BBC four

Andrew Scott narrates a special programme which celebrates winter and explores how animals and plants rise to the challenges it brings. With their world encased in snow and ice, animals must find the most inventive ways to survive and even benefit from the cold. Caribou become ice road travellers as it gets slippery underfoot, stoats make their own fur bedding, and snow monkeys find a warm bath. E

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 Staf

With the help of a team of experts and the latest in 3D scanning technology, Alexander Armstrong, along with Dr Michael Scott, explores the hidden underground treasures that made Rome the powerhouse of the ancient world. In his favourite city, he uncovers a lost subterranean world that helped build and run the world's first metropolis and its empire. From the secret underground world of the Coloss

Best known for 'Nelson's Ship in a Bottle', which appeared on the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square, Yinka Shonibare MBE is one of Britain's foremost contemporary artists, rising to fame as part of the "Sensation" generation along with Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin in the early 1990s. Since then Shonibare has created a unique body of work. Often influenced by his Nigerian origins and combining dark

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 Staf

Like clockwork, our planet spins on its axis, orbiting its annual route around the giant star without which we would cease to exist. As our planet traverses this year-long journey, our distance from the sun produces the four seasons that drastically alter Earth's landscapes and wildlife habits. In this four-part documentary series we explore the seasons in their full glory, showcasing the changes

The sound of the countryside fills the air as broadcaster and author Selina Scott enjoys a gentle walk around Wharfedale in the Yorkshire Dales. Exploring quaint villages, magical waterways and breathtaking landscapes, Selina offers her personal take on this special corner of the Dales. Filming herself and all that is around her on a 360-degree camera, Selina wanders through the countryside, often

Long-running general knowledge quiz that tests the intellectual powers of the brightest undergraduates in Britain. Launched in 1962 and hosted by Bamber Gascoigne, the show achieved cult status with teams from two different rival colleges pitting their wits against each other each week. The questions are as varied and as tough as they can be, and competitors risk having hard-earned points deducted

As a Christmas treat for comedy fans, this is a complete episode of The Morecambe and Wise Show, that had been considered lost for over 50 years. Eric's son Gary Morecambe discovered the programme in an unmarked film can last year, and now it has been lovely restored and can be enjoyed in full for the first time since being broadcast on October 8th 1970. The show, written by the legendary Eddie Br

Few figures in British history have captured the popular imagination as much as the outlaw. From gentleman highwaymen, via swashbuckling pirates to elusive urban thieves and rogues, the brazen escapades and the flamboyance of the outlaw made them the antihero of their time – feared by the rich, admired by the poor and celebrated by writers and artists. In this three-part series, historian Dr Sam W

We love talking about the weather – is it too hot or too cold, too wet or too windy? It's a national obsession. Now scientists have started looking to the heavens and wondering what the weather might be like on other planets. Today, we are witnessing the birth of extraterrestrial meteorology, as technology is allowing astronomers to study other planets like never before. They began with our solar

With the help of a team of experts and the latest in 3D scanning technology, Alexander Armstrong, along with Dr Michael Scott, explores the hidden underground treasures that made Rome the powerhouse of the ancient world. In his favourite city, he uncovers a lost subterranean world that helped build and run the world's first metropolis and its empire. From the secret underground world of the Coloss

Historian Dr. Sam Willis travels the open roads, high seas and urban alleyways to explore Britain's 17th and 18th century underworld and outlaws – highwaymen, pirates and rogues. He begins with the arrival of a new breed of gentleman criminals that started rising after the English Civil War – the highwayman. Sam then goes to the high seas in search of the pirates of the golden age of piracy during

The picture-perfect setting of Cumbria's Dentdale is the location for Lemn Sissay's breathtaking journey into a world of snow-capped hills, blue skies and birdsong. Starting high on the moorlands above Dent village, and carrying a 360-degree camera, Lemn walks along ancient drovers' roads and the old postman's path, with breathtaking winter views in every direction. Meeting locals, including a far

