BBC four

Using the BBC film archives, historian Vanessa Collinridge explores how our view of Cleopatra has changed and evolved over the years – from Roman propaganda, through Shakespeare's role in casting her as a doomed romantic heroine, to her portrayal in the golden age of Hollywood. Along the way Vanessa investigates Cleopatra's relationships with Julius Caesar and Mark Anthony, her role as a politicia

Documentary about English Egyptologist Flinders Petrie, the pioneer of systematic methodology in archaeology. Ancient Egypt was vandalised by tomb raiders and treasure hunters until this Victorian adventurer took them on. Most people have never heard of him, but this maverick undertook a scientific survey of the pyramids, discovered the oldest portraits in the world, unearthed Egypt's prehistoric

The great history of Egypt is inscribed on its monuments, temples and tombs, but hieroglyphs – the written language of the ancient Egyptians – fell silent until 1822 when a young French scholar, Jean-François Champollion, became the first person to decipher their texts for over a thousand years. Champollion's insights and the work of other scholars helped bring an entire civilisation back to life.

The story of King Akhenaten and Queen Nefertiti's reign, and its mysterious end.

The final programme of the series looks at the life and times of Tutankhamun himself. The discovery of his treasure-filled tomb made this king world-famous – the one ancient Egyptian that everyone has heard of – but paradoxically, the details of his life are harder to make out than those of many other less well-known pharaohs. His was a short and not very glorious reign in a troubled time, and a l

Award-winning film-maker Norma Percy looks back on her acclaimed 1998 documentary series The Fifty Years War: Israel and the Arabs. Through interviews and analysis from key players of the time, the series forensically detailed the conflict's origins and key moments, and here Norma shares how the programme came to life, how she gained the trust of some of the most significant figures of the day and

The formation of the state of Israel and the wars of 1948 and 1956. Made in 1998.

Tracing the dramatic and covert events leading to the Six Day War of 1967. Made in 1998.

Documentary about English Egyptologist Flinders Petrie, the pioneer of systematic methodology in archaeology. Ancient Egypt was vandalised by tomb raiders and treasure hunters until this Victorian adventurer took them on. Most people have never heard of him, but this maverick undertook a scientific survey of the pyramids, discovered the oldest portraits in the world, unearthed Egypt's prehistoric

The story of King Akhenaten and Queen Nefertiti's reign, and its mysterious end.

Using the BBC film archives, historian Vanessa Collinridge explores how our view of Cleopatra has changed and evolved over the years – from Roman propaganda, through Shakespeare's role in casting her as a doomed romantic heroine, to her portrayal in the golden age of Hollywood. Along the way Vanessa investigates Cleopatra's relationships with Julius Caesar and Mark Anthony, her role as a politicia

Tim Dunn visits the former HQ of London Underground, 55 Broadway.

Chris Beardshaw travels around by helicopter on a mission to find Britain's most inspirational gardens. This edition comes from Kent, where he drops in on an enthusiastic group of organic farmers and helps a family trying to grow their own produce.

Fletch's probation officer gets him a job as a night porter.

Lionel offers Jean a free cruise holiday, but her response is not what he'd imagined.

The second film in this intimate portrait finds Princess Margaret and her husband Anthony Armstrong-Jones at the start of their married life in the early 1960s. At home with celebrities and artists, they are riding the wave of a cultural and sexual revolution that is transforming Britain. In 1965, they set off on an official royal tour of the United States. From California to small-town Arizona, t

A Storyville documentary that follows the lives of Argentina's gauchos (cowboys and cowgirls), who proudly preserve their traditions in a fast-changing world. They travel on horseback, accompanied by their dogs, moving their cattle across stunning landscapes. Their handmade clothing – woollen ponchos, bombacha trousers and boina hats – are signs to the outside world that they remain unshackled by

The story of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation. Made in 1998.

The 1973 Yom Kippur War and the 1978 Arab-Israeli Agreement. Made in 1998.

The great history of Egypt is inscribed on its monuments, temples and tombs, but hieroglyphs – the written language of the ancient Egyptians – fell silent until 1822 when a young French scholar, Jean-François Champollion, became the first person to decipher their texts for over a thousand years. Champollion's insights and the work of other scholars helped bring an entire civilisation back to life.

