BBC four

Wildlife documentary featuring the fascinating lives of Britain's beautiful butterflies filmed in exquisite detail, and also a celebration of their enduring appeal to the British people. Butterfly-costumed carnival-goers dance at Notting Hill, street artist Nick Walker uses their image to brighten bare city walls, burlesque dancer Vicky Butterfly recreates butterfly dances, and women reveal their

An ambitious adventure of discovery awaits intrepid TV comedian-turned-global explorer Michael Palin, as he journeys around the Pacific rim to meet disparate communities which share a common coastline. This is his third great trek, having circumnavigated the world and traversed from North to South Poles in earlier series. Palin's personable character shines through as he makes new friends and lear

Schweden im Mittelalter:Kreuzritter Antonius Blok (Max von Sydow) kehrt in die Heimat zurück. Dort wütet die Pest. Als er dem Tod (Bengt Ekerot) begegnet und sterben soll, begehrt er auf: Er will erst den Sinn des Lebens erfahren. Bei einer Partie Schach ringt er dem Sensenmann eine Gnadenfrist ab…\r\nDas Mysterienspiel zählt zu den faszinierendsten Werken von Regiestar Bergman (1918–2007).

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

An ambitious adventure of discovery awaits intrepid TV comedian-turned-global explorer Michael Palin, as he journeys around the Pacific rim to meet disparate communities which share a common coastline. This is his third great trek, having circumnavigated the world and traversed from North to South Poles in earlier series. Palin's personable character shines through as he makes new friends and lear

Wildlife documentary featuring the fascinating lives of Britain's beautiful butterflies filmed in exquisite detail, and also a celebration of their enduring appeal to the British people. Butterfly-costumed carnival-goers dance at Notting Hill, street artist Nick Walker uses their image to brighten bare city walls, burlesque dancer Vicky Butterfly recreates butterfly dances, and women reveal their

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 famous competition was established by Humphrey Burton, Walter Todds and Roy Tippin in 1978, and invites talented British musicians under the age of 18 years old to showcase their abilities. Performers of keyboard, percussion, brass, string and woodwind can enter the iconic classical competition, with five stages for them to advance through; regional auditions, category auditions, category fina

A 30-year-old Shakespeare is at the top of his game: he's got a job at England's best theatre company, the Lord Chamberlain's Men, and the money is rolling in. Determined to restore his family's reputation, Shakespeare works harder than ever, producing hit after hit: A Midsummer Night's Dream, Henry IV and Julius Caesar. But as his star rises, a series of tragedies strike. Shakespeare's life, purp

Sir Derek Jacobi looks back on the filmed version of Franco Zeffirelli's famous 1960s production of Much Ado About Nothing – a performance that brought together Robert Stephens, in the role of Benedick, and his soon-to-be wife – the late, great Maggie Smith – in the key role of Beatrice. For years, this recording was considered to be 'lost' by Shakespeare fans and TV historians, until a copy was f

A 30-year-old Shakespeare is at the top of his game: he's got a job at England's best theatre company, the Lord Chamberlain's Men, and the money is rolling in. Determined to restore his family's reputation, Shakespeare works harder than ever, producing hit after hit: A Midsummer Night's Dream, Henry IV and Julius Caesar. But as his star rises, a series of tragedies strike. Shakespeare's life, purp

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

New Zealand was one of the last land-masses to be found and settled by people. Lush and fertile, almost everything brought here flourishes, often with surprising consequences. Told through the experiences of its native species – in particular, a charismatic and peculiar giant, flightless parrot – this is the moving story of the changing fortunes of New Zealand's wildlife, since humans first arrive

The great history of Egypt is inscribed on its monuments, temples and tombs, but hieroglyphs – the written language of the ancient Egyptians – fell silent until 1822 when a young French scholar, Jean-François Champollion, became the first person to decipher their texts for over a thousand years. Champollion's insights and the work of other scholars helped bring an entire civilisation back to life.

In the last of the series, archaeologist and historian Richard Miles examines the rise and fall of the Roman Empire. At the height of its power, the Roman Empire extended the benefits of its civilization to a 60 million citizens and subjects in a swathe of territory that extended from Hadrian's Wall to the banks of the Euphrates. Even under the rule of mad, bad and dangerous emperors, the imperial

The great history of Egypt is inscribed on its monuments, temples and tombs, but hieroglyphs – the written language of the ancient Egyptians – fell silent until 1822 when a young French scholar, Jean-François Champollion, became the first person to decipher their texts for over a thousand years. Champollion's insights and the work of other scholars helped bring an entire civilisation back to life.

