BBC four

Documentary series in which historian Bettany Hughes travels to India, Greece and China, introducing us to three very different thinkers – Buddha, Socrates and Confucius, and evaluating the contribution they have made to different philosophical and religious traditions. Hughes interviews several experts in Buddhism, classical philosophy, and Confucianism, and visits several of the ancient sites as

The BBC Philharmonic Orchestra and conductor Ben Gernon perform Bruch's First Violin Concerto and Dvorak's Symphony No 9, 'From the New World'. Bruch's romantic violin concerto is performed by Jennifer Pike, who first gained attention in 2002, when at 12 years old, she won the BBC Young Musician competition. She is now in demand as a soloist around the world. Dvorak wrote his Ninth Symphony on a j

Long-running general knowledge quiz that tests the intellectual powers of the brightest undergraduates in Britain. Launched in 1962 and hosted by Bamber Gascoigne, the show achieved cult status with teams from two different rival colleges pitting their wits against each other each week. The questions are as varied and as tough as they can be, and competitors risk having hard-earned points deducted

British quiz show, presented by Victoria Coren Mitchell, in which teams compete in a tournament of finding connections between seemingly unrelated clues. Each episode features two teams of three people competing in four rounds of gameplay. Each of the four rounds involve connections but they are not obvious or easy. The four rounds are ''What is the Connection?'', ''What Comes Fourth?'', ''Connect

Series which unearths lost civilisations and reveals the wonder of some of the world's greatest lost cities. In the Lambeyeque valley in northern Peru lies a strange lost world – the ruins of 250 pyramids, including some of the world's biggest, made out of mud bricks. The Lambeyeque people were haunted by a terrible fear and believed that building pyramids was essential to their survival. Their ob

Leonardo da Vinci is considered by many to be one of the greatest artists who ever lived. Yet his reputation rests on only a handful of pictures – including the world's most famous painting, the Mona Lisa. As the National Gallery in London prepares to open its doors on a remarkable exhibition of Leonardo's work, Fiona Bruce travels to Florence, Milan, Paris and Warsaw to uncover the story of this

Presented by Andrew Graham-Dixon, British Art at War tells the story of how three British artists responded to the cataclysm of World War One. In the years preceding 1914, David Bomberg, Walter Sickert and Paul Nash set out to paint a new world, but, as the century unfolded, found themselves working in the rubble. David Bomberg is now recognised as the most startlingly original British painter of

In the first of a new series of their city adventures, Janina Ramirez and Alastair Sooke head to Lisbon, rapidly becoming one of Europe's most popular tourist destinations. Winding through the city's cobbled streets, from its steep hills to the picturesque shore line, the cultural riches they encounter reveal the city's fascinating history. From a spectacular monument, to the maritime globetrottin

This episode traces the story of Britain during the 18th century, a period that saw an explosion of creativity and a country with enough money, from trade and conquest, to pay for it. But the money had a dark side: sculptor Thomas J Price visits Harewood House to see the elaborate Robert Adam-designed interiors, Joshua Reynolds portraits and Thomas Chippendale furniture that were paid for by the s

Leonardo da Vinci is considered by many to be one of the greatest artists who ever lived. Yet his reputation rests on only a handful of pictures – including the world's most famous painting, the Mona Lisa. As the National Gallery in London prepares to open its doors on a remarkable exhibition of Leonardo's work, Fiona Bruce travels to Florence, Milan, Paris and Warsaw to uncover the story of this

Various contemporary acclaimed creatives and cultural historians look back on important works of art across 1,500 years of British history, including painting, sculpture, architecture, music, design and literature. The art pieces explored offer a look at pivotal and turbulent moments of historical changes in which they were created, such as the Civil War, the Industrial Revolution or World War I.

Long-running general knowledge quiz that tests the intellectual powers of the brightest undergraduates in Britain. Launched in 1962 and hosted by Bamber Gascoigne, the show achieved cult status with teams from two different rival colleges pitting their wits against each other each week. The questions are as varied and as tough as they can be, and competitors risk having hard-earned points deducted

British quiz show, presented by Victoria Coren Mitchell, in which teams compete in a tournament of finding connections between seemingly unrelated clues. Each episode features two teams of three people competing in four rounds of gameplay. Each of the four rounds involve connections but they are not obvious or easy. The four rounds are ''What is the Connection?'', ''What Comes Fourth?'', ''Connect

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

Timothy Lumsden is a 40-something librarian, still living with his parents and under the thumb of his domineering mother Phyllis. Although Timothy has sporadic attempts at standing up for himself and abandoning his home in order to lead an independent life, all his attempts prove futile as his mother always stands in the way. It might be that the only force strong enough to break Timothy's bond wi

Simon Schama examines the turbulent years in Britain from 1649 to 1689, from Oliver Cromwell's republic to Charles II's restoration and James II's subsequent pro-Catholic rule from which he was quickly deposed. This is the dramatic story of the revolutionary period after the execution of Charles I, when Cromwell ruled with an iron hand and Charles II attempted to restore the lustre of the monarchy

The Story of the Highland Games A journey into the history, pageantry and characters that have shaped a Scottish phenomenon. Acclaimed actor Bill Paterson narrates the astonishing story of the Highland Games. From the battling clans to Queen Victoria's infatuation with her Highland subjects. The Games have become a symbol of community and identity in Scotland and all across the world. (Senderinfo)

Documentary series in which historian Bettany Hughes travels to India, Greece and China, introducing us to three very different thinkers – Buddha, Socrates and Confucius, and evaluating the contribution they have made to different philosophical and religious traditions. Hughes interviews several experts in Buddhism, classical philosophy, and Confucianism, and visits several of the ancient sites as

Dive deep into the world of the greatest lost cities of the ancient world, that have remained unexplored and shrouded in a veil of mystery to this day. We set out on an exploratory journey in an attempt to unearth some of the ancient cities, following archaeological and historical clues that could lead to significant revelations about some of the greatest civilisations that have ever existed, from

Long-running general knowledge quiz that tests the intellectual powers of the brightest undergraduates in Britain. Launched in 1962 and hosted by Bamber Gascoigne, the show achieved cult status with teams from two different rival colleges pitting their wits against each other each week. The questions are as varied and as tough as they can be, and competitors risk having hard-earned points deducted

British quiz show, presented by Victoria Coren Mitchell, in which teams compete in a tournament of finding connections between seemingly unrelated clues. Each episode features two teams of three people competing in four rounds of gameplay. Each of the four rounds involve connections but they are not obvious or easy. The four rounds are ''What is the Connection?'', ''What Comes Fourth?'', ''Connect

In April 1955 Ruth Ellis shot her lover David Blakely dead. It's a case that shocked the nation and it still fascinates today. It has its place in ushering in the defence of diminished responsibility and the eventual abolishment of capital punishment. We all think we know the story, but why, when it was seemingly such an open-and-shut case, does it still divide opinion on whether Ruth Ellis got th

Writer, broadcaster and Newsnight arts correspondent Stephen Smith explores Renaissance Florence under the reign of Grand Duke Cosimo Medici. Cosimo's fledgling court prized the finer things in life and some of the greatest painters, sculptors and craftsmen in world history came to serve the Grand Duke. But successful courtiers had to have brains as well as brawn. The canniest of them looked to th