleeves, and the over-ambition, commercialisation and eventual fall from grace of this rarefied musical experiment at the hands of punk in 1977.
Aminatta Forna tells the story of legendary Timbuktu and its long hidden legacy of hundreds of thousands of ancient manuscripts. With its university founded around the same time as Oxford, Timbuktu is proof that the reading and writing of books have long been as important to Africans as to Europeans.
Documentary which tells the story of the British love affair with the American dream cars made at Ford in Dagenham in the 1960s and 70s. Ford helped put the nation on wheels with its fast, sexy cars such as the Zephyr, the Cortina and the Capri, which were pure rock'n'roll and hugely appealing to the younger generation.
Documentary about Falklands War veteran and ex-firefighter Jim Armstrong, who is now a farmer in Dorset. The film follows Jim through 2007 as he helps to raise a herd of traditional Longhorn cattle and his own flock of sheep. Sad echoes of his war experiences 25 years earlier resurface at times, but they never dent his optimistic spirit or his delight in selling meat locally and spending his days in the great Dorset outdoors.
Documentary unfolding the science behind the idea of six degrees of separation. Originally thought to be an urban myth, it now appears that anyone on the planet can be connected in just a few steps of association. Six degrees of separation is also at the heart of a major scientific breakthrough; that there might be a law which nature uses to organize itself and that now promises to solve some of its deepest mysteries.
Documentary telling the story of Rolls-Royce in India through the fortunes of India's princes.
Paul Merton continues his love affair with silent cinema in an exploration of Alfred Hitchcock's British films. Before Hitchcock became the master of suspense, he made all kinds of movies while learning his profession and honing his technique. His later, much loved American pictures are full of visual sequences which owe a huge debt to his early days as a silent film director.
Stars of the hit drama series Merlin, Colin Morgan and Bradley James, set off across Wales to explore the country's centuries-old connections to the legend of King Arthur and his wizard Merlin. Along the way they encounter enthusiasts and experts in Arthurian lore, and visit some of the most breathtaking landscapes in Wales.
Penelope Keith tells the story of Edwardian 'it girl' and motoring pioneer Dorothy Levitt. She retraces Levitt's 1905 journey from London to Liverpool in a De Dion motor car, with the aid of Dorothy's handbook The Woman and the Car and advice from motoring historians and veteran car enthusiasts. The story is further illustrated by archive material from the period.
In September 2009, the Girl Guides celebrated their centenary. With a membership of over 600,000, nearly half the female population of Britain has been involved with the Brownies and Girl Guides at some time during their lives. Throughout its history, the movement has given girls the opportunity to have fun and form life-long friendships. Narrated by Dominic West (The Wire), 100 Years of the Girl Guides delves into the movement's extraordinary archive and interviews a host of former Girl Guides from veterans to such household names as Kelly Holmes, Clare Short, Kate Silverton and Rhona Cameron.
An exclusive TV premiere, Attenborough Explores... Our Fragile World, a documentary looking at the impact of climate change in the UK. Our planet is the hottest it has been since records began - and it's getting hotter. Many predictions have been made about the future fate of a warming planet and its wildlife but, Attenborough Explores... Our Fragile World takes a look at the impact on the animals and habitats affected today. Global warming isn't a future phenomenon - it is happening right now
Nation on Film documentary telling the story of youth hostelling, which was founded in 1909 in Germany and was established in Britain in 1930, through fascinating archive films discovered in a storeroom at the Youth Hostel Association's headquarters in Derbyshire.
Tristram Hunt shows how motoring has gone from allowing us to explore the beautiful English countryside to the present day of speed cameras, congestion charges and environmental issues. Along the way, he looks at different cars through the ages that define a decade and a generation.
As the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew prepare to celebrate their 250th anniversary, Dan Cruickshank unearths some of the surprising stories that shaped the famous gardens. His travels take him from the royal gardens to the corridors of power and the outposts of the Empire as he pieces together Kew's story, uncovering tales of bravery, high adventure, passion and drama.
Damian Lewis-narrated documentary telling the colourful story of Island Records, the Jamaican-founded record label built by maverick boss Chris Blackwell which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2009. The film features a rare, in-depth interview with Blackwell alongside contributions from former Island artists Grace Jones, Toots Hibbert, Amy Winehouse, Sly and Robbie, PJ Harvey, U2, Brian Eno, Spencer Davis, Yusuf Islam/Cat Stevens, the B52s, Kid Creole, Greg Lake, Ian Anderson, Trevor Horn, Paul Weller, Richard Thompson and Keane. News archive and rare performance footage are used to tell the story of the label - its part in bringing reggae music into the world; its expansion into progressive rock in the late 1960s; the rise of Bob Marley into a global star; and the label's reputation for consistently signing, producing and championing innovative acts from the UK and all over the world.
Documentary telling the story of Balmoral, the Royal Family's most private residence. For over 150 years this Scottish castle has been home to royal traditions of picnics, stag hunting and kilts. From prime ministers to Princess Diana, life at this tartan-bound holiday home hasn't appealed to everyone. But there's another story of Balmoral, of how the Royal Family has played a role in shaping modern Scotland and how Scotland has shaped the Royal Family. Queen Victoria's adoption of Highland symbols, from tartan to bagpipes, helped create a new image for Scotland. Her values, too, helped strengthen the union between Scotland and England. Ever since, Balmoral has been a place that reflects the very essence of the Royal Family.
Whether in his golden youth or premature old age, legendary jazz trumpeter Chet Baker's musical virtuosity always shone through. In this frank and revealing documentary made a year before his death, interviews, recording sessions, archive footage and home movies are used by director Bruce Weber to show a man ravaged by his long involvement with drugs.
The story of a special train, the Lifeline Express. It is known as the Magic Train. With two state-of-the-art operating theatres, recovery rooms, offices and accommodation, each project requires a team of volunteer doctors, surgeons and nurses to give their services for free. For four weeks, cameras follow the Mandsor project as operations are carried out on poor rural people while the train is standing in a station in the middle of India.
The story of Frank Chalmers, an open water swimmer setting off on the challenge of his life. Having successfully swum the English Channel, Frank has been training for over a year in preparation for his toughest swim yet - to cross the Pentland Firth.
Little more than 100 years ago, Scottish mountains standing at more than 3,000 feet were virtually unknown. Today they are familiar terrain to many thousands of climbers, thanks to Victorian adventurer Hugh Munro's determination to list the high peaks which now define the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. This documentary tells the story of the magnificent peaks that bear his name and the people who have been possessed by them.
Historian Michael Wood returns to his first great love, the Anglo-Saxon world, to reveal the origins of our literary heritage. Focusing on Beowulf and drawing on other Anglo-Saxon classics, he traces the birth of English poetry back to the Dark Ages.
Is Margaret Thatcher the mother of the Scottish Parliament? BBC World Affairs Correspondent Allan Little looks back at the tumultuous Thatcher years, and assesses the effect they had on Scotland.
Poet Simon Armitage goes on the trail of one of the jewels in the crown of British poetry, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, written about 600 years ago by an unknown author. The poem has got just about everything - it is an action-packed adventure, a ghost story, a steamy romance, a morality tale and the world's first eco-poem. Armitage follows in the footsteps of the poem's hero, Gawain, through some of Britain's most beautiful and mystical landscapes and reveals why an absurd tale of a knight beheading a green giant is as relevant and compelling today as when it was written.
Actress Melissa Suffield plays teenage tearaway Lucy Beale in EastEnders, a character famous for her bad behaviour. But now Melissa is coming of age - she has turned 16, is paying tax and is leaving school - and thinks she wants a say in how things are run. So she hits the road to find out whether 16-year-olds should get the vote. On her journey across Britain, Melissa meets teenage protesters, the mother of a 17-year-old soldier killed in Iraq and new citizens who have just won the right to vote. There are tears in a polling station, filming is stopped in the Houses of Parliament and Melissa visits the first country in Europe to grant all 16-year-olds the vote. At a time when our interest in politics has never been so high and our respect for politicians has never been so low, is giving 16-year-olds the right to vote the best way to refresh democracy?
Documentary looking at events in Gloucester, Massachusetts, when an unusually large number of teenage girls turned up for pregnancy tests at the clinic of a school. Within hours the news of an alleged 'pregnancy pact' had travelled round the world, appearing in newspapers, TV bulletins and chat shows. Town officials denied the rumours, but was there any truth in them? Featuring interviews with the girls, their families and friends, the film tells the human story behind the headlines.
Singer and Strictly Come Dancing star Alesha Dixon investigates the potential fallout of not knowing who your father is. Alesha talks to children and experts as she examines both the emotional and practical implications of not knowing where and who you come from; from the extreme case scenario of potentially sleeping with a half brother or sister that you did not know you had, to the possible backlash of not knowing your medical background. Alesha wants to get the nation thinking and talking about the issue of absent fathers as seen from the child's perspective. Along the way, she also takes on the ambitious task of helping one young person in their hunt to track down their biological father.
Documentary telling the little-known story of how Darwin came to write his great masterpiece, On the Origin of Species, a book which explains the wonderful variety of the natural world as emerging out of death and the struggle of life. In the twenty years he took to develop a brilliant idea into a revolutionary book, Darwin went through a personal struggle every bit as turbulent as that of the natural world he observed. Fortunately, he left us an extraordinary record of his brilliant insights, observations of nature, and touching expressions of love and affection for those around him. He also wrote frank accounts of family tragedies, physical illnesses and moments of self-doubt, as he laboured towards publication of the book that would change the way we see the world. The story is told with the benefit of Darwin's secret notes and correspondence, enhanced by natural history filming, powerful imagery from the time and contributions from leading contemporary biographers and scientists.
Kirsten O'Brien takes a warm-hearted and irreverent tour of Britain's Most Embarrassing Parents. We get a peek into the lives of ten families across the UK and hear first-hand from the mortified kids who've been brought up by some of the country's most unconventional parents.
Fashion photographer Rankin recreates seven of his favourite images as he takes a journey through a brief history of the fashion photograph. By re-staging iconic images by Cecil Beaton, Erwin Blumenfeld, Richard Avedon, Helmut Newton, Herb Ritts, David Bailey and Guy Bourdin, Rankin exposes the ways in which fashion photography uses fantasy and beauty to communicate something about reality.
Central Valley, California, is home to some of the most impoverished rural towns in America, where crystal meth addiction is prolific. In Fresno, Louis finds a community ravaged by this cheap and highly addictive drug. As he infiltrates the town, he experiences the reality of meth abuse, as addicts who are high (or 'tweaking', as it is known) invite him into their homes to see them take hit after hit of their favourite drug. Louis becomes surrounded by the madness of daily addiction and the meth-addled confusion which is breaking this community apart. He sees its impact through the eyes of the local police, and meets Diane and Karl, a couple who have sustained their marriage despite a 25-year meth addiction and losing custody of their five children. He witnesses arrests of sons doing meth with their mothers, and family after family broken apart from generations of meth abuse. At the Westcare residential centre, Louis sees the work being done to combat the destruction caused by the drug. Run by ex-addicts, it offers a six-month rehab programme. He witnesses the extraordinary challenges they face dealing with meth-addicted families - babies born already hooked, with mothers caring for them while attempting to kick their own habit too. Addiction is laid bare as Louis seeks out the stories and the people behind the drug.
Fleetwood Mac, one of the biggest-selling bands of all time, are back on the road again. Their story, told in their own words, is an epic tale of love and confrontation, of success and loss. Few bands have undergone such radical musical and personal change. The band evolved from the 60s British blues boom to perfect a US West Coast sound that saw them sell 40 million copies of the album Rumours. However, behind the scenes relationships were turbulent. The band went through multiple line-ups with six different lead guitarists. While working on Rumours, the two couples at the heart of the band separated, yet this heartache inspired the perfect pop record.
Professor Brian Cox takes a look through nearly 50 years of BBC archive at the story of man's relationship with the moon. From the BBC's space fanatic James Burke testing out the latest NASA equipment to 1960s interviews about the bacon-flavoured crystals that astronauts can survive on in space, to the iconic images of man's first steps on the moon and the dramatic story of Apollo 13, Horizon and the BBC have covered it all. But since President Kennedy's goal of landing a man on the moon before the end of the 1960s was reached, no one has succeeded in reigniting the public's enthusiasm for space travel and lunar voyages. Why? On his journey through the ages, Professor Cox explores the role that international competition played in getting man to the moon and asks if, with America no longer the world's only superpower, we are at the dawn of a bright new space age.
In 1926 John Logie Baird became the first man in history to give a successful public demonstration of television. During WWII, with the help of one assistant, a part-time glassblower and a refugee from Germany, he built his masterpiece and swansong - the Telechrome. It was the foundation of all modern electronic colour television. In a lifetime blighted with ill health, JLB - as he was known - produced 178 patents crucial to the technology that would define the 20th century. But since his early death in 1946, his achievements have been allowed to slip from view, obscured by ignorance about what he pioneered. Few are aware that much of his greatest work was done in complete seclusion, in his personal laboratory and entirely at his own expense. Filmed in the UK, USA and Germany between 1994 and 2002 and featuring previously unseen archive and historic eyewitness testimony led by his son Malcolm, this documentary reveals the unknown story of the central figure behind the most powerful technology on earth.
A documentary celebrating the golden age of air travel, when in the 1920s and 1930s Britain ruled the skies, and style and glamour were a passport to adventure.
In 1988, teenager John Davidson featured in a BBC documentary about Tourettes. At that time, few people had even heard of Tourettes Syndrome, let alone knew anything about the neurological condition which, at its worst, causes violent body movements and outbursts of swearing. John was 16, and trying to come to terms with a frightening world where his language and behaviour was a constant form of offence to everyone around him. In 2002, he took part in a follow-up film alongside 8-year-old Greg Storey, who had recently been diagnosed with Tourettes. Now, seven years on, this film revisits both John (aged 37) and Greg (aged 15), and sees how their worlds have changed. Greg is now the same age as John was when he first took part in a documentary. How does Greg's experience of being a teenager with Tourettes compare to John's, and how does John's life continue to change?
Documentary telling the forgotten story of a heroic battle fought by the children of the British Memorial School to help liberate Europe from the Nazis. The school served a unique horticultural community of ex-First World War soldiers and their families living in Ypres in Belgium who lovingly tended the war graves. Steeped in ideals of patriotic service and sacrifice, many pupils and ex-pupils refused to surrender to the invading Nazi forces. Three surviving school pupils tell their extraordinary stories of resistance, illustrated with rare archive film.
Documentary telling the story of what happened to blues music on its journey from the southern states of America to the heart of British pop and rock culture, providing an in-depth look at what this music really meant to a generation of kids desperate for an antidote to their experiences of living in post-war suburban Britain. Narrated by Nigel Planer and structured in three parts, the first, Born Under a Bad Sign, focuses on the arrival of American blues in Britain in the late 50s and the first performances here by such legends as Muddy Waters, Sonnie Terry and Brownie McGhee. Part two, Sittin' on Top of the World, charts the birth of the first British blues boom in the early 60s, spearheaded by the Rolling Stones and groups such as the Yardbirds, Manfred Mann, the Animals and the Pretty Things. The final section, Crossroads, looks at the next, more hardcore British blues boom of the mid-to-late 60s, with guitarists Eric Clapton and Peter Green and the international dominance of their respective bands, Cream and Fleetwood Mac.
Documentary in which writer and journalist Christopher de Bellaigue explores the fraught but often surprisingly intimate history of Britain's relations with Iran, and asks why Iranians think that if something goes wrong in Iran then Britain must have something to do with it. De Bellaigue has lived in Tehran, speaks fluent Persian and knows well the phenomenon of 'Uncle Napoleonism', the notion that the cunning British are 'out to get you' that has been a common attitude in Iranian society for 100 years. He looks at some key events in the relationship, notably Britain's role in the overthrow of several Iranian governments, its control of Iran's oil and the on-off support for Iran's democrats. Meeting prominent Iranians, including Uncle Napoleon's inventor and others with direct knowledge of these events, he examines the foundations and justification for these Iranian suspicions and asks if they are still there after 30 years of isolation.
Most young adults take their freedoms for granted - they can choose their friends, stay out late, learn to drive and decide what they want to do as a career. But for people growing up on the autistic spectrum, life is very different. Stuck in a strange limbo between childhood and adulthood, they are unable to make these choices. This documentary follows three people with autism at pivotal moments on the rocky road to being accepted as an adult. They are all fighting for independence and responsibility, but being frustrated by the shackles imposed on them by their disability, their families and the preconceived ideas of mainstream society. Twenty-three-year-old Oli has high-functioning autism (HFA) and is looking to find work. He is finding it tough as his condition means that he can't communicate or deal with pressure in the same way others can. Thomas has autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and is approaching 16, the legal age of adulthood. As he does so, he is demanding more independence and wants to escape his family. But the freedom he is after is not forthcoming from his parents. Alex, 24, is looking for love, but when you have the type of autism known as Asperger syndrome, communicating and socialising can seem an impossible task
Documentary following writer and broadcaster Stephen Smith on the trail of Vladimir Nabokov, the elusive man behind the controversial novel and 1962 film, Lolita. The journey takes him from the shores of Lake Geneva to Nabokov's childhood haunts in the Russian countryside south of St Petersburg to the streets of New York City and a road trip through the anonymous world of small-town America. Along the way Smith meets fellow Nabokov admirer Martin Amis and puts in a cheeky visit to Playboy's literary editor who is publishing an extract of Nabokov's last work.
Award-winning 87-year-old actress Liz Smith does the one thing she has never managed to achieve in her life - go on a proper holiday. Liz, known and loved by millions as Nana in The Royle Family and Leticia in The Vicar of Dibley, finally fulfils her modest ambition to join a group of like-minded individuals on a summer cruise across the Adriatic to Venice. The film gives an intimate and personal insight into Liz's life, both past and present, from the moment she plans her holiday, packs her bags and bids farewell to her friends in the security of her sheltered accommodation. Was the holiday everything she dreamed of?
Documentary about the pioneering computer animation studio Pixar, featuring contributions from the studio's bosses and a host of actors who have lent their voices to their creations, including Tom Hanks. Films such as Toy Story and A Bug's Life have led to the studio becoming one of the most consistently successful, both critically and financially, of recent years.
Documentary which sheds new light on the greatest crisis to rock the British monarchy in centuries - the abdication of King Edward VIII. Usually, it has been presented as the only possible solution to his dilemma of having to choose between the throne and the woman he loved. Using secret documents and contemporary diaries and letters, this film shows a popular monarch whose modern ideas so unsettled the establishment that his love for Wallis Simpson became the perfect excuse to bounce him off the throne.
A look at the legacy of actress, singer and comedienne Gracie Fields who, during her lifetime, was a national institution. Through interviews and some previously unseen archive footage, the programme explores the extraordinary singing voice, comic genius and unique talent that made her arguably the greatest female entertainer Britain has ever produced. 'Our Gracie' was one of the world's first megastars: not so much a person as an event. The secret of her popularity lay in her relationship with her audience, as she goaded them into enjoyment, fed them the kind of cheek that passes for affection and appealed to a shared contempt for pretension. Her films were sentimental and reassuring, but they also tapped into real social anxieties and reflected the spirit of a troubled pre-war decade. When the press began its lengthy campaign of vilification against her, after she moved to America during World War Two to prevent her Italian husband from being interned, the public, by and large, remained loyal. From her triumphant return to the London stage in the late 1940s until her death some 30 years later, she continued to maintain her place in the nation's heart. Fields, although still a huge star in many people's living memory, encapsulates the spirit of a bygone age. It is too easy to say we don't make them like that anymore; the truth is, we no longer want to. Our national institutions are built on shakier foundations these days and the sheer uncomplicated pleasure that she delivered for the best part of a century seems a world away. This documentary reminds us of what we have lost.
Sir Jackie Stewart is one of Britain's all time great sporting personalities - winner of three Formula 1 world championships and 27 grand prix, and ranked as one of the ten greatest racing drivers of all time. With his black cap and sideburns, he became an unmistakable icon in the glorious era of style, glamour and speed of the 1960s and 70s. Venturing beyond the world of motor sport, this documentary is an insight into the triumphs and tragedies of Stewart's eventful life, and includes contributions from friends and colleagues such as Niki Lauda, Emerson Fittipaldi, Sean Connery, Murray Walker and Edsel Ford, as well as the last ever interview with the late Ken Tyrrell, without whom Stewart's career might have taken a very different turn. Produced by Stewart's youngest son Mark, the film is enriched with family photographs, home movies and scrapbooks kept by Lady Helen Stewart that document her husband's career.
The film recreates the life and loves of France's most famous king, Louis XIV. Dubbed the Sun King by his admiring court, Louis conquered half of Europe, conducted dozens of love affairs and dazzled his contemporaries with his lavish entertainments. But perhaps his greatest achievement - and certainly his longest lasting love - was the incredible palace he built at Versailles, one of the wonders of the world.
Just after midnight on Good Friday 1989, the giant supertanker Exxon Valdez ran aground on Bligh Reef in Alaska's Prince William Sound to create one of the biggest man-made ecological disasters of the 20th century. Eleven million gallons of crude oil gushed from the stricken tanker into the pristine waters of the Sound, killing whales, millions of fish and birds, and thousands of sea otters. The spill had a catastrophic effect on local communities, wiping out their herring fishery and severely depleting the Alaskan salmon industry for years to come.
The Berlin Wall was the ugly, concrete obstacle that for more than a generation (from 1961 to 1989) split the city and divided its families. Hundreds of people, mainly young, were killed there trying to escape to the West. The people who built the Wall thought they were building a brave new socialist world. But their dream turned into a nightmare as over time the Wall poisoned, corrupted and brutalized the little world it encircled. In The Secret Life of the Berlin Wall, the dreams and nightmares come dramatically back to life as the spies, informers, double agents and interrogators of Cold War Berlin weave their nervy spells of double lives and double dealing.
Duran Duran came out of Birmingham and conquered the world during the 1980s. Originally a New Romantic band in full make-up and cossack pants, they rapidly became bedroom pinups for a generation of teenage girls. Led by Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes and John Taylor, Duran Duran dominated the British and American charts in the mid 1980s with classic singles such as Rio, Save a Prayer and Wild Boys. Pioneers of the MTV-style promo video - from the X-rated Girls on Film to Raiders of the Lost Arc spoof Hungry Like the Wolf - Duran Duran were the 80s equivalent of the Beatles in America and outsold Spandau Ballet and Wham! in their pomp. Sixty million records later, Le Bon and Rhodes are seen touring America with their Pop Trash project from the early 2000s. The documentary reflects on the heady heights of Duran Duran's career, the cracks in their make-up plus the effects of sex, drugs and fame on ordinary boys from working class backgrounds. Apart from the key Durannies - Le Bon, Rhodes and John Taylor - the programme also features celebrity interviews with Debbie Harry, Yasmin Le Bon, Duran Duran managers Paul and Michael Berrow, Claudia Schiffer, Nile Rodgers and Lou Reed.
An unconventional look at the best of Steve Coogan's television work and character comedy. With classic archive moments and some rarely seen early appearances, this one-hour special includes interviews with well-known faces who have collaborated with Steve, and others who are simply fans of Alan Partridge, Paul and Pauline Calf, Tony Ferrino and Tommy Saxondale - to name only a few of his great comic creations. Along with Julia Davis, Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer also appear in several guises to give the inside scoop on what it's like to work with Steve Coogan - while Steve himself appears as his Irish auntie Peggy and Mickey Gold - his first showbiz agent. Narrated by Mark Williams. Part of the BBC Christmas 2009 season.
Documentary which explores the ways that cars have been presented on television in the motoring programmes that have tapped into our collective subconscious. It looks at the classic motoring magazine shows of the 1960s and 70s like Wheelbase, which showcased some of the world's latest innovations and spawned the next generation of programming such as the original Top Gear with Angela Rippon and Noel Edmonds. The film investigates how more recent motoring programmes changed to accommodate society's view of the car. The new Top Gear and shows such as Panic Mechanics and Stars in Fast Cars reflect a shift away from the traditional car review show towards a more topical, aspirational and spectacular viewing experience.
Celebrating the achievements of Ballets Russes under Diaghilev's guidance and their continuing influence on dance, art and music today. The English National Ballet perform extracts from two Ballets Russes' masterpieces, Les Sylphides and Scheherazade, as well as a new version by David Dawson of the iconic Nijinsky ballet Afternoon Of A Faun. Karl Lagerfeld talks about the influence of Coco Chanel and the design legacy of the Ballets Russes. The music from the period is discussed by great French composer and conductor Pierre Boulez, who is joined by prolific English composer and broadcaster Howard Goodall. Ninety-five-year-old Frederick Franklin recounts what it was like to see the scandalous ending of Nijinsky's Afternoon Of A Faun, while dancers, musicians, writers, critics, stylists and historians paint a vivid portrait of this unique dance company and discuss the legacy of Diaghilev's genius on the creative arts.
Documentary which follows the story of Mark Devlin and his team of scientists as they try to figure out how all the galaxies formed by launching a revolutionary new telescope under a NASA high-altitude balloon. Their adventure takes them from Arctic Sweden to Inuit Canada, where failure forces the team to try again on the desolate ice of Antarctica. The obsessions, personal and family sacrifices, and philosophical and religious questioning of a professional scientist are all laid bare.
In a special programme showing on St. David's Day, we celebrate the awesome beauty of some of Wales' iconic engineering achievements, structures which help define the landscape of Wales. The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct in the Dee Valley is a masterpiece of engineering. Completed in 1805, Thomas Telford's design was extraordinarily ambitious and marked the beginning of a new confidence in 19th century engineering. Eddie Butler tells the story of the acqueduct, along with three other great feats of engineering in Wales, namely the Severn Tunnel, the Menai Suspension Bridge and Snowdon Mountain Railway. Featuring experts, the programme looks at the brilliance of these structures.
Gary Lineker presents a special tribute to the late Sir Bobby Robson. Recorded in 2003, the former England player and manager talks about his life, from humble beginnings as the son of a Durham coal miner through to his days as one of the most successful managers in history. Contributors include Paul Gascoigne, Terry Butcher and Alan Shearer.
Science writer Rita Carter tells the story of how modern neuroscience has revealed that reading, something most of us take for granted, unlocks remarkable powers. Carter explains how the classic novel Wuthering Heights allows us to step inside other minds and understand the world from different points of view, and she wonders whether the new digital revolution could threaten the values of classic reading.
Do you get enough sleep? Many of us don't. 10 Things You Need to Know About Sleep reveals the science behind why so many find it difficult to nod off, and offers practical tips on the best ways to get a good night's sleep. In a series of experiments, presenter Kate Silverton sets out to help those insomniacs desperate to get some shut eye, help travelers beat jet lag, and see if there is anything that can be done to stop loud and persistent snorers. Chef Aldo Zilli discovers how the food we eat affects our sleep, while volunteers in a sleep laboratory test the effects of alcohol and coffee on the rhythm of sleep. Record-breaking round-the-world yachtswoman Dee Caffari learns the best time to take a nap and catch up on lost sleep, while journalist Dominik Diamond finds out that less sleep can help an insomniac break bad habits. Joe Swift from Gardeners World tries out some herbal sleep remedies, and comedian Russell Kane checks out techniques that can reduce the stress that keeps him awake at night. Kate takes a hot bath before bed and discovers the surprising secret to a good night's sleep, as well as how a trick of the light can both wake you up and keep you asleep.
Art historian explores the state of British art in 2009 and asks whether a new era in art is dawning and whether there is a reason to be optimistic.
Has beauty disappeared from modern art? Several influential modern thinkers insist that it has. Art critic Waldemar Januszczak fiercely disagrees, believing that great art is as interested in beauty as ever.
Philosopher Roger Scruton presents a provocative essay on the importance of beauty in the arts and in our lives.
Coverage of the 2009 Barclaycard World Freerun Championship from London's Trafalgar Square, presented by Reggie Yates and Kirsten O'Brien. The best athletes in the world compete at the foot of Nelson's Column on a specially-constructed stage, with a crowd of nearly 10,000 fans packed in around them. The runners leap, tumble and vault across the konk and cat boxes, bars, kicker walls, pipes and railings. 27 athletes from 17 different countries compete, including last year's winner Gabe 'Jaywalker' Nunez from USA, Britain's Paul 'Blue Devil' Joseph and Mexico's Erick 'Daer' Sanchez all hoping to win the world crown. Commentary from David Croft.
Portrait of Jim Clark, one of the most talented and intriguing characters of the 1960s. From unlikely beginnings on a farm in Scotland, the introverted and media-shy Clark emerged to become the most successful racing driver of his time, and forged a reputation as one of the all-time great heroes of motor sport. Using previously unseen archive footage, testimonials from friends, family and former colleagues, the film tells the extraordinary but tragic story of an enigmatic racing legend.
Glamorous, talented and decidedly unconventional, Lee Miller led one of the most fascinating lives of the 20th century. A model for Vogue in 1920s New York, pupil and lover of Man Ray in Paris and the only female photojournalist covering the Second World War, her photographic work encompassed striking surrealist images and shocking reportage from Dachau. Having given up photography in later life and virtually disowned her work, Miller's extraordinary archive of 40,000 negatives was only rediscovered after her death in 1977. George Melly, David Hare, Miller's friends and colleagues and her son Tony Penrose trace the story of her life through her own pictures, photographs of Miller herself and rarely-seen archive footage.
An insight into the world of design through 12 stories, shot across a range of countries, ranging from product design to world class feats of engineering and design projects which have a social impact.
When the Japanese ambassador saw Rick Stein preparing sushi on a boat off Cornwall, he was not impressed. However, this sparked off an idea where Rick would go on a voyage of discovery to the ultimate seafood lover's destination - Japan. On his return he promised to create a banquet fit for an ambassador and his friends.
Documentary in which artist and writer Matthew Collings explores the concept of beauty in art. Is beauty only in the eye of the beholder, or is there something more universal we can say about it?
Documentary about 13-year-old Deborah Drapper, who, unlike other British teens has never heard of Britney Spears or Victoria Beckham. She has been brought up in a deeply Christian family and her parents have tried to make sure she and her ten brothers and sisters have grown up protected from the sins of the outside world. Deborah is a bright, confident girl who has big ambitions for her life and the film spends a summer with her as she ventures out in the world to see what life outside her family could be and starts putting her beliefs forward to a wider audience.
Documentary featuring interviews with soldiers on the act that defines them: killing. For civilians, it is a crime. For soldiers, it is a job. Soldiers who have done it usually do not talk about it, but five former British infantrymen recall the reality of combat in compelling and candid detail. Through powerful personal testimonies, the programme traces the journeys of these men, from young recruits through training and frontline combat to where killing places them today.
In 1962 an unknown group from Liverpool entered Abbey Road Studios to record their debut single. During the next eight years they created what is arguably regarded as the greatest collection of studio recordings of the 20th century. This film charts how The Beatles developed as musicians, matured as songwriters and created a body of work that sounds as fresh now as the time it was recorded.
It has been said that ten thousand years from now, only one name will still be remembered - that of Neil Armstrong. But in the four decades since he first set foot on the moon, Armstrong has become increasingly reclusive. Andrew Smith, author of the best-selling book Moondust, journeys across America to try and discover the real Neil Armstrong.
Naoki 56, had it all in Japan's bubble economy days: he ran a business with 70 staff, drove a brand new BMW, and lived in a 6 bedroom house. But when Japan's economy crashed in the early 1990's he lost everything, ending up divorced (for the third time) and penniless. He was saved from being homeless by his new girlfriend, Yoshie 29, who took him in, despite living in a tiny one-room apartment with no windows.
The Rough Trade story begins more than thirty years ago on 20th February 1976. Britain was in the grip of an IRA bombing campaign; a future prime minister was beginning to make her mark on a middle England in which punk was yet to run amok; and a young Cambridge graduate called Geoff Travis opened a new shop at 202 Kensington Park Road, just off Ladbroke Grove in west London. The Rough Trade shop sold obscure and challenging records by bands like American art-rockers Pere Ubu, offering an alternative to the middle-of-the-road rock music that dominated the music business. In January 1977, when a record by Manchester punk band Buzzcocks appeared in the shop, Rough Trade found itself in the right place at the right time to make an impact far beyond that of a neighbourhood music store. When Spiral Scratch was released in 1977, the idea of putting out a single without the support of an established record company was incredible. But Rough Trade was to become the headquarters of a revolt against this corporate monopoly - it was stocking records by bands inspired by the idea that they could do it themselves. But selling a few independent records over the counter was not going to change the world. Early independent labels had to hand over their distribution to the likes of EMI or CBS. But one man at Rough Trade challenged that monopoly. Richard Scott joined Rough Trade in 1977 and became the architect of a grand scheme that was nothing short of revolutionary: independent nationwide distribution. The shop could now offer experimental musicians the chance to sell records nationwide and so it was inevitable that Rough Trade became a record label in its own right. In 1978 the Rough Trade label was born and by the end of the year it had released a dozen singles by an eclectic mix of post-punk artists and become not just an alternative ideological force, but genuine competitors in the commercial music world.
Few musicals can claim to capture the mood of a historical period as well as the 1972 classic Cabaret. In this documentary, actor Alan Cumming explores the truths behind the fiction. He meets many of those closely involved with the original film, including Liza Minnelli, and talks to cabaret artists, among them acclaimed performer Ute Lemper.
1959 was the seismic year jazz broke away from complex bebop music to new forms, allowing soloists unprecedented freedom to explore and express. It was also a pivotal year for America: the nation was finding its groove, enjoying undreamt-of freedom and wealth; social, racial and upheavals were just around the corner; and jazz was ahead of the curve. Four major jazz albums were made, each a high watermark for the artists and a powerful reflection of the times. Each opened up dramatic new possibilities for jazz which continue to be felt: Miles Davis, Kind of Blue; Dave Brubeck, Time Out; Charles Mingus, Mingus Ah Um; and Ornette Coleman, The Shape of Jazz to Come. Rarely seen archive performances help vibrantly bring the era to life and explore what made these albums vital both in 1959 and the 50 years since. The programme contains interviews with Lou Reed, Dave Brubeck, Ornette Coleman, Charlie Haden, Herbie Hancock, Joe Morello (Brubeck's drummer) and Jimmy Cobb (the only surviving member of Miles' band), along with a host of jazz movers and shakers from the 50s and beyond.
Slapstick comedy special narrated by Miranda Hart, charting the highs and lows of physical comedy and examining the audience's love of visual humour. Featuring pies and pratfalls from over a century of comedy and entertainment programming including Monty Python, Charlie Chaplin, Morecambe and Wise and even Hole in the Wall. From the craft of the Buster Keaton classics to the cartoon antics of The Goodies and the absurdly violent anarchy of Bottom, the genre has shifted through silent films, surrealism, sketch and sitcom, and today even filtered in to Saturday night family entertainment. Featuring analysis from great physical gag practitioners including Vic Reeves, Mathew Horne, Reece Shearsmith, Ben Miller and Sally Phillips. A festive treat that features physical comedy both classic and contemporary, including the inappropriate manhandling of Manuel from Fawlty Towers, the roller-skating Frank Spencer epic from Some Mothers Do 'Ave Em and more funny physical pain than you can fling a Frying Pan at!
Documentary examining claims that CS Lewis's Narnia Chronicles contain a hidden meaning. CS Lewis wrote the Narnia Chronicles over 50 years ago, yet they are more popular today than ever. When they were first published, many critics thought them little more than childish scribblings, replete with random characters and unexplained events. Even Lewis's good friend JRR Tolkien thought them confused and misconceived. Other scholars were sure there was something more, something hidden beneath the stories. Although many tried, none could find this secret key of Narnia - until now. Dr Michael Ward, a young academic and expert in all things Lewisian, claims he has found the answer at last: he has discovered the Narnia Code. Using dramatisations of Lewis's early life and career, the programme travels the world, from the Mid-West of modern America to the battlefields of the First World War, meeting experts, testing evidence and uncovering surprising questions and ideas that still challenge readers today.
One in four people have a mental illness at some point in their lives. No-one likes to think it could happen to them, or someone close to them. David Tennant narrates a documentary showing what living with mental illness is like.
Thirty years on from the no confidence vote that brought down the 1979 Labour Government, Carolyn Quinn tells the story of one of the most dramatic nights in Westminster history.
If Peter Green had only written Black Magic Woman, his name would still have a place in blues rock history forever. His three short years leading Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac saw the band established as one of the biggest-selling groups of the 1960s. Featuring archive performances and interviews with Carlos Santana, Noel Gallagher, founding members of Fleetwood Mac and Green himself, this film tells the story of one of blues rock's living legends.
To mark the 175th anniversary of the destruction of the Palace of Westminster by fire, Mark D'Arcy looks back at the disaster and its aftermath.
Updating the impression of life on the Isle of Lewis given by the MacDonald Sisters. First broadcast in 1969.
Manet is one of the main candidates for the title of the most important artist there has been. As the reluctant father of Impressionism, and the painter of Dejeuner sur l'herbe, he can probably be accused of inventing modern art. Using the life of Manet as his narrative arch, Waldemar Januszczak tells the story of a complex and difficult man who started a revolution that continues to rumble on today
A personal history of the Thatcher years and their legacy, told through the stories of three Welsh children born the year Margaret Thatcher came to power. Thirty years on, this film traces the course their lives have taken, and the way one woman's vision shaped the fortunes of three families.
Alexander Armstrong travels the country to explore the state of the great British holiday. It is widely acknowledged that 2009 is a bumper year for the UK tourist industry. With the Euro and the Dollar strong, and consumers tightening their belts, Visit Britain, the national tourism body, reckons around one in five Brits - or some 4,000,000 people who holidayed abroad in 2008 - will holiday in the UK. For many in the tourist industry this is the news they have longed for, after two years of falling numbers owing to bad weather. Can Britain's holiday destinations cope with the masses? Alexander Armstrong visits tourism-dependent businesses before, during and after the busiest season. In this boom-or-bust summer, are the owners ready and prepared for the demands of their guests? Can they thrive and survive, or will the pressure be too much for them? Visiting hotspot locations, Alexander explores life in themed hotels, quaint and quirky B&Bs, family-run holiday parks and unusual attractions. There are moments of tension and jeopardy, as summer 2009's takings may safeguard their business futures. For some their livelihood is at stake. Showcasing the splendour of Britain's most beautiful scenery, Alexander travels the country by a variety of transport, from the back seat of the Jones family's Ford Sierra to a packed holiday train, bringing the best of eccentric Britain to life
The date is 1959. The place is Le Mans racing circuit, France. A little known Texan racing driver, Carrol Shelby, wins the most prestigious event in motor racing at his first attempt and is universally acclaimed as one of the best drivers in the world. But Shelby had a secret that was to prevent him ever driving again. This is the comeback story of a man driven by the desire to beat the world on the race track, and specifically to beat the might of motor racing, Ferrari. From his base in California with only a team of hot rodders for support, in three years Shelby put together a car that would take on the world and win. The Shelby Cobra, as it was known, is still an automotive icon today.
In this moving and sometimes disturbing film, actress and writer Meera Syal meets young people who self-harm to find out why they do it, and how parents like herself can avoid it happening to their own children.
Phill Jupitus looks at how we thought the car of the future was going to turn out and finds out why it didn't happen that way, focusing on the classic era of the 1950s and 60s, a time when they hadn't quite yet worked out how to make cars fly and instead just made them look like they could.
BBC FOUR pays tribute to musical maverick John Martyn, who died at the age of 60 on 29th January 2009, with an intimate documentary portrait originally transmitted in 1994. This honest and often blackly hilarious film shows Martyn at home in Ireland, during the lead-up to and aftermath of an operation to have one of his legs amputated below the knee. Contributors include sometime collaborator and buddy Phil Collins, the late Robert Palmer, Ralph McTell, Island Records founder Chris Blackwell, fellow hellraiser bassist Danny Thompson, John's ex-wife Beverley Martyn and younger generation fan Beth Orton. We see a man incapable of compromising his creative vision, from his folk club roots in the Sixties, through a career of continuous musical experimentation. Along the way there is a surreal roll-call of accidents and incidents, including a collision with a cow.
an Hislop takes an amused look at one of the most peculiar offices in the British establishment, that of Poet Laureate. Its 341-year history produces a gloriously eccentric picture of who we are, how we are ruled, what we want to say about ourselves and just how hard it is to do that in verse. We know that Poets Laureate write about royal weddings but Hislop discovers a whole lot more, such as 534, John Masefield's brilliant poem on the launch of the Queen Mary from the Clydebank shipyards and Nicholas Rowe's New Year's Ode for 1716 dedicated to the Princess of Wales's labour pains. There was Colley Cibber, the Laureate so ashamed of his poor output he adopted a pseudonym and wrote poems attacking himself, and Alfred Tennyson, who wrote the nation's favourite laureate poem, Charge of the Light Brigade. The film also throws light on the shadowy process by which the appointment is made. Lord Gowrie, the arts minister in Mrs Thatcher's cabinet, reveals how Ted Hughes came to be Thatcher's choice for Laureate, when many people were still hostile towards him due to his wife Sylvia Plath's suicide. A visit to the National Archive unearths a hilarious list by C P Duff, a top civil servant, ranking the poets of the day for the benefit of one very confused prime minister, and Candida Lycett Green reveals to Ian just how much whisky it took before her father, John Betjeman, could summon up a poem to celebrate Princess Anne's wedding. Ian gets to the bottom of the bizarre tradition of the payment in sherry (650 bottles of the stuff), and after trying a glass or two himself, poetic inspiration strikes and he concludes the film with his very own ode to Carol Ann Duffy, our newest Poet Laureate.
The untold story of how a giant of science was erased from history by the jealous rival who owed him more than most - Isaac Newton. A drama revealing the extraordinary, prolific, bizarre and conflict-riddled life of Robert Hooke, one of the greatest scientists in English history, on the tercentenary of his death. In science, Hooke was a colossus. As Curator of Experiments at the Royal Society he wrote the laws of elasticity (Hooke's Law), built a radical reflecting telescope and found major new stars, made the first powerful microscope, coined the word cell, wrote the first science best-seller, Micrographia and co-discovered the diffraction of light with Newton, but got no credit. New research confirms that Hooke stated an inverse square law of gravitation years before Newton's legendary Principia. However, he not only got no credit but also became the target of the most protracted, vitriolic campaign of character assassination in the history of science. The main plot of the film presents a disturbing portrait of the dark side of Isaac Newton, revealing for the first time how heavily he borrowed from Hooke and how, after fermenting in neurotic isolation, he conspired to have his reputation destroyed and his memory erased from history.
In the years after the second world war, in preparation for sending the first man into orbit, the Soviets began sending dogs into space. Featuring unique archival footage, including that of the first 'dog flight' into space taken inside the capsule, this documentary tells the secret history of dog cosmonautics in Russia. Alongside famous dog cosmonauts Belka and Strelka were a large team of other test dogs. All the characteristics of weightlessness on a living organism were tested on these defenseless creatures given up for the conquest of space. The programme cost more than 20 dogs' lives and each loss was a personal blow to the trainer. As the relationship between the men and dogs developed, scientists began to treat them as colleagues and true companions and to this day, Russian scientists keep photographs of their departed four-legged friends.
Felix Mendelssohn was a passionate Christian. He was also born a Jew. This film, marking the 200th anniversary of his birth, tells the extraordinary story of what happened, generations later, both to Mendelssohn's family and to his music, when the Nazis remembered the Jewish roots of Germany's most celebrated composer. It also examines how the influences of both Judaism and Christianity affected Mendelssohn's music and was made by documentary-maker Sheila Hayman, Mendelssohn's great-great-great-great niece.
Anorexia and bulimia were once more commonly associated with teenage girls but are now on the increase among older women. This film goes into the seemingly perfect world of four housewives who are struggling with the fallout from their eating disorders. They may seem to have it all with their nice houses, perfect children and middle class lives, but behind the wisteria, they are having a constant battle with their food and eating. Jane in her early fifties now has the bone density of a 92 year old; 36-year-old Zoe has turned to Cognitive Behavioural Therapy to reclaim her life from anorexia; bubbly Tracey is bulimic and spends her nights binging and vomiting in secret from her children; and young mum Georgia tries hard to lose her baby weight, but will her obsession with weight see her falling back into the anorexic danger zone?
Happy Birthday OU - 40 Years of the Open University In 1969 change was in the air. Man stepped on the moon and Britain launched a revolutionary new kind of university, one where the lectures were televised and the students could study at home. It was greeted with scepticism, both by politicians and academics, but went on to become a much-loved, and often spoofed, British institution. Lenny Henry tells the story of the Open University and reveals how it changed his own life. Featuring contributions from Sir David Attenborough, Myleene Klass and Anna Ford.
Documentary which joins former hobo and festival favourite bluesman Seasick Steve on a trip back to his old stomping grounds in America's Deep South. Filmed in Mississippi and Tennessee, the programme follows the musician into his natural habitat of run-down juke joints, roadside diners and freight-train yards, as he reflects on his past life and recent rise to fame. In addition to Steve's raw, stomping tunes, the soundtrack features Mississippi Fred McDowell, Robert Johnson, RL Burnside and BB King.
The watchwords of the French Revolution were liberty, equality and fraternity. Maximilien Robespierre believed in them passionately. He was an idealist and a lover of humanity. But during the 365 days that Robespierre sat on the Committee of Public Safety, the French Republic descended into a bloodbath. 'The Terror' only came to end when Robespierre was devoured by the repressive machinery he'd created. This drama-documentary tells the story of the Terror and looks at how Robespierre's revolutionary idealism so quickly became an excuse for tyranny, and why a lover of liberty was so keen to use the guillotine.
When Chairman Mao died in 1976, he left China in chaos and poverty. He was succeeded by Deng Xiaoping, who overturned Maoism and taught the Chinese to love capitalism, creating special investment zones for the West. But Deng's crash course in capitalism went wrong when inflation grew and workers lost jobs. By 1989, China faced disaster. Now, 20 years after the tragic events in Tiananmen Square in Beijing, this programme reveals an interpretation of the motives of the demonstrators that may well overturn the conventional view in the West. The demonstrators did not begin by demanding democracy. Corruption, inflation and the hardship caused by economic reforms drove students and workers to confront the government and the army. Students went on hunger strike, and troops killed more than 2,000. Deng Xiaoping gave the order to fire, but his ideas prevailed. This film argues that Deng's capitalist revolution created today's China.
Warren Buffett is the greatest investor of all time. His decisions about buying shares and companies have beaten the stock market year after year and made him the richest person in the world - thought to be worth 37 billion dollars. Yet Buffett lives modestly in his native Omaha, in America's mid-West, and runs his 150 billion dollar business with a staff of just twenty. Evan Davis meets him to find out about his unique investment strategy and his eccentric lifestyle. He talks to Buffett's family, friends and colleagues about the man they call the Sage of Omaha, and Buffett's friend Bill Gates praises his philosophy of life. As the greed of the super-wealthy is widely criticised in the current financial crisis, Davis asks whether Warren Buffett is the acceptable face of the filthy rich.
Documentary looking at one of Britain's worst mining disasters, in 1934 in Gresford, when 265 men were killed. Eye witness accounts and archive footage tell a story of sadness, courage, cover-ups and lies.
In the years after the second world war, in preparation for sending the first man into orbit, the Soviets began sending dogs into space. Featuring unique archival footage, including that of the first 'dog flight' into space taken inside the capsule, this documentary tells the secret history of dog cosmonautics in Russia. Alongside famous dog cosmonauts Belka and Strelka were a large team of other test dogs. All the characteristics of weightlessness on a living organism were tested on these defenceless creatures given up for the conquest of space. The programme cost more than 20 dogs' lives and each loss was a personal blow to the trainer. As the relationship between the men and dogs developed, scientists began to treat them as colleagues and true companions and to this day, Russian scientists keep photographs of their departed four-legged friends.
Live Performance from 1974
Documentary examining the thoughts and observations of writer, raconteur and national treasure, Sir John Mortimer. He enjoyed a successful career as a QC before becoming a full-time writer, a staunch defender of civil liberties who was involved in the Oz magazine obscenity trial in the 1960s and the man who won the Sex Pistols the right to put the word 'bollocks' in the title of their infamous album. Opinionated and unconventional, Mortimer persists in speaking out against the ludicrous ways in which politicians try to curtail our liberties and, very often, our fun. This characteristic outspokenness is delivered with such gentlemanly charm and wit that he continues to be admired and adored by all.
Ten extraordinary women, all in their seventies, come to Arizona for a special reunion. They are each different but have one thing in common - each was married to an Apollo astronaut. These women were right at the heart of the most ambitious journey ever made, as America shot for the moon. In exclusive interviews, they tell how it felt to watch their husband blast off into space and about the death, danger and divorce as many of their men struggled to come back to Earth.
Documentary telling the story of the US space programme, from the early days of the space race with the Soviet Union to the first moon landing in 1969. Includes interviews with astronauts and ground staff, rare archive footage and an introduction by Neil Armstrong.
On 14th November 1940, the Luftwaffe launched the most devastating bombing raid so far on Britain. The target was Coventry, deep in the heart of England. In a 12-hour blitz, the Luftwaffe dropped thousands of tons of bombs. Three-quarters of the city centre was devastated, including the ancient cathedral. The Nazis coined a phrase - 'to Coventrate' - to describe the intense destruction. It was a baptism of fire for Coventry and Britain. For years, the government feared that aerial bombardment could destroy civilian morale. In Coventry, those fears were tested, and in the immediate aftermath of the blitz the evidence was not encouraging. Panic and hysteria gripped the city, and half of Coventry's population fled. However, within weeks - and contrary to all expectations - the city revived. Factories were soon turning out aircraft parts which would be used to avenge the attack on Coventry. The RAF studied the Nazi bombing techniques and perfected the art of 'Coventration'. In Dresden, Hamburg and Berlin, the Nazis reaped the whirlwind they had sown in their devastating attack.
Lord Richard Attenborough makes a moving and very personal contribution to The Kindertransport Story, to mark the 70th anniversary of the unique British rescue mission to save nearly 10,000 children, mostly Jewish, from the Nazis. As the dark clouds of the Second World War descended upon Europe, Lord Attenborough's parents were among those who responded to the urgent appeal for foster families. The two young refugee girls they took in were cherished ever after as sisters by the Attenborough boys. Three rescued children, Dorothy, Otto and Edith, all from Vienna, and now in their eighties, tell their moving stories. They describe the violent persecutions of the Jews under Hitler, and how their desperate parents strived to acquire the necessary papers to send them away to Britain on the precious few places available on the Kindertransport trains. Little did the children realise, when they said their last goodbyes to distraught parents on the railway platform, that they may never see their parents again. On reaching Britain, the new arrivals faced an uncertain future, as the hastily-assembled rescue mission struggled to accommodate this unprecedented influx of young Jewish immigrants. As Britain lurched towards war, prospective foster parents were not readily available. As German-speaking child refugees in wartime Britain, separated from their parents, life was not going to be easy, and yet Dorothy, Otto and Edith consider themselves to be the lucky ones. One and a half million children who were not able to benefit from any sort of rescue, like that of the Kindertransport, died in the Holocaust.
TV producer and presenter William G Stewart investigates the allegation that journalist and prominent MP Tom Driberg, who died in 1976, was a KGB spy. Stewart was Driberg's secretary in the 1960s and goes in search of the man he thought he knew well, talking to some of his surviving friends and colleagues and to experts in the murky world of spying. It is a journey that encompasses public schools, Oxford, luxurious country houses, the back streets of the East End of London, left-wing labour politics and the seedy bohemia of postwar Britain. Among others Evelyn Waugh, John Betjeman, Edith Sitwell, Guy Burgess and Nye Bevan all feature in Tom Driberg's incredible life, a colourful one that included astonishing sexual risk-taking, but above all Stewart wants to discover if his former boss betrayed his friends and his country.
In 1835 the mummified remains of Takabuti were unwrapped in Belfast. Now for the first time in thousands of years, her true face is revealed. In October 2006, the Ulster Museum closed its doors to allow major refurbishment to take place. Its contents were stored away in a dark, secret location. Light was soon to be shed, however, on one of the museum's most beloved exhibits, the mummy Takabuti. Show Me The Mummy: The Face Of Takabuti, takes advantage of the mummy's retreat from public life by gathering together a crack team of top scientists and historians to help piece together the remarkable history of the mysterious Takabuti. Borderline Productions & Straight Forward Productions for BBC Northern Ireland
A look back at Victoria Wood's hugely successful television career. Featuring sketches, stand-up, characters and songs from her incredible repertoire as well as exclusive interviews with Victoria and friends and fans, including Dawn French, Julie Walters and Sir Roger Moore.
Skin lightening is big business. The market for cosmetics to lighten darker skin is now reported to be worth millions of pounds; Anita Rani (presenter of Watchdog and The One Show) is on a journey to find out why. Starting in her own family, with her mother's preference for lighter skin, she explores the pressures within the Asian community that lead a growing number of people to want to "lighten up".
English literature professor John Mullan explores the dramatic increase in reading which took place in 18th-century Britain, as it went from being the preserve of the rich to the national pastime it is today. In 1695 a tiny amendment to the British constitution allowed for a flood of publications, without which Britain would be almost unrecognisable. This was the era that gave us the first ever magazines, newspapers and perhaps most vitally, the novel. Mullan takes us from raucous, politically-charged coffee houses to the circulating library, the social space of the late 1700s. There is a glimpse inside an 18th century lady's closet where she hid with her novel, and Mullan also celebrates the hero of the reading revolution, Dr Samuel Johnson.
In 1979 Scotland went to the polls to vote on the Scottish Devolution Referendum Bill to define her place in the United Kingdom. Thirty years later Scotland's first minister is proposing Scotland go to the polls again to vote in a new referendum on Scottish independence. Scotland's Conspiracy Files takes a fresh look at the events building up to the 1979 referendum and asks if all the truth has come out or, as some allege, there was a conspiracy surrounding the original refendum. The film looks at the role oil played, the political manoeuvring and of course the now famous '40 percent rule' requiring that at least 40 percent of the registered electorate vote 'Yes' in order to make it valid. In the search to discover the truth surrounding the 1979 referendum, the programme sees what parallels can be drawn to the politics of today and whether there are lessons Scotland can learn if we go to the polls again as the first minister is suggesting.
With the Moogs turned up to 11, a 1970s and 80s journey through the BBC's synthpop archives from Roxy Music and Tubeway Army to New Order and Sparks.
Documentary looking at how going on strike became almost a rite of passage at one time.
To commemorate the centenary of the birth of one of Britain's most influential and best-loved poets, this film combines dramatisations of telling events in the life of WH Auden with interviews from the TV and radio archives and extracts from Auden's poetry, notebooks, letters and journals.
Documentary film looking at the poetry of W H Auden, revealing how it came not just from inspiration but from a rigorous scientific analysis of love itself. When he died in 1973, he left behind some of the greatest love poems of the 20th century. Most of his unpublished material was destroyed, apart from two short journals and a series of jottings, containing diagrams and notes about the nature of love.
In the autumn of 2008, Al Gentry from Albemarle, North Carolina, achieved his goal of 22 years hard work - he had Betty Neumar arrested for the murder of his brother Harold who was Betty's husband back in 1986. Only then did it emerge that Harold Gentry was just one of Betty's former husbands. She'd in fact been married five times in total - and all five husbands appear to have died in suspicious circumstances. The US media had a field day and labelled her 'The Black Widow', but could this 76-year-old grandmother really have got away with murder, not just once but five times?
In 1968, John Betjeman, the poet and architectural critic, was asked by the BBC to make a television programme about Leeds. The film was never broadcast, but now, 40 years on, extracts are being shown by Inside Out Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.
Elvis is alive and well and in Porthcawl - at least at the Elvis Porthcawl Festival. This programme tracks some of the performers as they pay tribute to the King, and looks at how this seaside town is transformed, for one weekend a year, into a veritable Elvisfest.
To mark Previn's 80th birthday, this profile of the celebrated pianist, conductor and composer follows his long journey from escaping Nazi Germany to the studios of Hollywood and fame.
Milton is often considered too difficult and obscure for today's reader, but to Armando Iannucci Paradise Lost is a thrilling work of creative genius that we ignore at our peril. In this film, Iannucci journeys through Milton's life and his great poem, taking in everything from Satan and the start of spin to farting angels and the questioning of God's existence, offering his own passionate and illuminating response to Paradise Lost. Along the way, he talks to schoolchildren, politicians and former prisoners to build up a picture of what Milton was like, and why his art may have turned out the way it did.
Mark Benton narrates a step-by-step guide to how the Brits tie the knot. From the stag do to the table plan, from the rings to the first dance, this is a look at how the Brits just about manage to rise to the occasion on one of the most momentous days of our lives - the wedding day.
Mark Benton has been abroad, he knows all about it: 'The British are an island race - abroad is really abroad, not just across the border but actually over the horizon. It's far away - outlandish, exotic and scary. Frankly, we're terrified of it.' The Brits, foreign travel and all points in between - how we got there, what we did there and how we got back.
To commemorate the 'Ruby Jubilee' of Monty Python, this film takes us on a journey telling the story of the Pythons from start to finish. Starting with the very humble beginnings of how the legendary British comedy troupe emerged, we learn how the cast met, their early influences and how they went on to create groundbreaking television, and their transition into movies that would change the face of comedy forever. Featuring interviews with John Cleese, Terry Jones, Terry Gilliam, Michael Palin and Eric Idle, as well as archive interviews from Graham Chapman, this film explores the highs and the lows, and examines how Monty Python became a British institution. This is the first time the Pythons have come together for a film project since 1983's Monty Python's The Meaning of Life.
Documentary using specialist photography and 3D animation to show how the common fruit fly has been crucial to a hundred years of genetic research.
When Orson Welles went into self-imposed exile in Europe, he first found stardom with The Third Man and then immersed himself in challenging films, television, theatre and bullfighting. Simon Callow trails the complex actor-director.
When Orson Welles went into self-imposed exile in Europe, he first found stardom with The Third Man and then immersed himself in challenging films, television, theatre and bullfighting. Simon Callow trails the complex actor-director.
Colombia now accounts for 62% of the world's cocaine production, estimated to be worth US$70 billion worldwide. In this very personal documentary, former cocaine addict Alex James, bassist of Britpop band Blur, travels to Colombia to see firsthand what the cocaine industry is doing to the country and its people.
Writer Andrew O'Hagan asks what made Robert Burns one of the world's favourite poets, as Scotland celebrates the 250th anniversary of the birth of one of its most famous sons. He travels through the landscape of modern Scotland in a poetic journey to the places that inspired Burns and to discover the story of his wild and dramatic life.
Twenty-year-old Gary Mannion calls himself Britain's youngest psychic surgeon, channelling a spirit from the dead to operate on the sick. He is a rising star in the world of spiritual healing, travelling the world to bring his alleged ability to effect miracle cures to a devoted following. In Young, Psychic and Possessed filmmaker Emeka Onono follows Gary as he tries to prove he really does have the power to heal. It is a journey into the supernatural that will challenge both sceptics and true believers. Emeka hears stories of miracle cures, watches Gary operate, and even participates in seances, before turning to science to try to separate fact from fantasy.
BBC correspondent Clive Myrie traces the life story of America's first black president. From Obama's broken home childhood in Hawaii, through his political awakening in the rough neighbourhoods of Chicago, to his arrival in Washington, Myrie follows the extraordinary journey that transformed the son of a Kenyan student into the most powerful man in the world.
Determined to prevent it if he possibly can, Terry Pratchett took a personal journey through the science and the reality of what it's like to be diagnosed with Alzheimer's. This two part documentary followed Terry's race to find a cure as he endeavoured to find ways of slowing, mitigating or even reversing its course.
Steeped in cunning, guile and forensic knowledge, the notorious Johnson Gang ran rings around the law as they stole from some of England's grandest stately homes. It eventually took five police forces to end their 20-year crime spree - this is the inside story.
From semi-naked women to prize-winning goats, this documentary examines the weird and wonderful ways the Government has tried to promote Britain's image abroad.
An alternative vision of Britain during the 1930s, challenging the commonly held perception that the period was defined by unemployment, gloom and recession.
Using archival footage, this film explores the American space program, from the Mercury program through Gemini program through the return to space after the Space Shuttle Columbia Disaster.
Documentary looking at the extraordinary changes and crazes that have happened to British gardening since the Second World War, from garden gnomes and crazy paving to Leylandii and decking. As recently as the 1960s, garden centres didn't exist and gardening was strictly for old boys in sheds, yet today it has become the height of cool. Contributors include Penelope Keith, Laurence Llewellyn Bowen, Germaine Greer and Carol Klein.
A decade on, and after an emotional split tore the original team in half, six of the Calendar Girls are reuniting to strip for the cameras one final time, baring all for charity once more. They joke that they'll need bigger props to pose behind, but little else has changed for the ladies of Rylstone and District WI. This is the story of how a group of normal middle aged women from the Yorkshire Dales united in the face of grief, inspired the world and changed the reputation of the WI forever.
A feast of old chestnuts from the glory days of Christmases past with this look at the rise and demise of the Christmas light-entertainment spectacular. From Christmas Night with the Stars to Val Doonican and Christmas Snowtime special, the programme revisits a world of snow made from soapflakes, chorus lines sweating in winter woolies and recycled sleighs.
Jonathan Ross takes a look into the life and times of one of the greatest film directors of our time, David Lean.
Documentary looking at Nationwide, Britain's first truly regional TV programme, which ran on BBC in the early evenings from 1969 to 1983. Featuring contributions from many of those involved, including Sue Lawley, Michael Barratt, Richard Stilgoe, Bob Wellings, Hugh Scully, Frank Bough, Esther Rantzen and John Stapleton
Documentary journey into actor Brian Cox's past, and on to Kolkata in the footsteps of the Dundee jute workers who left to seek their fortunes in India.
In the 4th century BC the Greek philosopher Aristotle travelled to Lesvos, an island in the Aegean teeming, then as now, with wildlife. His fascination with what he found there, and his painstaking study of it, led to the birth of a new science - biology. Professor Armand Leroi follows in Aristotle's footsteps to discover the creatures, places and ideas that inspired the philosopher in his pioneering work.
Over three thousand years ago, legend has it that Queen Hatshepsut, Egypt's first female pharaoh, sent a fleet of ships to the wonderful, distant land of Punt. A bas-relief in the temple where she is entombed in Luxor shows them bringing back extraordinary treasures. But did this expedition really happen? And if it did, where exactly is the land of Punt? Drawing upon recent finds, the archaeologist Cheryl Ward sets out to recreate the voyage, in a full-size replica of one of these ancient ships, sailing it in the wake of Hatshepsut's fleet, in search of the mythical land of Punt. A human adventure as well as a scientific challenge, the expedition proves that, contrary to popular belief, the ancient Egyptians had the necessary tools, science and techniques to sail the seas.
Since shooting to fame in 2002 as one fifth of one of Girls Aloud, Nicola Roberts has had to deal with life under the spotlight. As a result, everyone seems to have an opinion about her fashion, hairstyles and her naturally pale complexion. In this documentary, Nicola goes on a personal journey to explore the culture of tanning amongst young women and men in the UK, and the extremes they will go to in order to obtain the perfect tan. Nicola meets young women whose love of tanning is an addiction, who use sunbeds 5-6 times a week and who inject untested tanning-aid drugs. She meets girls in their early teens who, like her when she was young, experience the pressures from their peers to conform and be tanned. Nicola reveals how she has overcome her early reliance on fake tan and her gradual sense of confidence in her own skin. She meets top dermatologists and cancer experts who explain the risks tanning addicts are exposing themselves to. Nicola's journey takes her into hospital wards where some of the estimated 120 under-40s who die from skin cancer each year are treated. Skin cancer is the most common cancer in under-35s in the UK. Nicola meets the families of those who have died from melanoma and who are now pushing for a change in the law to protect the young from the tanning industry. Her journey takes her to Westminster, where she has the chance to rally support for a new bill that would protect under-18s from the dangers of sunbeds.
On Christmas Day 2009, as Northwest Airlines Flight 253 began its descent towards Detroit Metropolitan Airport, a 23-year-old man left the airplane toilet, returned to his seat and pulled a blanket across his lap. He then attempted to detonate a device containing military-grade explosive PETN, a deadly bomb designed to take the plane out of the sky. With powerful eyewitness testimony and in-depth expert analysis, this timely documentary examines how alleged bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab slipped under the US intelligence radar and evaded three sets of airport security. From Abdulmutallab's student days in London, via his time in the Al Qaeda hotspot of Yemen, to the final leg of his journey on a flight bound for the USA, the timeline of this story throws up important questions. What did security services know about him before he boarded the plane? What would have happened to the 290 passengers and crew on board if the bomb had detonated successfully? What lessons have be learned? And, in the aftermath of this attack, how safe is it to fly?
Graham Bell and Ed Leigh journey southwards through the frozen province of British Columbia, Canada, towards the home of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. En route, they travel through remote communities cut off from civilisation through the winter, learning how the locals survive off the land. Leigh and Bell experience this harsh life for themselves alongside miners, loggers and hunters, and find out what it is like to function and work in such harsh conditions. Their journey ends with a gruelling trek on foot through the spectacular Coast Range Mountains into Whistler, one of the Olympic venues.
The first of two films by Christopher Nupen about the music and the artistic preoccupations of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky covers the period from the first tentative stirrings of Tchaikovsky's musical talent to the composition of his opera Eugene Onegin and the disastrous failure of his marriage to Antonina Milyukova. It looks at the women who fired his musical imagination in the early years, from Katerina Kabanova in his first orchestral work, The Storm, to his dearly loved Tatyana in Onegin. There are, however, natural correspondences with the women in his private life - his mother Alexandra, his governess Fanny Durbach, the Belgian opera singer Desiree Artot, Antonina Milyukova and his patroness, Nadezhda von Meck. Up to the time of his marriage the prime source of inspiration for much of his best music lay in Tchaikovsky's deep identification with the fate of his vulnerable young heroines. All through his life he was preoccupied with the idea of fate and in the beginning it was the fate of these young women that touched him most - Katerina in The Storm, Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, Francesca in Francesca da Rimini and above all Tatyana in Eugene Onegin. His identification with Tatyana was so complete that it had a direct influence on his decision to marry Antonina Milyukova with such unhappy consequences. The film features Cynthia Harvey and Mark Silver, both principal dancers with the Royal Ballet, as well as Welsh soprano Helen Field and Swedish Soprano Clarry Bartha. The music is performed by the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Vladimir Ashkenazy.
The first of two films by Christopher Nupen about the music and the artistic preoccupations of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky covers the period from the first tentative stirrings of Tchaikovsky's musical talent to the composition of his opera Eugene Onegin and the disastrous failure of his marriage to Antonina Milyukova. It looks at the women who fired his musical imagination in the early years, from Katerina Kabanova in his first orchestral work, The Storm, to his dearly loved Tatyana in Onegin. There are, however, natural correspondences with the women in his private life - his mother Alexandra, his governess Fanny Durbach, the Belgian opera singer Desiree Artot, Antonina Milyukova and his patroness, Nadezhda von Meck. Up to the time of his marriage the prime source of inspiration for much of his best music lay in Tchaikovsky's deep identification with the fate of his vulnerable young heroines. All through his life he was preoccupied with the idea of fate and in the beginning it was the fate of these young women that touched him most - Katerina in The Storm, Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, Francesca in Francesca da Rimini and above all Tatyana in Eugene Onegin. His identification with Tatyana was so complete that it had a direct influence on his decision to marry Antonina Milyukova with such unhappy consequences. The film features Cynthia Harvey and Mark Silver, both principal dancers with the Royal Ballet, as well as Welsh soprano Helen Field and Swedish Soprano Clarry Bartha. The music is performed by the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Vladimir Ashkenazy.
Food writer and critic William Sitwell investigates the passions, pressures and obsessions behind that apparently all-important description, 'Michelin-starred chef'. 'It elevates your average stove monkey to superior cheffy status; it puts you in a completely new culinary class. But how relevant is Michelin? Do we want poncey food? Or can you get a Michelin star for a good steak and chips? Is the Michelin Guide harmful in its influence? And does the path to Michelin-starred perfection lead to dangerous obsession?' In the lead-up to the 2010 Guide's publication, Sitwell goes behind the scenes to hear contrasting views on the Michelin phenomenon, from Raymond Blanc and Marco Pierre White to chefs dreaming of stars and restaurateurs dismissive of them. He rolls up his sleeves and immerses himself in this extraordinary world, spending a day in the kitchen with Marcus Wareing at the Berkeley hotel, who has two stars and is hoping for that mythical third. He learns just what is involved at this level, from the precise placing of a sliced fresh chestnut on a bed of Dorset crab, to the presentation of today's pre-starter: fish and chip soup. In France, he encounters the big boss of Michelin at their Paris HQ and hears from the widow of the celebrated three-star chef, who was the ultimate perfectionist, a passionate chef who took his own life. And he explores who the strictly anonymous people are who make these apparently vital decisions. A senior British Michelin inspector, interviewed in shadow, confesses to enjoying the anonymity, likening himself to a secret agent, 'licensed to eat'.
Dream city, Sin City, a mirage in the desert, Las Vegas is a film set in its own right, a piece of pop art, an outdoor museum of American culture. What is the story behind the neon lights and fantastical buildings? What will its future be in these tough times? Alan Yentob takes a mob tour and talks to producers and performers about the golden days when Sinatra and Dino held the stage, and the wise guys called the shots. With Jerry Weintraub, producer of Ocean's Eleven and Thirteen, and Brandon Flowers of the Killers.
Andrew Graham-Dixon presents a personal profile of the legendary food writer Alan Davidson, one of the unsung heroes of the culinary world. Davidson's greatest work, The Oxford Companion to Food, took him 20 years to write. It's an encyclopaedia of everything a human being can eat, from aardvark to zucchini, all catalogued in 2,650 separate entries. But it is much more than just a food reference book; it is a portrait of the whole human race, its many cultures, customs and histories, all revealed through the stories of what we eat. If you want to understand why the Genoese enjoy dolphin, how to cook a warthog, why the French call dandelions 'piss-en-lit' or who invented Spam, then 'The Companion', as it is known by aficionados, is the place to look.
King Edward VII has always been an enigma. Twentieth-century dynasty builder and sex addict; dyslexic dunce and astute political operator; boorish philistine and civilised cosmopolitan - he was all of these. Using extensive new research, Edward VII - Prince of Pleasure unravels the mystery of this thoroughly modern monarch and shows that his legacy is still very relevant today.
Documentary which follows award-winning artisan baker Tom Herbert in his search to bake a loaf that will win him first prize at the National Organic Food Awards.
For years now, some town halls have been renaming their Christmas Lights as Winter Lights festivals. More and more Christians are ending up in court, defending themselves against what they see as victimisation for not being allowed to wear a cross to work or to pray for a patient. Many Christians feel that Christianity - once the heart of British society - is being pushed to the margins. Nicky Campbell investigates whether Christians are being discriminated against. He explores the effects of multiculturalism and asks Muslims whether they are offended by Christmas Lights celebrations. Campbell also analyses the impact of recent human rights legislation and the Equality Bill: do they promote a more or less tolerant society? A poll specially commissioned for the BBC reveals what the public think. If the Christian faith is being sidelined from the public space, is that a good or a bad thing? Campbell interviews Christians who claim they have been discriminated against, as well as leading religious and secular voices, including Archbishop of Westminster Cardinal Vincent Nichols; Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks; Bishop of Rochester Michael Nazir Ali; Shami Chakrabati, Director of the civil rights organistation Liberty; and Polly Toynbee, President of the National Secular Society.
21-year-old Nel has lived in Britain since she was six, after her family fled war and violence in Afghanistan. Despite respecting her parents' decision to leave, Nel has always felt a strong connection with the country and longs to know what her life would have been like if she'd stayed and grown up there. This documentary tells the intimate story of a young woman returning to Afghanistan. In Kabul, she sees the modern face of the country through her cousin - one of only a handful of female lecturers at Kabul University. But even her cousin accepts that her marriage will be arranged. Outside the capital, behind the closed doors of hospital wards and prisons, Nel soon discovers a world of extreme violence against women and gains a new understanding of why her family decided to leave.
As a crew of forty kept the zeppelin in the air, Lady Grace feasted her eyes on the world's major cities, white alpine peaks, oceans and swamps, and fell in love with a married man. Rare archival footage gives glimpses of day-to-day life in a zeppelin gondola, Grace listening to one of her fellow passengers playing the accordion, the repair of a tear in the cloth shell during the flight, the sleeping cabins and lounge, and the splendid views from the windows. The film offers a fascinating look into the world of the roaring twenties which would soon be gone forever.
Sue Johnston goes in search of her lifelong dream - the lost, fantasy world of Shangri La. The film is a contemporary travelogue and a journey into the private world of Sue Johnston. She changes and learns about herself, overcoming fears and exposing a previously private, emotional side. Sue first came across the story of Shangri La as a 16 year old in 1959 when she watched the movie Lost Horizon with her mother on their first black and white television. The film was based on a book written by Englishman James Hilton in 1933. She read the book voraciously and has re-read it many times over the years since. As a child she was fascinated by the Orient and the mysteries of the Far East, but in those post-war austerity days the chances of ever following her dream, of finding the actual place, seemed an unattainable goal. It looked like her dream would remain just that, as life took over and she got married, had a child, started a successful acting career and got divorced. The dream slipped further away into the dark, forgotten corners of her mind. Recently, as her life has changed, she has recalled her longed-for Shangri La. Her parents died, her son left home and settled into his own life, and her sense of mortality hit home. She decided that it was time to find the inspiration for the book, the story of Lost Horizon. Sue's quest takes her through south-west China's Yunnan province and into Tibet, travelling over high mountain passes, into deep, hidden valleys and gorges, through bustling towns and ultimately on horseback to her final destination, the sacred mountain of Kawarkapo and the tiny, isolated village of Yipung - on the edge of the Tibetan Plateau and the basis for James Hilton's novel.
Nigel Planer narrates a documentary which traces the origins and development of British heavy metal from its humble beginnings in the industrialised Midlands to its proud international triumph. In the late 60s a number of British bands were forging a new kind of sound. Known as hard rock, it was loud, tough, energetic and sometimes dark in outlook. They didn't know it, but Deep Purple, Uriah Heep and, most significantly, Black Sabbath were defining what first became heavy rock and then eventually heavy metal. Inspired by blues rock, progressive rock, classical music and high energy American rock, they synthesised the sound that would inspire bands like Judas Priest to take metal even further during the 70s. By the 80s its originators had fallen foul of punk rock, creative stasis or drug and alcohol abuse. But a new wave of British heavy metal was ready to take up the crusade. With the success of bands like Iron Maiden, it went global. Contributors include Lemmy, Sabbath's Tony Iommi, Ian Gillan from Deep Purple, Judas Priest singer Rob Halford, Bruce Dickinson from Iron Maiden and Saxon's Biff Byford.
British fashion photographer Rankin explores South Africa's rich photographic tradition, discovering how its leading photographers have captured this complex, often turbulent, nation through remarkable images and charting the unique role photography has played in documenting the story and people of this fascinating country. Through encounters with legendary conflict photographers the Bang Bang Club, documentary photographer David Goldblatt and photojournalist Alf Kumalo amongst others, Rankin goes on a compelling and moving photographic journey to see the nation through their gaze.
Richard E Grant - who grew up in Swaziland - examines the controversial history of the safari. Exploring the world of the big game hunters and the luxury of today's safaris, he goes on a personal journey to experience how the beauty of the bush made Africa the white man's playground.
Paul Merton goes in search of the origins of screen comedy in the forgotten world of silent cinema - not in Hollywood, but closer to home in pre-1914 Britain and France. Revealing the unknown stars and lost masterpieces, he brings to life the pioneering techniques and optical inventiveness of the virtuosos who mastered a new art form. With a playful eye and comic sense of timing, Merton combines the role of presenter and director to recreate the weird and wonderful world that is early European cinema in a series of cinematic experiments of his own.
The exploits of young Britons abroad often hit the headlines, but are holidaymakers risking more than just their reputations? BBC Radio 1 DJ Greg James joins British tourists heading to party capital Magaluf on the Spanish island of Mallorca, to examine the risks that many seem all too willing to take with their mind, body and soul.
Robert Llewellyn discovers why submarine movies have gripped us for over a century. He travels along the River Medway to find a beached cold war Russian nuclear sub and then on to the abandoned WW2 German U-boat pens on the French coast, recalling many of the real events that inspired these films. From 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea to Das Boot, Llewellyn discovers that fear - and bravery - is the key, and he also reveals the unique role that Walt Disney played in promoting atomic submarines.
This fascinating documentary – part of a BBC season on the subject – looks at Britain’s history of mental health care. From frontal lobotomies to care in the community, Mental: A History of the Madhouse tells the story of the closure of Britain’s mental asylums. They’re a grizzly reminder of a time when ‘out of sight, out of mind’ was the mantra for tackling the nation’s mental health issues. But as part of its season on mental health, the BBC has revisited Britain’s asylums to look at how we used to treat the issues that face up to one in four people. In the post-war period, 150,000 people were hidden away in these vast Victorian institutions. Institutions like High Royds Hospital, near Leeds, which forms the basis of this programme. High Royds with its Gothic clock tower and endless corridors, looks like the stuff of nightmares, built to keep out of sight those deemed to be out of their minds. But mental health care in the UK has changed, and today the asylums have all but disappeared as attitudes towards these issues have softened. Built around testimonies from patients, doctors and psychiatric nurses, the film explores the seismic shift in mental health care over the last sixty years. Mental: A History of the Madhouse tackles some heavyweight subject matter and is anything but light evening viewing. However, it does an admirable service to the issues at hand and offers an insightful exploration of a subject that is all too often ignored.
Joan Root, with her husband Alan, produced beautiful and famous natural history films, born of her deep love of Africa and its flora and fauna. This delicate but determined member of Kenya's Happy Valley was gunned down in January 2006 by intruders bearing AK-47s. Four men were charged with her murder, including David Chege, the leader of a private vigilante group Root herself had financed to stop the illegal fishing that was killing Lake Naivasha, the beautiful lake beside which she lived. Chege was from Karagita, the largest of the slums that has sprung up beside the lake in the last twenty years. In that time, the population of Naivasha has rocketed from 30,000 to 350,000 as a desperate tide of impoverished migrant workers arrived in search of employment on Kenya's flourishing flower farms. This has created squalor, crime and, in the minds of Root and her fellow naturalists, ecological apocalypse. This film tells the story of the extraordinary life and brutal death of Joan Root, and of her campaign to save the lake she loved. Who killed Joan Root? Was it the fish poachers, whom Root stopped from plying their illegal trade in a bid to save her beloved Lake Naivasha? Was it her loyal lieutenant Chege, whom Root ultimately cut off from her payroll? Or was it one of her white neighbours, with whom Root had feuded? Through the telling of Root's story, the film opens a window onto contemporary Africa and the developed world's relationship to it. For it is the Kenyan rose, which is exported by the millions on a daily basis from Naivasha, that has brought not just jobs and foreign exchange earnings, but a population explosion that has caused the destruction of the environment Root worked so hard to stop. Her campaign may have ultimately cost her her life.
At 6.26 pm, June 11th 1955, the world of playboy racers and their exotic cars exploded in a devastating fireball. On the home straight early in the Le Mans 24-Hour race, future British world champion Mike Hawthorn made a rash mistake. Pierre Levegh's Mercedes 300 SLR smashed into the crowd, killing 83 people and injuring 120 more. It remains the worst disaster in motor racing history. The story was quickly engulfed by conspiracy theory, blame and scandal. Was the mysterious explosion caused by Mercedes gambling all on untried technologies? Did they compound it by using a lethal fuel additive? Have the French authorities been covering up the truth ever since? Or was the winner, the doomed British star Mike Hawthorn, guilty of reckless driving and did his desire to win at all costs start the terrible chain of events?
The world of early 19th century England is usually seen through the eyes of Jane Austen and the Brontë sisters. Sue Perkins explores a dramatically different version of this world, as lived and recorded by the remarkable Anne Lister. Anne was born in Halifax in 1791. A Yorkshire landowner, she was a polymath, autodidact and traveller who kept a detailed diary. Running to more than 4,000,000 words, the work ranks as one of the most important journals in English literature. Parts of Anne's epic diary were written in code: once deciphered they reveal graphic details of Anne's many love affairs with women.
Franz Schubert was undervalued in his own lifetime and for at least the next century because he died young and, for all the appreciation of his intimate circle of friends, he failed to achieve public recognition and financial success. He was the first great composer in western music to live by his art alone, without patronage, but he enjoyed only one public concert of his music in his lifetime. Christopher Nupen's documentary uses Schubert's words and music to help us feel closer to what the composer himself was trying to say. The film begins with the funeral of Beethoven, at which Schubert was a torch bearer, and the story is told almost entirely in music that Schubert wrote between then and his death.
Documentary following the Grenadier Guards as they prepare to lead the 2010 Trooping the Colour. But these men have had precious little time to prepare; as fighting soldiers, they have just spent six months on the front line in Afghanistan's Helmand Province. This is the story of how one and a half thousand men and women join together to create one of the greatest military ceremonies on earth. It is a ceremony with just one standard: Excellence.
Stephen Fry explores his passion for controversial composer Richard Wagner. Can he salvage the music he loves from its dark association with Hitler's Nazi regime? His journey takes him to Germany, Switzerland and Russia as he pieces together the story of the composer's turbulent career. Along the way he plays Wagner's piano, meets the composer's descendants and eavesdrops on rehearsals for the legendary Bayreuth Festival, the annual extravaganza of Wagner's music held in a theatre designed by the composer himself.
Documentary telling the story of Australia's most cherished TV star, Skippy the bush kangaroo, the crime-busting marsupial who conquered the world in the late 60s and early 70s. The 91 episodes of Skippy were sold in 128 countries and watched by hundreds of millions. It put Australia on the map and - for those of a certain generation - the heroic marsupial is synonymous with their childhood, often in more profound ways than they realise. Includes interviews with every surviving member of the cast and some of the key crew - not least those responsible for getting the best performances out of the temperamental star.
In 2008 Ben Fogle caught a flesh-eating disease called leishmaniasis which, if untreated, would have destroyed his face. In this film, Ben investigates a sickness that's far worse but virtually unheard of - noma, which eats away the faces of thousands of Africa's poorest children. Ninety per cent of noma victims die while survivors are left terribly disfigured.
Child psychologist Laverne Antrobus goes on a quest to discover why dads are so important. Through a series of extraordinary experiments she discovers how radical changes in a man's hormones during his partner's pregnancy actually serve to boost his nurturing instincts. Laverne's final investigation is perhaps most intriguing of all: can a father's relationship with his daughter really influence when she reaches puberty and who she eventually marries?
Poet Roger McGough narrates the story of how a simple invention - the shipping container - changed the world forever and forced Britain into the modern era of globalisation. With a blend of archive and modern-day filming, the impact of the box is told through the eyes of dockers, seafarers, ship spotters, factory workers and logisticians. From quayside in container ports to onboard enormous ships, the documentary explains how the container has transformed our communities, economy and coastline.
David Reynolds takes a fresh look at the controversial career and embattled presidency of Richard Nixon. Reynolds sees Nixon as a successful international statesman, but that the methods that won him this acclaim also doomed his presidency in the Watergate scandal. Using memos, audio and home movie footage, the film throws new light on Nixon's secrecy, deception and mistrust of aides, as he ran his presidency largely from his 'den' - a hideaway office across the road from the White House.
Who could have predicted it? The Who in their sixties, singing 'Hope I die before I get old' to enthusiastic audiences spanning generations; Mick Jagger, with seven years already on his bus pass, snaking across the stage singing 'Let's spend the night together'; or a topless, leathery Iggy Pop growling 'Last year I was 21', before climbing the speaker stacks for a bit of mock fornication. Scenes that is at once incredibly odd, but undeniably powerful and inspiring. Forever Young takes a closer look at how rock 'n' roll has had to deal with the unthinkable - namely growing old. From its roots in the Fifties as a music made by young people for young people, to the 21st-century phenomena of the 'revival' and the 'comeback', the programme investigates what happens when the music refuses to die and its performers refuse to leave the stage. What happens when rock's youthful rebelliousness is delivered wrapped in wrinkles? Featuring contributions by Iggy Pop, Lemmy, Rick Wakeman, Suggs and Alison Moyet.
In a moving and often funny documentary, award-winning filmmaker Sean Langan is off to East Africa to ride the rails of the Tazara railroad, whose passenger and goods trains travel through spectacular scenery and a game park teeming with wild animals. The railway was built by the Chinese just after independence to link Zambia's copper belt to the Tanzanian port of Dar es Salaam, and once carried the region's hopes and dreams. But now it is in crisis. Every day there are derailments, trains running out of fuel and mechanical breakdowns. Langan meets the train crews, controllers and maintenance crews who battle to keep it going - and at Tazara HQ he is on the track of Tazara's elusive Chinese railway advisors to find out why it is in such a parlous state.
A documentary about the decay and industrial collapse of America's fourth largest city.
Provocative documentary following the doctors who can now interrupt, and even reverse, the process of death. Filmed over six months in the country's leading brain injury unit (Addenbooke's Hospital, Cambridge), it follows the journey of a man who, by only moving his eyes, is eventually asked if he wants to live or die. Two other families are also plunged into the most ethically difficult decision in modern medicine.
Road users pass them every day - sudden flashes of flowers tied to lampposts or lying by the side of the road. Across the UK roadside memorials have become the expected response when someone dies suddenly in a traffic collision. For friends and family the spot where these tributes are left becomes sacred; for others these shrines are an eyesore and a display that should be kept private. Yet behind each roadside memorial there is a story of personal grief.
An investigation into the life and death of the great Baroque artist Caravaggio, who died in 1610 aged only 39 after a life full of violent incident. Art critic Andrew Graham-Dixon travels from Rome to Naples, then to Sicily and Malta, where Caravaggio died four years after being exiled from Rome for killing a man in a street fight.
Featuring the evocative memories and unseen archive of generations of enthusiasts, a documentary which tells the intriguing story of how sleeping under canvas evolved from a leisure activity for a handful of adventurous Edwardian gents to the quintessentially British family pastime that it is today.
Mud, midges, barbed wire - just why do us Brits love the great outdoors? In this nostalgic look at life for campers, twitchers, ramblers and metal detectors, Mark Benton examines the history of the British fresh air freak.
One of the true originals of American country music, 73-year-old Californian-born Merle Haggard has always felt and expressed America's contradictions in his life and his songs. This is the journey of the former Nixon poster boy of Okie from Muskogee renown to the now outspoken critic of the Bush era, as director Gandulf Hennig explores one of the greatest songbooks in American music.
Rich Hall sets his keen eye and acerbic wit on his homeland once again as he sifts truth from fiction in Hollywood's version of the southern states of the USA. Using specially shot interviews and featuring archive footage from classic movies such as Gone With The Wind, A Streetcar Named Desire and Deliverance, Rich discovers a South that is about so much more than just rednecks, racism and hillbillies.
Growing up is hard enough for most young people, but how different would it be if you couldn't view the world through your eyes. This documentary follows four young blind people on the rollercoaster ride to adulthood as they try to work out what they want from their lives. Eighteen-year-old Dwight is seeking love and independence, Karen dreams of a career designing jewellery and blind couple Katy and Scott are facing dilemmas about their future together.
Author Rob Penn travels around the world collecting handbuilt parts for his dream bicycle and charts the social history of one of mankind's greatest inventions.
Alex Horne tries to discover why some games survived, and examines the best of those that didn't. Whilst revisiting his own childhood haunts, he attempts to relaunch the ancient sport of 'The Quintain', horseless jousting, and tries his damnedest to understand the rules of the 'Jingling Match'. Not forgetting his attempt to restage the forgotten spectacle of 'Cricket on Horseback'. This might just be a journey to the very heart of sport itself, but if not, it will be a lot of fun playing games that haven't been seen for hundreds of years and even more fun discovering why.
With eyewitness accounts from former British team mates and top stars of continental cycling, Death of the Mountain recounts the dramatic events of 13th July during the 13th stage of the 1967 Tour de France when Tom Simpson died trying to climb the notorious Mont Ventoux in Southern France. Interwoven into this story of Simpson's controversial death is the remarkable story of how the miner's son from Nottinghamshire conquered continental cycling during the 1960s.
In 1969, Elvis Presley was at the peak of his powers with a stage show at the Hilton and recordings that made him "the most famous entertainer in the world". But, beneath the surface, his own demons – and the schemes of his celebrity manager, Colonel Tom Parker – were taking their toll. This is the untold story of how Elvis transformed Las Vegas but how the city helped destroy him. Based in Seventies Vegas, and featuring some of Elvis's finest performances, home movies and rare archive footage, Elvis In Vegas reveals a bizarre tale of intrigue and excess, recounted by those closest to him. It reveals how the Las Vegas experience impacted on his spectacular shows, chart-topping recordings, volatile relationship with Colonel Parker and his unusual private life – all set against the glamorous backdrop of a "Sin City" that would never be the same again. The programme features interviews with Priscilla Presley, Colonel Parker's wife, Loanne, the Memphis Mafia, Tom Jones, Nancy Sinatra, songwriters Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller and many more.
