Season 2022 2022

TV-PG

A feature-length documentary on the life of one of the last surviving actresses from the golden age of Hollywood – Joan Collins. This epic film is told from the ringside as Joan narrates her rollercoaster life story with her inimitable wit and verve. A worldwide television phenomenon with her decade-defining role in Dynasty, Collins shares her extraordinary archive and never before seen home movie footage, giving an intimate glimpse into one of the world’s most iconic figures.

Sir David Attenborough chooses his favourite recordings from the natural world that have revolutionised our understanding of song. Each one - from the song of the largest lemur to the song of the humpback whale to the song of the lyrebird - was recorded in his lifetime.

When Sir David was born, the science of song had already been transformed by Charles Darwin’s theory of sexual selection: singing is dangerous as it reveals the singer’s location to predators, but it also offers the male a huge reward, the chance to attract a female and pass on genes to the next generation. Hence males sing and females don't.

Today, new science in the field of birdsong is transforming those long-held ideas. Scientists are discovering that, in fact, in the majority of all songbird species, females sing - and it is only now they are being properly heard. Through this revelation and others, we can understand that animal songs are marvelous examples of the spectacular survival strategies that species ha

Heartfelt memories are shared of former Rangers and Scotland manager Walter Smith, both on and off the pitch. Featuring rare archive and contributions from the people who knew him best and who worked with him throughout his long and varied career, this documentary the numerous successes at Rangers, his experiences as a manager in the English Premiership with Everton, his leadership of the Scotland national men's team - and his sensational return to Rangers in 2007

On 23 March 2021, the Ever Given – one of the largest container ships ever built – ploughed into the sandy bank of the Suez Canal, blocking the entire waterway. It stopped all traffic in one of the most important shipping lanes in the world for almost a week, causing a ‘ship jam’ of over 300 vessels and delaying deliveries of billions of pounds of vital food, fuel and medical supplies. The disruption to the global supply chain lasted for months.

How did such an advanced ship crash in one of the most closely monitored shipping lanes in the world? How did a team of engineers free the ship in just six days? And who or what is to blame?

Using never-before seen footage, testimony from witnesses speaking for the very first time, and expert analysis, this documentary aims to uncover the inside story of the Ever Given accident. And with over 2,500 shipping incidents a year, the film also asks if this was just a freak accident or whether it reveals a serious weakness in the world’s critical s

Peter Moore, the murderer known as the 'man in black', has now served 25 years in prison. Back in 1995, he terrorised communities along the north Wales coastline, killing four men and allegedly attacking many more. By day he was a well-respected shopkeeper and cinema owner in Kinmel Bay, and by night he was a sadistic killer who seemed to target gay men.

In this special edition of Dark Land, former chief constable Jackie Roberts returns to re-examine the hunt for the man who would go down in history as Wales’s worst serial killer.

Moore is revealed as a man with a violent secret life, hiding in plain sight. Beneath the façade of a respectable businessman was a mind warped by a dysfunctional upbringing; a man who seized upon a climate of gay prejudice to embark upon a 20-year spree of savage attacks, confident his victims wouldn’t feel able to come forward to complain.

The ultimate question is, could Moore have been stopped before he went on to kill and kill again?

In every corner of the UK, women are being kept as Slaves and sold for sex. Jean MacKenzie heads on a journey into Romania's underworld to uncover the shocking secrets of this ruthless trade.

The government and the Bank of England took drastic action to save the UK economy in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis. Insiders from the world of finance tell us how decisions made to solve the crisis allowed them to ‘make out like bandits.’

From bailing out the banks to pursuing a faster, deeper austerity than any other country, Britain’s policymakers shatter the status quo in a desperate bid to save the economy. With first-hand accounts from key players, this two-part series takes us inside the room when the big decisions were made.

In the second episode, the government and the Bank of England are forced to react to the economic shocks brought on by Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic. Insiders from the world of finance tell us how these crises create an opportunity for the rich to vastly increase their fortunes.

Theresa May enters office in the aftermath of Brexit, setting her sights on tax dodgers, bloated executive pay and unethical multinational companies.

But as May struggles to implement Brexit, wealth inequality and executive pay are increasing while average wages are barely growing, sparking anger and protests.

With first-hand accounts, the episode takes us inside No 10 as the prime minister and her closest advisers promise to reset the economy in favour of ordinary working people.

New film Belfast is Sir Kenneth Branagh’s account of his childhood in the early years of the Troubles. Tipped for Oscar glory and now released here, we speak to the man behind it.

At 18, George Ward left the Gypsy community. He had felt rejected having come out as gay. Leaving his Gypsy identity behind, he invented Cherry Valentine, a drag alter-ego. Now he wants to find out if he can be accepted as a queer Gypsy and feel proud.

Jay Blades, presenter of The Repair Shop, struggles to read. Now he has decided it is finally time to learn.

Fifty years ago this month, Paratroopers shot dead 13 innocent civil rights marchers in Northern Ireland. It was the British Army's darkest day - forever known as Bloody Sunday. No soldier has been prosecuted. The tragedy helped fuel the IRA's bloody campaign over the violent decades ahead and set back the chances of peace for more than 20 years. Peter Taylor analyses what happened and why - and assesses Bloody Sunday's legacy today.

Film following a project spearheaded by the Prince of Wales, who has commissioned seven leading artists to paint seven survivors of the Holocaust.

Throughout the programme, we hear the testimonies of the remarkable men and women who were children when they witnessed one of the greatest atrocities in human history, as well as meeting the artists as they grapple with their paintings. We see some of the sittings and witness the touching friendships that have emerged between artist and sitter over the course of nearly two years.

