BBC four

Francesco da Mosto takes a look at Italy as the land of adventure and ambition – where fortunes are made and battles are fought. Beginning in Venice with actor Ciaran Hinds, Francesco considers how his home town so renowned for its justice struck Shakespeare as the perfect setting for his disturbing tale of what happens to an outsider who goes against the law in The Merchant of Venice. Heading sou

1587. William Shakespeare leaves the small rural town of Stratford to pursue his dreams of becoming a playwright in the dangerous, growing metropolis of London. Public theatre is red-hot modernity, and Shakespeare begins his journey at the very bottom. Inspired by the live fast, die young world he inhabits, he writes the schlock horror hit Titus Andronicus and a teenage romance where all the young

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

The most extreme and wild parts of New Zealand are in the South Island, which lie towards Antarctica, in the path of the tempestuous 'roaring forties'. This is home to some of the most rapidly rising mountains in the world, the Southern Alps. From hyper-intelligent parrots, to sinister snails with teeth and magical constellations of glow-worms, this is the story of New Zealand's wildest places and

In the final episode, Andrew begins with the impressionists. He plunges into one of the most wildly creative periods in the history of art, when France was changing at a rapid pace and angry young artists would reinvent how to paint, finding their muses in the bars, brothels and cabarets of belle epoque Paris and turning the world of art on its head. Monet, Degas and friends launched a febrile con

How did an insignificant cluster of Latin hill villages on the edge of the civilised world become the greatest empire the world has known? In the fifth programme of the series, archaeologist and historian Richard Miles examines the phenomenon of the Roman Republic, from its fratricidal mythical beginnings, with the legend of Romulus and Remus, to the all too real violence of its end, dragged to de

The magical islands of New Zealand are explored in this fascinating documentary series, highlighting the country's rugged landscapes and dazzling species. Narrated by Kiwi actor Sam Neill (Jurassic Park), the series also examines New Zealand's natural history; a country that has been isolated in the South Pacific since the Jurassic period, with predators from that era still roaming its forests to

The Art of France is a documentary miniseries in which art historian Andrew Graham-Dixon takes us on a visual journey through the history of French art and culture. Starting his story in St Denis, the first example of gothic architecture, and finishing it with the birth of modernism, he gives in depth information about the big role art always had for this nation, referencing the philosophy, litera

Evolutionary biologist and master skeleton builder Ben Garrod presents a six-part series looking at how bones have enabled vertebrates to colonise and dominate practically every habitat on Earth. Ben seeks out the big part that bones can play in reproduction. Through sexual selection, the skeleton has adapted to aid courtship, competition and even copulation. On his travels, Ben meets baseball pla

Gareth Edwards and wife Maureen are in the stunning coastal town of Tenby for the second of their new adventures across Wales. After so long in lockdown, the pair are determined to get out and enjoy all life has to offer. On this particular weekend, they've got something special to celebrate. The former Wales and Lions captain and his childhood sweetheart are marking of 49 years of marriage. Maure

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

In the first episode of a three-part series, Professor Robert Bartlett explores how the Normans developed from a band of marauding Vikings into the formidable warriors who conquered England in 1066. He tells how the Normans established their new province of Normandy -'land of the northmen' – in northern France. They went on to build some of the finest churches in Europe and turned into an unstoppa

Two-part series in which Professor Jim Al-Khalili shows how scientists have used light to reveal almost everything we know about the universe. The story begins in the 3rd century BC when, by trying to understand the tricks of perspective, the Greek mathematician Euclid discovered that light travels in straight lines, which meant that if we could change its path we could change how we see the world

Evolutionary biologist and master skeleton builder Ben Garrod presents a six-part series looking at how bones have enabled vertebrates to colonise and dominate practically every habitat on Earth. Ben seeks out the big part that bones can play in reproduction. Through sexual selection, the skeleton has adapted to aid courtship, competition and even copulation. On his travels, Ben meets baseball pla

Gareth Edwards and wife Maureen are in the stunning coastal town of Tenby for the second of their new adventures across Wales. After so long in lockdown, the pair are determined to get out and enjoy all life has to offer. On this particular weekend, they've got something special to celebrate. The former Wales and Lions captain and his childhood sweetheart are marking of 49 years of marriage. Maure

How did an insignificant cluster of Latin hill villages on the edge of the civilised world become the greatest empire the world has known? In the fifth programme of the series, archaeologist and historian Richard Miles examines the phenomenon of the Roman Republic, from its fratricidal mythical beginnings, with the legend of Romulus and Remus, to the all too real violence of its end, dragged to de

UK history professor Robert Bartlett gives you a crash course in Norse history, outlining some of the most significant Norse (Viking) leaders. Robert travels across the British Isles, to Jerusalem over to Italy, exploring the extent of Norse influence between the 10th and 13th century. Watch as the professor visit historical landmarks and examine artefacts in relation to the greatest Norse conquer

Skin is an incredible, multi-function organ that science is still learning so much about. It has adapted to allow animals to conquer virtually every habitat on the planet. In this episode, Professor Ben Garrod reveals some ground-breaking new science and amazing, specialist, factual insight as he discovers how human skin is an ecosystem in its own right, playing host to demodex mites, that might r

Rugby legend Gareth Edwards and wife Maureen head to one of Wales's most popular holiday destinations. They arrive just as a heatwave hits, turning Llandudno into a resort to rival the best sunny seaside locations. Llandudno is known for its seafront hotels and B&Bs and the pair check in to a room with a sea view before going in search of the pier and ice cream. Once, people flocked here for a tra

Early in the story of the planets, there was a beautiful water world, an oasis of hope in a sterile universe. But this was not Earth – this was the young Mars. Professor Brian Cox continues his tour of the solar system revealing that it was once home to not one, but two blue planets. For millions of years, Mars enjoyed oceans blanketed by a thick atmosphere and a temperate climate. Whilst at the s

Alison Steadman looks back at Dennis Potter's The Singing Detective, hailed as one of the most important and influential TV dramas ever made, and once described by Stephen King as 'television's Citizen Kane'. From memories of happy times working with leading man Michael Gambon, and the pride of being involved in a piece that got the whole nation talking, to the stresses of being caught up in the c

Skin is an incredible, multi-function organ that science is still learning so much about. It has adapted to allow animals to conquer virtually every habitat on the planet. In this episode, Professor Ben Garrod reveals some ground-breaking new science and amazing, specialist, factual insight as he discovers how human skin is an ecosystem in its own right, playing host to demodex mites, that might r