Chef Rick Stein takes a light-hearted look at the role that food played in the creation of Italian opera and shows how music and food are intrinsically linked in Italy. He draws parallels between cooking and composing, noting how both involve the skilful combination of ingredients and how they share the common purpose of bringing pleasure to many. Rick also explains why he thinks the music of Verdi, Rossini and Puccini are linked to the food of the regions where they lived and worked.
The great tenor Rolando Villazon takes us inside the world of the sexiest and most risky of all operatic voices. It's a journey which includes some of the great names of the past, such as Caruso and Lanza, and some of the brightest stars performing today, like Domingo, Alagna and Florez. We hear how they tackle their most famous roles and what the risks and rewards are.
Evan Davis presents a programme exploring the effects of immigration in the UK by focusing on Wisbech, a town in Cambridgeshire. Since 2004 this once prosperous market town has received up to 9,000 immigrants seeking work - the majority from Eastern Europe. But with nearly 2,000 locals unemployed and claiming benefits, many of them blame the foreign workers for their predicament. To test if the town needs so many foreign workers, immigrant employees are temporarily removed from their jobs, and the work given to the local unemployed. Now the town's British workers have a chance to prove they can do it. Eleven British unemployed workers are recruited to go into a range of different Wisbech workplaces including a potato company, an asparagus farm, an Indian restaurant and a building site run by a local landlord. Moving beyond the workplace, Evan Davis investigates how the town's local public services, such as schools and the NHS, are coping with the demands of the new arrivals. As the British unemployed workers get to grips with their new jobs, this documentary examines the facts and dispels the myths around the subject of immigration.
The story of Britain's maritime past has a hidden history of shanties and sea songs, and choirmaster Gareth Malone has been travelling Britain's coast to explore this unique heritage. From dedicated traditionalists to groundbreaking recording artists, Gareth meets a variety of sea-singers from across the country.
Moving and inspiring film telling the story of Bobby Moore, who has passed into football legend as the captain who led England to its only World Cup victory in 1966.
The remarkable story of how a 53-year-old rare book dealer from the North East of England became the centre of a mystery surrounding the disappearance of a long lost Shakespeare First Folio. The film follows bachelor Raymond Scott as he finds himself the focus of a worldwide investigation, involving the FBI, a Cuban fiancee and Durham CID.
The extraordinary behind-the-scenes story of five days in May when the UK's political leaders haggled over who should form the next government. In exclusive interviews, David Cameron, Nick Clegg and other key players tell the BBC's political editor Nick Robinson how the coalition government was created.
Almost 90 years ago, Kitty Murray wrote a new chapter in history by becoming Scotland's first female MP. An aristocrat who campaigned alongside communists, she led the fight against appeasing Hitler. But who was the Duchess of Atholl? And why has history forgotten her? Elizabeth Quigley looks back to investigate.
Historian Dan Cruickshank reveals the history of Britain's public parks. He travels the country to discover their evolution - a story of class, civic pride, changing fashions in sport and recreation which helps re-evaluate the amazing assets they are. From their civic heyday in the 19th century to the neglect of the 1980s and their resurgence today, the film is a fascinating and entertaining history of an often-overlooked great British invention.
Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond and motor racing legend Sir Stirling Moss share the same life-altering experience - they had their lives changed forever by terrible car accidents. The pair recovered quickly from their respective physical injuries, but the acquired brain injuries of those major impacts meant their minds took much longer to heal. But why should brain tissue take so much longer to repair itself than skin and bone and what kind of trauma does the organ go through when trying to 're-boot' itself? In an engaging and intimate conversation punctuated by some extraordinary medical insights and archive footage of both of their accidents, the two men exchange their experiences.
Powerful documentary which, for the first time, follows three people who have been sectioned on their journey through the mental health system. With unprecedented access to one of the largest mental health trusts in the UK, Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, the film focuses on Andrew, Richard and Anthony as they battle to regain control of their lives, bringing into sharp focus the huge challenges faced by patients and staff alike.
Ben Anderson reports on the English Defence League, a movement set up to protest against what it perceives to be the spread of militant Islam in Britain, and whose demonstrations often end up in violence. The reporter questions what motivates these young men to join this organisation and their motivation to take part in violent acts
Drama-documentary presented by Alan Yentob, with Benedict Cumberbatch in the lead role as Van Gogh. Every word spoken by the actors in this film is sourced from the letters that Van Gogh sent to his younger brother Theo, and of those around him. What emerges is a complex portrait of a sophisticated, civilised and yet tormented man. This is Van Gogh's story in his own words.
Documentary telling the story of the Battle of Quebec, 1759, where at stake was the future of North America and the fate of the British Empire. Britain used its growing industrial strength and a new scientific approach to fight a campaign unlike any that had gone before. It launched a fleet of 200 ships carrying 20,000 men on a deadly mission through uncharted waters. Dan Snow sets sail up the magnificent St Lawrence River following the route taken by the British.
Documentary feature film, tracing the lifelong quest of visionary genius John Lautner to create 'architecture that has no beginning and no end.' It is the story of a complicated life - and the most sensual architecture of the 20th century.
Art historian Dr Nina Ramirez reveals the codes and messages hidden in Anglo-Saxon art. From the beautiful jewellery that adorned the first violent pagan invaders through to the stunning Christian manuscripts they would become famous for, she explores the beliefs and ideas that shaped Anglo-Saxon art. Examining many of the greatest Anglo-Saxon treasures - such as the Sutton Hoo Treasures, the Staffordshire Hoard, the Franks Casket and the Lindisfarne Gospels - Dr Ramirez charts 600 years of artistic development which was stopped dead in its tracks by the Norman Conquest.
Dr Stephen Baxter, medieval historian at King's College, London, reveals the human and political drama that lies within the parchment of England's earliest surviving public record, the Domesday Book. He also finds out the real reason it was commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The Domesday Book is the first great national survey of England, a record of who owned every piece of land and property in the kingdom. It also records the traumatic impact of the Norman conquest on Anglo-Saxon England, the greatest social and political upheaval in the country's history. Most historians believe that Domesday is a tax book for raising revenue, but Baxter has his own theory. He proves that the Domesday Book could not have been used to collect taxes and he argues that it is about something far more important than money. Its real purpose was to confer revolutionary new powers on the monarchy in Norman England.
Poet Simon Armitage traces the evolution of the Arthurian legend through the literature of the medieval age and reveals that King Arthur is not the great national hero he is usually considered to be. He's a fickle and transitory character who was appropriated the the Normans to justify their conquest, he was cuckolded when French writers began adapting the story and it took Thomas Malory's masterpiece of English literature, Le Mort d'Arthur, to restore dignity and reclaim him as the national hero we know today.
Born almost 1000 years ago in Persia, Omar Khayyam was an astronomer, mathematician and poet. His contribution to algebra and geometry has sealed his reputation as one the greatest mathematicians of all time; and a lunar crater has been named after him for his advances in astronomy.
In 2008, BBC cameras filmed two Swedish sisters throwing themselves into traffic on the M6. When it was shown on BBC One, nearly 7 million viewers were glued to their screens, and millions more watched it later on YouTube. Now, two years later, this documentary reveals the full story of the hours just before the cameras captured that motorway footage, and the even more chilling story of what happened over next 72 hours, which left one of the sisters fleeing the scene of a crime, after she had stabbed a man through the chest.
Internet dating is here to stay. Fifteen million people in the UK are single and half of them are now looking for love online. Sue Bourne, award-winning director of 'My Street' and 'Mum and Me' sets out to discover what the growing phenomenon of internet dating is doing to people and relationships.
A warm hearted and emotional film, following 22-year-old Alice as she searches for her real dad. During Alice's life there have been six different men that she's thought of as being her dad - some meant more to her than others. But there's one of these men Alice has no memory of - her biological dad. In this film Alice sets off on a journey to meet these different men from her childhood, and in the process work out what it really means to be a dad. And Alice has a big decision to make, she's recently got engaged, but which of her dads will walk her down the aisle?
Two years ago, James Hobley couldn't read or write and was happier playing with his cats than talking to his family. Then, aged eight, he discovered disco dancing and his life changed forever. Within months he was reading and writing and winning dance competitions. Now he wants to be known as James the amazing dancer, not James the boy with autism. He's competing for the world title in disco at Blackpool's Tower Ballroom, but can he win?
Every teenager wants to drive. It represents a coming of age, a new beginning and the freedom to go wherever you want, whenever you want. Learning to drive is a daunting and stressful experience even for the calmest of individuals, but much more so when you have autism and see the world and understand things very differently to other people. Taking a driving test is something that everyone can relate to - a stressful rite of passage for all young people but even more so for autistic people with low self-confidence and poor social skills. Learning to drive represents the independence that many autistic people find so difficult to achieve in the rest of their lives - people who cannot cope with crowds, noisy and unreliable public transport or even being looked at by strangers. The film follows a group of young characters with autism at different stages along the journey towards learning to drive. Stories includes the build up to theory and practical tests and a woman who has passed her test but is too scared to drive on her own.
A history of one of the world's most challenging mountains, the Eiger, and its infamous north face. The film gets to the heart of one of Europe's most notorious peaks, exploring its character and its impact on the people who climb it and live in its awesome shadow.
Alice Roberts embarks on a quest to discover what lies behind the passion for wild swimming, now becoming popular in Britain. She follows in the wake of Waterlog, the classic swimming text by the late journalist and author, Roger Deakin. Her journey takes in cavernous plunge pools, languid rivers and unfathomable underground lakes, as well as a skinny dip in a moorland pool. Along the way Alice becomes aware that she is not alone on her watery journey.
Documentary telling the story of 14-year-old Rebecca Flint, an ordinary schoolgirl from the Isle of Man who in Japan becomes Beckii Cruel, a teen icon and an internet sensation. Beckii became famous in Japan after uploading films of herself dancing on YouTube. She did this secretly, without telling her parents. This intimate documentary has exclusive access to her as it explores the real world of Beckii and the other British teenage girls who hope to become famous in Japan.
Sir David Frost interviews Dame Vera at her home in Sussex and hears about her extraordinary career. She talks revealingly about her childhood in London's East Ham; her days singing with the big bands of the 30s; her role as WW2's Forces Sweetheart and her successful post-war career.
To mark the Papal visit to the UK, camera crew have spent a year filming a world that few have ever seen. With unprecedented access to the Vatican and the people who live and work there, this is a unique profile of the heart of the Catholic Church and the world's smallest Sovereign State. Archivists reveal the Vatican's secrets, including the signed testimony of Galileo recorded by the Inquisition. A Cardinal journeys deep below St Peter's Basilica to inspect the site claimed to be tomb of the Saint himself, and curators share a private viewing of Michelangelo's extraordinary decoration of the Sistine Chapel. An intriguing behind-the-scenes look at the workings of one of the world's most powerful and mysterious institutions.
James Holland presents a fresh analysis into the Battle of Britain, exploring the lesser-told German point of view, and highlighting the role of those who supported the Few during the summer of 1940. Focusing on the tactics, technologies and intelligence available to both sides, Holland examines the ways in which both Germany and Britain used their resources: from aircraft to air defence, and from intelligence to organisation. And, by gaining rare firsthand testimony from German veterans, and access to the untapped diaries and documents we reveal that this was a battle of two sides and many layers. Part of the Battle of Britain season to mark the 70th anniversary.
Award-winning film-maker Mark Dowd looks at the life of Joseph Ratzinger, Pope Benedict XVI. The journey takes Mark from Bavaria to the heart of the Vatican itself.
During World War II, a remarkable band of female pilots fought against all odds for the right to aid the war effort. Without these Spitfire Women, the war may never have been won. These trailblazers were part of the Air Transport Auxiliary, a thousand-strong organisation that delivered aircraft to the frontline RAF during Britain's darkest hours. Every day, responsibility fell on their shoulders to get the planes to the fighters, which often pushed them into dangerous and even deadly situations. Using interviews with the last few surviving veterans, archive footage and dramatic reconstruction, this documentary brings to life the forgotten story of the ATA. The resilience of these women in the face of open discrimination is one of the most inspiring and overlooked milestones in women's rights. Their story is one of courage, sexism and patriotism, but above all a story about women who want to break the confines of the world they live in and reach for the skies.
Wellington Bomber takes a look at a challenge posed by the RAF and the War Ministry during the war – could a Wellington Bomber be built from scratch in a single day? One autumn weekend, early in the Second World War at an aircraft factory at Broughton in North Wales, a group of British workers set out to smash the world record for building a bomber from scratch. Combining archive footage of the attempt with testimonials from the workers involved at the time, one of whom was only 14 years old, this fascinating film documents the amazing attempt bolt by bolt. Their story of the excitement of the attempt and of their wartime lives is the heart of this documentary.
The exquisite Rosslyn Chapel is a masterpiece in stone. It used to be one of Scotland's best kept secrets, but it became world-famous when it was featured in Dan Brown's the Da Vinci Code. Art historian Helen Rosslyn, whose husband's ancestor built the chapel over 500 years ago, is the guide on a journey of discovery around this perfect gem of a building. Extraordinary carvings of green men, inverted angels and mysterious masonic marks beg the questions of where these images come from and who were the stonemasons that created them? Helen's search leads her across Scotland and to Normandy in search of the creators of this medieval masterpiece.
In the first of two films exploring the life and music of Jean Sibelius, celebrated filmmaker Christopher Nupen looks at the Finnish composer's development from his beginnings to the time of his third symphony. At the peak of his career Sibelius was hailed by almost every leading critic and composer in England as the greatest symphonist of the twentieth century. The Americans went even further, with a survey by the New York Philharmonic Society in 1935 showing his music to be more popular with their concert-goers than that of any other composer in the history of music - a degree of recognition in his own lifetime unequalled in Western music. The film offers an intimate account, using archive footage and Sibelius's music and words, of a great artist's struggle with his medium, with the world and with himself.
In the second of two films exploring the life and music of Jean Sibelius, celebrated filmmaker Christopher Nupen covers the period from the fourth symphony to the unfinished eighth. At the peak of his career Sibelius was hailed by almost every leading critic and composer in England as the greatest symphonist of the twentieth century. The words are provided almost entirely by Sibelius himself and his wife Aino and the music by Vladimir Ashkenazy, Elisabeth Soderstrom and Boris Belkin with the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Vladimir Ashkenazy.
Michael Smith goes in search of the Newcastle of his youth. Approaching the Toon from the Tyne, he believes the place has more in common with Baltic City States than London, where he now lives. He argues that there are in fact several Norths; unlike the South, where everything is centered on London's inescapable black hole gravity, the North has plural accents and plural identities. The North East is the far north, the Deep North of the title, remote and disconnected from this axis. As far as the North East is concerned, Leeds and Manchester may as well be in the midlands. Smith's North is a land apart entirely, and a land that defines itself by this basic fact. A small conurbation clustered by the coast, separated from the main rump by miles and miles of rural emptiness. Deep North is a lyrical meditation on Newcastle and the North East, and ultimately, a subjective and personal response of a prodigal son returning.
Samantha Poling investigates how homeopathy has penetrated the heart of the NHS and asks whether prescribing homeopathic preparations for serious conditions could be dangerous for patients. The investigation looks at the history and preparation of homeopathic remedies and the extent of their use in Scotland and England. Advocates of homeopathy, including patients and a former GP who overcame her scepticism and became an enthusiastic practitioner, report stories of dramatic recovery in some cases. Glasgow still has a fully fledged homeopathic hospital while in English towns and cities, with the exception of London, such hospitals have been downgraded or closed. Powerful voices, including the British Medical Association, question the level of funding within the NHS for homeopathy and call for more evidence-based research to back up the claims of homoepathic practitioners.
Engineer Jem Stansfield is used to creating explosions, but in this programme he uncovers the story of how we have learnt to control them and harness their power for our own means. From recreating a rather dramatic ancient Chinese alchemy accident to splitting an atom in his own home-built replica of a 1930s piece of equipment, Jem reveals how explosives work and how we have used their power throughout history. He goes underground to show how gunpowder was used in the mines of Cornwall, recreates the first test of guncotton in a quarry with dramatic results and visits a modern high explosives factory with a noble history. Ground-breaking high speed photography makes for some startling revelations at every step of the way.
Martin Shaw takes a fresh look at one of the most famous war stories of them all. The actor, himself a pilot, takes to the skies to retrace the route of the 1943 raid by 617 Squadron which used bouncing bombs to destroy German dams. He sheds new light on the story as he separates the fact from the myth behind this tale of courage and ingenuity.
A tribute to Joey Dunlop to mark the tenth anniversary of the famous motorcycle racer's death. His family, friends and fellow riders describe the many ways he still is fondly remembered. The programme features a number of firsts, including unseen interviews with Joey, his wife Linda and two of his children. There is also a chance to see unpublished pictures of Joey plus a visit by Linda to Japan to meet the former president of Honda Racing.
From street urchin to knight of the realm: the story of Norman Wisdom, who used to be one of the biggest film stars in the UK - portraying a man who rarely stepped out of character in public, and whose highly individual comic style hid the private tragedy of his early life. The actor's life story is told through the people who knew him well: his son and daughter Nick and Jaqui Wisdom, and his daughter-in-law Kim, plus film director Stephen Frears, actors Ricky Tomlinson, Leslie Phillips and Honor Blackman and singer Dame Vera Lynn.
Crime author Denise Mina investigates the life and work of one of the world's greatest horror writers, Edgar Allan Poe. The relationships between Poe and the women in his life - mother, wife, paramour and muse - were tenuous at best, disastrous at worst, yet they provided inspiration and stimulus for some of the most terrifying and influential short stories of the early 19th century. Travelling between New York, Virginia and Baltimore, Mina unravels Poe's tortuous and peculiar relationships. Dramatised inserts take us into the minds of Poe and his women through their own letters, journals and published writing.
Stacey Dooley explores the issue underage sex trafficking in Cambodia, investigating how thousands of young girls are being sold into sexual slavery often by those they trust the most, their family. She confronts the problem head on as she joins the police on raids to shut down brothels and learns the harsh realities for girls who are trafficked and abused in the sex industry
In the 1960s, a small indie label would conquer American music. With artists like the Doors, Love, Tim Buckley, the Incredible String Band and the Stooges, Elektra Records was consistently on the cutting edge, having built its name initially with folk revival artists like Judy Collins and Tom Paxton, signed out of Greenwich Village. Elektra was run by suave visionary Jac Holzman and this is his story. Featuring contributions from Jackson Browne, Iggy Pop, Judy Collins and choice BBC archive.
Military historian Howard Tuck travels along the south coast uncovering forgotten traces of one of the most terrifying planned invasions of Britain. Howard knocks on doors and takes metal detectors into the countryside to unearth untold stories of bravery, tragedy and guilt lain buried for 70 years.
Greg Foot buckles up for a 13.7 billion year trip through time, to answer the biggest question of them all - where do we come from? But the last thing you'll find in this programme is a particle accelerator. All Greg needs is the stuff that's lying around. So, you want to prove the Big Bang really happened? Easy - it can all be done by playing guitar at 60 mph and blowing up a watermelon in super slow-motion. What about calculating the speed of light? By microwaving ants on full power, of course. Whether Greg is squeezing a car into suitcase or making Big Ben strike 13 o'clock - this is the story of how we all got here, as you've never seen it before.
Eminent classical historian Robin Lane Fox embarks on a journey in search of the origins of the Greek myths. He firmly believes that that these fantastical stories lie at the root of western culture, and yet little is known about where the myths of the Greek gods came from, and how they grew. Now, after 35 years of travelling, excavation and interpretation, he is confident he has uncovered answers.
Stephen Fry loves Louisiana. Four months after the BP oil spill, dubbed the worst ecological disaster in the history of America, Fry returns to the Deep South together with zoologist Mark Carwardine, to see what the impact has been on the people, the vast wetlands and the species that live there. What they find both surprises and divides the travelling duo.
What really went on at the ancient Greek oracle at Delphi, how did it get its awesome reputation and why is it still influential today? Michael Scott of Cambridge University uncovers the secrets of the most famous oracle in the ancient world. A vital force in ancient history for a thousand years it is now one of Greece's most beautiful tourist sites, but in its time it has been a gateway into the supernatural, a cockpit of political conflict, and a beacon for internationalism. And at its heart was the famous inscription which still inspires visitors today - 'Know Thyself'.
On both sides of the Atlantic, John F Kennedy continues to be invoked by today's politicians in the hope that some of his magic might rub off on them. Now, 50 years since Kennedy's election, Andrew Marr looks afresh at the events of 1960 and provides a fascinating insight into politics today.
From the heads of Roman Emperors to the “blood head” of contemporary British artist Marc Quinn, the greatest figures in world sculpture have continually turned to the head to re-evaluate what it means to be human and to reformulate how closely sculpture can capture it. Witty, eclectic and deeply insightful, this single film is a journey through the most enduring subject for world sculpture, a journey that carves a path through politics and religion, the ancient and the modern. Actor David Thewlis has his head sculpted by three different sculptors, while the Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams, artist Maggi Hambling and writer Ben Okri discuss art’s most enduring preoccupation, ourselves.
The Prussian king Frederick the Great was one of the greatest warriors and leaders in modern European history, achieving greatness through the Seven Years War and lauded as a philosopher and cultured 'Prince of the Enlightenment'. Yet the reputation of both Frederick and his Prussia was to be tarnished by association with Hitler's Nazi regime. Historian Christopher Clark re-examines the life and achievements of one of Germany's most colourful and controversial leaders.
Virginia Woolf said Homer's epic poem the Odyssey was 'alive to every tremor and gleam of existence'. Following the magical and strange adventures of warrior king Odysseus, inventor of the idea of the Trojan Horse, the poem can claim to be the greatest story ever told. Now British poet Simon Armitage goes on his own Greek adventure, following in the footsteps of one of his own personal heroes. Yet Simon ponders the question of whether he even likes the guy.
For more than 60 years, the real story behind Operation Mincemeat has been shrouded in secrecy. Now, Ben Macintyre reveals the extraordinary truth in a documentary based on his bestselling book. In 1943, British intelligence hatched a daring plan. As the Allies prepared to invade Sicily, their purpose was to convince the Germans that Greece was the real target. The plot to fool the Fuhrer was the brainchild of Ian Fleming, the creator of James Bond. British agents procured the body of a tramp and reinvented his entire identity. He was given a new name, an officer rank and a briefcase containing plans for a fake invasion of Greece. The body was floated off the Spanish coast where Nazi spies would find it. The deception was an astonishing success. Hitler fell for it totally, ordering his armies to Greece to await an invasion that never happened. Meanwhile, the Allies landed in Sicily with minimal resistance. The island fell in a month. The war turned in the Allies' favour. Together with original witnesses, Macintyre recreates the remarkable story of how one brilliant team, and one dead tramp, pulled off a deception which changed the course of history.
Documentary which takes viewers on a rollercoaster ride through the wonderful world of statistics to explore the remarkable power thay have to change our understanding of the world, presented by superstar boffin Professor Hans Rosling, whose eye-opening, mind-expanding and funny online lectures have made him an international internet legend. Rosling is a man who revels in the glorious nerdiness of statistics, and here he entertainingly explores their history, how they work mathematically and how they can be used in today's computer age to see the world as it really is, not just as we imagine it to be. Rosling's lectures use huge quantities of public data to reveal the story of the world's past, present and future development. Now he tells the story of the world in 200 countries over 200 years using 120,000 numbers - in just four minutes. The film also explores cutting-edge examples of statistics in action today. In San Francisco, a new app mashes up police department data with the city's street map to show what crime is being reported street by street, house by house, in near real-time. Every citizen can use it and the hidden patterns of their city are starkly revealed. Meanwhile, at Google HQ the machine translation project tries to translate between 57 languages, using lots of statistics and no linguists. Despite its light and witty touch, the film nonetheless has a serious message - without statistics we are cast adrift on an ocean of confusion, but armed with stats we can take control of our lives, hold our rulers to account and see the world as it really is. What's more, Hans concludes, we can now collect and analyse such huge quantities of data and at such speeds that scientific method itself seems to be changing.
Academic and broadcaster Lisa Jardine turns detective on her famous father, Jacob Bronowski. Through his personal and professional dilemmas she reveals the story of science in the 20th century, from Einstein to the atom bomb.
For many years our place in the universe was the subject of theologians and philosophers, not scientists, but in 1960 one man changed all that. Dr Frank Drake was one of the leading lights in the new science of radio astronomy when he did something that was not only revolutionary, but could have cost him his career. Working at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Greenback in Virginia, he pointed one of their new 25-metre radio telescopes at a star called Tau Ceti twelve light years from earth, hoping for signs of extra-terrestrial intelligence. Although project Ozma resulted in silence, it did result in one of the most seminal equations in the history of science - the Drake Equation - which examined seven key elements necessary for ET intelligence to exist, from the formation of stars to the likely length a given intelligent civilisation may survive. When Frank and his colleagues entered the figures, the equation suggested there were a staggering 50,000 civilisations capable of communicating across the galaxy. However, in the 50 years of listening that has followed, not one single bleep has been heard from ET. So were Drake and his followers wrong and is there no life form out there capable of communicating? Drake's own calculations suggest that we would have to scan the entire radio spectrum of ten million stars to be sure of contact. But what the equation and the search for life has done is focus science on some of the other questions about life in the universe, specifically biogenesis, the development of multi-cellular life and the development of intelligence itself. The answers to those questions suggest that, far from being a one off, life may not only be common in the universe but once started will lead inevitably towards intelligent life. To find out about the equation's influence, Dallas Campbell goes on a worldwide journey to meet the scientists who have dedicated their lives to focusing on its different aspects.
Artist and writer Matt Collings takes the plunge into an alien world of equations. He asks top scientists to help him understand five of the most famous equations in science, talks to Stephen Hawking about his equation for black holes and comes face to face with a particle of anti-matter. Along the way he discovers why Newton was right about those falling apples and how to make sense of E=mc2. As he gets to grips with these equations he wonders whether the concept of artistic beauty has any relevance to the world of physics.
From Raymond Baxter live on Tomorrow's World testing a new-fangled bulletproof vest on a nervous inventor to Doctor Who's contemporary spin on the War on Terror, British television and the Great British public have been fascinated with the brave new world offered up by science on TV. Narrated by Robert Webb, this documentary takes a fantastic, incisive and funny voyage through the rich heritage of science TV in the UK, from real science programmes (including The Sky At Night, Horizon, Tomorrow's World, The Ascent of Man) to science-fiction (such as The Quatermass Experiment, Doctor Who, Doomwatch, Blake's 7, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy), to find out what it tells us about Britain over the last 60 years. Important figures in science and TV science, including Sir David Attenborough, Robert Winston, Dr Tim Hunt, Professor Colin Blakemore, Tony Robinson, Sir Patrick Moore and Johnny Ball, comment on growing up with TV science and on how it has reflected - or led - our collective image of science and the scientist.
Documentary following 16-year-old Louisa Ball, who suffers from the very rare sleep disorder Kleine Levin Syndrome, which causes her to sleep for up to two weeks at a time while life passes by without her, and has no known cure. The disorder effects only one in a million people and the film follows Louisa over the most crucial period of her young life. Her GCSEs are looming, her birthday is coming up, she's got a major dance competition and her school prom - but will she be awake for all or any of them, and will she get the five GCSEs she needs to win her place at college? While Louisa battles to stay awake, father Rick battles to find an answer to his daughter's condition, which ultimately leads him to one of the world's leading specialists in France.
Pompeii: one of the most famous volcanic eruptions in history. We know how its victims died, but this film sets out to answer another question - how did they live? Gleaning evidence from an extraordinary find, Cambridge professor and Pompeii expert Mary Beard provides new insight into the lives of the people who lived in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius before its cataclysmic eruption. In a dark cellar in Oplontis, just three miles from the centre of Pompeii, 54 skeletons who didn't succumb to the torrent of volcanic ash are about to be put under the microscope. The remains will be submitted to a barrage of tests that will unlock one of the most comprehensive scientific snapshots of Pompeian life ever produced - and there are some big surprises in store. Using the latest forensic techniques it is now possible to determine what those who perished in the disaster ate and drank, where they came from, what diseases they suffered, how rich they were, and perhaps, even more astonishingly, the details of their sex lives. The way the remains were found in the cellar already provides an invaluable clue about the lives of the people they belonged to. On one side of the room were individuals buried with one of the most stunning hauls of gold, jewellery and coins ever found in Pompeii. On the other, were people buried with nothing. It looked the stark dividing line of a polarised ancient society: a room partitioned between super rich and abject poor. But on closer examination the skeletons reveal some surprises about life in Pompeii.
With Britain's first-ever political leaders' television debate imminent, award-winning reporter Michael Cockerell uncovers what it's like to take part in these contests and how leaders try to win them. He tells the inside story of why it has taken so long for such debates to arrive in the UK. The programme features candid interviews with US Presidents and their advisers on the tricks of the debate trade. Blending new film and behind-the-scenes footage, some never seen before, it's a tragicomic tale of high politics and low cunning. From John F Kennedy and Richard Nixon through to Barack Obama, candidates are seen being prepared for their debates, then in the sometimes funny, sometimes disastrous results on live television. Cockerell shows why for our would-be next Prime Ministers - Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg - the three debate stages across Britain will be what one former US President calls 'Tension City'.
For the three days of the Ryder Cup, Wales and Newport will be the focus of the world's sporting media. Against all the odds, the upstart of golf, the Celtic Manor, succeeded in its bid to host the event. But it was a battle filled with squabbles and mud-slinging. Some of the main players involved speak about the bid process and the final decision by the Ryder Cup board, and the programme also hears from people at the Celtic Manor who faced the challenge of building the 2010 course.
Documentary about the troubled creation and enduring legacy of the science fiction classic Blade Runner, culled from 80 interviews and hours of never-before-seen outtakes and lost footage.
Powerful and inspiring documentary in which TV presenter Jeff Brazier is on a mission to improve his brother's life. Spencer Brazier is 24 and has cerebral palsy. He has very limited use of his hands and cannot speak. Spencer has no job, few friends and spends most of his time at home where he is completely reliant on his mum for support. Jeff believes that, despite his disability, Spencer is capable of living a much more active and fulfilling life. Jeff wants to put his theories to the test. Over an intense three-week period he plans to push his brother to make some real changes in his life, but will Jeff's tough love prove too much for their already fragile relationship? With much conflict and heartache along the way, the film shows the surprising and uplifting journey of two siblings trying to understand and accept each other for who they are.
Jono Lancaster was born with a rare genetic condition, Treacher Collins Syndrome, which affected the way his facial bones developed while he was in his mother's womb. The condition has affected his hearing and the way he looks - he has no cheekbones, which means his eyes droop downwards - but this hasn't stopped him finding love with his beautiful girlfriend, Laura Richards. Now 25, he was given up for adoption by his birth family just 36 hours after he was born. Treacher Collins makes Jono stand out, but what really sets him apart is his attitude to life - he's on a mission to find his parents and show them and the rest of the world that he's done really well for himself and he's happy just the way he is.
'I want to know where my personality begins and dyslexia ends. I'm fed up with putting things on hold and having this vision that one day I'm going to be something different to who I am now'. Actress Kara Tointon dreams about reading a novel cover to cover. Standing in her way is her dyslexia. Kara is now wondering whether this neurological condition is affecting her work as an actress and even her day-to-day life. In this intimate documentary, Kara is tested and undergoes specialist help. She also meets other young dyslexics, many of whom share Kara's experience of feeling 'stupid'. As Kara faces some difficult truths about herself, will she be able to take control of her condition and transform her life?
A rare pygmy sloth that looks like a teddy bear and can swim, an insect as long as your arm and a fish from the deep with a face like a headlight. Just some of the extraordinary and weird new species chosen by presenter Chris Packham as his top ten discoveries of the last decade from around the world. Also chosen are a giant orchid worth thousands, a walking shark and a small mammal related to an elephant with a nose to match, and two geckos which are evolving before our eyes. Equally extraordinary are the personal stories of how the new species were found, as told by the 21st century scientists and explorers who discovered them - the Indiana Joneses of the natural world. All these species are new to us and new to science, and proof that the Earth can still surprise us.
Professor Robert Winston presents his top ten scientific breakthroughs of the past 50 years. Tracing these momentous and wide-ranging discoveries, he meets a real-life bionic woman, one of the first couples to test the male contraceptive pill, and even some of his early IVF patients. He explores the origins of the universe, probes the inner workings of the human mind and sees the most powerful laser in the world. To finish, Professor Winston reveals the breakthrough he thinks is most significant.
On 2 January 1971, 66 people died while leaving the ground after the traditional New Year Old Firm Derby. This came to be known as the Ibrox Disaster. This documentary movingly tells the story of the terrible event from the perspective of survivors, bereaved families, rescue workers and players who took part in the game. First shown in 2001 to mark the 30th anniversary of the tragedy.
Sir Cliff Richard, Bruce Forsyth, Michael Crawford and Andrew Lloyd Webber are among the stars sharing the gossip, glamour and behind the scenes shenanigans of the world's most famous theatre as it celebrates its 100th birthday.
A look at the dangers faced by women working as prostitutes in Britain. After the murders of three sex workers in Bradford, Chris Buckler speaks to women who continue to work on the streets despite the dangers.
Les Miserables is the world's best-loved musical. It's been seen by 57 million people and in 2010 celebrated its 25th anniversary with its two largest ever productions at London's O2 Arena. Matt Lucas, a life-long fan of 'Les Mis', was invited to fulfil his dream of performing in these shows alongside more than 300 stalwarts from previous productions. This documentary tells the story of a musical that many thought would fail but which become a worldwide phenomenon with unforgettable songs like 'I Dreamed A Dream'. We follow Matt Lucas as he prepares for the performance of a lifetime, we hear from those involved with the show's creation including Cameron Mackintosh and Michael Ball, and of course we enjoy wonderful moments from the show itself.
Young Northumbrian folk-singing siblings Rachel and Becky Unthank take a journey around England from spring to autumn 2010 to experience its living folk dance traditions in action. They lead us through the back gardens and narrow streets of towns and villages from Newcastle to Penzance to discover the most surprising of dances, ceremonies, rituals and festivities that mark the turning of the seasons and the passing of the year. On their journey the Unthanks learn about the evolving history of the dances, whether connected to the land and the cycles of fertility or to working customs and practices in industrial towns. The girls talk to local historians and visit Cecil Sharp House to explore the dances' 20th century revival and codification through archivist Sharp and others, and we get to enjoy extraordinary film archive of the dances through the decades which show that although the people have changed, the dances have often remained remarkably constant. Rachel and Becky grew up clog dancing in their native Northumberland and now get to observe and try other English dances, including travellers' step dancing in Suffolk, horn dancing with huge antlers in Staffordshire and stick dancing in Oxfordshire. This curious but vibrant world of local dances flies in the face of modernisation, and sometimes of ridicule, to keep the traditions and the steps alive.
Shot mainly using spy cameras, this film gets closer than ever before to the world's greatest land predator. Icebergcam, Blizzardcam and Snowballcam are a new generation of covert devices on a mission to explore the Arctic islands of Svalbard in Norway. Backed up by Snowcam and Driftcam, these state-of-the-art camouflaged cameras reveal the extraordinary curiosity and intelligence of the polar bear. The cameras are just a breath away when two sets of cubs emerge from winter maternity dens. They also capture the moment when the sea-ice breaks away from the island in the Spring. As one set of mother and cubs journey across the drifting ice in search of seals, the other is marooned on the island with very little food. How they cope with their different fates is captured in revelatory close-up detail. The cameras also follow the bears as they hunt seals, raid bird colonies, dive for kelp and indulge in entertaining courtship rituals. Icebergcam even discovers their little-known social nature as seven bears share a washed-up whale carcass. Often just a paw's swipe from the play-fighting and squabbling bears, the spy cameras face their most challenging subject yet. When their curious subjects discover the cameras, they are subjected to some comical-but-destructive encounters. As the film captures its intimate portrait of polar bears' lives, it reveals how their intelligence and curiosity help them cope in a world of shrinking ice.
A celebration of the life and times of the actor Gerard Kelly, with contributions from his friends and colleagues. Gerard's career spanned nearly 40 years starting in 1973 at the age of fourteen, moved on to the hapless Willie Melvin in City Lights and culminated with the fabulous, outrageous Bunny in Extras. Among those appearing will be Richard Wilson, David Hayman, Les Dennis, Andy Gray, Jonathan Watson and Elaine C Smith.
Seventy years on, brothers Colin and Ewan McGregor take viewers through the key moments of the Battle of Britain, when 'the few' of the RAF faced the might of the Nazi Luftwaffe. As they fly historic planes, meet the veterans, explore the tactics and technology, Colin and Ewan discover the importance of the Battle and the surviving legacy of the 1940's campaign for the modern RAF.
Five years ago the people of White Horse Village in China were informed that the motorway was coming and a new high-rise city was to be built on their land. Carrie Gracie, a former BBC Beijing correspondent, has witnessed the upheaval from the very beginning.
The composer of Land of Hope and Glory is often regarded as the quintessential English gentleman, but Edward Elgar's image of hearty nobility was deliberately contrived. In reality, he was the son of a shopkeeper, who was awkward, nervous, self-pitying and often rude, while his marriage to his devoted wife Alice was complicated by romantic entanglements which fired his creative energy. In this revelatory portrait of a musical genius, John Bridcut explores the secret conflicts in Elgar's nature which produced some of Britain's greatest music.
When teenagers are out of control at school what can the teachers do? We see teachers getting extraordinary powers to take over young pupils' lives and stop them throwing away their considerable potential. Expect tears and tantrums as badly-behaved schoolgirl Loretta Cook gets the shock of her life. Her mum hands control of the family over to her teacher, for one week, in a last-ditch attempt to sort out the teenager's bad behaviour. Spending a week with her teacher is Loretta's worst nightmare - and when Miss Dudley discovers that the parents are a big part of the problem, mum and dad are in the firing line too. It's an unexpected battle of wills between the young teacher, who has never been in a student's home before and has no kids of her own, and Loretta's recently divorced parents, who can barely speak to each other. With the family fighting against the rules and structure Miss Dudley introduces, the teacher struggles to take command. With the whole project at risk, can she turn it around and convince the family that teacher knows best? With 6,000 thousand children getting expelled every year and 2,000 being sent home every day, can radical interventions like this help to stop the bad behaviour before it reaches breaking point?
From the earliest Victorian filmmakers to the news cameras of today, this programme uses moving images from almost every decade in between to tell the story of this fascinating seaside town. With wall-to-wall archive including newsreel, documentary films and entertainment shows, it explores over a century of filmmaking to get to the heart of a remarkable British holiday resort.
Continuing the critically-acclaimed Britannia music series for BBC Four, this documentary tells the story of the emergence and evolution of the British music festival through the mavericks, dreamers and dropouts who have produced, enjoyed and sometimes fought for them over the last 50 years. The film traces the ebb and flow of British festival culture from jazz beginnings at Beaulieu in the late 50s through to the Isle of Wight festivals at the end of the 60s, early Glastonbury and one-off commercial festivals like 1972's Bickershaw, the free festivals of the 70s and 80s and on through the extended rave at Castlemorton in 1992 to the contemporary resurgence in festivals like Glastonbury, Isle of Wight and Reading in the last decade. Sam Bridger's film explores the central tension between the people's desire to come together, dance to the music and build temporary communities and the desire of the state, the councils and the locals to police these often unruly gatherings. At the heart of the documentary is an ongoing argument about British freedom and shifts in the political, musical and cultural landscape set to a wonderful soundtrack of 50 years of great popular music which takes in trad jazz, Traffic, Roy Harper, the Grateful Dead, Hawkwind, Orbital and much more. Featuring rare archive and interviews with Michael Eavis, Richard Thompson, Acker Bilk, Terry Reid, the Levellers, Billy Bragg, John Giddings, Melvin Benn, Roy Harper, Nik Turner, Peter Jenner, Orbital, amongst others.
Art critic Laura Cumming takes a journey through more than five centuries of self-portraits and finds out how the greatest names in western art transformed themselves into their own masterpieces. The film argues that self-portraits are a unique form of art, one that always reveals the truth of how artists saw themselves and how they wanted to be known to the world. Examining the works of key self-portraitists including Durer, Rembrandt, Van Gogh and Warhol, Laura traces the development of the genre, uncovering the strange and various ways artists have managed to get their inner and outer selves to match up. Laura investigates the stories behind key self-portraits, interviews artists as they attempt a self-portrait, and shows how the history of the self-portrait is about more than how art and artists have changed; it also charts the evolution of the way we see ourselves and what it means to be human. She also discusses Courbet with Julian Barnes, Rembrandt's theatricality with Simon Callow, and meets the contemporary artists Mark Wallinger and Patrick Hughes, observing the latter making his first ever self-portrait.
Across Britain and Ireland lie thousands of unmarked mass graves. People drive past them every day, not knowing that in them are buried tens of thousands of tiny stillborn babies. Hidden and secret, it is as though they never existed. The babies ended up buried in these graves because of a piece of Catholic theology according to which babies who were stillborn or who died shortly after birth and that had not been baptised could be denied a cemetery burial. Their souls could not go to heaven but would remain in a place called Limbo. These are the so-called 'Limbo babies', stillborn babies born to Roman Catholic families who could not be buried in consecrated ground. In a rare personal testimony, mums, dads and families describe the harsh effects of this centuries-old practice on their lives. Many of them secretly buried their children as close as they could to consecrated ground, or in desolate, beautiful locations they felt had been touched by God. The film documents pioneering work by communities, clergy and people seeking change, such as at Milltown, Belfast's biggest Roman Catholic Cemetery. In Milltown, families made the shock discovery that their loved ones, some of them 'Limbo babies', were now buried in a wildlife reserve. Their mass unmarked graves had been sold through error by the cemetery. The film follows events as relatives of the Milltown babies began a weekly protest, the Catholic Church tried to seek resolution, and people began to arrive at the cemetery gates with stories of unresolved grief. Finally, Fr Thomas Norris, from the powerful International Theological Commission which advises the Pope, describes the current Limbo situation. Does it still exist?
Documentary examining why followers of the Sikh religion were marked out as a 'martial race' under the British Empire, and how thousands of Sikh soldiers valiantly laid down their lives for Britain's freedom across two world wars. With contributions from eminent historians, military experts and war veterans, the film features the last-ever interview with legendary WW2 Squadron Leader Mahinder Singh Pujji, and the first television broadcast of a rare audio recording of a WW1 Sikh prisoner of war, handed to Britain in 2010 after 94 years in German hands. .
The story of the Great War told from a unique new aerial perspective. Featuring two remarkable historical finds, including a piece of archive footage filmed from an airship in summer 1919, capturing the trenches and battlefields in a way that's rarely been seen before. And aerial photographs taken by First World War pilots - developed for the first time in over ninety years - show not only the devastation inflicted during the fighting, but also quirks and human stories visible only from above.
Fifty years after the village of Six Bells in Abertillery was hit by a tragic coal mining disaster killing 45 local men, renowned artist Sebastien Boyesen has returned to the community. He wants to create an iconic 20-metre-high landmark sculpture for Wales to change the face of the area for generations to come. But it's a hugely complex piece of work and Sebastien and his team are working against the clock to complete this enormous modern masterpiece in time for the memorial ceremony on 28th June 2010. Alongside the tensions surrounding the building and installation of this giant sculpture, the film follows the moving true stories of the families who lost loved ones in the disaster, and we hear the experiences of some of those who were actually there at the time of the accident.
Filmmaker Penny Woolcock spent eight months in a parallel world, the world of the homeless, befriending people and finding out where they eat, sleep and socialise. While making her film, Woolcock realised that the very real problems of homeless people have very little to do with the lack of a roof over their heads or a bed to sleep in. Their problems come from their past lives - and are less easy to remedy. Despite the efforts of different charities to move people into homes, the streets are often where they feel safe and what they know best. In this moving documentary, Woolcock gives the seen-but-unheard residents of London's streets a voice.
Documentary exploring Elton John's childhood, apprenticeship in the British music business, sudden stardom in the US at the dawn of the 70s, and his musical heyday. Plus the backstory to the new album reuniting him with Leon Russell, his American mentor. Features extensive exclusive interviews with Elton, plus colleagues and collaborators including Bernie Taupin, Leon Russell and more.
To most people hiccups are a temporary minor irritant, but to 25-year-old Christopher Sands his hiccups are a living nightmare. He hasn't stopped hiccupping for over two years. He can't sleep, can't work, can't eat properly and has tried hundreds of remedies that just don't work. His doctors have no idea why they started or how to stop them. This film follows Chris's desperate story as he refuses to give in to his hiccups and goes on an exhaustive search to find a cure. But is there one?
Marking the 50th anniversary of the influential novel To Kill a Mockingbird, writer Andrew Smith visits Monroeville in Alabama, the setting of the book, to see how life there has changed in half a century.
Documentary marking the centenary of sculptor Henry Moore's birth, using film footage and notebook extracts to build up a picture from Moore's early life and student days in Leeds to his wartime experiences. His love of natural forms and his placing of sculpture in the landscape led to a reputation that brought him international success.
Twenty-three-year-old Judith Wanga grew up in London but was born thousands of miles away in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Sent away by her parents to live in Britain as a small child, she's now returning to Congo - two decades later - to meet them for the first time. She wants to understand the childhood she missed and the country she was forced to leave. After reuniting with her parents in the capital, Kinshasa, Jude heads east to an area of the country that's been devastated by war. It is the most dangerous place in the world to be a woman, where rape has become a weapon of war. Jude meets survivors - women and children - as well as perpetrators, and finds out what's driving this brutality - the precious minerals that make our mobile phones and laptops work.
Every year, a secret tribe take to the roads of Britain. In the space of a few months they will drive thousands of miles and spend thousands of pounds in pursuit of their prey. Their aim is to see as many birds as possible, wherever that bird may be. Welcome to the very competitive world of the twitcher - obsessives who'll stop at nothing to get their bird.
The life and crimes of Dundee murderer Robert Mone, who remains active in his bid for parole. Scots Gaelic with English subtitles
In 2002, Britain produced 15 per cent of its own cannabis. In 2010 that figure is 90 per cent, and police around the country raid at least three factories every day. Organised gangs are cashing in on widespread demand for cannabis among Britain's youth by setting up sophisticated factories in suburban homes and disused warehouses. Research shows a third of the UK's 15-year-olds have tried cannabis and a quarter of young people aged 16-24 smoke it regularly. Presenter Rickie Haywood-Williams journeys beyond the scaremongering headlines to find out the true impact of the UK's skunk-smoking habit. Rickie accompanies Avon and Somerset police on raids, and rides in a heat-seeking helicopter as it uncovers cannabis farms with hi-tech thermal imaging equipment. He also meets a landlord who was horrified to find his tenant was in fact part of an organised gang who were farming cannabis in every bedroom of his house. Rickie's journey also includes a trip to Amsterdam and meetings with some of the UK's three million smokers, from those who fiercely defend their habit to others who regret the effect it has had on their lives.
One of the greatest poets of his generation, Norman MacCaig (1910-96) was also an expert fly-fisher. His favourite loch, the Loch of the Green Corrie, lies high up in the mountains of Assynt in the far north-west of Scotland. Fiddle maestro Aly Bain, Billy Connolly and award-winning poet and novelist Andrew Greig celebrate MacCaig in the centenary year of his birth with a journey from Edinburgh to Assynt and then the long climb to the Loch of the Green Corrie with its elusive trout. Friends and fellow poets - including Jackie Kay, Liz Lochhead, Douglas Dunn and Nobel laureate Seamus Heaney - also feature with anecdotes, tributes and readings of some of MacCaig's finest poems.
The music Brian Eno has been involved in making ranges from the experimental to the massively popular. Paul Morley talks about some of Eno's hit tracks, including Heroes, Once in a Lifetime, With or Without You and Viva La Vida.
Documentary which looks at the controversial life of Winnie Mandela, asking whether she was the mother of the nation or a wilful egotist who simply got out of control.
Actress Lenora Crichlow sets off to discover the story of how Nelson Mandela brought peace to his country and what he means to people there today. She uncovers a more complex and fascinating picture of Mandela and his country than she ever imagined, discovering a vibrant Rainbow Nation but also learning more about the horrors of apartheid and the extent of poverty and violence. On her journey she unlocks the secrets of who Mandela really is and why his achievements are so special and so admired.
At the height of the industrial revolution in the last decades of the 19th century there was a dance, now rarely seen, that resounded through the collieries and pit villages of the north east of England - the clog dance. For conductor and musician Charles Hazlewood, clog dance has become an obsession and he plans to put it firmly back on the map by staging a mass flashmob clog dance. Helped by a team of local enthusiasts led by expert clog dancer Laura Connolly, Charles recruits and trains 140 men and women from across the north east, and one sunny Saturday in a busy square in central Newcastle they ambush the public with a six-minute performance. Along the way, Charles delves into the history of this fascinating folk dance, learns and performs a few steps himself, and meets and works with some of the key characters keeping this ancient dance alive.
Sir David Frost presents an investigation into the power of political satire with the help of some of the funniest TV moments of the last 50 years. Beginning with the 1960s and That Was the Week That Was, he charts the development of television satire in Britain and the United States and is joined by the leading satirists from both sides of the Atlantic. From the UK, Rory Bremner, Ian Hislop and John Lloyd discuss their individual contributions, while from the US, Jon Stewart analyses the appeal of The Daily Show, Tina Fey and Will Ferrell talk about their respective portrayals of Sarah Palin and George W Bush, and Chevy Chase remembers how Saturday Night Live turned them into huge stars. All of them tackle the key question of whether satire really can alter the course of political events.
Peter Howson is one of the world's most collected living artists, his work hanging on the walls of galleries and museums and in the homes of rock stars and actors. In 2008 he received the biggest commission of his career - to paint the largest-ever crowd scene in the history of British art - but the commission is fraught with so much difficulty its completion is in jeopardy from day one. This film follows Peter over two difficult years, a journey that took him to the brink of bankruptcy, and also to the edge of his sanity.
In the early hours of 1st June 2009, Air France flight 447, en route from Rio de Janeiro to Paris, disappeared over the Atlantic. Five days later the shattered wreckage was discovered, with all 228 passengers and crew dead. One year on, a full explanation of what might have happened has emerged. This film brings together an independent team of leading air crash investigators to provide the first credible solution to the mystery of flight 447. Conducting their own tests and simulations using the available evidence, they painstakingly piece together a convincing scenario of what they believe happened. Their conclusions raise worrying concerns about aviation's increasing reliance on automated flight systems.
Are the so-called Black Diaries forgeries by MI5 to ensure the execution of a British traitor? Or are they the genuine and lurid homosexual accounts of an Irish hero and fearless campaigner for human rights? In 1916, Sir Roger Casement was sentenced to be hanged for trying to enlist German help in the Easter Rising. A powerful lobby of writers such as George Bernard Shaw and Arthur Conan Doyle appealed for leniency because of his humanitarian work against the evils of colonialism. Then MI5 circulated the Black Diaries and Casement went to the gallows in disgrace. Ever since, Irish Nationalists have claimed the diaries were forged by British Intelligence and until recently the Home Office kept them under lock and key. Now the truth is out. The Black Diaries have been submitted to forensic tests and the findings are revealed.
In 1984 Indira Gandhi sent troops into the holiest and most revered of Sikh shrines, The Golden Temple. The aim was to expel the Sikh militant preacher, Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, and his followers. The bloodiest of consequences ensued, ultimately leading to Indira Gandhi's assassination by her own Sikh bodyguards and a backlash against the Sikhs that India had not witnessed since the days of partition. 1984: A Sikh Story tells the tale of this tumultuous year through the eyes of British-born Sikh, Sonia Deol, who was only 11 when the Indian army stormed The Golden Temple. Sonia has only begun to understand her faith in recent years an awakening that began during her own visit to The Golden Temple; and there are many questions she needs answered. How could Indian troops, led by a Sikh, storm such a sacred shrine? How did the cult of Bhindranwale attract so many Sikh followers and why is he still revered by some today? This one-off documentary takes Sonia on an emotional journey back to India in a bid to discover how such an attack could ever have taken place.
From childhood prodigy to veteran master, Birmingham-born Steve Winwood's extraordinary career is like a map of the major changes in British rock 'n' roll and rhythm and blues from the 1960s to the present. This in-depth profile traces that journey and reveals a master musician blending Ray Charles and English hymnody into a unique brand of English soul. From the blues-boom-meets-beat-group chart hits of the Spencer Davis Group, through the psychedelic pop of early Traffic and into Berkshire as Traffic become the first band to 'get their heads together in a country cottage', then via a brief sojourn in supergroup Blind Faith and back to Traffic as a jam band who conquer the emerging American rock scene, Winwood's first ten years on the boards were extraordinary. As the 80s dawned he reinvented himself as a solo artist and became a major star in the US with hits like Higher Love and Back in the High Life. These days he's back in arenas, touring with old friend Eric Clapton. Paul Bernay's film blends extensive interviews with Winwood in his Gloucestershire home and film of Winwood's first return to that Berkshire cottage since 1969 with rare archive footage and contributing interviews with Eric Clapton, Paul Rodgers, Paul Jones, Paul Weller, Muff Winwood, Dave Mason and more.
Our supermarket shelves groan with fresh food from around the world. Farmer Jimmy Doherty explores the global logistics that bring these crops to a shop near you.
Richard Bacon and guest presenter Peter Crouch look back on the 50 greatest shocks in the history of the World Cup, covering the last six tournaments and including moments such as Maradona's 'Hand of God', Zinedine's Zidane's headbutt in the 2006 final and England's penalty pain. Featuring first-hand accounts from people who were there, such as David Seaman talking about getting lobbed by Ronaldinho, John Barnes exclusively revealing how Gazza nearly rapped on World in Motion, and Graham Poll talking about his infamous three yellow cards moment.
Documentary following boys as young as seven or eight when they leave home for the first time and start boarding school in England. This film tells the story of three boys - Luke, Louis and Dominic - during their first term at Sunningdale, a small family-run prep school in Berkshire that educates 100 boys, the vast majority of whom go on to top public schools like Eton or Harrow. Luke is joining his older brother James at Sunningdale. All the boys at the school can only benefit from the small class sizes of ten, but the school's system called 'fortnightly orders' - which places pupils from top to bottom in each class - shows just how academically superior young Luke really is. Dominic has travelled half way around the world to join Sunningdale. He lives in Shanghai but he will go to school in the UK. He says his mum will find being apart for the ten-week term harder than he will. Dominic's dream is to attend an English public school and after his interview for Harrow, he hopes to be one of the lucky ones to be offered a place. Louis starts boarding school after leaving his state school in north London. Tearful and homesick, he struggles at first. Getting into the football team and being made captain goes someway to helping Louis feel better, but is it enough to convince him to stay at Sunningdale until the end of term? From the daily chapel services, to the headmaster's weekly dormitory check, and the boys' very first night in dormitories, we get to understand the magical world of boarding school life from the boy's point of view.
As the unemployment statistics start to climb once more, multi BAFTA winning film-maker Brian Woods goes behind the numbers to the people they represent, and presents his take on the recession. Filmed throughout 2009, and seen in part through the eyes of the children, Jobless tells the interwoven stories of several families across the length and breadth of Britain, as both husband and wife cope with losing their jobs, in most cases for the first time in their lives. Andy and Jackie both worked for a computer printer company in Bracknell. Andy is confident he will soon find something, but as the months pass, the strain starts to show on both adults and children, including their 8-year-old daughter Hannah. In the North East of England, 9-year-old Leah sums up the world as she see it; "I don't really understand why there isn't that much money anymore, I only really understand that people are all losing their jobs. Is that the recession?" As the pressures of unemployment take their toll on her parents's relationship, and her dad's temper, Leah observes "If I'm naughty then he gets more angry with me that he usually would. But he's trying to keep himself calm, and I think he's doing well. I just hope he gets a job." And in Enfield, Samantha, also nine, is missing her dad. Both her parents lost their jobs of 20+ years when the car parts company they worked for, originally part of Ford, filed for bankruptcy. But rather than meekly walking away, Samantha's dad, along with several hundred others, occupied the plant, demanding that Ford honour their original severance terms. This gently-observed documentary takes us inside the experience of losing the thing most of us use to define ourselves.
Professor Brian Cox addresses the main challenges in bringing science to television, in this year's Huw Wheldon Memorial Lecture 2010. He tackles the risks in simplifying science for a television audience, the perils of abandoning fact in the name of balance and the importance of making science on television intellectually and emotionally engaging.
Politically passionate Jack Ashley was one of the first working class reporters at the BBC. He wanted to show the suffering caused by high unemployment. The documentary caused a storm. Almost half a century later his daughter Jackie Ashley returns to Hartlepool to discover what happened to the families in the film, and assess the impact of being under the spotlight in the new age of television, on a struggling town. Whilst making the film Jack Ashley stayed at the Grand Hotel, but he felt uncomfortable living in luxury while he interviewed people in poverty. Instead, to get to know the community better, he moved in with a local shopkeeper, Leo Gillen. The Gillen family were heavily involved in making the film. They had a social conscience and wanted both the poverty and the community spirit of Hartlepool to be shown. When the documentary was shot Hartlepool’s unemployment rate was one of the highest in the country. The Macmillan government was under pressure to do something, and Jack Ashley believed his film, shown nationwide on the BBC, may have tipped the balance. Lord Hailsham was appointed the new Minister for the North. But he wanted to transform the North into a tourism hot spot - in double quick time. Most of Hailsham’s plans were eventually shelved, but he is credited with re-connecting the North East with the rest of Britain through multi-million pound transport projects like Teesside Airport. The documentary brought Hartlepool’s problems to a national audience. One of the families featured in the film - the Coomers - claimed that they had to burn their furniture to keep warm. Their revelations about life on the breadline shocked and split the town. Some thought they shouldn’t be washing their dirty linen in public. But after the film's impact faded, Hartlepool carried on being a town with problems. Jackie Ashley returned to Hartlepool to discover the impact of Waiting for Work on the town and to try to follow up the
Learn about the inner alchemy that gives four different hunters the edge over others. Those profiled include the peregrine falcon, the great white shark, the cheetah and the Nile crocodile.
A tribute to Brian Duffy, who passed away in May 2010. Duffy was one of the greatest photographers of his generation. Along with David Bailey and Terence Donovan he defined the image of the 1960s and was as famous as the stars he photographed. In the 1970s he suddenly disappeared from view and burned all his negatives. Filmed on the eve of the first-ever exhibition of his work, Duffy agrees to talk about his life, his work and why he made it all go up in flames.
Is French cuisine the best in the world or has it lost its magic? Bestselling New Yorker magazine writer Bill Buford dons a white hat and works in a series of French kitchens to investigate whether French food is all it's cracked up to be. Bill starts in one of the best French restaurants in America before moving, with his family, to Lyon, where he enrols in a cookery school and works on the line for one of the most demanding chefs in France, Matthieu Viannay. Can Bill survive in a restaurant where one of the signature dishes consists of garlic snails on a bed of crusty veal ears? Is sophisticated French food really worth the effort?
s French cuisine the best in the world or has it lost its magic? Bestselling New Yorker magazine writer Bill Buford dons a white hat and works in a series of French kitchens to investigate whether French food is all it's cracked up to be. Bill leaves fancy French food behind and goes back to basics at the foot of the French Alps. He works in a bakery, kills a pig, makes cheese, gathers herbs and cooks in a small family restaurant in order to understand how to cook simple French food to perfection.
Twenty years after Nelson Mandela's release from prison, James Robbins reports from South Africa, a country transformed by the end of white minority rule and racial segregation. Former President FW de Klerk and Desmond Tutu look back on that historic day.
Dame Kiri Te Kanawa takes a personal journey exploring the physical and artistic demands of being an international soprano in the 21st century. Along with fellow sopranos including Renee Fleming, Diana Damrau and Anna Netrebko, she explains the qualities that separate the great from the merely good, and shares some of her favourite performances from sopranos including Dame Nellie Melba, Maria Callas, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Kirsten Flagstad, Leontyne Price and Dame Joan Sutherland.
With Over the Rainbow's Dorothy about to create another star, whatever happened to the Nancys, Josephs and Marias? West End Story tracks the remarkable careers of the eventual winners: Jodie Prenger, Lee Mead and Connie Fisher, and it also tells the stories of some of the other finalists whose lives were turned upside down by Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Britain was top of Europe's league for shoplifting in 2009 with an item being stolen from a UK store every minute. For many, nicking something is a one-off teenage rite of passage or a way to feed a drugs habit, but for some it becomes an addiction in itself. This programme meets three people who have all battled with the urge to shoplift, following their stories as they reveal why they did it, the buzz they got from it, the impact it has had on their lives and how they kicked the habit. It also shows the people whose job it is to stop them getting away with it in a cat and mouse game where each side thinks they can outwit the other. Shoplifting carries a maximum prison sentence of seven years and retailers spend millions of pounds on high tech surveillance equipment, yet people continue to brazenly steal from shops.
Documentary in which Cherry Healey explores women's attitudes to alcohol. Cherry drinks with women across the country and tries to find out what girls drink, where they drink and how their tastes change throughout their lives. From teenagers drinking in their bedrooms to grannies on a boozy trip, she hears people's embarrassing drunken secrets and sees how some women want to grow old disgracefully, as well as looking at why drunk women get such bad press.
At the age of just 18, Geoffrey Wellum was one of the youngest Spitfire pilots to go into combat in the Battle of Britain. A boy, barely out of school, he was determined to fight for survival. The price of victory was more than he could bear. Seventy years later, that same boy is still yearning to be free. Credits Boy Sam Heughan Older Boy Geoffrey Wellum Brian Kingcombe Ben Aldridge Tommy Lund Alex Robertson Mac Gary Lewis Bevington Paul Kynman Davy Paul Tinto Trevor 'Wimpey' Wade Jordan Bernarde Drummond Alex Waldmann Grace Tuppence Middleton Dad Richard Walsh Director Matthew Whiteman Producer Matthew Whiteman Writer Caleb Ranson Writer Matthew Whiteman
Updating a profile of the Island of Barra first broadcast in 1965.
Andrew Marr tackles Tony Blair in an exclusive interview and the first major political interview with Tony Blair since 2007, the year he stood down as Prime Minister. Andrew Marr seeks to learn more about what Blair was trying to achieve in office and how he now regards his record in office, as Blair's memoirs are published.
Shot entirely undercover over the course of nine months, a beautiful and moving documentary which tells the stories of three children growing up in today's Zimbabwe. 12-year-old Grace rummages through rubbish dumps in Harare to find bones to sell for school fees; nine-year-old Esther has to care for her baby sister and her mother who is dying of HIV/AIDS; and 13-year-old Obert pans for gold to make enough money to buy food for himself and his gran, while dreaming of somehow getting the education he craves. From BAFTA-winning director Jezza Neumann and BAFTA-winning producer, Xoliswa Sithole, a powerful tale unfolds of the gaping chasm between what these children hope for and what their country can currently provide.
A look at the crimes of Peter Tobin, possibly the UK's most notorious serial killer, and the police investigation that caught him. Comprises interviews and dramatic reconstructions.
First shown in August 2009, The Autistic Me was a critically acclaimed documentary. It followed the lives of three young men with autism as they struggled with the transition into adulthood: finding work, looking for love and striving for independence. Now BBC Three catches up with the same characters a year after director Matt Rudge first met them. The last 12 months have seen dramatic changes and upheavals in their lives. Twenty-four-year-old Oliver has high-functioning autism and is still desperate to find a job, but now he lives away from his parents in supported living and attends a course designed to help people with autism find employment. He attends mock interviews and has a work trial at a local supermarket, but will it pay off? With an encyclopedic knowledge of British history, is stacking shelves the best Oliver can get? Sixteen-year-old Tom and his family have moved over 300 miles to Cornwall but their idyllic dream is proving a challenge for Tom. He is isolated in the countryside and, having left the support of his specialist residential school, must cope with the daunting prospect of starting at a mainstream college with thousands of students he doesn't know. Will Tom be able to make friends, and will he be able to fulfill his dream of being in a rock band? Twenty-five-year-old Alex has Asperger's syndrome. At the end of the first film he had a date with Kirsty, an autistic girl he was talking to online. Now they are boyfriend and girlfriend. They text and email all the time but haven't been able to see each other because they live in separate towns on the south coast of England. Kirsty has invited Alex to her birthday party on Valentine's Day. Will he be able to get there, and what does the future hold for their relationship?
Scotland's well-known walker Cameron McNeish explores one of the most diverse landscapes in Europe. On a newly developed 250-mile trail, he travels on foot and on bike through the long chain of the Outer Hebrides, from the most southerly inhabited island of Vatersay to the Butt of Lewis in the north.
Usain Bolt is the fastest man on the planet and a sportsman like no other. But what makes him so much faster than any other man in the history of the human race? Who better to investigate than athletics legend Michael Johnson, the man Bolt has dethroned as the world's fastest human ever. Johnson travels to Jamaica to meet Bolt and explore every element of the 23-year-old's story from the suspicions of drug taking and the burden of single-handedly carrying athletics to how Bolt is dealing with the constant worldwide media attention.
Documentary about the life of the great pianist and composer Chopin and the story of the women whose voices inspired his music. It is undeniable that Chopin revolutionised the nature of music composed for the piano both technically and emotionally. What is less well known is that the actual musical instrument that provided his greatest source of inspiration was the female voice. To mark the 200th anniversary of Chopin's birth, this film follows young pianist James Rhodes on a journey to Warsaw, Paris and London to discover the real women who had such a powerful influence on the composer.
During the late 1960s Finnish photographer and filmmaker Sirkka-Liisa Konttinen came to Byker, a working class community in Newcastle upon Tyne. She fell in love with her new home just as it was about to be demolished. In 2005, Sirkka returned.
Based on David Maraniss's book They Marched into Sunlight, a documentary telling the story of two seemingly unconnected events in October 1967 that changed the course of the Vietnam War. Whilst a US battalion unwittingly marched into a Viet Cong ambush which killed 61 young men, half a world away angry students at the University of Wisconsin were protesting the presence of Dow Chemical recruiters on campus.
A celebration of the TV sidekick. Narrated by Catherine Tate (Donna Noble to David Tennant's Dr Who), Sidekick Stories looks at the role of the assistant/companion on television, from drama to sitcom, and light entertainment to children's programmes. What are the literary antecedents of the TV sidekick - and who's the greatest of them all? What's the dramatic function of the game show hostess? Did the That's Life reporters feel emasculated? How do you create a memorable robot? And what's it like playing straight man to a puppet? We examine the role of the companion in Dr Who (the man with the most sidekicks in TV history) and reveal the hidden talents of the magician's assistant. There's Edward Hardwicke on how to play Dr Watson; Andrew Sachs on the enduring appeal of Manuel, and Isla St Clair on life as 'principal boy' to Larry Grayson's 'dame'. The show also features Ian Carmichael (Lord Peter Wimsey; Jeeves and Wooster) in his last ever television interview.
A look at how domestic servants have been portrayed on television, from The Forsyte Saga in the 60s to Downton Abbey and Upstairs, Downstairs today. Why are butlers, cooks and nannies such staples of television drama long after their real-life roles have declined? Are these shows socially relevant or mere escapism, and how accurately does television reflect the experiences of real-life servants? Featuring archive from Brideshead Revisited, Jeeves and Wooster and The Duchess of Duke Street, contributors include Julian Fellowes (Downton Abbey), Jean Marsh (Upstairs, Downstairs), Susan Hampshire (The Forsyte Saga) and Wendy Craig (Nanny).
Documentary revealing the epic story of how the SS Great Britain, Brunel's iconic ship, was brought home to Bristol in 1970. Key figures from the salvage team recall their audacious mission to rescue a rusting hulk from a desolate corner of the Falkland Islands. When the ship eventually returned to Bristol, thousands of people lined the banks of the River Avon to welcome her home. The SS Great Britain is now a hugely successful visitor attraction.
Father may be the head of the family, a potent symbol of authority, but he has always been the butt of some of our biggest laughs in British sitcom. Over the last five decades some of our most iconic comedy dads have been bewildered by a changing world and struggled with the work/life balance. These dads have coped with every curveball their writers threw at them and in the process changed the course of British comedy. They remain our most enduring Men About The House.
Charismatic, outspoken, and often controversial, Brian Clough is widely considered to be the best manager England never had and one of the best English managers the game of football has ever seen. This frank documentary tells the story of an unforgettable career, including heady days with Derby County, unprecedented European success with Nottingham Forest and a notorious 44-day tenure as Leeds United boss, fictionalised in the novel and film 'The Damned United'. For many his like will never be seen again. Martin O'Neill and Sir Michael Parkinson are among those who remember the man they called 'Cloughie'.
HRH Prince Charles talks exclusively to Griff Rhys Jones about his passion for the built environment in the new Coed Darcy development in South-West Wales, where a new village is being built from scratch. We hear from critics and supporters of the project and the Prince speaks frankly about his views on modern and traditional architecture, building sustainable communities and his fears for the future.
Danny Dyer goes on a quest to spot a UFO, spurred on by a meeting with his boyhood hero Sir Patrick Moore. Danny examines reported UFO landing sites and the sinister evidence that aliens may have been conducting scientific experiments here in Britain. He meets witnesses who claim to have seen UFOs and one man who says he can prove he's been abducted by aliens. Danny's search for his own close encounter takes him all the way to the UFO Research Centre in Portland, Oregon
A leisurely trip down the River Dart, through moor and heath into ancient oak woodland and back out onto open pasture. Dippers, herons, kingfishers, mallards and many other water birds can all be found on its water, along its banks live badgers and foxes, and above it soar buzzards and peregrine falcons.
Captivating portrayal of family life illustrated by the work of renowned Scottish artist John Bellany. Bellany's filmmaker son Paul takes us on a journey through the hurt and pain of a decimated family at the point of implosion, and unearths many unseen masterpieces along the way.
The programme explores the enduring appeal of the classic sitcom. With contributions from, amongst others, Richard Briers, Penelope Keith, Monty Don, Brian Sewell and John O'Farrell, All About The Good Life goes behind the scenes and reveals all you ever wanted to know about the series from choosing outfits for Margo to the iconic title sequence.
Born Free caused a sensation when it was first published in 1960. The book and the film that followed made a massive impact on conservation and science and our fundamental attitudes to wild animals and the environment. This documentary tells the story of the lives and legacy of George and Joy Adamson and Elsa, the orphaned lion cub they raised and successfully returned to the wild. The seismic shift in popular attitudes towards wild animals that the book and film caused are as controversial today as they are celebrated.
EastEnders actor Joe Swash turns ghostbuster and sets out in search of tangible proof that ghosts exist. He meets Britain's youngest professional psychic, who claims he has a hotline to the spirit world, sleeps in a haunted bedroom to lure an amorous spirit and stakes out a terrace house in Hartlepool where the family say they're sharing their home with at least four ghostly inhabitants. But it's a night alone in the Edinburgh vaults that makes Joe convinced he really believes in ghosts.
Chock-full of innuendo, dodgy lifts, occasional customers and much loved regulars, this documentary tells the story of the long-running farce set in the clothing section of a dilapidated department store. It's an affectionate look back at one of Britain's most popular sitcoms, where off camera the veneer of camaraderie concealed an undercurrent of envy and sadness.
To mark the 70th anniversary of the 'miracle of Dunkirk', 50 of the surviving 'little ships' which made the original perilous cross-channel voyage are returning to France. Dan Snow tells their extraordinary story: their role in the evacuation and the people who struggled to keep them afloat during those fateful days in 1940, when the future of Europe hung in the balance.
A spectacular live rock climb broadcast from the daunting overhanging cliff face at Sron Uladail on the Isle of Harris in the Outer Hebrides. Dougie Vipond joins leading climbers, Dave MacLeod and Tim Emmett, as they attempt a first ascent of an extreme new route, which promises to stretch their physical endurance and skill to the limit. With absolutely no guarantee that they will be able to conquer the route, and the huge physical and technical challenges involved, this promises to be a unique and compelling live event.
Sue Johnston goes in search of her lifelong dream - the lost, fantasy world of Shangri La. Sue first came across the story of Shangri La as a 16 year old in 1959 when she watched the movie Lost Horizon with her mother on their first black and white television. The film was based on a book written by Englishman James Hilton in 1933. She read the book voraciously and has re-read it many times over the years since. As a child she was fascinated by the Orient and the mysteries of the Far East, but in those post-war austerity days the chances of ever following her dream, of finding the actual place, seemed an unattainable goal. It looked like her dream would remain just that, as life took over and she got married, had a child, started a successful acting career and got divorced. The dream slipped further away into the dark, forgotten corners of her mind. Recently, as her life has changed, she has recalled her longed-for Shangri La. Her parents died, her son left home and settled into his own life, and her sense of mortality hit home. She decided that it was time to find the inspiration for the book, the story of Lost Horizon. Sue's quest takes her through south-west China's Yunnan province and into Tibet, travelling over high mountain passes, into deep, hidden valleys and gorges, through bustling towns and ultimately on horseback to her final destination, the sacred mountain of Kawarkapo and the tiny, isolated village of Yipung - on the edge of the Tibetan Plateau and the basis for James Hilton's novel.
In a failing comprehensive school in North London, three individuals lives are about to collide. Excluded charts the intersecting stories of Amanda, an ambitious headmistress, Ian, an idealistic new maths teacher, and Mark, a troubled and disruptive pupil. Against the odds, Ian makes a connection with Mark, but will he put his career on the line to save him? A witty, emotionally powerful and searingly real expose of the realities and struggles that inner-city schools face today.
Robert Plant discusses his musical journey from Stourbridge, the British blues boom, superstardom with Led Zeppelin in the 70s, to the Band of Joy album. He also looks at his work with The Honeydrippers and North African musicians, his reunion with Jimmy Page, and his pairing with Alison Krauss. Robert Plant has been performing and recording for more than 40 years. For 12 of those, he was the front man for what many still consider to be the greatest rock band ever - Led Zeppelin. BBC 2 presents a rare opportunity to hear what the man himself has to say about a life spent in music: from his earliest days as a school kid in Stourbridge to the world domination of Led Zeppelin, which ended when he was only 32 years old. The programme also looks at his triumphant solo career with bands such as The Strange Sensation and his startling collaboration with country singer Allison Krauss.
Veterans of World War II describe their experiences of the retreat to Dunkirk in 1940 and the evacuation. On 10 May the German Army invaded Holland and Belgium. The Blitzkrieg had begun - an entirely new way of fighting war. For the young men aged 18 and 19 who joined up to 'do their bit' it was a terrifying baptism of fire, and for the British Army a shattering blow. Within three weeks it was a crushing defeat, leading to the largest military evacuation in history. This film is the story, told in their own words, of a group of young men, now veterans, and their first experience of modern mechanised warfare.
This is the story of the band, the city and the album that gave birth to the UK electronic pop movement in late 70s Sheffield. Against a backdrop of economic decline, art students Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh experimented with early synthesisers to create sounds which would inspire a new generation of pop music with their first band The Human League. When this fractured, Ian and Martyn recruited singer and old friend Glenn Gregory to form Heaven 17. Penthouse and Pavement, their first album, was released in 1980 and was a landmark in UK pop history, combining electronica with pop hooks. Due to technological constraints the band were unable to perform the album live, but to celebrate its 30th anniversary the film also charts the band's troubled attempts to perform the album entirely live for the very first time.
The Skye Cuillin has been an important landmark since early times, a lure for mountaineers since the early 1800s, and a favoured haunt of poets, artists and writers. Charting the history, climbs, characters and artistry associated with the longest mountain ridge in Britain. Featuring interviews with artists, climbers, and local people.
Chicago's Chess Records was one of the greatest labels of the post-war era, ranking alongside other mighty independents like Atlantic, Stax and Sun. From 1950 till its demise at the end of the 60s, Chess released a myriad of electric blues, rock 'n' roll and soul classics that helped change the landscape of black and white popular music. Chess was the label that gave the world such sonic adventurers as Chuck Berry, Muddy Waters, Bo Diddley, Howlin' Wolf and Etta James. In this documentary to mark the label's 60th anniversary, the likes of Jimmy Page, Mick Hucknall, Public Enemy's Chuck D, Paul Jones and Little Steven, as well as those attached to the label such as founder's son Marshall Chess, pay tribute to its extraordinary music and influence. The film reveals how two Polish immigrants, Leonard and Phil Chess, forged friendships with black musicians in late 1940s Chicago, shrewdly building a speciality blues label into a huge independent worth millions by the end of the 1960s. Full of vivid period detail, it places the Chess story within a wider social and historical context - as well as being about some of the greatest music ever recorded, it is, inevitably, about race in America during these tumultuous times.
A look back at one of British sport's golden moments - the 1985 World Championship Snooker final. At its peak, over 18 and a half million people sat glued to their sets as Steve Davis and Dennis Taylor battled past midnight to a final and deciding black ball, with over 18 million viewers watching, BBC Two's biggest ever audience. Colin Murray journeys around the UK filling in the gaps on the first time that he was allowed to see the other side of midnight. Along the way he finds answers to questions such as where did Dennis's 'upside-down glasses' actually come from? What really went on behind those dressing room doors? How do you spread good news in a world without mobile phones? And how different would the lives of the two protagonists have been if the result had been reversed that night? Contributions from, amongst others, Barry McGuigan, David Icke, Ted Lowe, Stephen Hendry and Barry Hearn.
A 60-minute documentary including an interview and exclusive location filming with Neil Diamond in New York and Los Angeles. Robbie Robertson, Jeff Barry, Mickey Dolenz and other contributors track Neil from his childhood in Brooklyn to his early days in the Brill Building, his nascent solo career and superstardom in the early 70s, the lean years of the 80s, his career reboot via Rick Rubin in the noughties and his Glastonbury success.
Phil Cunningham and Mark Knopfler spend the day together and talk about their shared love for traditional music. Playing some of their favourite tunes, they talk about collaborating on Knopfler's latest album Get Lucky. Mark speaks about growing up in Scotland, Dire Straits and composing the soundtrack for Local Hero. Phil Cunningham looks back at his musical career in Silly Wizard and his partnership with Aly Bain
The story of six women with big hair and bigger voices who came out of the South and changed America and its music for good. The 60s and 70s were the golden age for this music from the battlefield of marriage - songs about the hurt and pride of raising a family, about standing by your man (or standing up to him), about going crazy with love. The six are: Patsy Cline, whose weeping ballads made country music modern; Tammy Wynette, her life a chaos of divorce, violence and pills; Bobbie Gentry, who quit recording 35 years ago; Loretta Lynn, the coalminer's daughter who went on to rock with the White Stripes; Tanya Tucker, a teen queen who made country music sexy; and Dolly Parton, who made millions singing of the world she left behind. Contributors include Billy Connolly, Jack White, LeAnn Rimes, Lauren Laverne, Crystal Gayle, George Jones and Elvis Costello. Featuring rare archive performances.
The art colony of St Ives in Cornwall became as important as Paris or London in the history of modernism during a golden creative period between the 1920s and 1960s. The dramatic lives and works of eight artists who most made this miracle possible, from Kit Wood and Alfred Wallis to Barbara Hepworth and Ben Nicholson, are featured in a documentary which offers an alternative history of the 20th century avant-garde as well as a vivid portrayal of the history and landscapes of Cornwall itself
Documentary telling the story of the immigrant doctors who arrived in Wales in the 1950s and 60s from the Indian subcontinent and worked at the front line of the Welsh health service throughout one of the most turbulent periods in its history. These doctors not only changed the face of the NHS but also the culture of the communities they came to serve. The programme reveals how these doctors came to Wales and, through their years of service, helped to change attitudes towards racism and immigration across Wales.
One man transfixed television viewers during snooker's golden age - Alex 'Hurricane' Higgins. This poignant documentary charts the remarkable rise and fall of the snooker genius, from his early days growing up in Belfast to his climb to the top of the sport as two-time world champion. Higgins was pure showbiz, a mercurial talent at the table who played the game like nobody had done before. Boxing had Muhammad Ali, football was blessed by George Best - snooker had Alex Higgins. Yet like Best, Higgins's brilliance was flawed by his demons. We chart the depressing lows - the alcohol abuse, threatening to have fellow Ulsterman Dennis Taylor shot, headbutting a senior member of snooker's hierarchy and falling out of a top floor window and living to tell the tale after a row with his then-girlfriend. The Higgins story is completed with the final chapter of his life spent battling throat cancer; desperate hours spent in pubs and working men's clubs trying to rekindle his halcyon days; finally unable to eat properly because he'd lost his teeth and in the end, ultimately found dead alone in sheltered accommodation. At times uplifting, but at other moments very sad - this is a rollercoaster journey charting the life of snooker's 'rock and roll star'. Contributors include Jimmy White, Ronnie O'Sullivan, Dennis Taylor, Barry Hearn, Steve Davis, Ray Reardon and members of the Higgins family.
An evening dedicated to the Battle of Britain, bringing together World War Two historians, Battle of Britain veterans and the modern RAF for in-depth discussion, sharp analysis and rare archive footage. They investigate how Britain prepared for a war in the sky, compare first-hand experiences of air combat and explore the strengths and weaknesses of the RAF and the Luftwaffe as they faced one another in 1940.
World War Two historians, Battle of Britain veterans and the modern RAF explore how victory in the air was achieved, why the Battle of Britain has such legendary status and how the present day RAF came to be defined by the events of 1940.
Once upon a time, not so long ago, there was a man whose name was Oliver Postgate. He had a shed where he made things. With his friend Peter Firmin, Oliver created entire worlds for characters including Bagpuss, The Clangers and Ivor the Engine. These stories fired the imaginations of generations of children, and his lullaby voice became a universal reminder of childhood. Time Shift celebrates Oliver Postgate's life and work through a treasury of clips from well-known and rarely seen films, alongside film and photos from the family archive. Fans including Lauren Child (Charlie and Lola) and Andrew Davenport (In the Night Garden) are on hand to heap praise on the man who is such an inspiration for their work. Postgate's family help delve deep into his history and discover the inventions, such as Oliver's old camera adapted with Meccano, that powered his imagined worlds. Co-creator Firmin reveals the story behind his most celebrated characters and introduces his daughter Emily, familiar to millions as the owner of Bagpuss. The documentary also reveals how, as the grandson of Labour leader George Lansbury, Postgate's life was shaped by radical politics. His deeply held beliefs influenced his classic creations, and campaigning became his focus until his death in December 2008.
A chronological look at the life and career of jazz musician, composer, and performer Dave Brubeck (1920-2012), presented through contemporary interviews, archival footage of interviews and performances, and commentary by family, fellow musicians, and aficionados. Emphases include his mother's influence, his wife's invention of college tours, his skill as an accompanist, the great quartet (with Desmond, Morello, and Wright), his ability to find musical ideas everywhere, his orchestral compositions, his religious conversion, and his unflagging sweet nature.
In 1903, on the island of Hiva Oa in the Marquesas, a syphilitic and alcoholic Frenchman called Paul Gauguin died of a heart attack. At that point nobody realised the incredible impact Gauguin's work was to have on modern art. Art critic and broadcaster Waldemar Januszczak wrote and directed this examination of a man who was not only a great painter but sculptor, wood carver, musician, print maker, journalist and ceramicist. As well as telling the remarkable story of Gauguin's life, Januszczak also celebrates Gauguin's achievements and examines the various accusations of sexual misconduct, familial neglect and racism that are frequently made against him. The film contains many of Gauguin's masterpieces and includes paintings put on show at the Hermitage in St Petersburg which haven't been seen in public since their disappearance during World War II.
From bridges to bulldozers and shipyards to sing-alongs, Newcastle is a city rich in history with a thousand different stories to tell. This programme uses archive footage from the 1900s through to the present day to reveal a fascinating glimpse into the life of this great city and its inhabitants
Film which celebrates the life and rock 'n' roll philosophy of Motorhead frontman and bassist Lemmy. Born Christmas Eve 1945 in Stoke and schooled in part on Anglesey, Ian Fraser Willis acquired the name 'Lemmy' while roadying for Jimi Hendrix and co when he hit London in 1967; it comes from the oft repeated saying 'Len' me a quid'. Lemmy became the bass player in Hawkwind and sang their biggest hit Silver Machine before forming his own hard rockin' metal trio Motorhead in the mid-70s, blending punk and primal rock into a foot to the floor, hard driving rock 'n' roll aesthetic which resulted in monster hits like Ace of Spades and the live album No Sleep Til Hammersmith in the early 80s and to which he has remained constantly steadfast. Still touring, still enjoying the rock 'n' roll lifestyle, still inspired by Little Richard and the Beatles, Lemmy remains the ultimate unredeemed and unrepentant rocker. Joining Lemmy and members of Motorhead to celebrate his life and times are Hawkwind's Dave Brock, Metallica's James Hetfield, Dave Grohl, Alice Cooper, Peter Hook and Jarvis Cocker.
They say that blood is thicker than water and this documentary puts that to the test by examining the brothers who have formed and fronted rock bands. From the Everlys to the Gallaghers via the Kinks and Spandau Ballet, it tells the stories of the bands of brothers who went from their bedrooms to become household names - often with a price to pay. With contributions from Martin Kemp, Matt Goss, Dave Davies, Phil Everly, David Knopfler and the Campbell brothers of UB40.
In 1960, a young secretary from Bournemouth, with no scientific qualifications, entered a remote forest in Africa and achieved something nobody else had ever done before. Jane Goodall became accepted by a group of wild chimpanzees, making discoveries that transformed our understanding of them, and challenged the way we define ourselves as human beings by showing just how close we are as a species to our nearest living relatives. Since then, both she and the chimps of Gombe in Tanzania have become world famous - Jane as the beauty of many wildlife films, they as the beasts with something profound to tell us. As one of the programme's contributors, David Attenborough, suggests, Jane Goodall's story could be a fable if it wasn't true. In this revealing programme filmed with Jane Goodall in Africa, we discover the person behind the myth, what motivates her and the personal cost her life's work has exacted from her - and why she still thinks we have a lot to learn from the chimps she has devoted her life to understanding.
During nine days in May/June 1940, the British Army in France was evacuated from Dunkirk, a brilliant escape from a military defeat. Ever since, the 'Dunkirk spirit' has become part of our national mythology - a particularly British catchword for muddling out of disaster with a stiff upper lip and a strong cup of tea. But this investigation is not a military history - it looks instead at the creation of a legend and reveals that the truth we think we all know about Dunkirk is not quite the truth after all.
A special weekend anniversary show celebrating the weekday news analysis series "Newsnight". Rather than a standard history of the show featuring past presenters and producers, this takes the format of a discussion about a changing Britain over those 30 years.
Using moving images from across the decades, this documentary goes on a short trip to one of the most beautiful parts of the UK, the Yorkshire Dales. Encompassing newsreels, documentaries and home movies, these rarely-seen archive gems come together to reveal all aspects of life in the Dales, from sheep farming to cheese making, railway lines to dry stone walls and hill runners to potholing.
Using everyday objects to tell the history of the world, Stuart Maconie goes in search of Britain's atomic past, revealing the story of Calder Hall in Cumbria, the world's first commercial nuclear power station. Back in the 1950s, this huge industrial site was seen as a shining beacon of the future during the dark days of the Cold War. Stuart meets the workers who were there during the royal opening by Queen Elizabeth II in 1956, and through colour archive film taken during its building and launch we see a rare snapshot of Britain's pioneering industrial days. On his journey back through time, Stuart examines the objects that unlock the past. He discovers an invitation to the royal ceremony, how the newspapers of the time reported the 'magnificent achievement', the old piece of machinery from the station that kept breaking down, and how this now distant world was fondly viewed through the pages of the Eagle Comic. Going behind the closed doors of Calder Hall, he reveals a sci-fi version of the future and meets those who played their part in this turning point in history
Elton John's career tracked in archive from performances, interviews and news clips.
Compilation which unlocks the BBC vaults to explore the burgeoning singer-songwriter genre that exploded at the dawn of the 1970s and became one of the defining styles of that decade. Featuring songs from Donovan, Gerry Rafferty, James Taylor, Elton John, Mickey Newbury, Tom Paxton, John Prine, Melanie, Jesse Winchester, Steve Forbert, Chris Rea, Carole King and others. Programme sources include The Old Grey Whistle Test, In Concert, Top of the Pops, One in Ten and Cilla!