The finished portraits, destined for the Royal Collection, will be unveiled at the Queen’s Gallery in Buckingham Palace. They represent pain and loss as well as dignity and hope, and serve as a lasting reminder of horrors which will one day be lost to living memory.

To mark HM the Queen’s platinum jubilee, 70 years since she ascended the throne, some of our best-loved stars look back through the decades of her reign, reflecting on the changes the UK has undergone since she became monarch.

Recalling this extraordinary period in British history, this is a snapshot of how the UK has changed over the decades – from those who were there. From the transformation of Empire to Commonwealth, the rise in our standard of living, the digital revolution, sporting achievements and living through the pandemic, Queen Elizabeth has been the one constant in all our lives.

Narrated by Julie Walters, this warm and evocative programme is a reminder of how much the UK has evolved and developed during the Queen’s reign, and how we have all helped shape Britain.

Featuring contributions from David Attenborough, Paul McCartney, Lulu, Trevor McDonald, Joan Bakewell, Brian Blessed, Cameron Mackintosh, Alan Bennett, Len Goodman, Floella Benjamin, Twiggy, Cliff Richard, Boy

BBC medical editor Fergus Walsh examines the extraordinary ambition behind the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid jab. Intended as a vaccine for the world, did politics get in its way?

The story of how Instagram became the dominant force it is today, told by former staff and insiders and through powerful testimony from users who have been negatively impacted.

Catrin Nye investigates the glamorous design company that tricked its own staff into believing it was real through an online universe of fake profiles, stolen work and lies.

Deeply moving and laugh-out-loud funny, Mission: Joy gives unprecedented access to the friendship between His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the late Archbishop Tutu. The self-described ‘mischievous brothers’ were filmed over five days by an award-winning team who captured a relationship built on truth, honesty and, most importantly, joy.

The film goes behind the scenes at the Dalai Lama’s residence in Dharamsala, where Archbishop Tutu and the Dalai Lama recount stories from their lives, both having lived through periods of incredible difficulty.

With genuine affection, mutual respect and a healthy dose of teasing, the two friends impart lessons gleaned from experience, ancient traditions and cutting-edge science to show that it is possible to live with joy in the face of all of life’s challenges, from the extraordinary to the mundane. Mission: Joy is an antidote for our times.

Stephen Fry embarks on a fascinating journey to discover the stories behind some of the world’s most fantastic beasts.

Mythical creatures have fascinated us for thousands of years, but why are we still captivated by these mythological beasts, even in this modern age of science and technology? With the help of scientists, historians, writers and film-makers, Stephen finds out why the world of magical animals is more popular today than ever before.

By digging for dragons, meeting distant relatives of the unicorn or swimming with an unlikely inspiration for mermaids, Stephen uncovers the secrets behind some of our best-loved mythical creatures, and reveals the real-life beasts that have inspired some of the greatest legends in history, from rhinos to narwhals, vervet monkeys to manatees.

These are the stories of the world’s most fantastic beasts.

An intimate portrait of snooker legend Ray Reardon as he reflects on the highs and lows of a remarkable career, and relives some of his biggest sporting moments.

In June 2020, when sisters Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman did not return from Bibaa’s birthday celebrations in a north London Park, family and friends knew something was wrong and reported them missing to police. Bibaa, 46, a passionate social worker, and Nicole, 26, a talented freelance photographer, were murdered as they danced to music, enjoying each other’s company. Bibaa had chosen to celebrate her birthday in the park because of restrictions imposed during lockdown. The next day, Nicole’s boyfriend found the sisters’ bodies after family and friends organised their own search party.

Harvey Price is about to embark on a rite of passage that thousands of young people do every year: he is going to college. Harvey, who is disabled, is about to move three hours away from home and will have to adjust to life apart from his family. His mum Katie must face what it means to ‘let go’ of her oldest child. How will the Price family cope with the seismic change this next chapter will bring?

John Denver, the internationally popular singer, recorded at the Talk of the Town in London in 1976.

Documentary that recounts how three young brothers turned an Indigenous Australian dance group into a First Nations cultural powerhouse.

30 January 2022 marked the fiftieth anniversary of Bloody Sunday. As the people of Derry city came together to commemorate the event, a bold new piece of musical theatre was staged in the Guildhall - the intended but never-reached destination for the fateful 1972 civil rights march.

Commissioned by the city’s Playhouse Theatre, The White Handkerchief seeks to create a dramatic elegy to the 13 killed alongside those others injured, and to catalyse a creative legacy from those devastating events.

The result is a bold experiment which renders the events of Bloody Sunday on a vivid new audio-visual canvas and seeks to inspire a new generation of local talent in musical theatre, offering a bright and unexpected legacy of that day 50 years ago.

Filmed over nine months, this intimate portrait takes viewers into the heart of the production and a city striving to come to terms with the defining event of its recent history.

Some of the finest Irish singers and musicians, recorded in the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall at Celtic Connections 2012. Eleanor McEvoy, Finbar Furey, Cara Dillon, Luka Bloom, Brian Kennedy and many others sing the songs that Ireland is famous for. Love songs, songs of emigration, songs of loss, contemporary and traditional are all beautifully accompanied by the house band, top Irish American group Solas.

Ricky Ross presents an hour of great Irish music.
First shown as BBC Music on March 18, 2012 on BBC One

Poet John Wedgwood Clarke explores the Red River in Cornwall, a watercourse barely more than a stream that has been heavily polluted by centuries of tin mining. Now, this powerful symbol of Cornish identity, home to some very rare, beautiful and resilient species, is slowly showing signs of coming back to life.

