BBC four

As Hetty Wainthropp (Patricia Routledge) reaches retirement age at 60 and faces an uncertain future financially, she decides that the life of a pensioner is not for her and opens a detective agency instead. Armed only with her no-nonsense Lancashire attitude and her notebook, she embarks on a series of criminal investigations. Aided by her teenage sidekick and reformed thief, Geoffrey, and her dev

An unrivalled talk-show host, Michael Parkinson was the voice of British conversational television for almost 40 years, inviting famous people from business, politics, sports and entertainment to discuss their lives and careers. In this series, Michael remembers some of his most entertaining and memorable guests from the 1970s and 1980s. Guests include Richard Burton, Orson Welles, Kenneth William

A great maritime mystery lies deep beneath the waters of the Channel Islands. On the morning of 19 February 1917, German submarine UC-18 opened fire on Royal Navy Q-ship the Lady Olive. As the U-boat drew near to assess the damage it had inflicted, the Lady Olive counter-attacked. Both vessels were said to have sunk. For decades, divers and historians have searched to discover their fate and under

The pub has been the mainstay of British society since medieval times, a cornerstone of any community playing a unique role in national life. But in the past 50 years the pub has undergone massive change. This programme examines the core values of this definitively British institution and questions its survival. With contributions from Jeremy Hardy, Rowan Pelling and Pete Brown. Narrated by Arthur

As Hetty Wainthropp (Patricia Routledge) reaches retirement age at 60 and faces an uncertain future financially, she decides that the life of a pensioner is not for her and opens a detective agency instead. Armed only with her no-nonsense Lancashire attitude and her notebook, she embarks on a series of criminal investigations. Aided by her teenage sidekick and reformed thief, Geoffrey, and her dev

For the wildlife and people who live amongst the epic scenery of the Lake District, life is one of continuous change. Cutting-edge camera techniques give a new and unique perspective on a turbulent year in the life of England's largest national park. Time-lapse photography shows months and weeks passing in seconds – snow and ice giving way to sunshine or the frequent rain showers – whilst the anim

Capturing the beauty of the English Lake District, a documentary which traces the life of writer and artist Alfred Wainwright, the eccentric Lancastrian who created a series of iconic fell-walking books which he hand-wrote, illustrated and published himself in the 1950s. Celebrating the centenary of his birth, the film captures his passionate love affair with the Lakeland landscape and explores ho

Ludwig II of Bavaria, more commonly known by his nicknames the Swan King or the Dream King, is a legendary figure – the handsome boy-king, loved by his people, betrayed by his cabinet and found dead in tragic and mysterious circumstances. He spent his life in pursuit of the ideal of beauty, which found expression in three of the most extraordinary, ornate architectural schemes imaginable – the cas

Marking the thirtieth birthday, in 2019, of Bangarra Dance Theatre – an Indigenous Australian and Torres Strait Islander organisation, and one of Australia's leading performing arts companies – Firestarter takes audiences on a tour of Bangarra's birth and spectacular growth. It presents its founders and tells the story of how three young Indigenous Australian brothers – Stephen, David and Russell

Documentary featuring pioneering images that capture China's most beautiful landscapes and their inhabitants. The fairytale hills of Guilin and the cormorant fishermen of the Li River form the heart of this exploration of the colourful rice-growing cultures and strange creatures of southern China – a land of endless hills, mysterious caverns, spectacular rock pinnacles and traditional cultures wit

Since the revolution brought Ayatollah Khomeini to power in Iran in 1979, the country has been synonymous with radical Islam. Western documentary makers are rarely granted access, but journalist Samira Ahmed has been given an exceptional opportunity to discover the country's multifaceted culture and extraordinary history. In this episode, she travels to places that reveal how the Persian Empire ca

Who are you, Martin Parr? Since the 1970s, Martin Parr has fearlessly held out his unique photographic mirror and given us some of the most extraordinary and unique visual clichés of modern times. We follow this tireless adventurer on a road trip, his camera trigger finger always at the ready to capture the smallest details of everyday life. Sometimes serious, often absurd but always playful, his