Compilation which unlocks the BBC vaults to explore the burgeoning singer-songwriter genre that exploded at the dawn of the 1970s and became one of the definining styles of that decade. Featuring classic songs from Bobbie Gentry, Kris Kristofferson, Buffy Saint-Marie, Janis Ian, Gordon Lightfoot, John Martyn, Randy Newman, Linda Lewis, Joni Mitchell, Don McLean, Ralph McTell, Loudon Wainwright III, Don Williams and Paul Brady. Programme sources include The Old Grey Whistle Test, Top of the Pops, Sounds for Saturday, The Bobbie Gentry Show and One in Ten The first of two BBC documentaries on the subject, shown on successive weeks.
Emily Maitlis tells the incredible story of Donald Trump, the world's most famous developer, who changed the New York skyline with his glitzy towers and made himself a multi-billionaire. With unprecedented access to Trump and his family Maitlis finds out how he did it. Trump's own lifestyle, with the glamorous wives and the private jet, is all marketing for his luxurious brand. Now the all-American tycoon is over here. Maitlis asks why he wants to build a huge golf resort on the sand-dunes near Aberdeen, and watches him presiding over his own beauty pageant in Las Vegas. She finds out how it was a Brit who made Trump the star of the original Apprentice series, bringing the media-loving mogul with the amazing hair to an even bigger public.
The inside story of what really happened when Pope Benedict XVI came to Scotland earlier this year -the first ever State visit by a Pope to the country. With first-hand testimony, the programme features interviews with organisers, participants and protestors as well as spectacular footage of the day's historic events. It will ask what this visit meant to believers and non-believers, while questioning what, if anything, will be a lasting legacy from the trip.
Documentary following the epic battle of American billionaire Donald Trump to build 'the greatest golf course in the world' on a beautiful, protected stretch of coastline in the north-east of Scotland. When Trump announces bold plans for two golf courses, private houses and a five-star hotel, not everyone welcomes him with open arms. Protestors find an unlikely local hero in farmer Michael Forbes. His 22-acre property is surrounded on all sides by prime Trump real estate, yet the stubborn local farmer is not selling. Featuring five years of exclusive interviews with Trump and his family, the programme tells the story of this controversial billion-pound development from first announcement to the moment the diggers roll.
Fiona Bruce traces the story of one of history's great royal love affairs: the love between Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. It was a love based on a powerful physical attraction, and it grew into a marriage that set the tone for the Victorian age. Over the 20 years they spent together, until Albert's tragic death, they gave each other a dazzling collection of paintings, sculptures and jewellery. That collection was on show - much of it for the first time - at a major exhibition in London, and it reveals a new and passionate side of the royal couple. Fiona meets HRH Prince Charles and travels to the royal palaces that Victoria and Albert made their own, as well as the royal workshops where artworks for the exhibition are being restored, to tell the story behind a collection that is one of the wonders of the nation.
South African musician Hugh Masekela celebrates his 70th birthday and reflects on his career in performance and interview, from first picking up a trumpet in the 50s through the apartheid years, exile and stardom in America, his return to South Africa on Nelson Mandela's release, and concluding with his vision of the future for his country. The programme also features performances from his 70th birthday concert at the Barbican in London in December 2009, where he was joined by the London Symphony Orchestra, their Community Choir and guest South African singers.
Mud, midges, barbed wire - just why do us Brits love the great outdoors? In this nostalgic look at life for campers, twitchers, ramblers and metal detectors, Mark Benton examines the history of the British fresh air freak.
Where did America's 44th president find religion? Was it the cynical move of an ambitious politician or a deep spiritual awakening? Theologian Robert Beckford takes a road trip across America retracing Barack Obama's journey from religious sceptic to devout Christian. The son of an African Muslim father and a white agnostic mother, Obama found God in the slums of Chicago, at the altar of one of America's most militant and controversial preachers, the Rev Jeremiah Wright. Beckford speaks to the people who helped Obama along his spiritual path, including former presidential candidates Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton. He also meets Jeremiah Wright, speaking for the first time since his former disciple's election. America's religious Right had claimed God for them. Beckford reveals how Obama adopted the precepts of black liberation theology and turned them into a winning manifesto that reached out to all Americans.
DJ Chris Moyles looks at how the Radio 1 Breakfast Show has reflected life in Britain over the past 40 years, as he meets his predecessors in the early morning slot. Former hosts Mike Read, Mike Smith, Simon Mayo, Steve Wright, Zoe Ball, and Sara Cox reveal the highs and lows of their reigns on Breakfast, and Tony Blackburn, who launched Radio 1 in 1967, explains why the Breakfast Show has always kept its finger on the pulse of the nation.
Simon Russell Beale takes a journey through Italy, Britain, Germany and Austria as he explores how the sound of Christmas has evolved in response to changing ideas about the Nativity. His story takes us through two millennia of music, from a fragment of papyrus preserving the earliest known piece of Christian music to the stories behind Hark the Herald Angels Sing, Silent Night and In the Bleak Midwinter, and the work of popular Christmas composer, John Rutter. Music is performed by Harry Christophers and his choir, The Sixteen.
Professor Jim Al-Khalili shows how chaos theory can answer a question that mankind has asked for millennia - how does a universe that starts off as dust end up with intelligent life? It's a mindbending, counterintuitive and for many people a troubling idea. But Professor Al-Khalili reveals the science behind much of beauty and structure in the natural world and discovers that far from it being magic or an act of God, it is in fact an intrinsic part of the laws of physics.
Everyone has heard of Nelson Mandela and every celebrity in the world queues up to be photographed with him, but what exactly did he do to become such an incredible icon? In the build-up to the World Cup in South Africa, actress Lenora Crichlow sets off to discover the amazing story of how Mandela brought peace to his country and what he means to people there today. In a journey packed with emotion for Lenora, she uncovers a far more complex and fascinating picture of Mandela and his country than she ever imagined. Lenora discovers a vibrant Rainbow Nation but also learns more about the horrors of apartheid and the extent of poverty and violence in the country. On her journey she unlocks the secrets of who Mandela really is and why his achievements in life are so special and so admired.
Former poet laureate Sir Andrew Motion discovers an unseen and unpublished poem by Philip Larkin when he returns to Hull to meet one of the poet's former lovers. Speaking for the first time about her relationship with Larkin, Betty Mackereth reveals the man behind the famous poems.
40 years after Jimi Hendrix's death on September 18th 1970, this film tells Jimi Hendrix's life story in his own words and is narrated by funk legend Bootsy Collins in the soft, authoritative voice of Hendrix himself.
Drama documentary about John Darwin, who faked his death to fund a better life. He pretended to disappear at sea in a canoe, prompting his wife Anne to play the grieving widow.
An investigation into the dark consequences of British stag parties travelling to Europe's sex tourism hot-spots. Reporter Simon Boazman goes undercover to break into a sex trafficking ring and finds the women who have fallen victim to the trade in sex slaves.
Through 25 key moments, this programme takes a look at the highs and lows of the multi award-winning animation studio Pixar as it celebrates its 25th birthday, and discovers the secrets of how to make a Pixar movie. With unique access to Pixar HQ and the creative team, it features memorable moments from hits such as Toy Story, Finding Nemo and Monsters Inc, as well as exclusive interviews with Billy Crystal, Tim Allen, Holly Hunter, Kelsey Grammer, Michael Keaton, George Lucas and others.
Nel Hedayat investigates the controversial world of music videos and meets the girls who dream of dancing in them. Nel spends time with girls who are on the path to success, but also learns about the dark side of an industry where dancers chasing fame can leave themselves open to financial and sexual exploitation.
The life and times of the much-loved comedienne, from vaudeville showgirl to star of the Ulster stage.
The extraordinary story of comedian Bob Monkhouse's life and career, told for the first time through the vast private archive of films, TV shows, letters and memorabilia that he left behind.
Rankin, the UK's leading fashion photographer, reveals the rich history of Hollywood photography and how its most influential and enduring images were created. From Hollywood's golden age, epitomised by gorgeous images of screen goddesses Greta Garbo and Marlene Dietrich to brooding shots of Marlon Brando; from the unparalleled allure of pictures of Marilyn Monroe to iconic black and white stills of Charlie Chaplin, Rankin immerses himself in the art of the Hollywood portrait and explores the vital role it has played in both the movie business and our continuing love affair with movie stars. To understand how the image makers of Hollywood created these iconic photographs, Rankin recruits a cast of leading Hollywood actors to help him recreate some of the most important - including Leslie Mann (Knocked Up, 40 Year Old Virgin); Selma Blair (Legally Blonde, Cruel Intentions), British actor Matthew Rhys (Brothers & Sisters, Dylan Thomas's biopic The Edge of Love); actor extraordinaire Michael Sheen (The Damned United, Frost/Nixon), and living Hollywood legend Jane Russell.
Johnny Beattie leads this celebration of one of Scotland's finest singers, the tenor Kenneth McKellar, who died early last year. McKellar's career spanned 50 years and saw him become a household name in Scotland and beyond, but behind the public persona was a quiet man who regularly spurned personal honours and accolades and shied away from the trappings of showbusiness. The programme features contributions from McKellar's friends and colleagues including Sir Jackie Stewart, the singers Eddi Reader and Jean Redpath and his daughter Jane McKellar.
Drawing from Eric and Ernie, the BBC's new film, this celebratory documentary charts the duo's early years and the hurdles they faced, whilst showing why Eric and Ernie still remain Britain's best loved double act. Featuring specially shot, behind-the-scenes footage from the film, treasured Morecambe and Wise archive and celebrity interviews, the documentary visits important landmarks in their journey and uncovers the hard work and secrets of their phenomenal success. Featuring contributions from the people who knew Eric and Ernie best: their family, peers, greatest fans and fellow comics of stage and screen. Contributors include Cilla Black, Michael Grade, Eddie Braben, Joan and Gary Morecambe, Doreen Wise, Miranda Hart, Lee Mack, Reece Shearsmith, Penelope Keith and Andrew Marr. Narrated by Victoria Wood.
Proms to mark the end of primary school are the latest pre-teen craze. And they're growing, not just in numbers, but in glitz. Pre-teen Proms tells the story of the children at two schools in the three months running up to this latest, inescapable, rite of passage. At Riverside Primary in Livingston, the teachers love the fun and glamour of the prom, while at well-heeled Mearns Primary just outside Glasgow, they're fighting to keep the 40-year-old Scottish tradition of their leavers dance alive. But as the kids demands mount - pamper parties, horse drawn carriages, limos, maseratis, red carpets and non-alcoholic cocktails, not to mention prizes for prom king, prom queen and couple most likely to get married - the parents have little choice but to stump up the cash. So once the kids have had their say, how different will the dances really be? Who wins - the adults or the 11-year-old kids?
Donnie Macsween was a schoolboy when the BBC made 'A Boy in Harris' in the 1960s. This programme looks at his life since then. An opportunity to see the original, acclaimed documentary once more. Scottish Gaelic with English subtitles.
Darren was diagnosed with orophyrangeal cancer, a rare form of mouth cancer, at the age of only 31. But that wasn't the only shocking news that he had to deal with. Most oral cancers are caused by smoking or drinking, but Darren's was caused by the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), which is sexually transmitted. Darren had caught it through having oral sex. New research shows that there has been a dramatic increase in the number of HPV-related oral cancers amongst young people. Jaime Winstone sets out to discover why the statistics are rising and whether anything can be done to stop this trend. Sadly, she has an intimate relationship with cancer - as filming began, her close friend Paul died from pancreatic cancer aged only 26. Whilst his cancer wasn't preventable, Darren's was. HPV is recognised as the cause of cervical cancer in women and so, two years ago, the government introduced a national vaccination programme for teenage girls. But if a vaccine exists, why isn't it also given to boys to protect them from developing HPV-related cancers? Although this oral cancer is still relatively rare, the HP virus is common, with an estimated 80 per cent of adults having it, without any symptoms, during their lives. Jaime's journey takes her to meet Dr Margaret Stanley, an expert on HPV and Professor Hisham Mehanna, a head and neck specialist at University Hospital, Coventry whose research has shown an increase in HPV-related oral cancers. Jaime talks to teenage boys about what they know of HPV and to teenage girls about why they are reluctant to get the freely available vaccine, before confronting the Department of Health over why they currently don't vaccinate boys as well as girls on the NHS.
In Ready, Steady, Drink Emily Atack, who plays Charlotte Hinchcliffe in The Inbetweeners, looks at the UK's culture of drinking games and whether they should be banned. Travelling the length and breadth of the country Emily investigates why young Brits like to find new and more risky ways of drinking and she asks if there is anything the government can do to stop them.
The story of Charles Byrne the famous Irish Giant and some possible modern-day relatives.
A tribute to the Oscar-nominated British actor Pete Postlethwaite, who died on 2 January following a lengthy illness. Includes interviews and clips with fellow actors and directors.
The Campbell sisters are the best known triplets in the Hebrides. But behind the incredible story of their dramatic birth lies a tale of loss and separation, hardship and poverty, amid much laughter and tears. Scottish Gaelic with English subtitles.
It's more than two years since the giant banks were bailed out with billions of pounds of tax-payers' money, yet little has been done to reform or regulate these vast institutions. The BBC's business editor Robert Peston looks at how the international regulators, a little-known and secretive committee that sits in the Swiss city of Basel, have consistently failed to curb the excesses of the giant banks and how new proposals fall short of the root-and-branch reform promised after the crash. With the fate of Ireland, brought to its knees by the excesses of its banking industry, fresh in our minds, Peston asks whether Britain would be in any position to bail out our huge banks should there be another crisis. Are the banks, once thought to be too big to fail, now actually too big to save? The film contains the first interviews with the government's new Banking Commission, as well as contributions from Business Secretary Vince Cable, new RBS chairman Sir Philip Hampton and the Bank of England.
From the Royal Institution in London, Harvard professor Michael Sandel hosts a discussion to explore fairness in public policy and the Big Society. An audience of politicians, opinion-formers and the general public should ensure a lively and topical debate.
A specially-commissioned documentary in which renowned Harvard professor Michael Sandel looks at the philosophy of justice. Is it acceptable to torture a terrorist in order to discover where a bomb has been hidden? Should wearing the burka in public be banned in Europe, if the majority of citizens disapprove? Should beggars be cleared off the streets of London? Sandel goes in search of Jeremy Bentham, Immanuel Kant and Aristotle, three philosophers whose ideas inform much contemporary thinking on justice, and tests their theories against a range of contemporary problems. Filmed in Berlin, Boston, Athens and London, this thought-provoking film includes interviews with the world's great philosophers, modern day politicians and thinkers from all around the globe.
In April 2010, Laura Hall from Bromsgrove hit the headlines for being barred from buying or drinking alcohol anywhere in England and Wales. After being expelled from school at 15, she has no qualifications and has been arrested over 40 times. Now she is determined to change. This documentary follows Laura into rehab, capturing her highs and lows as she attempts to turn her back on six years of binge drinking.
This programme follows two women who on the front line of Northern Ireland's continuing abortion battle. Audrey Simpson is the director of the Family Planning Association, the only agency in NI that provides women with information on how to arrange an abortion. And every day, Bernie Smyth and fellow activists from the Precious Life pressure group are literally standing in the way of the women entering the FPA's Belfast offices. She says her mission is simple: to save the lives of the unborn.
Ness is the last place in the UK where young gannets, known in Gaelic as guga, are hunted for their meat. The hunting of sea birds was outlawed in 1954 in the UK, but the community of Ness on the Isle of Lewis continues to be granted the only exemption under UK and EU law allowing them to hold the annual hunt. Every August, ten men from Ness set sail for Sula Sgeir, a desolate island far out in the Atlantic. Following in the footsteps of countless generations, they leave their families behind to journey through wild storms and high seas to reach the remote hunting ground. The men live on the island for two exhausting weeks, sleeping amongst ruins left behind by monks over a thousand years ago. They work ceaselessly, catching, killing and processing 2000 birds using traditional methods unique to the hunt. Today the future of the hunt is uncertain. Island life has changed dramatically in recent years. The population of Ness has halved in the last 50 years as the young head south. Distinctive Hebridean traditions such as crofting and peat cutting, which have long since disappeared elsewhere in Scotland, are finally vanishing in Ness.
Set in the heart of the Outer Hebrides, the Isle of Harris is a landscape rich in culture, history and the Gaelic language. Home to some of Britain's most important wildlife, it's a naturalist's paradise. In this special programme Dougie Vipond celebrates the people who live and work on the edge of western Europe - from traditional crofters and craftspeople to those developing new skills for the future.
During the 40s, 50s and 60s Sister Rosetta Tharpe played a highly significant role in the creation of rock & roll, inspiring musicians like Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Little Richard and Chuck Berry. She may not be a household name, but this flamboyant African-American gospel singing superstar, with her spectacular virtuosity on the newly-electrified guitar, was one of the most influential popular musicians of the 20th century. Tharpe was born in 1915, close to the Mississippi in Cotton Plant, Arkansas. At the age of six she was taken by her evangelist mother Katie Bell to Chicago to join Roberts Temple, Church of God in Christ, where she developed her distinctive style of singing and guitar playing. At the age of 23 she left the church and went to New York to join the world of show business, signing with Decca Records. For the following 30 years she performed extensively to packed houses in the USA and subsequently Europe, before her death in 1973. In 2008 the state governor of Pennsylvania declared that henceforth January 11th will be Sister Rosetta Tharpe Day in recognition of her remarkable musical legacy.
They arrive, they smoke, they wait - armed robbers seeking redemption, life-long thieves, addicts and anxious fathers of wayward children. Hard exteriors hide soft centres, old lives exist in young bodies - ordinary people awaiting judgement on an unlovely stretch of pavement outside a London magistrates' court. Whilst waiting for their cases to be heard they reveal their lives, and the complexities of the human soul are laid bare. Tense and intimate conversations with the filmmaker illuminate stories that the magistrates hear daily. Director Marc Isaacs spent three months outside Highbury Magistrates Court and, in doing so, demonstrates how the eye of the camera has the ability to delve much deeper into character and motivation than the eye of the law. Consequently, the more we get to know the characters in this film, the harder it is to make easy judgements. Whilst the court must judge, the filmmaker need not.
They are the UK's most powerful arbiters of justice and now, for the first time, four of the Justices of the Supreme Court talk frankly and openly about the nature of justice and how they make their decisions. The film offers a revealing glimpse of the human characters behind the judgments and explores why the Supreme Court and its members are fundamental to our democracy. The eleven men and one woman who make up the UK Supreme Court have the last say on the most controversial and difficult cases in the land. What they decide binds every citizen. But are their rulings always fair, do their feelings ever get in the way of their judgments and are they always right? In the first fourteen months of the court they have ruled on MPs' expenses, which led to David Chaytor's prosecution, changed the status of pre-nuptial agreements and battled with the government over control orders and the Human Rights Act. They explain what happens when they cannot agree and there is a divided judgement, and how they avoid letting their personal feelings effect their interpretation of the law. And they face up to the difficult issue of diversity - there is only one woman on the court, and she is the only justice who went to a non-fee-paying school.
Bafta-winning director Morgan Matthews's landmark film exploring the impact of teenage killings on families and communities across Britain, an emotional journey that chronicles every teenager who died as a result of violence in 2009 in the UK. Harrowing actuality filmed in the immediate aftermath combines with moving testimony from the spectrum of people affected in the wake of violent death. Filmed over eighteen months, this epic documentary is the BBC's most ambitious film to date about youth violence. The film questions society's attitudes towards young people whilst probing the meaning behind terminology such as 'gang violence' or 'gang-related' often used in connection with teenage killings. It reveals the reality of the teenage murder toll across one year, connecting the viewer with the people behind the headlines and the emotional consequences of violent death. Differing perspectives from families, friends, passers-by and the police are explored with intimacy and depth. Together they reflect the collective impact of a teenage killing on an entire community. Travelling the length and breadth of Britain, the film meets people of different religion, race and class. It tells the story of Shevon Wilson, whose misreported murder divided a community; the teenage girl who discovered she was pregnant to her boyfriend shortly after he was stabbed to death; the nurse who fought to save a dying teenager who was stabbed outside her home; and the outspoken East End twins who lost a mother and daughter in the same attack. The documentary names every teenager to die as a result of violence in 2009. Haunting footage of shrines is a reminder of the countless families who continue to suffer as a result of violence. Powerful and compelling, Scenes from a Teenage Killing is a poignant and brutal reminder of the needless waste of young potential.
Pleasure is vital for our survival - without it we wouldn't eat or have sex, and would soon die out as a species. But how does pleasure work and what gives us the most pleasure in life? In an attempt to find out, Michael Mosley learns how the hottest chilli in the world creates euphoria in the brain, why parents have an overwhelming surge of love for their newborn child and what happens if you turn your own wedding into a chemistry experiment. We all know that where there is pleasure, pain can't be far behind, and Michael gamely exposes himself to some painful experiments to show why the two are so interlinked. Why is pain so important and how can we measure it? How much pain are we prepared to put up with if the reward is right and what would happen if we couldn't feel pain at all? And how far is Michael prepared to go in the name of pleasure? Will he be able to overcome enormous pain and stress in order to experience one of the biggest pleasure kicks in the world?
David Cameron and Nick Clegg seem made for each other: Eton and Oxford meets Westminster School and Cambridge. But does the return of public school boys to the top of our politics say something worrying about the decline of social mobility in Britain? Andrew Neil goes on a journey from the Scottish council house he grew up in to the corridors of power to ask if we will ever again see a prime minister emerge from an ordinary background like his. In this provocative film Andrew seeks to find out why politicians from all parties appear to be drawn from an ever smaller social pool - and why it matters to us all.
A story of hope in a country that has none, and one that has uncomfortable lessons for the governments of the West. On 12 January 2010, Haiti was hit by a terrible quake. Hundreds of thousands dead and wounded; thousands of buildings crushed; the capital, Port au Prince, wiped out; death and disease everywhere. The disaster left Haiti and its government in ruins. Three weeks post quake, Haiti's fate depends in large part on one man: Bill Clinton's guy on the ground, Irish telecoms billionaire Denis O'Brien. O'Brien flies straight in, taking with him on his jet a party of nuns, builders, and British architect John McAslan. The assessment is that if Haiti is going to pull back from the brink, it needs two things fast: houses for the millions left homeless by the quake, and a beacon rebuilding project that the country can reunite around, and thus reboot its shattered economy. This is the Iron Market, Haiti's equivalent of the Eiffel Tower at the heart of Port au Prince. O'Brien makes a promise to the people of Haiti and sets an ambitious completion date of 15 December 2010 - the race is on. It quickly becomes apparent that although international aid is promised in its billions, very little is actually appearing on the ground. O'Brien's building project is the only real game in town. What's more, over the next 12 months they are hit by hurricanes, cholera, an unhappy government election and subsequent rioting - the challenge and the deadline seem impossible. On 11 January 2011, the eve of the anniversary of the tragic event, all eyes turn to the Iron Market - have they done it? Clinton, O'Brien and the world's media arrive. Will this be one promise to Haiti that is kept?
Once a week pensioners Jimmy, Colette, Sean and friends blast the airwaves with their own feisty, funny and issue-driven radio show 'Afternoon Delight'. Observationally shot, this moving film takes us into the homes and hearts of a generation who struggle in an entertaining and inspiring way with issues that face many of our pensioners.
The Moon is such a familiar presence in the sky that most of us take it for granted. But what if it wasn't where it is now? How would that affect life on Earth? Space scientist and lunar fanatic Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock explores our intimate relationship with the Moon. Besides orchestrating the tides, the moon dictates the length of a day, the rhythm of the seasons and the very stability of our planet. Yet the Moon is always on the move. In the past it was closer to Earth and in the future it'll be farther away. That it is now perfectly placed to sustain life is pure luck, a cosmic coincidence. Using computer graphics to summon up great tides and set the Earth spinning on its side, Maggie Aderin-Pocock implores us to look at the Moon afresh: to see it not as an inert rock, but as a key player in the story of our planet, past, present and future.
Documentary-maker David Malone delves into the secrets of ocean waves. In an elegant and original film he finds that waves are not made of water, that some waves travel sideways and that the sound of the ocean comes not from water but from bubbles. Waves are not only beautiful but also profoundly important, and there is a surprising connection between the life cycle of waves and the life of human beings.
Britain is a less equal society than at any time since World War One. In Who Gets the Best Jobs, Richard Bilton investigates access to the professions - and finds that the best jobs are being snapped up by an increasingly small gene pool of privileged, well-connected families. Getting a good degree matters more than ever - and those from low income families can no longer easily work their way up from the bottom without the qualifications, contacts and social skills that their more fortunate counterparts make full use of.
The catalyst to Britain's Industrial Revolution was the slave labour of orphans and destitute children. In this shocking and moving account of their exploitation and eventual emancipation, Professor Jane Humphries uses the actual words of these child workers (recorded in diaries, interviews and letters) to let them tell their own story. She also uses groundbreaking animation to bring to life a world where 12-year-olds went to war at Trafalgar and six-year-olds worked the fields as human scarecrows.
To most Americans Abraham Lincoln is the nation's greatest president - a political genius who won the Civil War and ended slavery. Today the cult of Lincoln has become a multi-million dollar industry, with millions of Americans visiting his memorials and thousands of books published that present him as a saint more than a politician. But does Lincoln really deserve all this adulation? 150 years after the war his reputation is being re-assessed, as historians begin to uncover the dark side of his life and politics. They have revealed that the president who ended slavery secretly planned to deport the freed black people out of America. Others are asking if Lincoln should be remembered as a war hero who saved the nation or as a war criminal who launched attacks on innocent southern civilians.
Sir Peter Tapsell MP delivers a lecture on F E Smith in the State Apartments of the Palace of Westminster, from Tuesday 1 February.
It can be tough working together for one goal, but the rewards more than make up for it. Set in the South Wales valleys, the drama Baker Boys follows the highs and lows of a group of bakery workers who, against all odds, manage to buy their own factory and run it as a co-operative. In this documentary, we take a journey into the past with Mark Lewis Jones, who stars in the drama, to reveal the incredible vision of the co-operative movement's Welsh founder Robert Owen. And Steven Meo uncovers how his radical thinking is impacting on Welsh communities even today. Robert Owen is a man of our times. Big Society is not a new phenomenon. It may be over 200 years since his death, but it seems this visionary Welshman was always way ahead of his time.
Three groups use dance, food and music to explore modern India and Indian life. The films were made by the Scottish-Indian groups themselves, supported by the LAB team. LAB, or Learn At BBC Scotland, is part of the Learning Department doing workshops to pass on skills and stimulate creativity.
Author Henry Hitchings explores the lives and works of Britain's radical and pioneering 18th century novelists who, in just 80 years, established all the literary genres we recognise today. It was a golden age of creativity led by Daniel Defoe, Jonathan Swift, Henry Fielding, Laurence Sterne, Fanny Burney and William Godwin, amongst others. Robinson Crusoe, Gulliver's Travels, Tom Jones and Tristram Shandy are novels that still sparkle with audacity and innovation. On his journey through 18th century fiction, Hitchings reveals how the novel was more than mere entertainment, it was also a subversive hand grenade that would change British society for the better. He travels from the homes of Britain's great and good to its lowliest prisons, meeting contemporary writers like Martin Amis, Will Self, Tom McCarthy and Jenny Uglow on the way. Although 18th century novels are woefully neglected today compared to those of the following two centuries, Hitchings shows how the best of them can offer as much pleasure to the reader as any modern classic.
A programme exploring the life and writing of navvy poet Patrick MacGill. Drawing upon a rich vein of early cinema archive and live action re-enactment shot in Ireland, Scotland and England, the film retraces MacGill's journey from itinerant labourer to man of letters. Born in 1889 into crushing poverty in Donegal in the west of Ireland, MacGill went on to become one of Ireland's most successful authors, widely recognised as the voice of the migrant Irish in Scotland at the turn of the last century. His autobiographical novels, penned in Scotland and hugely popular at the time, paint a vibrant picture of the life of the navvy, the labourer and the prostitute, 'the outcasts of a mighty industrial society'. MacGill lived the life of a navvy in the Scottish highlands, and in his writing fact and fiction, social report and love story mingle. Later he finds himself working as a scribe in Windsor Castle and mixing with the aristocracy. MacGill was to fight in the First World war and write of the horror of the trenches. We follow his rags to riches story as he fashions a career as a writer against the backdrop of a society in turmoil.
In 2008, after 25-years as Ian Paisley's deputy, Peter Robinson finally got his hands on power, becoming leader of the DUP and Northern Ireland's First Minister. Less than two years later, he was facing personal and political ruin after he was alleged to have failed to alert the authorities to his wife's financial dealings with two property developers and her 19-year-old lover. Yet today, the First Minister appears stronger than ever. With interviews from enemies and colleagues, past and present, this documentary examines the political life of Peter Robinson, a journey that has taken him from street protests to power sharing
As Wales prepare to take on England at the Millennium Stadium on Friday night, Chris Corcoran takes a sideways look at this famous fixture which has generated so much passion over the years. From the games of the 80s with stripey bobble hats, Bill McLaren's commentary and supporters running on the pitch, to the professional era of today, Chris presents his personal take on growing up with the Five - now Six - Nations rugby championship.
Tough times have hit Britain and for young people it is the hardest time to find a job since the 1980s. Greg James finds out what it's like to be young, unemployed and living with your parents when he follows graduates and school leavers chasing jobs in the worst job market in decades.
Writer and broadcaster Stephen Smith uncovers the secret history of the humble fig leaf, opening a window onto 2,000 years of Western art and ethics. He tells how the work of Michelangelo, known to his contemporaries as 'the maker of pork things', fuelled the infamous 'fig leaf campaign', the greatest cover-up in art history; how Bernini turned censorship into a new form of erotica by replacing the fig leaf with the slipping gauze; and how the ingenious machinations of Rodin brought nudity back to the public eye. In telling this story, Smith turns many of our deepest prejudices upside down, showing how the Victorians had a far more sophisticated and mature attitude to sexuality than we do today. He ends with an impassioned plea for the widespread return of the fig leaf to redeem modern art from cheap sensation and innuendo.
The rocksteady era of Jamaican music in the mid-to-late 1960s is considered a golden age because rocksteady's sweet, soulful vocals, romantic but often socially conscious lyrics and prominent basslines gave birth to reggae, which went on to capture the world. This documentary chronicles the coming together of rocksteady's surviving vocal stars - artists like the Tamlins, U-Roy, Ken Boothe, Leroy Sibbles from the Heptones, Judy Mowatt, Dawn Penn, Rita Marley and Marcia Griffiths - and some of the island's greatest players, to celebrate their greatest 60s hits, perform a reunion concert and celebrate that golden era. Think of it as a kind of Buena Vista Social Club for the great 60s architects of Jamaican music. It is also a beautiful portrait of Jamaica. In 1962, Jamaica gained its independence from Great Britain. There was celebration, optimism, economic growth and opportunity. Recording studios popped up all over Kingston and a generation of great singers and players emerged playing the tuneful, mellow music that became known as rocksteady - tunes like The Tide Is High, Rivers of Babylon and You Don't Love Me Anymore, No No No, which were so successfully celebrated by UB40 on their Labour of Love albums. By 1968, Jamaica's economic bubble had burst and social unrest took to the streets. As poverty, violence and political upheaval spread, rocksteady became politicised, upped its tempo and began to evolve into the music they call reggae.
The acclaimed BBC4 Britannia series moves into the world of British reggae. Showing how it came from Jamaica in the 1960s to influence, over the next twenty years, both British music and society, the programme includes major artists and performances from that era, including Big Youth, Max Romeo, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Jerry Dammers and the Specials, the Police, UB40, Dennis Bovell, lovers rock performers Carroll Thompson and Janet Kay, bands like Aswad and Steel Pulse and reggae admirers such as Boy George and Paul Weller. The programme celebrates the impact of reggae, the changes it brought about and its lasting musical legacy.
Scott Mills travels to Uganda where the death penalty could soon be introduced for being gay. The gay Radio 1 DJ finds out what it's like to live in a society which persecutes people like him and meets those who are leading the hate campaign.
Veteran television reporters Kate Adie, Martin Bell, Peter Taylor and Bill Neely return to Northern Ireland to revisit their coverage of the Troubles and meet with some of the people whose stories they told.
In 2008, Decca Records had a worldwide smash hit with a group of Austrian monks singing Gregorian chant. Now the company is hoping to repeat their success, this time with an order of nuns. Record executives Oliver Harrop and Tom Lewis travel the world in search of the finest singing nuns, with the aim of signing them up and taking them to number one in the charts. From Ireland to the USA via France and Spain, no stone is unturned in the quest to find the world's most heavenly voices. But there is a problem; many orders of nuns live in communities hidden from the modern world. Will Tom and Olly be able to persuade any to swap their solitude for the media attention and fame that could result from recording a hit album?
Jo Brand is outraged and appalled by the latest outburst of public crying. It is happening on X Factor, Who Do You Think You Are and even the politicans are at it. It would appear we are awash with tears. Jo is particularly baffled by this outpouring of weepiness as crying is something she rarely does. In this documentary, Jo decides it's time to get to the bottom of crying: why we do it, who does it and whether we have always done it. And once she discovers crying is in fact good for you, she has no choice but to see if she can actually make a handkerchief soggy too. To find out more about crying she talks to friends Phill Jupitus, Shappi Khorsandi and Richard E Grant; interviews crying historians, psychologists and biochemists; and, in her quest to discover her own tears, visits Moorfields Eye Hospital to check her tear ducts are in good working order. She subjects herself to joining a class of crying drama students, discovers the world's weirdest crybabies at the Loss Club and finally opens up to Princess Diana's psychotherapist, Susie Orbach. Having unpicked the watery world of crying, can Jo bring herself to actually shed a tear?
David Nash is one of Britain's most original and internationally recognised sculptors. In a career spanning 40 years he has created over 2,000 sculptures out of wood, many of then monumental in scale. In this film Nash gives an intimate insight into his unique collaboration with his material. From sawing and gouging to charring and planting, it reveals how he has used his profound knowledge of trees and the forces of nature to inform his work. Using extensive archive it traces Nash's artistic journey from art school to the rugged mining landscape of Blaenau Ffestiniog in north Wales via the many exhibitions he has had around the world, culminating in the most significant to date at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park in 2010.
On a remarkable journey of discovery, one Armagh family trace their roots to the Great Famine, experiencing the realities of life 150 years ago and discovering two very different paths their ancestors took - one half choosing to remain behind, while the other half abandoned Armagh for a new life across the Atlantic. Through fire and ice, their struggle to survive is revealed to be a microcosm of courage and endurance.
Wales's great artist Sir Kyffin Williams talks about four seminal turning points in the course of his life. Sir Kyffin's Welsh upbringing, viewing a 15th-century Italian fresco by Piero Della Francesca, and a 1947 realization he might be able to earn his living as a painter - these are the first three. The fourth moment was an agonizing choice between Patagonia and Venice. He had spent two exciting months on a Winston Churchill Scholarship in Patagonia, and first visited Venice in 1955. The extraordinary Italian city's magnificence and lack of inhibition had cast a spell during each of his subsequent visits.
Investigation into how two brothers set up a failed Christmas theme park in Dorset. Lapland New Forest opened for just six days and took over 1.2 million pounds.
Documentary telling the unexpected story of how arguably the greatest work of English prose ever written, the King James Bible, came into being. Author Adam Nicolson reveals why the making of this powerful book shares much in common with his experience of a very different national project - the Millennium Dome. The programme also delves into recently discovered 17th century manuscripts, from the actual translation process itself, to show in rich detail what makes this Bible so good. In a turbulent and often violent age, the King hoped this Bible would unite a country torn by religious factions. Today it is dismissed by some as old-fashioned and impenetrable, but the film shows why, in the 21st century, the King James Bible remains so great.
The untold story of one of the most influential artists ever to come out of Jamaica, Toots Hibbert, featuring intimate new performances and interviews with Toots, rare archive from throughout his career and interviews with contemporaries and admirers including Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, Jimmy Cliff, Bonnie Raitt, Willie Nelson, Marcia Griffiths and Paolo Nutini. From his beginnings as a singer in a Jamaican church to the universally-praised, Grammy award-winning artist of today, the film tells the story of one of the true greats of music. Toots was the first to use the word reggae on tape in his 1968 song Do the Reggay and his music has defined, popularised and refined it across six decades, with hit after hit including Pressure Drop, Sweet and Dandy, Monkey Man, Funky Kingston, Bam Bam, True Love Is Hard To Find and Reggae Got Soul. As Island records founder Chris Blackwell says, 'The Maytals were unlike anything else... sensational, raw and dynamic'. Always instantly recognisable is Toots's powerful, soulful voice which seems to speak viscerally to the listener - 'one of the great musical gifts of our time'. His songs are at the same time stories of everyday life in Jamaica and postcards from another world.
The Shetland Folk Festival is one of the world's most exotic events with a hard earned reputation as the festival where nobody sleeps. Celebrating its 30th birthday, a hundred folk-musicians from as far afield as New York, Mumbai and Stockholm descend on the islands for four days and 200 performances, aided by 700 volunteers. With non-stop music from before the ferry leaves Aberdeen until the moment the visiting musicians return.
Documentary following Graham Vick, one of the leading opera directors of our times, through six months of intensive rehearsals for two radically different productions of operas by Giuseppe Verdi. From a spectacular outdoor Aida, staged on an Austrian lake, to a raw and emotionally charged version of Othello presented in a derelict Birmingham factory with the participation of more than two hundred enthusiastic local singers, dancers and actors.
As Caster Semenya achieved her dream of winning the 800m World Championship in 2009, rumours of a failed gender test spread. A vicious and voyeuristic media storm erupted and Caster's triumph was turned into public humiliation. With exclusive access, this film follows the shy teenager from a remote South African village as she struggles to come to terms with what has happened and fights to return to competition. With the support of her family and a top legal team, Caster takes the fight to the IAAF, the world's leading body for the sport of athletics. As international lawyers and eminent scientists thrash out what it means to be a woman, the 19-year-old at the centre of the storm wants only to run. A heart-rending and uplifting story of a young woman who overcame incredible odds to become the world's best, only to find that her biggest challenges still lay ahead.
Watercolours have always been the poor relation of oil painting. And yet the immediacy and freedom of painting in watercolours have made them the art of adventure and action - even war. It has been an art form the British have pioneered, at first celebrating the greatest landscapes of Europe and then recording the exotic beauty of the British Empire. Sheila Hancock - an ardent fan of watercolours since her childhood, and whose father was an amateur watercolourist - sets out on a journey - from the glories of the Alps and the city of Venice to deepest India - as she traces the extraordinary story of professional and amateur watercolourists, and reveals some of the most beautiful and yet little-known pictures.
21-year-old Dean Whitney was born in Sheffield to a British dad and Yemeni mum. He has always dreamt of travelling to Yemen to meet his extended family and get in touch with his Muslim and Yemeni identity. But will his life-changing journey become a nightmare in the country now better known for international terrorism and for officially being one of the most dangerous places on earth?
It's been 50 years since nuclear submarines first came to Scotland, and more than 40 since Britain's nuclear missile fleet was stationed on the Clyde lochs. But the Trident fleet is ageing, and the decision to start work on its replacement has been delayed until 2016. With public spending under unprecedented pressure, there's a very real debate over whether we can afford the 20 billion-pound bill. Partly filmed on board one of Britain's nuclear bomber submarines, 'Who Needs Trident?' asks whether a Cold War weapon, designed to deter the Soviet Union from attacking Britain and its NATO allies, is still relevant in the 21st century, and whether Britain, and Scotland, gain anything from it being replaced. Presented by Sally Magnusson.
Murder in the Mearns, in 1968. A young farmer is shot in his sleep - but who pulled the trigger? Scottish Gaelic with English subtitles
The story of Live at Treorchy, the best-selling album that turned an unknown comedian and singer called Max Boyce into an international star, launching a career spanning 40 years and two million record sales. The album that changed Max Boyce's life also captured how Wales was changing in the early 1970s and still stands as an icon of Welsh identity four decades later. Among those describing the impact Live at Treorchy had on them are broadcaster Huw Edwards, comedian Jasper Carrott and rugby legend Gareth Edwards.
In the late 50s and early 60s Arthur Haynes was ITV's highest paid comic, as popular as Tony Hancock. Paul Merton and Nicholas Parsons rediscover the genius of this forgotten comedy great.
David Attenborough returns to the island of Madagascar on a very personal quest. In 1960 he visited the island to film one of his first ever wildlife series, Zoo Quest. Whilst he was there, he acquired a giant egg. It was the egg of an extinct bird known as the 'elephant bird' - the largest bird that ever lived. It has been one of his most treasured possessions ever since. Fifty years older, he now returns to the island to find out more about this amazing creature and to see how the island has changed. Could the elephant bird's fate provide lessons that may help protect Madagascar's remaining wildlife? Using Zoo Quest archive and specially shot location footage, this film follows David as he revisits scenes from his youth and meets people at the front line of wildlife protection. On his return, scientists at Oxford University are able to reveal for the first time how old David's egg actually is - and what that might tell us about the legendary elephant bird.
Documentary presented by Melvyn Bragg to mark the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible. Melvyn Bragg sets out to persuade us that the King James Version has driven the making of the English speaking world over the last 400 years, often in the most unanticipated ways. He travels to historic locations in the UK and USA where the King James Bible has had a deep impact, including Gettysburg and the American Civil War and Washington's Lincoln Memorial, site of Martin Luther King's famous speech. He argues that while many think our modern world is founded on secular ideals, it is the King James Version which had a greater legacy. The King James Bible not only influenced the English language and its literature more than any other book, it was also the seedbed of western democracy, the activator of radical shifts in society such as the abolition of the slave trade, the debating dynamite for brutal civil wars in Britain and America and a critical spark in the genesis of modern science.
Documentary following the lives of two Amish families leaving the only world they've ever known and trying to get to grips with the modern world. The Amish travel by horse and buggy, and dress exactly as their forebears did when they first arrived in America almost 300 years ago. They have countless rules which keep them separate from the modern world, with electric lights, mobile phones, television and radio all forbidden. For those born into this culture, leaving is the biggest decision they'll ever make.
A unique journey around the weird and wonderful planet that we call home. When Yuri Gagarin was blasted into space he became the first human to get a proper look at where we live. 'The Earth is blue,' he exclaimed, 'how amazing!'. Suddenly our perspective on the world had changed forever. We thought we were going to explore the universe, yet the most extraordinary thing we discovered was our own home planet, the Earth. So what would you see during just one orbit of the Earth? Starting 200 miles above the planet, this film whisks you around the planet to show what changes in the time it takes to circumnavigate the Earth just once. We hear from British-born astronaut Piers Sellers on what it's like to live and work in space, and also to gaze down and see how we are altering and reshaping our world. We marvel at the incredible forces of nature that brings hundred-mile wide storms and reshapes continents, and also discover how we humans are draining seas and building cities in the middle of the desert. We also visit the wettest place on Earth, as well as the most volcanic. Narrated by David Morrissey, this inspirational trip around the planet will make you view our home as you've never seen it before.
In the 60s and early 70s it was common for Grand Prix drivers to be killed while racing, often televised for millions to see. Mechanical failure, lethal track design, fire and incompetence snuffed out dozens of young drivers. They had become almost expendable as eager young wannabes queued up at the top teams' gates waiting to take their place. This is the story of when Grand Prix was out of control. Featuring many famous drivers including three times world champion Sir Jackie Stewart OBE, twice world champion Emerson Fittipaldi and John Surtees OBE, this exciting but shocking film explores how Grand Prix drivers grew sick of their closest friends being killed and finally took control of their destiny. After much waste of life, the prestigious Belgian and German Grands Prix would be boycotted, with drivers insisting that safety be put first. But it would be a long and painful time before anything would change, and a lot of talented young men would be cut down in their prime. This is their story.
Tree surgeon-turned-filmmaker Robb Leech is an ordinary white middle-class boy from the Dorset seaside town of Weymouth. So too is his stepbrother Rich, but a little over a year ago Rich became a radical Islamist who now goes by the name of Salahuddin. He associates with jihadist fundamentalists and believes the UK should be ruled by Sharia law. In a film that took over twelve months to shoot, Robb sets out to reconnect with his extremist stepbrother and find clues to what led Rich to become Salahuddin. It charts the brothers' relationship and Robb's attempt to understand why the person he'd once looked up to as a teenage role model could so strongly reject all that his family and the Western world believe in. As Robb spends time with Salahuddin, he witnesses a very particular phenomenon - the embrace of radical Islamism by young men, many of them white. Robb first heard of Rich's conversion in a national newspaper in the summer of 2009. The article said Rich had converted under Anjem Choudary, leader of the radical Muslim group Islam4UK (later banned under Britain's anti-terror laws). Robb was horrified by the things his stepbrother was telling him - that under Sharia law, women should be stoned to death for committing adultery, that he was prepared to die for Islam and that as a non-believer, Robb was going to hell. Just the previous summer the two brothers had shared a room on holiday in Cyprus and been practically inseparable. Robb began filming what was happening to Rich to try to understand why it had happened and what the world was like that Rich had chosen.
Journalist and author Michael Collins presents a hard-hitting and heartwarming history of one of Britain's greatest social revolutions - council housing. At its height in the mid-1970s, council housing provided homes for over a third of the British population. From the 'homes for heroes' cottages that were built in the wake of the First World War to the much-maligned, monolithic high rises of the 60s and 70s, Collins embarks on a grand tour of Britain's council estates. He visits Britain's first council estate, built as an antidote to London's disease and crime-ridden Victorian slums, the groundbreaking flats that made inter-war Liverpool the envy of Europe, the high rise estate in Sheffield that has become the largest listed building in the world, and the estate built on the banks of the Thames that was billed as 'the town of the 21st century'. Along the way he meets the people whose lives were shaped by an extraordinary social experiment that began with a bang at the start of the 20th century and ended with a whimper 80 years later.
It's a voyage of exploration like no other - to Titan, Saturn's largest moon and thought to resemble our own early Earth. For a small team of British scientists this would be the culmination of a lifetime's endeavour - the flight alone, some 2 billion miles, would take a full seven years. This is the story of the space probe they built, the sacrifices they made and their hopes for the landing. Would their ambitions survive the descent into the unknown on Titan's surface?
London won the bid to stage the Olympics on the basis of an extraordinary promise of a lasting legacy. With the Games less than 500 days away, leading political journalist Jon Sopel scrutinises the original pledges and asks if the legacy of the Games can really be delivered.
In 2008 Stacey Dooley emerged as one of the stars of the hit BBC Three series, Blood, Sweat and T-Shirts, and has since spent the three years lifting the lid on shocking stories from the developing world. In 2010 she travelled to the Democratic Republic of Congo where she examined the plight of child soldiers and journeyed to Cambodia to investigate the shocking world of underage sex trafficking. This time Stacey is travelling to one of our favourite holiday destinations, Thailand, to explore the darker side of tourism that the average holiday maker doesn't see. Hundreds of thousands of us flock to Thailand every year, where for just a few hundred pounds you can enjoy beautiful beaches, top hotels and unbeatable service. A trip to Thailand has become a rite of passage for many young Brits, but why is it possible to enjoy such luxury at such bargain prices? Stacey begins her trip in Phuket, where she stays as a tourist before swapping roles and becoming a hotel worker. She works as a chambermaid and struggles with the hard work and incredibly high standards, having to clean 14 rooms a day for just four pounds. She also discovers what it's like to live on such low wages and the sacrifices that some hotel workers have to make. Many live in slum conditions or in hotel dormitories, separated from their children for months at a time.
Steven Hydes was abandoned in the ladies toilet at Gatwick Airport when he was just ten days old, wrapped in a blanket and with a spare babygro by his side. Dubbed 'Gatwick Gary' by the newspapers at the time, his family never came back to claim him. With no birth certificate or clue to where he had come from, Steven has spent his life not knowing a thing about his identity. Steven was adopted at six months old and now 24 years later, with the support of his adoptive parents, he wants to find his birth mum - 'even though I've had this amazing upbringing I don't think I will ever stop searching until I get my answers.' He is about to embark on a life-defining journey, a detective story that might answer the most important questions of all - who am I and where do I come from? Being found in an airport means it's a worldwide search. He uses science in his desperate search for answers; can DNA testing pinpoint his racial make-up and will that narrow the search for his mum? Being a doting father himself it's a question that dogs him: what made his mother leave him to the mercy of strangers? 'It does make me wonder why things didn't work out with me. What happened to make them able to abandon me like that? I couldn't imagine my daughter being abandoned, so it makes me want to find out'. In this touching documentary, Steven also meets other foundlings, the term given to babies who have been found abandoned. What have they done to search for answers? How do they cope with knowing nothing about their origins? As Steven shares his experiences, the bond between these individuals, who have such unusual stories, is clearly visible. His journey ends with a heart-rending appeal to his birth mum via a national newspaper. But will he ever find the answers he is searching for?
Ben Fogle joins an expedition across Antarctica to find Captain Scott's Hut, frozen in time for a century. The hut was built to support Scott's 1911 attempt to be first to the South Pole, and was later abandoned together with ten thousand personal, everyday and scientific items. Ben uncovers the hut and its contents, finding new information about his hero Scott and his famously tragic expedition. Scott's diaries are read by Kenneth Branagh.
In April 2011, cities across the UK will play host to huge, colourful and joyous parades as Britain's Sikh community marks the festival of Vaisakhi. This programme explores the rituals through which the festival is celebrated today, and examines how Vaisakhi's themes - tolerance, equality, humility, dignity and an active concern for others - impact the daily lives of Sikhs. With contributions from a number of eminent Sikh historians and religious experts, this film provides an entertaining, informative and highly accessible introduction to the Sikh religion's annual festival.
Anka Bergman gave birth to her baby daughter Eva in a Nazi concentration camp. During her pregnancy, Anka witnessed the horrors of Auschwitz and endured six months of forced labour. If the Nazis found a woman was pregnant, she could be sent straight to the gas chambers. Amazingly, Anka's pregnancy went unnoticed for months. Anka eventually gave birth - on the day she arrived at an extermination camp. Anka weighed just five stone and was on the brink of starvation; baby Eva weighed just three pounds. Remarkably, both mother and daughter survived, and are living in Cambridge. Now they tell their story.
What should we do with children who commit serious crime? Following the recall of Jon Venables who, along with his friend Robert Thompson, murdered two-year-old James Bulger in Liverpool aged just ten, it's a question that many experts are asking. Retired detective Albert Kirby, the man who brought Venables and Thompson to justice, goes on a journey to find out what happened to Jon, the system that was designed to rehabilitate him, and what led to him being returned to jail. Featuring experts, practitioners, and people who knew Venables, this thought-provoking, challenging documentary lifts the lid on the system of secure children's homes, and asks if more should be done for the next generation of serious child criminals.
The Arabian Nights first arrived in the West 300 years ago, and ever since then its stories have entranced generations of children and seduced adults with a vision of an exotic, magical Middle East. Actor and director Richard E Grant wants to know why the book he loved as a child still has such a hold on our imagination. He travels to Paris to discover how the stories of Sinbad, Ali Baba and Aladdin were first brought to the West by the pioneering Arabist Antoine Galland in the early 18th century. The Nights quickly became an overnight literary sensation and were quickly translated into all the major European languages. Richard then travels to Cairo to explore the medieval Islamic world which first created them. He quickly finds that some of the stories can still be deeply controversial, because of their sexually-explicit content. Richard meets the Egyptian writer and publisher Gamal al Ghitani, who received death threats when he published a new edition of the book. He also finds that the ribald and riotous stories in the Nights represent a very different view of Islam than fundamentalism. Can the Nights still enrich and change the West's distorted image of the Arab world?
The first ever full-length film about Gustav Holst, composer and revolutionary - a man who taught himself Sanskrit; lived in a street of brothels in Algiers; cycled into the Sahara Desert; allied himself during the First World War with a 'red priest' who pinned on the door of his church 'prayers at noon for the victims of Imperial Aggression'; hated the words used to his most famous tune, I Vow to Thee My Country, because it was the opposite of what he believed; and distributed a newspaper called the Socialist Worker. Holst's music - especially the Planets - owed little or nothing to anyone, least of all the English folk song tradition, but he was a great composer who died of cancer, broken and disillusioned, before he was 60
Kirsten O'Brien investigates the boom in cosmetic injections. She looks at the growing phenomenon of the young using botox and fillers, and finds out what can go wrong with the procedures. Finally, she decides whether she is ready for the needle in a bid to go wrinkle free.
They have dined together through two series of Supersizers and attempted to live The Good Life. Now Giles Coren and Sue Perkins take their relationship to the next level as they prepare for their very own royal wedding.
This iconic American story was written in 1900 by L Frank Baum, a Chicago businessman, journalist, chicken breeder, actor, boutique owner, Hollywood movie director and lifelong fan of all things innovative and technological. His life spanned an era of remarkable invention and achievement in America and many of these developments helped to fuel this great storyteller's imagination. His ambition was to create the first genuine American fairytale and the story continues to fascinate, inspire and engage millions of fans of all ages from all over the world. This documentary explores how The Wonderful Wizard of Oz has come to symbolise the American Dream and includes previously unseen footage from the Baum family archives, still photographs and clips from the early Oz films, as well as interviews with family members, literary experts and American historians as it tells the story of one
Bizet's Carmen, Puccini's Madame Butterfly, Verdi's Violetta - some of the most famous and powerful roles in opera and they are all, in different ways, fallen women. And now there's a newcomer to their ranks - Anna Nicole. The Royal Opera's latest smash hit is an operatic version of the life of former Playboy model Anna Nicole Smith. Antonio Pappano, music director of the Royal Opera House and conductor of Anna Nicole, delves into the world of opera's fallen women and discovers how for centuries composers and librettists have used female characters in opera to explore and challenge society's attitudes and prejudices.
Our junk food addiction is dropping alarmingly down the age ladder, and we are now rearing a generation of fast food babies. This arresting documentary reveals babies and toddlers eating a diet of chips, burgers and kebabs, all washed down with bottles of fizzy cola. It explores the deep-seated reasons why parents resort to junk food feeding and follows three families as they desperately try and get back on the right nutritional track. From gentle food play to dramatic shocks, the parents team up with real experts who mentor them through the latest techniques as they try to wean their children off fast food.
Hundreds of years ago in faraway Iceland the Vikings began to write down dozens of stories called sagas - sweeping narratives based on real people and real events. But as Oxford University's Janina Ramirez discovers, these sagas are not just great works of art, they are also priceless historical documents which bring to life the Viking world. Dr. Ramirez travels across glaciers and through the lava fields of Iceland to the far north-west of the country to find out about one of the most compelling of these stories - the Laxdœla Saga.
The heroic tales of World War II are legendary, but Operation Crossbow is a little known story that deserves to join the hall of fame: how the Allies used 3D photos to thwart the Nazis' weapons of mass destruction before they could obliterate Britain. This film brings together the heroic Spitfire pilots who took the photographs and the brilliant minds of RAF Medmenham that made sense of the jigsaw of clues hidden in the photos. Hitler was pumping a fortune into his new-fangled V weapons in the hope they could win him the war. But Medmenham had a secret weapon of its own, a simple stereoscope which brought to life every contour of the enemy landscape in perfect 3D. The devil was truly in the detail and, together with extraordinary personal testimonies, the film uses modern computer graphics on the original wartime photographs to show just how the photo interpreters were able to uncover Hitler's nastiest secrets.
Most people thought that when the working traffic on canals faded away after the war, it would be the end of their story. But they were wrong. A few diehard enthusiasts and boat owners campaigned, lobbied and dug, sometimes with their bare hands, to keep the network of narrow canals open. Some of these enthusiasts filmed their campaigns and their home movies tell the story of how, in the teeth of much political opposition, they saved the inland waterways for the nation and, more than 200 years after they were first built, created a second golden age of the canals. Stan Offley, an IWA activist from Ellesmere Port, filmed his boating trips around the wide canals in the 40s, 50s and 60s in 16mm colour. But equally charming is the film made by Ed Frangleton, help from Harry Arnold, of a hostel boat holiday on the Llangollen Canal in 1961. There are the films shot by ex-working boatmen Ike Argent from his home in Nottinghamshire and looked after by his son Barry. There is astonishing film of the last days of working boats, some shot by John Pyper when he spent time with the Beechey's in the 60s, film taken by Keith Christie of the last days of the cut around the BCN, and the films made by Keith and his mate Tony Gregory of their attempts to keep working the canals through their carrying company, Midland Canal Transport. There is film of key restorations, the Stourbridge 16 being talked about with great wit and affection by one of the leading activists in that watershed of restorations in the mid-60s, David Tomlinson, and John Maynard's beautiful films of the restoration of the Huddersfield, 'the impossible restoration', shot over two decades. All these and more are in the programme alongside the people who made the films and some of the stars of them. Together they tell the story of how, in the years after 1945, a few people fought the government like David fought Goliath to keep canals open and restore ones that had become defunct, and won against all the o
The behind-the-scenes story of the town of Wootton Bassett, whose tributes to fallen soldiers have earned the community the first royal title awarded in over 100 years.
It is possible that only one percent of the wonders of Ancient Egypt have been discovered, but now, thanks to a pioneering approach to archaeology, that is about to change. Dr Sarah Parcak uses satellites to probe beneath the sands, where she has found cities, temples and pyramids. Now, with Dallas Campbell and Liz Bonnin, she heads to Egypt to discover if these magnificent buildings are really there.
Harold Wilson and Edward Heath are two very different men equally overlooked by history, but they were the political titans of the era in which Britain changed for ever. For ten years they faced each other in the House of Commons, and swapped in and out of Number Ten. They fought four general elections, three of which were amongst the most exciting of the century. They were deliciously different and scorned one another, yet they were cast from the same mould. Both promised a revolution of meritocracy and dynamism in the British economy and society. Both utterly failed, but together they presided over a decade that redefined the nation: Britain ceased to be a world power and entered Europe; the postwar consensus in which they both believed was destroyed; Thatcherism and New Labour were born. The country they left behind was unrecognisable from the one they had inherited - and the one they had promised. This documentary tells the story of their highly personal and political duel in the words of those who watched it blow by blow - their colleagues in the cabinet and government, and the journalists at the ringside. Set against a scintillating backdrop of the music and style of the 1960s and 70s (which was of no interest to either man) it brings the era, and its forgotten figureheads, vividly to life.
Documentary about the painters Augustus John and James Dickson Innes who, in 1911, left London for the wild Arenig Valley in North Wales. Over three years, they created a body of work to rival the visionary landscapes of Matisse.
In-depth documentary investigation into the story of a popular music that is often said to be made to be heard, but not listened to. The film looks at easy listening's architects and practitioners, its dangers and delights, and the mark it has left on modern life. From its emergence in the 50s to its heyday in the 60s, through its survival in the 70s and 80s and its revival in the 90s and beyond, the film traces the hidden history of a music that has reflected society every bit as much as pop and rock - just in a more relaxed way. Invented at the dawn of rock 'n' roll, easy listening has shadowed pop music and the emerging teenage market since the mid-50s. It is a genre that equally soundtracks our modern age, but perhaps for a rather more 'mature' generation and therefore with its own distinct purpose and aesthetic. Contributors include Richard Carpenter, Herb Alpert, Richard Clayderman, Engelbert Humperdinck, Jimmy Webb, Mike Flowers, James Last and others.
It's over 40 years since Annie Nightingale's very first show on Radio 1 - she was the station's first female DJ and is its longest-serving broadcaster. A lifelong champion of new music, first with punk, then new wave, acid house and dubstep, Annie is still at the cutting edge in her current incarnation as the 'Queen of the Breaks'. In this film Annie takes us on a counter-cultural journey through the events, people and sounds that have inspired her career. Full of insightful anecdotes about her sonic adventures and the numerous pop-cultural shifts that have helped shape her idiosyncratic outlook and tastes, the film features exclusive contributions from some of the many artists Annie has worked with and admired, including Sir Paul McCartney and Mick Jones of the Clash. We also hear from the new generation of artists who confirm that she's an icon of the British music scene.
The story of the remarkable family who tamed the wild Scottish coastline - told 200 years after the building of their first iconic lighthouse, the Bell Rock.
Documentary telling the stories of some of the 3.5 million children living in poverty in the UK. It is one of the worst child poverty rates in the industrialised world, and successive governments continue to struggle to bring it into line. So who are these children, and where are they living? Under-represented, under-nourished and often under the radar, 3.5 million children should be given a voice. And this powerful film does just that. Eight-year-old Courtney, 10-year-old Paige and 11-year-old Sam live in different parts of the UK. Breathtakingly honest and eloquent, they give testament to how having no money affects their lives: lack of food, being bullied and having nowhere to play. The children might be indignant about their situation now, but this may not be enough to help them. Their thoughts on their futures are sobering. Sam's 16-year-old sister Kayleigh puts it all into context, as she tells how the effects of poverty led her to take extreme measures to try and escape it all. Poor Kids puts the children on centre stage, and they command it with honesty and directness. It's time for everyone to listen.
As the Duke of Edinburgh marks his ninetieth birthday, Fiona Bruce explores the apparent contradictions in the life of Prince Philip. The longest-serving consort in British royal history began life as a prince of Greece, yet he is not actually Greek. He is regarded by many today as a crusty pillar of the establishment, yet early in the Queen's reign he was seen as a moderniser. "Get him on a bad day, and it's quite hard work", says one of his close friends; "get him on a good day, and you really don't want to be with anyone else". Many say his proudest achievement is his Duke of Edinburgh's award scheme, which has stretched the capabilities of thousands of young people. Yet, in his interview with Fiona Bruce, he rejects the idea that it makes him proud. The man who the Queen has said is her strength and stay says he wants to start winding down before his 'sell-by date'. But, as Joanna Lumley tells the programme, he is like "a bird of prey, a hawk or an eagle, with something absolutely penetrating about the eyes... You feel like you're being scanned." The Duke may be ninety, but he's very definitely not out.
Commentator Murray Walker's dramatic, excitable voice defined a golden era of Formula One and enthralled viewers across the globe. This is an intimate portrait of one the nation's treasures, and the inspiring tale of a man who, at the age of nearly 90, continues to break the mould. The documentary accompanies the indefatigable Walker as he travels to Australia for the opening F1 of the season, relives his tank commander past and rides classic scramble bikes. The programme also delves deep into the archive to bring back to life some of Murray's most sensational moments in motorsport and beyond. With contributions from Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton, Nigel Mansell, Damon Hill and Jenson Button.
In a frank and personal documentary, author Sir Terry Pratchett considers how he might choose to end his life. Diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2008, Terry wants to know whether he might be able to end his life before his disease takes over. Travelling to the Dignitas Clinic in Switzerland, Terry witnesses first hand the procedures set out for assisted death, and confronts the point at which he would have to take the lethal drug.
400 years of art history in 90 minutes? This film takes an eclectic group of people from all walks of life, including artists, critics and academics, out into the countryside to take a look at how we have depicted our landscape in art, discovering how the genre carried British painting to its highest eminence and won a place in the nation's heart.
Horticulturalist Chris Beardshaw uncovers the British contribution to the history of our most iconic fruit. He reveals the passion and dedication of Victorian gardeners who in an apples ‘golden age’ gave us more varieties than anywhere else in the world; and the remarkable ingenuity of a small group of 20th century British scientists who made one of the most significant contributions to the apple industry the world has ever seen. The apple has a more complex genetic make up than any other fruit. If you plant the pips from the apple in your lunchbox they almost certainly won’t turn into trees bearing identical fruit. Every single pip is potentially a new variety which could fall anywhere in the spectrum of small and sour to big and juicy. Some of the world’s best-loved apples like Braeburn and Bramley were discovered growing as chance seedlings - Granny Smith was found growing out of a rubbish tip by Mrs Smith of New South Wales. So while the apple seeks only to multiply rather than reproduce the same delicious apples, man fathomed how to clone it with an ancient process that remains the same to this day. Chris’s journey takes him from Britain’s most famous and time honoured apple tree - the original Bramley from which all Bramley apples are descended; to a new contender discovered growing in a hedgerow on the A4260. He meets the Head Gardener at Audley End House in Cambridge, a man bent on preserving the spirit of the Victorian nurserymen who toiled away in the kitchen gardens of the nation’s stately homes creating thousands of new varieties; and goes underground in Kent to explore the remarkable contribution made by scientists at East Malling Research Station in the early 20th century. Their work is captured on fascinating film archive, showing the extraordinary lengths they went to give tired British orchards a facelift. The Malling series of rootstocks became the foundation of the global apple industry as we know it, allowing the most successful v
For generations, the Kennedy family held America and the whole world in thrall. The entire clan - grandparents, parents, children and grandchildren - were part of a dynasty JFK's father had planned would last forever. But as tragedy struck again and again, the children would have to cope with death and disaster. Based on private home movies and the memoirs of the nannies who looked after them, this is the inside story of growing up in one of the twentieth century's most powerful families.
Documentary which celebrates 125 years of Wimbledon history, featuring archive of the tournament's most memorable moments and illuminating interviews with the key players and famous fans. The memories are plentiful: the champions, the fierce rivalries, the tantrums, the British expectation, the weather, the fashions. Wimbledon is the place gladiators like Borg and McEnroe, Federer and Nadal went head to head, where Mahut and Isner played for days and Novotna cried on Centre Court. It's where traditions are challenged but never forgotten, where the greats have been crowned and where even Sir Cliff Richard has entertained the crowds during the rain. Featuring contributions from John McEnroe, Martina Navratilova, Andre Agassi, Steffi Graff, Roger Federer, Boris Becker, Bille Jean King, the Williams sisters, Rafa Nadal, plus celebrity fans like Sir Cliff Richard and Stephen Fry.
Marking the 70th anniversary of the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941, historian Professor David Reynolds re-assesses Stalin's role in the life and death struggle between Germany and Russia in World War Two, which, he argues, was ultimately more critical for British survival than 'Our Finest Hour' in the Battle of Britain itself.
Andrew Graham-Dixon explores the ancient Christian practice of preserving holy relics and the largely forgotten art form that went with it, the reliquary. Fragments of bone or fabric placed inside a bejewelled shrine, a sculpted golden head or even a life-sized silver hand were, and still are, objects of religious devotion believed to have the power to work miracles. Most precious of all, though, are relics of Jesus Christ and the programme also features three reliquaries containing the holiest of all relics - those associated with the Crucifixion. The story of relics and reliquaries is a 2,000-year history of faith, persecution and hope, reflected in some of the most beautiful and little known works of art ever made. Featuring interviews with art historian Sister Wendy Beckett and Neil MacGregor, Director of the British Museum.
In 2009, over a hundred former pupils from two Catholic prep schools in England and Tanzania were reunited via the internet. Chatting in cyberspace, they discovered they had all suffered terrible abuse at school: mental, physical and, in some cases, sexual. As young children they were frightened into silence by their abusers. Now, as men in their fifties and sixties, and strengthened by the group, they want the truth to come out. Twenty two men have started legal proceedings against the Rosminian Order for compensation. They want justice. But half a century has passed, and their abusers are now elderly. What will it take to repair the damage and for the victims to feel able to move on?
The teenage search for sophistication is recalled in this bittersweet film about the people we were and the luxury items we thought would give us the keys to the kingdom.
In the first of three programmes to mark ten years since the invasion of Afghanistan, key decision makers reveal the inside story of how the West was drawn ever deeper into the Afghan war. Reporter John Ware charts the history of a decade of fighting and looks at when the conflict may end.
Mark Urban tells the inside story of Britain's fight for Helmand, told with unique access to the generals and frontline troops who were there.
A journey through the parts of Afghanistan that don't normally feature in news coverage to meet some amazing people and see fascinating places. Lyse Doucet uses her many years experience in Afghanistan to show a different side of a country which has been at war for 30 years.
Morgan Neville's full-length documentary is James Taylor and Carole King's first-hand account of the genesis and blossoming of the 1970s singer-songwriter culture in LA, focusing on the backgrounds and emerging collaboration between Taylor, King and the Troubadour, the famed West Hollywood club that nurtured a community of gifted young artists and singer-songwriters. Taylor and King first performed together at the Troubadour in November 1970, and the film explores their coming together and the growth of a new, personal voice in songwriting pioneered by a small group of fledgling artists around the club. Contributors include Taylor, King, David Crosby, Roger McGuinn, Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, Kris Krist
Art critic Alastair Sooke tracks down the ten most expensive paintings to sell at auction, and investigates the stories behind the astronomic prices art can reach. Gaining access to the glittering world of the super-rich, Sooke discovers why the planet's richest people want to spend their millions on art. Featuring works by Picasso, Monet, Renoir, Van Gogh, Klimt and Rubens, Sooke enters a world of secrecy and rivalry, passion and power. Highlights include a visit to the art-crammed home of millionaire author Lord Archer; a rare interview with the man at the heart of the sale of the most expensive old master of all time; privileged access to auctioneers Christie's; and a glimpse of the world of the Russian oligarchs. These revelatory journeys allow Sooke to present an eye-opening view of the super wealthy, and their motivations as collectors of the world's great art treasures.
Julia Bradbury heads for Iceland to embark on the toughest walk of her life. Her challenge is to walk the 60 kilometres of Iceland's most famous hiking route, a trail that just happens to end at the unpronounceable volcano that brought air traffic across Europe to a standstill in 2010 . With the help of Icelandic mountain guide Hanna, Julia faces daunting mountain climbs, red hot lava fields, freezing river crossings, deadly clouds of sulphuric gas, swirling ash deserts and sinister Nordic ghost stories as she attempts to reach the huge volcanic crater at the centre of the Eyjafjallajökull glacier.
Only the most charismatic are known by just one name. Known to his adoring public simply as 'Seve', Severiano Ballesteros took the world of golf by storm and transcended the sport, with his magnetic personality and sublime skill. Presented by Gary Lineker, this heart-warming tribute celebrates Seve's life and features exclusive footage of the man himself. Handsome, flamboyant and passionate, Seve strode the fairways for 30 years. He won the greatest honours in the game including three Open Championships and two Masters titles, often playing miraculous escape shots that held galleries in awe, from St Andrews to Augusta. He became a European talisman in the Ryder Cup, on the winning side four times as a player, and memorably, once as a captain on the Spanish course of Valderrama. Tragically at the age of just 54, Seve lost his painful battle with brain cancer earlier this year. His foundation had already raised millions for cancer charities, ensuring his legacy will live on. Featuring contributions from Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Rafa Nadal, Jose Maria Olazabal, Sir Nick Faldo, Colin Montgomerie, Greg Norman, HRH Prince Andrew , Sir Bruce Forsyth, Des Lynam and Peter Alliss.
Blue Peter gardener Chris Collins celebrates the humble and sometimes hated plants we call weeds. He discovers that there is no such thing as a weed, botanically speaking, and that in fact what we call a weed has changed again and again over the last three hundred years. Chris uncovers the story of our changing relationship with weeds - in reality, the story of the battle between wilderness and civilisation. He finds out how weeds have been seen as beautiful and useful in the past, and sees how their secrets are being unlocked today in order to transform our crops. Finally, Chris asks whether, in our quest to eliminate Japanese Knotweed or Rhododendron Ponticum, we are really engaged in an arms race we can never win. We remove weeds from our fields and gardens at our peril.
Sir Hubert Parry is simultaneously one of Britain's best-known and least-known composers. Jerusalem is almost a national song, regularly performed at rugby grounds, schools, Women's Institute meetings and the Last Night of the Proms, while Dear Lord and Father of Mankind is one of Britain's best-loved hymns. Everyone knows the tunes, yet hardly anyone knows much about the man who wrote them. In this film, HRH The Prince of Wales, a long-standing enthusiast of Parry's work, sets out to discover more about the complex character behind it, with the help of members of Parry's family, scholars and performers. This feature-length documentary by the award-winning director John Bridcut offers fresh insight into the life and work of Hubert Parry through the unique perspective of HRH The Prince of Wales.
Supersize Ambulance is narrated by Liz Tarbuck and follows the work of the Thames Ambulance Service's bariatric service.The use a much bigger vehicle to take obese people weighing up to 70st to hospital.
It is the most remarkable comeback story in English sporting history, and it all began 30 years ago this summer. It's the story of a team, so abject they had been written off completely, led by a man so distrusted and ridiculed that he was forced to resign his post for the sake of his family. Days later that man, Ian Botham, produced a 'boys own' performance to inspire that team, England, to beat Australia against 500-1 odds. It was just the start of Botham's Ashes. Botham: The Legend of '81 tells the simply incredible story of how Ian Botham went from national zero to hero, not once but twice. As well as the story of that almost unbelievable summer of '81, we hear how the success that followed changed Botham's life, making him, but breaking him at the same time. Having been reduced to zero once more we see how the anti-establishment Botham unwittingly became a national hero once again, this time through his tireless work to help children suffering with leukaemia. Featuring contributions from his family, colleagues and eyewitnesses such as Sir Mick Jagger, Sir Viv Richards, Bob Willis, David Gower, Sir Elton John, Stephen Fry and Sir John Major, Botham: The Legend of '81 charts one of English Sports most colourful and controversial careers and tells surely its most enduring comeback story.
In the last month of the space shuttle programme, Kevin Fong is granted extraordinary access to the astronauts and ground crew as they prepare for their final mission. He is in mission control as the astronauts go through their final launch simulation, and he flies with the last shuttle commander as he undertakes his last practice landing flight. Kevin also gains privileged access to the shuttle itself, visiting the lauchpad in the company of the astronaut who will guide the final flight from mission control. Kevin's journey takes him to the heart of NASA, when after 30 years of shuttle missions, they finally draw the curtain. As well as meeting the final astronauts, Kevin follows the specialist teams of men and women whose job it is to make sure the shuttle and its crew are as safe as they can possibly be. After experiencing the launch and being in mission control during the final mission, Kevin will be there on the tarmac at the Kennedy Space Centre when Atlantis returns from space for the last time, marking the end of an era in manned space flight.
A unique journey around the weird and wonderful planet that we call home. When Yuri Gagarin was blasted into space he became the first human to get a proper look at where we live. 'The Earth is blue,' he exclaimed, 'how amazing!'. Suddenly our perspective on the world had changed forever. We thought we were going to explore the universe, yet the most extraordinary thing we discovered was our own home planet, the Earth. So what would you see during just one orbit of the Earth? Starting 200 miles above the planet, this film whisks you around the planet to show what changes in the time it takes to circumnavigate the Earth just once. We hear from British-born astronaut Piers Sellers on what it's like to live and work in space, and also to gaze down and see how we are altering and reshaping our world. We marvel at the incredible forces of nature that brings hundred-mile wide storms and reshapes continents, and also discover how we humans are draining seas and building cities in the middle of the desert. We also visit the wettest place on Earth, as well as the most volcanic. Narrated by David Morrissey, this inspirational trip around the planet will make you view our home as you've never seen it before.
At 16, Roger Nsengiyumva has already made a name for himself as the star of the football movie Africa United. But there's something else about Roger; he was born in the Rwandan genocide of 1994 and only survived thanks to the raw courage of his mother. She spent 100 days hiding her newborn baby from the murderous gangs, and then bravely escaped to Britain after seeing her husband, Roger's father, shot dead. This is the story of Roger's return to his homeland to discover the harrowing truths of his family history and to find out whether he can share his mother's remarkable willingness to forgive those who destroyed both their lives. Part of Extraordinary Me, a season of programmes for BBC Three which focuses on young people with amazing stories to tell.
A witty exploration of the evolution of the gentleman's suit. Alastair Sooke only owns one suit, but he is fascinated by how the matching jacket and trousers has become a uniform for men. Over the last 100 years the suit has evolved from working man's Sunday best to the casual wear of royalty. For many 'the suit' is synonymous with all that is dull. But tailor Charlie Allen, Top Man chief designer Gordon Richardson and Sir Paul Smith show Alastair that the suit can be a cutting-edge fashion item and 'armour' to face the world.
Alex Lewis knows he does not have much longer to live. Aged 21 he finds himself falling hopelessly in love and can't quite believe what's happening. Alex was first diagnosed with bone cancer shortly before his 18th birthday. After over three years of intensive treatment, he realises he is running out of options. He decides to cram as much life as possible into the time he has left. His remarkable zest for life is contagious. On the first day of filming in June, 2010 his only sadness is not being able to commit to a long-term relationship. That evening he goes to a party in Swansea, kisses a girl, falls in love and within weeks they are inseparable. In September Alex and Ali become engaged to be married. This is a story of the power of love, as a young man confronts his mortality in the most emotionally charged circumstances imaginable. Part of Extraordinary Me, a season of programmes for BBC Three which focuses on young people with amazing stories to tell.
Documentary following the story of teenager Jamie Campbell, who wants to be a drag queen. Growing up in an ex-mining village in County Durham, Jamie has already faced his fair share of difficulties after coming out as gay at 14. However, with the majority of his family and friends being supportive, he has decided that he is ready to share his passion with the world. He plans to embrace who he really is by attending his end of school prom in drag, but he doesn't get the reaction he'd hoped for from both his school and, heart-breakingly, his own father. So Jamie has to make some difficult decisions. Jamie spends time with an established drag artist and battles his demons, performing as his alter ego, Fifi La True, for the very first time in front of a large audience. As Jamie has some frank and intimate family moments, and finds out just how strong he really is, the film explores his hopes and fears for the future. Will he get the acceptance he craves from his peers and the confidence to be who he really is? Part of Extraordinary Me, a season of programmes for BBC Three which focuses on young people with amazing stories to tell.
The unlikely story of how, between 1929 and 1945, a group of tweed-wearing radicals and pin-striped bureaucrats created the most influential movement in the history of British film. They were the British Documentary Movement and they gave Britons a taste for watching films about real life. They were an odd bunch, as one wit among them later admitted. "A documentary director must be a gentleman... and a socialist." They were inspired by a big idea - that films about real life would change the world. That, if people of all backgrounds saw each other on screen - as they really were - they would get to know and respect each other more. As John Grierson, the former street preacher who founded the Movement said: "Documentary outlines the patterns of interdependence". The Documentary Film Mob assembles a collection of captivating film portraits of Britain, during the economic crisis of the 1930s and the Second World War. Featuring classic documentaries about slums and coal mines, about potters and posties, about the bombers and the Blitz, the programme reveals the fascinating story of what was also going on behind the camera. Of how the documentary was born and became part of British culture.
The summer of 1960 was a critical moment in the history of film, when the fly-on-the-wall documentary was born. The Camera that Changed the World tells the story of the filmmakers and ingenious engineers who led this revolution by building the first hand-held cameras that followed real life as it happened. By amazing co-incidence, there were two separate groups of them - one on each side of the Atlantic. In the US, the pioneers used their new camera to make Primary, a compelling portrait of American politics. They followed a then little known John F Kennedy as he began his long campaign for the presidency. Meanwhile, in France, another new camera was inspiring an influential experiment in documentary filmmaking. Chronique d'un Ete captures the real lives of ordinary Parisians across the summer of 1960. Both these extraordinary films smashed existing conventions as handheld cameras followed the action across public spheres into intimate and previously hidden worlds. In The Camera that Changed the World this remarkable story is told by the pioneers themselves, some of whom, such as DA Pennebaker and Al Maysles are now filmmaking legends. Back in 1960, they were determined young revolutionaries.
Benedict Cumberbatch, one of the country's leading actors, explores the life and work of enigmatic playwright Terence Rattigan. Rattigan was the master of the 'well crafted play' of upper class manners and repressed sexuality and he dominated the West End theatre scene throughout the 40s and early 50s. But then, in the mid fifties 'the angry young men arrived'; a wave of young playwrights and directors who introduced a new, radical style of theatre. Rattigan's work faced a critical onslaught and he fell completely out of fashion. But now, in his centenary year his plays are enjoying a huge revival. But Rattigan himself remains an enigmatic figure - a troubled homosexual whose polite, restrained dramas confronted the very issues - sexual frustration, failed relationships, adultery and even suicide - that he found so difficult to deal with in his own life. He had a gift for commercial theatre but yearned to be taken seriously as a playwright. In this film Benedict re-visits his old school Harrow where Rattigan was also educated and was first inspired to write plays. He takes a trip down memory lane with one of Rattigan's closest friends (Princess Jean Galizine) and he talks to playwrights, critics and directors about what it is about Rattigan's work which we find so appealing today.
In 1728, 12-year-old James Annesley was snatched from the streets of Dublin and sold into slavery in America - the victim of a wicked uncle hell-bent on stealing his massive inheritance. Dan Cruickshank traces James's astonishing journey from the top table of 18th century society to its murky depths. The story, which helped inspire Robert Louis Stevenson's book Kidnapped, reveals some disturbing home truths that cast a shadow over the century of the Enlightenment.
The Emmy Award-winning story of a young woman grappling with the terrible legacy left by her Nazi father. Amon Goeth was a prominent Nazi leader and commandant of the Plaszow concentration camp. Utterly ruthless and sadistic, he murdered thousands of Jews and others during WWII. After seeing Ralph Fiennes's portrayal of him in Schindler's List, Goeth's daughter Monika began a quest to come to terms with his evil legacy. Together with Helen Jonas, a survivor of the Holocaust and Goeth's slave, the two women unearth the personal cost of crimes that consumed millions and question whether a parent's actions can ever be truly laid to rest.
A Jewish teenager and an injured soldier join a doomed plot to kill Hitler. They face almost certain death, yet luck and love shine upon them as they outwit Nazi terror and become the first couple married in post-war Berlin. Narrated by the former teenager herself and featuring the original footage shot by her sweetheart, their story would sound like a pitch for a Hollywood blockbuster were it not all true. A harrowing tale of war, resistance, love and survival - and, miraculously, a happy ending.
Simon Armitage presents the extraordinary story of the most disturbing witch trial in British history and the key role played in it by one nine-year-old girl. Jennet Device, a beggar-girl from Pendle in Lancashire, was the star witness in the trial in 1612 of her own mother, her brother, her sister and many of her neighbours and, thanks to her chilling testimony, they were all hanged.
George Mallory was obsessed with becoming the first person to conquer the untouched Mount Everest. He was last seen 800 feet below the summit in 1924 as the clouds rolled in and he disappeared into legend. His death stunned the world. This documentary uses astonishing visuals to tell the intersecting stories of George Mallory, the first man to attempt a summit of Mount Everest, and Conrad Anker, the mountaineer who finds Mallory's frozen remains 75 years later.
In this fascinating documentary, historian Bettany Hughes travels to the seven wonders of the Buddhist world and offers a unique insight into one of the most ancient belief systems still practised today. Buddhism began 2,500 years ago when one man had an amazing internal revelation underneath a peepul tree in India. Today it is practised by over 350 million people worldwide, with numbers continuing to grow year on year. In an attempt to gain a better understanding of the different beliefs and practices that form the core of the Buddhist philosophy and investigate how Buddhism started and where it travelled to, Hughes visits some of the most spectacular monuments built by Buddhists across the globe. Her journey begins at the Mahabodhi Temple in India, where Buddhism was born; here Hughes examines the foundations of the belief system - the three jewels. At Nepal's Boudhanath Stupa, she looks deeper into the concept of dharma - the teaching of Buddha, and at the Temple of the Tooth in Sri Lanka, Bettany explores karma, the idea that our intentional acts will be mirrored in the future. At Wat Pho Temple in Thailand, Hughes explores samsara, the endless cycle of birth and death that Buddhists seek to end by achieving enlightenment, before travelling to Angkor Wat in Cambodia to learn more about the practice of meditation. In Hong Kong, Hughes visits the Giant Buddha and looks more closely at Zen, before arriving at the final wonder, the Hsi Lai temple in Los Angeles, to discover more about the ultimate goal for all Buddhists - nirvana.
Documentary which reveals the story of German lawyer Hans Litten's public attempt to challenge Adolf Hitler. It examines Litten's life and work, the circumstances which prompted him to take such an extraordinary risk with his own safety, and the fate that awaited him after his historic confrontation with Hitler in a Berlin courtroom. This study of courage, politics and humanity combines original archive material and interviews with Litten's friends and family, survivors from the street-fighting political landscape of 1930s Berlin, and historians and lawyers to illuminate Litten's tactics and choices. The documentary also explores Litten's story after the trial, his arrest and torture by the Nazis, and his courage in the concentration camps as Hitler's first political prisoner. So what drove a 29-year-old lawyer with his whole career ahead of him to challenge fascism so directly, pursuing the man at the top and forcing Hitler to account for the violence of his massive private army?
Legendary Texan outlaw comic Bill Hicks was and still is an inspiration to millions. A true product of the American dream, his rebellious and exhilarating comedy left no stone unturned and his profound observations on American life were a life-changing experience for many who saw him. The story of a son, a brother and a friend, this funny and critically-acclaimed film is told 'in the round' by the family and peers who knew Hicks best. With captivating photographs animating the scenes of his rollercoaster life - from precocious teenager through the dark years of addiction to his spectacular recovery - Hicks found international fame before his life was tragically cut short by cancer at the age of just 32. This intimate and emotional portrait is both a revelation for fans, and the perfect introduction for newcomers, to an iconic comedy hero whose timeless material seems to resonate more strongly by the year.
When the 33 Chilean miners emerged from underground before a worldwide audience of over a billion, they made a pact not to speak about what had happened underground. Now six of them remember the untold story of the first 17 days - when no-one outside knew if they were alive. Filming down a Chilean mine, the programme explores the nightmare of living in the dark tunnels half a mile underground, eating a spoonful of tuna every two days and not knowing if you would ever be found.
After a summer dominated by shocking revelations about phone hacking and celebrity superinjunctions, former Heat editor Sam Delaney investigates how much we're entitled to know about the private lives of the famous - and how much they have a right to keep hidden. Do celebs deserve to have their sex lives exposed just because they are famous? And could the rest of us really be jailed for passing on their secrets? As he meets victims of phone hacking and tabloid exposés, and goes out with the paps hunting the latest juicy shots, Sam asks how the gossip he has always considered harmless has suddenly become so serious - and even dangerous.
Award-winning filmaker Sue Bourne goes behind the normally closed doors of the world of competitive Irish dance in a documentary telling the story of the 40th Irish Dancing World Championships. Thousands of dancers, their families and teachers from around the world descend on Glasgow for seven drama-filled days.
Documentary telling the story of the long dispute between fifty Traveller families living on Dale Farm in Essex and the local council, as the bitter campaign to evict the families reaches its climax. Having spent six years filming all sides in this conflict, film-maker Richard Parry speaks to the extended clan of matriarchs Marianne McCarthy and Mimi Sheridan, who vow they will not leave Dale Farm without a fight. He also meets Len Gridley, the unofficial leader of the residents' campaign against the Travellers, who claims that they are a menacing, destructive presence.
In the first of this two-part series, Mishal Husain charts the tumultuous events earlier this year in Tunisia and Egypt as people power toppled the governing regimes. She meets some of those who led the uprisings and finds out about the role played by the internet and social media in the organisation and mobilisation of resistance movements.
For more than four years the town of Wootton Bassett has quietly marked the return of soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. We look at what repatriations have meant to bereaved families and the town.
Emily Maitlis tells the incredible story of Donald Trump, the world's most famous developer, who changed the New York skyline with his glitzy towers and made himself a multi-billionaire. With unprecedented access to Trump and his family Maitlis finds out how he did it. Trump's own lifestyle, with the glamorous wives and the private jet, is all marketing for his luxurious brand. Now the all-American tycoon is over here. Maitlis asks why he wants to build a huge golf resort on the sand-dunes near Aberdeen, and watches him presiding over his own beauty pageant in Las Vegas. She finds out how it was a Brit who made Trump the star of the original Apprentice series, bringing the media-loving mogul with the amazing hair to an even bigger public.
At just two years old, Kellie O'Farrell suffered horrendous burns to her face and hands in a car fire. Now, at 22, she's leaving the security of her family and the small community in Ireland where she grew up to start a new life on her own in London. How will she cope as she tries to make new friends and live an independent life in this big beauty-obsessed city?
The Clink is a restaurant with a difference. The menu may sound mouthwatering, but the paying customers at this classy establishment tuck into their crab, lobster and coq au vin knowing that most of the staff are convicted criminals. This unique and controversial rehabilitation scheme, set within the walls of HMP High Down Prison, aims to transform prisoners into fully trained chefs and waiters. The film follows fiery head chef Al as he employs three new inmates who are struggling to change their lives and turn their backs on crime.
To commemorate the 10th anniversary of 9/11, The Twins of the Twin Towers tells the previously untold story of the twins who lost their 'other half' on the day of the terrorist attacks. It features the accounts of some of the 46 twins including Zachary Fletcher, a New York City Fire Fighter who lost his fellow fire fighter and twin brother, Andre in the south tower; Gregory Hoffman, who was on the phone to his twin, Stephen, as the second plane hit and former NYPD undercover cop, Lisa DeRienzo who lost her brother, Michael. As a broker, Michael believed he was the one with the safe job. These and other compelling testimonies make for a profound and powerful tale, which strikes at the heart of what it is to be, not only a twin, but also a human being and reminds us why, as the tenth anniversary approaches, the world can never forget the events of September 11 2001.