Extracts from John's poem, Red River at the A30 Culvert, reveal his mixed thoughts about the river's toxic legacy, but as he meets both those with a connection with the river's industrial past and who care for it today, he finds new hope for its future.

Technology is transforming recruitment. But when it comes to deciding careers, are algorithms really fit for the job? This film unpacks concerns around bias and inaccuracy in algorithm-based hiring.

When Fri killed her boyfriend Kyle in 2014, she was convicted of his murder. Now she is appealing her conviction, but Kyle’s family want her to stay behind bars.

During the Second World War, government scientists from Porton Down attempted to weaponise anthrax, creating a deadly strain that they then tested on Gruinard Island, an uninhabited remote site off the coast of Scotland.
This proved disastrous for Gruinard and, from 1942 onwards, people were forbidden from setting foot on the island. Signs were erected on the shore and the adjacent mainland, and Gruinard was dubbed The Island of Death or Anthrax Island. This documentary reveals an extraordinary Scottish story from 1981, when a shadowy group called the Dark Harvest Commandos claimed to have landed on the island and removed 300lbs worth of infected soil. They wrote a dramatic letter explaining and justifying their actions, which was sent to various newspapers and the BBC. In the letter, they explained their campaign to clean up Gruinard had begun with a package of island soil dumped outside Porton Down. Nobody knew who they were or if they were serious.

The Bayeux Tapestry is a remarkable and unique work of art that has survived for almost 1,000 years. Made in the 11th century, it tells the story of William of Normandy’s claim to the English throne, culminating in the Norman invasion of England and the Battle of Hastings.

Surprisingly for an object of its size, the Bayeux Tapestry is not mentioned in any contemporary records. So where does it come from? Who made it and why? Archaeologists, historians, biologists, anthropologists and even astrophysicists are unlocking some of the tapestry’s mysteries to understand better the story it tells us about England and France at that time.

At nearly 70 metres in length, the Bayeux Tapestry includes 623 characters, hundreds of animals and a wide diversity of scenes depicting everyday life and epic events. It is a treasure trove of information, offering an extraordinary insight into a pivotal moment in history.

What would you do if you were told you had a dramatically life-shortening illness at the age of just 32? Start making comic books about it, of course! Well, that's what Gordon did.

Gordon is a Scottish comic book artist with an inoperable, incurable, high-grade malignant brain tumour. By making autobiographical comics about his experience, he is able to communicate his thoughts and reactions to cancer in a medium and language that is disarming, accessible and inviting.

From Westminster Abbey, Huw Edwards presents live coverage of the service of thanksgiving in memory of HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, the longest serving royal consort in history, who died last April at the age of 99.

Featuring readings and music close to the duke’s heart, the service commemorates the life and legacy of HM The Queen’s remarkable consort. Members of the royal family and members of the duke’s family will attend, as well as representatives from the many organisations the duke supported who were unable to attend the funeral, which was scaled down due to Covid-19 restrictions.

Prince Philip supported an exceptional number of causes during his lifetime, becoming patron of many hundreds of charities and organisations championing conservation, sport, industry and education. In 1956 he founded the Duke of Edinburgh Awards scheme to encourage the development of young people, which has since expanded to 144 nations and been completed by millions of young people aroun

The five-time Paralympic gold medal-winner investigates a controversial drug that promises to make children with Achondroplasia, her form of dwarfism, grow closer to normal height. But there is a concern - could this bring an end to dwarfism, and if so, should people be using it? Ellie explores all sides of the debate, meeting families embarking on the drug trial and others who are proud of their identity and question the aims of the drug. She also draws on her own experiences and asks wider questions about the relationship between science and disability

David Attenborough reveals the last day of the dinosaurs in astonishing detail, with new evidence from a prehistoric graveyard dating to the day an asteroid devastated our planet.

Walled City Passion reimagines the ancient story of The Easter Passion for a modern-day audience, and makes it a contemporary event in Derry that’s told through the prism of a live rolling news show.
The show's news team - WCP News - is in Derry City to ostensibly cover a Peace Festival. The live news coverage of the Peace Festival is suddenly interrupted by a ‘security alert’ (the events of The Passion), which are happening in another part of the city, and we cut away live to cover these unfolding events.
As the events of The Passion on the Walls move closer and closer to Guildhall Square and the Peace Festival, there is a sense of dread and inevitability. We reach an unforgettable finale right in the heart of the city centre, surrounded by thousands of people. The arrest and suffering of one man is trialled by the media. Will his innocence be compromised by the widespread perception of guilt?
Walled City Passion truly blurs the lines between performance and reality and captures the i

A major entertainment documentary that tells, for the first time, the extraordinary story of how Irish dance developed over centuries, from a traditional dance of the Irish people, to become the global phenomenon it is today, attracting millions of viewers and dancers throughout the world.

The documentary features stunning original performances by some of the greatest practitioners of Irish dance of the present day and a wealth of archive materials including films, photographs and witness accounts revealing the history of Irish dance and its evolution. There is a strong American current running throughout the story as we show how the Irish diaspora played a pivotal part in shaping the form, particularly during the last century. Gene Kelly was among those in the Irish diaspora whose style, though strongly American, also drew heavily on his Irish roots.

