History documentaries
Shakespeare in Italy
Shakespeare was in love with Italy. A third of his plays are set in the country. For the Elizabethan playwright, it was the stage on which to explore his greatest themes of love, war, fidelity, betrayal and politics. Francesco da Mosto visits spectacular locations, traces Italian myths and reveals how a long dead, foreign playwright’s imagination continues to influence real Italian cities.
Churchill: Britain's Secret Apartheid
In 1942, in order to help defeat Hitler, prime minister Winston Churchill allowed the US to bring the rigid racial segregation of its army to Britain. This controversial move led to conflict and bloodshed across the nation. Nadifa Mohamed uncovers this little-known story, discovering how British people rejected the white soldiers’ racism and the treatment that 130,000 Black GIs faced.
Unwrapping Tutankhamun: Secrets of the Mummy
In 1922, deep in the Egyptian desert, archaeologist Howard Carter and his team slowly peeled the bandages off Tutankhamun. Original photographs and Carter’s extensive diary recorded the historic moment. But why was the mummy charred and burned? And were his broken limbs signs of an accident, or murder? A century after his unwrapping, the truth behind Egypt’s most famous pharaoh is unlocked.
A Ship Through Time
Journalist Sean Fletcher investigates the mystery surrounding the 15th century Newport Medieval Ship, discovered in the mud of the River Usk in Wales in June 2002. Almost an entire century older than the Mary Rose, this unique time capsule offers a fascinating glimpse of life onboard a cargo ship, bearing witness to the habits and behaviors of its crew as well as Medieval European society.
Sex and Sensibility