The story of how the Arab world erupted in revolution, as a new generation used the internet and social media to try to overthrow their hated leaders. In the last of this two part series, Mishal Husain meets those who spread the revolt to Libya and Bahrain, and those who are still fighting the Syrian regime.
This September marks the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, one of the biggest terrorist atrocities of the 21st Century. Nineteen hijackers, all members of Al Qaeda, crashed four planes on American soil, leading to the deaths of 2,973 innocent people. This horrific event has generated a multitude of conspiracy theories that contradict the official findings of the US government's investigation into the events of that day. Andrew Maxwell, a comedian, believes in the findings of the official investigation, which claim the responsibility for the attack lies with Osama Bin Laden and Al Qaeda. He thinks the conspiracies theories are unsubstantiated nonsense. So in this film he offers to take five young Brits, who believe some of these conspiracy theories, on a road-trip from New York to Washington. They visit Ground Zero where two planes hit the Twin Towers, the Pentagon, home of vast American defence HQ and Shanksville in Pennsylvania where United 93 crashed. Each of them believes different elements of the conspiracy theories. Charlotte, a North London nanny who witnessed the attacks, thinks the American government is responsible. She can't believe the hijackers, barely out of flying school, could have steered jetliners into the Twin Towers with such deadly accuracy. Rodney a health worker who studied biochemistry suspects the collapse of the towers was not caused by the planes that went in to them and he wants to get to the bottom of the science. Student Emily, an active member of the 9/11 Truth Movement, thinks the US government was forewarned of the attacks and yet ignored the intelligence allowing it to happen. Shazin, a qualified surveyor, wants to find out how the passengers on United 93 could have made phone calls to loved ones from a plane. And Charlie, an ex-banker thinks 9/11 was an excuse for the US Government to go to war with Iraq. Andrew Maxwell thinks all five of them are wrong and wants to change their minds by confronting them with the fa
In the year of the Rugby World Cup to be played on All Black territory, Eddie Butler tells the story and reassesses the impact of the victorious Lions tour in 1971, taking a journey through a rugby-mad country with staggering scenery.
Terry Wogan looks at the life of writer PG Wodehouse. In exploring the extraordinarily long career of his literary hero, Terry employs rarely seen archive material and is joined by Stephen Fry, Griff Rhys Jones, Joanna Lumley and a series of expert contributors in a documentary which addresses Wodehouse's longstanding appeal.
Drama-documentary in which art critic Andrew Graham-Dixon tells the story of the greatest cultural controversy of the last 200 years. He explores the history of the Elgin Marbles, tells the dramatic story of their removal from Athens and cites the arguments for and against their return to Greece
From dinosaurs to mammoths, when our ancient ancestors encountered the fossil bones of extinct prehistoric creatures, what did they think they were? Just like us, ancient peoples were fascinated by the giant bones they found in the ground. In an epic story that takes us from Ancient Greece to the American Wild West, historian Tom Holland goes on a journey of discovery to explore the fascinating ways in which our ancestors sought to explain the remains of dinosaurs and other giant prehistoric creatures, and how bones and fossils have shaped and affected human culture. In Classical Greece, petrified bones were exhibited in temples as the remains of a long lost race of colossal Heroes. Chinese tales of dragons may well have had their origins in the great fossil beds of the Gobi desert. In the Middle Ages, Christians believed that mysterious bones found in rock were the remains of giants drowned in Noah's Flood. But far from always being wrong, Tom learns that ancient explanations and myths about large fossilsed bones often contained remarkable paleontological insights long before modern science explained the truth about dinosaurs. Tom encounters a medieval sculpture that is the first known reconstruction of a monster from a fossil, and learns about the Native Americans stories, told for generations, which contained clues that led bone hunters to some of the greatest dinosaur finds of the nineteenth century. This documentary is an alternative history of dinosaurs - the neglected story of how mythic imagination and scientific inquiry have met over millennia to give meaning to the dry bones of prehistory. Today, as our interest in dinosaurs and prehistoric creatures continues unabated, it turns out we are not so far away from the awe and curiosity of our ancient ancestors.
Documentary looking at how war has been dramatised on British television from the Second World War through the Falklands campaign to contemporary conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, examining the challenges - both financial and dramatic - in bringing war to the small screen.
Dinosaurs died out 65 million years ago and we have hardly ever found a complete skeleton. So how do we turn a pile of broken bones into a dinosaur exhibit? Dr Alice Roberts finds out how the experts put skeletons back together, with muscles, accurate postures, and even - in some cases - the correct skin colour.
Born and bred in Lancashire, 17-year-old Alia was coerced into marrying a stranger in Pakistan and only allowed home once pregnant. Meanwhile, Jessie is marooned in rural Bangladesh, promised to a cousin twice her age. These young women are terrified of marrying a stranger, and even more terrified of shaming their families should they dare to refuse; and if they flee they face a lifetime ostracised from family and community. Itís heartbreaking, especially when, a year after escaping, Alia finally gives in to parental pressure and agrees to return to Pakistan. Documentary offering an insight into arranged marriages, a practice that involves 8,000 British people every year. Following one married woman and another facing nuptials in Bangladesh, the film observes how they cope with pressure from families expecting them to wed out of honour and not love.
The Scots have a reputation as brave, ferocious warriors. Despite a troubled history with England, history shows that more of Scotland's young men sign up to fight for the crown than anywhere else in Britain. Rory Bremner, whose own father and great grandfather were distinguished Scottish soldiers, sets out to discover why rebel clansmen became loyal servants of the military establishment. His story takes him to Culloden, Crimea and northern France. As the sound of the pipes floats over Scottish military camps in Afghanistan he asks if, after 250 years, the Scottish soldier's loyalty to Queen and country is running out?
Set against the post war period of debt, austerity and rationing, the 1951 Festival of Britain showed how to carve out a bright new future through design and ingenuity, while still having fun. Told by the people who made it happen and making use of some previously unseen colour footage, this is the story of how an extraordinary event changed Britain forever.
Has one of Britain's greatest artists been unfairly forgotten? Waldemar Januszczak thinks so. In this documentary, Januszczak argues that the little known 17th-century portrait painter William Dobson was the first English painter of genius. Dobson's life and times are embedded in one of the most turbulent and significant epochs of British history - the English Civil War. As official court painter to Charles I, the tragic British king later beheaded by parliament, Dobson had a ringside seat to an period of intense drama and conflict. Based in Oxford, where the court was transferred after parliament took control of London, Dobson produced an astonishing number of high quality portraits of royalist supporters, heroes and cavaliers which Januszczak believes are the first true examples of British art. As he puts it in the film: 'Dobson's face should be on our banknotes. His name should be on all our lips.' The film investigates the few known facts about William Dobson and seeks out the personal stories he left behind as it follows him through his tragically short career. When he died in 1646 - penniless, unemployed and a drunk - Dobson was just 36. Among the Dobson fans interviewed in the film is Earl Spencer, brother of Princess Diana, who agrees wholeheartedly that William Dobson was the first great British painter.
Buddha in Suburbia tracks the extraordinary journey of 40 year old Lelung Rinpoche, one of Tibetan Buddhism's three principal reincarnations, as he sets out to gather the lost teachings of his faith and to attempt a return to his homeland. For the past seven years, Lelung Rinpoche has been living in Ruislip North London, in the garden shed of one of his students. He runs a dharma or teaching centre locally, attended by British followers. Now a British passport holder, he embarks on a mission to find previous Lelungs' teachings, and the teachers who hold the key to unlocking their secrets. His odyssey takes him to India, Mongolia and China as he tries to find a way of getting back home to Tibet. He meets some of Tibetan Buddhism's most senior teachers, including the Tibetan Prime Minister in exile. Lelung is a young, modern lama, with relationships with many across the globe from teenagers in Rusilip to the Dalai Lama. The film includes an interview with Tibetan Buddhist expert Professor Robert Thurman, father of Uma Thurman. Lelung Rinpoche has a daunting task to complete on his quest to recover lost teachings before they disappear, and to try to take the right steps on his own path towards enlightenment.
It's the tree which ate suburbia. Fifty-five million leylandii are growing in Britain, with another 300,000 planted each year. Nobody knows how high they will grow, and some botanists believe the trees have the potential to grow to the size of a giant redwood. This film meets lovers and loathers of leylandii hedges, including the naturist who loves the privacy it affords his back garden in Keighley, and the residents of a sheltered housing project in South Shields who live in the perpetual shadow of the massive hedge owned by their local church. We meet the biggest hedge in Britain, standing at 130 feet and rising, and we meet householders for whom mere mention of the word leylandii is enough to induce gnashing of teeth. The so-called High Hedges Act of 2005 was meant to put an end to this sort of conflict, but we meet hedge victims who bemoan the impotence, bureaucracy and expense of the law. In the midst of it all, we meet reasonable and kind people forking out thousands of pounds to cull the monstrous hedges they inherited when they bought new homes.
Through personal testimony, this programme follows the process of resigning: from the initial crisis to taking the decision to resign and handling the timing, to the costs, consequences and legacy of the resignation. It shows that the honourable resignation is not dead. In all walks of life people grappling with moral issues still take that decision to resign. Consultant anaesthetist Stephen Bolsin felt he could only go public after he had resigned and left the country. Former home secretary Jacqui Smith was determined to do the honourable thing and resign immediately over her expenses, but she was thwarted by a prime minister with any eye on political timing. The honourable resignations of Lord Carrington and Richard Luce were put back on track by a hostile parliament and press. The programme charts how resignation can act as a social barometer - affairs that were once a fast route to leaving are no longer a career fullstop. Max Mosley talks frankly about how determined he was not to bow to pressure to go after revelations over his extra-marital sex. Interviewees talk about their experiences and what they have learned. Alastair Campbell describes almost 'lamping' demonstrators outside his house. Greg Dyke can't sleep after his resignation 'deal' with the BBC governors goes wrong. Daily Star journalist Richard Peppiatt is plunged into depression after his plan to publish his resignation letter in the Guardian falls apart. My Resignation shows that however society changes, resigning remains a personal and often traumatic journey.
Sophie Dahl explores the extraordinary life and times of her food heroine, Mrs Beeton - the creator of the original domestic bible Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management. Through cooking original recipes from her book, investigating her childcare advice and home remedies and even throwing a full Victorian dinner party, Sophie finds out how one young woman shaped our idea of what a home really is and reveals the personal tragedies behind Mrs Beeton's starchy public persona.
For the first time on UK television, Transplant shows the extraordinary reality of multiple organ donation, following the organs from a single donor to the different recipients. The film shows the surgeries and the human stories on both sides, as both donor and recipients have agreed to waive the normal anonymity that exists between them. Transplant follows the complex process of donation coordinated by the organ donor organisation, NHS Blood and Transplant, from the very beginning when a potential donor is declared brain dead and their organs are retrieved through to the transplant surgeries and recovery of the patients who've benefited from the donor's organs.
From the beginnings of film-making to the triumph of Jurassic Park - the dinosaur has always been a movie star. Over 60 minutes, BBC4's Rex Appeal takes a bite out of the Cretaceous cinema and reveals the truth about T-Rex. It's a story that stretches from the charming cartoon apatosaurus Gertie (1914), to the vicious and cunning velociraptors of Spielbrerg's imagination. But it's not all teeth and trashing city centres - as our critics explain, dinosaur movies are always about more than just dinosaurs. The 'nature finds a way' DNA argument in Jurassic Park directly mirrored the arguements about GM crops in the early 90s. Godzilla - the radioactive-breathed dinosaur emerged from the seas of Japan just nine years after the nuclear attack on Hiroshima. King Kong and his dinosaur pals on Skull Island have sparked a million film school theories. Of course, not all dino dramas are so high minded - in the Hammer film One Million Years BC, the audience were just as fascinated with Racquel Welsh's fur tops as they were with the Triceratops. Despite Hammer's claim that 'This is the way it was', the science was a little dubious- the last dinosaur died 64 million years before the first modern human appeared. Whatever cultural anxieties dinosaurs represent, they've always been a cinematic spectacle that has thrilled audiences on a instinctual level - with each new breakthrough in special effects giving us ever more real Rex's. Willis O'Brien gave us the legendary Kong v Rex fight that taught us to love Kong, Ray Harryhausen invented 'dinomation' and put dinosaurs and cowboys together in The Valley of Gwangi. And since the 90s - CGI has banished the man in the dino suit, and made prehistoric protagonists are more real than ever. Contributors include film critics James King and Kim Newman, science broadcaster Adam Rutherford, comedian Susan Calman and broadcaster and film historian Matthew Sweet.
No-one has done more for the cello than Mstislav Rostropovich, or Slava as he was widely known. As well as being arguably the greatest cellist of the twentieth century, he expanded and enriched the cello repertoire by the sheer force of his artistry and his personality and composers lined up to write works for him. In this film by John Bridcut, friends, family and former pupils explore the unique talents of this great Russian artist, and listen to and watch him making music. Contributors include his widow Galina Vishnevskaya and their daughters Olga and Elena; the eminent conductors Seiji Ozawa and Gennadi Rozhdestvensky; and cellists who attended his famous classes in Moscow, including Natalya Gutman, Mischa Maisky, Moray Welsh, Elizabeth Wilson and Karine Georgian. The film traces the development of Rostropovich's international career amid the political tensions of the final years of the Soviet Union.
Just off the southern coast of mainland Greece lies the oldest submerged city in the world. A city that thrived for 2000 years during the time that saw the birth of Western civilisation. An international team of experts uses the latest technology to investigate the site and digitally raise it from the seabed, to reveal the secrets of Pavlopetri. Led by underwater archaeologist Dr Jon Henderson, the team use the latest in cutting-edge science and technology to prise age-old secrets from the complex of streets and stone buildings that lie less than five metres below the surface. State-of-the-art CGI helps to raise the city from the seabed revealing, for the first time in 3,500 years, how Pavlopetri would once have looked and operated. Jon Henderson is leading this ground-breaking project in collaboration with a team from the Hellenic Ministry of Culture, and Nic Flemming, the man whose hunch led to the intriguing discovery of Pavlopetri in 1967. Also working alongside the archaeologists are a team from the Australian Centre for Field Robotics, who aim to take underwater archaeology into the 21st century. The team scour the sea floor for any artefacts that have eroded from the sands. The site is littered with thousands of fragments, each providing valuable clues to the everyday lives of the people of Pavlopetri. From the buildings to the trade goods to the everyday tableware, every artefact provides a window into a long-forgotten world. Together these precious relics provide us with a window on a time when Pavlopetri would have been at its height, showing us what life was like in this distant age, and revealing how this city marks the start of Western civilisation.
There's only a slim chance that black and white parents will have twins of different skin colour, but as one in ten children born in the UK is now mixed race, this genetic quirk is going to become increasingly common. Twincredibles follows five sets of twins, from toddlers through to adults, to create a surprising and compelling story about the journey of mixed-race Britain. The stories of all these twins throw a new and fascinating light on how brothers and sisters who are similar in so many other ways lead different lives because of their skin colour. The experiences don't always match the stereotype. For teenage boys James and Daniel, growing up in Eltham South East London, it was the whiter-looking twin Daniel who suffered racial abuse, whilst darker twin James was left alone. Travelling through the experiences of each set of twins, the film unpeels the impact this accident of their birth has on how they see themselves and how the outside world views them. Living in diverse locations across England to Scotland, the twins tell their stories in their own words, to paint an honest and sometimes hard-hitting picture of race in modern Britain.
17-year-old Sam and 20-year-old Evan are a gay male couple - but underneath their clothes they have female bodies. What makes this story so exceptional is that they are both in the process of changing their bodies from female to male, at the same time. This film follows their gender journey and the prejudice they encounter along the way - including the humiliation and fear they suffer of having eggs thrown at them as they walk to the bus stop. The documentary tells the story of how Sam and Evan met, fell in love and embarked on a remarkable transgender journey together to transform their bodies from Girls to Men.
What is the truth about the sexes? It is a deeply-held assumption that every person is either male or female; but many people are now questioning whether this belief is correct. This compelling and sensitive documentary unlocks the stories of people born neither entirely male nor female. Conditions like these have been known as 'intersex' and shrouded in unnecessary shame and secrecy for decades. It's estimated that DSDs (Disorders of Sexual Development) are, in fact, as common as twins or red hair - nearly one in 50 of us. The programme features powerful insights from people living with these conditions, and the medical teams at the forefront of the field, including clinical psychologist Tiger Devore, whose own sex when born was ambiguous.
In November 2010, a Chinese vase unearthed in a suburban semi in Pinner sold at auction for £43 million - a new record for a Chinese work of art. Why are Chinese vases so famous and so expensive? The answer lies in the European obsession with Chinese porcelain that began in the 16th century and by the 18th century was a full-blown craze that swept up kings, princes and the emerging middle classes alike. In this documentary Lars Tharp, the Antiques Roadshow expert and Chinese ceramics specialist, sets out to explore why Chinese porcelain was so valuable then - and still is now. He goes on a journey to parts of China closed to Western eyes until relatively recently. Lars travels to the mountainside from which virtually every single Chinese export vase, plate and cup began life in the 18th century - a mountain known as Mount Gaolin, from whose name we get the word kaolin, or china clay. He sees how the china clay was fused with another substance, mica, that would turn it into porcelain - a secret process concealed from envious Western eyes. For a time porcelain became more valuable than gold - it was a substance so fine, so resonant and so strong that it drove Europeans mad trying to copy it. Carrying his own newly-acquired vase, Lars uncovers the secrets of China's porcelain capital, Jingdezhen, before embarking on the arduous 400-mile journey to the coast that every piece of export porcelain would once have travelled. He sees how the trade between China and Europe not only changed our idea of what was beautiful - by introducing us to the idea of works of art we could eat off - but also began to affect the whole tradition of Chinese aesthetics too, as the ceramicists of Jingdezhen sought to meet the European demand for porcelain decorated with family coats of arms, battle scenes or even erotica. The porcelain fever that gripped Britain drove conspicuous consumption and fuelled the Georgian craze for tea parties. Today the new emperors - China's rising millio
Brian Clarke is one of Britain's hidden treasures. A painter of striking large canvases and the designer of some of the most exciting stained glass in the world today, he is better known abroad - especially in Germany and Switzerland - than in his own country, and more widely recognised among critics, collectors and gallery owners than he is by the general public. In this visually striking documentary portrait made by award-winning filmmaker Mark Kidel, Clarke returns to Lancashire where he grew up as a prodigy in a working-class family and charts his meteoric rise during the punk years and eventual success as a stained glass artist working with some of the world's great architects, including Norman Foster and Arata Isozaki - and producing spectacular work in Japan, Brazil, the USA and Europe. Contributors include his close friend and architect Zaha Hadid, architect Peter Cook and art historian Martin Harrison.
In September 2011, an international group of scientists has made an astonishing claim - they have detected particles that seemed to travel faster than the speed of light. It was a claim that contradicted more than a hundred years of scientific orthodoxy. Suddenly there was talk of all kinds of bizarre concepts, from time travel to parallel universes. So what is going on? Has Einstein's famous theory of relativity finally met its match? Will we one day be able to travel into the past or even into another universe? In this film, Professor Marcus du Sautoy explores one of the most dramatic scientific announcements for a generation. In clear, simple language he tells the story of the science we thought we knew, how it is being challenged, and why it matters.
Documentary that reveals the secret story behind one of the greatest intellectual feats of World War II, a feat that gave birth to the digital age. In 1943, a 24-year-old maths student and a GPO engineer combined to hack into Hitler's personal super-code machine - not Enigma but an even tougher system, which he called his 'secrets writer'. Their break turned the Battle of Kursk, powered the D-day landings and orchestrated the end of the conflict in Europe. But it was also to be used during the Cold War - which meant both men's achievements were hushed up and never officially recognised
Ice is one of the strangest, most beguiling and mesmerising substances in the world. Full of contradictions, it is transparent yet it can glow with colour, it is powerful enough to shatter rock but it can melt in the blink of an eye. It takes many shapes, from the fleeting beauty of a snowflake to the multi-million tonne vastness of a glacier and the eeriness of the ice fountains of far-flung moons. Science writer Dr Gabrielle Walker has been obsessed with ice ever since she first set foot on Arctic sea ice. In this programme she searches out some of the secrets hidden deep within the ice crystal to try to discover how something so ephemeral has the power to sculpt landscapes, to preserve our past and inform our future
Actor and aviator Martin Shaw takes to the skies to rediscover one of the most audacious and daring raids of World War II. On the morning of 18 February 1944, a squadron of RAF Mosquito bombers, flying as low as three metres over occupied France, demolished the walls of Amiens Jail in what became known as Operation Jericho. The reasons behind the controversial raid remain a mystery to this day. This dramatic documentary investigates the missing pieces of the story, with interviews from survivors and aircrew, and tries to find out why the raid was ordered and by whom.
In May this year, US Special Forces shot and killed Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan. Publicly Pakistan is one of America's closest allies - yet every step of the operation was kept secret from it. Filmed largely in Pakistan and Afghanistan, this two-part documentary series explores how a supposed ally stands accused by top CIA officers and Western diplomats of causing the deaths of thousands of coalition soldiers in Afghanistan. It is a charge denied by Pakistan's military establishment, but the documentary makers meet serving Taliban commanders who describe the support they get from Pakistan in terms of weapons, training and a place to hide. This first episode investigates signs of duplicity that emerged after 9/11 and disturbing intelligence reports after Britain's forces entered Helmand in 2006.
Historian Dr Janina Ramirez unlocks the secrets of a centuries-old masterpiece in glass. At 78 feet in height, the famous East Window at York Minster is the largest medieval stained-glass window in the country, and it was the creative vision of a single artist - a mysterious master craftsman called John Thornton, one of the earliest named English artists.
Humphrys is of a generation and a background for whom stigma acted as a break on behaviour that others might consider anti-social or even immoral. He was brought up in a working-class area of Cardiff where there were few single mothers and the only man in his street who refused to work was treated with contempt, and the veteran broadcaster’s evident bafflement over the way the post-war welfare state has nurtured a dependency culture made for compelling viewing. This was a serious programme about an important subject with a fundamental question at its heart: how did the great ambitions of William Beveridge to banish the Five Evils of Want, Ignorance, Squalor, Disease and Idleness produce a society in which hundreds of thousands of people, maybe millions, choose to live off their fellow taxpayers and consider that they are entitled to do so?
Leonardo da Vinci is considered by many to be one of the greatest artists who ever lived. Yet his reputation rests on only a handful of pictures - including the world's most famous painting, the Mona Lisa. As the National Gallery in London prepares to open its doors on a remarkable exhibition of Leonardo's work, Fiona Bruce travels to Florence, Milan, Paris and Warsaw to uncover the story of this enigmatic genius - and to New York, where she is given an exclusive preview of a sensational discovery: a new Leonardo.
Just how did the Devil get inside our heads? And who put him there? For Halloween, award-winning comedy writer and performer Andy Hamilton (creator and star of Radio 4's acclaimed infernal comedy Old Harry's Game) explores just who the devil Satan is, where he comes from and what he's been up to all this time.
Journalist Frank Gardner sets out to trace the first adventure of Tintin, the childhood hero that inspired him to travel and report from the world's hot spots. Frank follows Tintin to Moscow and discovers the influences that created the successful cartoon strip.
The second film in this timely and enthralling two-part documentary series reveals how Britain and America discovered compelling evidence that Pakistan was secretly helping the Taliban and concluded they had been double-crossed. It tells the story of how under President Obama the US has waged a secret war against Pakistan. Taliban commanders tell the film makers that to this day Pakistan shelters and arms them, and helps them kill Western troops - indeed one recently captured suicide bomber alleges he was trained by Pakistani intelligence. Chillingly, the film also reveals that, based on some evidence, Pakistani intelligence stands accused of sabotaging possible peace talks. Pakistan denies these charges, but relations between Pakistan and America now verge on hostility.
Documentary which follows tornado researcher and weather fanatic Sam Hall on an epic road trip across the US in search of some of the planet's most violent storms. This would be a gruelling trip for the toughest of individuals, but there's an added challenge for Sam as she has a skin condition known as Epidermolysis Bullosa or EB. The layers of her skin don't stick together and so even the slightest knock can tear or blister her skin. Once out in the States, Sam is intoxicated by the brutal tempests she encounters, but her excitement soon turns to trepidation as she heads right into the middle of America's worst ever tornados.
What do you do when your child is gifted and their academic ability has overtaken yours? In a lot of ways 13-year-old Cameron Thompson is a normal teenage boy - obsessed with computer games, sporting the first hints of a moustache and a newfound interest in girls. But he is also a maths genius who is currently doing an Open University degree in applied mathematics and it is this ability that has singled him out. That, and an intense social awkwardness his parents put down to his Asperger's Syndrome. Can Cameron balance the need to remain the genius he has always been - and therefore different - with the classic teenage longing to be accepted?
It is only ten years since the mixed race category was added to the census in Britain and only 40 years since laws against miscegenation were in force in 16 states of America. Yet interracial relationships have been a feature of society throughout modern history. This film, shown as part of the Mixed Race Britain season, tells the stories of prominent relationships that created huge controversy at the time and examines the historical and contemporary social, sexual and political attitudes towards race mixing. Among those contributing are Tony Benn and Professor Kwame Anthony Appiah. About this programme Throughout history, interracial sex has been one of society's great taboos, but despite the social and legal constraints placed on mixed-race couples, such relationships have been an ever-present feature of modern society. Through the stories of relationships that created scandals in their own time, this documentary examines the complex history of interracial relationships and chronicles the shifts in attitudes that for centuries have created controversy and anxiety all around the world.
Ian Hislop presents an entertaining and provocative film about the colourful Victorian financiers whose spectacular philanthropy shows that banking wasn't always associated with greed or self-serving financial recklessness. Victorian bankers achieved wealth on a scale never envisaged by previous generations, but many of them were far from comfortable about their new-found riches, which caused them intense soul-searching amidst furious national debate about the moral purpose of money and its potential to corrupt. Like so many other Victorian bankers, Samuel Gurney was a Quaker. Banking and its rewards seemed at odds with a faith that valued modest simplicity, but Gurney's wealth helped the work of his sister, prison reformer Elizabeth Fry, who is immortalised on today's five-pound note. Self-made millionaire George Peabody was a merchant banker who made an enormous donation to London housing. 150 years on, his housing estates still provide accommodation to 50,000 Londoners. Angela Burdett-Coutts became an overnight celebrity after she inherited the enormous Coutts fortune. With her love of small dogs and her vast stash, she could have been the Paris Hilton of her day. Instead, she went on to become a great philanthropist. Perhaps the richest of them all was Natty Rothschild, who tried not just to ensure that his personal wealth did good, but that his bank's did too. Deploying his customary mix of light touch and big ideas, Ian champions these extraordinary and generous individuals. Along the way, he meets Dr Giles Fraser, until his recent, dramatic resignation canon chancellor of St Paul's Cathedral, chairman of the FSA Lord Turner, philanthropic financier the current Lord Rothschild, historian A N Wilson and chief rabbi Lord Sacks.
Compelling drama-documentary which tells the story of how, three years after the 7/7 attacks on London, a busy shopping centre in Bristol was the intended target of a devastating terrorist attack. However, the young man planning this attack was not your typical terrorist. Born to a middle-class, loving, Christian family, Andrew Ibrahim had a privileged upbringing and attended prestigious public schools. So how did this bright teenager turn into a would-be suicide bomber? This film starring Adam Deacon (Adulthood, Kidulthood) sets out to answer this very question. It plays alongside sensitive interviews with Andrew's friends, classmates and his mother. Police testimony of the race to find the plotter is cut against unprecedented CCTV footage that tracks his every move through the city. Most sinister, however, is the film's portrayal of the world of online extremism which turned Andrew into a terrorist, and the actual footage he viewed online is woven through the film in stark uncut form, surely leaving every mother wondering what her son is up to behind closed doors.
This one hour documentary, produced by Mentorn Media for BBC Four, follows Melvyn Bragg as he travels from Oklahoma to California to examine the enduring legacy of the Nobel Prize-winning author, John Steinbeck. In novels such as The Grapes of Wrath, Of Mice and Men, and Cannery Row, Steinbeck gave voices to ordinary people who were battling poverty, drought and homelessness. Melvyn Bragg assesses why the work of one his favourite authors remains relevant in today's America, taking a fresh approach to John Steinbeck, his work and in particular Pulitzer Prize-winning The Grapes of Wrath, one of the epic American novels of the 20th century. Bragg visits the site of the Thirties dust bowl in Oklahoma; the California orchards where bloody political battles were fought between migrant labourers and growers; and the Monterey coastline where Steinbeck developed his ideas on ecology, and makes a case for Steinbeck as one of the great voices of American literature.
The A303 is the road that passes Stonehenge on the way to the beaches of Devon and Cornwall. On the way, it whisks drivers through 5,000 years of remarkable moments in English history. And it's the star of this film made for armchair travellers and history lovers. Writer Tom Fort drives its 92-mile length in a lovingly-restored Morris Traveller. Along the way he has many adventures - he digs up the 1960s master plan for the A303's dreams of superhighway status; meets up with a Neolithic traveller who knew the road like the back of his hand; gets to know a section of the Roman 303; uncovers a medieval murder mystery; and discovers what lies at the end of the Highway to the Sun.
Comedian Rich Hall hits the road as he takes us on his personal journey through the road movie, which, from the earliest days of American cinema has been synonymous with American culture. With his customary wit and intelligence, Rich takes us through films such as Bonnie and Clyde, The Grapes of Wrath, Thelma and Louise, Vanishing Point, Five Easy Pieces and even The Wizard of Oz. He explores what makes a road movie and how the American social, economic and political landscape has defined the genre. Filmed on location in South Dakota, Wyoming and Montana, the film incorporates interviews, archive footage and clips of some of cinemas best-loved films as it gives us another of Rich Hall's unique insights into American culture.
This topical programme taps into the nation's obsession with the weather and asks whether we are heading for another 'snowmageddon' as experienced in the previous two years. Can forecasters give us warning this time around? How does the 'olde' weather lore compare with the supercomputers? And what are we doing across Britain to prepare ourselves as we head into winter? 'Will It Snow?' predicts what another extreme cold snap would spell for Britain's economy as it puts the science of weather forecasting to the test and asks the experts what we are in store for between now and spring.
Playing the ukulele and performing songs that keep the George Formby legend alive, Frank Skinner follows the music hall star's rise to fame and explores his continuing popularity
An intriguing investigation into the extraordinary life of Gershwin's classic composition, Summertime. One of the most covered songs in the world, it has been recorded in almost every style of music - from jazz to opera, rock to reggae, soul to samba. Its musical adaptability is breathtaking, but Summertime also resonates on a deep emotional level too. This visually and sonically engaging film explores the composition's magical properties, examining how this song has, with stealth, captured the imagination of the world. From its complex birth in 1935 as a lullaby in Gershwin's all-black opera Porgy and Bess, this film traces the hidden history of Summertime, focusing on key recordings, including those by Billie Holiday, Janis Joplin, Mahalia Jackson, Miles Davis and Ella Fitzgerald. It reveals how musicians have projected their own dreams and desires onto the song, re-imagining Summertime throughout the 20th century as a civil rights prayer, a hippie lullaby, an ode to seduction and a modern freedom song. Back in the 1930s, Gershwin never dreamt of the global impact Summertime would have. But as this film shows, it has magically tapped into something deep inside us all - nostalgia and innocence, sadness and joy, and our intrinsic desire for freedom. Full of evocative archive footage as well as a myriad versions of Summertime - from the celebrated to the obscure - Searching For Summertime tells the surprising and illuminating tale behind this world-famous song.
Documentary telling the story of how Pan American World Airways kickstarted the Jet Age and shrank the globe. Real-life 'Pan Am girls' recall a high-life of luxury and glamour; rubbing shoulders with celebrity passengers, international romances and having to wear the now infamous girdle. Stars of the Jet Age such as Robert Vaughn and Mary Quant remember the food, fashion and girls that made them regular Pan Am passengers. Pan Am's success was largely due to its visionary founder Juan Trippe, who transformed a small mail carrier into a global airline, pioneered flights for the masses and helped create the Boeing 747 jumbo jet. Honor Blackman narrates the story of how Pan Am conquered the skies and left a legacy of affordable travel and a much smaller world.
An amazing story of a remarkable couple whose love is tested to the very edge of life. Kirstie is 21 years old, born with cystic fibrosis and has always known that her life would be short. In March 2011 she was put onto the transplant waiting list, having been told that she had end-stage lung disease and could be dead within six months. This film follows Kirstie's extraordinary experience of living on the transplant list, the fear and uncertainty, the realities of having constant pain, taking endless medications, relying on oxygen machines 24 hours a day to breathe and doing all of this whilst planning for her wedding. It follows Kirstie being rushed to hospital three days before the wedding before bravely making it down the aisle through sheer willpower and determination. As her condition becomes more critical and the chance of a lifesaving lung transplant seems more remote, we follow Kirstie's husband Stuart facing the very real possibility of his new wife dying - they had only been married for three weeks. Despite all the setbacks Kirstie continues to fight for her second chance at life till the very end.
Beneath the America we think we know lies a nation hidden from view - a nomadic nation, living on the roads, the rails and in the wild open spaces. In its deserts, forests, mountain ranges and on the plains, a huge population of modern nomads pursues its version of the American dream - to live free from the world of careers, mortgages and the white picket fence. When British writer Richard Grant moved to the USA more than 20 years ago it wasn't just a change of country. He soon found himself in a world of travellers and the culture of roadside America - existing alongside, but separate from, conventional society. In this film he takes to the road again, on a journey without destination. In a series of encounters and unplanned meetings, Richard is guided by his own instincts and experiences - and the serendipity of the road. Travelling with loners and groups, he encounters the different 'tribes' of nomads as he journeys across the deserts of America's south west.
Ever since the early 1960s, Rick Stein has been in love with the blues and years later he is fascinated by the dishes ingrained in its lyrics - fried chicken and turnip greens, catfish and black-eyed peas, and the rest. In this film, Rick pays homage to the musicians who created this music and to the great dishes of the Mississippi Delta that go hand in hand with the blues.
Writer and broadcaster Stephen Smith re-envisions the story of 20th century American culture through its most iconic institution - the diner. Whether Edward Hopper's Nighthawks or the infamous encounter between Pacino and de Niro in Heat, these gleaming, gawdy shacks are at the absolute heart of the American vision. Stephen embarks on a girth-busting road journey that takes him to some of America's most iconic diners. He meets the film-makers and singers who have immortalised them, and looks at the role diners have played not only in America's greatest paintings and movies, but also in the fight against racial oppression and the chain restaurants' global takeover. For Stephen, it is because the diner is the last vestige of a vital part of the American psyche - the frontier. Like the Dodge City saloon it is a place where strangers are thrown together, where normal rules are suspended and anything can happen. And it is this crackle of potentially violent and sexual energy that have drawn so many artists to the diner, and made it not a convenient setting but an engine room of 20th century American culture.
Life was an iconic weekly magazine that specialised in extraordinarily vivid photojournalism. Through its most dynamic decades, - the 40s, 50s and 60s - Life caught the spirit of America as it blossomed into a world superpower. Read by over half the country, its influence on American people was unparalleled. No other magazine in the world held the photograph in such high esteem. At Life the pictures, not the words, did the talking. As a result, the Life photographer was king. In this film, leading UK fashion photographer Rankin celebrates the work of Life's legendary photographers including Alfred Eisenstaedt and Margaret Bourke-White, who went to outrageous lengths to get the best picture - moving armies, naval fleets and even the population of entire towns. He travels across the USA to meet photographers Bill Eppridge, John Shearer, John Loengard, Burk Uzzle and Harry Benson who, between them, have shot the big moments in American history - from the assassination of Robert F Kennedy, the Civil Rights struggle and Vietnam to behind the scenes at the Playboy mansion and the greatest names in Hollywood. These photographers pioneered new forms of photojournalism, living with and photographing their subjects for weeks, enabling them to capture compelling yet ordinary aspects of American life too. Rankin discovers that Life told the story of America in photographs, and also taught America how to be American.
In just seven years, Mark Zuckerberg has gone from his Harvard college dorm to running a business with 800 million users, and a possible value of $100 billion. His idea to 'make the world more open and connected' has sparked a revolution in communication, and now looks set to have a huge impact on business too. Emily Maitlis reports on life inside Facebook. Featuring a rare interview with Zuckerberg himself, the film tells the story of Facebook's creation, looks at the accuracy of The Social Network movie, and examines Facebook's plans to use the personal information it has collected to power a new kind of online advertising.
The Royal Bank of Scotland was once a famous Scottish institution; a bank with a reputation for prudence. But in October 2008, less than a decade after Fred Goodwin took over as chief executive, it came within hours of collapsing. RBS later posted the biggest loss in UK corporate history - 24 billion pounds - which damaged the bank's reputation for financial prudence and Scotland's image as a global financial centre. Using previously unbroadcast footage of the bank's top executives and interviews with bank insiders, this documentary tells the compelling story of a national catastrophe.
Documentary telling the story of Hidcote, the most influential English garden of the 20th century and Lawrence Johnston, the enigmatic genius behind it. Hidcote was the first garden ever taken on by the National Trust, who have spent 3.5 million pounds in a major programme of restoration. As part of this facelift, the garden team have been researching Johnston's original vision and in doing so have uncovered a compelling story that reveals how he created such an iconic garden. Yet until recently, little has been known about its secretive creator and self-taught gardener, Johnston. He kept few, if any, records on Hidcote's construction, but the head gardener at Hidcote, Glyn Jones, has embarked on a personal mission to discover as much about the man as possible to find out how, in the early 20th century, Johnston set about creating a garden regarded as the model of inspiration for designers all over the world.
Adil Ray investigates the controversial subject of on-street grooming of young girls for sex by Pakistani men in the UK. He speaks to members of his own community, the police and victims of abuse. For Adil, it is a 'deeply personal journey' and he is shocked by what he discovers.
Ever wondered what would happen in your own home if you were taken away, and everything inside was left to rot? The answer is revealed in this fascinating programme, which explores the strange and surprising science of decay. For two months in summer 2011, a glass box containing a typical kitchen and garden was left to rot in full public view within Edinburgh Zoo. In this resulting documentary, presenter Dr George McGavin and his team use time-lapse cameras and specialist photography to capture the extraordinary way in which moulds, microbes and insects are able to break down our everyday things and allow new life to emerge from old. Decay is something that many of us are repulsed by. But as the programme shows, it's a process that's vital in nature. And seen in close up, it has an unexpected and sometimes mesmerising beauty.
For over 1,200 years church bells have called the faithful to worship, helping people celebrate triumph and commemorate tragedy. But the fact that they are one of the largest and loudest musical instruments in the world is often overlooked. This is something musical innovator Charles Hazlewood wants to change - he wants to see if church bells can be used to make original music in their own right. Choosing Cambridge for his musical experiment, Charles immerses himself in the world of bells and bell ringing. He tries his hand at ringing church bells, handbells and even a carillon - an instrument which resembles an organ made out of bells. He discovers why church bell ringing sounds the way it does and tries out some radical techniques - pushing the boundaries, he re-rigs a whole church tower so it can play a tune. At the culmination of his investigations Charles devises and performs an extraordinary piece of music which involves three separate church towers and 30 handbell ringers gathered from across the eastern counties.
Is it possible for professional musicians from the BBC Concert Orchestra to make beautiful sounds out of garbage? This documentary aims to find out. For the first time ever an entire orchestra of 44 instruments will be built from just scrap. The quest to build an orchestra of instruments out of rubbish is more than just a musical spectacle - in the construction of these instruments we delve into the history of instrument making and the science of music, why different instruments are made the way they are, why some designs have not changed for hundreds of years and why, when played together, the sound of an orchestra is unlike anything else on earth. Inspirational conductor Charles Hazlewood leads the challenge and charges a group of the UK's top instrument makers with the mission of transforming junk, broken furniture and the contents of roadside skips into an orchestra of instruments. The BBC Concert Orchestra - a team of virtuoso performers - will put their reputations on the line by using these instruments to stage what they hope will be a flawless performance of Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture at the 2011 Proms. But will the scrapheap orchestra pass muster at the mother of all classical musical festivals?
Broadly considered a brand that inspires fervour and defines cool consumerism, Apple has become one of the biggest corporations in the world, fuelled by game-changing products that tap into modern desires. Its leader, Steve Jobs, was a long-haired college dropout with infinite ambition, and an inspirational perfectionist with a bully's temper. A man of contradictions, he fused a Californian counterculture attitude and a mastery of the art of hype with explosive advances in computer technology. Insiders including Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, the chairman who ousted Jobs from the company he founded, and Jobs' chief of software, tell extraordinary stories of the rise, fall and rise again of Apple with Steve Jobs at its helm. With Stephen Fry, world wide web inventor Sir Tim Berners-Lee and branding guru Rita Clifton, Evan Davis decodes the formula that took Apple from suburban garage to global supremacy.
Professor Brian Cox takes an audience of famous faces, scientists and members of the public on a journey through some of the most challenging concepts in physics.
At 25, Ruth Ojadi had an amazing singing voice and a place to study music at university. She should have been on her way to the top. Instead, Ruth was diagnosed with Tourette's Syndrome and her life fell apart. The blinks and twitches her GP had put down to nerves became worse and before long she started swearing and blurting out inappropriate comments, eventually dropping out of university and locking herself away. Now, three years on, Ruth has decided to take her life back and once again step up to the mic, but when a trip to the supermarket is such a struggle how will she cope with getting up on stage?
As the M25 celebrates its 25th birthday, Sally Boazman takes a road trip to see how the motorway has changed our economy, environment and living habits. The 117-mile orbital road took more than 11 years to build. It cost £1bn, and used more than 2m tons of concrete and 3.5m tons of asphalt. The final section was opened by Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in October 1986 to a huge fanfare. Sally Boazman charts the M25's history, follows the team that keeps it moving, and meets a couple who even got married on it.
James Holland presents a fresh analysis of the legendary 1943 Dam Busters raid, a low-level night mission that took 19 Lancaster bombers deep into the heart of enemy territory to destroy German dams with a brand new weapon - the bouncing bomb. Of the many extraordinary things about the Dams raid, the biggest is that it almost never happened. When finally green lit, it set off an incredible race against time to form and train a new squadron. Their mission was to deliver a weapon that did not yet exist. Unprecedented by any scale, and even more remarkable because the crews were not the experienced elite that legend sometimes suggests, Holland believes this truly is the greatest raid of all time. Yet, whilst arguing that the true impact of the successful raid has been underestimated, he also sets out to investigate whether the results should have been even greater.
Roasts of Christmas Past explores television's changing relationship with the British Christmas dinner, looking at how TV cooks like Fanny Craddock, Gary Rhodes, Jamie Oliver and Nigella Lawson have each put their stamp on our annual feast. How hard is it to give the same old ingredients a new twist every year? Why do so many of us turn to Delia at this special time of year? And why does it have to be turkey? The documentary looks at the pre-TV history of the meal, the pioneering work of post-war cook Marguerite Patten and the subsequent changes in the style of these shows, which began as lessons and have ended up as entertainment. Do we still follow the recipes - or just envy the lifestyle?
After his furniture store went up in flames during the London riots, 80-year-old Maurice Reeve came out of retirement to lead his family business through the crisis, and he also set out to find out how a town he had always thought so safe, could descend into arson and looting.
Spirograph, Fuzzy Felt, Barbie, Meccano - Robert Webb tells the story of our Christmases through the toys we played with and loved.
Rosalyn Ball reports on the art of political cartooning.
As a historian and unashamed fan, Professor Amanda Vickery is fascinated by how Jane Austen, an anonymous minor novelist in her lifetime, is 200 years later recognised as a unique British literary genius whose fame rivals Dickens and Shakespeare. From a convention centre in Texas to Princess Diana's family home, and from the trenches of World War I to the silver screen of Hollywood, Vickery explores how and why generations of readers have been won over by just six classic novels.
Darcey Bussell steps into the shoes of her Hollywood heroes to celebrate the enduring legacy of classic dance musicals. In the age of Strictly Come Dancing and Streetdance 3D, Darcey, one of Britain's greatest living dancers and Hollywood musical superfan, discovers that the key to understanding where this dance-mad culture comes from lies in classic movie musicals. She takes famous dance routines from her favourite Hollywood musicals and reveals how they cast their spell, paying tribute to the legends of the art form and discovering the legacy they left. Darcey pays homage to Fred Astaire in an interpretation of Puttin' on the Ritz; plays Ginger Rogers in a rendition of Cheek to Cheek; pays tribute to the exuberant Good Morning from Singin' in the Rain; and stars in a new routine inspired by Girl Hunt Ballet from The Band Wagon. Darcey works with leading choreographer Kim Gavin and expert conductor John Wilson, who has painstakingly reconstructed the original scores, as she discovers how dance in the movies reached a pinnacle of perfection and reveals how the legacy of the golden age lives on.
Jane Austen is one of the most celebrated writers of all time but apart from a rough sketch by her sister Cassandra, we have very little idea what she looked like. Biographer Dr Paula Byrne thinks that is about to change. She believes she has come across a possible portrait of the author, lost to the world for nearly two centuries. Can the picture stand up to forensic analysis and scrutiny by art historians and world leading Austen experts? How might it change our image of the author? And what might the portrait reveal about Jane Austen and her world? Martha Kearney seeks answers as she follows Dr Byrne on her quest.
David Tennant narrates a celebratory look at how an ogre with a Scottish accent single-handedly changed the face of animation. It features exclusive interviews with the creative geniuses behind the award-winning animation and the voices that brought the story to life, including Cameron Diaz, Antonio Banderas, Jennifer Saunders and Shrek himself, Mike Myers.
Looking at the marriage of Charles Dickens through the eyes of his wife Catherine, Sue Perkins exposes the lesser known reality of the Dickens family Christmas - very different from the heart-warming versions he presented in A Christmas Carol. In this 60-minute film for BBC Two, Sue turns her attention to the woman behind the man, revealing parallels between the female characters he created and his changing affections for his wife, namely, in Dickens's mind, her transition from innocent virgin to middle-aged frump. Scrutinising Dickens's public defence in a national newspaper of his treatment toward Catherine, Sue seeks to set the record straight, promulgating her unconditional love for Dickens and support for his career. Along the way, she has plenty of laughs, evokes the realities of Victorian marriage, interviews many of today's leading biographers of Mr and Mrs Dickens, explores Charles's role in creating Christmas as we know it - and gets to make a twelfth night cake.
Terry Nutkins celebrates the 175th anniversary of Bristol Zoo. In this whistle-stop tour through the zoo's fascinating history, Terry reflects on his time presenting the BBC TV series 'Animal Magic' with Johnny Morris. The programme gave voices to the animals, turning Dotty the ringtailed lemur into a household name. Over the years, the zoo has been home to some notable residents including Alfred the gorilla who became a wartime symbol of resistance, and Rosie the elephant who used to give rides to children. Contributors to the programme include the Hollywood actor John Cleese who went to school nearby and Creature Comforts creator Nick Park who drew inspiration from the polar bears. The programme examines how the role of the zoo has evolved over the decades to reflect changing public attitudes. From an initial focus on amusement and entertainment, the modern zoo places more importance on education and conservation.
Tess Daly takes a nostalgic look back at TV classics that have come out of the BBC in the North West over the last 50 years. She is joined by a host of stars as they recall their favourite TV moments and celebrate the distinctly northern flavour. In his last BBC TV interview before his death, Sir Jimmy Savile talks about the magical beginnings of Top of the Pops, while Stuart Hall recalls his favourite memories of It's A Knockout. Debbie McGee explains why she enjoyed her famous appearance on the Mrs Merton Show when Caroline Aherne famously asked her 'what first attracted you to the millionaire Paul Daniels?'. John Simm and Philip Glenister, alias Gene Hunt, reveal the secrets of Life On Mars, and Dragon Peter Jones lifts the lid on the famous Den.
Joan Bakewell talks to Sir David Frost about his landmark interviews with former United States president Richard Nixon. The Nixon Interviews, first broadcast in 1977, gained record audiences and the high drama which surrounded them later became the subject of both a West End play and an Oscar-nominated film, Frost/Nixon. Sir David tells Joan Bakewell about the fight to secure the interview and the struggle to raise the money to make it. He also recalls the negotiations with Hollywood super-agent Swifty Lazar, whom Nixon had retained to represent him, the intense discussions with Nixon's own team of advisers, and trying to come to terms with the hugely complicated personality of Richard Nixon himself. At times the contest between the two men verged on gladiatorial, at others Frost almost seemed to be Nixon's confessor. It ended with Nixon's momentous apology to the American people.
Medievalist Dr Stephen Baxter takes a fresh look at the Middle Ages through the eyes of children. At a time when half the population was under 18, he argues that although they had to grow up quickly and take on adult responsibility early, the experience of childhood could also be richly rewarding. Focusing on the three pillars of medieval society - religion, war and work - Baxter reveals how children played a vital role in creating the medieval world.
The Camorra, the Naples mafia, is Italy's bloodiest organised crime syndicate. It has killed thousands and despite suffering many setbacks is as strong as ever. It is into drug trafficking, racketeering, business, politics, toxic waste and even the garbage disposal industry. Naples's recent waste crisis was in part blamed on the crime syndicate. Its grip on the city is far reaching.
Millions of sales on both sides of the Atlantic, near bankruptcy, pills, thrills, spats, prats, successes, excesses, pick-me-ups and breakdowns - all spiralled together to create some of the most defining music of the 20th century. This is the definitive and fully-authorised documentary of the highs and lows of the UK's most inspired and dissolute independent record label - Creation Records. Over 25 years after Creation's first records, it follows the story from the days of the Jesus and Mary Chain, My Bloody Valentine, Ride, Primal Scream and Teenage Fanclub to the Boo Radleys, the Super Furry Animals and of course Oasis, among many, many more. The label's enigmatic founder Alan McGee talks candidly of the trail which led from humble beginnings in Glasgow, via drink and drug dependency to being wined and dined at No 10 Downing Street by Tony Blair.
How has the sitcom responded to the sexual revolution? From Hancock's Half Hour in the 50s, through 70s sitcoms like Up Pompeii! and Reggie Perrin to contemporary comedies like Him & Her, this documentary explores sexual frustration as an enduring sitcom theme, the changing role of women and the British love of innuendo. Why did Butterflies cause such a stir in the 80s? Did Men Behaving Badly really capture the sexual politics of the 90s? And how did the permissive society affect Terry and June? The film looks at the changing language of sitcom, contrasts British comedy with its more liberal American counterpart, and asks whether the modern sitcom recognises any taboos at all. Contributors include sitcom stars Leslie Phillips, Leslie Joseph, Wendy Craig, and writers David Nobbs, Simon Nye and Jonathan Harvey
A special tribute to Sir Jimmy Savile, the eccentric DJ who hosted the legendary Top of the Pops and Jim'll Fix It. The film includes classic footage of the man in action and interviews with close family and friends from the world of showbiz and his home city of Leeds, as well as representatives from the many charitable organisations for which he raised millions of pounds.
The cliché of classic rock guitar is one of riffs, solos and noise. But write a list of great guitarists and their finest moments and a quieter, more intense playing comes to the fore. The acoustic guitar is the secret weapon in the armoury of the guitar hero, when paradoxically they get more attention by playing quietly than being loud. This documentary takes an insightful and occasionally irreverent look at the love affair between rock and the humble acoustic guitar. Exploring a much less celebrated, yet crucial part of the rock musician's arsenal, contributors including Johnny Marr, Keith Richards, Ray Davies, James Dean Bradfield, Biffy Clyro, Joan Armatrading, Donovan and Roger McGuinn discuss why an instrument favoured by medieval minstrels and singing nuns is as important to rock 'n' roll as the drums, bass and its noisy sister, the electric guitar
This is the story of how we fell in love with regional telly. Contributors including Angela Rippon, Michael Parkinson and Martin Bell describe the excitement and sense of adventure that existed during the very early days of local TV. In the late 50s and early 60s viewers were offered a new vision of the places where they lived. ITV and the BBC took advantage of transmitter technology and battled for the attention of an emerging regional audience. The programme makers were an eclectic bunch but shared a common passion for a new form of TV that they were creating. For more than half a century they have reported on local stories. The early film-makers were granted freedom to experiment and create different shows and formats, including programmes that would later become huge hits. Regional TV also acted as a launch pad for presenters and reporters who would become household names. But just how real was this portrayal of regional life? And how will local life be reflected on our screens in the future?
The sound of bells ringing is deeply rooted in British culture. Bells provide the grand soundtrack to our historic moments, call out for our celebrations and toll sadly in empathy with our grief. No important event seems complete without their colourful ringing. In this film, Richard Taylor travels the country to unravel the 1,500 years of history that have made bells such a key British sound. He meets the people who work with bells and those who understand their significance in our past and present.
Scots adventurer Mark Beaumont (The Man who Cycled the Americas) joins polar veteran Jock Wishart on an expedition to row a boat to the 1996 north magnetic pole, a point only ever reached across solid ice. In their tiny boat, the six-man team navigate some of the world's most remote seaways, taking on fast-flowing sea ice that could crush their boat and roaming polar bears. Nobody has ever rowed so far into the Canadian high Arctic - a first in the world of exploration and adventure, only made possible by the dramatic retreat of arctic sea ice in recent decades.
In 1979 the BBC's Everyman series broadcast a documentary about religious belief on the Isle of Lewis. This programme offers a unique opportunity to see The Last Stronghold of the Pure Gospel and also find out what happened to some of those featured in the original programme.
In 1990 they started a band, their first album went gold, then sold 13 million copies. The band would go on to sell more than 60 million records worldwide and perform in nearly every major city in the world. Now they have opened their vault, with 20 years of rare and never-before-seen footage to tell their extraordinary story. From one of the great directors of our generation.
Andrew Marr looks at life in Britain at the time of the 2011 Census, revealing unexpected trends and facts about a country we only think we know.
Alicia McCarthy examines why government after government has struggled with attempts to reform the House of Lords.
Although secretly filmed in a Leicestershire primary school, this documentary about disruptive behaviour in the classroom is not the sort of sensationalised headline-creating stuff beloved of the tabloids. There's no physical violence, spitting or screaming from the four children featured, just "low level disruption". Managing this sort of behaviour loses weeks of teaching time every year but it's not all down to the child.
Documentary following the fascinating, and at times turbulent, story of the Bee Gees, one of the most successful bands of all time. This is the story of three very close brothers, tied together by familial love and a natural aptitude and obsession for all things musical. Born on the Isle of Man but raised in Manchester, the Brothers Gibb - eldest brother Barry and twins Robin and Maurice - were whisked to Australia by their parents at an impressionable age in search of a better life. Australia, for the Gibb family, was the start of a new adventure and a new career. From childhood stardom to the first flashes of fame on the coat tails of 1960s Beatlemania, the Bee Gees enjoyed number one successes with hits like Massachusetts and I've Got to Get a Message to You. The early 1970s saw a spell in the musical wilderness, but eventually led to the Bee Gees discovering a whole new musical direction and, more importantly, Barry's unique falsetto voice. The phenomenon of Saturday Night Fever in 1977 brought the band worldwide success, and identified them as the band that defined disco. A career as songwriters, and success with Barbra Streisand and number one hits like Islands in the Stream by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton, meant a brief hiatus for the Bee Gees as a group. But, true to form, they returned with number one successes in the late 1980s with hits such as You Win Again. The unexpected and sudden death of Maurice in 2003 meant the end of the Bee Gees as we know it, and the end of an era. And in May 2012 Robin passed away after losing his brave battle with caner. Bee Gees: In Our Own Time is the story of a consistently successful, talented and musically prolific band of brothers
Hip hop through the decades from the BBC archives, including the Sugarhill Gang in 1979, Run DMC, LL Cool J and Eric B & Rakim in the 80s, Ice T, Monie Love, Fugees and the Roots in the 90s and concluding with Dr Dre & Eminem, Dizzee Rascal and Jay-Z.
13-year-old Rosie takes viewers into her world to explain what it's like to grow up with autism; a condition which affects how children see life, and the way they relate to others around them. With the help of beautifully crafted animation, Rosie introduces other children who have the condition: Tony, who gets totally obsessed with things but struggles to make friends, Ben, who has suffered from terrible bullying, and Rosie's own little brother Lenny, who turns the house upside-down daily to try and make sense of things. These children tell their own stories in their own words to give a vivid and moving insight into what it's like to be autistic.
Focuses on the cyclical journey taken by all living creatures, from birth to having youngsters of their own.
Documentary telling the story of three young women who have each decided to give a childless couple the ultimate gift - a baby of their own.
Documentary showing how Prince - showman, artist, enigma - revolutionised the perception of black music in the 1980s with worldwide hits such as 1999, Kiss, Raspberry Beret and Alphabet Street. He became a global sensation with the release of the Oscar-winning, semi-autobiographical movie Purple Rain in 1984, embarking on an incredible journey of musical self-discovery that continues to this day.
This celebration of the history and aesthetic of country music tracks the evolution of the genre from the 1920s to the present, exploring country as both folk and pop music - a 20th century soundtrack to the lives of working-class Americans in the South, forever torn between their rural roots and a mostly urban future, between authenticity and showbiz. Exploring many of the great stars of country from Jimmie Rodgers and Hank Williams to Johnny Cash and Dolly Parton, director Andy Humphries's meditation on the power and pull of country blends brilliant archive and contributions from a broad cast that includes Dolly Parton, the Handsome Family, Laura Cantrell, Hank Williams III, kd lang and many more.
The intellectual forces at work in the Tudor era ensured it was a pivotal period for children's education. Historian Dr Helen Castor reveals how the life and education of Margaret More, daughter of Thomas More, tell a story of the transforming power of knowledge. As a child in Tudor England, and educated to an exceptionally high level, Margaret embodies the intellectual spirit of the age - an era which embraced Humanism, the birth of the Church of England and the English Renaissance. This film reveals what a revolutionary intellectual spirit Margaret More was and how the ideas that shaped her education helped change the cultural life of England forever.
The 60th anniversary of Formula 1 is celebrated by a unique gathering of eighteen world champions at the season-opening Grand Prix of 2010. Bahrain's ultra-modern desert circuit is a world away from the post-war austerity of F1's first ever race at Silverstone in 1950 and yet, as legends such as Jackie Stewart, Michael Schumacher, Nigel Mansell and Lewis Hamilton share their racing experiences, it seems that some things never change.
When Hitler unleashed his bombing campaign over Britain, the people of Northern Ireland believed they were beyond the Nazis' reach. On the 70th anniversary of three deadly raids in 1941 which proved them wrong, the survivors of the Belfast Blitz remember the horror which devastated their lives and their city. Accompanied by state-of-the-art map graphics.
BBC One celebrates the love story of William and Kate in this special documentary that uncovers how they met, fell in love and how they got to where they are now: moments away from the biggest royal occasion for a generation - their wedding. Kate and William: A Royal Love Story has glamour - the paps, the palaces and parades - but at its heart it's an entertaining, warm and insightful look at the nation's favourite couple. The perfect appetiser for the week of the wedding and a unique perspective on this key moment in British history.
Antonio Pappano takes an in-depth look at one of the most famous and dramatic of all operas - Puccini's Tosca. This documentary goes behind the scenes of the recent production of Tosca by the Royal Opera House conducted by Pappano and starring some of the hottest names on the opera stage today - Angela Gheorghiu, Bryn Terfel and Jonas Kaufmann. Pappano examines the drama and musical language of Tosca and explores Puccini's creative genius in producing one of the greatest of theatrical experiences.
Babies born four months early -in the 23rd week of pregnancy- exist on the very edge of life. A few go on to become the 'miracle babies' of glossy magazines, but most die. Award-winning director Adam Wishart has unprecedented access to the babies born in such extreme prematurity on a Birmingham neonatal unit, and asks the difficult question: is it always right to keep them alive?
A charming spot from RKCR/Y&R celebrates David Attenborough's final BBC appearance. The two-minute film shows clips of wildlife footage, with Attenborough narrating the Louis Armstrong classic.
Documentary about Madison Avenue, home of the American advertising business, a semi-mythical place where the dreams of a new, affluent society were spun in the early 1960s. These were the 'days of heaven', when the country felt to many like a land of plenty and a land of hope - politics was reinvigorated thanks to a product known as new, improved JFK, consumerism was on the up and the challenges of Vietnam, feminism and the counter-culture still lay in the future.
During World War Two an army of performers from ballerinas to magicians, contortionists to impressionists, set out to help win the war by entertaining the troops far and wide. Risking their lives they ventured into war zones, dodging explosions and performing close to enemy lines. Featuring the memories of this intrepid band of entertainers and with contributions from Dame Vera Lynn, Eric Sykes and Tony Benn, this documentary tells the remarkable story of the World War Two performers and hears the memories of some of those troops who were entertained during the dark days of war.
A compilation of rarely screened Pink Floyd videos and performances, beginning with the Arnold Layne promo from 1967 and culminating with the reunited band's performance at Live 8 in 2005. Also including a newly-restored Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2) and performances of Grantchester Meadows, Cymbeline and others.
Simon Russell Beale continues his Sacred Music journey in this special celebration marking the 400th anniversary of the death of the great Spanish Renaissance composer Tomas Luis de Victoria. In exploring the extraordinary world of this intensely spiritual man - musician, priest and mystic - Simon's travels take him to some of Spain's most stunning locations, from the ancient fortified city of Avila, with its medieval walls and glorious cathedral, to the magnificent El Escorial palace, where Philip II would listen to Victoria's music though a small door leading off his bedroom directly to the high altar of the Basilica. In Madrid, Simon explores the dramatic religious paintings of Victoria's contemporary El Greco in the Prado Museum and visits the convent of Las Descalzas Reales, named after the barefoot nuns who worshipped there and where Victoria spent the final three decades of his life as choirmaster and organist. The music is specially performed by Harry Christophers and The Sixteen in the church of San Antonio de los Alemanes, a hidden baroque jewel built in Victoria's lifetime in the heart of Madrid.
The British have a love-hate relationship with the foreign pop song. For years they were frequent visitors to the charts and were bought in their millions. Once heard never forgotten, these international hits conjure instant memories of a holiday abroad, musical portraits of countries far away. This documentary tells the story of these musical imports from the Second World War to the present day. It reveals surprising stories behind some of the songs and asks what made them so popular.
Mark Knopfler is one of the most successful musicians in the world. During the past 30 years he has written and recorded over 300 songs including some of the most famous in popular music. In this in-depth documentary he talks about how these songs have defined him and how they have been influenced by his own life and roots. It features previously unseen photographs from his personal collection and comprehensive footage spanning his career from a struggling musician playing in pubs in Leeds in the 1970s, to the record-breaking success with Dire Straits and his world tour as a solo artist. Looking back over the 25 years since he wrote the iconic Brothers In Arms album, the film takes an affectionate look at how this formidable, creative man has operated as a musician for three decades and how he continues to do so as a solo artist who is as much in demand as ever.
David Coleman OBE was the face of BBC Sport for well over a quarter of a century. As he celebrates his 85th birthday this special documentary looks back at how he has left an indelible imprint on sports broadcasting from World Cup football to no less than 11 Olympic Games, with the Munich tragedy in 1972 undoubtedly his most challenging commentary. Coleman was a presenter, a commentator, an interviewer and quiz master. A pioneer in broadcasting who shaped it for generations to come, he was also affectionately known for his on-air gaffes. He was the king of live television, and not just sport, as he once even interviewed the Beatles. Yet sport was his true passion and he presented all the biggest shows and events like the Grand National, Sports Personality of the Year, Match of the Day, Sportsnight and Grandstand. He also hosted Question of Sport for 18 years and was famously joined by HRH Princess Anne for an episode watched by 18 million viewers in 1987.
Robert Webb hosts a countdown of the biggest dance crazes of the last forty years.
2011 marks the 40th anniversary of one of Belfast's most iconic buildings - the Europa Hotel. Famous for being one of the most bombed hotels in the world, its turbulent roller coaster history in many ways reflects the history of Northern Ireland's Troubles. This hour long documentary tracks those eventful 40 years through the eyes of a diverse array of contributors. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b014vzyt
The story of Howard Wilson, a Glasgow police officer who shot three former colleagues in 1969, and has since been paroled from prison.
In a special film for Saint David's Day, Eddie Butler takes us on a romp through Welsh history to discover the origins of our very own Welsh icons. The Welsh dragon, the Welsh hat, leeks and daffs are amongst the rarebits of national identity we all take completely for granted. During his investigation, Eddie unearths some fascinating facts, debunks some myths and makes some surprising discoveries about the real story behind the national icons of Wales.
The Blitz on the industrial town of Clydebank, seven miles from the centre of Glasgow, was one of the most intense, deadly and remarkably unknown of the war. Well over 1,200 people were killed in the Clydeside area and at least the same again were seriously injured by the bombing on the nights of 13 and 14 March 1941. The destruction in Clydebank was so severe that only seven properties were left undamaged by the bombing and the population was reduced from almost 60,000 to little more than 2,000. The awful truth about the scale of destruction and the number of casualties never hit the headlines as wartime censorship meant that the whole event was effectively 'hushed up'. But the stories still live on in the minds of some of the children that survived the raid and in The Clydebank Blitz, they tell their own harrowing stories of what was one of Britain's worst bombing raids and Scotland's biggest civilian disaster.
In 2006, a New Zealand television company interviewed several people who planned to donate their bodies to the Otago Medical School for students to dissect. They were asked about their lives and their loves, their hopes, their fears and, of course, their bodies. The school is one of the last in the world whose students still do significant human dissection, and both they and the donors gave permission to be followed through the whole process. By intercutting the donors' interviews with their own bodies being dissected and the students' reactions for the first time on film, there is the chance to share the amazing journey of the students, the donors and their families.
Remarkable factual drama based on a true story, starring Ian Hart, Ed Stoppard and Bill Paterson. In the summer of 1931, with Germany on the brink of economic collapse, and the city of Berlin turning into a paramilitary war-zone, audacious young prosecutor Hans Litten (Stoppard) chose to summon a star witness to a trial of Nazi thugs. In spite of the risk to his own safety and against the advice of those who love him, Litten forced rising political star Adolf Hitler (Hart) to make a sensational appearance in the witness stand of Berlin's central criminal court. Litten aimed to expose the true character of Hitler and his politics to the German public, to reveal his hypocrisy and his violent ambitions, and in doing so, halt the electoral success of the Nazi Party. In a humiliating and hostile cross-examination, Hitler was forced to account for his political beliefs, his contempt for the law and his desire to destroy German democracy. For a brief moment, Hitler's political future was genuinely in the balance. Hitler survived the ordeal, but it was a close encounter which he never forgave and for which Litten paid a heavy price
Julien Temple's acclaimed film celebrating and documenting the history of the Glastonbury Festival. Concert footage, interviews, archive and home video combine to capture the essence and spirit of Glastonbury. Also features performances from throughout the history of the festival including David Bowie, Bjork, Pulp, Blur, Billy Bragg, Radiohead, Nick Cave, Richie Havens, The Prodigy and many more.
Presenter Huw Edwards returns to his home town to retell the story of the Llanelli riots. A century after the death and destruction that marred the town's history, he attempts to set the record straight and bring to an end 100 years of shame.
The nation grew up with Top of the Pops and it was always a talking point, but 35 years ago a particular kind of Top of the Pops programme and tone held sway. This documentary explores Top of the Pops in 1976 - as a barometer of the state of pop and light entertainment TV. It celebrates the power of the programme and observes British society of the mid 70s, British TV and the British pop scene. In 1976, glam was over and nothing had replaced it - the charts belonged to Showaddywaddy, Brotherhood of Man and the Wurzels, all to be found on Top of the Pops hosted by the Radio 1 DJs. If you wanted rock you looked to the Old Grey Whistle Test, while outside the charts a new scene was rumbling. Contributors include Tony Blackburn, David 'Diddy' Hamilton, Paul Morley, Toyah Willcox, Showaddywaddy, Brotherhood of Man, the Wurzels and Dave Haslam.
In the 60s and early 70s it was common for Grand Prix drivers to be killed while racing, often televised for millions to see. Mechanical failure, lethal track design, fire and incompetence snuffed out dozens of young drivers. They had become almost expendable as eager young wannabes queued up at the top teams' gates waiting to take their place. This is the story of when Grand Prix was out of control. Featuring many famous drivers, including three-time world champion Sir Jackie Stewart OBE, twice world champion Emerson Fittipaldi and John Surtees OBE, this exciting but shocking film explores how Grand Prix drivers grew sick of their closest friends being killed and finally took control of their destiny. After much waste of life, the prestigious Belgian and German Grands Prix would be boycotted, with drivers insisting that safety be put first. But it would be a long and painful time before anything would change, and a lot of talented young men would be cut down in their prime. This is their story.
Edward Burra (1905-76) was one of the most elusive British artists of the 20th century. Long underrated, his reputation has been suddenly rehabilitated, with the first major retrospective of his work for 25 years taking place in 2011 and record-breaking prices being paid for his work at auction. In this film, the first serious documentary about Edward Burra made for television, leading art critic Andrew Graham-Dixon tells the remarkable story of his life. Crippled by a rare form of arthritis from an early age, Burra placed art at the centre of his life from his teenage years onwards. Although his illness meant that he would predominantly only be able to work in the physically undemanding medium of watercolour, he created unexpectedly monumental images peopled by the men and women who fascinated him. The follows Burra from his native town of Rye to the jazz clubs of prohibition-era New York, to the war-torn landscapes of the Spanish Civil War and back to England during the Blitz. It shows how Burra's increasingly disturbing and surreal work deepened and matured as he experienced at first hand some of the most tragic events of the century. Through letters and interviews with those who knew him, it paints an entertaining portrait of a true English eccentric.
Affectionate but honest portrait of Thin Lizzy, arguably the best hard rock band to come out of Ireland. Starting with the remix of the classic album Jailbreak by Scott Gorham and Brian Downey, the film takes us through the rollercoaster ride that is the story of Thin Lizzy. From early footage of singer Phil Lynott in Ireland in his pre-Lizzy bands the Black Eagles and Orphanage, it follows his progress as he, guitarist Eric Bell and drummer Brian Downey form the basic three-piece that was to become Thin Lizzy - a name taken from the Beano. Using original interviews with Bell, Downey, the man who signed them and their first manager, it traces the early years leading to the recruitment of guitarists Brian 'Robbo' Robertson and Scott Gorham - the classic line-up. The film uses a number of stills, some seen on TV for the first time, archive from contemporary TV shows and a range of tracks both well known and not so famous. There are hilarious self-deprecating anecdotes, from the stories behind the making of the Boys are Back in Town to the hiring of Midge Ure. We hear about the 'revolving door' as guitarist after guitarist was fired and hired, and the recording of Bad Reputation and Live and Dangerous - where producer Tony Visconti pulls no punches in talking about how he recorded the latter - putting the controversy to bed for the final time. Except that Downey and Robertson still disagree with him. Finally, we hear how drugs and alcohol impacted on the band and how the music suffered, how one member later substituted golf for heroin and how addiction and the related lifestyle led to the death of Phil Lynott. Contributors include Brian Downey, Scott Gorham, Eric Bell, Brian Robertson, Midge Ure, Bob Geldof, Tony Visconti, Joe Elliot and many others.
In the city of Newport in Wales, a 15-year-old schoolgirl is about to pass from a world of classrooms to one of caskets and coffins - dealing with death on a daily basis. This revealing documentary follows Rachael Ryan as she turns 16 and becomes Britain's youngest female undertaker. Dad Mike runs the family firm and hopes one day to pass the business on to Rachael and her sister Louise. Can Rachael be sure that a life of death is her destiny?
Lulu arrived on Top Of The Pops in 1964 with her raucous, belting rendition of Shout when she was just 15 years old. She is the only female artist who has had a UK Top 20 hit in every one of the last five decades. It's been almost 50 years since her first public performance as a schoolgirl in Scotland, named Marie McDonald McLaughlin Lawrie. Since then, she's notched up 66 singles and 21 albums. She's enjoyed No.1 hits on both sides of the Atlantic, and also won a Eurovision Song Contest. Now 62 years old, Lulu opens the doors to her life - looking back across five decades at her remarkable career. This is also very much the story of Lulu now - following her into the studio with Jools Holland; rehearsing for shows; choreographing new dance routines; and exclusive access as Lulu prepares and performs for a huge concert on the banks of the River Clyde in her old home town of Glasgow. Featuring contributions from Elton John, Kylie Minogue, Cliff Richard, Robin Gibb, Barry Manilow, Bobby Womack and Jools Holland, along with family members, such as Lulu's brother and sister.
Farming - An investigation into the state of wildlife on farms and if species are in decline. This includes following a farmer who is giving up on government nature schemes to make more money from cash crops and those committed to wildlife friendly farming
Coast - Chris travels to Lundy to see how a no-take zone there has benefited undersea creatures and to Lyme Bay to see the impact of a scallop dredging ban. He also investigates both sides of an argument over a proposed new marine conservation zone that may help to protect wildlife in the future
In the final episode, Chris investigates Woodland and Heath species. He looks at non-native conifer plantations that do little to aid native wildlife and iconic places like the New Forest and Dartmoor that are suffering loss of habitat. He also asks whether we are spending too much on species like dormice and whether we should concentrate instead on connecting up important habitats like heathland that has been fragmented over the years.
The Old Grey Whistle Test was launched on 21st September 1971 from a tiny studio tucked behind a lift shaft on the fourth floor of BBC Television Centre. From humble beginnings it has gone on to provide some of the best and most treasured music archive that the BBC has to offer. This programme takes us on a journey and celebrates the musically mixed-up decade that was the 1970s and which is reflected in the OGWT archive. There are classic performances from the glam era by Elton John and David Bowie, an early UK TV appearance from Curtis Mayfield, the beginnings of heavy metal with Steppenwolf's iconic Born to be Wild anthem and the early punk machinations of the 'mock rock' New York Dolls. 1973 being the pinnacle year sees archive from Roxy Music, the Wailers and Vinegar Joe. The programme's finale celebrates the advent of punk and new wave with unforgettable performances from Patti Smith, Blondie, Iggy Pop and the Jam. Artists featured: Elton John, Lindisfarne, David Bowie, Curtis Mayfield, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Steppenwolf, Vinegar Joe, Brinsley Schwarz, New York Dolls, Argent, Bob Marley & the Wailers, Captain Beefheart, Johnny Winter, Dr Feelgood, Gil Scott Heron, Patti Smith, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Cher & Greg Allman, Talking Heads, the Jam, Blondie, Iggy Pop and the Specials.
Mark D'Arcy looks back to the night of 10-11 May 1941 when the chamber of the House of Commons was destroyed by an enemy bomb in the London Blitz.
Carlos Santana, the legendary Mexican-American guitarist and songwriter, reveals his turbulent life story with astonishing intimacy, accompanied by previously unseen archive performances of many of his best-known tunes. These range from Evil Ways and Black Magic Woman to the massive hits from his later Supernatural album. Santana recounts to director Jeremy Marre the abuse and struggle of his early years, the invention of Latin rock in San Francisco, his triumph at Woodstock, his involvement with jealous guru Sri Chinmoy and guitarist John McLaughlin, and the rollercoaster years that followed.
With 19 murders between them, the Shankill Butchers were the most prolific gang of serial killers in UK history. During the dark days of the Troubles, their savagery stood apart, paralysing both communities in Northern Ireland with fear. With unique access to thousands of pages of evidence and exclusive interviews, Stephen Nolan goes back to the patch where he was brought up to ask how the Shankill Butchers got away with murder for so long.
Documentary looking back at the remarkable career of footballer Sir Bobby Charlton. Sir Bobby was a key member of the England team that won the World Cup on home soil in 1966 and part of a Manchester United team touched by success and tragedy in equal measure. Charlton survived the Munich Air disaster in 1958 which killed several of his teammates dubbed the 'Busby Babes'. He became a crucial figure in the club's resurgence, winning two league titles and the European Cup against Benfica in 1968. Renowned for his attacking instincts and ferocious long-range shot, he is still the record goalscorer for England and Manchester United. He received a knighthood in 1994 and was awarded the prestigious BBC Sports Personality of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008. A fiercely proud Englishman, Charlton helped to promote London's successful bid for the 2012 Olympic Games, plus bids for the FIFA World Cup and Manchester's hosting of the 2002 Commonwealth Games. He remains a pivotal figure at Manchester United as an ambassador, club director and close confidante of manager Sir Alex Ferguson. The programme features incredible archive from Sir Bobby's life in football, plus poignant contributions on the Munich crash from survivors including Sir Bobby himself. We also hear from some of the biggest names in world football, such as Franz Beckenauer, Eusebio, David Beckham, Sir Alex Ferguson, Sir Geoff Hurst, Harry Greig, Gordon Banks, Ryan Giggs, Gary Lineker and Bobby's brother Jack Charlton
Michael Grade traces the raucous history of the music hall in a revelatory journey that takes him from venues such as Wilton's Music Hall in London to Glasgow's once-famous Britannia. Talking to enthusiasts and performers, Lord Grade discovers the origins of this uniquely British form of entertainment and revisits some of the great acts and impresarios, from Charles Morton and George Leybourne to Bessie Bellwood and Marie Lloyd. Featuring Jo Brand and Alexei Sayle, with performances from Barry Cryer and many more, Grade hears about dudes, swells, mashers and serio-comics and hears how, in many a house, no turn was left unstoned.
Inspired by Jesus's words on the cross, Bettany Hughes traces the history of this challenging virtue. What does it really ask of us? And how realistic is it to put into practice? She looks for forgiveness in the violence of the Crusades, the turmoil of the Reformation and the quest for peace in South Africa. At Ground Zero Bettany meets Cheryl McGuinness the widow of the co-pilot of the first plane to hit the Twin Towers, who in a remarkable gesture has chosen to forgive her husband's murderers.
What was the cause of the only dinosaur stampede to be discovered?
TV historian Dan Snow travels across the old Kingdom of Mercia unravelling the secrets of one of Britian's most significant discoveries - the Staffordshire Hoard. The Hoard offers 1500 new clues into the Dark Ages and Dan pieces together the lives of the people living in these long-forgotten kingdoms.
A journey through the arctic landscape with the Scots who worked for the Hudson's Bay Co.
Naturalist Mike Dilger explores Europe's longest chalk reef off the Norfolk coast. The North Sea may have a reputation as grey and murky, but this rare and important marine habitat lies within easy reach of the beaches of North Norfolk. Large areas of the North Sea remain undiscovered and the full extent of the reef was only revealed last year when local divers mapped its 20-mile length. This makes it the longest in Europe, maybe the world. A colourful underwater world complete with valleys and arches and teeming with life, it's got marine experts very excited. Proposals put forward to the Government would make the reef part of a new marine conservation zone. But some conservationists say the plans don't go far enough to safeguard its future.
Bristol has fascinated film-makers from the moment the camera was invented. From shipping, sherry and tobacco to Brunel, bridges and the blitz, this programme explores the visual archives that document this ancient city.
An archive celebration of great reggae performances filmed in the BBC Studios, drawn from programmes such as The Old Grey Whistle Test, Top of the Pops and Later... with Jools Holland, and featuring the likes of Bob Marley and the Wailers, Gregory Isaacs, Desmond Dekker, Burning Spear, Althea and Donna, Dennis Brown, Buju Banton and many more.
A powerful drama documentary to mark the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible. Acclaimed actor John Rhys-Davies (Lord of the Rings, Indiana Jones) leads us back into a darker time to discover this fascinating tale of saints and sinners, power and passion.
An edited version of a landmark series first broadcast in 1984. The distinguished BBC commentator John Arlott talks to former England cricket captain Brearley about growing up between the wars, his career as a helper in a mental hospital, a policeman, a poet, a wine and football correspondent, and a cricket writer and commentator. The interview provides a fascinating insight into the life experience and attitudes of a liberal thinker born almost a hundred years ago and who died in 1991.
A portrait of Carl Orff, who composed one of the most recorded works ever, Carmina Burana. But what is the true story of how this extraordinary work came about, and in particular the twisted and agonised life of its creator? At his death in 1982, very little was known or understood about his association with the Nazi Party in Germany, for instance. Although Bavarian and living only a stone's throw from Hitler's Munich apartment, it was clear that Orff had never been an active member of the Nazi Party. But he had been arrested after the war, and although cleared by a de-Nazification tribunal the suspicion remained that he had been manoeuvring himself to become Reichsminister for Music after the 'final victory'. The film uncovers for the first time the tragedy that befell Orff and the nightmare he endured by way of expiation. Drawing extensively on Orff's personal reminiscences and correspondence, plus exclusive interviews with three of his wives and his only daughter, a tale of almost unbelievable sadness emerges. Except that it is true. Filmed in Germany, China, Japan, South Africa, Austria, Greece and England, the film paints a deeply moving portrait of a tormented soul wracked by guilt, whose music nonetheless shines through with undeniable sexual power.
According to some, Christianity in the UK has no future. Closure of churches and falling attendances in the last few decades appear to show that the Christian faith is in terminal decline. Ann Widdecombe examines the evidence, and discovers at least three areas of Christian growth which are bucking the trend - immigration into the Catholic Church, the Alpha course and the Black Pentecostalist Churches. But even if these do arrest the decline, what about the very long term? Can Christianity survive in a world in which the young seem even less interested in Christianity than their parents? And in such a world, how is it possible to justify an established Church of England and all its privileges?
Jono Lancaster, 26, (featured in BBC3's Love Me Love My Face documentary) has suffered rejection and discrimination his entire life - all because of the way he looks. Born with a rare genetic condition, Treacher-Collins syndrome, Jono has no cheekbones or external ears and has endured years of bullying and countless hospital appointments. The nature of the condition means that any child Jono fathers will have a 50 per cent chance of contracting Treacher-Collins. Now Jono has an important question he wants answered - what if my baby was born like me? The film follows Jono and his girlfriend Laura as they go on a quest to find out the options available to them should they decide to start a family. Jono meets a variety of families who have faced or are facing this very conundrum. He also meets with youngsters affected by Treacher-Collins to see if attitudes have changed since his days at school. Confronted by all the options, what will they decide? And will the decisions they make draw them closer together?
From Dad's Army to 'Allo 'Allo!, Are You Being Served? to It Ain't Half Hot, Mum - David Croft had a hand in them all. This programme pays tribute to his comedy genius through the friends, family and colleagues who knew him.
An affectionate tribute to Jimmy Savile via the BBC archive courtesy of Top of the Pops, plus rarely seen footage of Clunk Click, the Saturday night entertainment show which eventually made way for his series Jim'll Fix It.
Cath Speight looks at the gargoyles and grotesques in the architecture of the Palace of Westminster.
With first-hand accounts from patients, shocking statistics about sexually transmitted infections, and a trip to an STI museum in Paris, Raymond Maw reflects on 35 years as a consultant in Genitourinary Medicine at Belfast's Royal Victoria Hospital.
Tony Palmer's 1998 documentary, shot in Russia, Switzerland and America, which profiles the great composer Sergei Rachmaninoff, features music conducted by Valery Gergiev and was made with the full participation of the composer's grandson, Alexander Rachmaninoff. Rachmaninoff's romantic, passionate music has been used in films such as Brief Encounter and Shine and includes some of the most famous melodies of the 20th century. The film features Rachmaninoff's letters and other reminiscences spoken by Sir John Gielgud.
A journey through some of the finest moments of acoustic guitar performances from the BBC archives - from Jimmy Page's television debut in 1958 to Oasis and Biffy Clyro. Highlights include: Neil Young - Heart of Gold David Bowie - Starman Oasis - Wonderwall Donovan - Mellow Yellow Joan Armatrading - Woncha Come on Home Bert Jansch, Johnny Marr and Bernard Butler - The River Bank Joni Mitchell - Chelsea Morning Biffy Clyro - Mountains
An alphabetical look at the dark, featuring everything from bats to vampires. The night comes alive in this unusual mixture of music and archive.
Feature film which documents a single day on earth through a multitude of perspectives - ordinary and extraordinary - all shot on 24 July 2010. It brings together the most compelling footage from more than 80,000 videos submitted, totalling 4500 hours of content, and combines 331 clips into a 95-minute film crafted by Kevin Macdonald, executive producer Ridley Scott, producer Liza Marshall and their team, in association with YouTube. Contributions poured in from 192 countries from Australia to Zambia, Peru to Ukraine, UK to Japan - from the heart of bustling cities to the furthest and most remote reaches of the earth. Many of the entries were submitted via YouTube, while a number came from cameras that were handed out by contacts in the developing world.
In 1728, 12-year-old James Annesley was snatched from the streets of Dublin and sold into slavery in America - the victim of a wicked uncle hell-bent on stealing his massive inheritance. Dan Cruickshank traces James's astonishing journey from the top table of 18th century society to its murky depths. The story, which helped inspire Robert Louis Stevenson's book Kidnapped, reveals some disturbing home truths that cast a shadow over the century of the Enlightenment.
Five young Eastern Europeans reveal the harsh realities and culture shocks of life as an immigrant coming to Britain and hoping to stay. They think they know what to expect, but have they got it all wrong? As they get to grips with their new home, the immigrants join special bus trips laid on for the tens of thousands of Eastern Europeans who flock to Britain every year. On and off the bus, they'll decide if this really is a land of opportunity or a land of riots, bed bugs and fat people eating bad food. As their money runs out, some of the group are forced into jobs they would never have considered back home. Will they succeed in starting a new life in a country that won't always make them welcome? Or could some of them find themselves on the next plane home?
Dónall Mac Ruairí investigates the events surrounding the explosion of a World War Two sea mine in the Gaeltacht village of Ballymanus in 1943, in which 19 young local men lost their lives. In interviewing the few remaining eye witnesses, Dónall asks the critical questions - what exactly happened on 10 May on Ballymanus Strand? Could it have been prevented? And is there any truth in the local view that an independent inquiry into the incident was actively suppressed?
Documentary tracing the life of John Hume from his early days in the civil rights movement to his winning of the Nobel Peace Prize. Interviewees include John Hume, Bono and Tony Blair.
A celebration of one of the UK's most loved broadcasters.
Programme featuring footage of Simon and Garfunkel on stage, in the studio and on tour, which also integrates video montages of key events of the turbulent times in the late 60s. [S]
David Croft, the comedy writer, director and producer whose hand was felt on shows as diverse as Dad's Army, Steptoe & Son, Up Pompeii!, It Ain't Half Hot Mum and Are You Being Served?, died in September at the age of 89. This special programme pays tribute to one of the true greats of British comedy. His name may not have been as well-known as those of the stars he made in his series, but his words and creativity have brought laughter to billions across the globe for more than 7 decades.
Internationally-renowned chef Yotam Ottolenghi returns to his home town of Jerusalem to discover the hidden treasures of its extraordinarily rich and diverse food culture. He meets and cooks with both Arabs and Jews in restaurants and at home who draw on hundreds of years of tradition to create the dishes that define the city, and explores the flavours and recipes that have influenced his palate. From the humble street foods of hummus and falafel to the cutting edge of Jerusalem cuisine, Yotam uncovers the essence of what makes the food of Jerusalem so great. Starting in the Old City, Yotam samples the Palestinian fast foods like falafel and hummus that he remembers from his childhood. This is the food that has been feeding the throngs of pilgrims who have visited the city for centuries - loved alike by Jew, Arab and Christian. In the west of the city, Yotam discovers how waves of immigration from the Jewish diaspora from such varying origns as Poland, Hungary, Morocco and Turkey have each brought with them a different flavour, ingredient or technique that adds to the ever-evolving Jerusalem cuisine, keeping it fresh, varied and exciting. Here he eats stuffed aubergine with cinnamon, tries fiery zhoug from Yemen and learns how to make kibbeh soup, a staple of the Sephardic Jewish kitchen. In both Arab and Jewish homes he discovers the family recipes that have been passed down through generations - recipes such as kollage, a sweet sheep's cheese pastry, or swiss chard with cracked wheat and pomegranate molasses. Finally, he visits some of Jerusalem's trailblazing chefs, discovering how modern Jerusalem cuisine is drawing from all of these influences to create food that is both locally sourced and true to its culinary roots, and at the same time truly innovative. Collaborating with these chefs in the kitchens, Yotam adds his own distinctive flair to the dishes they create. Through Yotam's eyes we are given an insight into the depth and breadth of the food of
A tribute to John Sullivan who died in April 2011, creator of Only Fools and Horses, Citizen Smith, Just Good Friends and many more.
Archaeological documentary. Having used satellites to discover cities, temples and pyramids beneath the sands, Dr Sarah Parcak heads to Egypt to find out if they are really there.
