Spying on the Royals

Britain's Most Historic Towns

November 2024 •English

In this unique take on British history, Professor Alice Roberts explores Britain's rich and varied past through the stories of individual towns and cities. In each programme Alice studies one key period in history by delving into the secrets of a historic town that encapsulates the era, providing an accurate impression of what life was really like at key moments in our turbulent past. At the climax of each programme, cutting-edge CGI reveals the entire historic town in all its former glory.

The Story of the Royals

November 2024 •English

A two-night, four-hour primetime television event documenting the fascinating lives of the British royal family, featuring an extraordinary panel of experts and voices. Explore pivotal moments in the crown’s history beginning with a simple question: How exactly did we get here?

Secrets of the Royals on Tour

November 2024 •English

Surprising secrets, incredible moments and often emotional milestones in the history of our globetrotting royals. With archive footage as well as interviews with royal insiders.

Royal History's Biggest Fibs with Lucy Worsley

November 2024 •English

Historian Lucy Worsley debunks popular myths and royal as well as anti-royal propaganda about key events from British royal history including the English Reformation, the attack of the Spanish Armada and Queen Anne's forgotten legacy.

In the Footsteps of... with Gyles Brandreth

November 2024 •English

This four-part series tells the stories of the landscapes, towns and cities which inspired four of the UK's greatest writers - Jane Austen, Thomas Hardy, Charles Dickens and the Brontes.

If Walls Could Talk: The History of the Home

November 2024 •English

Lucy Worsley, chief curator of the historic royal palaces, takes us through 800 years of domestic history by exploring the British home through four rooms, meeting experts and historians on the way.

Bone Detectives: Britain's Buried Secrets

November 2024 •English

Tori Herridge and a team of scientists piece together life stories behind unearthed bones

A Very Royal Crisis: Countdown to Abdication

November 2024 •English

This is the true tale of the biggest scandal ever to engulf the British Royal Family – a forbidden love affair which had a devastating impact. This series recounts the story behind the ten days leading to Edward VIII abdicating his throne to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson. It would change the royals, the press and British history forever.

Time Team

November 2024 •English

Time Team is a British television series which has been aired on British Channel 4 from 1994. Created by television producer Tim Taylor and presented by actor Tony Robinson, each episode featured a team of specialists carrying out an archaeological dig over a period of three days, with Robinson explaining the process in layman's terms. This team of specialists changed throughout the series' run, although has consistently included professional archaeologists such as Mick Aston, Carenza Lewis, Francis Pryor and Phil Harding. The sites excavated over the show's run have ranged in date from the Palaeolithic right through to the Second World War.

Seven Ages of Britain

November 2024 •English

Seven Ages of Britain is a BBC television documentary series which is written and presented by David Dimbleby. The seven part series was first aired on Sunday nights at 9:00pm on BBC One starting on 31 January 2010. The series covers the history of Britain's greatest art and artefacts over the past 2000 years. Each episode covers a different period in British history. In Australia, all seven episodes aired on ABC1 each Tuesday at 8:30pm from 7 September 2010.

Susan Calman's Grand Day Out

November 2024 •English

The comedian explores the British isles in her vintage camper van, Helen, taking in some dramatic scenery, unspoilt countryside and incredible historic sights along the way.

Persons of Interest

November 2024 •English

Four episodes, each featuring a "person of interest" — Roger Milliss, Michael Hyde, Gary Foley and Frank Hardy — exploring their previously secret ASIO intelligence file.

London: 2000 Years of History

November 2024 •English

History series telling the glorious and gory story of the city's rise to power.

King Alfred and the Anglo Saxons

November 2024 •English

Michael Wood argues that the most important and influential British kings were a father, son and grandson who lived over a thousand years ago during the age of the Vikings.

Andrew Marr's The Making of Modern Britain

November 2024 •English

Andrew Marr's The Making of Modern Britain is a 2009 BBC documentary television series presented by Andrew Marr that covers the period of British history from the death of Queen Victoria to the end of the Second World War. It was a follow-up to his 2007 series Andrew Marr's History of Modern Britain.

Carved with Love: The Genius of British Woodwork

November 2024 •English

Series looking at the British genius for woodwork over the centuries.

Princess Margaret: The Rebel Royal

November 2024 •English

This two-part series profiles Princess Margaret, whose life and loves reflected the social and sexual revolution that transformed Britain during the 20th century.

Il était une fois l'amour à la française

November 2024 •French

She-Wolves: England's Early Queens

November 2024 •English

Historian Dr Helen Castor explores the lives of seven English queens who challenged male power, the fierce reactions they provoked and whether the term 'she-wolves' was deserved.

Chivalry and Betrayal: The Hundred Years War

November 2024 •English

The Hundred Years’ war between England and France gave us the victories of Crecy and Agincourt, and made the reputations of Edward III and Henry V. It gave France a national heroine in Joan of Arc. But, even now, the jury is out as to its causes and outcome. Was it the final swansong of a redundant knightly class whose only reason for being was to fight? Was it a battle over ever more important territory to the emerging economies of England and France? Or was it the painful birth of two distinct national identities, forged through their long and violent divorce? Dr Janina Ramirez guides us through the stories of kings, great knights, bloody battles and cultural triumphs of this momentous conflict.