BBC four

In the vast South Atlantic, huge pods of dolphins, massive penguin colonies and the largest gathering of marine mammals on Earth pack chains of extraordinary islands, created by powerful volcanic forces far below them. Nutrient-rich upwellings create profusions of life in some areas, whilst extreme isolation and abyssal depths host a world of bizarre creatures in others.Produced and Directed by Te

Series in which Alastair Sooke examines the artistic legacy of ancient Greece. In the final episode, he explores the extraordinary afterlife of the Greek masterpieces that changed the course of western culture. Succeeding centuries have found in ancient Greek art inspiration for their own ideals and ambitions. Filming in Italy, Germany, France and Britain, Alastair's investigation includes The Ven

It is possible that only one per cent of the wonders of ancient Egypt have been discovered, but now, thanks to a pioneering approach to archaeology, that is about to change. Dr Sarah Parcak uses satellites to probe beneath the sands, where she has found cities, temples and pyramids. Now, with Dallas Campbell and Liz Bonnin, she heads to Egypt to discover if these magnificent buildings are really t

Frida and Diego travel to San Francisco, where he has an important mural commission. Frida's style stirs much excitement, and she is determined to succeed in her own right in the face of Diego's affairs. Shocked by the vast gap between rich and poor that she witnesses in Depression-era New York, she struggles to hide her disdain for high society. After losing a child to miscarriage and her mother

She has her own bodyguards and lives in Paris in a humidified, air-conditioned box protected by triplex bullet proof glass. Despite this, she is visited by six million tourists every year. She is Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa. Alan Yentob tells the story of how the Mona Lisa came to be the most famous work of art in the world. It's a tale full of notoriety, glamour and intrigue as the Mona Lisa is

In the vast South Atlantic, huge pods of dolphins, massive penguin colonies and the largest gathering of marine mammals on Earth pack chains of extraordinary islands, created by powerful volcanic forces far below them. Nutrient-rich upwellings create profusions of life in some areas, whilst extreme isolation and abyssal depths host a world of bizarre creatures in others.Produced and Directed by Te

Series in which Alastair Sooke examines the artistic legacy of ancient Greece. In the final episode, he explores the extraordinary afterlife of the Greek masterpieces that changed the course of western culture. Succeeding centuries have found in ancient Greek art inspiration for their own ideals and ambitions. Filming in Italy, Germany, France and Britain, Alastair's investigation includes The Ven

She has her own bodyguards and lives in Paris in a humidified, air-conditioned box protected by triplex bullet proof glass. Despite this, she is visited by six million tourists every year. She is Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa. Alan Yentob tells the story of how the Mona Lisa came to be the most famous work of art in the world. It's a tale full of notoriety, glamour and intrigue as the Mona Lisa is

Michael's rail journey through post-war Scotland takes him over the River Tay to Dundee on the trail of Joseph McKenzie, the father of modern Scottish photography. In Perth, Michael meets a singer-songwriter and veteran of the early Scottish folk scene. At Perth's Wellshill Cemetery, Michael discovers the graves of 355 of the thousands of Polish soldiers, sailors, and airmen who fought for the All

Celebrity chef Monica Galetti walks through the open landscapes of the North York Moors. Along the way she meets residents and samples local produce. Starting off with a glorious view over the frost-covered valley, Monica drops down into the historic village of Rosedale Abbey. Following the course of a stream up Rosedale, she climbs towards the heather, passing a fell runner on the way. On top of

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

Much-loved BBC comedy series following the exploits of prematurely retired, ever-grumbling security guard Victor Meldrew (Richard Wilson) and his exasperated, level-headed wife Margaret (Annette Crosbie). The series is a bitter-sweet sitcom set in suburban England, based on the maxim that idle hands make mischief. Victor is unsuited to a life of leisure but finds himself at just the wrong age to b

In the Medieval and Tudor world there was no question in peoples minds about the order of God's creation – men ruled and women didn't. A King was a warrior who literally fought to win power then battled to keep it. Yet despite everything that stood in their way, a handful of extraordinary women did attempt to rule medieval and Tudor England. In this series historian Helen Castor explores seven que