The A303 is the road that passes Stonehenge on the way to the beaches of Devon and Cornwall. On the way, it whisks drivers through 5,000 years of remarkable moments in British history. And it is the star of this film made for armchair travellers and history lovers. Writer Tom Fort drives its 92-mile length in a lovingly restored Morris Traveller. Along the way, he has many adventures - he digs up the 1960s master plan for the A303's dreams of superhighway status, meets up with a Neolithic traveller who knew the road like the back of his hand, gets to know a section of the Roman 303, uncovers a medieval murder mystery and discovers what lies at the end of the Highway to the Sun.
Armando Iannucci presents a personal argument in praise of the genius of Charles Dickens. Through the prism of the author's most autobiographical novel, David Copperfield, Armando looks beyond Dickens - the national institution - and instead explores the qualities of Dickens's work which still make him one of the best British writers. While Dickens is often celebrated for his powerful depictions of Victorian England and his role as a social reformer, this programme foregrounds the elements of his writing which make him worth reading, as much for what he tells us about ourselves in the twenty-first century as our ancestors in the nineteenth. Armando argues that Dickens's remarkable use of language and his extraordinary gift for creating characters make him a startlingly experimental and psychologically penetrating writer who demands not just to be adapted for television but to be read and read again.
A two-part portrait of Elizabeth II's grandparents, King George V and Queen Mary, which examines the lasting legacy of the couple who rescued the monarchy from potential disaster, and whose influence persists to this day. Episode one focuses on King George V. George could not have been a more unlikely moderniser. Born and brought up in the Victorian age he was conservative to his fingertips. Yet in the face of unstoppable social change after the First World War he turned out to be a remarkable innovator, creating the House of Windsor, embracing democratic reform, and reinventing many of the royal traditions that we know today. When he celebrated his silver jubilee in 1935 the monarchy was more popular than ever. But as a parent King George V was far less successful - he bullied his children and alienated his eldest son and heir, Prince Edward. As one courtier remarked at the time, 'the royal family are like ducks, they sit on their children'. By contrast, King George had a loving relationship with his granddaughter, and much of Queen Elizabeth's style and commitment to duty can be traced back to this early influence.
A two-part portrait of Elizabeth II's grandparents, King George V and Queen Mary, which examines the lasting legacy of the couple who rescued the monarchy from potential disaster, and whose influence persists to this day. Episode two focuses on Queen Mary, who came from a relatively humble royal background, but was picked as a future queen consort by Queen Victoria. At first she was betrothed to Prince Eddy, heir to the throne. But when Eddy died she was unceremoniously passed to his brother George. Despite the arranged marriage, King George and Queen Mary had a loving relationship. Mary revered the monarchy and obeyed her husband in all things - even the length of her dresses. She always put duty and service first. But when King George died in 1935, this once rigidly formal character emerged as a determined if eccentric royal matriarch with a mind of her own. When the abdication crisis threatened the future of the House of Windsor she was the rock to which the nation turned as a symbol of stability and continuity. Queen Mary died in 1953, having lived to see her granddaughter, Elizabeth, ascend to the throne.
A special spin off programme of the BBC Four programme After Life for learners aged 7 - 11 years. A team of young science detectives investigate rot and decay through a series of experiments and activities, assisted by Dr George McGavin. The team find out not just about the bacteria all around us, but the bacteria on our skin, in our mouths and in our stomachs. They look at the life cycle of flies and how they play an important part in the natural process of recycling and composting. They even make their very own rot boxes which they fill with food and leave for six weeks.
The First Time: This episode seeks to understand what's going on in our minds and bodies on the road to losing our virginity and to find out just what happens when we fall in love.
Jeff Leach is the archetypal ladies' man - ask him what the most important thing in the world is and he will say women. His innate charisma has made him a stand-up comedy sensation, but viewers will soon see he is equally talented off stage. He has got stats to back it up too - at just 27 he has slept with nearly 300 women and has even kept a list of every single one of them. But now he wants to settle down. This hilarious but heartfelt documentary sees Jeff taking a long-overdue look at his sexual exploits. Asking for help from the plethora of exes who have helped him build this Don Juan reputation, he tries to understand what it is that keeps him notching his bedpost and why he cannot be a one-woman man. Will Jeff finally uncover the route to emotional fulfilment and, for once, go home alone?
Nathalie Emmanuel investigates how the internet is changing the sex lives of 16-24 year-olds across Britain. Nathalie meets young people who rely on social networking sites, the latest mobile technology and webcams. For the first time she reveals figures from an academic study which shows how many people have taken their sex lives online, and exactly what they are doing.
Cricket star Andrew (Freddie) Flintoff talks to sporting professionals about the serious effects of depression. He confronts his own issues as captain of England - under pressure and under fire at the top of his game. Freddie reveals the stigma attached to talking about depression in the face of an often unforgiving public. Freddie discovers that many suffer in silence or hide behind irresponsible behaviour, until it all becomes too much. The film includes moving interviews with Steve Harmison, Vinnie Jones, Ricky Hatton and a host of sporting heroes. We hear from Journalist Piers Morgan, coaches and managers about this hidden side of sport.
As Steven Spielberg's movie version of War Horse arrives on UK cinema screens, the author of the novel on which it is based is among the contributors to How to Write. Michael Morpurgo reveals the sources of his inspiration and the techniques he uses to 'just get the stupid thing down on paper'. Philip Pullman, writer of the His Dark Materials trilogy, discusses the need for discipline, the importance of memory, and how it is crucial to stand inside a scene and imagine what is seen and not seen. Also taking part are poets Caroline Bird and Kate Clanchy, and novelists Rebecca Abrams and Charles Cummins. They are among a group of top authors gathered at Broughton Castle in Oxfordshire to share the secrets of creative writing with almost 400 young people
Alastair Sooke explores the mysterious appeal of unfinished works of art. From Dickens's unfinished The Mystery of Edwin Drood and Jane Austen's Sanditon to Coleridge's Kubla Khan, he talks to those who have attempted to finish these literary enigmas and those who believe that any such task is impossible. In a film that picks through literature's leftovers, Sooke explores the moral dilemmas as well as the commercial opportunities finishing presents. And he considers how, in the modern era, artists have purposefully left their work unfinished. Paul Morley, Mark Lawson, John Mullan, Robert McKee, Sarah Churchwell, Gwyneth Hughes, Andrew Motion and Mike Figgis amongst others, help Sooke work his way through a never-ending story.
Following the recent death of Ken Russell, Alan Yentob looks back over the career of the flamboyant film director responsible for Women In Love, Tommy and The Devils. Friends and admirers - including Glenda Jackson, Terry Gilliam, Twiggy, Melvyn Bragg, Robert Powell and Roger Daltrey - recall a pioneering documentary-maker, talented photographer and fearless film director. When at the BBC in the Sixties, Russell first established his name with brilliant documentaries on Elgar, Delius and Debussy. Not only did he bring alive their music with inspiring images, he also humanised them by using actors, something unthinkable in factual film-making at the time. His unfettered imagination soon led to feature films. Women In Love earned Glenda Jackson an Oscar and notoriety for a nude wrestling scene featuring Oliver Reed and Alan Bates. Although infamy dogged him with The Devils, he enjoyed considerable commercial success with The Boyfriend and his extravagant take on The Who's Tommy. Furiously creative to the end, Russell showed himself determined to pursue his original ideas, sometimes regardless of the personal cost.
Coming Out Diaries follows the conflicts and dilemmas faced by three young people as they navigate their way through telling their family and friends that they are gay or transgender. 17-year-old Natalie was born a boy, but now wants to dress and live fully as a girl. Her mum Arlene is reeling from the shock of the news and is finding it very difficult to accept that her 'son' is now her 'daughter'. Arlene will not allow Natalie to dress as a girl at home and still calls her Kieran, Natalie's birth name. Natalie can only wear female clothes away from home so she gets changed in public toilets when she is out in town. The film follows Natalie's battle for acceptance and her mum's attempt to understand. 17-year-old Tori feels she was bullied at school for being a lesbian. She wants to come out to her new friends at beauty college so she can become closer to them, but she is terrified after her previous experiences. This is compounded by the fact that at beauty school all the treatments are intimate and she is worried that the other girls will not want her to practice beauty treatments on them in class. 19-year-old Jamie has not told his uni course-mates that he was born a girl. He loves being accepted as one of the lads and is thrilled that for the first time no-one has guessed his secret. But on the flip side, Jamie worries all the time that he is deceiving his course-mates and is thinking about coming out so he can stop feeling like he is living a lie.
Augustus Northmore Welby Pugin is far from being a household name, yet he designed the iconic clock tower of Big Ben as well as much of the Palace of Westminster. The 19th century Gothic Revival that Pugin inspired, with its medieval influences and soaring church spires, established an image of Britain which still defines the nation. Presenter Richard Taylor charts Pugin's extraordinary life story and discovers how his work continues to influence Britain today.
At a time when the lap dancing industry is expanding onto every British high street, Table Dancing Diaries is a documentary that unflinchingly explores this world. In December 2011, Secrets, London's largest chain of table dancing clubs, opened its doors to give unprecedented access to the dancers, customers and the backroom staff of their venues. The film offers a direct, intelligent approach that tells fascinating human stories of young women within the industry. Featuring predominantly young female characters, it tells its stories from the perspective of the industry's girls themselves. Their hopes, dreams, beliefs, values, experiences and views reveal the real people behind the make-up and lights. There is no such thing as a typical stripper, and the young women at Secrets are multi-dimensional. Amongst them are university undergraduates, mothers, a world champion kick boxer and recent immigrants, and together they describe themselves as a family, led by their formidable 'house mothers' - the older women who run the day-to-day goings-on in the clubs. A club's house mother is disciplinarian, bodyguard, quality controller and therapist all rolled into one. They have seen it all before and keep all 600 girls across the six clubs on the straight and narrow. The film gives the girls and the 'girls that run the girls' a voice and in doing so explores their lives beyond the stage. Just as Young Doctors gave a fresh, doctor's-eye perspective on the seemingly familiar hospital precinct, this film gives a revealing look at a profession viewed by many as a glamorous career option. Does the reality match the perception?
To mark Muhammad Ali's 70th birthday, David Frost charts the life and career of the world's greatest sportsman through a series of interviews and meets Ali at his Michigan ranch. [S]
A factual programme taking a journey into the future of television, from Silicon Valley to Vegas, meeting the people battling to shape it - from the software giants at Google to the hardware designers at Sony.
TV historian Dan Snow travels across the old Kingdom of Mercia unravelling the secrets of one of Britian's most significant discoveries - the Staffordshire Hoard. The Hoard offers 1500 new clues into the Dark Ages and Dan pieces together the lives of the people living in these long-forgotten kingdoms.
From Vogue magazine fashion photographer to filmmaker, painter and sculptor, David Bailey is a cultural icon who has been at the cutting edge of contemporary art for 50 years. A working-class Londoner, he befriended the stars, married his muses and still captures the spirit and elegance of his times with his refreshingly simple approach and razor-sharp eye. Approaching his 73rd year, Bailey is showing no sign of slowing up. In his London studio and his country home in Devon, he continues to create one of the most varied and pertinent collections of any modern artist. Featuring interviews with art critic Martin Harrison, former wife Catherine Deneuve, current wife Catherine Dyer and close friend Jerry Hall, this is a portrait of a private man who bared the soul of the swinging sixties and seventies with his photographs and films. Grounded, honest, open and ferociously creative, Bailey makes art the way Count Basie played jazz - four beats to the bar and no cheating.
Amal Fashanu goes on a mission to discover why no professional football player has followed in her late uncle Justin's boots in over twenty years and come out publicly as gay.
Lives lived through music, lives saved by music. Toni and Rosi Grunschlag were piano prodigies in Vienna in the 1920s. In this documentary made over ten years, they tell their story: of the German takeover of Austria; of being pushed out of their apartment by a local Nazi - 'He came with his concubine. They had a German shepherd dog and I can tell you he was the nicest of them'; and of escaping the Nazis together, fleeing to England and then the United States, where they forged a career as a two-piano team. Neither married, so they practised, performed and lived together for 80 years. 'There were suitors', says Rosi, 'But you have to be strong.' In the apartment building in New York where they have lived since 1943 and in their summer home on Cape Cod they play and show how music saved them, inspired them, bound them together, and was their living. Rosi has advice for the young: 'When you have to run for your life, you leave everything behind. But your education is yours to keep. It is your transportable asset.' It is an inspirational story of two talented, determined and funny women.
Special programme telling the dramatic story of Cutty Sark, the world famous clipper ship, from her launch in 1869 to the modern-day conservation work to save her.
2011 marks 30 years since AIDS descended. In 1981, the flourishing gay community in San Franscisco was hit with an unimaginable disaster. Through the eyes of those whose lives changed in unimaginable ways, this film tells how their beloved city was changed from a hotbed of sexual freedom and social experimentation into the epicentre of a terrible sexually transmitted 'gay plague'. From their different vantage points as caregivers, activists, researchers, friends and lovers of the afflicted and as people with AIDS themselves, it shares stories which are intensely personal. Speaking to our capacity as individuals to rise to the occasion, this is the story of the incredible power of a community coming together with love, compassion and determination.
In the early 1960s British pop groups conquered the world. But as the Beatles, the Stones, the Shadows, the Dave Clark Five, the Yardbirds and many others took to the stage they had one thing in common - they shared the platform with Vox amplifiers. Some of the nation's top professional musicians including Queen's Brian May and Bruce Welch of the Shadows, along with the factory workers of the time, recount the story of how an unlikely small company in unglamorous Dartford hit the big time and defined the sound of the 60s in Britain. Presented by Iain Lee.
Brothers Colin and Ewan McGregor follow up their documentary The Battle of Britain with a film exploring Bomber Command, a rarely-told story from the Second World War. The film focuses primarily on the men who fought and died in the skies above occupied Europe, with numerous examples of individual heroism and extraordinary collective spirit, and Colin learns to fly the key aircraft of the campaign: the Lancaster bomber. But this is also the story of a controversy that has lasted almost 70 years. The programme covers six years of wartime operations, and traces the obstacles and challenges that were overcome as the RAF developed and deployed the awesome fighting force that was Bomber Command.
This film follows the story of giant pandas Tian Tian and Yang Guang, who arrived in the UK to great fanfare in December 2011. David Tennant narrates as Edinburgh Zoo's vet and head keeper travel to China to see how giant pandas are looked after in their homeland. Head keeper Alison also visits a remote panda reserve in Wolong to witness the efforts to reintroduce giant pandas back into the wild.
Painted Life explores the life and work of Lucian Freud, undoubtedly one of Britain's greatest artists. Freud gave his full backing to the documentary shortly before his death. Uniquely, he was filmed painting his last work, a portrait of his assistant David Dawson. Lucian Freud: Painted Life also includes frank testimony from those who knew and loved this extraordinary personality. Members of his large family (he had at least fourteen children by a number of different women), close friends including David Hockney and Brigadier Andrew Parker Bowles, his dealers, his sitters and his former lovers recall for the first time a complex man who dedicated his life to his art and who always sought to transmute paint into a vibrant living representation of humanity. The film shows how Freud never swam with the flow and only achieved celebrity in older age. He rejected the artistic fashions of his time, sticking to figurative art and exploring portraiture, especially with regards to nude portraiture, which he explored with a depth of scrutiny that produced some of the greatest works of our time. This documentary is both a definitive biography and a revelatory exploration of the creative process.
Documentary showcasing how the latest forensic science is used to bring some of the most dangerous criminals to justice. Officers use fingerprint and ballistics analysis when they are called to a shooting on the streets of Luton, and the painstaking examination of the scene of an assault leads to a gang of attackers being arrested.
Jo Brand is outraged and appalled by the latest outburst of public crying. It is happening on X Factor, Who Do You Think You Are and even the politicans are at it. It would appear we are awash with tears. Jo is particularly baffled by this outpouring of weepiness as crying is something she rarely does. In this documentary, Jo decides it's time to get to the bottom of crying: why we do it, who does it and whether we have always done it. And once she discovers crying is in fact good for you, she has no choice but to see if she can actually make a handkerchief soggy too. To find out more about crying she talks to friends Phill Jupitus, Shappi Khorsandi and Richard E Grant; interviews crying historians, psychologists and biochemists; and, in her quest to discover her own tears, visits Moorfields Eye Hospital to check her tear ducts are in good working order. She subjects herself to joining a class of crying drama students, discovers the world's weirdest crybabies at the Loss Club and finally opens up to Princess Diana's psychotherapist, Susie Orbach.
Following on from her popular exploration of crying, Jo Brand is back - and this time she has got a bee in her bonnet about kissing. Jo is convinced that the kiss has lost its value - we are either air kissing people we have never even met before or snogging each other's faces off in public. Either way Jo has had enough of it and decides it is time to find out whether the kiss really is 'kisstory'. Along the way she meets some voracious kissers in our closest animal relatives, the bonobo monkeys, learns a bit about the history and science of 'locking lips' and discovers the beauty of the kiss in some rather extraordinary oral sculptures. Then Jo starts to realise that she needs to figure out her own relationship with the kiss. Visiting her mother uncovers some clues as to Jo's phobia of public kissing. Maybe the key is to find someone she really wants to kiss - and perfect her technique a bit while she's at it. A drama workshop proves decidedly awkward, but a few tips from an American kissing guru and Jo is well on her way to tracking down her mystery man. But what then?
On March 11th 2011 Japan was hit by the greatest tsunami in a thousand years. Through compelling testimony from 7-10 year-old survivors, this film reveals how the deadly wave and the Fukushima nuclear accident have changed children's lives forever. The story unfolds at two key locations: a primary school where 74 children were killed by the tsunami; and a school close to the Fukushima nuclear plant, attended by children evacuated from the nuclear exclusion zone.
We're used to hearing the bad news about our food. What's the good news? Cherry Healey puts some favourite supermarket staples to the test and uncovers the surprising secrets and unexpected powers of the food that people take for granted. With the help of members of the public from around the country, plus a team of experts, she investigates how milk can help muscles recover from exercise; what effect the way tea is brewed has on its health benefits; why there is more to baked beans than meets the eye; and whether it's really possible to be addicted to chocolate.
Documentary about how a much-derided music actually changed the world. Between 1969 and 1979 disco soundtracked gay liberation, foregrounded female desire in the age of feminism and led to the birth of modern club culture as we know it today, before taking the world by storm. With contributions from Nile Rogers, Robin Gibb, Kathy Sledge and Ian Schrager.
Phil Agland revisits the Baka Pygmy family he filmed 25 years ago in his Bafta-winning documentary Baka – People Of The Rainforest. He explores how life has changed for the new generation: the children of the old film are now parents; Camera, who was born at the end of the first film and named after Phil’s film camera, now has a seven-year-old daughter, Ambi. Camera’s brother Ali also has a young daughter, who is disabled. For the first time the Baka watch themselves in the original film on a huge screen in the forest. Seeing how their parents used to live prompts an epic journey deep into the forest to rediscover the old life of their fathers. The story that unfolds is a tragic one of a family caught helplessly between the world of the forest and the outside world that rejects them. But it is also a story of redemption inspired by the children, especially Ambi, who attends school for the first time.
In 2011, 19-year old Nic Hamilton dreamed of following his brother Lewis in to motor racing. But as well as the pressure of being a Hamilton and never having raced a car in his life, Nic also has a disability that had him using a wheelchair until he was 16. This powerful and intimate film follows the family as they try to help Nic achieve his dream. With unprecedented access we see Nic embark on a season that will determine whether he has what it takes to make a career of his own in the glamorous and dangerous world of motorsport.
Graham Norton profiles the leading ladies of the disco era, including Gloria Gaynor, Donna Summer, Grace Jones, Chaka Khan, Madonna and 'honourary disco queen' Sylvester. Includes contributions from the queens themselves, plus Antonio 'Huggy Bear' Fargas, choreographer Arlene Phillips, songwriters Ashford and Simpson, and disco artists Verdine White from Earth Wind and Fire, Bonnie Pointer of the the Pointer Sisters and Nile Rodgers of Chic.
A footstomping return to the BBC vaults of Top of the Pops, The Old Grey Whistle Test and Later with Jools as the programme spins itself to a time when disco ruled the floor, the airwaves and our minds. The visual floorfillers include classics from luminaries such as Chic, Labelle and Rose Royce to glitterball surprises by the Village People and Gladys Knight.
Phil Agland's acclaimed double BAFTA award-winning documentary first shown on Channel Four in 1987. Now 25 years old, the film has prompted Phil's return to CameroOn to shoot the update, Baka: A Cry from the Rainforest, for BBC Two. Baka is the extraordinarily intimate story of a Baka family living a traditional life in the rainforests of Cameroun. The Bakas' special understanding of the ecology of the forest is shown in great detail, including how they use the natural chemicals of the trees as medicines and truth drugs - together with the great animals of the forest, elephant, gorilla and golden cat. But the charm of the film is the soap opera in the forest, where the film follows the twists and turns of everyday family drama building to the exciting climax of the birth of Ali's sister, Camera - much to Ali's instant jealousy when he asks his father to throw her out with the rubbish.
Chris Packham, Kate Humble and Martin Hughes-Games are at the Brecon Beacons National Park to reveal how the UK's wildlife is faring this winter. The mild start followed by plummeting temperatures are setting a real challenge. The team find out how plants and animals are managing to survive, and what viewers can do to help.
Television interviews seem to have been around forever - but that's not the case. They evolved in confidence and diversity as television gradually came of age. So how did it all begin? With the help of some of its greatest exponents, Sir David Frost looks back over nearly sixty years of the television interview. He looks at political interviews, from the earliest examples in the post-war period to the forensic questioning that we now take for granted, and celebrity interviews, from the birth of the chat show in the United States with Jack Paar and Johnny Carson to the emergence of our own peak time British performers like Sir Michael Parkinson and Sir David himself. Melvyn Bragg, Joan Bakewell, Tony Benn, Clive Anderson, Ruby Wax, Andrew Neil, Stephen Fry, AA Gill, Alastair Campbell and Michael Parkinson all help trace the development of the television interview. What is its enduring appeal and where does the balance of power actually lie - with the interviewer or the interviewee?
In 2007 Queens Park Rangers Football Club, facing relegation and bankruptcy, was rescued by four high-profile billionaires. The new owners, risking ridicule and commercial failure, allowed cameras unprecedented access to record the roller-coaster ride. Though they paid for much of the filming they did not control where the cameras pointed or what ended up in the film.
Anger over votes for prisoners and the release of Abu Qatada shows just what a toxic issue human rights law has become. In this provocative film, Andrew Neil travels to Europe and across Britain to find out why Britain follows these laws and asks can anything be done to restore our faith in them?
In 2008 Pedigree Dogs Exposed lifted the lid on the true extent of the health and welfare problems faced by pedigree dogs in the UK. The startling expose of harmful breeding practices generated a massive reaction from the public and from those involved in dog breeding. Now the programme's producer Jemima Harrison returns to explore what has happened since she made the original film. Deeply affected by the issues that she uncovered, Jemima has become a campaigner on dog welfare. In this programme, she takes a personal look at the positive changes that have been introduced since the first film and investigates areas of continuing concern, particularly among breeds like the Pug, the Bulldog and the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Jemima hears from dog breeders and a range of experts, many of whom express grave worries about the future of some of our best loved breeds.
At the British Museum, a collection of artefacts from the Muslim world is on show which tells the history of a journey to Mecca always forbidden to non-Muslims. It features a succession of examples of the rich visual language of Islamic culture past and present, artwork created to reflect the powerful experience for any Muslim making the Hajj pilgrimage to Islam's most sacred city and its most sacred building, the Ka'aba. However, an artform not usually associated with Islam is also on show, a form many believe is prohibited by Islam - portraits, depictions of human figures and whole tableaux showing pilgrims performing the most important pillar of the Muslim faith. In this documentary, Rageh Omaar sets out to find out that if human depiction is the source of such controversy, how is it that the art displayed here shows a tradition of figurative art at the heart of Islam for century after century? He explores what forms of art are acceptable for a Muslim - and why this artistic tradition has thrived - in the hidden art of the muslim world
The smallpox outbreak in South Wales in 1962 led to the vaccination of nearly a million people, claimed 19 lives and forced the quarantine of thousands. On the fiftieth anniversary of the outbreak, this programme tells the full story of how the deadly virus brought South Wales to a standstill.
Broadcaster Richard Bacon has been targeted by an obsessive tirade of anonymous online abuse over the last two years, aimed not just at him but at his wife, mother and baby son. Motivated by his own experience, in this documentary Richard attempts to hunt down and confront three online bullies, including his own, only to learn that unmasking these so-called trolls can be a dangerous pursuit.
Star of BBC Three's hugely popular The Real Hustle, Alexis Conran is definitely someone you don't want to be playing cards with. An expert poker player and a man thoroughly at home in a casino, Alexis enjoys the thrill that comes with gambling. But what for Alexis is a pleasurable pastime and part of a lucrative career, ruined his father. In this documentary, Alexis travels around Britain, to Las Vegas and to Athens, meeting gambling addicts, experts and members of his own family to try and understand what makes gambling, for some, a compulsion that can end in ruin.
They are constantly circling hundreds of miles above our heads, driving our daily lives - yet we barely give satellites a second thought. Satellite engineer Maggie Aderin Pocock wants to change all that. She wants to make us realise and appreciate what these unsung heroes of the modern world have done for us. Maggie reveals how satellites have revolutionised exploration, communication, location-finding and spying. She discovers how they have transformed not only the way we see our planet but our understanding of the dangers within it, like volcanoes and earthquakes. Plus, she discovers the jaw-dropping power of the technology used by satellites to make our lives run smoothly.
As a kid growing up on a council estate, government benefits and negative distractions were a huge part of his childhood. Today, Reggie Yates is a successful TV and radio presenter. Setting off with the belief that with enough hard work and determination, teenagers can escape a life of crime, Reggie meets people who have been inside some of Britain's notorious teen gangs. He learns what drives them to join the gangs at a young age, and the challenges some of them now face trying to stay on the straight and narrow.
Documentary laying bare the joys and hurdles of disabled parenting over a six month period, following comedian Laurence Clark and his wife Adele, who both have cerebral palsy.
Ancient Egypt was vandalised by tomb raiders and treasure hunters until one Victorian adventurer took them on. Most of us have never heard of Flinders Petrie, but this maverick genius underook a scientific survey of the pyramids, discovered the oldest portraits in the world, unearthed Egypt's prehistoric roots - and in the process invented modern field archaeology, giving meaning to a whole civilisation.
Charles Dickens began his literary career while a journalist at Westminster. In his bicentenary year, Carolyn Quinn reports on how his time at Parliament inspired him.
In the 1980s rallying was more popular than Formula 1. 'Group B' machines had taken the world by storm. De-regulation opened the way for the most exciting cars ever to hit the motorsport scene. Nothing like it has ever happened since. 'This is the fastest rallying there has ever been' - Peter Foubister. For four wild and crazy years manufacturers scrambled to build ever more powerful cars to be driven by fearless mavericks who could handle the extreme power. The sport was heading out of control and the unregulated mayhem ended abruptly in 1986 after a series of horrific tragedies. This is the story of when fans, ambition, politics and cars collided. 'The fans were crazy. As the cars sped by the spectators ran into the road!' - Ari Vatanen 'They were playing with their lives'. 'To go rallying is madness. This was refined madness' - John Davenport Featuring world champions Ari Vatanen, Walter Rohrl, Stig Blomqvist, plus Michel Mouton, Cesar Fiorio, Jean Todt and many many more
Professor Alice Roberts reveals the natural history of the most famous of Ice Age animals - the woolly mammoth. Mammoths have transfixed humans since the depths of the last Ice Age, when their herds roamed across what is now Europe and Asia. Although these curious members of the elephant family have now been extinct for thousands of years, scientists can now paint an incredibly detailed picture of their lives thanks to whole carcasses that have been beautifully preserved in the Siberian permafrost. Alice meets the scientists who are using the latest genetic, chemical and molecular tests to reveal the adaptations that allowed mammoths to evolve from their origins in the tropics, to surviving the extremes of Siberia. And in a dramatic end to the film, she helps unveil a brand new woolly mammoth carcass that may shed new light on our own ancestors' role in their extinction.
An affectionate look at the Queen's relationship with Scotland and the Scots. It is an association that has grown in strength throughout her sixty-year reign. What is the nature of that rapport and what does the future hold for the Royal family and Elizabeth - Queen of Scots
Lloyd Coleman is a 19-year old student composer. He's been asked to write a thirty minute piece for full orchestra - a tough job for any composer, but Lloyd is partially sighted and has severe hearing loss. Can he break through the wall and rise to the challenge?
Featuring exclusive interviews with surviving band members Ray Manzarek, John Densmore, Robby Kreiger and their closest colleagues and collaborators, along with exclusive performances, archive footage and examination of the original multi-track recording tapes with producer Bruce Botnick, this film tells the amazing story of landmark album LA Woman by one of the most influential bands on the planet.
Once every two minutes someone in Britain is mugged. What does it feel like for someone to hold a knife to your throat and demand your cash, to punch you to the ground and wrench your bag from your hands? If it happened to you, would you fight back, try to run or hand over your prized possessions? This documentary hears both victim's and mugger's powerful stories.
Gabby Logan explores sexism in football, hearing stories from influential women working across the men's game. Just how bad is it? From Karren Brady in the boardroom to the most powerful woman in football, UEFA's Karen Espelund, one thing is common - they have all experienced discrimination.
A woman is raped every ten minutes in the UK yet thousands of rapes go unreported and conviction rates remain low. Presenter Pips Taylor explores why in powerful interviews with young rape survivors. She confronts those in authority about the failures in the system and speaks to young men about their views of the crime. Ultimately Pips asks - who is really to blame for rape?
Three former bomb disposal officers who served at the height of the Northern Ireland conflict, return for the first time in 30 years to revisit the defining moments of their careers, and the moments when they almost lost their lives.
Three Welsh veterans of the Falklands War return to the South Atlantic three decades on, to make peace with their past and lay their ghosts to rest. Contributions from Dilwyn Rogers, David Jones and Stephen Dawkins.
Thirty years after the Falkland's War, journalist and military historian Max Hastings explores the conflict's impact and its legacy. Hastings, who sailed with the Task Force in 1982 and reported on the Falklands campaign first-hand, looks at how victory in the South Atlantic revived the reputation of our armed forces and renewed Britain's sense of pride and its image abroad after years of decline as an imperial and military power.
Documentary tracing the fortunes of boys who were filmed in the residential school Ballikinrain, where children aged from 10 to 16 are placed by social work departments. Seven years ago, one unit of seven boys was filmed over the course of a year. The boys had to leave at the age of 16, and many still do not have stable environments to return to. The programme tells the stories of these boys, now men, and examines how the system has helped or damned them.
Bench presses, barbells, rowing machines and electric shock mittens - just some of the tortures revealed by Mark Benton in this funny look at the British way of keeping fit.
Wales rugby legend Shane Williams reveals the inside story of his rollercoaster rugby career. This candid portrait of one of Wales's most treasured stars follows the ups and downs of his life, culminating in his emotional retirement at the Millennium Stadium. Featuring interviews with Shane Williams, Martyn Williams, Lyn Jones and Bryan Habana.
Yorkshireman Frank Wild was the unsung hero of the heroic age of Antarctic exploration. He was Sir Ernest Shackleton's loyal companion, following him to the very ends of the Earth. Now, 90 years after Shackleton's death, Frank Wild's newly discovered remains are heading back to Antarctica to be laid beside his beloved boss in the icy lands they both loved so much.
Dr Yan sets primary-aged children a series of challenges that explore the science behind the exciting Bloodhound project to build the fastest car in the world. What makes it move? What will it be like to drive? How does it slow down?
In September 2011, Sikhs from all over Britain gathered in Parliament Square to protest. The focus of their concern was the turban. Since the terrorist attacks of the 21st century Sikhs believe their turbans have singled them out for discrimination and subjected to increased airport security searches. This documentary traces the history of the turban in the Sikh religion, from its roots in Moghul India, through the battlefields of Europe, to the fight for British Sikhs to wear it without fear. It reveals that the turban is a crucial symbol of the Sikh faith - one that Sikhs will even risk their lives for.
In 1981 the BBC series The Self Help Society looked at the co-operative movement run by communities in the Western Isles and in particular its impact on Eriskay. This programme offers the opportunity to view the excerpts original version and also find out what impact the co-operative and the many other changes which have taken place since have had on the island and the residents.
Matthew Pinsent catches up with athletes from across the globe as they prepare for London 2012. Belgian twin brothers Jonathan and Kevin Borlee endure a gruelling trek across an Icelandic glacier in their attempt to be selected for their national relay squad at London 2012.
With so few survivors of the Holocaust left to share their first-hand testimony, what is the right approach to those with accounts that can it be proved? Ninety-three-year-old Denis Avey is a British hero of the Holocaust who helped save the life of an Auschwitz inmate. He wrote about this heroic act, verified by the man he saved, in a best-selling book. But its publication generated a heated debate. That's because Denis also claimed to have broken in to the Nazi concentration camp itself. Why would anyone do such a thing and was it even possible? Witness to Auschwitz examines the controversy surrounding this latest Holocaust account and asks why is it so important to know the truth?
A unique blend of music and documentary, the show features special performances from Bryan Ferry, Joss Stone, Nicola Benedetti, Alfie Boe, Charlie Siem, Maverick Sabre and the Ulster Orchestra. The performances wrap around a documentary which tells the story of the ill-fated ship, those who built her, the people who sailed on her and the enduring legacy of the tragedy.
Commemorating the 100th anniversary of the sinking of Titanic, actor Bernard Hill who played Captain Smith in the 1997 Oscar-winning film, discovers the impact the tragedy had on the port of Southampton. Around 550 crew from Southampton died in the disaster. The unwritten rule of the sea 'women and children first' ensured the loss of husbands, fathers, sons. It plunged streets and houses into weeks of mourning and changed lives forever.
An epic 1970s tale about a group of rebel rock bands who rose up from one of the most unpopular, marginalised parts of the USA - the Deep South - and conquered the world. The Allman Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd and others that followed did this entirely on their own terms, blending the music of the region - blues, country, rock and roll - with a gung-ho attitude that set the South, and then America, on fire. Their diverse styles, from juke joint boogie and country-rock honks to cosmic blues blasts, had a huge cultural and political impact, even helping to elect Jimmy Carter as president in 1976. Their extraordinary adventure is brought to life through vivid period archive and contributions from the survivors of those crazy times, including Gregg Allman, REM's Mike Mills, Doug Gray, Al Kooper, Bonnie Bramlett, Charlie Daniels and other key figures in the movement.
The story the company behind Titanic didn't want you to know. On the 20th June 1913 a sensational court case opened in London. It pitted an ordinary farmer from County Limerick against the might and power of the company which built the Titanic, the Oceanic Steam Navigation Company, better known as the White Star Line. Heartbroken father Thomas Ryan's single ambition was to hold the company to account for the death of his son Patrick. Their story has been lost under the weight of Titanic's romantic folklore, but in Ryan Versus The White Star Line, BBC Northern Ireland uncovers the truth with the help of Thomas's descendants. Reporter Julie McCullough tracks down Thomas's grandson and follows the family's journey of discovery as they learn more about their ancestor's place in the story of Titanic.
Chris Birch is a Welsh lad who claims a stroke turned him gay.
It's the nation's most cherished and respected children's hospital, but senior consultants are now claiming that all is not well at Great Ormond Street. Through a series of exclusive interviews, Freedom of Information requests and a surprising paper trail, BBC London's Political Editor Tim Donovan asks: just how far will this world-famous hospital go to protect its unblemished reputation?
Actor David Harewood has just five days to take a group of inner city teenagers and turn them into Shakespearean actors. David, currently starring in the hit television drama Homeland, returns to his old school to select his cast and prepare for a final showcase performance in Stratford-upon-Avon. Can he inspire them to put on a passionate and polished production from one of the Bard's greatest works?
Stammering or stuttering is a debilitating affliction which can impact on a person's life every single day. Finding the right words to say how you feel can be hard for anyone, but for Britain's 600,000 stammerers it can be impossible. This documentary follows a group of young people who have taken that important decision to tackle their stammers by enrolling on an intense speech therapy course led by pop star Gareth Gates. At the end of the course, they have to face an audience and deliver a speech. Can Gareth help them take control of their stammers?
Michael Palin, Clive Dunn and Ian Lavender are among those who contribute to this candid portrait of actor John Le Mesurier, from his turbulent marriage to Hattie Jacques to his life-changing role as Sergeant Wilson in Dad's Army.
Samira Hashi is a 21 year old model living in London. After 18 years away Samira is going back to her birthplace, Somalia.
Film which follows Salisbury Cathedral's current child choristers over Easter and through the summer term of 2011. The separate boy and girl choirs each contain 16 of the most musically gifted eight-to-13 year-olds in the country. Their role, now as always, is to sing some of the most sublime music ever written in one of Britain's most beautiful buildings. Indeed there are many who believe the chorister's pure, clear, treble voice is the finest instrument in all music. The film spends four months with the choristers as they go about their day-to-day lives, discovering their own history and singing some of the most loved music from a sacred canon spanning six centuries from medieval plainsong to the present day. Under the direction of indefatigable choir master David Halls, they rehearse and perform works by Sheppard, Byrd, Purcell, Handel, Mozart, Stanford, Parry, Alcock and Rutter.
In 1978, the BBC television series The British Connection visited the district of Ness on the Isle of Lewis, speaking to residents about their sense of identity and what it meant to them. This programme offers the opportunity to watch the original version, discover how locals feel the community has changed in the intervening years and what their identity means to them in 2012.
One of the legends of Welsh sport, Ray Reardon, is 80 this year. The tough competitor with the twinkling eyes returns to his home town of Tredegar and visits the Welsh Open championship in Newport, where he reflects on a glittering career that brought him six World titles.
The true story of May McMurray, the little girl whose Titanic letter inspired a giant to find her. Three days, three giants - the Sea Odyssey extravaganza which brought Liverpool to a standstill.
Sir David Jason narrates a revealing and intimate insight into the life of Barry Hearn, one of the most powerful and colourful characters in sport. Featuring contributions from former snooker world champions Steve Davis, Dennis Taylor and Stephen Hendry, darts legend Phil 'The Power' Taylor as well as Greg Dyke, boxing promoter Frank Maloney and son and daughter Eddie and Katie Hearn.
What is it about subtitled Danish TV dramas that make them such compulsive viewing? Emma Jane Kirby talks on set to Danish stars, writers and creators of the shows.
In 1901, a group of divers excavating an ancient Roman shipwreck near the island of Antikythera, off the southern coast of Greece, found a mysterious object - a lump of calcified stone that contained within it several gearwheels welded together after years under the sea. The 2,000-year-old object, no bigger than a modern laptop, is now regarded as the world's oldest computer, devised to predict solar eclipses and, according to recent findings, calculate the timing of the ancient Olympics. Following the efforts of an international team of scientists, the mysteries of the Antikythera Mechanism are uncovered, revealing surprising and awe-inspiring details of the object that continues to mystify.
In 2004, Cyntoia Brown was arrested for the murder of a 43-year-old man. Cyntoia was a prostitute and he was her client. Film-maker Daniel Birman was granted unique access to Cyntoia from the week of her arrest, throughout her trial and over a period of six years. His documentary explores the tragic events in her life that led up to the murder, and Cyntoia's biological mother meets he daughter for the first time since giving her up for adoption 14 years earlier. The film explores the history of abuse, violence, drugs and prostitution back through three generations. As Cyntoia faces a lifetime in prison, the programme asks difficult questions about her treatment by the American justice system.
Michael Cockerell sheds new light on the tragi-comedy of the 1970s by focusing on some of its most controversial characters. With fresh filming and new interviews, along with a treasure trove of rare archive, the film presents the inside story of giant personalities who make today's public figures look sadly dull in comparison.
Part 1 of Francesco da Mosto's documentary series Shakespeare in Italy.
Part 2 of Francesco da Mosto's documentary series Shakespeare in Italy.
In the middle of the 17th century, Britain was devastated by a civil war that divided the nation into two tribes - the Roundheads and the Cavaliers. In this programme, celebrities and historians reveal that modern Britain is still defined by the battle between the two tribes. The Cavaliers represent a Britain of panache, pleasure and individuality. They are confronted by the Roundheads, who stand for modesty, discipline, equality and state intervention.
As Facebook heads for its 100 billion dollar flotation, Emily Maitlis updates her recent documentary on the prospects for Mark Zuckerberg's social network phenomenon. She examines how Facebook, now with 900 million users, plans to earn the billions its new investors will expect from it. With exclusive access to Mark Zuckerberg and senior executives, Emily tells the Facebook story, and reports on its challenge - to build its advertising business from the personal information its users provide, without losing their trust
Their family name alone evokes horror: Himmler, Frank, Goering, Hoess. This film looks at the descendants of the most powerful figures in the Nazi regime: men and women who were left a legacy that indelibly associates them with one of the greatest abominations in history. What is it like to have grown up with a name that immediately raises images of genocide? How do they live with the weight of their ancestors' crimes? Is it possible to move on from the crimes of their ancestors?
Pearl Harbor and the Fall of Singapore: 70 years ago these huge military disasters shook both Britain and America, but they conceal a secret so shocking it has remained hidden ever since. This landmark film by Paul Elston tells the incredible story of how it was the British who gave the Japanese the knowhow to take out Pearl Harbor and capture Singapore. For 19 years before the fall of Singapore to the Japanese, British officers were spying for Japan. Worse still, the Japanese had infiltrated the very heart of the British establishment - through a mole who was a peer of the realm known to Churchill himself.
Former Miss Great Britain, Gemma Garrett, investigates how she - and 50,000 other British women - ended up with toxic breast implants made by the French company PIP. After her own implants ruptured and the silicone pieces had to be tweezered out, Gemma wants to know not just what the long-term effects will be on her body, but also why such high numbers of women remain so desperate to make their breasts bigger - and what risks they face as a result. Can they be confident about the other products on the market, or even breast surgery itself? As she explores the implant industry as a whole, she meets the first woman to ever have them and some of the women with PIPs now terrified they have been left with 'ticking timebombs' in their chest. And with her own experience still painfully raw, Gemma challenges a friend who is still dead set on having implants - but is a boob job really the best way to boost her assets?
For more than two years Europe has teetered on the edge of an economic precipice - one of the factors that has pushed Britain back into recession. How exactly did Europe get itself into the current financial mess? Talking to historians, economists and politicians, BBC business editor Robert Peston takes a long view of the euro - from Churchill's vision of a United States of Europe to the bail-outs of Greece, Portugal and Ireland. Meeting a property developer in Ireland, a taxi driver in Rome and a German manufacturing worker, the film exposes the high cost being paid by European workers today for the dream of monetary union - and how close Europe came to a complete banking meltdown. The crisis could yet claim another victim - Britain, with its vast financial sector, would be dragged down by the collapse of the euro. The cost for saving the euro may be high, but the alternative would be a return to the economic mayhem of the 1930s
Documentary which recalls the heyday of one of Britain's most iconic buildings, BBC Television Centre, through the memories of stars and staff. A rich variety of archive includes moments from studio recordings of classic programmes and vintage behind-the-scenes footage from the home of many of the most celebrated programmes in British TV history.
John Edginton's documentary explores the making of Pink Floyd's ninth studio album, "Wish You Were Here." Featuring new interviews with band members Roger Waters, David Gilmour and Nick Mason alongside contributions from the likes of guest vocalist Roy Harper, sleeve designer Storm Thorgerson and photographer Jill Furmanovsky, the film is a forensic study of the making of the follow-up to 1973's "Dark Side of the Moon."
This documentary evokes London as seen by painters, photographers, film-makers and writers through the ages; the perspectives of Dickens, Hogarth, Turner, Virginia Wolfe, Monet and Alfred Hitchcock alongside those of contemporary Londoners who tread the streets of the city every day. All these people have found beauty and inspiration in London's dirt and grime. Architects and social engineers have strived to organise London, but painters, writers and many more have revelled in its labyrinthine unruliness. This is the story of a city that tried to impose order on its streets, but actually discovered time after time that its true character lay in an unplanned, chaotic nature.
The composer Frederick Delius is often pictured as the blind, paralysed and caustic old man he eventually became, but in his youth he was tall, handsome, charming and energetic - not Frederick at all for most of his life, but Fritz. He was a contemporary of Elgar and Mahler, yet forged his own musical language, with which he always tried to capture the pleasure of the moment. Using evidence from his friend, the Australian composer Percy Grainger, who reported that Delius 'practised immorality with puritanical stubbornness', this film by John Bridcut explores the multiple contradictions of his colourful life. Delius has long been renowned for his depiction of the natural environment, with pieces such as On Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring, yet his music is usually steeped in the sensuality and eroticism that he himself experienced. The documentary features specially-filmed performances by the widely-acclaimed Danish interpreters of Delius, the Aarhus Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Bo Holten, as well as the chamber choir, Schola Cantorum of Oxford.
Documentary about the greatest public ceremony of the twentieth century. As well as recounting the events of Coronation Day, 2nd June 1953, the film focuses on the months of meticulous planning beforehand. What took place behind the scenes is told using diaries, letters, official records and government papers, together with much rare, evocative archive. There are interviews with historians and experts on royal ceremonial as well as participants in the ceremony. The Coronation was an immense challenge - the views of forceful personalities from die-hard traditionalists to forward-thinking innovators had to be reconciled, the movements of thousands had to be marshalled like clockwork, and the BBC had to mount its most ambitious television outside broadcast to date in the teeth of prime minister Winston Churchill's opposition. At the centre of it all was the 27-year-old Queen, bearing an immense responsibility while remaining apparently calm and unperturbed throughout. This is a story of precision planning, last minute nerves and an ancient ceremony which brought together church, state, aristocracy and monarchy in a glorious panoply - the like of which will never be seen again.
To launch the diamond jubilee weekend, BBC One is broadcasting a personal tribute to Her Majesty the Queen by His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. Through previously-unseen photographs and cine films from Her Majesty's private collection - many of them shot by the Queen herself - the prince reflects on various public events and private family moments during the sixty years of the Queen's reign. In some cases, the prince himself has never seen the footage before. The prince is filmed in the private quarters of Windsor Castle and Balmoral, as well as at Buckingham Palace and Highgrove.
Huw Edwards, Matt Baker and Sophie Raworth host live coverage of one of the biggest events of the year, the diamond jubilee Thames pageant. For the first time in 350 years, a flotilla of 1,000 boats will sail down the River Thames from Battersea to Tower Bridge in celebration of Her Majesty the Queen's 60-year reign. The Queen will lead the floating procession in an ornately-decorated royal barge. A team of presenters will be reporting on this historic event from bridges, banks and boats along the seven-mile route. Special guests include Sue Johnston, Omid Djalili, Griff Rhys Jones, Frank Skinner, Richard E Grant, the Horrible Histories team, and some of the many people from across the UK and the Commonwealth who have made their way to London to take part in this extraordinary pageant.
Documentary telling the double-edged story of the grave risks we pose to our own survival in the name of progress. With rich imagery the film connects financial collapse, growing inequality and global oligarchy with the sustainability of mankind itself. The film explores how we are repeatedly destroyed by 'progress traps' - alluring technologies which serve immediate need but rob us of our long term future. Featuring contributions from those at the forefront of evolutionary thinking such as Stephen Hawking and economic historian Michael Hudson. With Martin Scorsese as executive producer, the film leaves us with a challenge - to prove that civilisation and survival is not the biggest progress trap of them all.
It's one of the most corrupt countries in the world and widely criticised for its human rights record but this year Azerbaijan is hosting Eurovision.
A look at how a British invasion led by the Beatles conquered the US in the 1960s.
How Led Zeppelin spearheaded a British stadium rock assault on the States in the 70s.
How the Sex Pistols and Duran Duran led new rock and pop invasions in the 70s and 80s.
Huw Edwards introduces full, uninterrupted live coverage of the final day of Her Majesty the Queen's diamond jubilee celebrations. To mark this special occasion, the Queen together with other members of the royal family, attend a national service of thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral. Throughout the morning a team of BBC reporters consisting of Fiona Bruce, Sophie Raworth, Jake Humphrey, Fearne Cotton, Chris Hollins, Sonali Shah and Clare Balding, will be capturing all the stories, reactions and celebrations on a day of unadulterated national celebration. 09.30 As the members of the congregation take their seats in St Paul's Cathedral, Sophie Raworth will be inviting some of the people involved in the service to share their thoughts and feelings about the day. At the Palace of Westminster, Fiona Bruce mingles with the people who've travelled from all over the country to share lunch with the Queen. 10.00 All eyes will be on the cathedral for the arrivals of the royal family, the prime minister and other leading dignitaries, whilst at Buckingham Palace Huw Edwards will be joined by expert guests to give their perspective on this momentous day. 10.30 The national service of thanksgiving begins, and James Naughtie provides commentary on the service presided over by the dean of St Paul's Cathedral. 11.30 The streets of London will be lined with jubilant spectators as the Queen travels to Mansion House to begin the next stage of the day's celebrations. Chris Hollins and Sonali Shah will be on the route to meet the royal fans who have the prized front row seats. 12.00 Join Fearne Cotton and Jake Humphrey as they host their own exclusive jubilee party with some special guests. Meanwhile, at Knightsbridge Barracks, Clare Balding gets a first-hand glimpse of the household cavalry preparations for the big afternoon ahead. 12.30 The Queen travels to the Palace of Westminster to have lunch with over 700 people in the stunning setting of Westminster H
In the presence of HM the Queen and the royal family, an array of stars from the last sixty years of rock, pop and classical music perform on a spectacular stage built around the Queen Victoria Memorial, right in front of Buckingham Palace. Hit songs and show stopping performances are promised, with hosts including Rob Brydon, Miranda Hart, Lenny Henry and Lee Mack. Proceedings conclude with HM the Queen lighting the National Beacon
The diamond jubilee celebrations continue with a stunning display of pomp and pageantry. Huw Edwards is joined by celebrities, historians and royal commentators at the majestic setting of Buckingham Palace to present live coverage of the afternoon's events. Senior members of the royal family will travel by magnificent carriage procession from the Palace of Westminster to Buckingham Palace to mark 60 years of the Queen's reign. At the end of the afternoon, all eyes will be turned on Buckingham Palace for the climactic balcony appearance and fly-past.
A diamond jubilee message from HM the Queen
Jools Holland embarks on a personal journey through the streets, historical landmarks, pubs, music halls and rock 'n' roll venues of London to uncover a history of the city through its songs, the people who wrote them and the Londoners who joined in the chorus. Unlike Chicago blues or Memphis soul, London has no one definitive sound. Its noisy history is full of grime, clamour, industry and countless different voices demanding to be heard. But there is a strain of street-wise realism that is forever present, from its world-famous nursery rhymes to its music hall traditions, and from the Broadside Ballad through to punk and beyond. Jools's investigation - at once probing and humorous - identifies the many ingredients of a salty tone that could be called 'the London sound' as he tracks through the centuries from the ballads of Tyburn Gallows to Broadside publishing in Seven Dials in the 18th century, to Wilton's Music Hall in the late 19th century, to the Caribbean sounds and styles that first docked at Tilbury with the Windrush in 1948, to his own conception to the strains of Humphrey Lyttelton at the 100 Club in 1957. Along the way, he meets musicians such as Ray Davies, Damon Albarn, Suggs, Roy Hudd, Lisa Hannigan, Joe Brown and Eliza Carthy who perform and talk about such classic songs as London Bridge is Falling Down, While London Sleeps, Knocked 'Em in the Old Kent Road, St James Infirmary Blues and Oranges and Lemons.
Internationally acclaimed ventriloquist Nina Conti, takes the bereaved puppets of her mentor and erstwhile lover Ken Campbell on a pilgrimage to Venthaven, the resting place for puppets of dead ventriloquists. She gets to know her latex and wooden travelling partners along the way, and with them deconstructs herself and her lost love in this ventriloquial docu-mocumentary requiem. Ken Campbell was a hugely respected maverick of the British theatre, an eccentric genius who would snort out forgotten artforms. Nina was his prodigy in ventriloquism and has been said to have reinvented the artform. This film is truly unique in genre and style. No one has seen ventriloquism like this before. Nina Conti's funny, highly original and poignant documentary, takes us on two journeys. A personal journey, and a professional one, through the strange, surprising and often hilarious world of ventriloquism. When Nina was just another twenty-something wannabe actress, Ken presented her with a teach-yourself ventriloquism kit. This set her on a path to becoming a sell-out act in Britain and abroad, with a clutch of major awards. On the road, Nina brings all the puppets to life as struggles to meet the conflicting demands of her old acerbic partner Monkey, and the new characters she has been bequeathed. But one puppet remains silent. Ken's doll of himself sits mournful and judgemental in the hotel bedroom. Nina cannot find her master's voice and until she does, she will not be able to lay her old life to rest. Never has watching someone talk to themselves been this interesting.
On Saturday 12 November 2011 an eclectic range of British people turned the camera on themselves, capturing the entertaining and mundane, the exciting and unusual, the poignant and the everyday. The result, Britain in a Day tells the fascinating story of the British public in their own words. Following on from the feature film Life in a Day, this 90-minute film directed by BAFTA winner Morgan Matthews offers an extraordinarily candid look at 21st century life across the UK, crafted from over 750 hours of footage, including 11,526 clips submitted to YouTube. The documentary offers remarkable insight into the lives, loves, fears and hopes of people living in Britain today. This captivating self-portrait of Britain forms part of the BBC's Cultural Olympiad.
Dan Cruickshank follows in the footsteps of John Stow and John Strype, two of London's greatest chroniclers, to explore one of the most dramatic centuries in the history of London. The 17th century saw London plunged into a series of devastating disasters. The Civil War, a murderous plague and the destruction that was the great fire should have seen the small medieval City all but destroyed. Yet somehow, London not only survived but emerged as one of the wealthiest and most influential cities in Europe.
In this documentary, the presenter and art critic Matthew Collings explores how Turner, the artist of light, makes light the vehicle of feeling in his work, and how he found inspiration for that feeling in the waters of the River Thames. JMW Turner is the most famous of English landscape painters. Throughout a lifetime of travel, he returned time and again to paint and draw scenes of the Thames, the lifeblood of London. This documentary reveals the Thames in all its diverse glory, from its beauty in west London, to its heartland in the City of London and its former docks, out to the vast emptiness and drama of the Thames estuary near Margate. Turner was among the first to pioneer painting directly from nature, turning a boat into a floating studio from which he sketched the Thames. The river and his unique relationship with it had a powerful impact upon his use of materials, as he sought to find an equivalent in paint for the visual surprise and delight he found in the reality of its waters. By pursuing this ever-changing tale of light, Turner also documented and reflected upon key moments in British history in the early 19th century; the Napoleonic wars, social unrest and the onset of the industrial revolution. His paintings of the river Thames communicate the fears and exultations of the time. Turner's greatness as a painter is often attributed to his modern use of colour. Many of his paintings are loved by the British public and regularly celebrated as the nation's greatest art. This film reveals for the first time on television a key inspiration for that modernity and celebrity; a stretch of water of immense importance to the nation in the early 19th century but which today is often taken for granted - the River Thames.
Dan Cruickshank explores the mysteries and secrets of the bridges that have made London what it is. He uncovers stories of bronze-age relics emerging from the Vauxhall shore, of why London Bridge was falling down, of midnight corpses splashing beneath Waterloo Bridge, and above all, of the sublime ambition of London's bridgebuilders themselves.
In this personal film, Julien Temple, who directed the definitive documentary history of the Glastonbury Festival, explores the alternative side of the festival away from the spotlight of the main stages with their global pop superstars. In fields known as Shangri La, Arcadia, the Unfair Ground, Strummerville, Block 9 and the Common, every year an unlikely attempt at utopia takes shape. Here, the festival reconnects with its radical, countercultural origins combining underground music, performance art and some of the funniest and most provocative sights of the festival with a dark, urgent 21st century spontaneity. Filmed at the 2011 festival, this 75 minute documentary features Michael Eavis, the creators of, and visitors to the true heart of the Glastonbury, and, fuelled by the music of tomorrow, explores the hopes, dreams and personal utopias of those who, for one weekend in June, come together as the tribes of 21st Century Albion.
Ten times as many children are in institutional care in Ukraine as in England. In this disturbing investigation, film-maker Kate Blewett finds out what a lifetime in the care of the state really means for Ukraine's forgotten children. Shot over six months in an institute for disabled and abandoned children, the film takes us inside the lives of a handful of children who were abandoned by their parents - with a simple signature - to state care. The institute houses 126 children, of whom all but four still have living parents. The vast majority are what are called 'social orphans' in Ukraine, signed over to institutional care in a society that still clings to the Soviet-era ideal that the state knows best. But what Kate finds is that children of widely varying abilities are warehoused together, leading inevitably to institutionalisation, repetitive behaviour, self-stimulation and self-harm, even amongst those with very minor disabilities. Lyosha is ten, and has no arms and legs. But with a fighting spirit and lively intelligence, he uses his balance and powerful neck muscles to propel himself around the room, along corridors and even up and down stairs, almost as quickly as those around him with four limbs. He is proud of the fact that he makes his own bed every morning, and will not allow carers to help him do so. Lyosha is just one of a group of boys for whom Nikolai, the institute director, has great ambitions. Nikolai has seen too many of the children he has cared for leave at 18, to be transferred to psychiatric or geriatric homes, labelled as incapacitated and effectively robbed of their human rights and their future. He has gained funding from Russia for a small group home for boys like Lyosha whom he feels have the greatest unrealised potential. Once in this home they will get the education and rehabilitation they need to avoid a future without hope or freedom. Kate also meets young men in their 20s and 30s who were not so lucky. Despite clear evidenc
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars is arguably the most important album in the mind-blowing career of David Bowie. Released in 1972, it's the record that set the mercurial musician on course to becoming one of the best-known pop stars on the planet. In just over a year, Bowie's messianic Martian invaded the minds of the nation's youth with a killer combination of extraterrestrial rock 'n' roll and outrageous sexuality, all delivered in high-heeled boots, multi-coloured dresses and extravagant make-up. In Bowie's own words, Ziggy was 'a cross between Nijinsky and Woolworths', but this unlikely culture clash worked - Ziggy turned Bowie into stardust. This documentary tells the story of how Bowie arrived at one of the most iconic creations in the history of pop music. The songs, the hairstyles, the fashion and the theatrical stage presentation that merged together to turn David Bowie into the biggest craze since the Beatles. Ziggy's instant success gave the impression that he was the perfectly-planned pop star. But, as the film reveals, it had been a momentous struggle for David Bowie to hit on just the right formula that would take him to the top. Narrated by fan Jarvis Cocker, it reveals Bowie's mission to the stars through the musicians and colleagues who helped him in his unwavering quest for fame - a musical voyage that led Bowie to doubt his true identity, eventually forcing the sudden demise of his alien alter ego, Ziggy. Contributors include Trevor Bolder (bass player, Spiders from Mars), Woody Woodmansey (drummer, Spider from Mars), Mike Garson (Spiders' keyboardist), Suzi Ronson (Mick Ronson's widow, who gave Bowie that haircut), Ken Scott (producer), Elton John (contemporary and fan), Lindsay Kemp (Bowie's mime teacher), Leee Black Childers (worked for Mainman, Bowie's production company), Cherry Vanilla (Bowie's PA/press officer), George Underwood (Bowie's friend), Mick Rock (Ziggy's official photographer), Steve Harley,
Documentary presented by actor/rapper Adam Deacon, who wants to know if the mistrust that many people in inner cities feel towards the police has spread to all parts of Britain.
In his home studio and revisiting old haunts in Shepherds Bush and Battersea, Pete Townshend opens his heart and his personal archive to revisit 'the last great album the Who ever made', one that took the Who full circle back to their earliest days via the adventures of a pill-popping mod on an epic journey of self-discovery. But in 1973 Quadrophenia was an album that almost never was. Beset by money problems, a studio in construction, heroin-taking managers, a lunatic drummer and a culture of heavy drinking, Townshend took on an album that nearly broke him and one that within a year the band had turned their back on and would ignore for nearly three decades. With unseen archive and in-depth interviews from Townshend, Roger Daltrey, Keith Moon, John Entwistle and those in the studio and behind the lens who made the album and thirty page photo booklet. Contributors include: Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey, Ethan Russell, Ron Nevison, Richard Barnes, Irish Jack Lyons, Bill Curbishley, John Woolf, Howie Edelson, Mark Kermode and Georgiana Steele Waller.
The day after London won the Olympic bid, terrorists attacked the public transport network killing 52 people and injuring over 700. Seven years later, as the eyes of the world are once again focused on the capital, '7/7: One Day in London' gathers the testimony of over 50 people directly affected by the bombings, exploring the long lasting effects as they reflect on their experiences and how their lives have changed. After the conclusion of the public inquest in 2011, a multitude of previously untold stories emerged of the bravery, difficulties and horror that people experienced on that day in 2005; many of these have been included in this film as well as testimony from people who have never spoken publically before. This is an ambitious retelling of the story of what happened on that day, with contributions from commuters, emergency service workers, TFL staff and families of victims. With enormous compassion for one another, ordinary people tell extraordinary stories of the day when they were thrown together, and their struggle to cope in the wake of the blasts that shook London.
The story of D-Day has been told from the point of view of the soldiers who fought in it, the tacticians who planned it and the generals who led it. But that epic event in world history has never been told before through the perspective of the strange handful of spies who made it possible. D-Day was a great victory of arms, a tactical coup, and a moral crusade. But it was also a triumph for espionage, deceit, and thinking of the most twisted sort. Following on from his hugely successful BBC Two documentaries, Operation Mincemeat and Double Agent: The Eddie Chapman Story (Agent Zigzag), writer and presenter Ben Macintyre returns to the small screen to bring to life his third best-selling book - Double Cross The True Story of the D-Day Spies. Macintyre reveals the gripping true story of five of the double agents who helped to make D-day such a success.
What's really going on inside your stomach? In this documentary, Michael Mosley offers up his own guts to find out. Spending the day as an exhibit at the Science Museum in London, he swallows a tiny camera and uses the latest in imaging technology to get a unique view of his innards digesting his food. He discovers pools of concentrated acid and metres of writhing tubing which is home to its own ecosystem. Michael lays bare the mysteries of the digestive system - and reveals a complexity and intelligence in the human gut that science is only just beginning to uncover.
Documentary which records and celebrates the life and works of 'punk poet' John Cooper Clarke, looking at his life as a poet, a comedian, a recording artist and revealing how he has remained a significant influence on contemporary culture over four decades.
We Who Wait tells the story of punk band the Adverts and the continuing music career of their former frontman TV Smith, one of the most talented, literate and passionate - yet curiously overlooked - songwriters to emerge from London's vibrant '77 new wave scene.
Gary Barlow is on a mission to record a special song to celebrate the Queen's diamond jubilee. He writes the melody with Lord Lloyd Webber, but he wants performers from around the Commonwealth to play on it. Prince Charles gives Gary some suggestions, and Gary then embarks on an extraordinary trip, recording all manner of musicians on their home turfs to make the unique record, Sing.
We each spend three years of our lives on the toilet, but how happy are we talking about this essential part of our lives? This film challenges that mindset by uncovering its role in our culture and exploring the social history of the toilet in Britain and abroad - as well as exploring many of our cultural toilet taboos. Starting in Merida, Spain with some of the the earliest surviving Roman toilets, we journey around the world - from the UK to China, Japan and Bangladesh - visiting toilets, ranging from the historically significant to the beautiful, from the functional and sometimes not-so-functional to the downright bizarre. Leading our journey is Everyman figure, Welsh poet and presenter Ifor ap Glyn, who has a passionate interest in the toilet, its history and how it has evolved over the centuries, right up to the development of the current design. Finally, there's a glimpse of the future and a possible solution to the global sanitation issues we now face.
An intimate portrait of athlete Usain Bolt, the fastest man in the world. In the London 2012 Olympics, Bolt will try to retain his three Olympic titles and his three world records. On the night of the 100m final, over four billion viewers will watch him as he attempts to enter the history books by becoming the first man ever to retain the 100m gold medal. French producer/director Gael Leiblang secured exclusive access to Usain Bolt, and has been filming up close and personal with him over the last 12 months as he prepares for the biggest race of his life. Made with his complete co-operation, it features Bolt in his home environment away from the cameras. It also features all the people who have helped get Bolt to the top of his profession - his relatives, his best friends and the Jamaican national coach.
Former Irish athlete and 5,000m world champion Eamonn Coghlan travels to Kenya's highlands to uncover a little-known story - the role of Irish missionaries in securing Kenya's dominance in world athletics. He meets Brother Colm O'Connell, a modest priest who played a major role in fostering Kenyan distance running and who is now considered one of the world's top athletics coaches. Watching him train the 800m world-record holder David Rudisha, Eamonn observes at first-hand his unlikely but lasting legacy. Part travelogue, part tribute, the documentary also features an interview with Eamonn's childhood hero, the great Olympic athlete Kip Keino.
Having spent 40 years designing one innovative car after another, his portfolio includes the most successful F1 car ever raced and what is widely considered to be the greatest sports car of all time. But today Professor Murray has set himself even more challenging goals as his focus turns from racetrack to public road. Murray aims to transfer F1 technology to an inexpensive, lightweight city car for the masses. But is the industry at large prepared for the radical overhaul that Murray plans?
In 2007 former Bond girl Maryam d'Abo suffered a brain hemorrhage. The experience inspired her to make a film on survivors of brain injuries. As she guides us through her personal journey of recovery, she talks to others who have suffered brain injury along the way. Alongside the testimony of eminent neurosurgeons, neurologists and neuro-psychologists, their first-hand stories celebrate the human will to survive.
Victoria Pendleton is the most compelling sportswoman in Britain. As brutally honest and revelatory on camera as she is driven and competitive when flying around a steeply banked bowl of a cycling track, Pendleton offers a rare insight into the way an otherwise ordinary life has been consumed by the sacrifice and intensity required to win an Olympic event. The 30 year-old sprint cyclist is already an Olympic champion, having won gold in Beijing in 2008, but in Victoria Pendleton: Cycling's Golden Girl she takes us on a bruising and intimate personal journey.
On July 21st 1972 the IRA planned the biggest car bomb blitz ever seen. 40 years on we tell the story of that day through the eyes of people who were there.
Documentary examining the significance of Queen Victoria's diamond jubilee, which was celebrated in 1897 with an unprecedented display of pomp and pageantry. Drawing on archive film, contemporary interviews and expert analysis, the programme reveals why Queen Victoria herself was surprisingly reluctant to take part in the celebration.
There are 80,000 kids in the UK growing up in care - the vast majority will never be adopted and spend their childhoods with no permanent home, being moved from foster placements to children's homes. Ashley John-Baptiste is best known for leaving boyband The Risk, who were tipped as potential winners of the X-Factor. A talented singer-songwriter, Ashley has a very strong sense of his being in charge of his own destiny. Aged two, he was placed in care, where he remained until adulthood. Unlike most children in care, for whom life chances are bleak, Ashley bucked the odds, doing well in school and eventually graduating from Cambridge. In this documentary, he goes back to look at the children who are growing up in the care system in the same way he did - with no chance of adoption and with no permanent home throughout childhood.
Zoe Smith, Hannah Powell and Helen Jewell have dedicated their lives to the ultimate Olympic dream of representing Team GB at London 2012. BBC Three has been following these young teammates as they hone their skills, resist temptations and watch their weight in order to secure one of the two female spots on the British weightlifting squad.
Documentary following Tom Daley, Britain's Olympic poster boy, as he prepares for the London 2012 Olympics. He has dreamt of competing for most of his young life, but the final year of preparations has been his most challenging.
Ireland's economic recession has caused a boom in one of the unlikeliest sectors of the music industry - Irish rap. This no-holds-barred film follows bands such as the Class A'z as they tour Dublin's working-class clubs trying to find an audience amongst the country's disaffected youth. Despite millions of internet hits the band remain unsigned and competition for dwindling audiences has led to feuds and fights amongst rival rappers. This is a warm-hearted film about growing up as a rapper in Ireland and the struggle to find fame in a genre that is frequently ridiculed.
As London 2012 gets under way, the Paralympic games are moving centre stage. But almost unknown to the millions who will watch the 2012 Olympics there is a third Olympic movement. The Special Olympics is for people with learning difficulties, and for the athletes, just taking part is a major achievement. This film follows a dancer with Down's syndrome, a judo fighter with autism, a bowler who has brain damage and a basketball player with Asperger's syndrome. As they prepare for the games, held in Leicester in 2009, they overcome their difficulties to compete on a world stage.
Simon Vaughan looks at the assassination of serving prime minister Spencer Perceval in the lobby of the House of Commons in 1812.
This is the story of a group of Afghan actors bringing a production of Shakespeare's Comedy of Errors to an international festival at London's Globe theatre. Over 30 years of war have virtually destroyed Afghan theatre. Women can be harassed for performing on stage. Yet in just a few months the actors are expected to perform in front of an audience of thousands at one of the most prestigious theatres in the world.
Documentary about judo fighter Ashley McKenzie, who is trying to win a place at the London Olympics despite suffering from ADHD which has got him into trouble all his life.
Ian McBride embarks on a journey to discover the global significance of a little-known Ulster thinker, whose radical ideas about human nature and human rights helped shape the modern world.
Over the last three summers conductor Daniel Barenboim and his West-Eastern Divan Orchestra have been performing all nine Beethoven symphonies across the world. Formed in 1999, this is no ordinary orchestra. Its members include Israelis and Arabs. The idealism of Beethoven's music makes it the perfect choice of repertoire. The three-year tour - called Beethoven for All - finishes this summer at the BBC Proms, in the Royal Albert Hall - the first time in 70 years that all nine symphonies have been played there. Two centuries after they were written, Beethoven's nine symphonies are a landmark in western music. Each sets a new challenge to conductor, orchestra and audience. In the summer of 2011 the orchestra toured China and South Korea - where all nine symphonies were performed together for the first time. The BBC joined the tour to discover why they are regarded as one of the pinnacles of classical music.
An intimate portrait of Amish family life and faith - this film opens up a world usually kept private. Miriam and David are Old Order Amish and photography is not permitted under the strict rules of the Amish church. So when they agree to open their home and their lives to the cameras, they embark on a journey which is not without risk. As the film unfolds, we learn exactly what is at stake for this family - and why they wanted to share their lives and risk all.
Daniel Gordon's documentary looks at the legacy of the men's 100-metre final at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, when gold medallist Ben Johnson tested positive for anabolic steroids and scandal reigned. For the first time ever, the eight athletes who ran in that infamous race tell their story.
A wartime Spitfire is unearthed from an Irish bog, while divers explore sunken U-boats and merchant ships littering the seabed offshore. Dan Snow tells how, during World War II, Northern Ireland was thrust to the heart of the Battle of the Atlantic, and how excavations in Italy reveal just how Northern Irish troops took the fight to the battlegrounds of Europe.
The story of how Russell Brand battled to stay clean of drugs is at the heart of this honest, personal film in which he challenges how our society deals with addicts and addiction.
The dark heart of the Nazi holocaust, Treblinka was an extermination camp where over 800,000 Polish Jews perished from 1942. Only two men can bear final witness to its terrible crimes. Samuel Willenberg and Kalman Taigman were slave labourers who escaped in a dramatic revolt in August 1943. One would seek vengeance in the 1944 Warsaw Uprising, while the other would appear in the sensational trial of Adolf Eichmann in 1961. This film documents their amazing survivor stories and the tragic fate of their families, and offers new insights into a forgotten death camp.
Julien Temple's epic time-travelling voyage to the heart of his hometown. From musicians, writers and artists to dangerous thinkers, political radicals and above all ordinary people, this is the story of London's immigrants, its bohemians and how together they changed the city forever. Reaching back to the dawn of film in London at the start of the 20th century, the story unfolds through film archive, voices of Londoners past and present and the flow of popular music across the century; a stream of urban consciousness, like the river which flows through its heart. It ends now, as London prepares to welcome the world to the 2012 Olympics.
Documentary in which Amal Fashanu meets survivors of the Colorado shootings and examines issues surrounding US gun massacres.
Insightful documentary by director Claire Braden about five deaf teenagers as they take their first steps into the hearing world.
EastEnders actress Rita Simons has five-year old twin daughters, Maiya and Jaimee. Maiya was diagnosed with hearing loss at six-months old. Rita and husband Theo have just had the shocking news that, one day, she will probably lose her hearing completely.
In 1978 the Undertones released Teenage Kicks, one of the most perfect and enduring pop records of all time - an adolescent anthem that spoke to teenagers all over the globe. It was the first in a string of hits that created a timeless soundtrack to growing up, making the Undertones one of punk rock's most prolific and popular bands. Unlike the anarchic ragings of the Sex Pistols or the overt politics of the Clash, the Undertones sang of mummy's boys, girls - or the lack of them - and their irritating cousin Kevin. But their gems of pop music were revolutionary nonetheless - startlingly positive protest songs that demanded a life more ordinary. Because The Undertones came from Derry, epicentre of the violent troubles that tore Northern Ireland apart during the 1970s. Featuring interviews with band members, their friends, family, colleagues and contemporaries, alongside archive and music, this documentary is the remarkable, funny and moving story of one of Britain's favourite bands - the most improbable pop stars who emerged from one of the darkest, most violent places on the planet.
For more than two decades, the families of the 96 Liverpool fans who died in the Hillsborough disaster have claimed that South Yorkshire Police covered up the full story of what happened on 15th April 1989. Now, Lucy Hester speaks to police officers, Hillsborough victims' family members and the author of an infamous article in the Sun newspaper which blamed Liverpool fans for the disaster.
In 1976 a new high-speed train, the Inter-City 125, helped save British Rail, an unfashionable nationalised industry suffering from a financial crisis, industrial relations problems and a poor public image. The train was launched with the help of a memorable advertising campaign, fronted by Sir Jimmy Savile, which announced that the 1980s would be the 'age of the train'. BR had an energetic new boss, Sir Peter Parker, who was determined to revive the railways. The result was a typically British success story, full of surprises and setbacks, as this documentary shows.
Dame Diana Rigg explores the enduring popularity of The Lark Ascending by the English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams. The programme culminates in a new performance of the work by 15-year-old violin prodigy Julia Hwang and pianist Charles Matthews using the original arrangement for violin and piano.
A programme celebrating the first screening of the 'Billy' plays, 30 years after their first network broadcast. Filmed in early 1980s Belfast, the dramas were a first for many involved, including Kenneth Branagh and writer Graham Reid. In this documentary, the cast - including James Ellis and Brid Brennan - share their memories of the landmark dramas that will always remain close to their hearts.
For his entire life, one man has nursed the dream of putting mankind into space. He started his career working on Britain's Blue Streak rocket, then HOTOL - the world's first attempt to build a 'single-stage-to-orbit' spacecraft. Each time thwarted by lack of funding from the UK government, so, together with two colleagues, Richard Varvill and John Scott-Scott, he decided to go it alone. This documentary tells the story of how the three rocketeers defeated the Official Secrets Act, shrugged off government intransigence and defied all conventional wisdom to build a revolutionary new spacecraft - Skylon.
Religion and science are frequently set up as polar opposites; incompatible ways of thinking. The Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks begs to differ. For him, science and religion can, and should, work together. To mark Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, he puts his position to the test. He meets three non-believing scientists, each at the top of their field: neurologist Baroness Susan Greenfield, theoretical physicist Professor Jim Al-Khalili, and the person best known for leading the scientific attack on religion, Professor Richard Dawkins. Will the Chief Rabbi succeed in convincing the militant defender of atheism that science and religion need not be at war?
Movies were a wonder of the Edwardian age, but they were only in black and white. With a fortune waiting for whoever could invent moving colour images, a desperate race began to be the first, with back stabbing businessmen, amazing engineering and a tragic death all involved. Now, researchers at the National Media Museum in Bradford have made a remarkable discovery that rewrites film history. Brighton may have been the Hollywood of the Edwardian age, but the question is: who actually came first in the race for colour? Broadcaster, journalist and film critic Antonia Quirke follows the National Media Museum's astonishing discovery, and looks back at the history of the colour film industry.
Personal portrait of the critically-acclaimed and enigmatic British folk rock singer Richard Thompson, providing an insight into his fascinating life alongside exclusive footage. Contributors include Billy Connolly, Bonnie Raitt, ex-wife Linda Thompson, Harry Shearer and Richard's wife Nancy Covey. The documentary visits him at home in both London and Los Angeles - the first time such intimate access has been granted to this private and complex artist. In the 60s whilst still a teenager, Thompson wrote generation-defining songs like Meet on the Ledge. As founder member of Fairport Convention, as a duo with then-wife Linda and more recently as a solo artist, Thompson's unique mix of rock and traditional music has ironically become more popular now in America than in the UK. At their height, tragedy struck Fairport Convention when a motorway accident killed their engineer, drummer and Richard's girlfriend Jeannie Franklyn. Galvanised by grief they created stark new music, adapting traditional songs for a young electric band and spearheading folk rock. Richard and Linda Thompson's songs of spiritual yearning culminated in their becoming Sufi Muslims. Alternative living and devotional music gave way to the 80s success Shoot out the Lights. Good fortune coincided with the duo's messy divorce, painfully played out on their legendary US tour. The documentary captures this tension and highly-charged atmosphere with exclusive footage recorded at one of the last concerts by a fan in America, which has never been seen on television before. Since then Richard's solo career has burgeoned, especially in America, with such resolutely English-themed songs as Vincent Black Lightning 1952, celebrating a classic British motorbike. As well as featuring powerful performances of songs such as Over the Rainbow and A Heart Needs a Home, the documentary includes Solitary Life and Kidzz, neither of which appear on his recent album The Old Kit Bag.
In September 1912, nearly half a million Unionist men and women signed the Ulster Covenant. Now, 100 years on from this historic moment, a new Ulster-Scots Broadcast Fund documentary from DoubleBand Films explores the dramatic story behind this event which laid the foundations of the political landscape we live in today.
This celebration of the history and aesthetic of country music tracks the evolution of the genre from the 1920s to the present, exploring country as both folk and pop music - a 20th century soundtrack to the lives of working-class Americans in the South, forever torn between their rural roots and a mostly urban future, between authenticity and showbiz. Exploring many of the great stars of country from Jimmie Rodgers and Hank Williams to Johnny Cash and Dolly Parton, director Andy Humphries's meditation on the power and pull of country blends brilliant archive and contributions from a broad cast that includes Dolly Parton, the Handsome Family, Laura Cantrell, Hank Williams III, kd lang and many more. If you have ever wondered about the sound of a train in the distance, the keening of a pedal steel guitar, the lure of rhinestone or the blue Kentucky hills, and if you want to know why twang matters, this is the documentary for you
The case of Oscar Slater - widely held to be the biggest miscarriage of justice in Scottish history.
After a new report about Hillsborough was published, Judith Moritz reports on a 23 year battle for the truth about Britain's worst sporting disaster, in which 96 people were killed.
In September 1862, Paisley-born photographer Alexander Gardner took a series of battlefield photographs that shocked America. His images of dead soldiers at Antietam revolutionised the way Americans saw their Civil War. Gardner would also capture the most revealing portraits of President Abraham Lincoln. Pulitzer prize-winning photojournalist David Hume Kennerly looks back at Gardner's work.
World-renowned, shamanistic artist Barry Flanagan was one of the world's foremost figurative sculptors, with his work exhibited in streetscapes such as Park Avenue in New York, the Champs Elysées in Paris and O'Connell Street in Dublin. His trademark hare sculptures marked him out as an innovator and he once described himself as an English-speaking itinerant European sculptor. In this documentary, one-man filmmaker Peter Bach embarks on a personal journey by making a vow to Flanagan, who at the time is wrestling with motor neurone disease on the island of Ibiza, that he will travel the world and bring back footage of strangers by his public works and film the artist watching them as he wrestles with his disease. This journey of discovery takes us across Europe and the United States and is a celebration and homage to Flanagan's work.
Documentary which gets to the heart of who Jeff Lynne is and how he has had such a tremendous musical influence on our world. The story is told by the British artist himself and such distinguished collaborators and friends of Jeff as Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Tom Petty, Joe Walsh, Olivia and Dhani Harrison, Barbara Orbison and Eric Idle. The film reveals that Lynne is a true man of music, for whom the recording studio is his greatest instrument.
On October 5th 1962 the Beatles released their first single, Love Me Do. It was a moment that changed music history and popular culture forever. It was also an extraordinary year in social and cultural history, not just for Liverpool but for the world, with the Cuban missile crisis, John Glenn in space and beer at a shilling a pint. Stuart Maconie explores how the Beatles changed from leather and slicked back hair to suits and Beatle mops, and how their fashion set the pace for the sixties to follow. Pop artist Sir Peter Blake, Bob Harris and former Beatles drummer Pete Best join friends to reflect on how the Beatles evolved into John, Paul, George and Ringo - the most famous band in the world.
The British fought the Second World War to defeat Hitler. This film asks why, then, did they spend so much of the conflict battling through North Africa and Italy? Historian David Reynolds reassesses Winston Churchill's conviction that the Mediterranean was the 'soft underbelly' of Hitler's Europe. Travelling to Egypt and Italian battlefields like Cassino, scene of some of the worst carnage in western Europe, he shows how, in reality, the 'soft underbelly' became a dark and dangerous obsession for Churchill. Reynolds reveals a prime minister very different from the jaw-jutting bulldog of Britain's 'finest hour' in 1940 - a leader who was politically vulnerable at home, desperate to shore up a crumbling British empire abroad, losing faith in his army and even ready to deceive his American allies if it might delay fighting head to head against the Germans in northern France. The film marks the seventieth anniversary of the Battle of El Alamein in 1942.
Seductive, fearless, and outrageous, Marina Abramovic has been redefining what art is for nearly 40 years. In this documentary, Marina prepares for what may be the most important moment of her life - a major new retrospective of her work, taking place at the Museum of Modern Art. For Marina, it is far more - it is the chance to finally silence the question she has been hearing over and over again for four decades: 'But why is this art?'.
Peter Capaldi embarks upon a personal journey to discover the shocking history of the stars of north London's famous film studios. Including clips from rarely seen films and interviews with Marcia Warren and Terry Gilliam.
Smart and witty, jam-packed with augmented-reality graphics and fascinating history, this film, presented by Professor David Spiegelhalter, tries to pin down what chance is and how it works in the real world. For once this really is 'risky' television. The film follows in the footsteps of The Joy of Stats, which won the prestigious Grierson Award for Best Science/Natural History programme of 2011. Now the same blend of wit and wisdom, animation, graphics and gleeful nerdery is applied to the joys of chance and the mysteries of probability, the vital branch of mathematics that gives us a handle on what might happen in the future. Professor Spiegelhalter is ideally suited to that task, being Winton Professor for the Public Understanding of Risk at Cambridge University, as well as being a recent Winter Wipeout contestant on BBC TV. How can you maximise your chances of living till you're 100? Why do many of us experience so many spooky coincidences? Should I take an umbrella? These are just some of the everyday questions the film tackles as it moves between Cambridge, Las Vegas, San Francisco and... Reading. Yet the film isn't shy of some rather loftier questions. After all, our lives are pulled about and pushed around by the mysterious workings of chance, fate, luck, call it what you will. But what actually is chance? Is it something fundamental to the fabric of the universe? Or rather, as the French 18th century scientist Pierre Laplace put it, 'merely a measure of our ignorance'. Along the way Spiegelhalter is thrilled to discover One Million Random Digits, probably the most boring book in the world, but one full of hidden patterns and shapes. He introduces us to the cheery little unit called the micromort (a one-in-a-million chance of dying), taking the rational decision to go sky-diving because doing so only increases his risk of dying this year from 7000 to 7007 micromorts. And in one sequence he uses the latest infographics to demonstrate how life exp
There is a battle playing out inside your body right now. It started billions of years ago and it is still being fought in every one of us every minute of every day. It is the story of a viral infection - the battle for the cell. This film reveals the exquisite machinery of the human cell system from within the inner world of the cell itself - from the frenetic membrane surface that acts as a security system for everything passing in and out of the cell, the dynamic highways that transport cargo across the cell and the remarkable turbines that power the whole cellular world to the amazing nucleus housing DNA and the construction of thousands of different proteins all with unique tasks. The virus intends to commandeer this system to one selfish end: to make more viruses. And they will stop at nothing to achieve their goal. Exploring the very latest ideas about the evolution of life on earth and the bio-chemical processes at the heart of every one of us, and revealing a world smaller than it is possible to comprehend, in a story large enough to fill the biggest imaginations. With contributions from Professor Bonnie L Bassler of Princeton University, Dr Nick Lane and Professor Steve Jones of University College London and Cambridge University's Susanna Bidgood.
Anthony Baxter's film on the David and Goliath-style conflict between a group of proud Scottish homeowners and American tycoon Donald Trump, as he gets set to build a huge golf resort on an environmentally protected site in Aberdeenshire. Baxter follows the local residents as they make their last stand in the face of security harassments, legal threats and the loss of their water and electricity supplies. Baxter himself becomes international news after being thrown in jail following an interview with Mr Trump's green keeper. Told entirely without narration, the film captures the cultural chasm between the glamorous, jet-setting and media-savvy Donald Trump and a deeply rooted Scottish community. For the tycoon, the golf course is just another deal, with a possible billion dollar payoff. For the residents, it represents the destruction of a globally unique landscape that has been the backdrop for their lives.
Pages From Ceefax, which shows pages from the BBC's teletext news service accompanied by background music, has been shown on BBC Two in the gaps between shows since 1982, making it one of the longest-running features on the channel. But with the full text service ending on Tuesday 23 October 2012, the feature - broadcast overnight in recent years - was shown for the final time on the morning of Monday 22 October. A special countdown in the top-left hand corner and a final screen of classic Ceefax graphics marked the final moments on air. The playlist of music for this final programme was tracks 1-14 of the compilation album "Great Ocean Road" featuring music by Grossart, Burns and Williams of Funtastik Music, followed by the instrumental "BART" by Tom Fogerty from his album "Ruby".
This is the story of the most extraordinary journey in human exploration, the Voyager space mission. In 1977 two unmanned spacecraft were launched by NASA, heading for distant worlds. It would be the first time any man-made object would ever visit the farthest planets of the solar system - Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune and Uranus. On the way the Voyagers would be bombarded by space dust, fried by radiation and discover many of the remarkable wonders of the solar system. Now, at the end of 2012, 35 years and 11 billion miles later, they are leaving the area of the sun's influence. As they journey out into the galaxy beyond they carry a message from Earth, a golden record bolted to the side of each craft describing our civilisation in case of discovery by another. This is the definitive account of the most intrepid explorers in Earth's history.
This is the epic story of the stars, and how discovering their tale has transformed our own understanding of the universe. Once we thought the sun and stars were gods and giants. Now we know, in a way, our instincts were right. The stars do all have their own characters, histories and role in the cosmos. Not least, they played a vital part in creating us. There are old, bloated red giants, capable of gobbling up planets in their orbit; explosive deaths - supernovae - that forge the building blocks of life; and black holes, the most mysterious stellar tombstones. And, of course, stars in their prime, like our own sun. Leading astronomers reveal how the grandest drama on tonight is the one playing above our heads.
During a presidential election campaign, it is easy to think that Americans are all at each other's throats. Historian and journalist Tim Stanley, for whom America is a second home, believes there's another America out there and the best guide to the country is its sitcoms. With the help of top sitcom writers and some of the best examples of their work, he uncovers a fast-changing nation that can often leave the politicians scrabbling to catch up. Ranging from South Park to The Cosby Show, Family Guy to Will and Grace, The Simpsons to Ellen, Tim explores how sitcoms mirror American life, and shows how they can help us understand what Americans think on issues like race, religion, gay rights, abortion and the economy. The current smash hit Modern Family has got teen sex, a mixed race marriage and a gay couple bringing up an adopted baby. While hilarious, it also reflects real life and the attitudes of modern Americans. Barack Obama and Mitt Romney say they're fighting for rival visions of America, yet the sitcoms and their writers reveal a country that's far more complex, surprising - and funny.
Comedian Rich Hall goes in search of the real American Indian, a people who have too often been stereotyped. This image portrayed through cinema and literature is not a true representation of the Native American, giving Rich the opportunity to redress the balance.
Art historian and critic Alastair Sooke reveals how the Devil's image was created by artists of the Middle Ages. He explores how, in the centuries between the birth of Christ and the Renaissance, visual interpretations of the Devil evolved, with the embodiment of evil appearing in different guises - tempter, tyrant, and rebellious angel. Alastair shows how artists used their imaginations to give form to Satan, whose description is absent from the Bible. Exploring some of the most remarkable art in Europe, he tells the stories behind that art and examines the religious texts and thinking which inspired and influenced the artists. The result is a rich and unique picture of how art and religion have combined to define images of good and evil.