The final programme of the series looks at the life and times of Tutankhamun himself. The discovery of his treasure-filled tomb made this king world-famous – the one ancient Egyptian that everyone has heard of – but paradoxically, the details of his life are harder to make out than those of many other less well-known pharaohs. His was a short and not very glorious reign in a troubled time, and a l

Chris Beardshaw travels around by helicopter on a mission to find Britain's most inspirational gardens. This edition comes from Kent, where he drops in on an enthusiastic group of organic farmers and helps a family trying to grow their own produce.

The second film in this intimate portrait finds Princess Margaret and her husband Anthony Armstrong-Jones at the start of their married life in the early 1960s. At home with celebrities and artists, they are riding the wave of a cultural and sexual revolution that is transforming Britain. In 1965, they set off on an official royal tour of the United States. From California to small-town Arizona, t

Tim Dunn visits the architecture of the Stockton & Darlington railway.

Chris Beardshaw visits inspirational gardens by helicopter. He travels to Devon to help Carol Cooper and her husband Stephen develop a beautiful spring woodland garden.

Leaving Everest Base Camp Michael Palin takes the high road to Lhasa to see for himself what the Chinese have done to Tibet. From the Potala Palace to the great monasteries of Tashilunpo and Sera he sees that religion is once again tolerated, while at the same time the old Tibetan centre of the city is being torn down and replaced with modern Chinese shopping malls and nightclubs. Following the pi

In the concluding episode of the series, Jim encounters ever larger cosmic structures to reveal the latest breakthroughs in our understanding of the universe. For example, there's the heliosphere, a vast cloud of solar plasma that surrounds and protects the solar system. Its unique physics help us understand why life is possible. Larger still, Jim comes face to face with our galactic home the Milk

Actress Vivien Heilbron looks back on the 1982 drama series Cloud Howe, the second part of the BBC's acclaimed adaptation of Lewis Grassic Gibbon's classic trilogy A Scots Quair. Vivien's character Chris is now moving on from the death of her first husband, newly married to a church minister and trying to manage a new life in a small town where gossip and rumour runs rife.

Moving from Kinraddie to the mill town of Segget, Chris Guthrie is now married to a young and idealistic minister, Robert. Her unease grows as she struggles to understand the dark moods that engulf her new husband as his vision for the town is met with resistance.

Political unrest grows in Segget as Chris dreams of having another child.

Testing times in Segget as Chris is met with suspicion and rumours, which upset Robert.

Chris and Robert are wearied by life as they increasingly find they can do little to help the townsfolk after the closure of the mills. The mills' demise leaves families homeless with devastating consequences. Robert's health deteriorates.

Chris Beardshaw visits inspirational gardens by helicopter. He travels to Devon to help Carol Cooper and her husband Stephen develop a beautiful spring woodland garden.

Leaving Everest Base Camp Michael Palin takes the high road to Lhasa to see for himself what the Chinese have done to Tibet. From the Potala Palace to the great monasteries of Tashilunpo and Sera he sees that religion is once again tolerated, while at the same time the old Tibetan centre of the city is being torn down and replaced with modern Chinese shopping malls and nightclubs. Following the pi

Tim Dunn sees Swindon's railway village and explores the past of Milan's station.

„Notting Hill“-Regisseur Roger Michell trifft vier außergewöhnliche Aktricen, die von der englischen Königin zur „Dame“ geadelt wurden: Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Eileen Atkins und Joan Plowright. Die launige Plauderei konzentriert sich vor allem auf frühe Bühnen- und Filmerfahrungen, mit teils tollen Ausschnitten. Einziges Manko: Das deutsche Voiceover nervt. Lieber OmU-Fassung gucken.

Four women, driven to desperation in 1920s London, take a holiday in an Italian castle.

Documentary from 1974 about the classic comedy duo Laurel and Hardy.

Der Ruhm des legendären Komikergespanns Stan Laurel und Oliver Hardy ist 1953 etwas verblasst. Ein windiger Promoter überzeugt die beiden, auf Bühnentour durch Großbritannien zu gehen. Nach einem schleppenden Start spricht sich herum, dass es die Comedians noch immer draufhaben. Das Publikum strömt. Doch bei Stan und Ollie kriselt es. Während Stan von einem letzten großen Film träumt, plagen Ollie