BBC four

Denmark, 1755. Retired army captain Ludvig Kahlen battles the elements, the prejudice of naysayers and the hostility of the local nobility when he resolves to settle on the remote peninsula of Jutland and cultivate its uninhabitable heathland, from which many have failed to yield crops for centuries. Having obtained official backing from the king, Kahlen is promised a noble title if he should succ

The story revolves around Hyacinth Bucket, a housewife from a lower class whose only aim in life is to impress others with her etiquette and social skills and climb the social ladder. She is terrified that her background will be revealed one day, and goes above and beyond to hide it. She insists her inharmonious surname is pronounced Bouquet. All her attempts as a rule lead to awkward comic situat

Timothy Lumsden is a 40-something librarian, still living with his parents and under the thumb of his domineering mother Phyllis. Although Timothy has sporadic attempts at standing up for himself and abandoning his home in order to lead an independent life, all his attempts prove futile as his mother always stands in the way. It might be that the only force strong enough to break Timothy's bond wi

The roof of the Royal Albert Hall nearly comes off in this special Prom dedicated to northern soul, curated by Wigan's Stuart Maconie and Manchester's Joe Duddell. A celebration of raw, rare American soul music that first obsessed young people across the north and the Midlands in the 1960s and 70s, inspiring an all-night dance culture. Epic new arrangements of northern soul anthems are performed b

Two-part series in which Richard E Grant follows in the footsteps of artists who have lived, loved and painted on France's glorious Cote d'Azur. Revealing the intertwined relationship between modern art and the development of the French Riviera as an international tourist haven, Grant explores how impressionist painters Cezanne, Monet and Renoir first discovered the region in the 19th century, whe

When a music score is uncovered deep within the storerooms of the Louvre, musical historians scramble to realise the potential of this piece of papyrus. The text's grammatical features give us a clue to the composer's identity: Carcinus, an author cited by Aristotle in his Rhetoric. His name is engraved on a wall in the Parthenon, and the story of his life offers an insight into the history of Gre

Historian Bettany Hughes embarks on an expedition to India, Greece and China on the trail of three giants of ancient philosophy: Buddha, Socrates and Confucius. All three physically travelled great distances philosophising as they went and drawing conclusions from their journeys. With Bettany as our guide, she gets under the skin of these three great minds and shines a light on the overlooked sign

Join esteemed actor Richard E Grant for a cultural exploration of the French Riviera, as he follows in the footsteps of great artists such as Monet, Cezanne, Picasso, Matisse, and Renoir, whose time spent on the Cote d'Azur inspired much of their work. Whilst strolling through the idyllic region, Richard learns of the relationship between modern art and the area as a tourist destination, with the

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.

What killed King Tutankhamun? Ever since his spectacular tomb was discovered, the boy king has been the most famous pharaoh of all ancient Egypt. But his mysterious death, at just 19 years old, has never been explained. Dallas Campbell reports on new scientific research being carried out on his fragile remains in an attempt to get to the truth. Using CT scan data, the programme creates the first s

In the 16th century, the British Isles experienced a religious revolution, as the kingdoms of England and then Scotland turned Protestant. Artists and experts today reveal how, during the reign of Elizabeth I, Protestants and Catholics used art, language and new technology to wage a battle for power in the Isles, creating surprising and often radical works. Author Stephanie Merritt reassesses John

With sumptuous palaces, exquisite artworks and stunning architecture, every great city offers a dizzying multitude of artistic highlights. In this new series, art historians Dr Janina Ramirez and Alastair Sooke take us on three cultural citybreaks, hunting for off-the-beaten-track artistic treats – and finding new ways of enjoying some very famous sights. In this opening episode, they head to Amst

What killed King Tutankhamun? Ever since his spectacular tomb was discovered, the boy king has been the most famous pharaoh of all ancient Egypt. But his mysterious death, at just 19 years old, has never been explained. Dallas Campbell reports on new scientific research being carried out on his fragile remains in an attempt to get to the truth. Using CT scan data, the programme creates the first s

Various contemporary acclaimed creatives and cultural historians look back on important works of art across 1,500 years of British history, including painting, sculpture, architecture, music, design and literature. The art pieces explored offer a look at pivotal and turbulent moments of historical changes in which they were created, such as the Civil War, the Industrial Revolution or World War I.

Lying on the remote north west coast of England is one of the most secret places in the country – Sellafield, the most controversial nuclear facility in Britain. Now, Sellafield are letting nuclear physicist Professor Jim Al-Khalili and the television cameras in to discover the real story. Inside, Jim encounters some of the most dangerous substances on earth, reveals the nature of radiation and ev

Volcanoes have long helped shape the Earth. But what is less well known is that there are volcanoes on other planets and moons that are even more extraordinary than those on our own home planet. This week Horizon follows an international team of volcanologists in Iceland as they draw fascinating parallels with the volcanoes on Earth and those elsewhere in the solar system. Through the team's resea

"Timewatch" is a series of first-class documentaries on historical subjects, spanning all human history. The series tackles events ranging from the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, to the origin of skeletal remains recovered in a garden in Roman York, to the break-up of possibly the World's most famous pop band; The Beatles. Every programme contains in-depth analysis of the topic and seeks to ans

Lying on the remote north west coast of England is one of the most secret places in the country – Sellafield, the most controversial nuclear facility in Britain. Now, Sellafield are letting nuclear physicist Professor Jim Al-Khalili and the television cameras in to discover the real story. Inside, Jim encounters some of the most dangerous substances on earth, reveals the nature of radiation and ev

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

Sharks are among the most misunderstood predators on the planet, but an international team of scientists is trying to change that. Their research is revealing that sharks can be sociable and intelligent, and they could even help solve some of the toughest medical challenges of the 21st century. However, their breakthroughs come just as many sharks face extinction. Science may now be the only way t

Volcanoes have long helped shape the Earth. But what is less well known is that there are volcanoes on other planets and moons that are even more extraordinary than those on our own home planet. This week Horizon follows an international team of volcanologists in Iceland as they draw fascinating parallels with the volcanoes on Earth and those elsewhere in the solar system. Through the team's resea

Ein anonymer Brief führt Sergeant Howie (Edward Woodward) auf die schottische Insel Summerisle. Dort ist angeblich die 12-jährige Rowan verschwunden. Doch niemand will das Mädchen kennen. Howie lässt sich nicht irritieren, dafür erwecken einige freizügige Bräuche das Misstrauen des gläubigen Christen: Vor dem Dorfpub feiern die Insulaner Orgien. \n\nIn der Apotheke verkauft man Rattenhirn und Hund

Professor Jeremy Black examines one of the most extraordinary and revolutionary 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.He traces the unprecedented exp