Eddie Izzard is among those paying tribute to a comic genius, a man who blasted his way through six decades of comedy with his unique brand of surreal, classless humour.
In this one-off documentary, Space Dive tells the behind-the-scenes story of Felix Baumgartner's historic, record-breaking freefall from the edge of space to Earth. The world watched with bated breath when Felix became the first person to freefall through the sound barrier on 15 October 2012, after jumping from 128,100ft (24 miles) from the edge of space. Space Dive features footage, which until now has been kept closely under wraps, from cameras attached to Felix, as he broke through the sound barrier. The documentary follows Felix as he underwent years of training under the watchful eye of 82-year-old colonel Joe Kittinger, the man who set the original record when he fell 19 miles to Earth (102,000 feet) 50 years ago, since which two men died in similar attempts. During Felix's intense physical training, the cameras capture the basejumper as he struggles to overcome a severe claustrophic reaction to the movement-restricting pressure suit, and how the mission came close to aborting in the final stages of the ascent, and saw just how close Felix came to spinning and tumbling to unconsciousness during the jump.
Care-leaver Charlotte eats just one meal a day. It's all she can afford, so she starves herself till evening. Sandra, middle class mother of five, is embarrassed that all she can give her son for his school packed lunch is bread and butter. Middle manager Kelly, mother of two, hasn't eaten for two days. Meet Britain's hidden hungry - and they're not what you'd expect.
Actor and writer Mark Gatiss embarks on a chilling voyage through European horror cinema. From the silent nightmares of German Expressionism in the wake of World War I to lesbian vampires in 1970s Belgium, from the black-gloved killers of Italy's bloody Giallo thrillers to the ghosts of the Spanish Civil War, Mark reveals how Europe's turbulent 20th century forged its ground-breaking horror tradition.
Chocolate limes, buttered brazils, sherbert dib-dabs and marshmallows - as part of the Food, Glorious Food season, food writer Nigel Slater charts the origins of British sweets and chocolates from medicinal, medieval boiled sweets to the chocolate bars that line the supermarket shelves today. With adverts of the sweets everyone remembers and loves, this nostalgic, emotional and heart-warming journey transports Nigel back to his childhood by the powerful resonance of the sweets he used to buy with his pocket money. Nigel recalls the curiously small toffee that inspired him to write his memoir, the marshmallow, which he associates with his mother, and the travel sweet, which conjures up memories of his father. He marvels at the power of something as incidental as a sweet to reveal emotions, character and the past.
As part of the Food, Glorious Food season, historian Lucy Worsley journeys across England and Wales in search of Dorothy Hartley, the long-forgotten writer of what is today considered to be one of the masterpieces of food writing, Food in England, published in 1954. Hartley, these days a lost figure and forgotten author, spent her life between the two world wars travelling the length and breadth of the country in search of a rapidly vanishing rural Britain. She had the imagination to document and record, to photograph and illustrate (she was an accomplished artist and photographer as well as writer) the ways of life and the craft skills of farmers, labourers, village craftspeople, and itinerant workers. She recorded the way they worked, the tools they used, the techniques they adopted and the food they produced and prepared. Most of Hartley's writing is out of print and only half-remembered, but one of her published works, her magnum opus Food in England, was first published in 1954 and these days is considered to be a masterpiece on the subject of the history of what we ate. Lucy Worsley traces the life of Dorothy Hartley (Dee to her friends) to try to discover something about the woman behind the book, what she was like, why she wrote in the way she did about the British rural landscape between the wars and why Food in England has had such a growing reputation amongst the hundreds of books published about food in Britain each year.
Pound shops are one of the fastest growing retail sectors, boosted by consumers keen to bag a bargain in economic hard times. This warm and witty documentary follows the extremely rapid expansion of two family-run retail businesses, as they both race to dominate the high street. 99p Stores Ltd is run by the dynamic Hussein Lalani and is based in Northampton. The family-run firm has 160 shops at the start of filming in February 2012, predominantly situated in the south. Hussein is determined to expand north, bringing him into direct competition with Yorkshire-based pound shop chain Poundworld. Charismatic MD Chris Edwards began his family business with a single market stall in Wakefield, and his elderly mother Alice still pops into HQ each morning to make him toast. At the beginning of the documentary, Poundworld has 130 shops, mostly in the north, and Chris is keen to open more stores in the south. Meanwhile both companies have to compete with the UK's largest pound store chain, private equity-funded Poundland. Whenever 99p Stores opens a new shop, they put on a show with entertainment, balloons and a 99-second trolley dash - but Hussein discovers that supermarket sweeps aren't going to attract the posh customers of Chester. In Salford it's a different story, with one new customer thrilled to be able to buy a handbag for her wedding for just 99p. Poundworld's customer service trainer Denise sees her company as 'the Harrods of pound shops', but will shoppers in the south feel the same way? Can the 99p Stores expand quickly enough to retain their market position, or will Chris's Poundworld chain catch up? The two family businesses are in direct competition - even opening some stores right next door to each other - but who will come out on top?
On 13 September 1940, 80,000 Italian troops marched into Egypt to threaten the epicentre of the British Empire at a critical point in the Second World War. By 1942, the desert skirmish in North Africa had become pivotal to what was by then a truly global conflict, with hundreds of thousands of men from over ten nations fighting on one of the most inhospitable battlefields on earth, culminating in the Battle of El Alamein, seventy years ago. It was a triumph that marked, in Churchill's famous words, 'the end of the beginning'. This is the story of how the men who fought and died here were players in a volatile drama scripted by Churchill, Roosevelt, Mussolini and Hitler in the war capitals of London, Washington, Rome and Berlin. Jonathan Dimbleby travels to all the key locations, among them the Cabinet War Rooms deep beneath Whitehall, Hitler's vast bunker in Poland, the tunnels under Malta where civilians sheltered from the Nazi bombs and the Brenner Pass, where Hitler and Mussolini met to decide the world's fate. Based on Dimbleby's new book, Destiny in the Desert, the film sheds new light on the significance of this key campaign, on which Churchill gambled both his own future and that of Britain itself.
Documentary following English folk-rock pioneers Fairport Convention as they celebrate their 45th anniversary in 2012. Fairport's iconic 1969 album Liege and Lief featured some of folk music's biggest names - including singer Sandy Denny, guitarist Richard Thompson and fiddler Dave Swarbrick - and was voted by Radio 2 listeners as the most influential folk album of all time. Today, having struggled for years with numerous line-up changes (26 members to date) and shifting musical fashions, these ageing folk-rockers host their annual festival in Cropredy, Oxfordshire in front of a passionate 20,000 crowd. Comedian Frank Skinner, who played the ukulele on Fairport's 2010 album Festival Bell, narrates this tale of the rise and fall - and rise again - of the original English folk-rockers.
Georg Solti was one of the most charismatic and controversial conductors of the twentieth century, one who dominated classical music for nearly fifty years through a winning, if not always endearing, combination of ambition, technique, sheer bloody-mindedness and genius. This film marks the centenary of his birth and re-examines the Solti legend and legacy, using rare archive footage and contemporary interviews with some of the biggest names in classical music.
In 2011 Belfast City Council elected its youngest ever Lord Mayor, Sinn Fein's Niall O Donnghaile. At just twenty-five and with little political experience, he was thrust into the limelight for one of the biggest years in Belfast's history. In The Belfast Mayor - A Year in Chains, cameras follow the ups and downs of Niall's tenure, from the highs of hosting the MTV European Music Awards and opening Titanic Belfast, to the low point when his refusal to present an army cadet with a Duke of Edinburgh Award resulted in widespread vilification. We reveal the man behind the headlines.
Shakin' Stevens holds the distinction of being the most successful UK singles chart performer of a decade (beating Michael Jackson, Duran Duran and Madonna); an honour shared with The Beatles (1960s) and Elton John (1970s). He charted no fewer than 30 top 30 hit singles in ten years and, to date, has spent nearly 9 years in the UK charts. But despite his incredible UK and international achievements, a biographical documentary on his life and career has never been made. This documentary tells his story for the first time.
It's the 1970s and Australian wine is a joke - not for drinking, as Monty Python put it, but for 'laying down and avoiding'. The idea that a wine made Down Under could ever challenge the august products of Burgundy or Tuscany has wine buffs and snobby sommeliers sniggering into their tasting spoons. But little more than 40 years later, Australian winemaking is leading the world. London merchants sell more wine from Australia than from any other country, while the chastened French wine industry reluctantly take note of how modern winemaking - and wine marketing - is really done. Chateau Chunder is both a social history of wine and wine drinking and an in-depth examination of how a small group of enterprising Australian winemakers took on the world and won, changing the way that wine is made and marketed.
Crossfire Hurricane, directed by Brett Morgen, provides a remarkable new perspective on the Stones' unparalleled journey from blues-obsessed teenagers in the early 60s to rock royalty. It's all here in panoramic candour, from the Marquee Club to Hyde Park, from Altamont to 'Exile, from club gigs to stadium extravaganzas. With never-before-seen footage and fresh insights from the band themselves, Crossfire Hurricane places the viewer on the frontline of the band's most legendary escapades. Taking its title from a lyric in Jumping Jack Flash, Crossfire Hurricane gives the audience an intimate insight, for the first time, into exactly what it's like to be part of the Rolling Stones, as they overcame denunciation, drugs, dissensions and death to become the definitive survivors. The odyssey includes film from the Stones' initial road trips and first controversies as they became the anti-Beatles, the group despised by authority because they connected and communicated with their own generation as no-one ever had. 'When we got together,' says Wyman, 'something magical happened, and no one could ever copy that'. Riots and the chaos of early tours are graphically depicted, as is the birth of the Jagger-Richards songwriting partnership. The many dramas they encountered are also fully addressed, including the Redlands drug bust, the descent of Brian Jones into what Richards calls 'bye-bye land', and the terror and disillusionment of 1969's Altamont Festival. The film illustrates the Stones' evolution from being, as Mick vividly describes it, 'the band everybody hated to the band everybody loves': through the hedonistic 1970s and Keith's turning-point bust in Canada, to the spectacular touring phenomenon we know today. Richards also reveals the song that he believes defines the 'essence' of his writing relationship with Jagger more than any other. The film combines extensive historical footage, much of it widely unseen, with contemporary commentaries by Mick Ja
How young people took to social media sites like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to record Superstorm Sandy, from first dark warnings to devastating reality and chaotic aftermath. The first great natural disaster documented and shared on the social network, we speak to those who captured history with mobile phones and mini-cameras.
Over the last five years an independent record shop has closed in the UK every three days. This film is documentary portrait of one of the very last still trading - a vinyl record shop in Teesside, a cultural haven in one of the most deprived areas in the UK. Filmmaker Jeanie Finlay, who grew up three miles from the shop, follows daily life in a place that is thriving against the odds, ensured of survival by the local community that keeps it alive. A distinctive, funny and intimate film about men, the North and the irreplaceable role music plays in our lives.
A dramatic minute-by-minute account of the superstorm that brought New York State to its knees. Using satellite imagery, CGI mapping and the powerful personal testimony of those who lived through it, this is a forensic analysis of the meteorological, engineering and human devastation wreaked by Sandy.
Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford, the men behind Squeeze, have been called everything from the new Lennon and McCartney to the godfathers of Britpop. Now, 35 years after their first record, this documentary reappraises the songwriting genius of Difford and Tilbrook and shows why Squeeze hold a special place in British pop music. Difford and Tilbrook, two working class kids from south east London, formed Squeeze in 1974 with the dream of one day appearing on Top of the Pops. In 1978, they achieved that dream when the single Take Me I'm Yours gave the band the first of a string of top 20 hits. The period from 1978 to 1982 saw the group release a run of classic singles, timeless gems such as Cool for Cats, Up the Junction, Labelled with Love, Tempted and Pulling Mussels (From the Shell) to name but a few. Although the line-up of Squeeze would go through various changes of personnel (another founder member Jools Holland left in 1980 and then rejoined the group in 1985) it is Difford and Tilbrook's songs that have remained the constant throughout the lifetime of the band. The duo explain how they came to write and record many of their greatest songs. Although their relationship at times has often been tenuous at best, the mutual admiration for each other's talent has produced some of the best songs of the past 40 years. With contributions from former band members Jools Holland and Paul Carrack, together with testament from Elvis Costello, Mark Knopfler and Aimee Mann to Difford and Tilbrook's songwriting talent and why they deserve to be placed alongside such renowned songwriting partnerships as Lennon and McCartney, Jagger and Richards and Elton John and Bernie Taupin
Documentary chronicling our ever-changing love affair with the British singles chart on the occasion of its 60th anniversary. From the first NME chart in 1952, via Pick and Top of the Pops to home-taping the Radio One chart show and beyond, we have measured out our lives to a wonderful churn of pop driven, unbeknownst to us, by a clandestine world of music biz hustle. Featuring contributions by 60 years of BBC chart custodians from David Jacobs to Reggie Yates, chart fans Grace Dent and Pete Paphides and music biz veterans Jon Webster and Rob Dickins.
In 2010, the ash cloud from an unpronounceable Icelandic volcano brought Europe to a standstill. In this Volcano Live special, Kate Humble heads for the source of the ash to ask whether we should now be preparing for more of the same. On her journey, Kate meets the scientists monitoring the country's most dangerous volcanoes, and investigates the biggest eruptions in Iceland's past - including a catastrophic 18th-century event that killed thousands in Iceland and also appears to have led to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people across Britain and Europe. In 2010, it became clear that Britain is well within the reach of big Icelandic eruptions. To help prepare for the next one, what can we learn from the people who live right alongside them?
Young body-obsessed Brits turn the cameras on themselves. Diving beneath the surface of Britain's body confidence crisis, this film follows up to 30 young people who are unhappy with their appearance as they attempt to transform their bodies and their lives forever. Using handheld cameras, the diverse characters from across Britain film their extraordinary journeys over six months. From extreme weight loss surgery to boob jobs and hair transplants, they take us with them on the roller-coaster ride of anxiety, emotion, excitement and pressure they experience on their quest for perfection. This is the real story of body-obsessed Britain, told through their eyes.
Following the world's youngest transsexual as she attempts to win Miss England and draw attention to the challenges she's faced to become her true self. From bullying to suicide attempts, surgery to the catwalk, follow one girl's brave attempt to achieve acceptance for who she really is.
In this innovative observational documentary, four young men who are all unhappy with their bodies and feel that their size and shape is negatively impacting their lives attempt to achieve their dream physiques. Two of them are skinny men who are going to be pumping up and two are bodybuilders desperate to come down in size. Helping them achieve their transformation is celebrity trainer Mark Anthony and elite sports doctor Kay Brennan. At the end of three months, will these young men have achieved their dream bodies? And more importantly will a new physique make them happy? Or will they realise muscles don't necessarily make a man?
Documentary packed with memories, images and insights into the power of pop and rock's first and most abiding artefact - the seven inch, vinyl 45 rpm record; a small, perfectly-formed object that seems to contain the hopes, fears, sounds and experiences of our different generations. The viewer is invited on a journey of celebration from the 1950s rock n roll generation to the download kids of today, taking in classic singles from all manner of artists in each decade - from the smell of vinyl to the delights of the record label; from the importance of the record shop to the bittersweet brevity of the song itself; from stacking singles on a Dansette spindle to dropping the needle and thrilling to the intro. With contributions from Noddy Holder, Jack White, Richard Hawley, Suzi Quatro, Holly Johnson, Jimmy Webb, Pete Waterman, Norah Jones, Mike Batt, Graham Gouldman, Miranda Sawyer, Norman Cook, Trevor Horn, Neil Sedaka, Paul Morley, Rob Davies, Brian Wilson and Mike Love.
Documentary which highlights cockney duo Chas & Dave's rich, unsung pedigree in the music world and a career spanning 50 years, almost the entire history of UK pop. They played with everyone from Jerry Lee Lewis to Gene Vincent, toured with the Beatles, opened for Led Zeppelin at Knebworth - and yet are known mainly just for their cheery singalongs and novelty records about snooker and Spurs. The film also looks at the pair's place among the great musical commentators on London life - and in particular the influence of music hall on their songs and lyrics. The film crew followed Chas & Dave on their final tour, having called it a day after the death of Dave's wife, and blends live concert footage with archive backstory, including some astonishing early performances and duets with the likes of Eric Clapton. Among the experts and zealous fans talking about their love of the duo are Pete Doherty, Jools Holland and Phill Jupitus. Narrated by Arthur Smith.
In 2011 24-year-old Jesse Jones went missing. After five days his body was found at a local beauty spot in Dorset. During the search for Jesse it emerged that unbeknownst to his family, he was suffering from acute depression and believed a commonly prescribed acne drug, was largely to blame. 85% of young people get spots but for some, bad skin can take over their lives. Jesse's story provides the backbone for this moving and revealing film as Gemma Cairney and Jesse's father, Derek Jones, the director go on an emotional journey to look at how acne impacts on young people in the UK. In her search to find out just how bad this battle can be Gemma meets people all over Britain who are fighting their own war with acne and asks how far some people will go for clear skin. Along the way they meet sufferers who are battling with their skin and the doctors and dermatologists who are helping them fight it. They examine what treatments are available. With side effects that can be as minor as dry lips but as extreme as liver damage and depression, Gemma speaks to people who have used the same acne drug and looks into some of the pros and cons of taking it.
Contestants in the Miss Big Beautiful Woman pageant have big bodies and big personalities to match. This is a movement which has thrived in the US for years and has now burst into Britain, thanks to Linda Koch - the driving force behind the pageant. Linda insists she's not promoting obesity, but wants girls to be proud of their bodies - even if they weight over 20 stones. With exclusive access, this film focuses on four pageant finalists. Behind the diva moments, mascara and bling, each young woman has an extraordinary personal story. They've struggled against discrimination, bullying, difficult relationships and young parenthood. Now they squeeze into swimwear and glam-up in evening gowns bravely baring their plus size curves to the world. The documentary culminates in the pageant at a London Hotel on 10th November, where 19 anxious beauty queens battle for the Miss BBW 2012 crown.
With tales from old binmen and film archive that has never been broadcast before, this two-part series offers an original view of the history of modern Britain - from the back end where the rubbish comes out. The first programme deals with the decades immediately after the Second World War. 90-year-old Ernie Sharp started on the bins when he was demobbed from the army in 1947, and household rubbish in those days was mostly ash raked out of the fire-grate. That's why men like Ernie were called 'dust'men. But the rubbish soon changed. The Clean Air Act got rid of coal fires so there was less ash. Then supermarkets arrived, with displays of packaged goods. And all that packaging went in the bin. In the 1960s consumerism emerged. Shopping for new things became a national enthusiasm. It gave people the sense that their lives were improving and kept the economy going. And as the binmen recall, the waste stream became a flood. As the programme sifts through the rubbish of the mid-20th century, we discover how the Britain of Make Do and Mend became a consumer society
With tales from old binmen and film archive that has never been broadcast before, this two-part series offers an original view of the history of modern Britain - from the back end where the rubbish comes out. The second programme deals with the 1970s and 1980s, when two big ideas emerged in the waste management industry. The first was privatisation of public services. We meet Ian Ross, who made millions by taking over the refuse collection contract from the council that had once employed him as a binman. 'It was scary', Ian Ross admits, 'but you have one chance don't you, and you've got to take it.' The other idea that emerged was environmentalism. Ron England goes back to the supermarket car park in Barnsley, South Yorkshire where he set up the world's first bottle bank. 'Everyone said I was a crank', recalls Ron. But the waste stream continued to expand. This was great news for the Earls of Aylesford. The present Earl shows how his palace was saved with money earned from the enormous landfill in the grounds. This is the story of a society hooked on wastefulness - and of the people who clear up the mess.
Dan Snow attempts to use the latest satellite technology to reveal the secrets of the Roman Empire. Together with space archaeologist Sarah Parcak, Dan sets out to identify and then track down lost cities, amphitheatres and forts in an adventure that sees him travel through some of the most spectacular parts of the vast empire. Cutting-edge technology and traditional archaeology help build a better understanding of how Rome held such a large empire together for so long. The investigation potentially identifies several possibly significant sites including the arena at Portus; the lighthouse and a canal alongside the river Tiber near Rome.
The heart is the most symbolic organ of the human body. Throughout history it has been seen as the site of our emotions, the very centre of our being. But modern medicine has come to see the heart as just a pump; a brilliant pump, but nothing more. And we see ourselves as ruled by our heads and not our hearts. In this documentary, filmmaker David Malone asks whether we are right to take this view. He explores the heart's conflicting histories as an emotional symbol and a physical organ, and investigates what the latest science is learning about its structures, its capacities and its role. In the age-old battle of hearts and minds, will these new discoveries alter the balance and allow the heart to reclaim something of its traditional place at the centre of our humanity?
Life on Britain's roads can now be seen from a whole new perspective - thanks to the cycle helmet camera. As thirty four million vehicles and thirteen million bikes all try to share the same crowded space, this footage gives us a dramatic and unique insight into the unfolding tension and conflict. From everyday incidents that get out of hand between cyclists and motorists, to stories of near-death experiences and fatal collisions, this timely documentary shows the battle between two wheels and four has never been so intense. The programme shows both sides of the story, retelling dramatic incidents from both the cyclist's and driver's point of view. It follows the police on bikes as they chase down errant road users and record more than three thousand offences every year from car and bike users alike. We even see a cyclist who is attempting to police the roads himself, handing out his own 'tickets' for anything from texting behind the wheel, to jumping a red light. A mother who lost her cyclist daughter in a fatal collision with a cement mixer tells us the extraordinary story of what she did to change cycle safety on our roads, while a black cab driver's own loss changed his opinion about cyclists forever.
Were the ancient Scottish tribes too much for the Roman Empire? Or was Scotland simply not worth conquering? Archaeologist Dr Fraser Hunter looks back on three centuries of contact and conflict with the Roman invaders. The first Tay Bridge, the first depiction of tartan and forgotten Roman camps that once held thirty-five thousand men. A story of a superpower pitted against tribesmen and warlords, and one with fascinating modern parallels.
Two-part documentary telling the remarkable story of a band of visionaries who rescued some of the little narrow gauge railways that once served Britain's industries. These small railways and the steam engines that ran on them were once the driving force of Britain's mines, quarries, factories and docks. Then, as they disappeared after 1945, volunteers set to work to bring the lines and the steam engines back to life and started a movement which spread throughout the world. Their home movies tell the story of how they helped millions reconnect with a past they thought had gone forever.
Two-part documentary telling the remarkable story of a band of visionaries who rescued some of the little narrow gauge railways that once served Britain's industries. These small railways and the steam engines that ran on them were once the driving force of Britain's mines, quarries, factories and docks. Then, as they disappeared after 1945, volunteers set to work to bring the lines and the steam engines back to life and started a movement which spread throughout the world. Their home movies tell the story of how they helped millions reconnect with a past they thought had gone forever.
Nowhere in the British Isles was the Viking connection longer-lasting or deeper than in Scotland. Hundreds of years after their first hit-and-run raids, the Norsemen still dominated huge swathes of the country. But storm clouds were gathering. In 1263 the Norwegian king Haakon IV assembled a fleet of 120 longships to counter Scottish raids on the Norse Hebrides. It was a force comparable in size to the Spanish Armada over three centuries later. But like the Armada, the Norse fleet was eventually defeated by a powerful storm. Driven ashore near present-day Largs, the beleaguered Norsemen were attacked by a Scottish army. The outcome of this vicious encounter would mark the beginning of the end of Norse power in Scotland. Marine archeologist Dr Jon Henderson tells the incredible story of the the Norsemen in Scotland. Visiting fascinating archeological sites across Scotland and Norway, he reveals that, although the battle at Largs marked the end of an era for the Norsemen, their presence continued to shape the identity and culture of the Scottish nation to the present day.
Rachel and Becky Unthank continue their journey around England's hidden customs and dance traditions and into the dark heart of its winter pastimes. The follow-up to Still Folk Dancing After All These Years, which explored English folk dances from spring to harvest, this film explores English folk customs around the country though the other six months of the year. 200 years of political intrigue and clashes with police authorities in Lewes on Guy Fawkes Night have created an awe-inspiring procession of burning popes and other effigies of the enemies of the bonfire, not to mention a heavy police presence to this day. Throwing the Yorkshire carols of Sheffield out of the church repertoire has only served to enhance the heart-stopping show of unrestrained joy found in the powerful singing at the Royal Hotel pub in Dungworth. The longsword dancers of the North East and molly dancers of East Anglia, who have gone collecting funds each year, are a reminder that no higher power puts food on the plate. Just as these customs rely on the communities themselves to mark each point with song, remembrance and a gathering together, the very need to survive lies in the hands of your neighbour. The Unthanks discover these stories through singing, dancing, meeting people who have grown up with these traditions and trying not to get set on fire.
In this new documentary film, Jools Holland, who began his television career 30 years ago, takes us on a journey of his life that has made him the doyen of the music scene. Growing up in the East End, joining the hit band Squeeze and landing the job of presenting the iconic TV show The Tube, all contributed to him becoming BBC Two's music man. Including special behind-the-scenes access to the critically acclaimed programme Later... with Jools Holland and to Jools's own recording studio in Greenwich, designed by the man himself. Featuring interviews with Sir Tom Jones, Hugh Laurie, Stephen Fry, Paul Weller, Sir Bob Geldof and Vic Reeves.
Biologist George McGavin goes on a journey around the British Isles to show us the extraordinary little things that are vital to our land. With a revolutionary new microscope camera seven thousand times more powerful than the human eye, George reveals the surprising beauty of Britain close-up. Caterpillars' feet have hooks that anchor them to leaves even upside down, the wings of butterflies and moths are a kaleidoscope of colourful scales that keep them safe from predators, bee stings have barbs that make them stick deep in your skin, and feathers have thousands of hooks that zip together keeping birds airborne. Our cities are full of invisible miniature life too: millions of cute 'water bears' graze pavement mosses, and our homes have legions of dust mites scavenging for food in our carpets. This is Britain as you've never seen it before.
Caroline Quentin narrates this heart-warming tale of a special group of baby animals born in some of the coldest and harshest places on Earth. We follow the ups and downs of impossibly cute yet plucky baby emperor penguins, snow monkeys, polar bears, arctic foxes, reindeer and otters and find out just what it takes to survive the first year of life in a world of snow and ice, with a little help from family and friends.
Michael Grade explores the rich history of the very British pantomime dame. From the extravagant productions in Drury Lane in the 19th century to the vintage performances by Terry Scott and Arthur Askey, the dame has always been anarchic, witty, vulgar, affectionate and good box office. Berwick Kaler, who has played the panto dame for 30 years at York's Theatre Royal, and The Good Life star Richard Briers, offer their insights into why the role has remained such a favourite. Presenter and TV mogul Grade bravely tries on the full make-up and frock to explore what it is that has made the pantomime dame such an enduring feature of British life.
Top pop documentary, narrated by Radio One's Mark Radcliffe, about one of Britain's greatest and best-loved bands. Slade scored six number ones in the 70s, a feat rivalled only by Abba. Formed in Wolverhampton and led by Noddy Holder, Slade sold over 50 million records worldwide during a 20-year career which saw them re-invent themselves as skinhead yobs, then mirror-hatted platform-shoe-pioneering glam gods, before finally re-emerging as hard rock heroes. Their poorly-spelled, self-written selection of terrace anthems included Cum on Feel the Noize, Coz I Luv You, Take Me Bak Ome, Mama Weer All Crazee Now and, unforgettably, Merry Xmas Everybody. Apart from Noddy and his bandmates - Dave Hill, Jim Lea and Don Powell - the cast here also includes Noel Gallagher of Oasis (who covered Cum On Feel the Noize), Status Quo, Toyah Wilcox, Suzi Quatro and Ozzy Osbourne.
Moomintroll and the Moomin family are characters loved by children and parents worldwide who have grown up listening to Finnish writer Tove Jansson's delightful stories about a group of philosophical trolls who face a range of adventures in Moominland. This documentary reveals the strong autobiographical slant in the Moomins series as it traces the author's own extraordinary story from living the bohemian life of an artist in war-torn Helsinki to becoming a recluse on a remote island in the Gulf of Finland. Enjoying unprecedented access to Jansson's personal archive, the film reveals an unconventional, brave and compelling woman whose creative genius extended beyond Moominland to satire, fine art and masterful adult fiction - not least her highly-regarded The Summer Book. With home movie footage shot by her long-term female lover and companion, it offers a unique glimpse of an uncompromising fun-loving woman who developed love as the central theme of her work.
Len Goodman takes to the dance floor to discover the golden age of ballroom, as the head judge of Strictly Come Dancing recalls the time when Britain went ballroom barmy. In the early 20th century millions enjoyed dancing. Graceful movement was everything as we grappled with the waltz, the tango and each other. Len also reveals a surprising world of scandal and outrage - a time when ballroom was considered radical and trendy. What was it about ballroom that people enjoyed so much and why did we eventually turn our backs on what Len considers the greatest dance form of all? Len visits Blackpool, the spiritual home of ballroom, and demonstrates some popular steps with professional dancer Erin Boag. He discovers how the smart set danced the night away at the Café de Paris and returns to a favourite dance hall from his youth, the Rivoli in south London. Len talks to dancers, singers and musicians who remember the golden age and discovers the people who introduced 'rules' to ballroom - the dance leaders and teachers who were concerned that ballroom was out of control and needed new regulations to govern steps, movement and music.
This hour-long documentary takes us on a journey back through 60 years of British Christmases via the pop songs we put at the top of the most important chart of the year. From The Beatles to Mr Blobby, Harry Belafonte to the Human League and Benny Hill to the Military Wives, the Christmas number one is unpredictable to say the least and tells its own unique story of the past half-century of British pop culture. This show looks back through the decades at the personalities and circumstances that gave rise to these, songs immortalised by their competition in the race for Christmas number one. Expect wars, charity, stupidity, nostalgia and some cracking good tunes jingling along the way... With contributions from the artists themselves including Rolf Harris, Noddy Holder, Roy Wood, Boney M, Johnny Mathis, Midge Ure, Shakin' Stevens, Sir Cliff Richard, Jason Donovan, East 17 and Alexandra Burke. Also featuring a select cast of commentators including Pete Waterman, Rev. Richard Coles, Tony Blackburn and Edith Bowman
Sue Perkins tells the true story behind the von Trapp family, portrayed on the big screen almost 50 years ago in The Sound Of Music. She heads to Austria to discover why Salzburg seems to resent the film that put it on the map, meeting locals with memories of Maria von Trapp and finding that actor Nicholas Hammond's life has continued to be defined by his role as Friedrich. Sue travels to New York and Vermont, where the family settled and meets 98-year-old Maria, who is the only one of the seven children still alive. Including rare footage from the 1950s, as well as home movies shot during the filming of The Sound of Music itself.
Neil Armstrong's family and friends, many of whom have never spoken publicly before, tell the story of the first man to set foot on the moon. Drawing heavily on unbroadcast archive footage and the unique perspectives of the contributors, this is an exclusive account of Neil Armstrong's extraordinary life story. From his childhood during America's Great Depression to the heady days of the space programme, his historic first step on the Moon and his famously private later life. Seen through the eyes of those who were with him, discover the man behind the myth, a man who was very much a product of his time. The film focuses goes beyond his days as an astronaut and shows that his life after the flight of Apollo 11 was, in many ways equally challenging, as Armstrong came to terms with life outside of NASA and the relentless demands of fame until his death in August 2012. From the producers of 'In the Shadow of the Moon'. Featuring interviews with Armstrong's first wife Janet, their two sons, Rick and Mark, Neil's brother and sister Dean and June, his best friend Kotcho Solacoff and second wife Carol. Fellow astronauts Mike Collins, Buzz Aldrin, Charlie Duke and Dave Scott also feature in this revealing biopic.
Exploring Blackpool's history as the beating heart of British entertainment. The Lancashire coastal town launched the careers of Morecambe and Wise, attracted stars as big as Sinatra and is still the spiritual home of the likes of Ken Dodd, Cannon and Ball and many others. A town through the eyes of the people who played there.
Documentary about Clara Bow, a cinema sensation who broke box office records and became one of the greatest stars of the silent screen. Amid scandal and ill health she retired for good at the age of just 28. Once the Queen of Hollywood, now largely forgotten - whatever happened to Clara Bow?
Basejumper Felix Baumgartner became the first person to free-fall through the sound barrier when, in October 2012, he fell 26 miles (125,000 feet) to Earth from the edge of space. Felix underwent years of training under the watchful eye of 82-year-old Colonel Joe Kittinger, the man who set the original record when he fell 19 miles to Earth (102,000 feet) 52 years ago. Apart from the usual dangers of free-falling, the near vacuum of the stratosphere and the perils of travelling faster than the speed of sound made Felix's attempt all the more audacious. Since Joe's jump in 1960 two men have died in similar attempts. During Felix's intense physical training the cameras also capture the basejumper as he struggled to overcome a severe claustrophic reaction to the movement restricting pressure suit. Felix's issues with the suit could have jeopardised the mission and ultimately cost him his life if he was unable to conquer his fears. Finally with breath-taking footage of the curvature of the earth, BBC cameras followed Felix as he stepped out of the capsule, suspended by a giant balloon 26 miles above the earth. They followed his spectacular leap through the stratosphere at over 700 miles per hour and his triumphant landing in the New Mexico Desert. This programme for the Learning Zone features new interviews with the scientists and engineers working on the mission and intercuts them with material already shot to create a resource for Key Stage 3 and 4 pupils that will make the STEM subjects accessible, engaging and exciting.
45 years ago a group of young men and women set out to make the world a better place. They wanted to bring aid to those in dire need. These idealists would help create a new mass movement - humanitarianism. Its core belief is a simple one - that it is our duty to help those in desperate need, wherever they are. But trying to do good in the world's worst conflict zones is filled with danger and compromise. The Trouble with Aid tells the story of what really happened during the major humanitarian disasters of the last 50 years: from the Biafran War, through to the Ethiopian famine and Live Aid, to the military intervention in Somalia and to present-day Afghanistan. Despite the best intentions, aid can have some unintended and terrible consequences. Using the testimony of key players from the world's largest aid agencies, the film looks at what happens when good people try to help in a bad world. Today, any humanitarian crisis leads to cries that we must 'do something'. The Trouble with Aid challenges this fundamental assumption by asking the question few us are prepared to face: can aid sometimes do more harm than good?
Passionate England fan Tim Lovejoy pulls together advice from former England managers, players and celebrity fans to offer Roy Hodgson the best possible support as he takes on the challenge of the country's second most important job. Contributions come from Sven Goran-Eriksson, Graham Taylor, John Gorman, John Barnes and many more.
In January 1942, the historic Achnacarry Estate was transformed into a wartime paramilitary academy. In four years of operation, 25,000 men came to the Scottish Highlands to endure the world's toughest infantry training course. Narrated by Rory Bremner, Castle Commando looks back on the larger-than-life characters that helped shape Winston Churchill's legendary raiding troops. Veterans remember how the ferocious Highland landscape was the perfect environment for the most exacting, most gruelling military training of World War II.
Stefan Gates discovers the cradle of contemporary English cuisine. The film argues that the current renaissance of British food has its origins in a golden age, some 300 years ago.
Long before she set foot on stage in England, Felicity Kendal launched her acting career in India, where her parents ran an eccentric touring theatre company called Shakespeareana. In this film she returns to the land of her childhood to discover the full story of India's enduring love-affair with Shakespeare - from the first days of Empire to Bollywood and beyond. Shaped by her enthusiasm to discover more about a drama in which her own family played a role, Felicity's emotional journey takes her to India's iconic cities and to other places far off the beaten track. Along the way she meets film stars and prison inmates, kings and market traders, schoolchildren, historians and her own Indian relatives, in a quest to understand how and why Shakespeare's plays made the transition from being symbols of British cultural dominance to inspiring a new generation of artists and film-makers in modern India. Full of surprises, personal revelations and historical insights, this compelling film reveals an unexpected side to one of the UK's favourite performers as she uncovers the story of how England's national dramatist became an iconic figure in a land far removed from the country of his birth.
Derek Scott, Professor of Musicology, analyses Mrs Mills' rise in popularity coinciding with the unrest between Mods and Rockers.
Michel Roux Jr explores the life and influence of his great culinary hero, Georges Auguste Escoffier - the man who turned eating into dining. The first great restaurant chef, Escoffier established restaurants in grand hotels all over the world and in these centres of luxury and decadence the world's most glamorous figures of the day would mix - actresses and princes, duchesses and opera singers. Catering to this international jet set, Escoffier produced fabulous dishes that combined luxury and theatricality, elevating restaurant food to an art form.
Directed by Academy Award-nominee Hubert Davis, this film follows the renowned Toronto painter Phil Richards as he is asked by the Canadian government to create a portrait of Her Majesty the Queen on the occasion of her diamond jubilee.
St Laurence O'Toole Pipe Band, one of the world's leading grade one bands comes to the Western Isles of Scotland to meet and play with the local bands of the islands of Lewis, Uist and Skye. No roll call of the great pipebands of all times would miss out St Laurence O'Toole of Dublin. Founded in 1910 they are frequent winners at all the major competitions such as European, British, Scottish and Cowal Championships. They were crowned world championships in 2010 in their centenary year. In a break from their usual competition circuit the Irish superstars came to the Western Isles on a sunny but blustery weekend at the end of March 2012 for two days of performances, concluding in a meeting with the local bands at the stunning location of Macleod's Stone in South Harris. This historic location, the site of the megalithic standing stone is high above the white sands of Horgabost beach. Both English and Gaelic are spoken, displaying English subtitles when needed.
Fearghal Mac Uiginn looks at the story behind the construction of Derry's 400-year-old walls - a unique, sometimes controversial cultural treasure that has shaped history both within and beyond the walled city itself.
Every two minutes a house in Britain is burgled, and for years Nottingham has suffered the highest burglary rates in the UK. But the city's police are fighting back, and are now capturing the burglars on camera. They are installing hidden minicams inside ordinary homes, which record the thieves in action. They call them 'capture houses', Nottingham's new weapon in the fight against crime. But is this new technology as reliable as the police think? And should the police be allowed to set traps for burglars? Part of the Modern Crime season, this gripping documentary takes viewers to the frontline of a surburban crime-wave, witnessing first-hand the cat-and-mouse battle currently being played out across Nottingham. The film shows heart-stopping footage of burglars breaking into homes, and follows the intelligence and burglary teams as they hunt the burglars down. And cameras are there in the interview room as the burglar is shown the damning footage. Many burglars protest their innocence at first, but once they see the capture house footage, the game is up.
Film-maker Rhys Thomas's full-length director's cut of his film exploring the solo career and private life of one of British rock and roll's great frontmen, Freddie Mercury. Renowned as the bravura front man of one of Britain's greatest rock bands, Freddie Mercury's life outside Queen is rarely celebrated or explored. In a touching portrait, this film explores Mercury's solo projects and interests, including a previously unheard collaboration with Michael Jackson and the triumphant Barcelona project with Dame Montserrat Caballe as well as the life of a gay man who was not yet publicly out. Rare interviews reveal a shy man in search of love, and a driven artist living behind the protection of his stage persona.
An intimate half-hour of Jeff Lynne and long-time collaborator Richard Tandy on piano, playing acoustic versions of many of Jeff's greatest songs including such ELO hits as Evil Woman, Telephone Line and Showdown. Filmed in Lynne's LA studio.
Comedian and ventriloquist Nina Conti explores the world of new age and alternative therapies in a quest for self-knowledge, enlightenment and happiness. With her puppet Monkey as the voice of scepticism, Nina undergoes naked yoga, laughter therapy and shamanic ritual, before taking part in primal screaming and rebirth at a three-day retreat in the wilds of Scotland.
Ford Kiernan celebrates the anarchic humour of The Dandy that has kept kids of all ages giggling for three quarters of a century. This classic Scottish comic has just ceased publication - but Ford discovers that there is still life left in Desperate Dan and Korky the Cat. Ford meets Dandy artists and writers, past and present, and an entire gang of fans including comedians Frank Skinner and Sanjeev Kohli, actors Brian Cox and Bill Paterson, writer Alan Bissett, veteran musicians Jimmie Macgregor and Tom Alexander, indie rocker Kyle Falconer from The View, and four-times Oscar-winning animator Nick Park. The Dandy was launched in December 1937, and - priced at just two old pence, less than a modern penny - quickly became a hit with children in an era of recession and hardship. Despite shortages of manpower and paper, The Dandy continued to publish during World War II to help keep children's morale up, and its writers and artists mercilessly lampooned Hitler and his Nazi regime.
From Dad's Army's Corporal Jones to "Grandad", Clive Dunn created some of Britain's most memorable old men. Family, colleagues and friends pay tribute to this much loved actor who died in November 2012.
Eric Liddell was one of Scotland's great Olympic champions and an inspiration for the film Chariots of Fire. In 1924 he was the fastest man in Britain and was picked to run in the 100m at that year's Olympic Games. As a Christian he would not run in the qualifying heats, which were scheduled for a Sunday. Eric changed events and picked up the gold medal in the 400m. It made him a national hero. However, this remarkable sporting achievement was only part of his story. Eric's faith led to him turning his back on running and fame and he returned to the country of his birth, China, where he followed his parents into missionary work. He would give the rest of his life to the Chinese people. When the Japanese invaded China in 1937, Liddell refused to leave and he died in a Japanese internment camp in 1945, aged just 43. The programme tells Eric's story through the testimony of those whose lives he touched, from his daughters, to those he helped in the internment camp, and people who are still inspired by his values. Glenn Campbell travels to China, visits the places where Eric lived and died, and hears how Liddell is a celebrated national hero on the other side of the world.
This week Wales will yet again try to beat the All Blacks for the first time in nearly sixty years. We Beat the All Blacks looks at a game that made Welsh rugby history, a day that brought Llanelli to a standstill... Players and fans celebrate the Scarlets' epic 1972 victory over New Zealand. Forty years on, the memories are undimmed, the joy still overflows and the tall tales just get taller.
A compilation of short-form videos which give students studying computer science an insight into how computers actually work. Filmed in real life work settings, the videos look closely at what a computer consists of, how the various components work, how it processes data, and how it is used in robotics and software development. Part of the BBC Learning Zone.
Blue Peter presenters Helen Skelton and Barney Harwood want to learn more about the solar system so they challenge scientists Helen Czerski and Jem Stansfield to find out more. They look at how to make telescopes and rockets, and use a toilet roll to measure the distances between planets.
In December 2005 Scotland tragically lost one of its most innovative musicians and composers of the age of 41. Gordon Duncan, from Perthshire, was quite simply unique as a Piper of his generation. He was a multi instrumentalist and prolific composer, whose music is played the world over
The 40th anniversary of Idi Amin's expulsion of Ugandan Asians in 1972 coincides with the festival of Dussehra in which Hindus celebrate the victory of good over evil. Victims of this forced migration to Great Britain relive the shock and dangers of their escape, the hardship and heartbreak of their journey, arrival and first desperate days, to the turning points as they began to make new lives for themselves.
Colmcille specialist Brian Lacey explores the cult of Derry's patron saint. As Brian travels around Ireland and Scotland unearthing the truth about Columba, we follow a team of rowers making the same journey that Columba made from Derry to Iona in 563AD.
Recorded coverage from the RE:Think religion and ethics festival, where Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks and scientist Richard Dawkins debate the relationship between science and religion.
Runrig's songwriters Calum and Rory Macdonald share the very personal story of their first solo album project. Part video diary and part music performance, this is an intimate account of the making of the album and of the recording process, a journey that offers an insight into the creative inspiration for their songwriting and the musical ethos behind the recording.
Richard Burton's talent, presence and unforgettable voice made him a superstar of stage and screen. The Welsh actor was equally famous for his hellraising, womanising private life and his two marriages to Elizabeth Taylor. Now private diaries he wrote at the height of his fame have been published in their entirety for the first time and present a unique opportunity to reassess the man behind the myth. Narrated by Mali Harries. Extract readings by Josh Richards.
Still Bill: The Bill Withers Story You know the music - now meet the man. Still Bill is an intimate portrait of soul legend Bill Withers, best known for his classics Ain't No Sunshine, Lean on Me, Lovely Day, Grandma's Hands and Just the Two of Us. With his soulful delivery and warm, heartfelt sincerity, Withers has written songs that resonate within the fabric of our times. Through concert footage, journeys to his birthplace and interviews with music legends, his family and closest friends, this documentary presents the story of an artist who has written some of the most beloved songs of our time and who truly understands the heart and soul of a man.
Mark Radcliffe presents a countdown of the ten songs which have earned the most money of all time - ten classic songs each with an extraordinary story behind them. Radcliffe lifts the lid on how music royalties work and reveals the biggest winners and losers in the history of popular music.
Meet 16-year-old UK student Georgia. Her mum, topless model Alicia, is addicted to plastic surgery. Georgia wants to study for exams, but her mum's just announced she's pregnant. Will Georgia be left holding the baby? http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01jy11v
Author and broadcaster Father Brian D'Arcy was censured by the Vatican after challenging some of the Catholic Church's core teachings. In this frank and personal documentary, filmmaker Natalie Maynes follows him on a journey across Europe as he confronts the biggest dilemma of his life - can he continue as a priest?
To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the UK chart, from the vaults of the BBC archive comes a selection of hits that attained the toppermost of the poppermost prize and made it to number 1 in the hit parade. From across the decades we applaud the most coveted of all chart positions with smash hits and classics from the Bee Gees, T-Rex, Donna Summer, John Lennon, Culture Club, Spice Girls, James Blunt, Rihanna, Adele and many more.
A century ago, 1.5 million British people worked as servants – astonishingly, more than worked in factories or farms. But while servants are often portrayed as characters in period dramas, the real stories of Britain’s servants have largely been forgotten. Presented by social historian Dr Pamela Cox – herself the great-granddaughter of servants – this three-part series uncovers the reality of servants’ lives from the Victorian era through to the Second World War.
As a renowned teacher and founder and chair of the Leeds International Piano Competition, Dame Fanny Waterman is one of the most influential figures in British music. At the tender age of 92, she remains as energetic as ever, teaching children as young as six and in demand all over the world as a mentor and jury member. In this candid conversation with Petroc Trelawney, Waterman sheds light on her humble beginnings in Leeds as the daughter of a Russian emigre jeweller. Her life was transformed when she heard Rachmaninov perform at Leeds Town Hall in the 1920s - and her love affair with the piano has lasted eight decades. As a concert pianist, highlights included a Proms performance during the Second World War with Sir Henry Wood at the Royal Albert Hall, before returning to her home city of Leeds with husband Geoffrey de Kaiser to become a piano teacher. However, being known as the 'local piano teacher' was never enough and with the help of her lifelong friend, local aristocrat Marion Harewood, they set up the first Leeds International Piano Competition in 1963. Fifty years on Dame Fanny remains the mastermind behind 'The Leeds', a competition regarded as the most coveted prize in the piano world and having first showcased such talents as Radu Lupu, Murray Perahia, Andras Schiff and Noriko Ogawa. Outspoken, passionate and still full of vitality, Waterman shares her views on teaching, the great pianists of the past and present, music and love. When asked if she would ever retire from her hectic schedule this remarkable nonagenarian simply replies 'No, never!'.
There are over 12,000 100-year-olds in the country, and over the next twenty-five years that number is expected to rise to almost 90,000. A quarter of all children born today are expected to live beyond one hundred. But what is it like to live one hundred years? How to Live Beyond 100 meets centenarians across the country who explain what it means to have watched the world change around them; how their own attitudes, thoughts and feelings have changed through the years; and what it has been like to grow older than old. An uplifting look at what it is really like to live to 100 and beyond.
From the Staffordshire hills to the Humber estuary, spirited explorer Tom Fort embarks on a 170-mile journey down Britain's third longest river, the Trent. Beginning on foot, he soon transfers to his own custom-built punt, the Trent Otter, and rows many miles downstream. Along the way he encounters the power stations that generate much of the nation's electricity, veterans of the catastrophic floods of 1947, the 19th-century brewers of Burton and a Bronze Age boatman who once made a life along the river.
Dr Jack Kreindler and Professor Greg Whyte tackle pain - one of the most common complaints in Britain. To reveal key facts about chronic back pain, osteoarthritis and acute pain, and give insight into how these debilitating conditions can be treated, these medical mavericks use each other as human guinea pigs in fun and often painful experiments.
This affectionate insight into being old today sees three Golden Oldies pass on their astute and humorous insights on becoming old and poor, and the stark choices they now face in their twilight years. Full of wisdom, independent spirit and hard-earned perspective, their stories make you ask, 'Could this happen to me?' Doris is 84, and won't let a living soul (including the film-maker) inside her chaotic Clacton home - for fear that social services will take it away from her. Feisty Kitty in Exeter is also 84. She shows us her Kate Moss-inspired knicker and bra collection, and dreams of a miracle cure to an illness like most dream of winning the lottery. And then there's relatively youthful and charismatic Frank from Liverpool, who at 72 has lost his family to emigration. With no-one left, he has lost the will to carry on - but not his intelligence or tragic humour. Self-imprisoned in his own home like a character from a Samuel Beckett play, his neighbours rarely see him. He hasn't had a bath in years - mainly because he doesn't have one. He's reminiscent of an older, helpless Boo Radley from Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird.
The BBC delves into its archive for the best romantic duets performed at the BBC over the last fifty years. Whether it is Robbie and Kylie dancing together on Top of the Pops or Kris Kristofferson and Rita Coolidge singing into each other's eyes on the Whistle Test, there is plenty of chemistry. Highlights include Nina and Frederik's Baby It's Cold Outside, Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers, Sonny and Cher, Shirley Bassey and Neil Diamond, Peaches and Herb and a rare performance from Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush.
Unveiling of the RAF Bomber Command Memorial in London. The Queen and eight members of the Royal Family were also present at the event, which featured a fly-over by one of the world’s two remaining Lancaster bombers.
The Titanic sank on April 14, 1912 - Or did it? This documentary explores the conspiracy that in fact it was Titanic's sister ship the Olympic that sank on that fateful night.
It's The Way He Told Them is a tribute to the late Frank Carson with contributions from some of Frank's biggest fans including Eamonn Holmes, Patrick Kielty, Barry McGuigan, Jackie Fullerton and John Linehan.
Dusty Springfield narrates a documentary profile of the songwriter who won an Oscar for the Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid score, enjoyed stage success with Promises, Promises and whose classic songs continue to influence modern music. Featuring interviews with Dionne Warwick, Noel Gallager, Hal David, Herb Alpert, Elvis Costello, Cilla Black, Richard Carpenter, Carol Bayer Sager and Gillian Lynne.
Following BBC Four's Top of the Pops 1976, the next stop is 1977 - in some ways a year zero for Britain's most iconic music programme. As the country veered between strikes and street parties, pop bastion Top of the Pops was stormed by punk and new wave acts such as the Stranglers and the Jam. Yet Top of the Pops at first seemed unaware of the changes afoot and the way in which the show is made was beset by working practices that are perhaps symptoms of the way in which Britain could be said 'not to be working'. Jeans were getting tighter, hair shorter and the tunes louder, but it was an incredibly diverse year. Disco was also a dominant force with Donna Summer's I Feel Love, alongside the reggae of Bob Marley and the Wailers, the pub rock of Eddie and the Hot Rods and the plastic pop of Boney M. British pop that year was in a state of flux - unpredictable and exciting. Appearing on Top of the Pops in 1977 is explored in the documentary by artists such as the Adverts, John Otway, members of Darts, JJ Burnel from the Stranglers and Paul Cook from the Sex Pistols, with insights from the Top of the Pops production team, Nicky Wire from the Manics and journalists Alexis Petridis and Pete Paphides.
Revealing how James Graham, the 1st Marquis of Montrose and a poet and military genius, won six successive battles against the odds during the 17th-century civil wars - but ultimately died a martyr for his faithless kings on an Edinburgh scaffold. Montrose's campaign - in which the devastating 'Highland charge' was developed - has astounded soldiers and historians for centuries.
Tajikistan, in central Asia, was once one of the smallest and poorest republics of the USSR. In the last twenty years it has moved from communism to capitalism, from atheism to a rediscovery of Islam. Reporter Khayrulla Fayz returns to his village to discover what life is like for people there now. He talks to cotton farmers in the fields where he picked cotton as a child, meets migrant workers forced to leave their families to find work in Russia and asks the new entrepreneurs about the challenges of doing business there. When Khayrulla was a boy he spoke Russian and looked up to Lenin as the father of the nation. He finds out who the new heroes are for the younger generation carving out an identity for this newly-independent country.
A journey into the history, pageantry and characters that have shaped a Scottish phenomenon. Acclaimed actor Bill Paterson narrates the astonishing story of the Highland Games. From the battling clans to Queen Victoria's infatuation with her Highland subjects. The Games have become a symbol of community and identity in Scotland and all across the world.
In 1962 three Ulstermen travelled overland from Belfast to Singapore in a Mini. It was an epic adventure through countries not usually visited, giving us a fascinating insight through unique film taken by the intrepid trio.
Documentary about the creation of the BBC's London 2012 promotional campaign and title sequence and Elbow's BBC Olympic theme. Featuring interviews with Elbow, behind-the-scenes footage shot during recordings with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra and NovaVox Gospel Choir, plus an interview with animation director Pete Candeland at Passion Pictures.
When she was 19, Mercury Prize-winning rap artist Speech Debelle walked out of her family home and became homeless for three years. In this moving documentary, she shows that being homeless isn't just about down and outs sleeping in cardboard boxes, but is a problem which affects more and more young people in Britain today. Speech gets to know four young people from very different backgrounds - all of them sofa surfing or sleeping rough - as they try to find a more permanent roof over their heads. She discovers that councils and charities are struggling to cope with this growing crisis and she investigates the impact on young people's lives.
He is the fastest man who has ever lived and on 5th August the world will be watching and expecting Usain Bolt to reclaim the greatest prize in the Olympic Games, the men's 100 metres title. But there are five men who have been thinking the unthinkable, five men preparing and plotting to defeat the man they say cannot be downed. Five men devoted to beating Bolt. They are: Jamaica's Yohan Blake, the current world champion, who is Bolt's training partner and strongest challenger; Asafa Powell, often the forgotten man of Jamaican sprinting, but still the last man to hold the world record before Bolt; Tyson Gay and Justin Gatlin, who lead the American charge hitting top form when it matters most; and Europe's best hope, the Frenchman Christophe Lemaitre, who is proving that white men can sprint and take on the very best. This film follows the fortunes of the world's best sprinters as they prepare for that ultimate showdown at London 2012, from the supremely confident superstar Bolt to his focused, sometimes shy, rivals, determined to prove that Bolt is just a man. We witness the sacrifice and growing self-belief of these athletes as they push themselves to the limit physically and mentally to claim the greatest prize in sport. All the time obsessed with their quarry, the tall Jamaican who rewrote what was possible in human speed. Can they really beat Bolt when it matters most? Do the five strongest contenders have what it takes? What will it take? Will Bolt beat himself? Narrated by Reggie Yates and with expert contribution from sprinting icon Michael Johnson, Can Anyone Beat Bolt? is a fascinating examination of five super-fast men and one undisputed king.
Following a season in which football has been rocked by allegations of racism, former Premier league defender Clarke Carlisle explores how far his profession has really progressed since the dark days of banana throwing on the terraces in this documentary. Nicknamed 'Britain's brainiest footballer', Clarke has played at all levels from the Premiership to the fourth division, and as the chairman of the Professional Footballers' Association he feels he has a good grasp of the issues confronting football today. Setting out with the belief that racism has been largely eradicated from the game and that the frenzy surrounding the recent allegations shows the issue is being taken seriously by the authorities, Clarke begins to face a stark realisation on a journey which sees the issue of racism in football come very close to home.
Eighty-five-year-old EastEnders actress June Brown thinks the way we treat older people in this country lacks respect. She thinks they are undervalued, pushed aside and ignored. In this programme, June tries to find out what's gone wrong and what can be done about it. On her journey, she talks to elderly people about what it is like to be in the care system. She even visits her former on-screen husband John Bardon, who had a stroke five years ago and now needs 24-hour care. June's personal views come to the fore when her own family challenge her to say what she wants to happen if she ever needed care. June's first response is to dismiss the notion but, as the film progresses, she comes to a surprising decision.
Having a child leave home is difficult enough for any parent, but when your teenage daughter has Down's syndrome it is even harder. Domenica Lawson, nearly sixteen, is unsettled at the prospect of growing up and of having to leave a warm and supportive home. But it is her mother, Rosa Monckton, who is faced with the challenge of planning for the future, knowing that her daughter must eventually leave home and start an independent life without her. Letting Go follows Rosa and her daughter as she leaves school and takes her first steps into a more adult world. And as Domenica prepares for the challenges of independent life, Rosa meets three other young people with learning disabilities, and discovers how they are managing their transition to greater independence. Jess Hiles has a rare genetic disorder. With the encouragement of her parents, she has moved in to her own flat. But as she and her parents have discovered, living alone does not mean living independently. Richard Sherratt's learning disabilities meant that despite having significant support from carers he was unable to cope with neighbourhood hostility and has had to return home to be looked after once again by his mother, Dawn. Jack Hale, from Devon, is a year older than Rosa's daughter and also has Down's syndrome. There is a happy and well-run care home very nearby, but his mother Ronni has never really considered it. Her sparky son has ambitions to be a DJ and to be famous, and she is reluctant to limit his horizons.
Documentary telling the shocking story of how a 23-year-old British girl was drugged and kidnapped by members of her family after refusing to go through with a marriage arranged by them, and secretly marrying someone else. With unique access to a specialist unit of Lancashire Police, cameras follow the investigation of a crime that split a family apart.
William Shakespeare is hardly a name that you would expect to thrill Britain's teenagers, but over the last year thousands have taken part in a nationwide competition to learn some of his greatest speeches off by heart. Now, nine finalists, aged between 13 and 15, and from all over the United Kingdom, are off to Stratford-upon-Avon to take part in a life changing series of workshops with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Over a single week, they learn how to perform some of Shakespeare's greatest soliloquies from Romeo and Juliet, Henry V and Hamlet, before taking part in a dramatically different and closely fought grand final, hosted by Jeremy Paxman, to find the BBC Shakespeare Schools Champion.
Tests how close we can get to geological formations and geographic process while hanging from a cliff face. Geologist and keen climber Dr Tom Challands challenges three pairs of young people each to climb a different rock face and see just what can be revealed from this unique vantage point, on the rock face rather than observing from the ground. The climbs in Snowdonia and the Peak District are not only technically demanding but throw up different field study challenges for the teams to solve. The programme looks at volcanic activity, glaciation, how human activity shapes a landscape and formations created as a result of massive river deltas.
Featuring the voices of Greg McHugh and Lucy Montgomery, this is an informative and amusing look at the development of mathematical knowledge. The guides are 'human man' Alan and Praxis the robot. They take viewers back through time to visit Stone Age mathematicians, the Bond-villainesque Pythagoras and even to Mount Olympus where Jupiter is getting to grips with Roman numerals. It's the history of maths - approximately.
Radio 1's Gemma Cairney investigates how last year's UK riots changed the lives of those who got caught up in them. Over nine months the film follows three young people who were arrested on those anarchic nights in August 2011, as well as some of the young victims of the riots. With intimate access, we find out how their lives changed as they went through the court process or, for some, the prison system as each began the challenge of building a new life after the riots.
Gerry Rafferty, who died in January 2011, was one of Scotland's best loved singer/songwriters, famous around the world for hits such as Baker Street and Stuck in the Middle With You. This ArtWorks Scotland film, narrated by David Tennant, tells the story of Rafferty's life through his often autobiographical songs and includes contributions from Gerry's daughter Martha and brother Jim, friends and colleagues including Billy Connolly, John Byrne and Joe Egan, admirers such as Tom Robinson and La Roux, and words and music from Rafferty himself.
Britain in Bed is the ultimate history of sex, a documentary which reveals how our attitudes, knowledge and experience has changed and grown over the last 50 years. This entertaining rundown of the sexiest stories, headline-making scandals and key events shows how the nation's sexual behaviour has grown in confidence over the years. Featuring revealing archive and frank celebrity interviews, it brings you the inside track on sex in Britain - how sex has moved from the clandestine to the mainstream and become accepted, celebrated, explored and shared, from the birth of the Pill to the rise of sex toys, from celebrity sex tapes to the explosion in internet porn. Presented by Jessica Jane Clement, Britain in Bed is an explicit history and celebration of sex in Britain - from our tentative first sexual steps in the the Swinging Sixties and climaxing with the latest sex stories for 2012.
Documentary looking back on the eight day swim that comedian David Walliams undertook for Sport Relief 2012. Providing the inside story and exclusive behind the scenes access, the documentary takes in all the highs and lows of the outstanding challenge that saw David pass through seven counties, make 111,352 strokes, burn 68,000 calories, battle a serious bacterial infection and even save a dog from drowning as well as enjoy visits from fellow comedians Miranda Hart, Rob Brydon and Jimmy Carr.
As Ramadan approaches, this documentary tells the little-known story of three English gentlemen who embraced Islam at a time when to be a Muslim was to be seen to be a traitor to your country. Through personal journeys of still surviving relatives, the programme looks at their achievements and how their legacy lives on today.
Kicked Out Kids follows the stories of four young people whose relationships with their parents have become so bad that they risk being kicked out for good. Enter the mediators, intent on helping these families resolve their problems before it is too late. Charlotte, 16, was kicked out by her dad after she threw a party which turned out to be the final straw. Tyler, 14, was taken away by social services at his mum's request. She insists she will do it again if his behaviour does not change. Sisters Viviana, 15, and Stephanie, 14, cannot go a day without a fight, and risk being taken into foster care. The mediators step in to unearth what the real issues are beneath petty squabbles over housework and manners, and restore harmony between teenagers and their parents. But will their efforts come in time to keep these young families together?
Dan Snow uses the latest satellite technology to reveal the secrets of the Roman Empire. Together with space archaeologist Sarah Parcak, Dan sets out to identify and then track down lost cities, amphitheatres and forts in an adventure that sees him travel through some of the most spectacular parts of the vast empire. Cutting-edge technology and traditional archaeology help build a better understanding of how Rome held such a large empire together for so long.
Filmed at the Barbican in London, this tribute concert to the singer-songwriter Sandy Denny spans her career with Fairport Convention, Fotheringay and as a solo artist. Her most famous song, Who Knows Where the Time Goes, has been covered by everyone from Judy Collins to Nina Simone, but when she died in 1978 aged 31, Sandy left behind a rich songbook and here an eclectic cast from the folk world and beyond set out to explore and reinterpret it. English folk queen and Sandy contemporary Maddy Prior performs the menacing John the Gun and the courtly Fotheringay. Veteran Sandy cohorts are represented by Fotheringay and Fairport guitarist Jerry Donahue and fiddler extraordinaire Dave Swarbrick. Fine young troubadours Sam Carter and Blair Dunlop - son of Fairport's Ashley Hutchings - show the tradition is in safe hands. With a house band featuring members of Bellowhead, the line-up also includes former Scritti Politti singer Green Gartside, Joan Wasser aka Joan as Policewoman (with a heartbreaking No More Sad Refrains), Trembling Bells singer Lavinia Blackwall and American soul singer PP Arnold (with a roof-raising Take Me Away), plus Thea Gilmore, who was asked by Sandy's estate to put some of her unset lyrics to music. The performances on stage are interspersed with interviews and behind-the-scenes footage that shed light on how the concert came together, plus rare archive of Sandy herself. The show is evidence that, even without the magic of her singing voice, the songs still shine. Role Contributor Performer Lavinia Blackwall Performer Green Gartside Performer Thea Gilmore Performer Dave Swarbrick Performer Jerry Donahue Performer Blair Dunlop Performer Joan Wasser Performer Sam Carter Music Director Andrew Batt Director Janet Fraser Crook Producer Serena Cross
A selection of the band's performances from the BBC archives, with contributions by Mick Jagger, Bill Wyman, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and Ronnie Wood.
Simon Vaughan looks at the assassination of serving prime minister Spencer Perceval in the lobby of the House of Commons in 1812.
The BBC archive uncovers performances of some of the finest Bond theme tunes from its top secret vaults and pays a TV tribute to a classic British icon. Prepare to be shaken and stirred by Tina Turner and her GoldenEye, Dame Shirley Bassey with her Diamonds, Tom Jones rampaging with Thunderball, Matt Monro romancing in Russia, The Fun Lovin' Criminals taking all the time in the world, Adele's sky-high contribution to 007 and much more from Sheena Easton, Garbage, A-ha and others, from all manner of BBC shows. Sit back and marvel at our selection of the greatest Bond songs in history - a tuxedo and a dry vodka martini is optional.
Losing one's virginity is one of those life-defining moments that can be intimate, exciting and nerve-wracking all rolled into one. But good or bad, Cherry Healey wants to find out if that one simple little act really does have a lasting impact. From a girl's first time in the back of a Fiat Panda to a guy who has popped his cherry three times, Cherry looks for essential truths amongst the tales of sex and debauchery to see if losing your virginity is about more than just having sex for the first time.
Eddie Butler looks back at some of the great moments that have captured the imagination during the two weeks of the London 2012 Olympics, the stories that have dominated the headlines and the achievements of the sportsmen and sportswomen who have earned a place in the annals of Olympic history. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01m880f
Sheffield's Paul Carrack has slowly and subtly become a national institution who can spend nearly three months touring around the UK as he will this winter around his latest album, Good Feeling. The golden voice of Ace's 1974 blue-eyed soul hit How Long, Squeeze's Tempted and Mike and the Mechanics' The Living Years, Carrack is a journeyman of British rock, soul and pop whose career has unfolded slowly and steadily until he has become something of a national treasure. This affectionate documentary traces Carrack's musical journey from Warm Dust and Ace through Squeeze, Roxy Music and Mike and the Mechanics to his successful latter-day solo career, with intimate access to the likeable, somewhat diffident yet determined Carrack and thoughtful contributions from friends, family and peers including Nick Lowe, Chris Difford and others.
For Norman MacArthur and his family, there was always an area of his grandfather Johnny's life that was never discussed: his years spent as a prisoner of war during the Second World War. He had been part of the ill-fated 51st Highland Division captured at St Valery, but while his fellow prisoners returned home at the end of the war, Johnny didn't. His family were only made aware of snippets of his story: being taken prisoner by the Red Army and brutally treated, transported to the Black Sea, finally making his way home from Odessa in the Soviet Union, after which he had to be hospitalised whilst recovering from trauma. His family had more questions than answers. Now, we accompany Norman as he follows his grandfather's wartime journey. From the bloody French battlefield of Hedgehog Wood, to the forgotten prison cells of Poland and on to the camps of Odessa, Norman attempts to discover new evidence in order to be able to piece together and tell his grandfather Johnny's incredible untold story.
Lecture by Professor Vernon Bogdanor on the events leading up to World War 1. Originally shown on BBC Parliament
Revealing for the first time what has been described as 'the photographic discovery of the century', this documentary uncovers the remarkable story of the Belfast soldier who took his camera to war in 1915 and how his experiences were to have a dramatic and unexpected outcome many years later.
Len Goodman takes to the dance floor to discover the golden age of ballroom, as the head judge of Strictly Come Dancing recalls the time when Britain went ballroom barmy. In the early 20th century millions enjoyed dancing. Graceful movement was everything as we grappled with the waltz, the tango and each other. Len also reveals a surprising world of scandal and outrage - a time when ballroom was considered radical and trendy. What was it about ballroom that people enjoyed so much and why did we eventually turn our backs on what Len considers the greatest dance form of all? Len visits Blackpool, the spiritual home of ballroom, and demonstrates some popular steps with professional dancer Erin Boag. He discovers how the smart set danced the night away at the Café de Paris and returns to a favourite dance hall from his youth, the Rivoli in south London. Len talks to dancers, singers and musicians who remember the golden age and discovers the people who introduced 'rules' to ballroom - the dance leaders and teachers who were concerned that ballroom was out of control and needed new regulations to govern steps, movement and music.
For over forty years, virtuoso saxophonist/composer Barbara Thompson has been Britain's most brilliant and best-known female jazz musician. Her original compositions and soaring flute and saxophone improvisations have attracted large and enthusiastic audiences beyond the confines of contemporary jazz. She has released many albums and toured regularly throughout Europe, mainly with her own band Paraphernalia. But in 1997, the same year that she received an MBE for her services to music, disaster struck. Barbara was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. Playing Against Time is a feature-length documentary about Barbara's inspiring and creative struggle with this disease, whose physical effects are particularly cruel, and visible, in the life of an improvising jazz musician. Funded by a grant from the Wellcome Trust, the film has been made at intervals across a period of five years, beginning in 2005 with Barbara still performing with Paraphernalia on a 'farewell' European tour. After whi
A charismatic leader founds a commune in Los Angeles in the early '70s based on natural food, spiritual practices and psychedelic rock. This short-lived era is recreated with archival material and the memories of participants.
There are 120,000 people in Scotland with a learning disability. But how do you find love when your disabilities get in the way? We follow three young people with learning disabilities as they struggle to assert their independence, fight loneliness and get their heads round the dating scene.
The true story of the official Inquiry into the Titanic disaster. Was a ship called The Californian close enough to have saved them? Starring Paul McGann.
Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams reveals the hidden corners of the cathedral.
In the 1950s, Britain looked back on its epic war effort in films such as The Dam Busters, The Cruel Sea and The Colditz Story. However, even at the time these productions were criticised for being class-bound and living in the past. Journalist and historian Simon Heffer argues that these films have real cinematic merit and a genuine cultural importance, that they tell us something significant not only about the 1950s Britain from which they emerged but also about what it means to be British today. His case is supported by interviews with stars including Virginia McKenna, Sylvia Syms and Sir Donald Sinden, with further contributions from directors Guy Hamilton (The Colditz Story) and Michael Anderson (The Dam Busters).
Like many seaside resorts, Blackpool has been through hard times but it remains Britain's number one holiday destination. This film goes behind the scenes with the people working hard to keep Blackpool ahead of the game through one of the wettest summers on record. We follow car park entrepreneur and businessman Howard Plant as he attempts to open a new cabaret venue in time for the summer season. We meet Claire Smith who runs the family guesthouse business. Faced with the prospect of her only son leaving town, and dashing her hopes of him joining the family firm, what can she do to persuade him to stay? We also follow variety promoter Tony Jo, he as puts together the acts he hopes will pull in the crowds at Blackpool's Grand Theatre.
Historian James Holland presents a fresh analysis of the World War Two battle for the tiny Mediterranean island of Malta. The Battle for Malta is one of the most vicious and violent episodes of the Second World War. The tiny Mediterranean island is smaller than the Isle of Wight, yet between 1940 and 1942 more bombs fell on Malta than fell on Britain during the entire Blitz. As Axis forces threw all they had at the island, those on Malta were forced to endure a sustained attack from the air and a rapidly deteriorating condition on the ground. Beyond any form of austerity that we might understand, little Malta was close to starving. The struggle of the Maltese people against oppression was recognised personally by King George VI, who awarded the George Cross to the entire island. Yet the Siege of Malta is only half of the story. In this documentary, Holland argues that the real importance of Malta's position was its offensive role, which has been largely undervalued. Caught in the crosshairs of a massive struggle between Britain and Germany to control the shipping waters of the Mediterranean, by 1942 Malta had become the most bombed place on Earth. Whilst the level of brutal attacks may seem out of all proportion to the islands size it actually only serves to underline its importance - for Malta held the key to the entire war in the Mediterranean and North Africa.
Britain is in the grip of a fertility crisis, with more and more people seeking treatment to help them get that elusive, dream baby. But what is it like to work on the frontline of fertility treatment? Award-winning filmmaker Richard Macer spends three months in the Hewitt Fertility Centre in Liverpool, one of the largest fertility clinics in Britain. He meets gynaecologist Professor Charles Kingsland, who believes that not being able to have a child is a disease that blights society. Every day Kingsland and his team harvest women's eggs, whilst the men are sent to the 'masterbatorium'. In the lab, Macer finds the scientists who perform the profound act of conception every day, bringing together eggs and sperm in tiny plastic petri dishes. The film follows the stories of four couples as they pursue their dream of getting pregnant, but from the perspective of the staff. What is it like for the staff to be involved everyday in the creation of new life? Does anyone come closer to playing God?
Documentary about people who fight their parking tickets, following the stories of both the council parking enforcement departments who issue tickets - and the motorists who have decided to fight back against the system. Aside from the stories of the ordinary motorists fighting their individual tickets, the film also follows 'parking campaigners', dedicated amateurs who insist that the councils are unjustly punishing motorists and using parking as a way to raise revenues. Some get tickets deliberately to prove their point, others take their parking tickets to the High Court, whilst one group have even formed a masked motorcycle gang to take their fight to the streets. The film also hears from the other side of the issue - the Traffic Penalty Tribunal, the legally-binding national body that has the final say on whether motorists must pay their parking tickets or not.
Professor Jeremy Black examines one of the most extraordinary periods in British history: the Industrial Revolution. He explains the unique economic, social and political conditions that by the 19th century, led to Britain becoming the richest, most powerful nation on Earth. It was a time that transformed the way people think, work and play forever.
A look back at the extraordinary life of Sir Patrick Moore, focusing on his work as an astronomer and broadcaster. His keen interest in the night sky inspired generations. With contributions from Brian May, Sir Tim Rice and Heather Couper.
Stacey Dooley travels to Magaluf, on the Spanish island of Mallorca, to get under the skin of this popular resort. The resort is famous for the drunken antics of the British tourists who go there, but Stacey wants to find out what it's like for the thousands of Spanish workers who serve, police and clear up. What starts out as a regular shift at a bar or cleaning hotel rooms often ends up with Stacey uncovering a darker side that only the workers and residents get to see. Working in a bar Stacey is not only surprised to learn how much free alcohol is on offer to young British tourists, but she's horrified when she witnesses the sexually explicit drinking games the drunk tourists are encouraged to play. When she spends a morning cleaning hotel rooms, not only does she learn about the vandalism and mess tourists leave behind, but she meets one member of staff who's been left traumatised after he saw a young girl fall to her death at the hotel earlier this year, leaving him constantly worried about the safety of inebriated guests. Stacey discovers that the high numbers of tourists who die or are badly injured every year is linked to heavy drinking. But it's when Stacey rides along with an ambulance crew and a police patrol car over a busy weekend that she discovers things are really getting out of control in Magaluf. She hears how the emergency services have seen their worst year ever, cases of violent fights and rape are on the rise, women posing as prostitutes are ganging up on young, and often British, tourists and robbing them. Sadly this year, they've seen more deaths in the resort than ever before, mainly due to a craze called balconing.
Mark Radcliffe presents a countdown of the ten songs which have earned the most money of all time - ten classic songs each with an extraordinary story behind them. Radcliffe lifts the lid on how music royalties work and reveals the biggest winners and losers in the history of popular music
Britain's drug culture is changing - fast. Cocaine and ecstasy are out and mephedrone, ketamine and GHB are in. Shot in Leeds over the biggest party weekend of the year - Halloween and Bonfire Night - this film gets under the skin of the new party drugs. We follow Holly, Tony and Oliver from the dancefloor to the morning after and, with unique access to the first specialist 'club drug clinic' outside London, we find out what happens to those who want to keep going even when the party's over.
Winter was not always beautiful. Until Pieter Bruegel painted Hunters in the Snow, the long bitter months had never been transformed into a thing of beauty. This documentary charts how mankind's ever-changing struggle with winter has been reflected in western art throughout the ages, resulting in images that are now amongst the greatest paintings of all time. With contributions from Grayson Perry, Will Self, Don McCullin and many others, the film takes an eclectic group of people from all walks of life out into the cold to reflect on the paintings that have come to define the art of snow and ice.
Five members of the same platoon were killed on the 10th July 2009 in what remains the worst incident for a British foot patrol in the history of the Afghan campaign. Through powerful and touching interviews with some of the young soldiers who survived the attack, this film reveals how their lives are still haunted by the horrors of Helmand.
Dishing the dirt on the battles being fought on plots across the UK. Filmed over seven months, during the planting, growing and harvesting seasons, Allotment Wars shows what happens when strangers are thrust together on the land with too much time on their hands and too many sharp tools. Plotholders often face attacks from outsiders. In Kent, following a series of break-ins, two brave gardeners hunt a suspect in the local woods. However in Devon, there is a civil war brewing between the plotholders themselves. Prize vegetables are being snatched and sheds ransacked, and it looks like an inside job. What can the site committee do to combat the saboteurs? Nearly 100,000 Britons are on allotment waiting lists. This high demand means that the pressure to maintain plots is equally high. If allotmenteers fail, eviction looms. A young plotholder in Manchester struggles to avoid such a fate. In Newcastle, two men fight for the title of Champion City Gardener. Regular participants in the fiercely competitive vegetable shows, these rivals have not spoken for years and tension mounts as they face each other at the annual City Allotment and Garden Show.
The German invasion of Poland in 1939 marked the beginning of the Second World War and the escalation of the Nazi persecution of the Jews. It also was the beginning of one of the war's truly inspiring and remarkable stories. Prisoner A26188 tells the story of a young Polish girl Henia. Born into a middle class Jewish family, she lost her father, brother and sister during the German occupation, survived four concentration camps, and went on to bear witness to the creation of Israel in 1948. Now in her eighties, Henia's harrowing personal testimony starts with her family's removal from their home in Radom, Poland, to the ghetto, then Plaszow concentration camp, made famous by Schindler's list, onto Majdanek then Auschwitz and finally Bergen-Belsen. Henia describes with calm and dignity the terrors of the camps, the cruelty of the SS, the Death March and how, through a combination of her own resourcefulness and luck, she survived. In this extraordinary testament Henia explains, how after being reunited with her mother and brother, she makes her way to Palestine, sees in the birth of Israel, falls in love with a young South African and moves to Africa to start a new life. Filmed by her niece, this is her story of survival, and a legacy to her family and other survivors of genocide.
Every winter, millions of us come down with colds, flu and stomach problems caused by viruses like Norovirus - the highly contagious vomiting bug which has swept the country this year. It has closed hundreds of hospital wards and infected well over a million people. Flu figures are also higher than last year and are still climbing, plus we have seen high cases of a little known but extremely nasty respiratory virus called RSV which affects babies and young children. So why does winter makes us ill? And what can we do to protect ourselves against these normally routine illnesses that have the potential to turn lethal and cost the economy billions of pounds every year? Professor Alice Roberts and Dr Michael Mosley report from a pop up studio close to many of London's leading hospitals and medical research institutions on the latest virus outbreaks across the country. With the help of leading virologists, they will be finding out what viruses do to our bodies, explaining what viruses are, examining how they spread and advising what we can do to stay fit and healthy for the rest of the winter.
For better or for worse: the vows may be the same, but in our increasingly diverse society, popular wedding traditions are far from what you would expect. Married In Britain provides a portal into the lives of Britain's newest arrivals facing the everyday challenges of establishing a new life in the UK, as they prepare for one of the biggest days of their lives. We are invited to celebrate a diverse array of customs and cultures as couples embrace their new home while seeking to hold on to familiar traditions. They offer us a fresh look at Britain, sharing their experiences of getting married in one of the most exciting nations on earth
Jonathan Meades is unleashed on the county of Essex. Contrary to its caricature as a bling-filled land of breast-enhanced footballer's wives and self-made millionaires, Meades argues that this is a county that defies definition - at once the home of picturesque villages, pre-war modernism and 19th-century social experiments. Shaped by its closeness to London, Meades points out that this is where 19th-century do-gooders attempted to reform London's outcasts with manual labour and fresh air, from brewing magnate Frederick Charrington's Temperance Colony on Osea Island to the Christian socialist programmes run by Salvation Army founder William Booth. Meades also discovers a land which abounds in all strains of architecture, from the modernist village created by paternalistic shoe giant Thomas Bata to Oliver Hill's masterplan to re-imagine Frinton-on-Sea and the bizarre but prescient work of Arthur Mackmurdo, whose exceptionally odd buildings were conceived in the full blown language of the 1930s some fifty years earlier. In a visually impressive and typically idiosyncratic programme, Meades provides a historical and architectural tour of a county that typically challenges everything you thought you knew and offers so much you didn't.
Every year, over a thousand climbers try to reach the summit of Mount Everest, with the annual record for successful attempts currently standing at 633. But of that number, nearly half were Sherpas - the mountain's unsung heroes. Yet the Sherpa community has remained secretive about their nation, culture and experiences living in the shadow of the world's highest mountain. Now, for the first time, they open the door into their world. Without the expertise of the Sherpas, only the hardiest and most skilful climbers would succeed. Every day they risk their lives for the safety of others, yet they seek neither glory nor reward, preferring to stay in the background. Following the stories of four such Sherpas - Phurba, Ngima, Ngima Tenji and Gelu - this film reveals the reality of their daily lives, not just up the mountain, but with their families after they return home.
For one night only, Professor Brian Cox goes unplugged in a specially recorded programme from the lecture theatre of the Royal Institution of Great Britain. In his own inimitable style, Brian takes an audience of famous faces, scientists and members of the public on a journey through some of the most challenging concepts in physics. With the help of Jonathan Ross, Simon Pegg, Sarah Millican and James May, Brian shows how diamonds - the hardest material in nature - are made up of nothingness; how things can be in an infinite number of places at once; why everything we see or touch in the universe exists; and how a diamond in the heart of London is in communication with the largest diamond in the cosmos.
Growing numbers of young British women are converting to Islam. Shanna Bukhari, a 26-year-old Muslim from Manchester, sets out to find out why girls are giving up partying, drinking and wearing whatever they want for a religion some people associate with the oppression of women. This warm documentary follows the highs and lows of five girls as they embrace their new faith. From adapting to a religion that allows a man to marry up to four wives to the acceptance of friends and family, it isn't always easy.
With unprecedented access, this film uncovers the hidden world of public protection. Through the personal stories of probation officers, it explores how offenders are monitored, controlled and rehabilitated in everyday life, and how the public are protected from them. This is the story of our protectors; the extraordinary professionals in the probation service who work with some of society's most troubled, damaged and dangerous people. They keep tabs on murderers and paedophiles, robbers and rapists, burglars and domestic abusers. It is their responsibility to stop them from hurting us. But these offenders aren't behind bars; they're out and about, living free among us. So how are they controlled, and how are we kept safe?
Between the mid 1960s and the late 1970s, the long-playing record and the albums that graced its grooves changed popular music for ever. For the first time, musicians could escape the confines of the three-minute pop single and express themselves as never before across the expanded artistic canvas of the album. The LP allowed popular music become an art form - from the glorious artwork adorning gatefold sleeves, to the ideas and concepts that bound the songs together, to the unforgettable music itself. Built on stratospheric sales of albums, these were the years when the music industry exploded to become bigger than Hollywood. From pop to rock, from country to soul, from jazz to punk, all of music embraced what 'the album' could offer. But with the collapse of vinyl sales at the end of the 70s and the arrival of new technologies and formats, the golden era of the album couldn't last forever. With contributions from Roger Taylor, Ray Manzarek, Noel Gallagher, Guy Garvey, Nile Rodgers, Grace Slick, Mike Oldfield, Slash and a host of others, this is the story of When Albums Ruled the World.
Across Britain police are dealing with a new crime wave, metal theft. The high price of metal has led organised criminal gangs to tear apart Britain's infrastructure, stripping metal from railways, power stations, churches and even war memorials. This documentary shows British Transport Police fighting back and reveals the consequences of metal theft, from the risk of electrocution to thieves, the emotional distress caused to victims and even an explosion.
On the 50th anniversary of the famous 12-hour session at Abbey Road which resulted in the Beatles' iconic album Please Please Me, leading artists such as Stereophonics, Graham Coxon, Gabrielle Aplin, Joss Stone, Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook of Squeeze, Paul Carrack, Mick Hucknall and I Am Kloot attempt to record the same songs, in the same timescale, in the same studio. The results will be captured in this programme, presented by Stuart Maconie. Amongst those paying their own tribute to the album's success are Burt Bacharach and Guy Chambers, as well as people lucky enough to have been there 50 years ago telling the remarkable story of what happened that day, including engineer Richard Langham and Beatles' press officer Tony Barrow.
Documentary following the men and women who are passionate about clearing their local streets of litter and dog fouling, as they confront the litterers and roll up their sleeves to clear up other people's mess. 30 million tonnes of litter are dumped on British streets every year. It costs a billion pounds a year to clear up, and hard-pressed councils cannot always cope with the daily tide of dog mess, drinks cans, sweet wrappers and cigarette ends. Some vigilantes, like retired teacher and soldier John, prefer to confront litterers head-on; others, like Adrian in Leicester, deal with the problem by picking up the rubbish themselves - Adrian has harvested more than 50,000 drinks tins from his local streets. And Jill, in North Yorkshire, mounts one of Britain's most unusual dog fouling campaigns - highlighting every dog mess on a popular footpath with a pink flag. After marking 72 of them, she runs out of flags.
Forget fingerprints and DNA matching – in London in 1864 the best evidence the police had to work with to track down a killer was a half-crushed beaver hat. In this forensic exhumation of the nation’s ‘first railway murder’, reconstructions flesh out archive accounts to review the conviction of German-born tailor Franz Müller for the murder of 69-year-old banker Thomas Briggs, tracked down by Detective Dick Tanner (Robert Whitelock). By today’s standards, the verdict seems as shaky as a line in dire need of engineering works.
Documentary telling the story of the world's craziest race. In 1977 French motorcyclist Thierry Sabine was in serious trouble, lost in the Libyan desert and dying from thirst. Whilst most men would weep and think back over their lives, Thierry thought about coming back - to do a rally across the Sahara Desert. The 9,000km Paris-Dakar rally was born. The rally became a beacon for eccentric adventurers battling the terrain in customised vehicles, seduced by the romance of the desert and the extreme challenge. It soon became a victim of its own rapid success. Caught up in controversy and with a total of over 60 deaths, in 2008 this incredible event was brought to an end in Africa by terrorism. Featuring winners Cyril Neveu, Hubert Auriol, Jean Louis Schlesser, Ari Vatanen, Stephane Peterhansel, Martine De Cortanze, former participant Sir Mark Thatcher and many more, this is the story of the biggest motorsport event the world has ever seen and one of the greatest challenges of human endeavour ever conceived, told by those that took part. How the West took on a landscape of incredible beauty and scale. And lost.
Documentary telling the story of Britain's first hand transplant, carried out by surgeons at Leeds Infirmary on Boxing Day night 2012, from the moment Professor Simon Kay and his team decided to go ahead to the moment the patient was able to move the transplanted hand. During that time, candidates came forward from all over the UK and beyond - including a hairdresser, an IT consultant, a former pub landlord, a DJ and a retired housewife - all of whom had lost the use of at least one of their hands. But before they could go ahead, the doctors had to be sure they were physically and psychologically prepared. Some decided that the risks - including the potentially life-shortening drugs that would need to be taken for the rest of their life - weren't worthwhile. Others decided that the misery of living without a hand outweighed everything else. This thought-provoking film is with them as they make their decisions - and with the surgeons as the patient who comes through the process is finally taken into the operating theatre.
With Italy going to the polls on 24th and 25th February, Bill Emmott, former editor of The Economist and a man with a special passion for Italy and Italians since his teenage years, asks where has Italy gone wrong and examines the good sides about Italy as well as the disasters.
Johnny Kingdom, the wild man of Exmoor, is back and going further than he's ever been before - the trip of a lifetime to Kodiak Island in Alaska in search of brown bears. As a lad, amateur wildlife filmmaker Johnny would poach salmon from the rivers on Exmoor with his bare hands, but his lifelong ambition has been to see how the real experts - brown bears - do it, as they fish for sockeye salmon in the remote rivers of Kodiak Island off the southwest coast of Alaska. It is also the biggest challenge he has faced as an amateur cameraman. In characteristic style, Johnny finds himself struggling to keep his camera still without a tripod and because his hands are shaking so much when faced with a 'hooge' bear less than 30 metres away. The other challenge he faces, which he cannot control, is the weather. In the summer, although the snow has melted this part of Alaska is plagued by heavy mists and fog, which makes the journey by seaplane to the remote areas where the bears live even harder to achieve. Fortunately Johnny is able to take advantage of being grounded and heads out on a boat into the rich waters around Kodiak Island to film humpback whales, tufted puffins and an enchantingly close encounter with sea otters. But it's the bears he's come for and Johnny finally gets the shots he wanted - bears catching salmon. He can hardly believe it. This is Johnny Kingdom at his best - infectiously enthusiastic, madly exuberant and never less than hugely enjoyable.
Danny Leigh explores the elemental drama of the boxing movie. For over 120 years, boxing and film have been entwined and the fight film has been used to address powerful themes such as redemption, race and corruption. Film writer Leigh examines how each generation's fight films have reflected their times and asks why filmmakers from Stanley Kubrick to Martin Scorsese have returned time and again to tales of the ring. Interviewees include former world heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis, Rocky director John G Avildsen and Thelma Schoonmaker, editor of Raging Bull.
