Now Showing
BBC Select is a streaming service where you can watch acclaimed and award-winning BBC documentaries, many available in the US and Canada for the first time. Browse below for a selection of the many BBC programs to stream.
Global affairs documentaries
The latest global topics from BBC News and leading documentary filmmakers

Mariupol: The People’s Story
The people of Mariupol share powerful, shocking stories of bravery and loss in a war zone.

Putin vs The West
The inside story on how Western leaders have struggled to deal with Putin over the years.

The Whistleblowers: Inside the UN
Does the United Nations punish whistleblowers and protect abusers to cover up the truth?

Zelensky: The Making of a President
The transformation of Ukraine’s President Zelensky from comic to respected world leader.

Elon Musk – Superhero or Supervillain?
A look beyond the hype and headlines at the world’s richest man.

The Decade the Rich Won
How did policies following the 2008 financial crisis make the rich even richer?

The Hunt for Bin Laden
How was Osama Bin Laden able to evade capture despite the intense efforts to find him?

The Shamima Begum Story: The Girl Who Joined ISIS
The story of notorious ISIS bride Shamima Begum told in her own words for the first time.

African Apocalypse
The atrocities committed by a rogue French officer in Africa are still being felt today.

India: the Modi Question
Investigating tensions between the Indian Prime Minister and the country’s Muslim minority

The Hunt for Russia’s Superyachts
A game of cat and mouse between superyacht hunters and Russia’s superrich oligarchs.

Tareena: Return From ISIS
The extraordinary story of Tareena Shakil, the first British woman to be jailed when returning from ISIS.

The Spy Who Fell to Earth
The incredible story of an Israeli double agent who died in mysterious circumstances.

Poaching Wars with Tom Hardy
Actor Tom Hardy is in Africa to investigate the poaching of rhinos and elephants

The Rise and Fall of the Super League
The rise and rapid fall of soccer’s European Super League

House of Maxwell
How the Maxwells, from father Robert to daughter Ghislaine, became embroiled in scandal.

History’s Deadliest Tsunami
How did the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami go undetected and why was it so devastating?

Afghanistan: The British Lion’s Last Roar?
Why did the British army’s attempts at defeating the Taliban go so disastrously wrong?

What If Putin Goes Nuclear?
As Putin put Russia’s nuclear forces on high alert, could he really push the button?

Putin’s War in Ukraine
Exploring the invasion of Ukraine, Putin’s motives and the world’s response.

Prince Andrew and The Epstein Scandal – The Newsnight Interview
In this candid interview, Andrew reveals his connection to Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.

The Man Putin Couldn’t Kill
Did Putin really try to kill a political rival with a plot involving poisoned underpants?

The Prince and The Epstein Scandal
As Prince Andrew steps back from the public eye, the victims of Jeffrey Epstein speak out

North Korea: Voices from the Secret State
The real lives of people trapped in the world’s most secretive state are finally exposed.

Fake News: A True History
Fake news isn’t new: an entertaining look at 200 years of lies and the media
History documentaries
From the dawn of civilization to the emergence of modern-day superpowers, BBC Select hosts a wide-ranging collection of world history documentaries.

Armada: The Untold Story
The fierce naval conflict between England and Spain that changed the face of Europe.

Hitler: A Life In Pictures
Photos and film reveal the public and private life of Germany’s infamous dictator.

Rebellion: The Stuarts In Exile
How much threat did the deposed Stuart dynasty pose to the developing British state?

The Ottomans: Europe’s Muslim Emperors
The story of the mighty Ottoman Empire and its role in shaping Europe and the wider world.

Last Battle Of The Vikings
How did the Norsemen and their presence shape the identity and culture of Scotland?

The Catacomb Mystery
Can the discovery of thousands of skeletons help unlock the secrets of the Roman Empire?

The Last Days Of Anne Boleyn
What led to the dramatic downfall and violent execution of Queen Anne Boleyn in 1536?

African Apocalypse
The atrocities committed by a rogue French officer in Africa are still being felt today.

The Most Dangerous Man In Tudor England
The dramatic story of William Tyndale and his mission to translate the Bible into English.

The World’s Biggest Bomb
Why did American then Soviet scientists race to explode the biggest bomb of all time?

Henry VIII’s Enforcer: The Rise and Fall of Thomas Cromwell
Was Thomas Cromwell a corrupt, ambitious politician or has history unfairly maligned him?

Jesus’ Family Tree
The traditional view of Jesus and his family is far from an accurate representation.

The Bible: A History
What history’s bestselling book can tell us about ourselves and our modern-day beliefs.

Antiques Roadshow
What treasures will be found as antique experts appraise the public’s heirlooms?

Christmas Carols with Lucy Worsley
From pagan fertility rituals to World War I, the story of Christmas carols is surprising.