Long-running general knowledge quiz that tests the intellectual powers of the brightest undergraduates in Britain. Launched in 1962 and hosted by Bamber Gascoigne, the show achieved cult status with teams from two different rival colleges pitting their wits against each other each week. The questions are as varied and as tough as they can be, and competitors risk having hard-earned points deducted

The life of the most glamorous plane ever built, told by the people whose lives she touched. We uncover rare footage telling the forgotten row between the French and British governments over the name of Concorde that threatened to derail the whole project. On the eve of the opening of Bristol's multi-million-pound aerospace museum, a cast of engineers, flight technicians and frequent fliers tell t

To mark the 200th anniversary of Charlotte Brontë's birth, Martha Kearney, novelist Helen Oyeyemi and journalist Lucy Mangan travel to Haworth Parsonage, the home of Charlotte and her sisters Emily and Anne, to discover the inspiration behind their classic novels Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights and Agnes Grey. Just two years before the books were published, prospects for the three unmarried sisters w

Bradford-born actor Vinette Robinson gives a spellbinding performance as she narrates Emily Brontë's groundbreaking novel. The much-loved work stands as a timeless classic, set against the haunting backdrop of the Yorkshire Moors and seen through the eyes of housekeeper Nelly Dean. At the heart of the story is the intense and destructive love between Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw, whose passio

For five decades the woman they call the Divine Miss M has forged a path which has taken her from a pineapple-canning factory in Honolulu to becoming a Hollywood legend. Alan Yentob joins Bette Midler on a journey through the chorus lines of Broadway and the bathhouses and nightclubs of the 1970s to the very top of the film industry. Her combination of a soulful voice and the raucous wit of Mae We

Kirsty Wark celebrates the life and work of Dame Muriel Spark, author of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie and one of the 20th century's most enigmatic cultural figures, on the one-hundredth anniversary of her birth. Born in Edinburgh, Muriel's extraordinary life took her to colonial Africa, wartime London, literary New York and vibrant 1960s Rome. Her most famous novel – The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

Travel back in time with a compilation of legendary performances of classic acts straight from the archive of one of the most popular music chart shows in history. Top of the Pops was broadcast weekly from 1964 until 2006, welcoming the greatest stars who performed their biggest hits. This special brings you unforgettable musical moments of pop and rock icons like The Rolling Stones, The Beatles,

Travel back in time with a compilation of legendary performances of classic acts straight from the archive of one of the most popular music chart shows in history. Top of the Pops was broadcast weekly from 1964 until 2006, welcoming the greatest stars who performed their biggest hits. This special brings you unforgettable musical moments of pop and rock icons like The Rolling Stones, The Beatles,

Travel back in time with a compilation of legendary performances of classic acts straight from the archive of one of the most popular music chart shows in history. Top of the Pops was broadcast weekly from 1964 until 2006, welcoming the greatest stars who performed their biggest hits. This special brings you unforgettable musical moments of pop and rock icons like The Rolling Stones, The Beatles,

Travel back in time with a compilation of legendary performances of classic acts straight from the archive of one of the most popular music chart shows in history. Top of the Pops was broadcast weekly from 1964 until 2006, welcoming the greatest stars who performed their biggest hits. This special brings you unforgettable musical moments of pop and rock icons like The Rolling Stones, The Beatles,

Travel back in time with a compilation of legendary performances of classic acts straight from the archive of one of the most popular music chart shows in history. Top of the Pops was broadcast weekly from 1964 until 2006, welcoming the greatest stars who performed their biggest hits. This special brings you unforgettable musical moments of pop and rock icons like The Rolling Stones, The Beatles,

Filmed at Stoke Newington Town Hall in north London, this career-spanning concert features Bonnie Raitt and her road-tested band in sparkling form. Raitt started out supporting blues artists like Mississippi Fred McDowell, while championing the generation of singer-songwriters who emerged in the early 70s. She released her eponymously titled debut album in 1971 and her most recent album prior to t