As it celebrates its 90th birthday, Barbara Flynn narrates the story of the nation's love affair with the steam locomotive that symbolises all that was great about British engineering, the Flying Scotsman.
Michael Grade goes on the trail of the world's oldest joke as he sets out to discover whether jokes come and go with the passing of time or whether we are still laughing at the same things our ancestors did.
Paris-based writer Andrew Hussey travels through the glorious art and surprising history of an extraordinary French institution to show that the story of the Louvre is the story of France. As well as exploring the masterpieces of painters such as Veronese, Rubens, David, Chardin, Gericault and Delacroix, he examines the changing face of the Louvre itself through its architecture and design. Medieval fortress, Renaissance palace, luxurious home to kings, emperors and more recently civil servants, today it attracts eight million visitors a year. The documentary also reflects the very latest transformation of the Louvre - the museum's recently-opened Islamic Gallery.
John Adams is the living composer who is most widely performed today. This visually rich portrait of the composer by award-winning film maker Mark Kidel explores the influences that have shaped Adams's unique music, from minimalism to jazz and from the Indian raga to the European classical tradition.
Documentary telling the bruised and battered, but triumphant, tale of one of the UK's most cherished rock 'n' roll bands, Mott the Hoople. Originating from Herefordshire, the band were thrown together in 1969 and signed to Island Records by the increasingly erratic manager/producer Guy Stevens, in a bid to find a band that would combine The Rolling Stones rhythmic power with the melody and lyricism of 'Blonde on Blonde' era Bob Dylan. The documentary charts their journey from cult struggling touring band to their successful transformation into 'glam rock players' thanks to the intervention of David Bowie who gave them their biggest hit, 'All The Young Dudes', and their subsequent collapse after the addition of Mick Ronson to their line-up. Mott the Hoople's story is brought to life through a combination of rare and unseen archive footage, their magnificent music and the testimony of band members Ian Hunter, Mick Ralphs, Verden Allen, Dale Griffin, Luther Grosvenor aka Ariel Bender and various other associates and witnesses, including boyhood fan Mick Jones of The Clash and Queen's Roger Taylor.
An intimate insight into the world of the Hutterites, a Christian community who believe living communally and separate from what they call 'the world' is the route to heaven. But living like this is not easy. With exclusive access, the film follows one young man secretly running away from his community.
Police say the death of Reeva Steenkamp was premeditated murder. The accused, her boyfriend Oscar Pistorius, says it was an innocent accident. A documentary team has been in Pretoria, South Africa, digging deeper into a death that shocked the world. Presented by Rick Edwards, who covered Pistorius's gold-medal winning, world record-breaking achievements at the London 2012 Paralympics, the programme features interviews with friends of both the victim and the accused. Aged 26, Oscar Pistorius is the poster boy of the Paralympics movement and his prosthetic lower legs have given him the nickname Blade Runner. So fast and powerful, he became the first the first double leg amputee to participate in the Olympics, competing in the 400m and 4x400m relay. But since that glorious summer, reports have emerged of a different side of Oscar Pistorius - involved in brawls and late night fracas. Observers note that when setting bail, the judge made it conditional that until he returns to court in June, Pistorius must not consume alcohol and will be randomly tested to ensure he complies. Featuring special 3-D graphics, sworn testimony and exclusive interviews, the film attempts to give the most complete picture yet of what may have happened in Oscar Pistorius's apartment in the early hours of February 14th.
Ant colonies are one of the wonders of nature - complex, organised and mysterious. This programme reveals the secret, underground world of the ant colony in a way that's never been seen before. At its heart is a massive, full-scale ant nest, specially-designed and built to allow cameras to see its inner workings. The nest is a new home for a million-strong colony of leafcutter ants from Trinidad. For a month, entomologist Dr George McGavin and leafcutter expert Professor Adam Hart capture every aspect of the life of the colony, using time-lapse cameras, microscopes, microphones and radio tracking technology. The ants instantly begin to forage, farm, mine and build. Within weeks, the colony has established everything from nurseries to gardens to graveyards. The programme explores how these tiny insects can achieve such spectacular feats of collective organisation. This unique project reveals the workings of one of the most complex and mysterious societies in the natural world and shows the surprising ways in which ants are helping us solve global problems.
Filmmaker David Malone explores the science behind metamorphosis, the ultimate evolutionary magic trick - the transformation of one creature into a totally different being: one life, two bodies.
When the space shuttle Challenger blew up in 1986, it was the most shocking event in the history of American spaceflight. The deaths of seven astronauts, including the first teacher in space Christa McAuliffe, were watched live on television by millions of viewers. But what was more shocking was that the cause of the disaster might never be uncovered. The Challenger is the story of how Richard Feynman, one of America's most famous scientists, helped to discover the cause of a tragedy that stunned America
Alastair Sooke takes us on an exclusive personal tour of the Roy Lichtenstein Retrospective at Tate Modern. Together with fans, critics, artists and those who knew Lichtenstein, Alastair leads an entertaining and provocative discussion about the work and legacy of one of the most celebrated and instantly recognisable artists of the 20th century. Renowned for his works based on comic strips and advertising imagery, Lichtenstein's chisel-jawed action men and love-lorn women made him the hero of the Pop Art movement. When the pictures first appeared in the 1960s they caused a sensation - but also outrage and controversy, with many questioning whether his re-workings of other people's images could really be called art. As the exhibition reveals, however, there was more to Lichtenstein than simply the famous comic book images and also on display are many of his less familiar works - nudes, landscapes, sculpture and his own take on the work of modern art masters such as Picasso and Matisse. Offering an in-depth look at one of the year's most talked about exhibitions, Alastair and guests explore the enduring appeal of Lichtenstein's imagery, debate the controversies around his work and his influence on today's generation of artists and tackle the big question - was Lichtenstein a Pop Art genius and one of the defining image-makers of the 20th century, or a one-trick wonder whose big idea was so powerful he could never let it go?
Every autumn a miracle happens. A Monarch butterfly born in Canada will fly 5,000 km to the rainforests of Mexico, across land it has never seen. It is a journey filled with peril. Many never make it, and those that do will never return. It takes three more generations to make the journey back to Canada the following spring. No butterfly has ever made the journey before and none of them will ever make it again. Based on the critically-acclaimed book by Sue Halpern and narrated by Kristin Scott Thomas, the migration of the Monarch butterfly from its birthplace in Canada to its wintering site in the rainforests of Mexico is an epic struggle for survival: an astonishing story of scientific marvel and awesome beauty.
n 1908 amateur naturalist Percy Smith stunned cinema goers with his surreal film The Acrobatic Fly. Featuring a bluebottle juggling a series of objects, the film became front page news. Now wildlife cameraman Charlie Hamilton-James attempts to recreate this fascinating film. Along the way, Hamilton-James (helped by Sir David Attenborough who saw Smith's films as a boy) tells the story of Percy's remarkable career and reveals the genius behind this forgotten pioneer of British film.
How would you feel about eating deep fried locusts, ant egg salad or barbequed tarantulas? This documentary sees presenter and food writer Stefan Gates immerse himself in the extraordinary world of hardcore insect-eating in a bid to conquer his lingering revulsion of bugs and discover if they really could save the planet. With 40 tonnes of insects to every human, perhaps insects could offer a real solution to the global food crisis - where billions go hungry every day whilst the meat consumption of the rich draws vast amounts of grain out of the global food chain. Stefan's on a mission to meet the people in Thailand and Cambodia that hunt, eat and sell edible insects for a living. But nothing quite prepares him for bug farming on this terrifying scale, from stalking grasshoppers at night to catching fiercely-biting ants. And it's not just insects on the menu. Stefan also goes hunting for the hairiest, scariest spider on the planet - the tarantula. Stefan asks if the solution is for everyone - the British included - to start eating insects too.
After 53 years Television Centre, the BBC's TV headquarters, is closing its doors and Michael Grade gathers together many of its best-loved faces to stroll down memory lane.
Boris Johnson is the biggest star in British politics. Nobody connects to the public like Boris, some even see him as a future Prime Minister. So what really makes him tick and is he a serious contender for the top job? With unprecedented access to Johnson himself, candid interviews and previously unseen archive, Michael Cockerell unlocks the secrets of the real Boris Johnson.
Insects outnumber us by 200 million to one. They thrive in environments where humans wouldn't last minutes. We mostly perceive them as pests - yet without bugs, entire ecosystems would collapse, crops would disappear and waste would pile high. The secret of their success? Their incredible alien anatomy. To reveal this extraordinary hidden world, entomologists Dr James Logan and Brendan Dunphy carry out a complete insect dissection. Cutting-edge imaging technology shows us the beauty and precision of the natural engineering inside even the simplest insects. Stripping back the layers, they uncover ingenious body systems and finely-tuned senses - a bug body plan that is the hidden blueprint behind insects' 'global domination'. They also discover how science is now using the secrets of insect anatomy to inspire technology that could save human lives.
Not since 1976 has a woman raced in Formula 1; Susie Wolff is determined to change that. A documentary filmed by her brother charts highs and lows of her year racing and the life-changing moment when she is tested for the Williams F1 team. Featuring interviews with Lewis Hamilton, David Coulthard and Ralf Schumacher.
Best-selling author Sir Terry Pratchett, diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2007, has one last adventure he wants to go on. Eighteen years ago Terry had a life-changing experience in the jungles of Borneo, where he encountered orangutans in the wild for the first time. Now he is going back to find out what the future holds for these endangered species, and discover a new threat to their habitat that could push them to the brink of extinction. His Alzheimer's will make the trip an incredible challenge both physically and mentally, as he contemplates the role of mankind in the eradication of the planet's species, and considers his own inevitable extinction. Terry is accompanied by his friend and assistant Rob Wilkins, as they investigate an Indonesian street market where endangered species are reportedly on sale, meet the world expert on orangutans, Dr Birute Galdikas, and journey into the rainforest in search of the former king of the orangutans, Kusasi.
In a one off landmark drama documentary for BBC One, Dr Margaret Mountford presents Pompeii: The Mystery Of The People Frozen In Time. The city of Pompeii uniquely captures the public's imagination; in 79AD a legendary volcanic disaster left its citizens preserved in ashes to this very day. Yet no-one has been able to unravel the full story that is at the heart of our fascination: how did those bodies become frozen in time? For the first time the BBC has been granted unique access to these strange, ghost-like body casts that populate the ruins and, using the latest forensic technology, the chance to peer beneath the surface of the plaster in order to rebuild the faces of two of the people who were killed in this terrible tragedy. Margaret turns detective to tell a new story at the heart of one of history's most iconic moments; she looks at the unique set of circumstances that led to the remarkable preservation of the people of Pompeii. By applying modern day forensic analysis to this age-old mystery, Margaret dispels the myths surrounding the events in 79AD. She also explores the lives of the individuals who once lived in this vibrant and enigmatic city, as well as recreating the last moments of the people caught up in this tragedy.
Documentary which tells the story of the first major charity rock concert, the 1971 Concert for Bangladesh organised by former Beatle George Harrison at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Filmed over six months in Britain’s biggest Young Offenders Institution, Prison Dads follows fathers on the inside and their partners on the outside, struggling to keep together their fledgling families. Glen Parva in Leicester houses up to 808 prisoners aged 18-21 years-old. These young men are 5 times more likely to be dads than others their age. From hearing their baby being born on the other end of the phone to meeting their son for the first time in the visit hall, the film explores the experiences of prisoners grappling with the demands of being dad behind bars. We also meet the mums who are left home alone to fend for themselves with a newborn baby or demanding toddler. Some choose to bring their child into prison to visit where they must face searches and sniffer dogs, while others decide to shield them from this experience by telling them Daddy is on a ‘naughty holiday’. For all of them, the impact of prison life on parenthood is profound. With privileged access, and intimate stories as these young men open up about their experiences, Prison Dads is a moving film charting the successes and failures of young parents, coming to terms with bringing up their babies in extremely challenging circumstances.
Using rare archive and first hand testimony from those who knew him intimately, this film explores the life of Donald Campbell, one of Britain's most compelling but doomed heroes. Despite his triumphs, setting several world speed records on land and water, he remained a haunted man. His father Sir Malcolm Campbell had been a prolific record-breaker but an indifferent parent and all his life Donald felt driven to emulate his father. But instead of endless success his career was dogged by bad luck, bad weather and the growing apathy of the British public. In 1967 he took his Bluebird boat to Coniston in the Lake District for an attempt on the water speed record. With the eyes of the world upon him, he crashed and was killed instantly, his body and boat lost for thirty years.Told from the point of view of the children themselves, this one-hour documentary offers a unique perspective on the nation's flagging economy and the impact of unemployment, foreclosure and financial distress as seen through the eyes of the children affected.
Written and presented by John Eliot Gardiner, one of the world’s leading interpreters of Bach’s music, Bach: A Passionate Life takes us on a physical, musical and intellectual journey in search of Bach the man and the musician. The most famous portrait of Bach shows him aged 62, a rather miserable looking old man in wig and formal coat, yet his greatest works were composed in his late 30s and early 40s in an almost unrivalled decade-long blaze of creativity. This conservative image of Bach also conflicts with evidence of clashes with authority from an early age. There are accounts of public brawls, periods in jail, and the smuggling of girls into his organ loft. Gardiner draws upon his lifelong fascination and passion for the composer to shed light on Bach’s personality and music. In the documentary, made by Leopard Films, John Eliot Gardiner conducts his award-winning Monteverdi choir and orchestra in specially shot performances from Bach’s masterworks: the St Matthew Passion, the St John Passion and the B Minor Mass, as well as extracts from some of his secular and sacred cantatas. The programme reveals a complex and passionate artist, a warm and convivial family man who shows a rebellious spirit while struggling with the hierarchies of state and church. Despite the cramped conditions of his life in Leipzig, and despite rarely venturing outside a 60-mile radius of the city, he wrote timeless music that today enjoys world-wide fame.
A celebration of the late, great Richard Briers. From The Good Life to King Lear, Briers' unique talents gave him a versatility and breadth enjoyed by only a few. Friends and colleagues gather to pay tribute to this much loved and multi-talented actor.
When Patton's went bust last November the impact reached far beyond their Ballymena offices. The fallout from their crash left many workers, sub-contractors and small businesses in dire financial straits. This is the story of some of the collateral damage caused by the demise of Northern Ireland's oldest and largest construction firm.
Film about the architect John Portman, capturing his approach in an intimate portrait that, by turn, assesses and appreciates his work, using dramatic time-lapse footage to show off his buildings at their best. Once a maverick who was nearly run out of the American Institute of Architects, Portman is now recognized as one of the most innovative and imitated architects ever. Over 45 years, his iconic urban statements and eye-popping interiors have risen in 60 cities on four continents to redefine cityscapes in America and skylines in China and the rest of Asia.
To mark Good Friday, Melvyn Bragg sets out to unravel the many questions surrounding one of the Bible’s most vivid and, to some, controversial figures: Mary Magdalene. In the gospel accounts, Mary Magdalene plays a key role in the Easter story. She is there at the cross when Jesus is crucified and she’s a key witness to the resurrection. So why, despite any reference to it in the Bible, is Mary Magdalene remembered primarily as the sinner or even prostitute whom Christ redeems? Melvyn uncovers the real story behind Mary’s legendary status: from her vital role in the first centuries of Christianity to her portrayal in Jesus Christ Superstar and the Da Vinci Code.
Professor Andrew Wallace-Hadrill presents a documentary following the scientific investigation that aims to lift the lid on what life was like in the small Roman town of Herculaneum, moments before it was destroyed by a volcanic erruption. Just 10 miles from Pompeii, 12 arched vaults are telling a whole new story about what life was like before the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. They contain the skeletons of no less than 340 people, just 10% of the local population, killed by the volcano. Amongst them are the first new skeletons to be found in the area for 30 years which are now the subject of a ground-breaking scientific investigation. The finds included a toddler clutching his pet dog, a two-year-old girl with silver earrings and a boy staring into the eyes of his mother as they embraced in their last moment. Those found inside the vaults were nearly all women and children. Those found outside on the shoreline were nearly all men. Why? The Other Pompeii: Life and Death In Herculaneum unravels a surprising story of resilience, courage and humanity, with the local population going to their deaths not in the apocalyptic orgy of sex and self-destruction often portrayed in Pompeii's popular myth, but, much more like the passengers of the Titanic, it seems that like their British counterparts, the ancient inhabitants of Herculaneum put women and children first. Presenting the film is Britain's greatest Pompeianist, Professor Andrew Wallace-Hadrill of the University of Cambridge, and Director of the Herculaneum Conservation Project. He takes us to meet the scientists leading the forensic project - Luca Bondioli and Luciano Fattore - and then on a tour of the incredible town where the skeletons once lived. On this journey he uncovers their houses, their wooden furniture (including their beds and the only surviving baby's cradle from the Roman world), their food and even their waste (that's human waste), perfectly preserved by a layer of ash up to five times deepe
From the Staffordshire hills to the Humber estuary, spirited explorer Tom Fort embarks on a 170-mile journey down Britain's third longest river, the Trent. Beginning on foot, he soon transfers to his own custom-built punt, the Trent Otter, and rows many miles downstream. Along the way he encounters the power stations that generate much of the nation's electricity, veterans of the catastrophic floods of 1947, the 19th-century brewers of Burton and a Bronze Age boatman who once made a life along the river.
While the Victorians confronted the challenges of ruling an empire, perhaps the most dangerous environment they faced was in their own homes. Householders lapped up the latest products, gadgets and conveniences, but in an era with no health and safety standards they were unwittingly turning their homes into hazardous death traps. In a genuine horror story, Dr Suzannah Lipscomb reveals the killers that lurked in every room of the Victorian home and shows how they were unmasked. What new innovation killed thousands of babies? And what turned the domestic haven into a ticking time bomb?
Physicist Dr Helen Czerski takes us on an amazing journey into the science of bubbles. Bubbles may seem to be just fun toys, but they are also powerful tools that push back the boundaries of science. The soap bubble with its delicate, fragile skin tells us about how nature works on scales as large as solar system and as small as a single wavelength of light. Then there are underwater bubbles, which matter because they are part of the how the planet works. Out at sea, breaking waves generate huge plumes of bubbles which help the oceans breathe. From the way animals behave to the way drinks taste, Dr Czerski shows how bubbles affect our world in all sorts of unexpected ways. Whether it's the future of ship design or innovative new forms of medical treatment, bubbles play a vital role.
Margaret Thatcher was Britain's first and only woman Prime Minister. In her eleven years in office she defeated Argentina in the Falklands War and at home she battled the unions into submission. Under her guidance, the Conservative government brought in privatisation and deregulated the City. In this special programme to mark her passing, family, friends and former colleagues - as well as political opponents - recall her life, her extraordinary personality and her tumultuous years in power.
BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner returns for the first time to Riyadh, the city in Saudi Arabia where he was shot by Al Qaeda in 2004 and left dependent upon a wheelchair. Travelling in this important and mysterious country, he explores how it has so far avoided an Arab Spring revolution.
Robin Day interviews Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in Downing Street. From 9 April 1984 As the election campaign draws to a close, Sir Robin Day talks to the prime minister, The Rt Hon Margaret Thatcher, about her bid for a third term at No 10 and about the pledges made in the Conservative manifesto. What is her vision of Thatcher's Britain?
Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher addresses a motion of no confidence in her final speech at the despatch box. From 22 November 1990.
Baroness Thatcher makes her maiden speech to the House of Lords. From 2 July 1992.
This biography reveals Newton as both a hermit and a tyrant, a heretic and an alchemist. Magical images mix with actors and experts to bring alive Britain's greatest scientific genius in his own words.
BBC presenter Martha Kearney, who became a political correspondent when Margaret Thatcher was at the height of her political power, charts the unlikely rise of the grocer's daughter who became Britain's most famous prime minister. She also reflects on Thatcher's bitter downfall at the hands of her colleagues in government, a betrayal she never recovered from.
Paleontologist Professor Richard Fortey embarks on a quest to discover the extraordinary lives of rock pool creatures. To help explore this unusual environment he is joined by some of the UK's leading marine biologists in a dedicated laboratory at the National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth. Here and on the beach in various locations around the UK, startling behaviour is revealed and new insights are given into how these animals cope with intertidal life. Many popular rock pool species have survived hundreds of millions of years of Earth's history, but humans may be their biggest challenge yet.
David Dimbleby introduces live coverage of the funeral service of Baroness Thatcher. The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, together with the Thatcher family and representatives from British and world politics, attend the service at St Paul's Cathedral. Sophie Raworth and Mishal Husain report from the route.
John Ware journeys to Israel for a fresh look at how it has responded to the changes sweeping the region in the wake of the Arab Spring. He meets Israelis from all walks of life to go beyond the news clichés and analyse what is next for the world’s only Jewish state as both the religious and the secular battle over its future.
Peter Higgs is the man behind one of the most remarkable scientific ideas of the past fifty years. He proposed the existence of a new particle, which would become known as the Higgs Boson. It took almost fifty years, and the construction of the world's largest machine, to prove his theory correct. Peter Higgs: Particle Man tells his story.
Starting off a kilometre high, travelling at the speed of a jet aircraft, and heading for us. It doesn't make for a good outcome. Hollywood-style graphics and real-life archive brings home an imagined near-future scenario, all based on cutting-edge science.
Historian and author AN Wilson explores the life of Josiah Wedgwood, a self-made, self-educated creative giant famous for his pottery.
A film that looks at the genius of JMW Turner in a new light. There is more to Turner than his sublime landscapes - he also painted machines, science, technology and industry. Turner's life spans the Industrial Revolution, he witnessed it as it unfolded and he painted it. In the process he created a whole new kind of art. The programme examines nine key Turner paintings and shows how we should re-think them in the light of the scientific and Industrial Revolution. Includes interviews with historian Simon Schama and artist Tracey Emin.
Andrew Graham-Dixon goes behind the scenes at the Rijksmuseum as the staff prepare to open the doors following a ten-year renovation, the most significant ever undertaken by a museum. Featuring over 8,000 works of art, Holland's national museum tells the story of 800 years of Dutch history and houses a world-famous collection including masterpieces by artists from Vermeer to Rembrandt. So, as the final paintings are rehung and objects settle into their new home, has the long wait been worth it?
Documentary following actor and writer Maureen Lipman on a personal journey as she explores through her own recollections how memory works. With the help of family, friends and experts, Maureen traces the development of memory, from cradle to grave.
Documentary based on Charles Moore's official biography looking at Britain's first female Prime Minister, looking at the childhood influences that shaped her and drove her to the unique place she holds in this country and in the history books. Including unprecedented and exclusive access to unseen correspondence and intimate interviews with close family members, including former admirers and a highly personal interview with her son Mark. Overall they give a unique insight into her childhood, loves and early political life.
After her own accident left her unable to walk, Sophie Morgan wants to know why traffic collisions are the single biggest killer of young people - and how that can be stopped. With exclusive access and insight into a number of high profile cases from the moment of the crash through to resolution in the courts, she meets people who, like her, have seen their lives changed forever in a single instant - whether they were injured or they were driving the car. As she follows the progress of families like the Singhs, devastated by an accident caused by a footballer from one of the country's biggest clubs, she hears emotional stories of regret and recovery, finds out what it means to be responsible for a death on the roads and discovers one way that the rate of accidents involving young drivers could be brought down. Sophie also encounters drivers who race illegally on public roads with no thought for anyone's safety and, after a reunion with the passengers she could have killed, is forced to think again about her actions - and her driving - back on the night that she crashed.
Rick Edwards presents a live controversial experiment which is set to challenge peoples prejudices as a chef cooks a banquet made with the core ingredient of horse-meat.
Told by family and friends, with rare unseen archive, this documentary reflects on the career of Dave Allen, relative of poet Katharine Tynan, and a natural performer who cut his teeth at Butlins. He became a TV star in Australia in his twenties, before returning home to dominate the schedules here in Britain with his unique blend of sketches and stories in a career that took in films, plays, documentaries and chat shows, alongside award winning comedy series. Respected, admired and with unshakeable integrity, Dave Allen fought for what he wanted to say and how he wanted to say it. He was driven by simple honesty. It was this solitary and determined path that made his talents special and unusual and inspired a generation of comics that were to follow. For the first time ever this rich and compelling career is celebrated on screen, giving a chance to reflect on his many achievements and on the private life that went alongside it. With contributions from Stephen Berkoff, Stephen Frears, and Dame Maggie Smith, among others.
In the wake of the phone-hacking scandal, Rupert Murdoch has been accused of corrupting British media and contaminating politics. Yet the caricature image of him as the 'Dirty Digger', the sinister head of a global media empire, in fact obscures deeper, more significant truths - not least about Britain itself. Rupert Murdoch can be seen as an agent of change, a revolutionary almost, who has been a vital part of the transformation of Britain over the last 45 years. He rode the wave of social change that swept a gloomy postwar country into the modern world and his ability to understand what people wanted and give it to them made him rich and powerful. Yet his part in this cultural, political and industrial revolution also brought Rupert Murdoch into conflict with the establishment and vested interests in all their guises. It may even have ultimately cost him his life's ambition - to see the business he has built carried on inside the family by one of his children. Steve Hewlett tells the story of Rupert Murdoch's 40-year battle with Britain.
Human bones found on an idyllic beach in Antigua trigger an investigation by naval historian Sam Willis into one of the darkest chapters of Britain's imperial past. As archaeologists excavate a mass grave of British sailors, Willis explores Antigua's ruins and discovers how the sugar islands of the Caribbean were a kind of hell in the age of Nelson. Sun, sea, war, tropical diseases and poisoned rum.
Author and mafia historian John Dickie uncovers the truth about Italy's most powerful mafia, the 'Ndrangheta', believed to be Europe's biggest cocaine traffickers.
Polish physicist and chemist Marie Curie became a celebrity during her lifetime, attracting media attention for being the first woman to win a Nobel Prize. This docu-drama looks at the woman behind the science, revealing a tenacious mother who had to survive the pain of the loss of husband and collaborator Pierre and the public humiliation of a doomed love affair, but who also discovered two elements and coined the term radioactivity.
Superstar opera tenor Rolando Villazón reveals an insider's view on performing music by one of the greatest opera composers, Giuseppe Verdi, who celebrates his bicentenary in 2013. By looking at some of Verdi's most well-known works including the operas Macbeth, Rigoletto, La Traviata, as well as his Requiem, Villazón shares his unique and passionate insight on Verdi's consummate skill - how he constructed dramatic episodes of searing reality, as well as the historical context in which the operas are set. Along with interviews with some of the world's leading Verdi singers, conductors and theatre directors, Villazón tells us why he thinks Verdi is a genius.
The epic, feel-good story of a modern rebellion. The campaign against the tolls on the Skye bridge pitted plucky Scottish islanders against the might of the government and the Bank of America, over the building of a privately funded toll bridge which became the only way on or off the island. This film tells an untold, bittersweet story of passion, legal challenge and financial wrangling through the testimony of some of those who took part.
Amanda Vickery and Alastair Sooke oversee proceedings as a group of experts stage a Regency ball at Chawton House, Hampshire, to mark the 200th anniversary of the first publication of Jane Austen's classic novel. The team uses music from the Austen family archives and dances and dishes mentioned in the author's novels and letters to recreate the experience, and Amanda is joined by literary historian John Mullan to reflect on the importance of the ball and its role in 19th-century society.
Queens of Jazz is a celebration of some of the greatest female jazz singers of the 20th century. It takes an unflinching and revealing look at what it actually took to be a jazz diva during a turbulent time in America's social history - a time when battle lines were being constantly drawn around issues of race, gender and popular culture. This is a documentary about how these women triumphed - always at some personal cost - to become some of the greatest artists of the 20th century; women who chose singing above life itself because singing was their life.
A profile of American physicist Richard Feynman, featuring interviews with the man himself as well as his friends, colleagues and family. Feynman was part of the team that designed the atomic bomb, helped to solve the mystery of the Challenger space shuttle catastrophe and won a Nobel Prize for his work in quantum electrodynamics, and is seen as one of the most influential and inspiring scientists of the 20th century.
Nile Rodgers has sold over 100 million records. As the co-founder, songwriter, producer and guitarist of Chic he helped define the sound of the '70s, as disco took the world by storm. Nile and musical partner Bernard Edwards captured the essence of New York's iconic Studio 54 creating hits like Dance Dance Dance, Le Freak and Good Times for Chic and We Are Family and Lost In Music for struggling vocal group Sister Sledge. But the music that had made Chic would also break them, thanks to the 'Disco Sucks' backlash. What could have been the end for Nile Rodgers would actually be a new beginning as a producer, helping create some of the biggest hits of the 80s for the likes of Diana Ross, David Bowie, Madonna and Duran Duran. The ever-charismatic Rodgers contributes an engaging and often frank interview to tell the tale of how, born to Beatnik, heroin-addict parents in New York, he picked up a guitar as a teenager and embarked on a journey to learn his craft as a musician, before becoming one of disco's most successful artists
Many of Britain's biggest comedy stars cut their teeth on sketch shows and many of our most loved comedy series began as sketches. Sir David Frost traces the development of the sketch show over the last fifty years - from the variety theatre to peak-time television, from Arthur Haynes to Morecambe and Wise and The Two Ronnies, from Monty Python to Not the Nine o'Clock News and Catherine Tate. He is joined by TV comedy greats including Ronnie Corbett, Stephen Fry and Michael Palin as they look back on the highs and lows of their own sketch show experiences. And together with comedy veterans Michael Grade and Richard Curtis they ask if, in an age dominated by stand-up and sitcoms, the sketch show can continue to flourish and survive.
Minna Kane and her team of young hackers explore the world of computer programming. They meet the visual effects artists who work on Doctor Who, test out Formula One racing simulators, play football with robots, and meet a man who has sent his miniature computer into space. Back in the classroom, Minna tries out a range of exciting programming activities linked to these real world coding adventures.
To celebrate the bicentenary of Wagner's birth, Sir Antonio Pappano, the charismatic music director of the Royal Opera House, guides us through the epic composition which changed opera and the theatre for ever - the Ring of the Nibelungen. Pappano shares his insights into Wagner's music and the mythical world the composer created, visiting the extraordinary theatre at Bayreuth which was created for its performance. He also explores the life of Richard Wagner the man - the political, cultural and social forces that influenced him - and shows how the composer's personal convictions and experiences can be seen within the Ring Cycle. Filmed in Germany and London, it features expert comment from artists who took part in the recent production of the Ring at the Royal Opera House directed by Keith Warner, including Bryn Terfel, Sir John Tomlinson, Susan Bullock and Sarah Connolly.
Over fourteen days in March 1988, a sequence of traumatic events shook Northern Ireland to its core and shocked the world. But it was also 14 days that compelled one man, Redemptorist priest Fr Alec Reid, to find a way out of the deadly cycle of violence.
A documentary exploring the cultural impact of Star Trek and chronicling the history of one of the world's most successful television series. There have been four incarnations of the TV series, and seven films; the merchandise franchise is worth an estimated four billion dollars. Leonard Nimoy, Patrick Stewart, Nichelle Nichols and other stars reflect on the programme's significance and contemplate its future on
Children accused of witchcraft. This is not just medieval history, it's happening now... and here in Britain. Kevani Kanda explores the dark and secretive world of faith-based child abuse which, in the last few years, has seen an upsurge in children being abused and even murdered by relatives - all in the name of witchcraft. Journeying from her home in London to her birthplace in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kevani tries to discover how ancient traditions have been hijacked in the name of Jesus, why families are singling out vulnerable children and hurting them and why toddlers are having to endure excruciating rituals in order to 'rid them of demons'. While in Africa she uncovers the shocking truth that even her own cousin has been accused of witchcraft - setting Kevani on a path to find her and confront her accusers.
Beneath the Somme battlefield lies one of the great secrets of the First World War, a recently-discovered network of deep tunnels thought to extend over several kilometres. This lost underground battlefield, centred on the small French village of La Boisselle in Picardy, was constructed largely by British troops between 1914 and 1916. Over 120 men died here in ongoing attempts to undermine the nearby German lines and these galleries still serve as a tomb for many of those men. This documentary follows historian Peter Barton and a team of archaeologists as they become the first people in nearly a hundred years to enter this hidden, and still dangerous, labyrinth. Military mines were the original weapons of shock and awe - with nowhere to hide from a mine explosion, these huge explosive charges could destroy a heavily-fortified trench in an instant. In order to get under the German lines to plant their mines, British tunnellers had to play a terrifying game of subterranean cat and mouse - constantly listening out for enemy digging and trying to intercept the German tunnels without being detected. To lose this game probably meant death. As well uncovering the grim reality of this strange underground war, Peter discovers the story of the men who served here, including the tunnelling companies' special military units made up of ordinary civillian sewer workers and miners. He reveals their top secret mission that launched the Battle of the Somme's first day and discovers why British high command failed to capitalise on a crucial tactical advantage they had been given by the tunnellers.
On Friday 19 May, 1536, one of the most infamous periods in Tudor history came to a gruesome conclusion: Anne Boleyn, second wife of Henry VIII, became the first British queen to be executed. Anne is one of the most controversial figures in the history of the British court, but the circumstances of her death remain shrouded in mystery and contradiction. Who was the real Anne Boleyn, and why did Henry have her killed? The Last Days Of Anne Boleyn brings together leading authors and historians (including Hilary Mantel, Philippa Gregory and David Starkey) to unpick the extraordinary evidence surrounding Anne Boleyn’s journey to the executioner.
Thomas Cromwell has gone down in history as one of the most corrupt and manipulative ruffians ever to hold power in England. A chief minister who used his position to smash the Roman Catholic church in England and loot the monasteries for his own gain. A man who used torture to bring about the execution of the woman who had once been his friend and supporter - Anne Boleyn. Diarmaid MacCulloch, professor of the history of the church at Oxford University, reveals a very different image of Cromwell. The award-winning novels of Hilary Mantel began the revival of Cromwell's reputation, and now Professor MacCulloch presents Henry VIII's chief minister as a principled and pioneering statesman who was driven by radical evangelism.
Dan Snow presents from RAF Scampton, a tribute to the daring Dambusters raid. On the night of 16th May 1943, nineteen Lancaster Bombers took off on a mission of courage and ingenuity, their plan was to drop the newly invented bouncing bombs on to German dams in order to flood the industrial heart of the Nazi war machine. Seventy years on, veterans and their families gather to remember the raid and the bravery of the 133 men who undertook it. Tributes include Tornado jets from the current 617 Squadron, Spitfires and a Lancaster Bomber from the Battle of Britain flying in to RAF Scampton, the home of the Dambusters, plus the Queen's Colour Squadron and the College Band of the RAF end the commemoration with a Sunset Ceremony
An intimate portrait of five key years in David Bowie's career. Featuring a wealth of previously unseen archive this film looks at how Bowie continually evolved, from Ziggy Stardust, to the Soul Star of Young Americans, to the 'Thin White Duke'. It explores his regeneration in Berlin with the critically acclaimed album Heroes, his triumph with Scary Monsters and his global success with Let's Dance. With interviews with all his closest collaborators, this film investigates how Bowie has become an 'icon of our times'.
A heartwarming and heartbreaking tale about how Belfast people experience the biggest things in life - birth, marriage and death. Located largely within the majestic surrounds of the register office of Belfast City Hall.
Documentary telling the gripping and shocking story of photographer Erwin Blumenfeld, who survived two world wars to become one of the world's most highly-paid fashion photographers and a key influence on the development of photography as an art form. Yet after a mysterious death in Rome in 1969 his name is little-known today, the reasons for which lie in his unconventional lifestyle. The first ever film about his life and work uses exclusive access to Blumenfeld's extensive archive of stunning photographs, fashion films, home-movies and self-portraits to tell of a man obsessed by the pursuit of beautiful women, but also by the endless possibilities of photography itself. With contributions from leading photographers Rankin, Nick Knight and Solve Sundsbo and 82-year-old supermodel Carmen Dell'Orefice, it uncovers the richly complex story of one of the 20th century's most original photographic artists.
Author Thomas Penn takes an extraordinary journey into the dark and chilling world of the first Tudor, Henry VII. His investigations reveal the ruthless tactics this monarch used.
Documentary looking at the life cycle of the crimson-winged flamingoes that arrive in great numbers on Lake Natron in Tanzania every year. They come to seek the unique sulphurous algae which turn their feathers pink and aid them in finding a mate for breeding. In these seemingly idyllic surroundings, the beautiful birds are threatened by predators from the moment they hatch.
Rick Edwards investigates how three girls could disappear from the same area and be held prisoners in the basement of a house with no-one knowing anything about it for a decade.
Documentary presented by Professor Simon Schaffer which charts the amazing and untold story of automata - extraordinary clockwork machines designed hundreds of years ago to mimic and recreate life.
To mark the sixtieth anniversary of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, David Dimbleby tells the story of a ceremony which for centuries had been the preserve of the privileged. But in 1953, after initial resistance, the coronation would, for the first time, be televised and witnessed by millions. Dimbleby, then a teenager, was at the heart of the London festivities; he recalls how a Britain still in the grip of post-war rationing celebrated that momentous day.
First-ever TV documentary about the legendary soul singer Otis Redding, following him from childhood and marriage to the Memphis studios and segregated Southern clubs where he honed his unique stage act and voice. Through unseen home movies, the film reveals how Otis's 1967 tour of Britain dramatically changed his life and music. After bringing soul to Europe he returned to conquer America, first with the 'love-crowd' at the Monterey Festival and then with Dock of the Bay, which topped the charts only after his death at just 26. Includes rare and unseen performances, intimate interviews with Otis's wife and daughter, and with original band members Steve Cropper and Booker T Jones. Also featured are British fans whose lives were changed by seeing him, among them Rod Stewart, Tom Jones and Bryan Ferry.
Melvyn Bragg explores the dramatic story of William Tyndale and his mission to translate the Bible into English. Melvyn reveals the story of a man whose life and legacy have been hidden from history but whose impact on Christianity in Britain and on the English language endures today. His radical translation of the Bible into English made him a profound threat to the authority of the church and state, and set him on a fateful collision course with Henry VIII's heretic hunters and those of the pope.
This film explores rape in a way that has never been seen on British television before: from forensic medical to police investigation, court and beyond. Juliet was attacked by a stranger on New Year's Eve, while Kellie had known and trusted her attacker for over a decade. In 2012 St Mary's, the UK's leading sexual assault referral centre, allowed exclusive access, opening its doors to cameras as they supported Juliet and Kellie as well as over 1,000 other victims of rape seeking justice or attempting to move forward with their lives. Through the experiences of the victims, the specialists at St Mary's, Greater Manchester Police's Serious Sexual Offences Unit and the Crown Prosecution Service, this film offers a unique and revealing perspective on rape in Britain today.
Broadcaster Peter Sissons reveals how a secret command bunker in the heart of Liverpool played a key role in winning The Battle of the Atlantic. He also hears untold stories of heroism and tragedy from veterans of the Battle, as Liverpool commemorates the 70th anniversary.
Her Majesty was given a pony for her fourth birthday and today, aged 87, still rides; and she’s also one of the country’s leading breeders. With her team, who speak here about their work, she’s bred the winners of more than 1,600 races. This film follows a spring season, from the birth of foals (which she names herself) at Sandringham to race day at Newbury.
The inside story of the plan to salvage a rare survival of World War Two from the bottom of the English Channel.
Historian Jerry Brotton explores Northern Ireland's vivid origins, tracing the arrival and impact of Scots and English migrants in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, through a unique collection of extraordinary maps. Before this moment, the land was wild and sparsely populated. Afterwards, the land, her peoples, politics and faiths, were completely transformed. Jerry reveals the role of maps and economics at the heart of the plantation of Ulster with help from experts and animation bringing rarely-seen primary sources to life.
Bobby Womack's musical career has been an almost unprecedented rollercoaster ride. Starting off on the streets of segregated America, Womack launched himself into what became an epic adventure. In the 1950s as a youngster he was travelling the gospel highway with the Womack Brothers. By the 1960s, he was being mentored by Sam Cooke who schooled him in the ways of R&B, while James Brown also drilled him into shape. Soon, the Rolling Stones and Wilson Pickett were queuing up to record his songs. In the early 1970s, not long after Janis Joplin covered one of his compositions, Bobby was with her just hours before she died. He played rhythm guitar on Sly & the Family Stone's Family Affair before becoming a major soul star in his own right with hits like Across 110th Street, Woman's Gotta Have It and Harry Hippie. In the second half of the 1970s, his disastrous country and western album, as well as disco mania, savaged his career. But Bobby rose again in the 1980s with his famed 'Poet' trilogy of albums. Then, after semi-retirement and a stint with the Gorillaz, he recorded 2012's The Bravest Man in the Universe album with Damon Albarn. It was the start of a magnificent Indian summer for one of soul music's greatest artists. With incredible access to Bobby Womack himself, plus contributions from Ronnie Wood, Damon Albarn, Bill Withers, Chuck D, Antonio Fargas, as well as close family and friends, this film brings one of the most diverse and fascinating post-war musical careers vividly to life.
Iain Banks, one of Scotland's most popular and critically acclaimed authors, died in June 2013. He had revealed in April that he had terminal cancer and subsequently gave a television interview in which he talked in depth to Kirsty Wark about his career, life and facing up to death.
In this documentary the BBC have exclusive access to Agnetha Fältskog, 'The Girl with the Golden Hair' as the song goes, celebrating her extraordinary singing career which began in the mid-60s when she was just 15. Within just two years, she was a singing sensation at the top of the charts in Sweden. Along came husband Björn Ulvaeus and the phenomenal band Abba that engulfed the world in the 70s, featuring Agnetha's touching voice and striking looks. Agnetha lacked confidence on stage as the global demand for the group grew and grew, while being away from her young children caused her great turmoil. With special behind-the-scenes access to the making of her comeback album, the film follows this reluctant star - the subject of much tabloid speculation since she retreated from the stage post-Abba - as she returns to recording aged 63. Included in the film is her first meeting with Gary Barlow, who contributes a duet to the new album. The programme features interviews with Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, Gary Barlow, Tony Blackburn, Sir Tim Rice and record producers, Peter Nordahl and Jörgen Elofsson.
Documentary in which Ros Savill, former director and curator at the Wallace Collection, tells the story of some incredible and misunderstood objects - the opulent, intricate, gold-crested and often much-maligned Sevres porcelain of the 18th century. Ros brings us up close to a personal choice of Sevres masterpieces in the Wallace Collection, viewing them in intricate and intimate detail. She engages us with the beauty and brilliance in the designs, revelling in what is now often viewed as unfashionably pretty or ostentatious. These objects represent the unbelievable skills of 18th-century France, as well as the desires and demands of an autocratic regime that was heading for revolution. As valuable now as they were when first produced, Sevres' intricacies and opulence speak of wealth, sophistication and prestige and have always been sought after by collectors eager to associate themselves with Sevres' power. Often the whims and capricious demands of monumentally rich patrons were the catalysts for these beautiful and incredible artistic innovations. The film explores the stories of some of history's most outrageous patrons - Madame de Pompadour, Louis XV, Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI, as well as their foreign counterparts like Catherine the Great, who willingly copied the French court's capricious ways. Ros tells how the French Revolutionaries actually preserved and adapted the Sevres tradition to their new order, and how the English aristocracy collected these huge dinner services out of nostalgia for the ancient regime. In fact, they are still used by the British Royal Family today. Like the iPads of their day, these objects, ostentatious to modernist eyes, were the product of art and science coming together and creating something beautiful yet functional. Ros re-connects us with the fascinating lives and stories of the artists, artisans, painters and sculptors whose ingenuity, innovation and creativity went into making some of the most incredible an
Documentary telling the inside story of low-cost airlines - a tale of big characters and big money. Ryanair's Michael O'Leary and EasyJet's Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou opened up new frontiers in the aviation industry as their airlines offered cheap flights to a vast range of popular and alternative destinations. The programme follows O'Leary as he flies to Poland, takes an EasyJet flight to Moscow and a joins a group of lads travelling to Riga to sample the low-cost airline experience. As the cost of flying keeps increasing, how much further can these companies grow? Stelios, EasyJet's biggest shareholder, is trying to halt its expansion, while O'Leary has just placed a massive order for new planes.
Using the latest satellite images, and the expertise of Britain's leading solar scientists, Kate Humble and Helen Czerski reveal the inner workings of our very own star, and the influence its mysterious cycles of activity have on our planet. They discover why the light reaching us from the Sun can be up to a million years old: they meet the teams who protect us by keeping a round-the-clock vigil on the Sun; and investigate why some scientists think longer term changes in the Sun's behaviour may have powerful effects on our climate.
Stephen Smith explores the extraordinary life and work of the virtuoso jeweller Carl Faberge. He talks to HRH Prince Michael of Kent about Faberge items in the Royal Collection and to Russian billionaire Viktor Vekselberg, who spent a hundred million dollars acquiring nine exquisite Faberge eggs. The bejewelled trinkets Faberge made for the last tsars of Russia in the twilight of their rule have become some of the most sought-after treasures in the world, sometimes worth millions. Smith follows in Faberge's footsteps, from the legendary Green Vaults in Dresden to the palaces of the tsars and the corridors of the Kremlin museum, as he discovers how this fin de siècle genius transformed his father's modest business into the world's most famous supplier of luxury items.
Comedian Rich Hall goes to the Lone Star state in search of the real Texas and asks what it means to be a Texan. From the Alamo to the oil industry and everything in between, Rich explores the landscape, the people and the true heart of this historic state.
Ludwig II of Bavaria, more commonly known by his nicknames the Swan King or the Dream King, is a legendary figure - the handsome boy-king, loved by his people, betrayed by his cabinet and found dead in tragic and mysterious circumstances. He spent his life in pursuit of the ideal of beauty, an ideal that found expression in three of the most extraordinary, ornate architectural schemes imaginable - the castle of Neuschwanstein and the palaces of Linderhof and Herrenchiemsee. Today, these three buildings are among Germany's biggest tourist attractions. In this documentary Dan Cruickshank explores the rich aesthetic of Ludwig II - from the mock-medievalism of Neuschwanstein the iconic fairytale castle, which became the inspiration for Walt Disney's Sleeping Beauty castle, to the rich Baroque splendour of Herrenchiemsee, Ludwig's answer to Versailles. Dan argues that Ludwig's castles are more than flamboyant kitsch and are, in fact, the key to unravelling the eternal enigma of Ludwig II.
Schoolgirl Malala Yousafi was just 14 when she was shot for campaigning for girls' education in Pakistan. Nel Hedayat travels to the areas where the Taliban are targeting schools to report Malala's story and meet other schoolgirls who have been attacked for wanting an education.
For thousands of years Syria has been one of the most strategically important regions on Earth. Dan Snow visits Roman temples, the centre of the world’s greatest Islamic empire, crusader castles and today’s battlegrounds to piece together the complex history of a country at the heart of the Middle East. To understand what's happening in Syria and this region at the moment, there's only one place to start, and that's in the past. In an hour-long documentary for BBC Two’s This World, Dan finds that the influence of history has been complicating Syria’s civil war. What started as peaceful protests against President Bashar al-Assad’s totalitarian regime have turned increasingly into a struggle along sectarian lines fuelled by historic tensions, involving global and regional powers. From the historic split between Sunni and Shia Islam, the divide-and-rule tactics of the French colonial rulers, and the struggle between secular and religious political parties, Syria’s history is a living and crucial element of the war. Dan meets those fighting on both sides of the conflict and hears grievances stretching back centuries. He also spends time with ordinary Syrians who are bearing the brunt of the casualties. They’re asking what the future for them and their country, which has often borne the brunt of history, now holds.
We buy a staggering 90% of our food from supermarkets, and they have a huge influence over our lives. Gregg Wallace goes behind the scenes with Britain's biggest food retailers over the course of a year to discover how they source, make and move the food we find on the supermarket shelves. He has exclusive access to the buyers, product developers, food technologists and backroom teams, and gets the insider's guide to how much they know about us and our tastes.
Twenty years ago there were no Muslims in the Premier League. Now there are nearly forty - enough for three football teams. To mark the start of Ramadan this programme, narrated by Colin Murray, speaks to star players and top managers to find out what impact Muslims are having on the English game.
Alice Walker made history as the first black woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for fiction for her groundbreaking novel The Color Purple, in 1983. It was transformed into a Hollywood movie nominated for 11 Oscars and more recently to a successful Broadway musical. This film follows this extraordinary woman's journey from her birth in a shack in the cotton fields of Georgia to her recognition as a key writer of the 20th century. The Color Purple's theme of triumph against the odds is not that different from Alice's own experience. Her early life unfolded in the midst of violent racism and poverty during some of the most turbulent years of profound social and political upheaval in North American history. Her writing was a vital voice at a time when the personal became the political. Featuring interviews with Steven Spielberg and Quincy Jones, this is a penetrating insight into the life and work of an artist, a self-confessed renegade and passionate human rights activist.
Documentary following tennis star Andy Murray, a US Open, Olympic and now Wimbledon champion, revealing just what it takes to be a global sports icon. The programme looks at Murray's life off the court, filled with a comprehensive list of commitments and responsibilities, including fashion shoots and charity and media work. Cameras follow the Scot as he takes an open-top bus ride in his home town of Dunblane, does Pilates in Miami, takes ice baths in Monte Carlo and undergoes rehabilitation for an injury in Surrey. A private and shy man, Murray won the hearts of many with his raw emotion on the court, but in 2012 he earned a place in history by winning the US Open, becoming Britain's first male Grand Slam champion in 76 years, and followed that up with a monumental victory at Wimbledon. There are contributions from Murray's girlfriend Kim Sears, mother Judy, brother Jamie and coach Ivan Lendl as well as his rivals Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer and tennis greats Andre Agassi and John McEnroe.
Documentary chronicling the tragic events that occurred in the North Sea on board the Piper Alpha rig in July 1988, in what was the world's deadliest offshore oil disaster. It was a cataclysm that killed 167 men and left only 61 survivors. Emotional testimonies, archive footage and dramatic reconstructions show how survivors, against all odds, escaped the inferno - including those who were forced to jump from the 175ft high Helideck into the sea below.
For centuries the West has been enthralled by flamboyant blue and white ceramics from China, but were unaware that all the time the Chinese were making porcelains for themselves that were completely different - subtle monochromes for the Imperial court, beautiful objects for the scholar's table and delicate domestic wares. Ceramics expert Lars Tharp, Antiques Roadshow resident and presenter of Treasures of Chinese Porcelain, has picked his six favourite pieces representing Chinese taste. He's goes on a journey through a thousand years of Chinese history, travelling from the ancient capital of Huangzhou in the south to Beijing's Forbidden City in the north, to uncover what these six pieces tell us about Chinese emperors, scholars, workers, merchants and artists. To him, they are China in ceramic form. But can they help us to understand China today?
Apart from a few fragmentary stories, Griff Rhys Jones' father never talked about his war. Yet as a medical officer to a West African division he travelled 15000 miles from Wales, to Ghana and the jungles of Burma. He and his men were part of an army of a million raised in Africa and Asia to fight the Japanese. To understand their story Griff travels first to Ghana and then accompanied by 90-year-old veteran Joshua he goes to jungles of Burma. It is known as the forgotten war but Griff discovers how it transformed these West Africans from children of the empire into masters of their own destiny.
Documentary which journeys into the life and work of an artist widely recognised as one of the pioneers of modernism in Britain. In a life that has spanned horse-drawn transport to the internet, the film chronicles William Turnbull's intimate involvement in the critical developments of modern art. Exploring his experiences in Paris, London and New York where he befriended and worked alongside artists like Alberto Giacometti, Richard Hamilton, Mark Rothko and Barnett Newman, the film gives an insightful account into the life of one of the great masters of 20th-century art.
Sir David Attenborough recalls key moments from his early broadcasting career and shares the stories behind them. Among the highlights featured are Sir David's first encounter with Elsa the lioness immortalised by the Born Free book, and the logistics behind being the first to film indri lemurs, using a recording of their loud, distinctive calls to entice the animals out of hiding. Having recently completed the landmark natural history series Africa (2012), Sir David also reflects on his first trip to the continent while filming Zoo Quest to West Africa in 1955.
In the first of a two-part series, historian Dan Snow examines how two years of meticulous planning, espionage and the analysis of millions of three-dimensional aerial photographs helped the Allied forces gain a foothold in northern France.
The concluding part of historian Dan Snow's documentary series tells the powerful and heroic stories of those who risked their lives on the beaches of Normandy to save the world from Nazi Germany.
Before stepping on stage for his first ever live comedy show about Scottish politics, satirist and impressionist Rory Bremner explores the debate surrounding the approaching vote on Scottish Independence. Rory journeys around Scotland to interview journalists, politicians, commentators and comedians, using their insight to create comedy material to perform to an eager audience at The Assembly Hall, Edinburgh.
James Hunt has never been equalled. Could swashbuckling Hunt catch the scientific Lauda? Could Niki overcome an appalling crash to come back from the dead and fight James all the way to the last race of the season? This powerful story captures the heart of the 1970s - told through unseen footage and exclusive interviews with the people who were really there - the team managers, families, journalists and friends who were in the front row of the season that changed Formula 1 forever.
Sophie Raworth and Gareth Malone host highlights of a gala event staged in the gardens of Buckingham Palace to mark the 60th anniversary of Her Majesty the Queen's coronation.
Keyboard wizard Rick Wakeman pays tribute to his friend, Deep Purple's Jon Lord, the man who put the rock into the Hammond organ. Lord, who died last year, was always proud of his Leicester roots and went on to become not just a rock star but also a classical composer in his own right.
Stacey Dooley investigates what is going on in her hometown of Luton and finds out why it is known as the extremist capital of Britain. Stacey has spent her whole life in Luton. Media commentators all have their theories about what is happening there, but Stacey is uniquely placed to tell the story through the generation she grew up with - the people who are now shaping one of the most controversial towns in Britain. Stacey meets friends - some wearing veils and others who are fully fledged EDL supporters. She goes to the heart of the Muslim community, dominated by one of the country's most extreme Muslim groups, meeting both self-proclaimed radicals and those trying to counter them. Is it all hype? Or is 'L-town' such a pick-and-mix of culture that extremists are attracted here like no other town in Britain?
In 2013 London Underground is 150 years old. The world's first underground railway is spending its anniversary year celebrating its own history. They're sending a steam train back underground, and there's a Royal visit to prepare for. On the tube, history is everywhere - it's down every tunnel, in every tunnel, in every sign and design, and in the lives of the unsung people who built it and run it today. Following on from BBC2's The Tube series, this programme tells the story of the underground through the eyes of the people who work for it. Farringdon station supervisor Iain MacPherson reveals why his station - the original terminus - was constructed in the 1860s, and recalls the dark days of Kings Cross in the 1980s. Piccadilly line driver Dylan Glenister explains why every Edwardian station on his line has its own unique tiling pattern and how, in the 1930s, the construction of new stations expanded the borders of London. And there's Head of Design and Heritage, Mike Ashworth, whose predecessor pioneered the art of branding in the 1920s and Customer Service Assistant Steve Parkinson, who was part of a wave of new recruits from the Caribbean from the 50s. With privileged access to disused stations and rare archive footage, this is the tube's hidden history, revealing why it was first built and how it has shaped London ever since.
Uri Geller, the controversial mentalist, paranormal expert and spoon bender, has had a life in front of the cameras, a life surrounded by controversy, a life dotted with amazing psychic demonstrations. But most people didn't know that, away from the bent cutlery and broken watches, he had been leading a second, covert, life as a 'psychic spy', working secretly, and without recognition for nearly thirty years. This 'secret life' has included work for the military and intelligence agencies on three continents - indeed, the scientists who first did rigorous research on Geller more than forty years ago (and concluded that he has a phenomenal gift) were funded by the CIA. Now, for the first time, this incredible story is going to be explored in a new television documentary, with unique and compelling interviews from Uri himself as well as those who knew and worked closely with him.
8.5 million of us now rent our homes - as fewer of us can afford to buy. This generation has been called generation rent. In this film we meet the new army of private landlords who are riding this rental boom, who own one in every five properties. Some landlords like Jim Haliburton AKA 'The HMO Daddy' have found there is serious money to be made. His property empire stretches across the West Midlands and he houses around 800 tenants. His property portfolio is worth £26 million. Many tenants rely on housing benefit to pay the rent. But the government is trying to cut the £26 billion housing benefit bill and more and more tenants can't cover the rent. This is what it is really like on the sharp end/frontline of the new property divide when times are tough. We follow the tenants who are getting behind and risk losing their homes and the landlords; amateurs as well as the professional, who are owed £282 million. We see landlords struggle to get rid of non-paying tenants, some like first-time landlord Anna have only one property and the arrears mean they can no longer cover their mortgage. She's selling everything she owns while her tenant refuses to budge. And we follow the story of single mum Nikki, a tenant who's facing eviction and homelessness despite her diagnosis of cancer. Her landlord has worked out that he can make more money from sub-dividing her home into multi-lets and he wants her out.
In the heart of South London, the real life Del Boys are on the make. For these wheelers and dealers, every item, no matter how unlikely, is for sale. When it is time for fresh stock, they head for a very special auction house - Greasby's in Tooting - which holds fortnightly 'Trash or Treasure' auctions. Sifting through lost property, repossessed goods and house clearances, the wheeler dealers dream of discovering the lot that can transform them into millionaires. But will they have that Only Fools and Horses moment? Richie has been playing the game for the last decade, trading in everything but specialising in gold. At a pre-auction viewing day, he spots what he thinks is a priceless Japanese print. Can he win the lot? And what is the artwork actually worth? Toni first started trading in low-value watches two years ago, as she tried to rebuild her life after a devastating illness. Now she dreams of becoming a bona fide dealer of high-end merchandise. Auction addict Sharon has given up a steady job working in a chemist to become a professional trader. Alongside long suffering husband Al, she has now turned their house into a stock room filled with all manner of junk because, in Sharon's words, 'sh*t sells.'.
Bold, intimate and thought-provoking, this documentary explores what life is really like living with a mental health disorder. Using handheld cameras to film themselves over six months, 25 young people take us with them on a journey as they navigate the rocky road of growing up with mental health issues. Told from their own unique perspective, they show us the everyday challenges of relationships, education, work and uncomprehending parents, along with the stigma they face along the way. Highlighting a broad spectrum of mental health disorders - from multiple personalities to agoraphobia, anorexia to bipolar - this is their story in their own words.
Historian Dr Michael Scott and a team of archaeologists unlock the secrets of a mysterious tomb containing over 2,000 bodies unearthed within the catacombs of Rome.
Roman emperor Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus - better known as Caligula - was said to have made his horse a consul, proclaimed himself a living God and indulged in scandalous orgies. In this documentary, classical scholar Mary Beard attempts to peel away some of the myths surrounding him, sifting through surviving evidence to paint a portrait of the real Caligula.
26-year-old Jonny Benjamin, who has schizoaffective disorder - a combination of schizophrenia and depression - investigates why many young people with mental illness are failing to get the right treatment from the NHS. In this investigation, Jonny travels the country meeting other young people with mental health problems who feel equally angry about their NHS treatment. He raises concerns about the quality of mental health care provided by GPs, the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS), eating disorder units and A&E departments. He also joins some of the documentary's contributors, who decide to try a mindfulness course - a non-invasive treatment for depression and anxiety which is available on the NHS, but rarely prescribed.
February 2013, Allahabad, India. Over the next 55 days, nearly a hundred million people will come here, to the Great Kumbh Mela. This incredible and awe-inspiring celebration of the world's oldest religion happens every 12 years at the place where Hindus believe two sacred rivers meet. For many Hindus this is their most important pilgrimage, and it happens at one of the most holy sites in India. Hindus come to cleanse themselves in the sacred waters of the river Ganges, to pray and emerge purified and renewed. This follows British pilgrims as they embark on a once-in-a-lifetime spiritual journey. A journey that will take them into the heart of Hinduism - its philosophy, its beliefs and its traditions. A journey that will culminate in the largest ever gathering of humans in one place.
Drama-documentary about Winston Churchill's extraordinary experiences during the Great War, with intimate letters to his wife Clementine allowing the story to be told largely in his own words. Just 39 and at the peak of his powers running the Royal Navy, Churchill in 1914 dreamt of Napoleonic glory, but suffered a catastrophic fall into disgrace and humiliation over the Dardanelles disaster. The film follows his road to redemption, beginning in the trenches of Flanders in 1916, revealing how he became the 'godfather' of the tank and his forgotten contribution to final victory in 1918 as Minister of Munitions. Dark political intrigue, a passionate love story and remarkable military adventures on land, sea and air combine to show how the Churchill of 1940 was shaped and forged by his experience of the First World War.
Documentary examining Germany's economic power and the automobile industry at the heart of it. Across the world, the badges of Volkswagen, Audi, BMW and Mercedes inspire immediate awe. Even in Britain, where memories of Second World War run deep, we can't resist the appeal of a German car. By contrast, our own industry is a shadow of its former self. Historian Dominic Sandbrook asks what it is we got wrong, and what the Germans got so right.
Lucy Worsley gets into bed with our past monarchs to uncover the Tales from the Royal Bedchamber. She reveals that our obsession with royal bedrooms, births and succession is nothing new. In fact, the rise and fall of their magnificent beds reflects the changing fortunes of the monarchy itself.
Just what makes Germans so successful? They work fewer hours, yet they are more productive and their economy is the most successful in Europe. Even David Cameron says we should strive to be more like them. In a bid to discover their secret, Justin and Bee Rowlatt head to the manufacturing city of Nuremberg with two of their children. Under the tuition of advertising expert PJ, whose company has done detailed research into the typical German, they set out to live, work and socialise the German way. Justin starts work in a pencil factory, Bee learns how the German housewife organises the home and they set about saving a portion of their income. Trying to make themselves German involves hard work, fun and some entertaining surprises
Leading up to the first anniversary since the Hillsborough Independent Review published its findings, this film describes the impact on the survivors and families of Hillsborough of living under the shadow of a lie for a generation.
A team of scientists from Imperial College London takes on the challenge of designing the crafts which would be needed to get a crew to Mars and safely back to Earth.
Back in 1980, a teenage Steve Cram was part of a team of British athletes who defied their government to go behind the iron curtain and compete in the Olympic Games. Steve Cram returns to the Russian capital to relive the story of the most controversial Olympics of modern times. An Olympics boycotted by the United States because of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and blighted by allegations of cheating and state sponsored doping. But these were also the games of Daley Thompson, Duncan Goodhew, Alan Wells and the incredible rivalry between Sebastian Coe and Steve Ovett. It's a fascinating story in which we hear how the games that threatened the very existence of the Olympic movement actually changed it for the better and, decades later, provided an unexpected bonus for the whole of British sport.
Dan Cruickshank tells the story of how the art collection of Britain's first prime minister was sold to Russia in the 1770s and how it is returning to hang in its original home.
Documentary about dieting by critically acclaimed director Vanessa Engle. Filmed over three months, it follows the diverse members of three different slimming clubs as they try to lose weight. Filmed in a Weight Watchers group, a Slimming World group and a Rosemary Conley group, it explores why we have such a complicated relationship with food and why so many of us struggle to stay in control of what we eat. Does dieting help?
William Burrell made a fortune out of shipping and spent it on art. Over his long life, he assembled one of the most remarkable private collections of paintings, sculptures, tapestries, ceramics and stained glass in the world and in 1944 he donated it all - over 9,000 objects - to the city of Glasgow. The Burrell Collection finally opened to the public in 1983 but the building that bears his name contains no tribute to Burrell and he never commissioned a portrait of himself. Kirsty Wark tells the story of the self-effacing collector and tours the highlights of his collection in the company of its curators.
In November last year the American state of Colorado voted to legalise the recreational use of cannabis. It is the most radical experiment in drugs policy for generations and the world will be looking to see what happens, particularly to drug use amongst teenagers. In this hour long documentary for This World, clinical psychologist and addiction expert Professor John Marsden heads to Denver, the state capital, to assess the likely impact of legalisation on a country already suffering an epidemic of teenage marijuana use.
Zoologist and explorer George McGavin goes in search of some of the world's most impressive swarms. By getting right to the heart of these natural spectacles, he finds out why swarms are the ultimate solution to surviving against all odds and discovers how unlocking the secrets to how animals swarm could be crucial to understanding our own increasingly crowded lives.
The story of the how the march for jobs and freedom began, speaking to the people who organized and participated in it. Using rarely seen archive footage the film reveals the background stories surrounding the build up to the march as well as the fierce opposition it faced from the JFK administration, J. Edgar Hoover's FBI and widespread claims that it would incite racial violence, chaos and disturbance. The film follows the unfolding drama as the march reaches its ultimate triumphs, gaining acceptance from the state, successfully raising funds and in the end, organized and executed peacefully - and creating a landmark moment in the struggle for civil rights and racial equality in the United States.
Engineer Jem Stansfield investigates how the crash test dummy has become an icon for safety. For 65 years he has been crashed, smashed and impaled, evolving from a simple military mannequin into a highly sophisticated measuring tool. Jem meets a whole range of dummies from the past, present and future at crash laboratories in Sweden, the UK and US to discover how their evolution has mirrored car safety improvements. An affectionate look at a unique feat of engineering which makes you laugh, gasp and wince all at once.
In 2010, 38-year-old Sarah Colwill's life was changed forever. She was rushed to hospital suffering from what she thought was a severe migraine, but when she woke up her local Plymouth accent had disappeared, leaving her sounding Chinese. She was diagnosed with Foreign Accent Syndrome, a rare condition with no clear cause. For the past three years, Sarah has had to deal with other people's puzzled reactions and the huge impact her new voice has had on her life and her family. Now, Sarah is determined to find out what happened inside her head. Can science give her any answers? And will she ever get back to the person she used to be?
April 4, 1968, and Martin Luther King is gunned down on the balcony of a hotel in Memphis, Tennessee. The catalyst that would lead to his assassination began three months before his death, when the city's sanitation workers went on strike. Realising that this might be a seminal moment in the civil rights movement, scholars at the University of Memphis started to collect every piece of media they could find - television, radio and print. Unbelievably, most of this remarkable footage hasn't been seen since 1968. Now, for the first time, it has been chronologically reassembled, bringing to life as never before the tumultuous events surrounding one of the most shocking assassinations in America.
Gibraltar has been at the centre of a fiercely-contested diplomatic dispute that has stretched over the centuries. In the summer of 2010, director Ana Garcia returned home to Gibraltar to get married. Coming back to this most unique of British territories, she found herself compelled to find out more about the history of her family and her birthplace. As she prepares for her wedding, we are taken on a very personal journey that uncovers the inspiring story of how a small community has fought for its home and identity.
When Captain Fred Roberts discovered a printing press in the ruins of Ypres, Belgium in 1916, he decided to publish a satirical magazine called The Wipers Times - "Wipers" being army slang for Ypres. Full of gallows humour, The Wipers Times was poignant, subversive and very funny. Produced literally under enemy fire and defying both authority and gas attacks, the magazine proved a huge success with the troops on the western front. It was, above all, a tribute to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of overwhelming adversity. In his spare time, Roberts also managed to win the Military Cross for gallantry.
On the eve of the German federal elections, Andrew Marr examines the life and career of German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The broadcaster investigates her childhood and formative years in East Germany to learn what shaped her political vision and style, with Merkel only entering politics in her mid-thirties after the fall of the Berlin Wall. He looks at how her journey has been marked by caution and compromise, but with occasional flashes of ruthlessness and an unyielding commitment to the European Union.
Steve Backshall travels across the world to encounter the most charismatic super giant animals and discovers the remarkable things that their size enables them to do. Highlights include Steve swimming with Nile crocodiles in Botswana, dodging two-tonne elephant seals in California and diving with sperm whales in the Caribbean.
In many of Hollywood's greatest movie musicals the stars did not sing their own songs. This documentary pulls back the curtain to reveal the secret world of the 'ghost singers' who provided the vocals, the screen legends who were dubbed and the classic movies in which the songs were ghosted.
Dr Nayna Patel runs a clinic in rural India that attracts childless couples from all over the world. For a fee, they can pay for local women to act as surrogates, spending their entire pregnancy away from home in dorms with up to 80 other pregnant surrogates living alongside them. There are three babies delivered every month at the clinic, but that's not the end of the story - Westerners can have to stay up to eight weeks in India after the baby is born waiting for the paperwork they need to take their baby home and many of them choose to have their surrogate look after and wet-nurse the baby for them until then. While critics accuse Dr Patel of exploiting the poor, she believes that she is empowering the local women with life-changing amounts of money. An intimate film in an extraordinary setting.
In 1973, an album was released that against all odds and expectations went to the top of the UK charts. The fact the album launched a record label that became one of the most recognisable brand names in the world (Virgin), formed the soundtrack to one of the biggest movies of the decade (The Exorcist), became the biggest selling instrumental album of all time, would eventually go on to sell over 16 million copies and was performed almost single-handedly by a 19-year-old makes the story all the more incredible. That album was Tubular Bells, and the young and painfully shy musician was Mike Oldfield.
Mental illness affects us all and often strikes in the late teens and early 20s. In this one hour we’ll use CGI and personal stories to explain the science behind the most common mental illnesses that affect young people - why they develop, what’s going on inside our bodies and what we can do to treat them.
26-year-old Rachel Bruno lives at home with her brother and sister and works as a waitress in a pizza restaurant. But Rachel is also the daughter of Frank Bruno, ex-heavyweight world boxing champion and much-loved national treasure. Since being sectioned for the first time ten years ago, Frank is now one of Britain's most famous sufferers of bipolar affective disorder - an illness that's more commonly known as manic depression. In this personal, authored documentary Rachel sets out to discover the truth about her dad's illness. Through talking to Frank about his condition and spending time with other sufferers, Rachel explores this potentially devastating illness that affects around 1 in 100 people and discovers whether she herself is at risk of developing it too.
Richard Burton's talent, presence and unforgettable voice made him a superstar of stage and screen. The Welsh actor was equally famous for his hellraising, womanising private life and his two marriages to Elizabeth Taylor. Now private diaries he wrote at the height of his fame have been published in their entirety for the first time and present a unique opportunity to reassess the man behind the myth. Narrated by Mali Harries. Extract readings by Josh Richards.
Since 2002, Ian Tibbetts, a 42-year-old former forklift truck driver from Telford in Shropshire, has been slowly going blind. He has never seen the faces of his twin four-year-old boys. Despite numerous treatments to save his eyesight, nothing has worked - until now. Over several months, this film follows Ian as he undergoes a series of radical operations in a last attempt to restore his sight. The procedure involves inserting a tiny lens in one of the patient's own teeth and then implanting the tooth in his eye. Christopher Liu, at the Sussex Eye Hospital in Brighton, is the only surgeon in Britain who performs this remarkable procedure. The success rate is high, but it is not guaranteed. Will Ian ever see his wife again - and will he finally see his twin sons for the first time in his life?
A one-off documentary following Prince Harry into action during his second tour of Afghanistan. It sees Harry up close as an attack helicopter co-pilot and features revealing interviews. Presented by Richard Bacon.
Love them or hate them, there are 33,000 urban foxes roaming Britain's suburbia. For the residents of the Copse in Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire - as for so many other suburbanites - the urban fox provides evenings of enchantment. A cul-de-sac of neighbours compete to offer the tastiest snacks for their bushy-tailed visitors, with one couple even setting up their own CCTV system to provide happy evenings of Fox TV.
When Tommy Robinson, then leader of the EDL, met Mo Ansar, the Muslim who campaigned to ban the EDL, on BBC One's The Big Questions, it turned out to be the encounter that changed everything. Ansar challenged Robinson's knowledge of Islam and offered to show him how real British Muslims live and what they actually believe in. Following the pair as each shows the other his view of British Islam, the film reveals that Ansar was present at an EDL street protest in May and was also the first Muslim to address the EDL. It shows Robinson as he visits Walsall Mosque and meets with one of Britain's leading Muslim scholars, Shaykh Ibrahim Mogra. The former leader of the EDL also debates the burqa and niqab with Muslim politician Salma Yaqoob, and discusses the Qur'an with noted Islamic commentators including Islamic scholar Dr Usama Hasan and historian Tom Holland. The programme uncovers the full story of how Robinson came to his decision to leave the organisation he founded; the moment he first met Maajid Nawaz from Quilliam; the counter-extremism think tank who helped facilitate his stepping down; and it questions whether this is just a change of tactics or the beginning of a new Tommy Robinson.
The British public school is an institution renowned the world over. In 1979, the BBC made a documentary series about life inside Radley College, one of the UK's most privileged and traditional boys' boarding schools. In 2013, BBC director Hannah Berryman caught up with some of the boys who featured in the series to find out how their lives panned out after they left Radley. As boys, they had left home to board at prep school at around eight years old, then moved on to Radley to acquire what the school head calls 'the right habits for life'. But did their lives turn out to be as successful as their parents had hoped - and what kind of men did they become? The film explores the pain and the pleasure of growing up, as well as the unique advantages and difficulties of a quintessentially English education.
A Russian girl learns to love her adoptive American family with the help of a psychologist whose program draws on 100 years of scientific discoveries into love.
A spectacular concert film from Pink Floyd's A Momentary Lapse of Reason tour. Filmed at New York's Nassau Coliseum in 1989 using 27 cameras, it sees David Gilmour, Rick Wright and Nick Mason on fine form, performing classic after classic including Shine On You Crazy Diamond, Time, Comfortably Numb and Wish You Were Here.
In the week when Hindus celebrate the holy festival of Diwali, this documentary tells the story of one of their faith's most sacred symbols - the swastika. For many, the swastika has become a symbol synonymous with the Nazis and fascism. But this film reveals the fascinating and complex history of an emblem that is, in fact, a religious symbol, with a sacred past. For the almost one billion Hindus around the world, the swastika lies at the heart of religious practices and beliefs, as an emblem of benevolence, luck and good fortune.
Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen returns to a derelict Llanelly House, a UK finalist in the BBC's Restoration series, to follow the twists and turns of a �6 million renovation. Can the project team revive the glory of Wales's finest Georgian townhouse while also creating a profitable high-tech visitor experience fit for the 21st century?
Documentary which explores the controversy around ABA (Applied Behaviour Analysis), an intensive intervention used to treat autism. Parents who want ABA for their children passionately believe that it is the best way to teach a child new skills and to help them function in mainstream society, but critics of ABA argue that it is dehumanising and abusive to try to eliminate autistic behaviour. The film follows three-year-old Jack and four-year-old Jeremiah through their first term at Treetops School in Essex - the only state school in the UK which offers a full ABA programme. Neither boy has any language, Jeremiah finds it hard to engage with the world around him and Jack has severe issues with food. Both their parents have high hopes of the 'tough love' support that Treetops offers, but will struggle with their child's progress. We also meet Gunnar Frederiksen, a passionate and charismatic ABA consultant who works with families all over Europe. His view of autism - that it is a condition that can be cured and that families must work with their child as intensively and as early as possible if they want to take the child 'out of the condition' - is at odds with the way that many view autism today. Gunnar is working with three-year-old Tobias in Norway and has trained the parents so that they can work with him at home as his ABA tutors. He also introduces us to Richard, a 16-year-old from Sweden who was diagnosed with autism at the age of three and whose parents were told that he would be unlikely ever to speak. Today, Richard is 'indistinguishable from his peers' and plays badminton for the Swedish national team. In an emotional scene, Richard and his family look back at video recordings of the early ABA treatment and we are confronted both by the harshness of the method and the result of the intervention. These and other stories are intercut with the views and experiences from those who oppose ABA and who argue that at the heart of ABA is a drive to make child
Poet Simon Armitage dissects what makes a perfect speech by examining famous speeches that provoked radical change, surprised pundits or shocked listeners.
In a once-in-a-lifetime performance, some of the greatest stars ever seen on stage come together to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the National Theatre. The National Theatre first opened its doors in 1963 at the Old Vic, under Laurence Olivier. Now, 800 productions later, a cast of 100 perform live some of the most memorable, ground-breaking, controversial and best-loved scenes from those brilliant plays. From Hamlet to The History Boys, from Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead to Jerry Springer the Opera, from Guys and Dolls to War Horse, this unique event will combine rare glimpses from the archive and live scenes starring many of the most acclaimed actors who have ever performed at the National Theatre. Under the direction of Sir Nicholas Hytner the remarkable cast take us on a thrilling journey through the last five decades in an extraordinary evening of theatre.
1968 was a time of soul searching for the band - with three badly performing singles behind them they needed a big new idea to put them back at the top and crucially to hold them together as a band. Inspired by Indian spiritual master Meher Baba, Pete Townshend created the character of Tommy, the 'deaf, dumb and blind boy'. Broke and fragmenting when they started recording, the album went on to sell over 20 million copies. In this film, the Who speak for the first time about the making of the iconic album and how its success changed their lives. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03f7z78
They are young, all-American girls who enjoy horse riding, karate and Sherlock Holmes. But there's more to Brynne, Tess and Savannah than wholesome pursuits - they're exorcists. The girls believe much of the world's population is possessed by evil spirits which are causing addiction, depression and suffering. In a fight against the devil's army, they have been touring America performing public exorcisms on their believers. Now they are taking the fight to a city they think of as one of the most spiritually corrupt in the world - London. But what will Brits make of these evangelical American exorcists?
Elvis Costello is one of the uncontested geniuses of the rock world. 33 albums and dozens of hit songs have established him as one of the most versatile and intelligent songwriters and performers of his generation. This film provides a definitive account of one of Britain's greatest living songwriters - the first portrait of its kind - directed by Mark Kidel, who was won numerous awards for his music documentaries, including portraits of Rod Stewart, Boy George, Tricky, Alfred Brendel, Ravi Shankar, John Adams and Robert Wyatt. Elvis is a master of melody, but what distinguishes him above all is an almost uncanny way with words, from the playful use of the well-worn cliché to daring poetic associations, whether he is writing about the sorrow of love or the burning fire of desire, the power play of the bedroom or the world of politics. The film tells the story of Elvis Costello - a childhood under the influence of his father RossMcManus, the singer with Joe Loss's popular dance band; a Catholic education which has clearly marked him deeply; his overnight success with the Attractions and subsequent disenchantment with the formatted pressures of the music business; a disillusionment which led him to reinvent himself a number of times; and writing and recording songs in various styles, including country, jazz, soul and classical. The film focuses in particular on his collaborations with Paul McCartney and Allen Toussaint, who both contribute. It also features exclusive access to unreleased demos of songs written by McCartney and Costello. Elvis was interviewed in Liverpool, London and New York, revisiting the places in which he grew up. The main interview, shot over two days at the famed Avatar Studios in NYC, is characterised by unusual intimacy. Elvis talks for the first time at great length about his career, songwriting and music, and often breaks into song with relevant examples from his repertoire.
Authored documentary by Ilan Ziv which sets out to explore the historical and archaeological evidence for the Exile of the Jews after their defeat in Jerusalem at the hands of the Roman Empire, and its relevance to today. Tracing the story of Exile from the contemporary commentator Josephus, to 1960s Israeli archaeologist Yigael Yadin, to the modern city of Rome and finally to the ruins of a Palestinian village, Ziv asks where the roots of this story lie and what evidence there is for it. At the centre of the film is the ancient town of Sepphoris (on whose ruins stood the Palestinian village of Saffuriya until 1948) and the lessons its multi-layered history may have to offer.
Ed Stourton chairs a discussion which examines the historical and archaeological evidence portrayed in the film Searching for Exile: Truth or Myth? A panel debates what this could mean for Judaism and what impact it could have for other religions.
For one night only, Professor Brian Cox takes an audience of celebrity guests, including Charles Dance and Rufus Hound, and members of the public on a journey into the wonderful universe of the Doctor, from the lecture hall of the Royal Institution of Great Britain. Drawing on the latest theories as well as 200 years of scientific discoveries and the genius of Einstein, Brian tries to answer the classic questions raised by the Doctor - can you really travel in time? Does extra-terrestrial life exist in our galaxy? And how do you build something as fantastical as the TARDIS?
You don't sell 128 million albums worldwide without putting in the graft and Status Quo are, quite possibly, the hardest working band in Britain. Alan G Parker's documentary Hello Quo, specially re-edited for the BBC, recounts the band's epic story from the beginning - when south London schoolmates Francis Rossi and Alan Lancaster formed their first band with big ambitions of rock 'n' roll domination, quickly adding drummer John Coghlan and guitarist Rick Parfitt. The film tells the story of Quo's hits from their unusually psychedelic early hit, Pictures of Matchstick Men, followed by a run through their classics Down Down to Whatever You Want. The band laughs off the constant ribbing about only using three chords and the film explores how Quo's heads-down boogie defined UK rock in the early 70s. Fender Stratocaster in hand, Quo have stood their ground and never shifted, but they have managed to adapt to scoring pop hits over five decades. The original members of the 'frantic four' tell their story of a life in rock 'n' roll, alongside interviews from some prominent Quo fans, such as Paul Weller, whose first gig was the Quo at Guildford Civic hall, to Brian May, who waxes lyrically about the opening riff to Pictures of Matchstick Men, even Sir Cliff plays homage to the denim clad rockers.
Documentary exploring the dynamic relationship that developed between British composer Benjamin Britten and the BBC as they worked together to broadcast modern classical music further and wider. Through this collaboration, Britten's music reached television audiences, from elaborately staged studio operas, intimate duets featuring his partner Peter Pears, to the massive Proms performance of his War Requiem. The programme features interviews with Britten's collaborators and singers as well as those working behind the scenes including Michael Crawford, David Attenborough, Humphrey Burton and soprano April Cantelo. James Naughtie narrates.
Documentary about an inseparable mother and daughter otter living on the idyllic west coast of Scotland. With the young cub never more than a few feet from her mum, a very special relationship is intimately observed as the cub grows up, learning how to fish and fend for herself. As the cub faces the dangers of her first Scottish winter, mum has to work hard to make sure that both survive.
With unique access to police archive records Glen Campbell uncovers the real events behind President John F Kennedy's last visit to Britain, to Harold Macmillan in his country home in Sussex, four months before the assassination in Dallas. Containing interviews with former PM Gordon Brown, Macmillan's grandson The Earl of Stockton as well as the US Secret Service man who was also in charge of the President's advance security that fateful day in Dallas on November 22nd 1963.
Documentary exploring the private life and public legacy of John Denver, America's original country boy. With exclusive accounts from those closest to him, the man behind the music is revealed in an intimate profile in his 70th birthday anniversary year.
CS Lewis's biographer AN Wilson goes in search of the man behind Narnia - bestselling children's author and famous Christian writer, but an under-appreciated Oxford academic and an aspiring poet who never achieved the same success in writing verse as he did prose. Although his public life was spent in the all-male world of Oxford colleges, his private life was marked by secrecy and even his best friend JRR Tolkien didn't know of his marriage to an American divorcee late in life. Lewis died on the same day as the assassination of John F Kennedy and few were at his burial; his alcoholic brother was too drunk to tell people the time of the funeral. Fifty years on, his life as a writer is now being remembered alongside other national literary heroes in Westminster Abbey's Poets' Corner. In this personal and insightful film, Wilson paints a psychological portrait of a man who experienced fame in the public arena, but whose personal life was marked by the loss of the three women he most loved
Documentary following the discovery and investigation of a 4,000-year-old body that was found preserved in an Irish peat bog, one of hundreds of bodies found mummified in the boglands of Northern Europe. To scientists and historians, it could offer brand new clues to solve an ancient mystery. Can the bog bodies of Europe offer to explain our ancestors' most macabre tradition - ritual murder, or might these deaths be explained by prehistoric climate change?
A sharp, witty, mind-expanding and exuberant foray into the world of logic with computer scientist Professor Dave Cliff. Following in the footsteps of the award-winning 'The Joy of Stats' and its sequel, 'Tails You Win - The Science of Chance', this film takes viewers on a new rollercoaster ride through philosophy, maths, science and technology- all of which, under the bonnet, run on logic. Wielding the same wit and wisdom, animation and gleeful nerdery as its predecessors, this film journeys from Aristotle to Alice in Wonderland, sci-fi to supercomputers to tell the fascinating story of the quest for certainty and the fundamentals of sound reasoning itself. Dave Cliff, professor of computer science and engineering at Bristol University, is no abstract theoretician. 15 years ago he combined logic and a bit of maths to write one of the first computer programs to outperform humans at trading stocks and shares. Giving away the software for free, he says, was not his most logical move... With the help of 25 seven-year-olds, Professor Cliff creates, for the first time ever, a computer made entirely of children, running on nothing but logic. We also meet the world's brainiest whizz-kids, competing at the International Olympiad of Informatics in Brisbane, Australia. 'The Joy of Logic' also hails logic's all-time heroes: George Boole who moved logic beyond philosophy to mathematics; Bertrand Russell, who took 360+ pages but heroically proved that 1 + 1 = 2; Kurt Godel, who brought logic to its knees by demonstrating that some truths are unprovable; and Alan Turing, who, with what Cliff calls an 'almost exquisite paradox', was inspired by this huge setback to logic to conceive the computer. Ultimately, the film asks, can humans really stay ahead? Could today's generation of logical computing machines be smarter than us? What does that tell us about our own brains, and just how 'logical' we really are...?
With a million people set to use payday loans to pay for Christmas this year, Miquita Oliver goes undercover to find out the truth about Britain's most controversial type of borrowing and meets people whose loans have spiralled out of control, sometimes with devastating results. But for every person she talks to who is desperate for cash to survive, there are others just after money for new clothes and parties. So how much do people really understand about how these loans work, and what they are getting into? Miquita, who has had her own financial troubles, opens up her own payday loans shop rigged with secret cameras and hears startling stories of how these loans both exploit and are exploited by the people rushing to take them out. With the industry under scrutiny like never before, she tests whether lenders have cleaned up their act or whether some are still lending irresponsibly, creating big problems for the very people they are supposed to help.
Canadian James Cullingham's documentary celebrates the iconoclastic American guitarist, composer and provocateur John Fahey, 1939-2001. Fahey is often considered the godfather of 'American primitive guitar', a style forged in the 60s from blues and old-time music that draws on the past without mimicking it. Fahey rediscovered forgotten blues legends like Bukka White and Skip James in the early 60s before setting up his own independent label Takoma to release his own acoustic guitar music. He was a prankster mythologist who wove playful mythic stories around his albums and was dismissive of many folk revivalists. In later life Fahey was prone to depression and alcohol and lived in a motel for some time before enjoying a new lease of life in his last decade exploring 'industrial' music. This cinematic exploration of Fahey's life, times and music features Pete Townshend, Chris Funk of the Decemberists and Joey Burns of Calexico. These stellar musicians, along with Fahey associates and friends such as the famous 'Dr Demento' and radio broadcaster Barry Hansen, explore the legacy of this profoundly influential artist. The film was recorded in the Washington DC area where Fahey was born, along the Mississippi Delta from Memphis to New Orleans, in Los Angeles, Toronto, Austin, New York and in Oregon, where Fahey spent his last two decades.
My £9.50 Holiday explores the growing phenomenon of the newspaper voucher holiday, and the British families from all walks of life who are taking advantage of these low cost breaks. The film joins four families/groups who have paid just £9.50 to holiday at home on Park Resorts caravan sites in Skegness and Great Yarmouth. What will they make of their £9.50 holiday? And, in these cash-strapped times, will they think their bargain break is worth it?
From Life of Brian to Rev, our country holds a strong tradition of Christian based comedy. To mark Holy Week, Ann Widdecombe looks at some of our favourite comedies to see why Christianity is such ripe material for comedy. Comedians and commentators - including Marcus Brigstocke and Monty Python's Terry Jones - join Ann to help shed light on what comedy can reveal about how we view this country's major religion.
Documentary telling the larger-than-life story of Lionel Bart, the composer of Oliver! - one of the greatest musicals of the last fifty years. Drawing on his unseen personal archive and interviews with Barbara Windsor, Roy Hudd, Cameron Mackintosh, Marty Wilde and Ray Davies, it paints a vivid, poignant picture of the rise and fall of one of Britain's favourite songwriters.
Stephen Fry tells the story of the man who became the face of British satire at the age of twenty-three and then went on to confront an American president in the Nixon Interviews. Sir David Frost's remarkable life story is told in special interviews with his three sons and with his friends - Sir Michael Caine, Sir Michael Parkinson, Ronnie Corbett, Michael Palin and Barry Cryer. Plus insights from former prime ministers, Tony Blair and Sir John Major, who remember the man they knew and who they faced in interviews.
How did an obscure Irish melody become one of the greatest songs of all time, recorded by music's biggest names? One hundred years after 'Danny Boy' was first published, the true story of its astonishing past is uncovered, while contributors including Gabriel Byrne, Rosanne Cash, Brian Kennedy and Barry McGuigan explain its enduring appeal and what it has come to symbolise.
