BBC four

Liz McIvor discovers how carving up the landscape in order to build canals helped further our understanding of the earth below. The canal builders struggled with rocks. Without maps or geological surveys, construction often relied on guesswork. The Kennet and Avon had more than its fair share of problems. William Smith, a surveyor working on the connecting Somerset Coal Canal, discovered a way of

The village of Milton Abbas in Dorset perfectly captures our romantic notion of what the idyllic English village should look like. But as archaeologist Ben Robinson reveals, behind it lurks a history of one man's wealth and power. With help from local historians, Ben learns how the local landowner in the 18th century destroyed a nearby town, uprooting its residents, because it ruined the view from

SHORTUsing 50 years of BBC History archive film, Dr Alice Roberts investigates how our views and understanding of Roman Britain have changed over the decades. Along the way Alice explores a diverse range of subjects from the invasion to the eventual collapse of Roman rule.LONGUsing 50 years of BBC history archive film Dr Alice Roberts explores how our views and understanding of Roman Britain have

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,

The late 1970s to mid 1980s was a period when, in terms of international success, everything little thing the Police did was magic – with Sting, Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland enjoying a run of chart-topping singles, best-selling albums and huge concerts all across the world. When the trio went their separate ways four decades ago, it was Sting who then became even more of a wanted man, establi

Multi-award-winning artist Sting joins Dermot O'Leary for an in-depth interview about his remarkable life and career. From his very first TV appearance on The Old Grey Whistle Test in 1978, to performing at Live Aid in 1985, to his reunion tour with the Police in 2007, Sting's career has been well documented on screen. The appearances are so numerous that there is much he hasn't seen – until now.

Moor Park, Preston plays host to Saturday's headlining act at Radio 2 In The Park. Sting, who is fronting his new power rock trio, is fresh off the STING 3.0 tour. Alongside long-time collaborator and guitarist Dominic Miller, and dynamic drummer Chris Maas of Mumford & Sons fame, he will be performing a selection of music from his timeless discography, including solo hits, surprise rarities and,

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,

Multi-award-winning artist Sting joins Dermot O'Leary for an in-depth interview about his remarkable life and career. From his very first TV appearance on The Old Grey Whistle Test in 1978, to performing at Live Aid in 1985, to his reunion tour with the Police in 2007, Sting's career has been well documented on screen. The appearances are so numerous that there is much he hasn't seen – until now.

Simon King, wildlife cameraman and Springwatch presenter, sets off on an adventure to the Shetland Islands to live there with his family through the changing seasons. Simon has travelled the world for 30 years, but his boyhood dream was always to visit Shetland. And now he has the chance to try to capture some of the remarkable wildlife and experience the beauty and the wild weather of Britain's m

Meet the big birds, a feathered family who've never flown a day in their lives! From ostriches to kiwis, these bizarre birds appear to be nature's greatest novelty act. How they came to be and how they continue to survive is a fascinating tale that has long captivated Sir David Attenborough. It's a story of dedicated dads, enormous eggs and a serious need for speed. And far from being the court je

A gentle sitcom set in the fictional village of Grantleigh, and the aristocratic family seat of the fforbes-Hamilitons. The widow of the deceased Lord of the Manor is Audrey, who inherits the Grantleigh Manor, which has been in her family for hundreds of years. But her husband's debts have left the estate bankrupt and Audrey has no option but to sell up. The new Lord of the Manor is Richard DeVere

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

Simon King, wildlife cameraman and Springwatch presenter, sets off on an adventure to the Shetland Islands to live there with his family through the changing seasons. Simon has travelled the world for 30 years, but his boyhood dream was always to visit Shetland. And now he has the chance to try to capture some of the remarkable wildlife and experience the beauty and the wild weather of Britain's m

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

Documentary series that combines biography, art and the history of fashion as host Amber Butchart, a fashion historian, explores the lives of historical figures – Marie Antoinette, Charles II, Dido Belle, Edward the Black and others, by examining the clothes that they wore. Amber looks into the history of the garments and the people depicted, visiting collections and speaking with experts. Alongsi