In the worst and best of times, the Irish danced. And as it grew and changed, the Irish dance form was shaped by political and social

Actress Aoife Hinds (Derry Girls, Normal People) explores the little-known Irish part of the Brontë story. Aoife’s first memory of the Brontës is as a child when she watched her father, the actor Ciaran Hinds, play Mr Rochester, one of the most iconic figures in literature. In a journey which takes Aoife from County Down to St John’s College, Cambridge, she discovers how the father of the Brontës, Patrick, rose from humble beginnings in Rathfriland to become curate of Haworth parsonage. Then, unusually for the time, he encouraged and supported his daughters’ desire to be educated and to write.

Aoife discovers the impact a second Irish man had on the Brontë story. Arthur Bell Nicholls, from Killead, Co. Antrim, courted Charlotte for many years before she finally agreed to marry him. The newlyweds honeymooned in Ireland, and Aoife visits the archives of the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, where she reads one of the letters Charlotte wrote while in Ireland.

Aoife’s journey concludes in

The story of Alvin Ailey, a visionary African American choreographer who found salvation through dance, told through his own words and the creation of a new commission inspired by his life.

The uplifting story of Swansea-based Anthony and Kel Matsena, whose work is gaining them a growing reputation, putting them at the forefront of the next generation UK dance.

Born in Zimbabwe, the brothers moved to Wales as children when their parents made the life-changing decision to leave their homeland in search of a better life. This film tells the brothers' remarkable story as they begin rehearsals for a major new theatre work inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement, which premieres at Sadler’s Wells this spring. From family tragedy to euphoric appearances on Britain’s Got Talent, the fun-loving duo retrace their steps, visiting the people and places of Wales that helped shape them into the artists they are today.

For 40 years, Tim Westwood dominated the UK Black music scene. The white DJ was an early adopter of hip hop in the 1980s and presented BBC Radio 1’s Rap Show for almost 20 years, before moving to Capital Xtra in 2013. The self-styled ‘Big Dawg’ had everyone from Jay-Z to Nicki Minaj on his shows, and his stint presenting MTV’s Pimp My Ride made him a household name.

In a joint investigation by the BBC and The Guardian, allegations of sexual misconduct have been brought to light. In this explosive documentary, six women speak out about their experiences for the first time, claiming he misused his powerful position in the music industry to take advantage of them. The earliest alleged incident took place in 1992, the most recent in 2017.

Tan France, stylist and presenter on Netflix’s hit show Queer Eye, is on a mission to take down the world’s most shocking beauty trend - and for him, it’s personal.

Three years after the devastating fire, Lucy Worsley has exclusive access to the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris at a key turning point of the restoration. Work to rebuild and restore the monument is being ramped up in a bid to meet the ambitious deadline to reopen it to the public in 2024.

Visiting Notre-Dame aged 16 inspired Lucy to work with historical buildings; this is a once-in-a-career opportunity to witness the rebirth of an icon close to her heart. Scaffolding now fills the interior of the cathedral, giving Lucy and the team unprecedented close-up access to every inch of the structure. Lucy meets scientists, historians and craftspeople working to return the 850-year-old Gothic masterpiece to its former glory.

The fire coated Notre-Dame with tons of toxic lead dust, so specialists are now decontaminating the site. Unique access to the stunning rose windows allows Lucy and the stained-glass historians to uncover the mysteries of these enigmatic 13th-century works of art. An u

With the death of the last captive male, Sudan, the northern white rhinoceros was officially declared extinct in 2018. But in recent years, possible sightings from a remote region in the heart of Africa have given conservationists hope. Could this charismatic animal get a miraculous second chance?

This film follows a dedicated international team of experts on an expedition to war-torn South Sudan in search of the northern white rhinoceros. An animal native to this unexplored and dangerous region in Africa, the team is taking a huge risk to realize the dream that a lost population of these incredible beasts still exist.

The team comprise of Paul Naden, expedition leader and CEO of rhino rescue charity Saving the Survivors (STS), Vianet Djenguet, a highly skilled Congolese wildlife camera operator, Dr Johan Marais, the world-leading rhinoceros veterinarian and founder of Saving the Survivors, and Aldo Kane, a high security expert and former royal marine.

Paul Merson walks through North Yorkshire, reflecting on life, career and faith. Carrying a 360-degree camera, he also describes his struggles with drink and gambling.

Ardal O’Hanlon explores a 1930s quest to find the first Irish men and women using archaeology, answering his deepest questions about what it means to be Irish.

BBC One follows a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity as five exceptional home bakers are plucked from thousands in a national competition to find a brand new pudding to mark the Queen’s historic platinum jubilee.

The programme follows Fortum & Mason’s competition as it celebrates the monarch’s 70 years on the throne by finding an original and celebratory cake, tart or pudding fit for the Queen. Following in the footsteps of the coronation chicken and the victoria sponge, this winning recipe will go down in history and become part of the British food story.

We follow the finalists, Kathryn, Jemma, Sam, Shabnam and Susan as their creations are judged by a panel chaired by Mary Berry.

Joe Wicks discovers how his parents’ mental health issues affected him as a child, and the shocking scale of the problem of parental mental health today.

The Isle of Muck, in the Inner Hebrides, is home to the MacEwan family. Lawrence, the charismatic patriarch of the MacEwan family and laird of the tiny island, is struggling to accept he controls neither his life nor the isle he so loves.

It has been his mission to preserve the fragile society on the island and pass it onto future generations. However, he is also battling to accept the inevitability of change.

The Prince of Muck is a warm, observational portrayal of Lawrence and the beautiful Scottish landscape he belongs to.