Nelson Mandela (1918 - 2013) was a freedom fighter, loved and respected around the world. In his struggle against apartheid, Mandela felt violence was justified. He was considered by the South African government, and many others, to be a terrorist. He was arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment. During his 27 years in jail, world leaders, pop stars and the public called for his freedom and an end to apartheid. Finally in 1990, at the age of 72, he was freed. Forgiving his oppressors, Mandela negotiated with the South African government, and in 1994 the country held its first free election. Twenty-three million people voted and Mandela won by an overwhelming majority, becoming the first black president of a new South Africa. In his retirement he worked ceaselessly to combat poverty, injustice and HIV. David Dimbleby presents a look back at Nelson Mandela's life - including interviews Dimbleby conducted with Mandela in 2003. World leaders and well-known artists commenting on Mandela's life include Bill Clinton, Archbishop Tutu, Bob Geldof, Annie Lennox and Lenny Henry.
Historian Bettany Hughes explores what made Britain so attractive to the ancient Romans that they made it a province of their great empire. Bettany visits the Roman fort at Vindolanda, the sacred baths at Aquae Sulis and the Corinium Museum, to find out what life was like for the Roman soldiers, women and children who lived in Roman Britain. Looking at stunning artefacts, from a ring inscribed with 'mum and dad', to pieces of lead inscribed with sadistic curses and a beautiful piece of painted glass depicting gladiatorial fights, Bettany unravels how people lived at this time. We see archaeologists in action and find out what Romano-British homes of the wealthy would have looked like, and learn how their elaborate under floor heating systems - known as hypocausts - worked, and were also a daily potential hazard. Bettany has a go at writing on a wax tablet, just like the ones children would have practised on in Roman Britain, and nearly gags when she sniffs the fermented fish sauce that the Romans loved so much. We learn about the unusual delicacies the Romans loved to eat such as dormouse sprinkled with honey and poppyseeds, as well as the foods they brought to our country, which we now think of as being so typically British - apples, peas and cabbage. The highlight of the films is undoubtedly the postcards from the past - the Vindolanda letters. Written on slivers of birch or alder wood, these letters to and by the Roman soldiers and their families tell us of birthday celebrations and the need for underpants - the actual words of the people who lived in Britain around 2,000 years ago. This fascinating compilation of films builds a picture of not only what life was like in Roman Britain, but also the lasting legacies of the Roman Empire.
Documentary in which Michel Roux Jr goes back to his own beginnings to explore the art, science and eternal attraction of the perfect sweet delicacy. Part history, part gastronomy but completely seductive, the film looks at our love affair with pastry and patisserie. From childhood favourites to incredible gravitydefying greats like wedding croquembouche, and reconstructed historic pieces-montées, strange ancient recipes and incredible modern creations, Michel bears witness to the creation of sweet perfection. It begins with Michel delving into the sweet world of high fashion, discovering how patissiers are positioning themselves as luxury brands, food fashion houses. He talks to Pierre Hermé, dubbed the 'Dior of Desserts', the man behind this marriage of fashion and patisserie and find out how cakes have become haute couture and what it is about the jewel-like macaroons that Paris creates that has so captivated the world. He visits Hermé's kitchens as well as Philippe Conticini with his 'Pastry Shop of Dreams', where he discovers the precision, personality and brilliance that go into their gourmet triumphs. Michel traces the history of French patisserie from the first great chef Antoine Carême, who created incredible scale models of Parisian landmarks out of marzipan, spun sugar and pastry, to the magic and myth of the croissant, a single breakfast staple whose origins are shrouded in symbolism and still keenly fought over. Michel also explores how the innovative pastry chefs in France have been influential in the UK. William Curley is a master patissier and chocolatier. Just like the pastry chefs or Paris, Curley is a true innovator, pushing the boundaries of flavour and texture in his creations. His Japanese wife and collaborator has influenced many of the flavours in his recipes. Most recently Curley created a collection of cakes inspired by designer dresses. Just like in France, patisserie is being seen in terms of style, fashion an
John Nettles explores the late naturalist Gerald Durrell's legacy through the work of a small group of people trying to save endangered orangutans on two contrasting islands, Jersey and Sumatra.
Gregg reveals how the supermarkets gear up for the biggest challenge of their year - Christmas. He sees what it takes to deliver millions of turkeys, finds out about the battle to make sprouts a crowd pleaser, and discovers how the supermarkets make sure we have got enough of our favourite Christmas tipple.
Teya Sepinuck's pioneering Theatre of Witness puts marginalised people at the core of a performance in which they tell their own, sometimes shocking, stories to the public. The film explores her engagement with a cast of women drawn from politically diverse backgrounds and views. It includes Kathleen whose husband was blown up by the IRA in 1990 and Anne, a former member of the IRA, whose uncle was killed by the Army on Bloody Sunday in 1972. Their process is an adventure in collaboration and creativity that surprises even the performers of this unusual form of theatre.
Art critic Alastair Sooke delves into the murky world of art theft. Despite the high stakes - and often daring - involved, many cases are shrouded in mystery and go unnoticed by the media. Around 47,000 works of art are reported missing each year, yet it is only the heists involving the world's most valuable paintings that hit the headlines. But high-profile or not - once gone, the works are rarely recovered. Alastair meets one of America’s most notorious art thieves, Myles Connor. Connor was one of the FBI’s earliest suspects in the Gardner heist – but he had the perfect alibi: he was in jail in Chicago on the day of the heist. Nevertheless, Connor claims inside knowledge of the heist and Alastair is keen to hear what he has to say.
Ten Oscar nominees, five Oscar winners, one dame, seven knights and two friends will change the way you feel about Shakespeare forever. This documentary follows actors Giles Terera and Dan Poole around the world as they try to conquer their fear of Shakespeare. In a clapped-out car, with spiralling debts and a single-minded determination to meet some of the world's biggest stars, their chaotic journey takes them from Elsinore in Denmark to London's Globe Theatre to Hollywood. Starring Judi Dench, Jude Law, Ewan McGregor, Steven Berkoff, Ian McKellen, Derek Jacobi, Alan Rickman, James Earl Jones, Mark Rylance, Dominic West and Baz Luhrmann, Muse of Fire is a smart, subversive, idiosyncratic road movie in search of the enduring power of one of the greatest playwrights of all time
Nigel Slater takes us on a nostalgic, funny and heart-warming journey back in time - through the biscuit tins of mum and dad, the doilies and saucers of aunties and grannies, the lunch boxes of friends and siblings. Nigel charts the origins of the humble biscuit, from its vital contribution to Britain's nautical dominance of the globe, through to the biscuit tin becoming that most ubiquitous of household items. He explores the history of our most famous brands, uncovering the Georgian and Quaker origins of the biscuits we love and eat today, meeting eccentric biscuit anoraks who have dedicated their lives to a love of these simple baked treats and meeting scientists who squash, dunk and ignite biscuits for research purposes. Nigel recalls the biscuits he found in his lunch box, the ones he cherished and the ones that would shape his formative years. He asks why it is, that of all the treats we indulge in on a regular basis, the biscuit has become such a dependable culinary companion. What makes Britain a nation of ardent biscuit eaters like no other in the world, with a £2.3 billion industry to match?
Alex Norton discovers how showbusiness has handled the portrayal of the Scottish accent. For over 100 years audiences have struggled to understand our braw brogue: silent Harry Lauder films attempted an accent in the captions, and in Hollywood's golden era , everyone wanted to paint their tonsils tartan- but as examples from Katharine Hepburn, Orson Welles and Richard Chamberlain show, they couldnae. Then Disney made Brave and proved that it disnae have to be all bad.
Brothers-in-law and drinking buddies Alexander Armstrong and Giles Coren choose the booze that will give them their Christmas spirit. From mulled wine and fizz, eggnog and sloe gin to brandy and Boxing Day hangover cures, together these 12 drinks are the festive selection pack that will ensure their family's Christmas is full of good cheer For Alexander Armstrong and Giles Coren Christmas is about enjoying time with their families. In their case, that means each other since they are brothers-in-law. Just like the rest of us, they spend much of the festive season indoors eating and drinking. Every year Britons spend over £10 billion on alcohol at Christmas. And every year, exactly what is drunk in the Armstrong-Coren family is the subject of some debate. Alexander is usually hosting and he likes to push the boat out, spoiling his guests with the finest booze he can get his hands on. Giles does not really see the point of splashing out on wine since everyone's already a bit squiffy by the time they sit down for lunch. As far as he is concerned a bottle or four of something cheaper would do just as well. This year Giles and Alexander intend to settle this controversy once and for all. They are going to put together their definitive Christmas selection pack. But theirs will not come in a net stocking with a cardboard Santa at the top. It will come in bottles. However, just like the traditional selection pack, overconsumption may cause nausea. They look for twelve different festive drinks they can agree on. Sometimes they find the winner in a category together, other times they champion different things. In some categories they source their contenders, in others they make their own creations from scratch. Together their festive dozen represents everything they need to ensure they are brimming over with the spirit of Christmas.
Inspired by Hans Christian Anderson's fairytale, this remarkable Danish film tells the story of a Christmas tree from a most unusual angle - through the 'voice' of the tree itself. The tree has big ambitions, doing everything it can to grow so tall that it reaches the sky. Featuring extraordinary photography, the film follows the adventures of its life from sapling to maturity, culminating in a triumphal Christmas Day. Along the way, viewers experience the natural - and human - world from a strangely moving perspective.
The story of 2013 told through the high-impact images of the year, exploring how photography has changed in the age of smartphones, social media and the selfie. From the helicopter crash in London to the bush fires in Tasmania and the Boston Marathon bombing, this was a year in which the best camera was the one you had in your hand and saw ordinary people taking some of the most striking pictures of 2013. Meeting photographers, news editors and members of the public who were in the right place at the right time, this film reveals how these extraordinary pictures were taken and argues that the image remains as powerful as ever in the modern world.
The winter of 2012 was one of the coldest, longest and busiest on record in the Scottish mountains. It was also one of the deadliest, with 14 lives lost as extreme weather and a series of lethal avalanches hit the Highlands. Blending dramatic archive material and footage recorded by people who live, work and play in this environment, this film reveals what really happened on the mountains and shows how a major meteorological phenomenon helped shape what was truly a unique winter.
Young farmers will compete at just about anything. From the coveted categories of stock judging and tug of war, to the dafter contests of pillow fighting and best decorated toilet - you name it, there's a trophy for it. This year the Scottish Association of Young Farmers Clubs celebrates it's 75th anniversary, and three ambitious young farmers attempt to make their mark in the farming world. Tractors and Trophies offers a unique insight into Scotland's Young Farmers Clubs, past and present, and reveals what's behind the social phenomenon that is Scotland's Young Farmers Club - a strange mixture of competition, dating agency, and rural university.
On December 10 2013, the Edinburgh-based Peter Higgs receives the Nobel Prize for Physics, 50 years after he predicted the existence of a sub-atomic particle which gives mass to all the matter in the universe. BBC Scotland's Science Correspondent Kenneth Macdonald tells the story of how this modest 84-year-old became a physics superstar, and speaks to those who have awarded the prize.
Mark Gatiss steps into the mind of MR James, the enigmatic English master of the supernatural story. How did this donnish Victorian bachelor, conservative by nature and a devout Anglican, come to create tales that continue to chill readers more than a century on? Mark attempts to uncover the secrets of James's inspiration, taking an atmospheric journey from James's childhood home in Suffolk to Eton, Cambridge and France, venturing into ancient churches, dark cloisters and echoing libraries along the way.
Some of the most dramatic video of the year has been brought to us by freelance journalists covering hostile environments around the world. Firing Line pays tribute to an international field of nominees in the 2013 Rory Peck Awards.
It's the sound of the heartland, of the midwest and the industrial cities, born in the early 70s by kids who had grown up in the 60s and were now ready to make their own noise, to come of age in the bars, arenas and stadiums of the US of A. Out of blues and prog and glam and early metal a distinct American rock hybrid started to emerge across the country courtesy of Alice Cooper, Grand Funk Railroad et al, and at its very heart is the Great American Rock Anthem. At the dawn of the 70s American rock stopped looking for a revolution and started looking for a good time - enter the classic American rock anthem with big drums, a soaring guitar, a huge chorus and screaming solos. This film celebrates the evolution of the American rock anthem during its glory years between 1970 and 1990, as it became a staple of the emerging stadium rock and AOR radio and then MTV. From Schools Out to Smells Like Teen Spirit, these are the songs that were the soundtrack to teenage lives in the US and around the world, anthems that had people singing out loud with arms and lighters aloft. To track the emergence of this distinct American rock of the 70s and 80s, Huey Morgan narrates the story of some of the greatest American rock anthems including Schools Out, We're an American Band, Don't Fear the Reaper, Paradise by the Dashboard Light, Don't Stop Believin', I Love Rock n Roll, Eye of the Tiger, I Want to Know What Love Is, Livin' on a Prayer and Smells Like Teen Spirit. Contributors include: Alice Cooper, Dave Grohl, Butch Vig, Meat Loaf, Todd Rundgren, Richie Sambora, Blue Oyster Cult, Journey, Survivor, Toto and Foreigner.
Nic Jones is a legend of British folk music. His 1980 record Penguin Eggs is regarded as a classic. In a poll by the Observer a few years ago, Penguin Eggs was rated number 79 of the 100 Best Records of All Time, just above Station to Station by David Bowie and just below Let It Bleed by The Rolling Stones - amazing for an LP that never actually charted. His iconic song Canadee-i-o has even been covered by Bob Dylan.
As Henry VIII's world famous warship, the Mary Rose, is unveiled to the public in a new museum, Robert Hall tells the extraordinary story of the restoration of the ship
Combining European musical influences, perfect production and lyrics of love and loss, ABBA made us fall in love with the sound of Swedish melancholy. This documentary explores the music of ABBA and chronicles how they conquered both Sweden and Britain in the face of constant criticism.
Film tribute to Lou Reed, who died in October, which looks at the extraordinarily transgressive life and career of one of rock 'n' roll's true originals. With the help of friends, fellow musicians, critics and those who have been inspired not only by his music but also by his famously contrary approach to almost everything, the documentary looks at how Reed not only helped to shape a generation but also helped to create a truly alternative, independent rock scene, while also providing New York with its most provocative and potent soundtrack. With contributions from Mick Rock, Maureen Tucker, Boy George, Thurston Moore, Debbie Harry, Holly Woodlawn, Doug Yule, Steve Hunter and Paul Auster.
Michael Palin heads for rural Pennsylvania and Maine to explore the extraordinary life and work of one of America's most popular and controversial painters, Andrew Wyeth. Fascinated by his iconic painting Christina's World, Palin goes in search of the real life stories that inspired this and Wyeth's other depictions of the American landscape and its hard grafting inhabitants. Tracking down the farmers, friends and family featured in Wyeth's magically real work, Palin builds a picture of an eccentric, enigmatic and driven painter. He also gets a rare interview with Helga, the woman who put Wyeth back in the headlines when the press discovered he had been painting her nude, compulsively but secretly for 15 years.
A tribute to British comedian Mel Smith, who died in July 2013, aged 60, featuring home video footage, rare archive material and many classic sketches. Far more than a comic actor, Smith also wrote and edited a host of celebrated TV comedies in the 1980s and 90s. He was a theatre and film director, and as a TV producer he was responsible for several innovative comedy series. Friends and colleagues, including Griff Rhys Jones, John Lloyd and Richard Curtis, talk about Smith's talents, both in front of- and behind the camera. The programme also traces his time at Oxford and, before that, Latymer Upper School, where Smith's talents were first spotted.
Documentary telling the story of some of the most important scientific thinkers of the modern age - an epic tale of men and women obsessed by intellectual challenges but dogged by their human failings; of bitter personal rivalries, clashes of ideology and unlikely collaboration. These are the people who discovered the structure of DNA and worked out how our genes work, who changed our view of life forever. The film is an unvarnished account of the scientists who dared to discover the secret of life - told through fascinating and revealing archive - in their own words. Contributors interviewed include: Sir Paul Nurse, biologist, Nobel laureate and President of the Royal Society; Prof Lisa Jardine, historian of science, daughter of Jacob Bronowski, and hence knew many of the Cambridge scientists involved with the DNA story as a child and an undergraduate; Prof Steve Jones, geneticist, UCL.
This is Christmas dinner Tom Kerridge style with everything pushed that little bit further to make it a real celebration feast. Tom likes to keep it traditional at Christmas and always cooks Turkey. But this is Turkey with a twist as he's not roasting it, he's rolling it. He fills a turkey breast with his amazing sage and onion stuffing and rolls it and then steams it to ensure it stays nice and moist. Once cooked he covers it in a delicious crumble topping made from pistachios and dried cranberries. To accompany his turkey roll he demonstrates how to make the ultimate rye bread sauce, and then shows us how to liven up our veg by cooking glazed carrots with star anise, and sprout tops with chestnuts. To finish, Tom serves a seasonal spiced orange cake with plum sauce and Christmas pudding ice cream, all washed down with his festive mulled cider.
Fran Scott meets brilliant young inventors from around the country and gets top tips on how to come up with a great invention.
Looking back to Christmas 1977 with an irreverent portrait of the times, featuring unseen footage of the Sex Pistols. Never mind the baubles, director Julien Temple presents a unique insight into the tradition and transgression of Christmas. Featuring interviews and 70s archive, framing the Sex Pistols' last UK concert with Sid Vicious, for the children of striking firemen in Huddersfield on Christmas Day 1977.
Dougie Vipond will take you on a trip to discover how Scotland's best-known musical export became a worldwide phenomenon. From Ayrshire to Tokyo, via New York City, we'll look at how Auld Lang Syne has been adopted around the world. With some fantastic archive and commentary from well-known faces including Alan Cumming, Sir Cliff Richard and Clare Grogan, we will find out just how Auld Lang Syne became a globe-conquering song.
Scotsman Donald Mackenzie was hunting for the remains of Noah's ark on Mount Ararat in Turkey when he vanished. His family has heard nothing since and several searches by Turkish authorities have failed to find any trace of him. His younger brother Derick, a widowed father of five, travels from Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, across Europe to Dogubayazit, a Kurdish town at the foot of Mount Ararat. The film follows Derick on his journey as he meets many of those who knew his brother who have their own ideas about what might have happened to him. Donald could have fallen or succumbed to the extreme weather. He could have been attacked by wild animals, robbed by bandits, or crossed the paths of the Turkish army or the Kurdish separatists, who both operate on the mountain. He could also have been targeted because of his Christian beliefs or by rogue guides keen to exploit the story of the Ark. Derick goes in search of answers, but in whom can he trust and how close will he come to the truth? The film is a moving story of kinship, friendship, trust and coming to terms with loss.
75 years after the British government sanctioned a mission to bring 10,000 Jewish children to the UK, some of those who came to Britain speak about their memories.
Documentary looking at the enduring appeal of the classic comedy series Open All Hours and following the cast and crew as they return to film a new Christmas special at Arkwright's original shop in Doncaster. The film includes interviews with cast and crew including Sir David Jason, Lynda Baron and writer Roy Clarke, and captures the excitement in Doncaster and Manchester as Open All Hours returns to town.
The inside story of the midsummer highlight of City of Culture 2013 when writer Frank Cottrell Boyce joins with the people of Derry-Londonderry to stage an epic confrontation on the River Foyle between the Loch Ness monster and Colmcille.
In 1883, the volcanic island of Krakatoa erupted without warning. Within a day the island had virtually disappeared in the loudest explosion ever recorded. The eruption generated a succession of massive tsunamis that wiped out the Indonesian coastline and killed over 30,000 people. These waves were three times higher than those seen on Boxing Day in 2004. And over thirty miles from the volcano, across open ocean, thousands more were killed by hot ash. For over a century geologists have been unable to explain how so many people died. But today through field studies, experiments and analysis of historical records they think they have finally found the answers. And these answers are hugely important because the volcano is back. Since 1927 the volcano Anak Krakatoa, the child of Krakatoa, has been growing. It is now over half the size of the original volcano. And geologists are certain that it will erupt again. The only questions that remain are how and when.
Gregg Wallace reveals how the supermarkets get us in the mood for autumn. He finds out what it takes to bring us millions of Halloween pumpkins, learns how own-label pies are made and is let into the hidden world of online supermarkets.
The winter of 2012 was one of the coldest, longest and busiest on record in the Scottish mountains. It was also one of the deadliest, with 14 lives lost as extreme weather and a series of lethal avalanches hit the Highlands. Blending dramatic archive material and footage recorded by people who live, work and play in this environment, this film reveals what really happened on the mountains and shows how a major meteorological phenomenon helped shape what was truly a unique winter.
Documentary about Nim Chimpsky, the chimpanzee who in the 1970s became the focus of a landmark experiment which aimed to show that an ape could learn to communicate with language if raised and nurtured like a human child. Following Nim's extraordinary journey through human society, and the enduring impact he makes on the people he meets along the way, the film is an unflinching and unsentimental biography of an animal we tried to make human.
Christmas can make a hole in your pocket seem enormous. With one in five young people in the UK unemployed, BBC Radio 1 DJ Phil Taggart - once unemployed and living on benefits himself - presents an essential guide to Christmas for the young and broke. Phil travels to Bristol to meet a group of young jobseekers in the position he used to be in, and sets them the mission of organising a cracker of a Christmas party on a benefits budget.
In December 2012 a young medical student was brutally gang-raped on board a bus in Delhi. Horrified by the attack, 28-year-old British Asian Radha Bedi travels to India to uncover the reality of life for young women there.
Made in collaboration with the National Theatre, this one hour special examines how one of Britain's best loved books was turned into a multi award-winning theatre production. Specially shot interviews, combined with clips from the show and exclusive behind the scenes rehearsal footage, reveal the thinking and process behind the adaptation.
Biography of British film pioneer William Friese-Greene, who designed and patented a working cinematic camera. His life was dogged by tragedy because of hardship and lack of recognition. Moving from Bristol to London, he spends all his time and money on his new invention, but is largely ignored. Featuring a dazzling array of some of Britain's finest actors in cameo roles.
Interview with Angela Pope (producer) and David Dimbleby (presenter) of the 1971 documentary. Shown as part of Harold Wilson Night.
'My siblings refused to open my father's memoir after his death', recalls filmmaker David Fisher. 'I opened it, uncovering his demons'. Fisher's father Joseph, a Hungarian Jew, was interned in the Gusen and Gunskirchen concentration camps in Austria during the Second World War. His memoir detailed the horrendous ordeal that he survived and prompted David, dragging his reluctant siblings along with him, to retrace their father's footsteps. This resulting film is a bittersweet account of their journey into their father's past.
On 21st December 1988, a bomb exploded on board Pan Am Flight 103 above Lockerbie. Two hundred and seventy people on the plane and on the ground were killed. To mark the 25th anniversary of the deadliest act of terrorism in British history, Glenn Campbell explores the profound impact this enduring tragedy has had on some victims' relatives on both sides of the Atlantic, and on witnesses, emergency responders, and investigators.
The truly miraculous story of how a young girl from Mountain Ash battled heart disease, and how the lessons learned from her case have led to medical breakthroughs that could save millions of lives around the world.
In September 2011, Bangor barley farmer Alan Graham hit headlines across the world when he threw a topless Rihanna off his field during a video shoot. Horrified by the rise of explicit videos and their easy availability to our children, Alan is now on a mission to get the music industry to clean up its act. On his fascinating journey through the pop music world, Alan rubs shoulders with music industry stalwarts, activists and campaigners like Louis Walsh, Sinitta, Mica Paris and the Rev Jesse Jackson. Can he make a difference?
On March 25 2013, Britain's 300,000-strong Jewish community will start their celebrations for Passover, the best-loved holiday in their festival calendar. To mark this, Giles Coren helps host a special seder, with guests including philosopher Alain de Botton, comedienne Olivia Lee and experts Rabbi Naftali Brawer, Rabbi Laura Janner-Klausner and chef Linda Dangoor. Why is this Night Different? is an engaging, entertaining and warm look at the meaning of Passover, captured in one unforgettable evening.
What's it like to be homeless? This powerful documentary records the stories of the dispossessed, the people living on the streets, sleeping on friends sofas, or housed in temporary accommodation, in Scotland today. The 2012 Commitment, the Scottish Government's pledge to eradicate homelessness, came in to force on December 31st 2012. Will it make any difference to the 45,000 individuals currently without a home? Filmed in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow over the winter months, this documentary puts a human face to the grim statistics.
Saul Leiter could have been lauded as the great pioneer of colour photography, but was never driven by the lure of success. Instead he preferred to drink coffee and photograph in his own way, amassing an archive of beautiful work that is now piled high in his New York apartment. This intimate and personal film follows Saul as he deals with the triple burden of cleaning an apartment full of memories, becoming world famous in the 80s and fending off a pesky filmmaker.
Rick Stein sets out on his German voyage with his usual appetite to unearth some of the country's hidden culinary gems.
Peter Snow presents a studio panel discussion looking at the political legacy of Harold Wilson. Guests include Shirley Williams, a former minister in Wilson's government and now a Liberal Democrat peer, Bernard Donoughue, head of Wilson's policy unit during the 1970s and now a Labour peer, and Douglas Hurd, private secretary to the Conservative leader Edward Heath, and now a Tory peer.
Ardoyne - Our Lives is an illuminating and surprising observational documentary of teenage life in north Belfast. The film follows the lives of three teenagers over a period of five months. We see their ordinary hopes and dreams - shaped by an area which has seen its fair share of trouble and by the adults who live there. How do they fare when social and economic difficulties are a daily reality?
Stephen Nolan lifts the curtain on the stigma surrounding depression and gains a better understanding of this illness. He meets people whose life is a constant battle against it and examines the science behind this potentially life-threatening condition.
In 2013 Belfast experienced one of its most violent summers in recent years. Alys Harte is on the frontline with a notorious Loyalist band who are marching into the eye of a storm.
In 2011, Glen Campbell announced he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and that he would be bowing out with a final album and farewell tour across Britain and America. This documentary tells Campbell's remarkable life story, from impoverished childhood in Arkansas through huge success first as a guitarist and then as a singer, with great records like Wichita Lineman and Rhinestone Cowboy.
Len Goodman takes a step back in time to the heyday of British dance bands, a golden age of music that laid the foundations for 20th century pop. In the years between the wars, band leaders such as Bert Ambrose and Jack Hylton were household names and the country danced its socks off. It was a time of radio and records, when Britain absorbed black American music and gave it a unique twist. Many of the bands played in the posh society hotels of London's West End. Some were making big money and enjoying the high life. They were also keen to broadcast to the nation via the new BBC. Len discovers that 'Auntie' had a tricky relationship with the bands - though they formed a key part of the corporation's entertainment output, during the 20s and 30s there were concerns about the influence of American culture, song-plugging and commercialisation. Crooning was also developed as a new style of singing, thanks in part to the development of better microphones. But this new 'intimate' form of singing did not impress everyone at the corporation. Despite the BBC's concerns the vocalists continued to enjoy huge success and fame, as did the bands. Len follows the story of vocalist Al Bowlly, a man of huge talent who attracted great public adoration. Al was killed in London's blitz and buried in a mass grave - a sad and symbolic moment in the history of dance bands. Len discovers how we went dance band crazy and asks why, within just two decades, our love affair with this music began to fall flat.
Pioneering female BBC broadcaster of the 1960s, Joan Bakewell subjects herself to an interrogation by David Frost, looking back on more than 50 years at the heart of television and a life often lived in the glare of celebrity. From her early years as the face of Late Night Line Up, the end-of-the-day live programme that broke the rules of polite television, through to her days on Newsnight, covering arts, entertainment, politics and even pornography, this no-holds barred interview recalls how it was to be a lone woman at the BBC, the fun she had in swinging London and how she came to be branded 'the thinking man's crumpet'.
Writer Elizabeth Kinder embarks on a journey through Andalusia from Malaga to Cadiz to find the soul of flamenco, the beguiling mix of guitar, song and dance strongly associated with southern Spain's gypsies. Featuring performances from gypsy blacksmiths to goat herders, the documentary reveals a glimpse of a timeless way of life as it has been preserved down the centuries. The history of this mysterious music and its relationship to Spain is explored in chocolate box locations including Moron de la Frontera, Granada, Seville and Jerez and the programme also features rare archive of notable artists such as Camaron de la Isla and Diego Del Gastor.
The history of the North West 200 motorcycle race from its beginnings in the 1920s to the present day. A wealth of archive pictures and film tell the story, and individual race stories of the North West are set in the social history of the time.
A remarkable film with exclusive access to Sir Peter Blake in his studio as he adds the final touches to his groundbreaking art works inspired by Under Milk Wood. For over 25 years, Blake has been obsessed by Dylan Thomas's play - and now, finally, this body of work is going on display at the National Museum of Wales. Includes contributions from Cerys Matthews, Damien Hirst, Ronnie Wood and Pete Townshend.
Paul Murphy investigates the children's heart unit in Leeds which is under threat of closure. He asks the people at the centre of the story what really happened when surgery was suspended due to safety concerns and tries to get to the truth about death rates at the unit.
Cambridge chemist Dr Peter Wothers offers 12 Key Stage 3 students the unique opportunity to join him in his laboratory for a master class exploring the four ancient elements: water, earth, air and fire - with explosive results. Part of the BBC Learning Zone
The BBC documentary follows people who mine Big Data, including LAPD police officers who use data to predict crime, a London scientist/trader who makes millions with math, and a South African astronomer who wants to catalog the entire cosmos. This 58 minute documentary examines The Age of Big Data, including LAPD officers who get a forecast where crime is most likely to happen in the next 12 hours City of London scientist turned trader believes he has found secrets of making millions with math South Africa astronomer who wants to catalog the sky, by listening to every single star. Big Data is set to become one of the greatest sources of power in 21st century.
Sisters Venus and Serena Williams are two of the most successful tennis players of all time. They've provoked strong reactions - from awe and admiration to suspicion and resentment. They've been winning championships for over a decade, pushing the limits of longevity in such a demanding sport. How long can they last? Following their extraordinary story - from young black girls from the ghetto training with their father to international stardom - this film features unprecedented access into their lives during the most intimidating year of their careers. Over the course of 2011, Venus grappled with an energy-sapping autoimmune disease while Serena battled back from a life-threatening pulmonary embolism. Now, as they prepare for this year's Wimbledon, this is a unique insight into two sisters who do not let their adversities hold them back, drawing their strength from each other.
Friends and colleagues celebrate the life in comedy of the much-loved actor and stand-up Felix Dexter, charting his influence as a pioneer of black British comedy.
In 1978, Top of the Pops began to turn the credibility corner. As the only major pop show on television, Top of the Pops had enjoyed a unique position in the nation's hearts since the 1960s; the nation's teenagers who were now fed up with the show's predominantly light entertainment blend still tuned in every week in the hope of seeing one of the new young outfits thrown up by punk, new wave and disco. In 1978 it seemed the kids' time had come again for the first time since glam rock. Yet the biggest-selling singles of 1978 were by the likes of Boney M, John Travolta & Olivia Newton John, Rod Stewart, the Bee Gees and Abba. Punk never quite fitted in with the mainstream - it had been treated with disdain by Top of the Pops and largely ignored by the show. Britain's teenagers had to endure the all-round family entertainment on offer when all they wanted was teenage kicks. Along came a generation of young post-punk and new wave bands armed with guitar and bass, ready to storm the Top of the Pops stage - from the Undertones, the Buzzcocks, Siouxsie and the Banshees, the Skids and Ian Dury and the Blockheads to the Boomtown Rats, Elvis Costello, the Jam and Squeeze - some weeks teenagers would get to see one of their bands, very rarely they got two, but there they were on primetime TV. With contributions from the Boomtown Rats, Squeeze, Boney M, Sham 69, Brian & Michael, the Barron Knights, Mike Read, Kid Jensen, Kathryn Flett, Richard Jobson, Ian Gittins and Legs & Co.
Documentary looking at the life and work of soul and pop diva Dusty Springfield, singer of such classics as You Don't Have to Say You Love Me and Son of a Preacher Man, who was equally famous for her trademark panda eyes and blonde beehive.
If you fancy an hour's worth of irresistible guilty pleasures from Anni-Frid, Benny, Bjorn and Agnetha, this is the programme for you. It's 39 years since ABBA stormed the Eurovision song contest with their winning entry Waterloo, and this programme charts the meteoric rise of the band with some of their greatest performances at the BBC.
Documentary following Viscount Crichton, son of the sixth Earl of Erne and heir to the historic family home of Crom Castle in County Fermanagh, as he faces the ever-increasing challenge of keeping a castle despite growing bills. Under the watchful eye of his fiercely private father, Lord Erne, and with the dedicated assistance of manager Noel Johnston, he juggles his family heritage and responsibilities with life as a property expert in London. With unique access, cameras follow the Viscount as he opens his home for weddings, tours and TV filming in a determined bid to keep the castle for the Crichtons.
Musician and film-maker Roxana Vilk lives in Scotland but grew up in Tehran. Her family left Iran in the wake of the Iranian Revolution in 1979 and since the breakdown of diplomatic relations between London and Tehran in 2011, she has been unable to return. In this film, Roxana explores her identity as a British-Iranian and finds out how to teach her children about a country they have never visited. From a tower block in Glasgow to the glamour of Los Angeles, home to the largest group of Iranians living abroad, she finds out how other Iranian migrants keep their culture alive. While some of the questions she raises are specific to the Iranian diaspora, this film speaks to broader issues of identity faced by immigrants the world over.
Christmas is coming... Nigel Slater shares the flavours that for him make Christmas a truly delicious season. As we tick off the days and open our Advent calendars, Nigel shows us how to cook for both entertaining and self-indulgence, filling the kitchen with tastes and smells to evoke the spirit of the season and serving up food designed to bring comfort and joy.
'Cunnart' offers a glimpse into the world of Donald MacDonald, who spent the last twenty years disposing of landmines and bombs in some of the world's most troubled regions. In South Sudan, Donald is tasked with organising teams and recruiting locals, to clear land littered with unexploded bombs and landmines after a civil war which lasted over two decades.
When Queen Victoria's grandson, the future Kaiser Wilhelm II, was born with a paralysed arm, it led to a story of child cruelty, secret shame and incestuous desire.
Ricky Ross presents performances from a special concert staged at the Old Fruitmarket in Glasgow, bringing some of the best music from Celtic Connections 2013. This is the twentieth Celtic Connections festival and this programme features the broad range of musical styles, from world music to Americana, traditional Scottish styles to blues and jazz, that has made the festival itself such a success since the first was staged in 1994. Acts featured include Martha Wainwright, Blazin Fiddles, India Alba and Heidi Talbot.
The giant squid is a creature of legend and myth which, even in the 21st century, has never been seen alive. But now, an international team of scientists thinks it has finally found its lair, 1,000 metres down, off the coast of Japan. This is the culmination of decades of research. The team deploys underwater robots and state-of-the-art submersible vessels for a world first - to find and film the impossible.
Historian Dr Michael Scott unlocks the secrets of a mysterious tomb recently discovered in one of Rome's famous catacombs. Found by accident following a roof collapse, the tombs contained over 2,000 skeletons piled on top of each other. This was quite unlike any other underground tomb seen in Rome. They are located in an area of the catacombs marked as 'X' in the Vatican's underground mapping system - hence the name The X Tombs.
Kate Humble, Bill Oddie, Bill Bryson, John Craven and Clarissa Dickson Wright discuss television's changing relationship - and recent obsession - with the countryside. What explains the huge appeal of shows like Countryfile and Lambing Live to an urban audience? Is television helping to bring town and country together, or is the gap getting larger? The programme remembers the pioneers of Welly Telly, like Phil Drabble, Jack Hargreaves and Hannah Hauxwell, and features archive from The Good Life, All Creatures Great and Small and Last of the Summer Wine.
Portrait of the conductor Sir Colin Davis, who died in April 2013. Shortly before his final illness, he spoke at length to John Bridcut about his early life; his family; his career as a conductor; his love of music and the art and skills of conducting; his relationships with orchestras. other conductors and with the Royal Opera House; his religion and beliefs; and finally his thoughts on death and dying. During the interview Sir Colin is asked what music he would like to hear before dying and if he ever sang in a large choir or had singing lessons. At school he played the clarinet and joined a university orchestra. He met veteran conductor Sir Adrian Boult and learned the Alexander Technique which helped him acquire his own style of conducting. He admits that at times his relationships with orchestras were not ideal - his period as Music Director at the Royal Opera House, and in particular with the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) whom he conducted for many years - they did not like him at the beginning and he made enemies leading to a conscious decision that he would rather be a decent human being rather then an 'idiot' conductor. He talks briefly about his first failed marriage and subsequent happy second marriage and his children with whom he was able to make music. He spent time in his career conducting amateur choirs and student orchestras. Eventually he was asked to conduct the Last Night of the Proms in 1967 in place of an ailing Sir Malcolm Sargent. He talks about his own special style and technique of conducting - his way of holding the baton and how a conductor should connect with his orchestral musicians - who must listen as well as play. He has helped and coached young conductors in masterclasses, but his time as musical director at the Royal Opera House was not always a happy one. He was even booed by the audience on occasions and his interpretation of Benjamin Britten's opera Peter Grimes did not altogether please the composer himself. Davis d
A glorious romp through 50 years of little-seen archive in which Joan Bakewell brings back to life the biggest stars of arts and entertainment, stage and screen. A trailblazing interviewer in a mini-skirt, Joan fearlessly confronts the most self-important and pompous and keeps her dignity. See her joust with Sir Robin Day, flirt with Sir Kenneth Clark of Civilisation fame and keep her end up with Bette Davis. From Arthur Askey to Nelson Mandela, from Bing Crosby to Jacob Bronowski, these are some of the finest moments in the BBC archive. And worth watching simply for the frocks.
A selection of some of David Bowie's best performances from the BBC archives, which also features artists who Bowie helped along the way, such as Mott the Hoople, Lulu, Iggy Pop and Lou Reed.
From plainsong to Penderecki, this film for Remembrance Sunday shows how music has shaped the requiem over 500 years. John Bridcut explores the significance and history of one of the oldest musical forms and discusses its enduring appeal with some of its greatest exponents. The great requiems of Mozart, Berlioz, Verdi and Fauré have been rooted in the Latin requiem mass of the Roman Catholic Church. But now, thanks to Brahms and Britten, the requiem has spread into other Christian traditions, producing some of the finest classical music ever written. This feature-length documentary has specially-shot musical performances by the BBC National Orchestra and Chorus of Wales (conducted by Edward Gardner), with sopranos Elin Manahan Thomas and Annemarie Kremer, and bass-baritone Neal Davies. It also features the choir Tenebrae, conducted by Nigel Short. Contributors include the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, the conductors Sir Colin Davis and Jane Glover, and the bass-baritone Bryn Terfel.
Tom Service presents a tribute to Sir John Tavener, one of Britain's greatest composers, who died in 2013 at the age of 69. Through forty years of BBC television archive, Tom traces the remarkable musical and spiritual odyssey of a man whose music found wide acclaim both inside and beyond the classical world. From his evocative The Protecting Veil and immensely popular setting of William Blake's poem The Lamb, to his Song of Athene sung to overwhelming effect at the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales. John Tavener's music reflects the life of a man who saw music as a form of prayer, becoming one of the most unique and inspired voices in the music of our time. Interviewees include John Rutter and Patricia Rozario.
This documentary presented by Professor Simon Schaffer describes the amazing story of automata Designed and built with pen and paper in the 18th Century leveraging the mechanisms employed in making timepieces, these mechanical devices containing 1000’s of parts and are programmable to mimic human actions in Mechanical Theatre. The program describes how there development has led to the creation of the mechanical devices we take for granted today showing the first mechanical weaving looms allowing for the mass production of fabrics and in effect started the industrial revolution.
A selection of Dusty Springfield's performances at the BBC from 1961 to 1995. Dusty was one of Britain's great pop divas, guaranteed to give us a big melody in songs soaring with drama and yearning. The clips show Dusty's versatility as an artist and performer and include songs from her folk beginnings with the Springfields; the melodrama of You Don't Have to Say You Love Me; Dusty's homage to Motown with Heatwave and Nowhere to Run; the Jacques Brel song If You Go Away; the Bacharach and David tune The Look of Love; and Dusty's collaboration with the Pet Shop Boys in the late 1980s. There are also some great duets from Dusty's career with Tom Jones and Mel Torme.
Scotland's national poet, Robert Burns, is celebrated worldwide, not least in Ulster where his influence was felt during his own brief lifetime. But what is the connection between Burns and Ulster poets living and working today? Neil Oliver embarks on a literary journey to meet some of Ulster's most celebrated poets, including Seamus Heaney and Tom Paulin, to find out what impact Burns has had on their work.
Scottish musician Eddi Reader takes to the road in search of Ulster's weaver poets, inspired by her great love, Robert Burns. In a journey from County Down, across Antrim to Donegal, Eddi explores their influences and works. Her concert of Burns songs at the Ulster Hall with the Ulster Orchestra provides a musical backdrop to her trip.
Celebrating 600 years of the University of St Andrews with stories charting its progress over hundreds of years, and a look at how this university, which was founded on the east coast of Scotland, became the 'fountain of all the arts and sciences'.
Edinburgh Zoo is celebrating its 100th Birthday this July. Home to over 1,000 animals including two megastars of the conservation world - the Giant Pandas -Edinburgh Zoo is one of the city's top attractions. Narrated by John Hannah, this one-hour documentary tells the stories of the people and the animals that have made the zoo what it is today. We follow Darren McGarry, the zoo's head of living collections as he delves into the archives to uncover the vision of Edinburgh lawyer, Thomas Gillespie, who wanted to share his fascination with the wild by creating a modern national zoo for Scotland. Penguin parades, elephant rides and chimps tea parties were all part of the fun of the zoo during its hay days in the fifties and the sixties. Stunning archive footage shows visitors enjoying the tea parties, elephant rides but most remarkable of all - penguins marching along Edinburgh city streets, complete with police escort. But as the world changed and attitudes changed, Edinburgh Zoo has had to adapt to survive. Former Zoo Director Roger Wheater describes how he had to make some tough decisions during the 1970s and 1980s to balance the needs of the animals with those of the paying public. Naturalist, Chris Packham and Dr Lee Durrell, wife of the late Gerald Durrell, former animal collector and conservationist speak of how the role of the zoo has evolved. In 2011, amid declining visitor numbers and internal turmoil, a breeding pair of Giant Pandas arrived in the hope they would produce a cub. We follow the build up to their brief mating period and the first ever artificial insemination of a Giant panda in the UK. Whether or not the pandas do produce a cub this year they have been a lifeline for the zoo, visitor numbers have soared and profit rocketed. The zoo's new chief executive, Chris West, hopes that the income generated can help fund the zoo's conservation work. But it is the power of the pandas to capture the public's imagination and pull in the crowd
The Siege of Derry was a pivotal moment in the history of Ireland and Britain and one that placed the city at the heart of a European-wide struggle. In this documentary writer Carlo Gebler explores the remarkable story of this dramatic and bloody event - one that has shaped the course of our history to the present day.
Musical documentary about singer/songwriter Ricky Ross as he takes his Untold Stories tour to London, over the sea to Stornoway, to Barlinnie Prison and to his hometown of Dundee.
Join Fyfe Robertson on a journey through some of Scotland's islands, including Mull, Staffa, Barra and Vatersay.
Filmed at Glasgow's Old Fruit Market, this programme is part of a series of events produced by BAFTA and celebrates the work of famous Scottish comedian Billy Connolly as he looks back over his career and is presented with his BAFTA Scotland Outstanding Contribution Award. Connolly's career as a successful comedian, musician, television presenter and actor spans six decades. He has appeared in over 30 films including The Last Samurai, Gulliver's Travels and Mrs Brown, for which he was nominated for a BAFTA in 1997. More recently, he voiced King Fergus in Pixar's Brave, appears in Quartet, Dustin Hoffman's directorial debut, and is soon to be seen as a dwarf warrior in Peter Jackson's The Hobbit. The programme is hosted by Francine Stock, who interviews Billy Connolly about his film career, and it features a number of his performances with clips and anecdotes.
At the tender age of 18, Luke Thomas is already Britain's youngest head chef, with an eponymous restaurant in a boutique hotel in the foodie home county of Royal Berkshire. He's got a taste for success and now he's reaching even higher - for cooking's ultimate prize, a coveted Michelin star. Backing Luke is self-styled rock & roll hotelier Mark Fuller, who is keen to cash in on the PR power of the teen sensation. He has set Luke up in the restaurant and hand-picked a team of experienced staff to help. But for Mark the bottom line is making money, not wining prizes. This documentary follows Luke on his first seven months as a baby boss to see if he he can make it in a man's world and catch his star.
Stacey Soloman explores why young mums get PND and looks at what help is available.
Get Lost is a programme introducing the satnav and online maps generation to the traditional skills of reading detailed paper maps. Three groups of young people are set a navigational challenge - to get from A to B in the middle of the countryside by following detailed Ordnance Survey maps. Presenter Joe Crowley is on hand to give tips as the school students discover the world of contours, spot heights and navigating using a compass. Can the teenagers make it to their destination without getting lost?
Professor Adam Hart is joined by a team of primary school scientists to explore the fascinating underground world of a leafcutter ant colony. Almost one million ants are transported from Trinidad to the UK and studied in every detail as they reorganise themselves inside an enormous, transparent, man-made nest. The young scientists get hands-on in their lab, carrying out their own investigations into the lives of these tiny insects - from reproduction to how they fit into the wider ecosystem.
Afghanistan has long been known as a major producer of drugs - but now it's become one of the worst consumers of illegal drugs in the world. High unemployment, war trauma and easy access to refined heroin have resulted in more than a million Afghans being addicted to drugs. As part of 2013: The Big Stories, another chance to see BBC Persian's reporter Tahir Qadiry travel to Afghanistan to understand the extent of the problem. He follows a young addict as he makes his way through rehabilitation, talks to dealers and outreach workers, and asks ministers what's being done to prevent addiction and the drugs trade from threatening the future stability of Afghanistan.
Unreliable, dirty, expensive and outdated - the familiar complaints of commuters on British Rail. Andrew Harvey reports on how Network South East measures up and examines lessons that could be learnt from its European counterparts.
Big Bill Broonzy would inspire a generation of musicians, yet he was not the man they believed him to be. This first, very intimate, biography of the pioneering bluesman uncovers the mystery of who Broonzy really was and follows his remarkable and colourful journey from the racist Deep South to the clubs of Chicago and all across the world. With contributions from: Pete Seeger, Ray Davies, Keith Richards, Martin Carthy, John Renbourn and members of the Broonzy family. Broonzy's own words are read by Clarke Peters. Show less
Documentary telling the story of the British world music revolution from the early 1980s to the present. Through a variety of careers, starting with Zimbabwe's Bhundu Boys and culminating with Portugal's Mariza in the new millennium, the film explores what it takes to bring music from 'out there' over here. Through the testimony of artists from all around the world alongside key British producers and broadcasters including Andy Kershaw, Joe Boyd and Nick Gold, it tracks the evolving story of what British audiences have wanted from what has come to be called 'world music' and what a range of artists including Les Mystere des Voix Bulgares, Salif Keita, Youssou N'Dour, Baaba Maal, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Buena Vista Social Club and Tinariwen have made of us. At the dawn of the 80s, in an age of spandex and synthesizers, many music fans were becoming bored with the pop charts and hungered for a new music that could excite them once again. Where music from the rest of the world had once been regarded as mere exotica, there was increasingly a sense that world music could be the future of pop music. The documentary traces the hopes and ambitions of a new music industry as cultures came together for the first time, producing much brilliant music and a degree of human comedy. From the tribal warriors of Mali who fought in rebellions with guitars and guns strapped to their shoulders, all-female choirs from the other side of the Iron Curtain playing to rock fans, a band from Zimbabwe who supported Madonna to a group of old men from Cuba who took the world by storm with their music from another era, these tales from musicians from out there arriving over here trace an evolving market that has both offered a blueprint for the future and an escape into a romantic past.
From presents to party games, from the tree to the turkey, Len Goodman invites us to share his perfect Christmas Day - as seen on TV.
Documentary account of the five-week visit of Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh to Canada and the United States in the autumn of 1951. Stops on the royal tour include Quebec City, the National War Memorial in Ottawa, the Trenton Air Force Base in Toronto and a performance of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet in Regina. The royal couple are then welcomed to the United States by President Truman.
The five-minute documentary features rare archive footage and brand new interviews with many who worked with him, including Carole Ann Ford, Peter Purves and Waris Hussein as well as Matt Smith, Peter Davison and Hartnell’s granddaughter, Jessica Carney. It’s a revealing and affectionate portrait of a much-loved actor.
Compilation of BBC performances by Dame Shirley Bassey, who began her rise to fame as a 16-year-old singer in 1953 and over 60 years later is still going strong. This trip down memory lane uncovers some of her finest performances from the vaults, ranging from early appearances on Show of the Week and The Shirley Bassey Show, via the Royal Albert Hall and Glastonbury 2007, right up to her show at the Electric Proms in 2009. Iconic songs featured include The Performance of My Life, Goldfinger, Big Spender and Diamonds are Forever.
Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey talk exclusively to the BBC's David Willis about some of their most celebrated music.
It's a big enough challenge to sail solo around the coast of Britain. But to do it when the only part of your body you can move is your head, and all the time you are suffering intense and continuous pain, takes a very special kind of sailor. This film follows the extraordinary story of quadriplegic Hilary Lister as she undertakes a 3,000 mile voyage around Britain. Hilary controls the sails and steering of her yacht by three tubes through which she sucks or blows. It is the only movement left to her as, stricken by a degenerative disease, her body is shutting down. Six times Hilary collapses and is rushed to hospital. Six times she sails on. Over the three month voyage, the film embraces the relationships in her life, her daily fight to live and breathe, her past life as a talented musician and sportswoman, and her attitude to the disease that has struck her down.
Gary Lineker looks back on the 60-year history of BBC Sports Personality of the Year. What started in 1954 as a low-key affair with a surprise winner when Chris Chataway beat four-minute-mile record-setter Roger Bannister, has grown into one of the most anticipated nights in the sport and television calendars, with the 2012 event the biggest ever. HRH Princess Anne, David Beckham, Lord Sebastian Coe, Sir Bradley Wiggins, Paula Radcliffe, Zara Phillips and Sir Steve Regrave are just some of the winners who recall fond memories of the night they won the main award. Former presenter Des Lynam recounts his nerves on the night, as well as the laughs he shared with Frank Bruno and others, while Lineker and Sue Barker remind us of the moments that brought them, and us, to tears – emotional presentations to legends of sport like Muhammad Ali and Sir Bobby Robson. There are also contributions from Young Sports Personality of the Year winners Wayne Rooney and Andy Murray. In the 60 years Sports Personality has been on the air, sport and society has evolved, but the award remains as relevant and important now as it ever has done. Lineker explains, this is because of the public – the people who are so frequently captivated by sport, and who vote in their thousands every year to select the award winner. As such, the roll of honour on the Sports Personality of the Year trophy reads like a who’s who of UK sport, and the programme itself has become a broadcasting institution.
1975 documentary about 11-year-old serial arsonist Michael 'Mini' Cooper, followed by Cooper and the film's director Franc Roddam in conversation with Alan Yentob in 2013. First broadcast in 1975, this provocative documentary about an 11-year-old serial arsonist shocked millions across the UK. Michael 'Mini' Cooper had already torched a church and set his family home ablaze with his violent father asleep upstairs. The film follows the angelic looking 'Mini' over a gruelling three-week period in a young offenders home in County Durham, as social workers and psychiatrists quiz and probe the charismatic and intelligent tearaway as they determine his future. Franc Roddam's film has a simplicity and directness that captivates whilst never shying away from the seriousness of the situation. Roddam would go onto find fame in Hollywood, but nearly 40 years on remains close friends with Cooper, who has spent most of his life in and out of jail, care, mental health units and halfway houses. Cooper has channelled his experiences into a revealing new book 'Mini and Me' and the programme also sees both Franc Roddam and Mini Cooper in conversation with Alan Yentob.
Mark Gatiss steps into the mind of MR James, the English master of the supernatural tale, attempting to uncover the inspiration behind stories that chill readers a century on.
In a world where most countries are anticipating problems caused by population growth, Japan expects a stunted reproduction rate caused by the absence of more and more men from the dating scene. This has been blamed on otaku culture - an obsession with computer games, manga and animation - and it has caused a rise in the number of young people with virtual partners, meaning a dwindling generation of future tax payers. Anita Rani investigates the extent of the problem.
With a third of British children living with only one biological parent, this film asks young people about their experience of their parents' breakup.
Documentary which follows four single Mormons looking for their eternal partner at a weekend-long, non-stop but sex-and-alcohol-free party in Duck Beach, North Carolina.
Nigel Slater takes us on a nostalgic, funny and heart-warming journey back in time - through the biscuit tins of mum and dad, the doilies and saucers of aunties and grannies, the lunch boxes of friends and siblings. Nigel charts the origins of the humble biscuit, from its vital contribution to Britain's nautical dominance of the globe, through to the biscuit tin becoming that most ubiquitous of household items. He explores the history of our most famous brands, uncovering the Georgian and Quaker origins of the biscuits we love and eat today, meeting eccentric biscuit anoraks who have dedicated their lives to a love of these simple baked treats and meeting scientists who squash, dunk and ignite biscuits for research purposes. Nigel recalls the biscuits he found in his lunch box, the ones he cherished and the ones that would shape his formative years. He asks why it is, that of all the treats we indulge in on a regular basis, the biscuit has become such a dependable culinary companion. What makes Britain a nation of ardent biscuit eaters like no other in the world, with a £2.3 billion industry to match?
There aren't many days that can be said to have changed the course of history, but there aren't many days like 6 June 1944 - D-Day. What was at stake was the freedom of the western world. In this compilation of three short films specially made for schools, historian Dan Snow examines how two years of meticulous planning, espionage and the analysis of millions of 3-D aerial reconnaissance photographs shaped that day. But D-Day is also a powerful and compelling story of heroism, self-sacrifice and determination and this is perhaps the last chance to hear the extraordinary first-hand testimonies of those who risked their lives to save the world from Nazi tyranny. With unprecedented access to thousands of top secret 3-D spy photographs, compelling storytelling, state of the art graphics and dramatic reconstruction, these three films bring one day in June into sharp relief for a new generation.
Rockumentary tracing the Rolling Stones' journey from blues-obsessed teenagers to rock royalty, including never-before-seen footage and fresh insights from the band.
Nicholas Owen takes a look at the legacy of the Beeching report and the relationship between the railways and the politicians.
The concluding part of historian Dan Snow's documentary tells the powerful and heroic stories of those who risked their lives on the beaches of Normandy to save the world from Nazi Germany.
Jeremy Clarkson tells the dramatic story of the Arctic convoys of the Second World War, from Russia to the freezing Arctic Ocean. Accompanied by moving first hand testimony from the men who served on these convoys, Clarkson reveals the incredible hazards faced by members of the Merchant and Royal Navy who delivered vital war supplies via the Arctic to the Soviet Union: temperatures of minus 50 degrees, huge icebergs, colossal waves, not to mention German U-boats and the Luftwaffe. It is no wonder that Churchill described the Arctic Convoys as 'the worst journey in the world.'
1979 was a unique year for Top of the Pops, which saw the show record its highest audience of 19 million viewers and in which physical format singles sales hit an all-time high of 79 million. 1979 is maybe the most diverse year ever for acts on Top of the Pops with disco at its peak, new wave, 2 Tone, reggae, rock, folk and electro records all making the top five. Original interviews with Gary Numan, Nile Rodgers, Woody from Madness, Jah Wobble, Chas and Dave, Janet Kay, Linda Nolan, Jim Dooley, Secret Affair, the Ruts, Legs and Co and many others tell the story of an exceptional year. In the year that the 'winter of discontent' saw continuing strikes black out ITV and TOTP reduced during a technicians strike to a narrator introducing videos, the show also found itself the site of conflict backstage. TOTP's old guard of 70s MOR acts had their feathers continually ruffled by new wave bands, as the Skids spat at the Nolan Sisters backstage and Generation X urinated off the roof onto the Dooleys. Elsewhere in the corridors of TV Centre, in preparation for playing their single Death Disco, Public Image Ltd demanded their teeth were blacked out in make-up to appear ugly while Gary Numan remembers the overbearing union presence which prevented TOTP artists moving their own microphones without a union technician and the Musicians Union trying to ban him from the show for his use of synthesizers. The most popular musical styles of 1979 were 2 Tone, reggae and disco. The latter saw Nile Rodgers, the man of the year, score four hits with Chic as well as writing and producing a further four hits with Sister Sledge, Sheila B Devotion and Sugarhill Gang, who appeared with what would prove to be the first ever rap hit. Jamaican and UK reggae artists scored continual hits through the year and then watched as the Police notched up three hits with white reggae and the label 2 Tone revived the 60s reggae style known as ska. In November, in what is remembered as the 2 T
An anthology of Dave Allen's finest, funniest and most irreverent material, compiled from his time at the BBC from 1971 to 1986.
James May attempts to build a motorbike and sidecar entirely out of Meccano to take round the Isle of Man's famous TT circuit. But designing a machine capable of carrying James and his passenger, wine expert Oz Clarke, around the daunting 37-mile course is not a task for the faint-hearted. Fifteen thousand pieces of Meccano must be assembled to create a full-size, road-legal motorcycle that James hopes will be more than a match for the circuit's treacherous twists and turns, steep climbs and dizzying descents. And as in the real TT, the bike must race against the clock.
BBC political editor Nick Robinson examines the public's anxieties about immigration and reveals the facts of an issue that has transformed British politics. With Britain braced for a new wave of migrants from eastern Europe, a subject once regarded as toxic is now at the forefront of political discussion. The programme dissects the decisions which led to the biggest surge of immigration in modern history and asks whether politicians can control immigration as much as they claim, looking at the potential consequences of their pledges.
A richly detailed journey through the epic history of still life painting, featuring a range of delights from the earliest existing Xenia mural paintings discovered at Pompeii to the cubist masterpieces of Picasso. Awash with rich imagery of fruit, flowers and humble domestic objects, this lively take on the story of still life encompasses the work of some of the genre's greatest artists from Caravaggio to Chardin and Cezanne. But it also captures the surprising contributions of the less well known, including asparagus enthusiast Adriaen Coorte and female flower painter in the court of Louis XVI, Anne Vallayer-Coster. With contributions from historians Bettany Hughes and Janina Ramirez, art historians Andrew Graham Dixon and Norman Bryson, and philosopher Alain de Botton amongst others, it opens up the huge social histories that lie behind the paintings and the fascinating lives of the people who made them.
Michael Grade saw Annie Get Your Gun as a small boy in the 1950s and ever since he has been hooked on musicals - and their stars. He and his family have represented some of the world's greatest musical performers and he knows and understands talent. But one question has always fascinated him - is it the musical which creates the star or the star who makes the musical? In search of answers, Michael interviews stars and directors on both sides of the Atlantic, including Michael Ball, Elaine Paige, Dominic West, Imelda Staunton, Joel Grey, Chita Rivera, Hal Prince and Trevor Nunn. In what way are the qualities of a musical star unique? Michael explores the alchemy of the musical by looking at performances from the 1940s onwards in key shows like Oklahoma!, My Fair Lady, West Side Story, Evita and Les Miserables - examining the union of musicals that brilliantly reflect their time with performers who can interpret their magic. Michael uses all the knowledge, taste and judgement he has built up over decades as he sets out to define what it is that makes the great musical stars great.
Sir Terry Wogan discovers why timing is everything as he explores the human body clock, a ticking timepiece that lives in our brain and controls the daily rhythms of our body with the outside world. Many people are completely unaware of it, and have no idea there is an optimum time for everything - from driving safely to exercising, and even visiting the dentist.
To become a Salvation Army officer, cadets must shed the skin of their old lives, promise to reject treasures on earth in favour of true spiritual gifts and commit to 'care for the poor, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, love the unlovable and befriend those who have no friends'. This documentary takes us inside the training college for this most distinctive of British institutions, introducing the individuals and families who give up their jobs and leave their homes to work full-time for 'The Army' for just £7,500 a year. We meet new recruit Darron, who has left behind a successful career as a commercial baker and moved his family onto the college campus; Sylvia, a former ballroom dancer turned social worker who is beginning her work on the streets helping the fallen; and Annmarie, who was rescued by social services when she was a child and joined the Salvation Army when she was adopted. The uniforms, rank structure and brass bands are as much as part of Army life as social work with the homeless, prostitutes, trafficked women and addicts. This subtle and sensitive film also explores the universal questions of virtue, faith, doubt and the nature of salvation. As the new recruits adjust to the strict code and unwritten rules of this deeply institutionalised organisation, we hear their stories of God's personal calling, the transformation that led them to take this leap of faith and the doubts they face.
Our high street chains are powerful selling machines. With exclusive access to some of Britain's biggest stores, Cherry Healey goes behind the scenes to find out how the sales work from the inside - so that we can all become savvier sale shoppers. Cherry goes backstage in the John Lewis summer sale, gets inside a critical mark down meeting where sale prices and sale strategy are set, and she discovers the addictive way bargain hunting can affect our bodies. Cherry also uncovers hidden sales offering huge price cuts, learns how major high street retailers use scent to try and influence our behaviour, and meets with a sofa manufacturer willing to admit furniture sales can be a psychological trick.
There are believed to be over 600,000 illegal immigrants in the UK today, the subject of heated political debate but frequently hidden from public view. Foreign correspondent Fergal Keane finds out what life is really like for a group of illegal immigrants struggling to survive on Britain's streets. He asks what drew them here, follows their battles to beat the system and shows how ineffective the authorities can be in dealing with them
Documentary about an adventure that has become known as the greatest dog story ever told and captured the imagination of children and adults throughout the world for almost a century. On January 28, 1925, newspapers and radio stations broke a terrifying story - diphtheria had broken out in Nome, Alaska, a city separated from the rest of the world for seven months by a frozen ocean. With aviation still in its infancy and amidst one of the harshest winters on record, there was only one way to reach the town - dogsled. In minus 60 degrees, over 20 men and at least 150 dogs, among them the famous Balto, set out to relay the antitoxin across 674 miles of Alaskan wilderness to save the town.
After weeks of devastating weather across the UK, Sophie Raworth presents a special programme in which BBC News correspondents report on the scale of the damage, what caused it, and how those affected by it are coping.
Underage drinking is a serious issue in the North East of England. The region has the country's highest percentage of 11 to 15-year-olds drinking alcohol and it also has double the national average of under-18s in treatment for drink related problems. This film follows Phil Tye, a youth worker on the frontline who is fighting against the drink epidemic, and asks teenagers why they start drinking so early and why they drink so much.
Neil Oliver follows the work of the team of historians and scientists trying to discover the final resting place of the remains of 9th-century English king Alfred the Great, with the monarch's bones having been moved so many times over the years that many people concluded that they were lost for ever. Travelling from Winchester to Rome, Neil also tells the story of Alfred's life, revealing a man who forged a united language and identity and laid the foundations of the English nation.
An intimate family portrait of the film director John Boorman by one who should know him best - his daughter Katrine. Now over 80 years old, the director of Hell in the Pacific, Excalibur, Deliverance and The Emerald Forest is one of the last great mavericks. His daughter, who previously had never held a camera, spent four years filming her father who, during the process, found it impossible to resist taking control and offering her a crash course in filmmaking. Vulnerable, cross, funny, wild and wise, Boorman chronicles his adventures in Hollywood, but also talks with great honesty about his childhood, his marriages, his passion for nature, his need for danger and why film is the only thing he ever truly loved. Though the film is also a portrait of one of the most influential British filmmakers of the last 40 years, most of all it is a story of a father and daughter finding their way back to each other through the language of film.
Stephen Gough has been in prison in Scotland for nearly seven years. Most of that time he has been naked in solitary confinement. Stephen is 'the Naked Rambler', well-known for walking in public wearing just a pair of boots and a rucksack. A controversial figure, Stephen's incarceration has meant he has not seen his two teenage children grow up. This film follows Stephen as he attempts to walk home to his family in Eastleigh, Hampshire. Walking over 400 miles naked is fraught with difficulties. It is a four-month quest beset by arrests, police cells, court appearances, releases, rearrests and prison. Along the way, director Guy Gilbert attempts to understand how Stephen became the most notorious naked man in Britain and to examine his quest for 'freedom'. Why does a man persist in public nakedness when, time and again, his actions have landed him in jail? How does the public react to the sight of him? Is what he does 'wrong'? Is his cause really worth more than his family? Helping us understand, perspectives are offered from Stephen's family and from supporters who join him along the way. By turns funny, frustrating and emotional, this film challenges our own notions of the law, freedom and morality.
In 1944, at the Nazi concentration camp of Terezin, the imprisoned Czech conductor Rafael Schachter formed a choir of 150 of his fellow Jewish prisoners to brazenly perform Verdi's Requiem before the very Nazis who had condemned them to death. Transcending the horrors around them, night after night they rehearsed in a dark, mouldy and suffocating cellar, with a broken piano. In a calm message of defiance, each time a choir member was murdered by the SS, a new singer would replace them. The final performance took place in front of the camp's Nazi brass, visiting high-ranking SS officers from Berlin and gullible Red Cross inspectors brought in to verify that the prisoners were being well treated. This film features surviving Nazi propaganda footage of Terezin as it was perversely stage-managed during a Red Cross inspection visit to appear like an attractive Jewish commune. Shortly after the performance, both Schachter and most of his choir would be sent to Auschwitz. But through the transformation of Verdi's music into a proclamation of their unbroken spirit and warning of God's coming wrath against their captors, the prisoners had been able to sing to their captors what they dared not say. For over ten years, distinguished American conductor Murry Sidlin, who found out about the choir in the 1990s, dreamed of bringing the Requiem back to Terezin. Now, through soaring concert footage, powerful survivor recollections, cinematic dramatizations and evocative animation, their heartbreaking story is brought to life.
With over 70 million pets at home, Britain is a nation of animal lovers. The Zoo Next Door features people who've taken animal ownership to extremes. Jasmine Harman has previously helped hoarders to take their lives in hand but in this film she meets animal fanatics who've virtually given up their lives for their animals. Jasmine, who's mad about dogs, brings the animal welfare experts in when change is needed but finds out that even with extreme numbers, some owners wouldn't change a thing.
Historian Dan Snow looks back at 90 years of the Winter Olympics and shows how the political upheaval of the 20th and 21st century had an impact on the Games. Dan embarks on an epic journey across nine countries meeting some of the key people who helped shape the Winter Games. He tells the disturbing story of the Winter Olympics in Nazi Germany, the tense Olympic rivalry between East and West during the cold war, ending with the Miracle on Ice and the unforgettable, emotional Olympics in Sarajevo. Sarajevo was a city that in 1984 chimed to the music of Bolero - Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean reminisce about their performance as if it was a dream. Just eight years later most of the Olympic sites were destroyed during the civil war. Dan completes his journey in a little known Swiss village of Mürren where the blue riband event of the Winter Olympics, Alpine skiing, was first organised by a British man, Arnold Lunn. Did the British really invent the Winter Olympics? Not quite, but it is true that the British played and extraordinary role.
The contrast between the majestic statues of Easter Island and the desolation of their surroundings is stark. For decades Easter Island, or Rapa Nui as the islanders call it, has been seen as a warning from history for the planet as a whole - wilfully expend natural resources and the collapse of civilisation is inevitable. But archaeologist Dr Jago Cooper believes this is a disastrous misreading of what happened on Easter Island. He believes that its culture was a success story not a failure, and the real reasons for its ultimate demise were far more shocking. Cooper argues that there is an important lesson that the experience of Easter Island can teach the rest of the world, but it doesn't begin by blaming its inhabitants for their own downfall. This film examines the latest scientific and archaeological evidence to reveal a compelling new narrative, one that sees the famous statues as only part of a complex culture that thrived in isolation. Cooper finds a path between competing theories about what happened to Easter Island to make us see this unique place in a fresh light.
Five stories of aspiration against a background of poverty and austerity. With the aim of finding the real people behind familiar media stereotypes, documentary-maker Peter Gordon travels through Yorkshire and talks to some of those struggling through hard times. Fran and her daughter Niamh live in one of the most deprived parts of Leeds in a house whose fabric is falling apart. Niamh, without telling her mother, applied for entry to an exclusive fee-paying school, one she has always dreamed of attending. She won a bursary. This is her way out of a life with no future and Fran, who suffers from epilepsy, recognises this and fully supports her, but at great personal cost. Their struggle is felt every day, but the way they talk about themselves and their situation is heartfelt, perceptive and amusing. A mile or so up the road on another estate lives Charlotte, a young single parent with two small children, who talks about her early ambitions and present frustration. She feels isolated and trapped, but looks ahead and plans for the future. Charlotte is determined to succeed as a working mother. In Sheffield there is a lunch club where the elderly can go for an hour or two for a meal and some company - small reward for a life of hard physical labour. In the north east an angry and unemployed 22-year-old yearns for a job, security and a family life, while in well-heeled York a young couple with two small children live in a cramped and overcrowded flat, all sleeping in one damp bedroom with fungus on the ceiling. These are the real voices of the disadvantaged, the excluded or the marginalised who, between the four walls of their homes, dream, hope and plan for a better future.
Documentary produced and directed by rock superstar Dave Grohl (who also appears in the film) in which he uncovers stories about the Los Angeles studio Sound City, where some of the greatest rock albums of all time were perfected and recorded. Sound City was state of the art when it opened in 1969, featuring a legendary Neve recording console. Through interviews with the musicians and producers who have worked at the studio over the years, the film uncovers and defines the intangible magic within those wires and walls that was responsible for such an incredible history of contemporary music. For over four decades, it was the birthplace of some of the world's most treasured music, including Nirvana's Nevermind, Neil Young's After the Gold Rush, Tom Petty's Damn the Torpedoes, Fleetwood Mac's eponymous album and Johnny Cash's Unchained, to name just a few. Grohl discovers the stories of the iconic bands that recorded there. We learn how Mick Fleetwood met Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham at Sound City, leading to them joining Fleetwood Mac, and discover why musicians and producers such as Butch Vig, Frank Black, Trent Reznor and Lars Ulrich all chose to work in its analogue environment over newer, more state-of-the-art studios. Grohl also tracks the growth of digital music and the inevitable death of analogue recording, which changed the industry and Sound City forever. The story of Sound City is an integral part of the personal story of Dave Grohl, whose music was forever influenced by those who once recorded in Studio A and left their mark in the form of the many platinum records hanging on the walls within. He completes the film by bringing some of the great names together at his Studio 606 to record a new album on the original Sound City Neve console, culminating in new performances from Rick Springfield, Stevie Nicks, Lee Ving, Josh Homme, Trent Reznor, Krist Novoselic and Sir Paul McCartney. Featuring contributions from Neil Young, Tom Petty, S
The definitive documentary record of one of Jimi Hendrix's most celebrated performances, now digitally remastered and featuring footage never seen on television before. It includes such signature songs as Purple Haze, Voodoo Child (Slight Return) and his rendition of the Star Spangled Banner, as well as interviews with Woodstock promoter Michael Lang and Hendrix band members Mitch Mitchell, Billy Cox, Larry Lee and Juma Sultan among others.
On 14 February 1984, two ice skaters achieved perfection and Olympic gold. This is the story of that day.
Neil Sedaka is one of the most successful American singer-songwriters of the last century. A classically-trained musician, he won a scholarship to the Julliard School at the age of nine and four years later he embarked on a writing career that would see him create some of the most perfect pop songs of all time. Throughout his career, he wrote, recorded and sang a litany of instantly recognisable and memorable tunes, as well as delivering a string of hits as a songwriter for other artists. This documentary portrait film tells the story of Neil Sedaka's life and career, in which he had two distinct periods of success. Between 1958 and 1963 he sold over 25 million records, but then his career nose-dived after the Beatles and the British Invasion hit the USA. Leaving his homeland, he found success in the UK in the early 1970s and relaunched his career before returning to the US and achieving new stardom with songs like Solitaire and Laughter in the Rain. Neil gives great insight into how he created catchy classics like Calendar Girl, (Is This the Way to) Amarillo, Breaking Up Is Hard to Do, Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen and Stupid Cupid, amongst many others.
Mike Dilger investigates the mystery behind bronze age burial goods discovered on Dartmoor. They've been described as the most important find ever on the moor and give vital new clues about how our ancestors lived 4,000 years ago.
Dr Michael Mosley explores the bizarre and fascinating world of parasites by turning his body into a living laboratory and deliberately infesting himself with them. He travels to Kenya to give himself tapeworm - a parasite that can grow to many metres inside the human gut. He also encounters lice, leeches and the deadly malaria parasite, before swallowing a pill-camera to reveal what's growing within him. By the end of his infestation Michael learns a new-found respect for these extraordinary creatures, which can live off and even take control of their hosts for their own survival.
All over the country, thousands of women from 18 to 80 are signing up to work as online webcam models. For the girls it's the promise of easy money - the most successful models charge over £5 a minute and can make hundreds of pounds a day, all from the comfort of their own bedrooms. For the hundreds of thousands of men who have signed up, it means easy, one-on-one access to their favourite fantasy girl. This film looks into the secretive world of adult webcamming and meets three online performers to find out what it's really like baring all, online, for strangers all over the world. 25-year-old ex-pornstar Sammie has starred in over 100 adult movies, but her experiences in the industry have left her emotionally scarred. She's desperate to leave a troubled past behind and hopes that she can make enough money on the webcam to return to college. 24-year-old pornstar Carla is open-minded and up for trying most things on the webcam. Life as a webcam model may have taught her a lot about men and their secret desires, but it's making it tough for her to meet the right man. Ambitious 21-year-old glamour model Olivia thinks webcamming can boost her career. Unlike other webcam models she won't go fully nude, but with competition fierce, just how far will she have go to achieve her success?
A 21-year-old female student from the University of Leeds is stabbed to death in the picture postcard town of Perugia, Italy. After the horrific discovery, the search began for the murderer of Meredith Kercher. Now, an Italian Judge has found guilty Amanda Knox, an exchange student from the United States, and her Italian boyfriend. But Amanda Knox has gone on American breakfast television to say the judgement is wrong. Guilty or innocent? In the first TV documentary since the verdict, a team who have followed the case from the very first day present the evidence for and against Amanda Knox.
These days, opinionated journalists are two a penny. But back in the 1950s, Ian Nairn was part of a new breed of Angry Young Men. Aged just 25 and fresh out of the RAF, he burst onto the architectural scene with Outrage, a blistering attack on the soulless destruction of Britain by shoddy post-war planners. Published in the influential Architectural Review in June 1955, it led to the formation of the Civic Trust, whose remit was to tackle the 'subtopian' eyesores Nairn had so graphically exposed. Over the next two decades, Nairn became a tireless and passionate campaigner, both in print and on the BBC, inspiring a whole generation to take up arms against the second rate in our towns and cities. But he himself was a deeply flawed and troubled character, who slowly drank himself to death, feeling the battle to save Britain's soul had been lost. Close colleagues and admirers, including Jonathan Meades, Gillian Darley and Jonathan Glancey, pay tribute to a remarkable man who made us look afresh at the world around us.
BB King opens his heart and tells the story of how an oppressed and orphaned young man came to influence and earn the unmitigated praise of the music industry and its following to carry the title of king of the blues. Filmed on location all over America, as well as in the UK, this picture brings to life the heat- and gin-soaked plantations where it all began, with full cooperation of the BB King museum, owners of vaults and archives so precious and immense that several trips had to be made to revisit the collection and partake of its many gems. Prejudice and segregation has stained the lives of countless black persons and BB 'Riley' King made sure that through his music, he never allowed it to mar his spirit. This is the essence of the story that makes a beautiful film, both informative and visually captivating.
In a documentary to mark the 100-year anniversary of the outbreak of World War I, Sir Max Hastings argues that although the war was a great tragedy, it was far from being futile.
Hormones shape each and every one of us, affecting almost every aspect of our lives - our height, our weight, our appetites, how we grow and reproduce, and even how we behave and feel. This documentary tells the wonderful and often weird story of how hormones were discovered. Presenter John Wass, one the country's leading experts on hormones, relates some amazing stories - how as recently as the 19th century boys were castrated to keep their pure soprano voice, how juices were extracted from testicles in the hope they would rejuvenate old men and how true medical heroes like Frederick Banting discovered a way to make insulin, thus saving the lives of countless diabetes sufferers. And hormones remain at the cutting edge of medicine as we try and deal with modern scourges like obesity.
Documentary about the development of the Boeing 747 jumbo jet. The 747 was a game changer; the airliner that revolutionised mass, cheap air travel. But the first, wide-bodied plane was (originally) intended as a stopgap to Boeing's now-abandoned supersonic jet. This is the remarkable, untold story of the jumbo, a billion-dollar gamble that pushed 1960s technology to the limits to create the world's most recognisable plane.
Was the Great War a great mistake? In this innovative programme, Harvard historian Professor Niall Ferguson offers a different perspective on the First World War and argues that Britain's decision to enter the war was a tragic mistake. The First World War was one of the great turning points of modern history. We know where the war started: in the Bosnian capital of Sarajevo on 28 June 1914, when a Bosnian Serb named Gavrilo Princip murdered the heir to the Austro-Hungarian dual monarchy. But how and why did this crisis in the Balkans escalate into a bloody global conflagration? Did Britain really have to fight a war against Germany? Niall Ferguson links cutting-edge graphics and short illustrative stories to place the First World War into the context of human history. He then argues that much of the responsibility for the scale of the conflict lies with the British and suggests that Britain's decision to enter the war in 1914 was not merely tragic for those who lost their lives, it was also a catastrophic error that unleashed an era of totalitarianism and genocide around the world. At the same time, the war revealed a fundamental truth about humankind's propensity for violence. At the end of the programme these contentious issues are debated by leading WW1 experts and the studio audience.
As courtesans, fashion icons, political pawns and international celebrities, the great ballerinas have played a multitude of roles both on and off the stage. They have moved from the courts of kings to stages around the globe, from the highs of public adoration to the lows of injury and scandal. But few people know the full story. British prima ballerina Darcey Bussell spent two decades at the top, performing all the great roles in the classical repertoire and becoming one of ballet's most famous faces. She explores the changing role of the ballerina. Journeying from 18th-century France to 1950s America, she examines the challenges that her predecessors encountered, discovers the women who broke the rules and reveals what it takes to be one of the greats. A feast for the senses, Darcey's Ballerina Heroines is an authoritative history of the best ballets and the finest ballerinas.
Robert Peston travels to China to investigate how this mighty economic giant could actually be in trouble. China is now the second largest economy in the world and for the last 30 years China's economy has been growing at an astonishing rate. While Britain has been in the grip of the worst recession in a generation, China's economic miracle has wowed the world. Now, for BBC Two's award-winning strand This World, Peston reveals what has actually happened inside China since the economic collapse in the west in 2008. It is a story of spending and investment on a scale never seen before in human history.
In a never-before-attempted sleep experiment, Bristol Zoo has been rigged with cameras and sensors and Liz Bonnin and sleep expert Bryson Voirin stay up all night to see what the animals get up to when they think no-one is watching. From red pandas and lions to meerkats and tapirs, for the first time a whole range of animal sleep behaviours is compared and contrasted across the course of a single night. The programme delves into the extraordinary world of animal sleep, looking at not only what science has already discovered, but the questions which remain to be answered. From dolphins, which have come up with ingenious solutions to allow them to sleep while swimming, to ants which have developed complex behavioural patterns which ensure that the colony sleeps undisturbed, and meerkats, which keep an ear open for danger during sleep, and flamingos, which arrange themselves in order to keep a wary eye out for night-time predators.
Dr Jonathan Foyle examines the mysterious wartime disappearance of stained glass from Coventry Cathedral. He investigates rumours the windows were stolen and sold on the black market. But, more than 70 years on, could the truth embarrass reputations both at home and abroad?
David Bintley, director of the Birmingham Royal Ballet explores how the Second World War was the making of British ballet and how fundamental the years of hardship and adversity were in getting the British public to embrace ballet. Bintley shows how the then Sadler's Wells Ballet Company, led by Ninette de Valois and featuring a star-studded generation of British dancers and choreographers including Margot Fonteyn and Frederick Ashton, was forged during the Second World War. It's the story of how de Valois and her small company of dancers took what was essentially a foreign art-form and made it British despite the falling bombs, the rationing and the call-up. Plus it is the story of how Britain, as a nation, fell in love with ballet. Using rare and previously unseen footage, plus interviews with dance icons such as Dame Gillian Lynne and Dame Beryl Grey, Bintley shows how the Sadler's Wells Ballet company survived an encounter with Nazi forces in Holland, dancing whilst the bombs were falling in the Blitz, rationing and a punishing touring schedule to bring ballet to the British people as an antidote to the austerity the country faced to emerge post-war as The Royal Ballet.
Prima ballerina Darcey Bussell talks about her life at the top. From tears at ballet school and forgetting the steps, to becoming the Royal Ballet's youngest-ever principal and her favourite roles, Darcey recalls her performing career from its earliest days.
It's now 30 years since the epic struggle between the miners and a Conservative government led by Margaret Thatcher, a strike that lasted a bitter twelve months. Former Labour government minister Kim Howells was involved at the heart of the action, working for the National Union of Mineworkers in South Wales. In this deeply-felt memoir, he asks some challenging questions about the conduct, the strategy and the outcomes of the strike.
Tamara Rojo, world-famous ballerina and artistic director of English National Ballet, takes us backstage as she prepares for one of classical ballet's biggest challenges, the dual lead in Swan Lake. It is the ultimate role for any dancer, requiring her to play the completely contrasting characters - Odette the White Swan and Odile the Black Swan. With unprecedented access, the disarmingly candid Rojo reveals her insights on the role's physical and psychological challenges. Through demonstration and masterclass, she reveals how to read the choreography of some of Swan Lake's most famous scenes. Along the way Rojo gives us a glimpse of Swan Lake's history - its genesis through to 21st-century incarnations. She looks back at some of the greats that inspired her and leads the way forward, coaching the next generation of rising stars. This film celebrates Swan Lake as an evolving and living work of art - the ultimate classic.
David Dimbleby looks back at events in Westminster Abbey, where Archbishop Desmond Tutu, David Cameron and the Soweto Gospel Choir joined together in a powerful and moving service to celebrate the extraordinary life of Nelson Mandela, former President of South Africa.
The English Defence League has gained notoriety as the far-right street movement with racist and extremist members whose protests often end in violence. Many of its members feel misunderstood and misrepresented by the media. This film explores the lives of some of the females living within the EDL's ranks. After the murder of Fusilier Lee Rigby in May 2013, the EDL's ranks multiplied five times and a growing number joining the largely male group were women - they are known as EDL Angels. This film follows a committed Angel, a new member and a teenager trying to decide whether to join, over six tumultuous months, charting the impact of EDL leader Tommy Robinson's departure as well as unearthing their views and fears, and shining a light on what members of the EDL believe and why. Gail, 41, is the regional EDL leader for Yorkshire and one of the founding EDL Angels. The film follows her through the court case of the men accused of attacking her, leaving her jaw broken in seven places, and explores how her EDL beliefs have impacted on her life and family. Amanda is an 18-year-old new recruit from Yorkshire. From her first introduction to the EDL to her nervous debut at a demonstration, she speaks of the fear of Muslim extremists that has made her turn to the EDL. The programme follows her journey to understand the EDL's principles as well as the mixed reception she gets from friends about her new political interests. Katie, 16, from Reading is from a large extended family of staunch EDL supporters, including her mum and two sisters. Katie, however, struggles to make up her mind up about whether she wants to be part of their campaigning or if she's even prepared to tell her new college mates about her family's passion.
Photographer and film director Harry Hook, who grew up in the Sudan and Kenya and has been documenting life in Africa for 40 years, uses his images to tell a personal story as he crosses the continent to visit remote tribal groups. Harry tracks down five Samburu women he first photographed in Kenya 30 years ago. His aim is to give them a copy of their portrait and discover how their lives have changed over three decades. The search will be no small task - Samburuland covers an area the size of Wales and, as a semi-nomadic group, the women may well have moved great distances. During his search Harry witnesses a Lenkarna Lmuget, a once-in-a-decade coming-of-age ceremony for Samburu warriors, as they are initiated to become elders. There are not many parts of Africa where the lure of the city life is not felt. Harry ventures to isolated communities and encounters people living with one foot rooted in a rich cultural past, but who also embrace the here and now of contemporary Africa.
In the early 1960s, the BBC interviewed 280 eyewitnesses of the First World War for the series, The Great War. Using never-before-seen footage from these interviews, this film illuminates the poignant human experience of the war, through the eyes of those who survived it.
Bob Dylan described Missouri-born country boy Gene Clark as one of the three best songwriters in the world. He was the original frontman for one of the most iconic and influential bands of the 60s. After his abrupt departure from the Byrds at the peak of their popularity, he made records that are still regarded as classics. And he was one of the great pioneers of both folk rock and country rock. Yet, as far as the public is concerned, Clark is largely unknown and his reputation lags far behind that of peers such as Gram Parsons. Since his death in 1991 at the age of 46, his songs have been covered by artists ranging from Robert Plant to Yo La Tengo and he has been hailed as a key influence by successive generations of musicians such as Tom Petty, Primal Scream and Fleet Foxes, despite some of his albums having been unavailable for long periods and only now all in print again. This documentary explores the mystery of why this richly talented but deeply enigmatic and often self-destructive man failed to enjoy the success his work deserved. Drawing on interviews with his family, friends and fellow musicians including fellow Byrds David Crosby and Roger McGuinn, a wealth of great music from the four-decade span of his career and previously unseen archive material, it is a story that is both compelling and moving, veering between moments of magic and moments of madness. The film was made by a father and sons team - Paul, Jack and Dan Kendall - as a labour of love which took them right across America in search of the people and places that were part of Gene Clark's life.
Photographer Helmut Newton revolutionised fashion photography and electrified the art world with disturbing, highly eroticised images that transformed lush-bodied women into exquisite icons. This film, directed by Newton's frequent collaborator and wife of 56 years, June Newton, follows Helmut through photo sessions with an unselfconscious eye, as June turns the tables on Helmut to offer a voyeur's window into his personal and creative life. Poignant, comical and unsettling, it paints a riveting portrait of photography's dark prince as a man who is equally comfortable on either side of the camera.
Documentary telling the extraordinary untold story of soldiers' photography in the First World War. The British and German soldiers marched off to war with secret 'vest pocket' cameras, determined to record what they thought would be a great adventure, but few were prepared for the horrors they were about to witness and photograph. Their photos - many never seen before in public - provide a deeply moving document of their lives in the trenches and their rapid loss of innocence. With no soldier photographer alive to tell the tale, we join their close relatives on emotional journeys of discovery as they go in search of the secrets hidden within their ancestors' photographs. This is the war viewed from a new and surprising perspective - through the eyes of the men who fought in it.
From torn-out tongues to modern-day internet trolls, professor Mary Beard shares her belief that women's voices have been silenced throughout history, using examples ranging from the writings of Henry James to Homer's Odyssey and threatening posts on social media.
When Hastings Pier burnt down in 2010 many thought that was the end of Britain's first purpose-built pleasure pier. In a celebration of the golden age of the British seaside pier, we follow the local campaign to save her. Can she rise from the ashes and reinvent herself?
Prostitution in Britain is thriving, revolutionised by the internet and serviced by an estimated 100,000 sex workers. Billie JD Porter goes in search of the human face of the prostitution business, talking to the young men who routinely pay for sex about why they do it, and to the young women who sell their bodies about what's in it for them.
Obituary film of the lifelong Labour politician, Tony Benn, who was an MP for over 50 years. Born the son of a viscount, Benn was elected Labour MP for Bristol South East at the age of 25, and in his political career became a champion of the working class. After his father's death, Benn inherited the title of viscount, but he turned it down and with it a seat in the House of Lords, campaigning to change the Peerage Act, so that he could continue as an MP. Benn went onto serve as postmaster general and held cabinet posts as minister of industry and minister of energy under Harold Wilson. In 1981, he narrowly lost an election for Labour's deputy leadership to Dennis Healey. In 2001, Benn stepped down from the Commons in order to 'spend more time with politics'. He was president of Stop the War, campaigned against coalition cuts and ultimately became, in many people's eyes, a national treasure.
A group of friends have created a brand new subculture that is taking over the streets of Glasgow. They've established their very own fight club, but this is no ordinary wrestling event - this is brutal, riotous chaos. Fights don't always stay inside the ring, people are bounced off the side of buses and thrown off balconies in pubs. They now plan the biggest show of their lives. The stakes are high, will it bring them the fame and recognition they need to survive?
