BBC four

Writer, broadcaster and Newsnight arts correspondent Stephen Smith looks back at the Medieval Age to find out what it took to get ahead at the court of Richard II. Richard presided over the first truly sophisticated and artistic court in England. Painters, sculptors, poets, tailors, weavers and builders flocked to court to make their fortunes. But these were dangerous times. Being close to Richard

Michael Portillo continues his 1700 mile rail journey across southern Australia from Adelaide to Perth. Arriving in Kalgoorlie aboard the luxurious transcontinental Indian Pacific Railway, he strikes gold in one of the most lucrative goldfields in the world and strikes it lucky in the traditional Australian gambling game of Two Up. He enjoys a bird's eye view of Perth, one of the world's most isol

Narrowboater and film-maker Robbie Cumming crosses the Pennines on the picturesque Leeds and Liverpool Canal, and lends a hand to hire boaters in Gargrave, North Yorkshire. He also encounters Bingley Five Rise Locks, a wonder of the inland waterways.

Documentary series featuring dramatic reconstruction in which Lucy Worsley revisits key events in the lives of Henry VIII's six wives, revealing how each attempted to exert influence on the king and the Tudor court. Lucy delves into records of private moments and personal feelings in the women's lives that ended up shaping the course of history. This episode follows the emotional and physical stru

Writer, broadcaster and Newsnight arts correspondent Stephen Smith looks back at the Medieval Age to find out what it took to get ahead at the court of Richard II. Richard presided over the first truly sophisticated and artistic court in England. Painters, sculptors, poets, tailors, weavers and builders flocked to court to make their fortunes. But these were dangerous times. Being close to Richard

Armed with his 1913 Bradshaw's Guide, Michael Portillo crosses the south east of Australia, from the seat of government in Canberra to the multi-ethnic heart of its second largest city, Melbourne, in the state of Victoria. Floating above Canberra in a hot air balloon, Michael sees how Australia's "Bush Capital" was planned in the early 20th century and tours the nation's parliament. He takes the h

Jump on board with narrowboater Robbie Cumming as he explores the Victorian village of Saltaire in West Yorkshire on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, moors up in Leeds Dock, and goes in search of an abandoned waterway on the Aire and Calder Navigation.

Technical developments are enabling us to see the world of plants in ever greater detail, giving us insights into their remarkable abilities to adapt and survive.

Florida is famous for its beaches, blue water and year round sun – but it also has a surprising wild side. It is home to pine forests, coral reefs and the famous Everglades wetland, the largest sub-tropical wilderness in the US. Here, manatees swim in crystal clear rivers, baby alligators practice their hunting skills and miniature deer roam free. Every year, this state faces the full forces of na

Exploring the corner of England that featured so strongly in the life of Thomas Hardy.

Desmond Hawkins finds local features that can be identified in Thomas Hardy's novels.

When Farmer Lodge brings home his new bride, a mysterious enemy awaits.

The lives of two "Fellow Townsmen" become tragically interwoven.

Like a ghost from the past, the Halborough brothers' drunken father reappears to destroy their image of respectability. Dramatised by Dennis Potter and starring John Hurt.

Class is present from the time the very first novels in English appeared. This episode begins with one of the most famous portrayals of the fate of the poor and the destitute – Charles Dickens's Oliver Twist, published in 1837. The "Condition of England" novel, by writers such as Dickens, Disraeli and Elizabeth Gaskell, whose Mary Barton is set in industrial Manchester, drew attention to and invok

Armed with his 1913 Bradshaw's Guide, Michael Portillo crosses the south east of Australia, from the seat of government in Canberra to the multi-ethnic heart of its second largest city, Melbourne, in the state of Victoria. Floating above Canberra in a hot air balloon, Michael sees how Australia's "Bush Capital" was planned in the early 20th century and tours the nation's parliament. He takes the h

Jump on board with narrowboater Robbie Cumming as he explores the Victorian village of Saltaire in West Yorkshire on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, moors up in Leeds Dock, and goes in search of an abandoned waterway on the Aire and Calder Navigation.

Dan Cruickshank reveals the extraordinary story behind the design and building of iconic First World War memorials and explores the idea behind the creation of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Michael Portillo continues his exploration of southeast Australia in Melbourne, Victoria, guided by his 1913 Bradshaw. In the suburb of Lilydale, he discovers Coombe Cottage, the beautiful former home of Melbourne's superstar soprano, Dame Nellie Melba, built in 1912. Michael hears about her life and her worldwide fame and enjoys a private recital of one of her best-known songs. He also tastes the

The real side of boating with Robbie Cumming. On the last leg of his epic journey across the north of England, Robbie tackles the fast-flowing River Ouse and is forced to make an emergency stop. His destination is Ripon Basin at the outer reaches of our inland waterways.

Timeshift explores the lost world of coal mining and the extraordinarily rich social and cultural lives of those who worked in what was once Britain's most important industry. It's a story told through a largely forgotten film archive that movingly documents the final years of coal's heyday from the 1940s to the 1980s. One priceless piece of footage features a ballet performance by tutu-wearing co

Beautiful and headstrong Bathsheba Everdene catches the eye of local farmer Gabriel Oak when she arrives to live with her aunt in the Dorset village of Norcombe. She declines his offer of marriage, but their lives continue to intertwine as fate brings contrasting fortunes to both of them. Adapted by David Nicholls for BBC Films from the novel by Thomas Hardy.

Thomas Vinterberg gehörte einst zu den Mitbegründern von „Dogma 95“, dem Manifest, das zum Verzicht auf künstliche Beleuchtung, herbeigeschaffte Requisiten und Filmmusik aufforderte. Spartanische Bedingungen, von denen sich der dänische Regisseur („Die Jagd“) längst verabschiedet hat. Seine Thomas-Hardy-Verfilmung „Am grünen Rand der Welt“ ist ein betörendes Kostümdrama in opulenten Bildern. Carey

This month, The Sky at Night teams up with BBC Ideas to discover the secrets of archaeology and astronomy and to reflect on our ancestral skies. Throughout history and across the world, humanity has looked up and marvelled at the night sky. From ancient civilizations who were guided by the sun, moon and stars, to modern astronomers uncovering the universe's history, we have always found deep meani

A glorious national obsession is explored in this archive-rich look at the evolution of the weather forecast from print via radio to TV and beyond – and at the changing weather itself. It shows how the Met Office and the BBC have always used the latest technology to bring the holy grail of accurate forecasting that much closer – even if the odd messenger like TV weatherman Michael Fish has been sh