Who Killed The Princes in the Tower?
Did King Richard III murder two princes to ruthlessly gain the crown of England?

War’s Secret Shame: Shell Shock
Using previously unseen archives the hidden story of WWI soldiers is told.

The Quintinshill Rail Disaster
Reinvestigating the deadliest rail crash in British history that killed over 200 people

The Normans
How the extraordinary ambition of the Normans transformed the history of Europe.

Return of the Black Death
Could 25 medieval skeletons help to eradicate the Bubonic plague?

The Pity of War
Britain’s decision to enter the First World War might have been a tragic miscalculation.

Rome’s Invisible City
Venture beneath the streets of Rome to explore a hidden city seen by very few

The Hector: Canada’s Mayflower
The horrific story of migrants who left Scotland in 1773 to settle in Nova Scotia

A Life In Ten Pictures: Muhammad Ali
Ten photographs show a different side of boxer Muhammad Ali

Moon Landing
Relive the drama and danger of the mission to the moon in this thrilling documentary

The Industrial Revolution
Unraveling the mysteries behind the Industrial Revolution in 19th century Britain

Death Camp Treblinka
Those who survived the Treblinka Nazi extermination camp tell their story

BBC at War
This enthralling series asks, how much did World War II shape the personality of the BBC?

Nature And Us: A History Through Art
In the age of climate crisis, what can art teach us about our relationship with nature?

The Bible’s Buried Secrets
Can contemporary historical evidence confirm stories from the Bible?

Treasures of the Indus
Ancient treasures are used to chart the fascinating history of India and Pakistan.

Nuremberg: Nazis on Trial
Could the Nuremberg trials help shed light on the motivations of leading Nazis?

Edward VIII: Britain’s Traitor King
The amazing story of the former British King who may have had Nazi sympathies during WWII.

The Art of Gothic
Why were Brits in the 19th-century obsessed with art that was horrific, macabre and weird?

The Body Beautiful: Ancient Greeks, Good Looks and Glamour
Why were the Ancient Greeks so preoccupied with images concerning the naked human form?

The Silk Road
The world’s first superhighway that carried goods and ideas between Europe and China.

Confucius
The remarkable story of a great thinker who helped to form a nation and shape the world.

The Wild West
What is the truth behind the iconic figures of the Wild West – and what is pure myth?

The High Art of the Low Countries
Size doesn’t matter. How one small region spawned the greatest artists of all time.

Simon Schama’s Shakespeare and Us
A Bard’s tale. How Shakespeare united the intellectual and populist like no one else.

Ancient Worlds
Travel on an epic quest through the birth of civilization and the development of humanity.

Ancient Treasures with Bettany Hughes
How did our ancient ancestors, and the amazing treasures they left behind, shape the modern world?

The Crusades
Why were the Crusaders willing to endure pain, death and starvation in the name of God?

Countdown to War
The story of the 3 days between the Nazis invading Poland and the beginning of World War II.

The Six Queens of Henry VIII
Rediscover the Queens who shaped a King & his legacy in The Six Queens of Henry VIII, BBC’s new look at the King’s infamous wives.

History of Mother Earth: Gaia Uncovered
In space, you can hear the Earth scream… History of Mother Earth: Gaia Uncovered

Nixon in the Den
Was President Nixon a visionary on China? Davin Reynolds investigates in Nixon in the Den

Blitz Spirit with Lucy Worsley
Hitler’s Terrifying Battle of Britain Bombing. Blitz Spirit with Lucy Worsley, BBC’s leading historian

Africa and Britain: A Forgotten History
From slavery to settlement, award-winning historian David Olusoga explores the history of black Britain.

Harry Potter – A History of Magic
They’re the fastest-selling books in history. But what inspired the enchanting world of Harry Potter?

Rome: Empire Without Limit with Mary Beard
World renowned historian, Mary Beard, is back to shatter myths about the Roman Empire.

Russia 1917: Countdown to Revolution
Three men rise from obscurity to unleash a bloody revolution that changed history forever.

The Persians: A History of Iran
How was the world’s first empire born and what led to its ultimate destruction?

Secret Cities
How much can the artistic history of a great city tell us about its character?

Racism: A History
Where did the notion of racism come from and how did such an abhorrent idea develop?

Filthy Cities
Dan Snow explores the murky histories of London, Paris and New York from the bottom up.

Queen Victoria and her Nine Children
How Queen Victoria’s grief changed her as a mother and a monarch

Archaeology: A Secret History
Better living through archeology. How can our past make sense of our present?

Simon Schama’s Power of Art
Eight masterpieces. Eight big names who changed the world. An electrifying feast of art.

Vienna: Empire, Dynasty and Dream
The rise of one of the great cities and how it offers a window into power, faith and war.

The Birth of Empire: The East India Company
The world’s first megacorp. How Britain’s East India Company grew into an imperial power.