Enjoy classic performances with this legendary music series that gave a platform to the biggest talents of the 1970s and 80s. First hitting British screens in September 1971, The Old Grey Whistle Test welcomed onto its stage an enviable line-up of stars; Elton John, The Rolling Stones, Isaac Hayes, Blondie, David Bowie, The Police and many more all appeared on the Whistle Test at one point or anot

Travel back in time with a compilation of legendary performances of classic acts straight from the archive of one of the most popular music chart shows in history. Top of the Pops was broadcast weekly from 1964 until 2006, welcoming the greatest stars who performed their biggest hits. This special brings you unforgettable musical moments of pop and rock icons like The Rolling Stones, The Beatles,

Travel back in time with a compilation of legendary performances of classic acts straight from the archive of one of the most popular music chart shows in history. Top of the Pops was broadcast weekly from 1964 until 2006, welcoming the greatest stars who performed their biggest hits. This special brings you unforgettable musical moments of pop and rock icons like The Rolling Stones, The Beatles,

Travel back in time with a compilation of legendary performances of classic acts straight from the archive of one of the most popular music chart shows in history. Top of the Pops was broadcast weekly from 1964 until 2006, welcoming the greatest stars who performed their biggest hits. This special brings you unforgettable musical moments of pop and rock icons like The Rolling Stones, The Beatles,

Travel back in time with a compilation of legendary performances of classic acts straight from the archive of one of the most popular music chart shows in history. Top of the Pops was broadcast weekly from 1964 until 2006, welcoming the greatest stars who performed their biggest hits. This special brings you unforgettable musical moments of pop and rock icons like The Rolling Stones, The Beatles,

Travel back in time with a compilation of legendary performances of classic acts straight from the archive of one of the most popular music chart shows in history. Top of the Pops was broadcast weekly from 1964 until 2006, welcoming the greatest stars who performed their biggest hits. This special brings you unforgettable musical moments of pop and rock icons like The Rolling Stones, The Beatles,

British comedy-drama series based on the autobiographical accounts of a real-life vet. Christopher Timothy stars as James Herriot: a veterinary surgeon working in the Yorkshire Dales in the 1930s, 40s and 50s. All Creatures Great and Small follows the trials and tribulations faced by rural vets and the weird and wonderful challenges they encounter. This series, an adaption of James Herriot's memoi

British comedy-drama series based on the autobiographical accounts of a real-life vet. Christopher Timothy stars as James Herriot: a veterinary surgeon working in the Yorkshire Dales in the 1930s, 40s and 50s. All Creatures Great and Small follows the trials and tribulations faced by rural vets and the weird and wonderful challenges they encounter. This series, an adaption of James Herriot's memoi

British comedy-drama series based on the autobiographical accounts of a real-life vet. Christopher Timothy stars as James Herriot: a veterinary surgeon working in the Yorkshire Dales in the 1930s, 40s and 50s. All Creatures Great and Small follows the trials and tribulations faced by rural vets and the weird and wonderful challenges they encounter. This series, an adaption of James Herriot's memoi

There are very few famous personalities who have not sat on the interview couch with veteran broadcaster Michael Parkinson, for an in-depth conversation exploring their childhoods, early career starts and professional successes and occasional failures. World leaders, top sports people, filmmakers, legendary actors, political campaigners, business chiefs and famous musicians have shared stories and

Documentary-maker David Malone delves into the secrets of ocean waves. In this 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 huma

Documentary following a year in the life of England's highest mountain, Scafell Pike, through the eyes of the farmers who work the valleys and fells, those who climb the mountain for pleasure and those who try to protect its slopes. Filmed over a twelve-month period, it follows the seasons on the mountain from spring lambs through to winter snows. The contributions of the British Mountaineering Co