Following British women of all ages who have taken inspiration from Anne Lister, the 19th-century lesbian at the centre of drama series `Gentleman Jack', with dramatic results. That includes coming out to themselves, their children, their parents and grandparents.

The story of Queen Elizabeth II in her own words, featuring never-before-seen home movies.

With unprecedented access to the latest technology, Clive Myrie reveals the magnificent, astonishing, complicated history buried within the Crown Jewels.

Queen Elizabeth II's coronation was one of the biggest ceremonial occasions ever. The events of 2 June 1953 were the most ambitious and technically difficult broadcast the BBC had ever tackled.

Forty years ago, British troops returned home victorious from a short and brutal war. This film is the story of ten ordinary men who fought on the front line alongside one another in the Falklands War.

Very little of the frontline fighting on the islands was captured on film. So if you want to know what the Falklands War was really like, you need to ask the men who fought it.

Tasked with liberating the Falkland Islands from Argentina, British troops set sail from England in April 1982, returning ten weeks later. In that time, their lives were changed forever.

In their own words, with unflinching honesty and detail – some speaking for the first time – their stories revisit some of the most dramatic, impactful, bloody and life-changing moments of the war. For these men, it remains as vivid as they day they fought it.

Professor Brian Cox fulfils a childhood dream by going behind the scenes at Nasa’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), mission control for Mars 2020 – one of the most ambitious missions ever launched that may finally reveal if life ever existed on the red planet.

In 1980, a young Brian Cox wrote to JPL asking for photos from some of their missions to the planets. The pictures they sent him from Voyager and the Viking mission to Mars were a source of inspiration that set him on the path to becoming a physicist.

A social and musical history of (probably) the world’s greatest music festival, as told by its principal curators, Michael and Emily Eavis, and many of the key artists who’ve appeared there.

Sandi Toksvig goes behind the iconic green door of one of the most famous lesbian venues in the world, The Gateways Club in London. Starting off as a meeting place for bohemians, it became lesbian-only under the watchful management of the enigmatic Gina Ware and her sidekick Smithy until its closure in 1985.

The Gates’ former clientele recount the many stories of love, heartbreak, friendship, scandal and sanctuary that played out in the club, including the venue's appearance in a Hollywood film. They open up the secret history of this haven for women, who could lose homes, jobs and children if their truth became known.

For more than 70 years, the UN has been at the forefront of work to uphold human rights and promote global peace. But what happens when the fixer of the world’s problems is itself faced with allegations of wrongdoing and corruption? What happens when UN staff try to call out their own managers and colleagues?

Told by insiders with decades of experience working at the world’s top diplomatic institution, The Whistleblowers: Inside the UN gives first-hand accounts of what happens to staff when they report allegations of wrongdoing. Their stories reveal a culture of untouchability that reaches the highest levels of the organisation.

Trucking is big business. Cashing in on the boom is Shannan’s trucker driving school. But can she pass her own HGV test?

War photographer David Pratt takes a trip back to Iraq, the beautiful, traumatised land whose conflicts he has covered for over three decades.

In 2021, Champlain Towers South – an apartment building near Miami – collapsed, killing 98 people. This film forensically examines what happened and asks: what went wrong? And could more buildings across the world be at risk of a similarly catastrophic fate?

On 24 June 2021, Champlain Towers South – a 13-storey residential building in Surfside, Florida – collapsed in just 12 seconds. Fifty-five apartments were reduced to rubble, and 98 people lost their lives. What might have caused one of the worst building failures in modern history? There is still no official explanation. This programme examines what went wrong and investigates the implications for other buildings around the world, including those in the UK.

Emotional eyewitness testimony, tense bodycam footage from first responders, news archive footage and 3D CGI animations are used to piece together the definitive, moment-by-moment account of this disaster.

Contemporary African designers are increasingly being recognised in the world's fashion capitals, and they have come to threaten the dominance of respected international brands, with mainstream fashion markets embracing the continent's style and authenticity.

As London's V&A Museum launches a landmark exhibition, Brenda Emmanus explores the global impact of African fashion and travels to Ghana to look at how designers are putting culture and traditions front and centre of their designs.

Meet Cam and Oli, best mates and partners in grime. The two 26-year-olds from Bromsgrove, West Midlands, started their waste management business during lockdown as a way to keep busy. They soon discovered there’s a tonne of money to be made from clearing other people’s rubbish.

Now at the start of their second year of business, the boys are facing their biggest challenge to date. At the last minute, their biggest job to date falls through, leaving a £50k hole. Can Cam and Oli find enough work to make up for four weeks' lost income and keep the business on track?

Sir Mo Farah reveals the shocking truth about his childhood, the journey he made from Somaliland to the UK as a young boy, and the subsequent years that led to him winning two gold medals at the London 2012 Olympics.

Online gambling has exploded in recent years, and with it, concerns about addiction, particularly among young men. Telling the stories of two young men harmed by their gambling addiction, Gambling: A Game of Life and Death traces how they became hooked, the attempts they made to overcome their addiction and the reasons recovery seemed so impossible. Told with powerful testimony from friends and family, the devastating personal consequences of gambling addiction in young men are laid bare.

After a freak accident, experienced caver George Linnane was left with multiple life-threatening injuries within Britain’s deepest cave system. This drama documentary set in the Brecon Beacons tells the story of his remarkable 54-hour-long rescue.

With George’s life hanging in the balance, a team of over 300 individuals came to the rescue, from Wales and across the UK, to try and save his life and bring him safely to the surface.