Royal Cousins at War
It makes The Crown look like Sesame Street. The bitter regal rivalries that led to war.

Genius of the Ancient World
The original free thinkers. The stories of the Buddha, Confucius and Socrates.

Genius of the Modern World
Emigres, recluses, enemies of the state. How Marx, Nietzsche and Freud changed the world.

American History’s Biggest Fibs
American history is fake, fact? Historian Lucy Worlsey delves deeper into US mythology.

Suffragettes
The violence, valor and sacrifices made by the women fighting for their right to vote.

Britain’s Forgotten Slave Owners
People as property: historian David Olusoga on the untold stories of British slavery.
True crime documentaries
BBC Select delves into the world of past and present true crime.

Married to a Psychopath
The gripping true crime story of a detective’s relentless pursuit of a ruthless killer.

Taken: Hunting the Sex Traffickers
Can a secret police investigation find the masterminds behind a human trafficking gang?

The Hooded Men: Britain’s Torture Playbook
Fourteen men tortured by the British in Northern Ireland still await an apology.

Deepfake Porn: You Could Be Next
The rise of deepfake porn, a new form of image-based sexual abuse.

Louis Theroux: Dark States – Murder in Milwaukee
Louis Theroux is in Milwaukee to investigate the city’s spiraling homicide rate.

I Shot My Parents
This true crime film asks, what drove a 14-year-old boy to try and kill both his parents?

Louis Theroux: Jimmy Savile Revisited
Louis Theroux scrutinizes his relationship with disgraced entertainer Jimmy Savile

Secrets of the Falklands
A Royal Marine walks out of a bar … and disappears without a trace.

Love and Hate Crime
An investigation into hate crimes committed against those singled out as “different” in the U.S

Catching The Black Cab Rapist
John Worboys preyed on the women of London, drugging, raping and sexually assaulting over 100 victims in his taxi cab between 2000 and 2008.

A Very British Murder
Lucy Worsley investigates why we are so fascinated by grisly, gruesome murders

Crime and Punishment
The disturbing true crime documentary series about the UK criminal justice system returns.

Dark Son: The Hunt for a Serial Killer
The fascinating story of the biggest unsolved serial murder in British criminal history.

The Murder Detectives
You’re in the room as detectives and suspects unravel a real-life murder mystery.

$50 Million Dollar Art Swindle
The amazing true crime case of a maverick art dealer who executed an audacious swindle.

Confessions of a Serial Killer
Meet Samuel Little. One of America’s most dangerous killers.
Travel documentaries
All aboard! Join a star-studded cast of travel guides as they take you to some of the most remote and fascinating corners of the globe. BBC Select is home to BBC travel documentaries you can watch in the US and Canada today.

Joanna Lumley in the Kingdom of the Thunder Dragon
Ab Fab’s Joanna Lumley takes a personal odyssey to retrace her grandad’s steps in Bhutan.

The Silk Road
The world’s first superhighway that carried goods and ideas between Europe and China.

South Korea with Alexander Armstrong
Alexander Armstrong explores one of the most dynamic nations on earth: South Korea.

George Clarke’s Remarkable Renovations
George Clarke meets the people breathing new life into unused and unloved buildings.

Joanna Lumley: In The Land of the Northern Lights
Can Joanna Lumley fulfill a life-long dream and track down the elusive Northern Lights?

Christmas in New York: Inside the Plaza
Tis the season to be swanky as the luxurious Plaza hotel gets ready for Christmas.

Christmas in London
Ever wondered what Christmas is like in one of the world’s most glamorous capitals?

Secrets Of The Bermuda Triangle
Exploring the planet’s most notorious and mysterious body of water: the Bermuda Triangle.

Joanna Lumley’s Unseen Adventures
Ab Fab legend Joanna Lumley takes viewers behind the scenes of her epic travels.

The Art of Spain
Territory, politics and religious conflict: the untold history of Spain’s cultural legacy.

Cuba With Simon Reeve
Cubans reveal what life is like in the communist state as it flirts with capitalism.

Joanna Lumley’s Hidden Caribbean: Havana to Haiti
Ab Fab superstar Joanna Lumley soaks up the sun, sights and sensations of Cuba and Haiti.

The World’s Most Luxurious Holidays
Need a getaway? Discover the most exclusive holiday hotspots where the mega-rich unwind.

Write Around the World
Revisit your favourite reads with Academy Award nominee Richard E. Grant

Joanna Lumley’s Trans-Siberian Adventure
From China, Mongolia and Russia with love: Join Joanna Lumley’s Trans-Siberian Adventure

The Persians: A History of Iran
How was the world’s first empire born and what led to its ultimate destruction?

Africa with Ade Adepitan
It’s Africa, but not as you know it. Ade Adepitan explores a constantly evolving land.