Sam Willis tells the story of the English ruler who left the most indelible mark on the castle – the great Plantagenet king, Edward I, who turned it into an instrument of colonisation. Edward spent vast sums to subdue Wales with a ring of iron comprised of some of the most fearsome fortresses ever built. Castles like Caernarfon and Beaumaris were used to impose England's will on the Welsh. But whe

In 2003, the Sudanese government began a widespread ethnic cleansing campaign in the western part of the country. With the memory of the genocides in Bosnia and Rwanda still fresh, hundreds of thousands of Americans went out to protest and demand protection for the citizens of Darfur. Despite the US being bogged down in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Bush administration did not stand aside, but couldn'

Barack Obama's first presidential trip abroad was to Cairo. He turned to the younger generation in the Arab world and told them 'you, more than anyone, have the ability to remake this world'. A year and a half later the Arab Spring broke out, but when Muammar Gaddafi declared his intention to go to Benghazi and 'disinfect it, street after street and house after house', Obama faced a dilemma. Shoul

In the Medieval and Tudor world there was no question in peoples minds about the order of God's creation – men ruled and women didn't. A King was a warrior who literally fought to win power then battled to keep it. Yet despite everything that stood in their way, a handful of extraordinary women did attempt to rule medieval and Tudor England. In this series historian Helen Castor explores seven que

Sam Willis tells the story of the English ruler who left the most indelible mark on the castle – the great Plantagenet king, Edward I, who turned it into an instrument of colonisation. Edward spent vast sums to subdue Wales with a ring of iron comprised of some of the most fearsome fortresses ever built. Castles like Caernarfon and Beaumaris were used to impose England's will on the Welsh. But whe

Michael's rail journey through post-war Scotland takes him over the River Tay to Dundee on the trail of Joseph McKenzie, the father of modern Scottish photography. In Perth, Michael meets a singer-songwriter and veteran of the early Scottish folk scene. At Perth's Wellshill Cemetery, Michael discovers the graves of 355 of the thousands of Polish soldiers, sailors, and airmen who fought for the All

Celebrity chef Monica Galetti walks through the open landscapes of the North York Moors. Along the way she meets residents and samples local produce. Starting off with a glorious view over the frost-covered valley, Monica drops down into the historic village of Rosedale Abbey. Following the course of a stream up Rosedale, she climbs towards the heather, passing a fell runner on the way. On top of

Michael Portillo twists and shouts through postwar Liverpool, arriving in the city where the Sixties burst into life to find the strikingly contemporary concrete and glass Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King, inaugurated in 1967. In the Georgian Hope Street Quarter, Michael visits the former home of Adrian Henri, a prolific artist and poet who was at the heart of the Mersey scene.

Jim Moir goes for a "power stroll through a strange landscape" as he explores the shingle peninsula of Dungeness in this corner of Kent. The comic, birdwatcher and Kent resident, famous for his comedy persona Vic Reeves, takes his time exploring a quirky section of the coast – an area he has come to know well over the years. Filming himself with a 360-degree camera, Jim walks along the shingle and

Alastair Sooke traces how the Romans during the Republic went from being art thieves and copycats to pioneering a new artistic style – warts 'n' all realism. Roman portraits reveal what the great names from history, men like Julius Caesar and Cicero, actually looked like. Modern-day artists demonstrate the ingenious techniques used to create these true to life masterpieces in marble, bronze and pa

Two thousand years ago, one of history's most notorious individuals was born. Professor Mary Beard embarks on an investigative journey to explore the life and times of Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus – better known to us as Caligula. Caligula has now become known as Rome's most capricious tyrant, and the stories told about him are some of the most extraordinary of any Roman emperor. He was

Alastair Sooke traces how the Romans during the Republic went from being art thieves and copycats to pioneering a new artistic style – warts 'n' all realism. Roman portraits reveal what the great names from history, men like Julius Caesar and Cicero, actually looked like. Modern-day artists demonstrate the ingenious techniques used to create these true to life masterpieces in marble, bronze and pa