BBC four

A deep-dive into the BBC's archives to celebrate the great Roy Orbison – full-time rock 'n' roll legend, part-time Traveling Wilbury and the man Elvis famously described as 'the best singer in the world'. The Big O's story was in many ways a tragic one, full of family tragedies and heartbreak, and his extraordinary voice captured all those emotions and more, bringing a new dimension to popular mus

Rock star Roy Orbison and his all-star group of friends gather to play some of Roy's most memorable hits. Orbison is joined by his fellow colleagues, the likes of Bruce Springsteen and Tom Waits, for a live performance of Roy's legendary bangers, including Pretty Woman, Only Be Lonely, Blue Bayou, and many others. The TCB band accompanying the singers used to back Elvis Presley up until 1977, when

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,

A deep-dive into the BBC's archives to celebrate the great Roy Orbison – full-time rock 'n' roll legend, part-time Traveling Wilbury and the man Elvis famously described as 'the best singer in the world'. The Big O's story was in many ways a tragic one, full of family tragedies and heartbreak, and his extraordinary voice captured all those emotions and more, bringing a new dimension to popular mus

One man transfixed television viewers during snooker's golden age – his name was Alex "Hurricane" Higgins. This poignant documentary charts the life of the snooker genius, from his early days growing up in Belfast to his climb to the top of the sport as two-time world champion and finally, his last days spent battling a terminal illness. Contributors include Jimmy White, Ronnie O'Sullivan, Dennis

April 9, 1940. The German war machine occupies Norway. One of their primary objectives is to seize the nation's entire gold reserves. But thanks to a few courageous individuals, the gold is smuggled out – just as the Germans come.​​ ​​This is the incredible true story of how 55 tonnes of gold was transported through rough winter landscapes on trucks, trains and boats​ by a group of unlikely resist

"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

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

One man transfixed television viewers during snooker's golden age – his name was Alex "Hurricane" Higgins. This poignant documentary charts the life of the snooker genius, from his early days growing up in Belfast to his climb to the top of the sport as two-time world champion and finally, his last days spent battling a terminal illness. Contributors include Jimmy White, Ronnie O'Sullivan, Dennis

Richard E Grant explores how modern art and the Riviera grew up together when France's Cote D'Azur became the hedonistic playground and experimental studio for the great masters of 20th-century painting. With Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso resident on the coast, other artists from Jean Cocteau to Henri Lartigue, Raoul Dufy to Fernand Leger and Francis Picabia to Sergei Diaghilev were drawn to the

An investigation into the extraordinary life of Gershwin's classic composition, Summertime. One of the most covered songs in the world, it has been recorded in almost every style of music – from jazz to opera, rock to reggae, soul to samba. Its musical adaptability is breathtaking, but Summertime also resonates on a deep emotional level too. This visually and sonically engaging film explores the c

Documentary series in which historian Bettany Hughes travels to India, Greece and China, introducing us to three very different thinkers – Buddha, Socrates and Confucius, and evaluating the contribution they have made to different philosophical and religious traditions. Hughes interviews several experts in Buddhism, classical philosophy, and Confucianism, and visits several of the ancient sites as

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

Adventurer and explorer Paul Rose heads for Wensleydale in this three-part series about the Yorkshire Dales. He starts his journey in the small town of Hawes, where locals now run many of their own services, including the buses. Paul checks out why cycling is so popular in the Dales and tries to get to the top of the Buttertubs Pass, which is one of Wensleydale's most difficult routes. Along the w

Join Robbie Cumming as he embarks on an adventure across the Midlands and North of England from the comfort of his narrowboat, along the Victorian waterways of Britain on a journey of self-discovery. Intersecting various towns and cities, this documentary follows Robbie as he navigates these winding waterways, whilst maintaining his beloved narrowboat the 'Naughty Lass'. Each leg of his journey is

Documentary series which unearths lost civilisations and reveals the wonder of some of the world's greatest lost cities. This episode looks at the legendary lost city of Piramesse. This magnificent ancient capital was built 3,000 years ago by the Egyptian pharaoh Ramesses the Great, but long ago the whole city disappeared. When it was rediscovered by early archaeologists, it opened up a bizarre pu

Andrew Graham-Dixon tells the story of how three British artists responded to the cataclysm of World War One. In May 1917, war artist Paul Nash climbed out of his trench to sketch the battlefields of Flanders near Ypres. So focused was he on his work he tripped and fell back into the trench, breaking his ribs. Stretchered back to England, Nash missed his regiment going over the top at the Battle o

In this second episode of the series, Dr Janina Ramirez and Alastair Sooke are on a mission to get to know one of the most popular cities in the world through its art and architecture. Although Barcelona is famous for its exuberant modernista buildings, the Gothic Quarter and artistic superstars such as Picasso, in this film, Janina and Alastair are determined to discover some less well known cult

Architect Amanda Levete climbs the Tulip Stairs in the Queen's House, Greenwich, and reassesses Inigo Jones' elegant and innovative design, while portrait artist Tai Shan Schierenberg encounters Van Dyck's monumental portrait of the Earl of Pembroke's family and finds signs of the dysfunction and tensions which point to the civil war to come. This was a war that would be waged across three kingdom

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.