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

„Inschpektor gibt’s koan“, war stets die reflexhafte Reaktion des Titelhelden der Wiener Kultserie „Kottan ermittelt“ aus den 70er-Jahren. Und die passt erstaunlicherweise genau auf jenen mysteriösen Inspektor, der hier an einem Abend im Jahr 1912 bei einer britischen Upperclass-Familie auftaucht und unangenehme Fragen stellt. \n\nDenn am Ende hat nicht nur jedes Familienmitglied Schuld eingestand

Documentary following a handful of eccentric devotees rescuing and restoring abandoned pipe organs from closing churches. As Martin Renshaw trawls churches for hidden gems in the form of precious instruments, he meets people like 95-year-old organist Blanche Beer, whose long life has been shaped by music and community. In a Durham church, a wonderful organ is discovered that becomes the redemptive

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

Every year, spectacular seasons transform our planet. As they sweep across the world, they drive all life on earth, bringing huge opportunities and great challenges to everything. This special, narrated by Andrew Scott, celebrates the drama of autumn and how animals and plants deal with the new challenges it brings. This is the time of year that brings the world's most spectacular transformations.

Britain's premier art detectives, Bendor Grosvenor and Emma Dabiri, are on the hunt to find and restore one of the Nation's great lost masterpieces. Can a mysterious painting of a beautiful society woman really be by the celebrated artist Joshua Reynolds? And which celebrity playwright will lead them from Rome to Bath to London's Royal Academy? With a fascinating treasure hunt into the art of the

This is a fascinating voyage of discovery through the birth of nations and nationhood, from the development of religion and first uses and abuses of power and inheritance, to the delicate balance between the rule of law and the freedoms of society. The Middle East, Egypt, the Russian Caucasus and the Mediterranean all feature alongside interviews with eminent historians, local experts and archaeol

Britain's premier art detectives, Bendor Grosvenor and Emma Dabiri, are on the hunt to find and restore one of the Nation's great lost masterpieces. Can a mysterious painting of a beautiful society woman really be by the celebrated artist Joshua Reynolds? And which celebrity playwright will lead them from Rome to Bath to London's Royal Academy? With a fascinating treasure hunt into the art of the

Every year, spectacular seasons transform our planet. As they sweep across the world, they drive all life on earth, bringing huge opportunities and great challenges to everything. This special, narrated by Andrew Scott, celebrates the drama of autumn and how animals and plants deal with the new challenges it brings. This is the time of year that brings the world's most spectacular transformations.

Liz McIvor tells the story of the early canal builders who struggled with the rugged terrain of England's Pennine hills. Creating a network of canals in this landscape was an uphill challenge – sometimes literally! But connecting the powerhouses of Yorkshire and Lancashire was a great prize at the time of the industrial revolution. What should the engineers do? Should they build over, under or aro

Untrained mariner Timothy Spall has spent a fortune on technology for his new challenge – the unpredictable Irish Sea – as he and his wife continue their mini-odyssey around Britain. From Cardiff they head west to Milford Haven at the end of the River Severn and all seems well. However, Captain Spall bungles his departure to Fishguard and ends up going nowhere at full speed due to the turning tide

A gentle sitcom set in the fictional village of Grantleigh, and the aristocratic family seat of the fforbes-Hamilitons. The widow of the deceased Lord of the Manor is Audrey, who inherits the Grantleigh Manor, which has been in her family for hundreds of years. But her husband's debts have left the estate bankrupt and Audrey has no option but to sell up. The new Lord of the Manor is Richard DeVere

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

The extraordinary story of a strange cult, which came to light in 2013 when a sensational news story broke about three women emerging from a small flat in Brixton in south London after decades in captivity. Tracing the group back to its roots in the 1970s, the film describes how its leader Aravindan Balakrishnan, a student of Indian origin, believed in an international communist revolution and cre

Liz McIvor tells the story of the early canal builders who struggled with the rugged terrain of England's Pennine hills. Creating a network of canals in this landscape was an uphill challenge – sometimes literally! But connecting the powerhouses of Yorkshire and Lancashire was a great prize at the time of the industrial revolution. What should the engineers do? Should they build over, under or aro