Hannah Fry meets seven unvaccinated people to investigate why around four million adults remain unvaccinated against Covid-19, and to find out if any of them will change their mind.

Who Stole Tamara Ecclestone’s Diamonds? (21 July 2022) This one-hour documentary is accompanied by BBC Sounds podcast Tamara’s Stolen Diamonds, which includes exclusive characters, interviews and information about the investigation.

Tamara Ecclestone and Jay Rutland live a blessed life of luxury. But during their 2019 Christmas getaway, they receive a call that shatters their sense of safety: their London home has been hit by burglars.

Evading a 24-hour security team on one of London’s most secure streets, three men have managed to penetrate Tamara’s jewellery room and Jay’s walk-in wardrobe. They’ve gathered more than 400 items of jewellery and watches valued at more than £26m. And they’ve disappeared into the night.

Art-loving comedian Joe Lycett joins artists hoping to make it onto the walls of the RA Summer Exhibition 2022, the world’s largest open-submission art contest.

Colin Baker looks back on one of his earliest TV roles and discusses the significance of acclaimed 13-part drama series 'The Roads to Freedom', which is being shown on television for the first time since 1977 as part of the BBC’s centenary celebrations.

Based on the novels by Jean-Paul Sartre and set in Nazi-occupied France, it has been described as an amazing, potent and subversive viewing experience, that saw taboos broken with every weekly broadcast. That assessment can now be tested by first-time viewers, as well those who saw it at the time and who have long campaigned for the BBC to screen it again.

In this era of social media, we are given more access to the private lives of celebrities and influencers than ever before. But how well do we really know our favourite online friends? This film explores the murky and, at its worst, toxic, relationship between one influencer and her followers.

The infamous viral scandals of pioneering internet sensation Caroline Calloway have captivated audiences across the globe, with some of her followers left feeling duped and scammed. But why did Caroline's actions garner so much attention? And what do influencers owe their followers who built the very foundations of their success?

The issues thrown up by climate change have never been more urgent. It's politics, it's food, it's business - it's people's lives. 'The Art of Cutting Carbon' is a unique project which uses art installations commissioned by the BBC to highlight the carbon dioxide emitted by the big industries around us.

A BBC News investigation exposes the abuse and neglect of disabled people locked away in institutions across Ukraine. More than 100,000 children and young people live in these facilities, hidden away from society. Human rights investigators say Ukraine should not be allowed to join the EU until it abolishes a care system which institutionalises its most vulnerable people

A chance to relive England’s historic victory in the Women’s European Championships, with behind-the-scenes content, interviews and the best of the action from the tournament.

From the hot desert to the cold mountains and dry arid plains, only a fraction of the 200 million homes in India's villages have tap water. Women trek for hours to fetch and store water for the whole family. Now, a government scheme is promising to change that. But climate change and an ever-increasing population means India is running out of water. BBC's Divya Arya has travelled across the country, asking when will women's walk for water be over?

Along the coastlines and river beds of rural Bangladesh, thousands of hectares where rice was once grown have been converted into intensive shrimp farms, catering to a multibillion dollar global industry.

Faarea Masud investigates how the demand for shrimp is destroying land that women have farmed for centuries and hears how they are taking matters into their own hands in their fight with a global economic force – the world's insatiable appetite for shrimp.

The story of how a small Scottish arts festival that began in 1947 became a national institution that has seen new stars forged, careers made and dreams dashed.

Told by the stars who first found fame at the Edinburgh Fringe, this is the inside story of what it takes to make a name here - from those who enjoyed overnight success to those who slogged for years to make it. Through their triumphs, favourite jokes and sometimes painful failures, we discover a hidden history of British comedy, revealing how the gags we find funny and the comedians we love reflect our changing culture.

Tom Daley visits the most homophobic countries in the Commonwealth to explore how gay athletes are facing extreme persecution. What can the Commonwealth Games do to help?

In 2021, a prisoner was released from Russia’s infamous Saratov prison hospital. Hidden on the prisoner was a hard drive filled with bodycam videos that he had secretly copied. These videos showed what appears to be some of the worst torture ever seen in Russian prisons.

From the fuel that powers them to the drivers who drive them, engineers are innovating every aspect of the automobile. Solar-powered vehicles, full automation, clean fuel cars and electrification.

In 2010, the Himalayan nation of Nepal was one of 13 countries to commit to doubling its wild tiger populations by 2022. In the decade since, Nepal is the only country to have achieved that goal. Over that time, other iconic species, including rhinos and elephants, have also seen an increase. What's behind the success? And what does it mean for the communities living with the tigers? The BBC's Asia editor Rebecca Henschke reports from Bardiya national park

Deportation flights from the UK to Jamaica are among the most controversial carried out by the Home Office. Since 2019, a majority of people listed to be removed have been taken off after last-minute legal reprieves and pressure from campaigners during protests. The vast majority have criminal records for offences ranging from petty to serious crimes. Many came to the UK as children, so why are they being sent back to a place they don't remember, having served time for their offences?

When the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan, LGBTQ+ Afghans knew their lives were in grave danger. A small group were evacuated in a top-secret mission and are rebuilding their lives in the UK. This is their story.

Writer Hanif Kureishi looks back on how his semi-autobiographical novel The Buddha of Suburbia became one of the defining BBC dramas of the 1990s. He discusses the ways in which it set new standards in representing multicultural Britain, the importance that humour plays in pushing forward serious ideas, and what it was like working with his musical hero, after David Bowie unexpectedly suggested that he write the soundtrack.

