Politics documentaries

Stream a range of BBC documentaries that explore global politics and that provide expert analysis and insights from those close to the story. From accounts of the 20th century's pivotal political events to biographies of modern political figures, BBC Select brings you documentaries about the politics that shape our world.

The Cult of Conspiracy: QAnon

Watch The Cult of Consiracy: QAnon documentary on BBC Select

This QAnon documentary investigates how the political movement and conspiracy theory that began on the fringes of the Internet, spread into the real world following the election of Trump.

In 2017 a figure called “Q”, claiming to be a patriotic government insider, started posting cryptic prophecies and clues known as “Q drops” on anonymous websites.

Followers grew exponentially, ardently believing in unfounded theories such as Trump being a prophet, the Democrats running a pedophile ring in secret tunnels under Washington, and the existence of an elite group or “cabal” of baby-eating Satanic worshippers that needed to be stopped.

But how do such wildly untrue conspiracies gain traction? And who would believe them? Filmmaker Ben Zand travels across America to meet some of QAnon’s diehard followers.

The Man Putin Couldn't Kill

Watch The Man Putin Couldn't Kill documentary on BBC Select

Watch Navalny: The Man Putin Couldn’t Kill, a gripping Alexei Navalny documentary and learn more about the Russian opposition leader and his suspected poisoning.

Africa and Britain: A Forgotten History

Stream Africa and Britain: A Forgotten History on BBC Select

From slavery to settlement, award-winning historian David Olusoga explores the history of black Britain.

The Trump Show

Stream The Trump Show on BBC Select

Trump was obsessed with the film Citizen Kane. And the end of his reign shared eerie parallels with this story of a man destroyed by power. His presidency’s incident packed final days featured a baseless attempt to overturn the election, an assault on the Capitol and another impeachment. Those close to him provide a blow-by-blow account of the final dramatic weeks of the Trump administration.

American History's Biggest Fibs

American History's Biggest Fibs

Join Lucy Worsley in a three-part series exploring how American history has been mythologised and manipulated by politicians, writers and protesters. From the American Revolution and Civil War through to the United States’ becoming a superpower after the Second World War, how much is fact and how much is potentially fiction?