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

What makes sharks built for speed? How do snakes move without limbs? How do sugar gliders fly without feathers? The answer all lies in their skin. Professor Ben Garrod uncovers the secrets of how skin has evolved to enable animals to solve some of the most remarkable challenges on Earth. To do this, Ben heads to the specialist flight centre at the Royal Veterinary College to analyse the way a suga

Gareth and Maureen Edwards head to St Davids, a place which holds half a lifetime of special memories for them. After making 53 appearances for Wales, Gareth retired from rugby in 1978. After years in the public eye, he and Maureen booked a holiday in St Davids for them and their young boys. The holiday was such a hit, they returned every summer for more than 40 years. Gareth and Maureen begin wit

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 second of this three-part series, Professor Robert Bartlett explores the impact of the Norman conquest of Britain and Ireland. Bartlett shows how William the Conqueror imposed a new aristocracy, savagely cut down opposition and built scores of castles and cathedrals to intimidate and control. He also commissioned the Domesday Book, the greatest national survey of England that had ever been

Professor Jim Al-Khalili tells the story of how we went from thinking we were close to a complete understanding of the universe to realising we had seen almost none of it. Today, our best estimate is that more than 99 per cent of the cosmos is hidden in the dark, invisible to our telescopes and beyond our comprehension. The first hints that there might be more out there than meets the eye emerged

What makes sharks built for speed? How do snakes move without limbs? How do sugar gliders fly without feathers? The answer all lies in their skin. Professor Ben Garrod uncovers the secrets of how skin has evolved to enable animals to solve some of the most remarkable challenges on Earth. To do this, Ben heads to the specialist flight centre at the Royal Veterinary College to analyse the way a suga

Gareth and Maureen Edwards head to St Davids, a place which holds half a lifetime of special memories for them. After making 53 appearances for Wales, Gareth retired from rugby in 1978. After years in the public eye, he and Maureen booked a holiday in St Davids for them and their young boys. The holiday was such a hit, they returned every summer for more than 40 years. Gareth and Maureen begin wit

In the last of the series, archaeologist and historian Richard Miles examines the rise and fall of the Roman Empire. At the height of its power, the Roman Empire extended the benefits of its civilization to a 60 million citizens and subjects in a swathe of territory that extended from Hadrian's Wall to the banks of the Euphrates. Even under the rule of mad, bad and dangerous emperors, the imperial

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

How does a giraffe stay cool? What are different porcupine quills teaching us about medicine? What makes some people more likely to be bitten by mosquitoes than others? All the answers and more lie in the secrets of how skin protects us from a hostile world. When it comes to protecting our delicate insides, skin is like an external suit of armour. Animals have adapted ways of protecting themselves

For the last of their new adventures, Maureen has arranged a trip to the spectacular Brecon Beacons. But it's not the usual walks amid epic mountain scenery on the agenda. In a first for both, the childhood sweethearts enlist in tank school. After donning cam cream and military gear, the couple get a lesson in controlling a full-sized tank. Maureen's keen to see if the new vehicle can pick up spee

Professor Brian Cox continues his exploration of the solar system with a visit to a planet that dwarfs all the others: Jupiter. Its enormous size gives it a great power that it has used to manipulate the other planets – a power both for good and bad that it wields to this day. Jupiter is not only the biggest but also the oldest planet in the solar system. It alone witnessed the birth of the Sun an

Documentary that re-examines the attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament in 1605 – one of the most famous yet least understood events in British history. It shows how the plot was almost England's 9/11, and asks why a group of young Englishmen became so radicalised and so hell-bent on terrorism. Computer graphics recreate what the Houses of Parliament looked like in 1605, and show just how clo

For the last of their new adventures, Maureen has arranged a trip to the spectacular Brecon Beacons. But it's not the usual walks amid epic mountain scenery on the agenda. In a first for both, the childhood sweethearts enlist in tank school. After donning cam cream and military gear, the couple get a lesson in controlling a full-sized tank. Maureen's keen to see if the new vehicle can pick up spee

Join Professor Brian Cox as he explores the planets of our solar system in this fascinating and stunning, five-part documentary series. Brian traces our knowledge as a species of these giant, celestial bodies, examining each planet's story and makeup. He looks back at their existence over billions of years, revealing each planet's journey with dazzling cinematography and compelling detail. Whether

In the last episode in this series, Dan Snow experiences for himself how the Battle of Britain was fought at the limits of human endurance when he takes flight in a high performance stunt plane. Recreating the spiralling turns of a dogfight, he feels the extraordinary side-effects of the high G forces felt by pilots in this critical battle of WWII. Using revolutionary graphics, Peter Snow gives a

November 1943: Von der Insel Keros können 2000 britische Soldaten nicht evakuiert werden, da der einzige Zugang zum Meer von zwei riesigen Kanonen der Deutschen auf der Insel Navarone bewacht wird. \n\nEin eilig zusammengestelltes Kommandounternehmen aus kriegserfahrenen Freiwilligen soll helfen: darunter Captain Mallory (Gregory Peck), ein neuseeländischer Bergsteiger, der britische Sprengstoffex

Wenn Amerika die Nacht der ausgehöhlten Kürbisse feiert und die Kinder in Skelett-Kostümen die Erwachsenen erschrecken, dann ist Halloween. John Carpenter („Die Klapperschlange“) macht aus dem Verkleidungsspiel schrecklichen Ernst: An jenem Tag bricht der Psychopath Michael Myers aus einer psychiatrischen Anstalt aus, um in seiner Heimat Illinois, wo er als Sechsjähriger seine Killerkarriere began