Big money, glam work trips abroad, and becoming your own boss. Sounds good for your first job out of college or uni, doesn’t it?

Some direct-selling firms in the UK are jumping on the popularity of hustle culture to recruit young people into entry-level jobs in ‘marketing’ or ‘management’ to work with big-name clients.

As human-lion conflict increases, the famous Marsh Pride’s survival hangs in the balance.
Documented in television documentaries for over 40 years by the BBC and other broadcasters around the world, the Marsh Pride is the most filmed pride of lions on Earth.

In this film, the Marsh Pride battle for survival in Kenya's famous Maasai Mara Reserve, which has become a magnet for tourists, many of them keen to see the pride for themselves. A tale of shifting loyalties, bloody takeovers and sheer resilience, the lions’ story is told by those who filmed them, tried to protect them and lived alongside them, as well as some who ultimately wanted them dead.

Prepare to swing your hips, move those feet and feel the heat. Once a year, the best ballroom and Latin dancers from across the globe quickstep their way to Blackpool to take part in dancing's most prestigious competition, the British Open Championships. For nearly 100 years, it has been one of Britain’s best-kept secrets, but this year we are invited to join in and tell the behind-the-scenes story of the Latin and ballroom dance scene in Blackpool - waltz and all…

60 years on since University Challenge first appeared on British television, the show holds the record for the UK’s longest running quiz. To mark the occasion, this documentary tells the stories behind some of the series most memorable contestants, including Eric Monkman, Gail Trimble, Sandya Narayanswami and Jenny Ryan, as well as taking a look at the job of the question setters and paying tribute to the first question master, Bamber Gascoigne. Finally, former students are once again put to the test to see if they can still correctly answer their successful starters for 10.

Families and friends share personal stories and footage of their homes through the decades.

Full of insights into domestic life in Northern Ireland over the past 80 years, stories include memories of childhood homes, bedroom walls plastered with 1980s pop pins ups, moving into student digs, first homes, changing trends in interior design, the Ideal Homes Exhibition in the King’s Hall, street parties and an exploration of what home means to the people of Northern Ireland.

Two farm boys, one tractor. Patrick Kielty explores the untold story of Harry Ferguson and Henry Ford’s remarkable handshake agreement and how it led to a $250 million lawsuit.

This documentary explores how the reign of Queen Elizabeth II has been a thread of continuity running through 70 tumultuous years of British history.

It looks at how the Queen has worn the Crown during an era in which her country and her people changed beyond all recognition. From politics and the economy to industry and technology. From our working life to our family life. From what we eat to how we dress, how we spend our money and what we do in our free time.

The programme shows how during these great moments of social change Elizabeth II was no bystander, but someone who often led the way, reflecting and engaging with the critical moments in our post war history.

Over her long reign Queen Elizabeth II met more people than any monarch in history. She shook over a million hands and travelled the length and breadth of her kingdom, meeting people from all walks of life. In this intimate tribute we hear the much cherished memories of just a few of the people who met the Queen.

As far back as 1938 twins Alice and Jean Bushnell recall Princess Elizabeth and her sister Margaret visiting their village school up in Craithie, Royal Deeside.
Brian Llewlyn still treasures the cup and saucer the Queen drank from when she visited the family council house on a Royal tour of Newton Aycliffe New Town in 1960.

In this special tribute Fiona Bruce looks at how, across the decades, The Queen used her wardrobe to fashion a style that came to perfectly reflect her dedication to duty.

In this film we will celebrate the life of The Queen through the passions and pastimes of our longest serving monarch. What did The Queen really enjoy?

Where and when did she most relax? What absorbed and entertained her? From horses and dogs to TV, film, music and theatre, we will reveal the tastes and affections that gave Her Majesty the most pleasure.

Including interviews from friends, members of Royal Household, Yachtsmen from Royal Yacht Britannia, celebrities – all who have shared in her passions & pastimes.

During her reign, The Queen became the most visually represented person in the whole of human history. From stamps and coins to formal portraits and snatched press photos, her image became an integral part of our everyday lives.

In ‘Picturing Elizabeth: Her Life in Images’ Sophie Raworth explores the stories behind some of the most famous and era-defining pictures and shows how they chart our changing relationship with the monarchy.

Queen Elizabeth II was Britain’s longest reigning monarch. She lived her whole life in the public eye yet she remained an enigmatic figure throughout. The Queen never gave interviews but there was one way we could discover what was deeply important to her – through her speeches. This film looks back at the Queen’s annual Christmas Day messages, and the handful of momentous occasions when the Queen made rare special addresses and spoke directly to the nation at times of crisis, commemoration and celebration.

This film tells the story of how a very private Queen was able to use the public platform of these speeches to deliver powerful messages to Britain and the Commonwealth that truly reflected her core values and beliefs.

In tribute to the longest-serving British monarch, on the throne for more than 65 years, the compelling life story of HM Queen Elizabeth II. Featuring interviews with all of her children, those who have worked with her and other public figures.

Nicholas Witchell looks back at the life of Queen Elizabeth II.

As Prince Charles, the longest serving heir apparent, ascends the throne as King, those who know him well, who have worked for and with him, discuss what he has achieved as Prince of Wales and what he will bring to the role as the new Monarch.

As Wales mourns the death of the Queen, the programme reflects on how Elizabeth II touched the lives of people in Wales during her reign and formed close relationships with Welsh communities. It hears from those who met her over the decades, during times of tragedy and celebration.

Former prime ministers discuss their dealings with Her Majesty the Queen, and the relationship at the heart of the UK's constitutional system.