Explorer Paul Rose heads for Swaledale in the latest of his Yorkshire Dales adventures. Swaledale is the wildest of the Yorkshire Dales and Paul joins the farmers who look after rare upland hay meadows. Paul also visits Muker Show and enters the cake making contest using a pressure cooker he's used on Everest. He also goes underground to try and find rare industrial artefacts left behind by lead m

Join Robbie Cumming as he embarks on an adventure across the Midlands and North of England from the comfort of his narrowboat, along the Victorian waterways of Britain on a journey of self-discovery. Intersecting various towns and cities, this documentary follows Robbie as he navigates these winding waterways, whilst maintaining his beloved narrowboat the 'Naughty Lass'. Each leg of his journey is

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

A Storyville documentary that tells the untold story of a seemingly ordinary Englishman who spent more than 40 years as a mercenary, fighting other people's wars for money. Basingstoke-based Dave Tompkins was a petty thief who craved adventure. His career as an international mercenary began in Africa and took him all over the world – to Afghanistan, Croatia and later to Colombia, where he led a te

"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

Documentary tracing how human understanding of the jet stream – a ribbon of fast moving air high in the atmosphere – has grown. It has been responsible for bewildering effect on bomber pilots during the Second World War, turbocharging modern transatlantic flyers, the infamous 1987 hurricane and devastating floods. Scientists believe this powerful weather phenomenon is now changing its pattern of b

In this second episode of the series, Dr Janina Ramirez and Alastair Sooke are on a mission to get to know one of the most popular cities in the world through its art and architecture. Although Barcelona is famous for its exuberant modernista buildings, the Gothic Quarter and artistic superstars such as Picasso, in this film, Janina and Alastair are determined to discover some less well known cult

Dive deep into the world of the greatest lost cities of the ancient world, that have remained unexplored and shrouded in a veil of mystery to this day. We set out on an exploratory journey in an attempt to unearth some of the ancient cities, following archaeological and historical clues that could lead to significant revelations about some of the greatest civilisations that have ever existed, from

Paul Rose's Yorkshire Dales adventure takes him to Wharfedale. He meets the butchers in Ilkley whose Yorkshire produce is being sold all over the country. Paul also heads for Bolton Abbey and spends time with the Duke of Devonshire. He then takes time out with the Calendar Girls, who shot to fame after their nude calendar became a worldwide sensation two decades ago, and has a close encounter with

Join Robbie Cumming as he embarks on an adventure across the Midlands and North of England from the comfort of his narrowboat, along the Victorian waterways of Britain on a journey of self-discovery. Intersecting various towns and cities, this documentary follows Robbie as he navigates these winding waterways, whilst maintaining his beloved narrowboat the 'Naughty Lass'. Each leg of his journey is

The Mandrin Cave in southern France has been attracting the attention of archaeologists for 30 years. The cave was regularly occupied in prehistoric times, and a remarkable record of human habitation going back thousands of years has been preserved by its soils. In 2015, the remains of a Neanderthal were uncovered, and the archaeological evidence points to this individual, named Thorin, living in

Documentary which follows the construction of a trailblazing 36,000-tonne steel structure to entomb the ruins of the nuclear power plant destroyed in the 1986 Chernobyl disaster. It films close up with the team of international engineers as they race to build the new structure before Chernobyl's original concrete sarcophagus – the hastily built structure that covers the reactor – collapses.Built t

Play for Today is a British anthology series that originally aired from 1970 to 1984. Featuring a number of original television plays and adaptations of stage plays and novels, the series produced more than three hundred episodes of high-quality drama. During its run, the show received numerous awards and nominations for superb writing and exemplary performances from the starring cast. Notable act

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

The Mandrin Cave in southern France has been attracting the attention of archaeologists for 30 years. The cave was regularly occupied in prehistoric times, and a remarkable record of human habitation going back thousands of years has been preserved by its soils. In 2015, the remains of a Neanderthal were uncovered, and the archaeological evidence points to this individual, named Thorin, living in