Secret Cities
How much can the artistic history of a great city tell us about its character?

Archaeology: A Secret History
Better living through archeology. How can our past make sense of our present?

Kolkata with Sue Perkins
What’s life like in an Indian megacity? The Great British Baking Show host finds out.

Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond the Lobby
How does a hotel become extraordinary? Our food critic and chef duo meet the pioneers.

Joanna Lumley’s Japan
A fantastic voyage around Japan with British national treasure Joanna Lumley.

Pilgrimage with Simon Reeve
The vice, thrills and dangers that awaited those adventurers who embarked on pilgrimage.
Big thinking documentaries
From modern-day conspiracies to ancient philosophy – get your gray matter fired up.

Magic Numbers
Brilliant mathematician Hannah Fry explores the mystery of math and the wonder of numbers.

Confucius
The remarkable story of a great thinker who helped to form a nation and shape the world.

Don’t Panic: The Truth About Population
Want to stop worrying about the future? Watch this exuberant statistical tour-de-force.

Philosophy: A Guide to Happiness
Can the thoughts and ideas of history’s greatest thinkers help in our day to day lives?
Tech & future documentaries
BBC Select is home to a range of BBC future and technology documentaries that show us how the world is advancing.

Fighter Pilot: The Real Top Gun
Which hopeful pilot will become the latest Top Gun and fly the RAF’s new fighter jet?

Calculating Ada: The Countess of Computing
How did a scandalous 19th-century countess help create the modern era of computing?

Data Overload: Is The Cloud Damaging The Planet?
What is the environmental cost of moving our lives online and into the cloud?

Click to Change Your Life: Secrets of a Global Craze
‘Likes’ for cash? An investigation into the billion-dollar online selling industry.

The Instagram Effect
What impact is Instagram having on the way we view ourselves and others around us?

Are You Scared Yet, Human?
Should we worry about the effect that Artificial Intelligence could have on our lives?
Investigative documentaries
No stone is left unturned in these top-quality investigative documentaries on BBC Select.

Taken: Hunting the Sex Traffickers
Can a secret police investigation find the masterminds behind a human trafficking gang?

The Hunt for Russia’s Superyachts
A game of cat and mouse between superyacht hunters and Russia’s superrich oligarchs.

Disaster Deniers: Hunting the Trolls
Why would anybody target survivors of terrorism and tragedy with online abuse?

The Quintinshill Rail Disaster
Reinvestigating the deadliest rail crash in British history that killed over 200 people

The Secret World of Trading Nudes
The online business of sharing explicit images of women without their consent.

Louis Theroux: Dark States – Murder in Milwaukee
Louis Theroux is in Milwaukee to investigate the city’s spiraling homicide rate.

Secrets Of The Bermuda Triangle
Exploring the planet’s most notorious and mysterious body of water: the Bermuda Triangle.

The Spy Who Fell to Earth
The incredible story of an Israeli double agent who died in mysterious circumstances.

Poaching Wars with Tom Hardy
Actor Tom Hardy is in Africa to investigate the poaching of rhinos and elephants

The Hunt for Bin Laden
How was Osama Bin Laden able to evade capture despite the intense efforts to find him?

History’s Deadliest Tsunami
How did the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami go undetected and why was it so devastating?

The Secret of the Missing Princess
What happened when Princess Latifa was captured? Find out in The Secret of the Missing Princess

Paralympics: The Unfair Games?
Is the Paralympic sports system unfair to certain athletes with disabilities?

The Battle for Britney: Fans, Cash and a Conservatorship
Overprotected? Untangle the law, fans, and hype in the case for Britney’s conservatorship.

9/11: Truth, Lies and Conspiracies
It shook the world. But why do some suspect darker forces were at play?
Music documentaries
BBC Select takes a deep dive into the hearts and minds and into the sometimes controversial lives of famous musicians. Watch BBC music documentaries on BBC Select in the US and Canada.

Elton John: Uncensored
Elton John opens up to Graham Norton about his childhood, stardom and addiction battles.

A Life in Ten Pictures – Freddie Mercury
The life of Queen’s Freddie Mercury told through photographs

A Life In Ten Pictures: John Lennon
Photographs help to reveal the true nature of music icon and Beatles star John Lennon.

It Was 50 Years Ago Today
Making a masterpiece: how The Beatles’ iconic Sgt Pepper’s album changed the world.

Reclaiming Amy
The friends and family of Amy Winehouse reveal the truth about the British music icon.

Mozart in London
Lucy Worsley traces the fascinating and scandalous story of Mozart’s life in London

David Bowie: Finding Fame
How did humble David Jones become David Bowie – an icon that transformed music forever?

Avicii: True Stories
The tragic story of superstar DJ Avicii told in his own words and by those closest to him.
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