Former Scotland international Pat Nevin sets out on a journey to reunite the 1982 Uefa Under-18s European Championship-winning Scotland squad.

Exploring what it means to be black in Northern Ireland through first-hand accounts of some of those who live there. They offer frank and honest opinions on topics such as identity, diversity, green and orange politics, racism, black pride and a shared future.

Featuring unseen footage and exclusive interviews, this dramatic film tells the inside story of the largest airlift in modern US history, marking the end of America’s longest war.

Clive Myrie tells the extraordinary story of the newly formed Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra. In the midst of war, more than 75 of the country's finest musicians have come together to bring a message of defiance and hope. Some of their family members are on the frontlines, and many have fled Ukraine since the war began.

Take a soothing journey through the night while everyone is sleeping. Follow this delivery route from the street lights of Glasgow city centre, through housing estates and country roads as the sun comes up, while chilling out to the sounds of a Radio 1 Relax playlist and ASMR conversation

Presenter Sian Eleri visits Parys Mountain in Anglesey, north west Wales, for a Green Space Dark Skies event – a mass participation project that celebrates the landscape and creates extraordinary artwork on it at dusk, using specially designed ‘geo-lights’.

Becoming a ‘lumenator’, and joining hundreds of other volunteers, Sian talks to the people that created the project, as well as award-winning beatboxer and event performer Mr Phormula and geologist Professor Cynthia Burek, discovering the rich history behind the world’s oldest copper mine. Alongside her unique experience on Parys Mountain, Sian explores the previous events which took place at Craig-Y-Nos country park and Three Cliffs Bay, Gower, showcasing the short films that were made from those events.

It’s the night that changed her life, but Jade has no memory because she was asleep. Waking up, half naked, her necklace broken on the floor, she feels she has been violated. On the opposite side of the L-shaped sofa, the man who would later be charged with raping her.

As her case heads for court, Jade prepares to face a jury, hopeful of justice - until a surprise phone call days before trial changes everything. Claims she was sleepwalking, due to a rare condition called ‘sexsomnia’, leave Jade reeling.

Finding herself suddenly at the heart of an unprecedented legal case, Jade goes on a mission to prove it’s a mistake and overturn the decisions in her case. But can she win?

Filmed over three years, this remarkable story follows the twists and turns of one woman’s quest for justice.

Ex-rugby player Steve Thompson's life has been turned upside down by a diagnosis of early onset dementia. Steve and his family attempt to come to terms with the condition.

Could Donald Trump return to the White House? He keeps hinting that he is about to attempt one of the biggest political comebacks of all time, so could it really happen? Katty Kay has reported from the US for 20 years, and now she sets off on an epic road trip across the US on the eve of the midterm elections to discover how strong support for Trump still is. Can American democracy weather the storm if he runs again?

In this high-concept visual essay, writer and broadcaster Lindsay Johns reframes the history of the Caribbean to tell a new story. Not the traditional narrative of suffering and adversity but a celebratory one of superheroes and epic wars, unceasing resistance and never-ending rebellion, told through the stories of four inspirational leaders and their modern-day spiritual descendants.

Football icon Nathan Blake uncovers the incredible story of a Welsh rugby legend: his uncle, Clive Sullivan, who was the first black man to captain Great Britain in any sport.

The Jewish community has been well integrated in Scottish society for centuries, but their story is not well known. This programme tells their story through a series of portraits.

2022 marks the centenary of one of the defining poems of the 20th century, The Waste Land. TS Eliot's groundbreaking work first exploded into the world on 15 October 1922 and has continued to resonate with successive generations.

For decades, Eliot actively discouraged biographical interpretations of his work, developing an ‘impersonal theory’ of poetry in which the private life of a poet was deemed irrelevant. Instead, numerous scholars have been guided by Eliot's own seven pages of footnotes to the poem.

But in 2020, there were dramatic new revelations that demonstrated how, behind Eliot's mask, there was a much more personal story to be found within The Waste Land – which can now at last be explored.

An intrepid expedition onto and into the Greenland ice sheet with three of the world’s leading experts as they try to answer the urgent question, how fast is the ice melting? Greenland’s inland ice is hostile, wild and unpredictable, but making observations and taking detailed measurements on the ground is essential to fully understanding what is happening there.

Director Lars Henrik Ostenfeld travels to Greenland with the scientists as they brave storms and climb deeper into the constantly shifting glaciers than anyone before them to gather the precious data that will help predict the future.

The story of one of the most celebrated and sought-after movie composers, as told by the man himself and his closest collaborators.

Across a glittering 40-year career, Hans has redefined the movie score, thrilling audiences, pioneering new techniques and introducing new generations to the drama of orchestral music. In this portrait, Hans reveals the musical secrets of his craft - how he goes about terrifying, moving and raising an audience's spirits through his music.

Rob Burrow, one of Rugby League’s greatest players, was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in late 2019. His family now care for his every need 24 hours a day. This intimate documentary starkly illustrates the love, support and challenges faced by his wife Lindsey, children Macy, Maya and Jackson, and parents Geoff and Irene.

There are moments of intimacy as Lindsey takes Rob for a swim or carries him up to bed, and there are moments of humour as Rob uses his voice box to tease his mum as she feeds him. Rob is seen discussing his treatment with the NHS staff caring for him while best friend and former teammate mate Kevin Sinfield continues to rally support in Leeds, the home of Leeds Rhinos, and from the wider rugby league community.

Most people think of deepfakes as manipulated video clips of world leaders, designed to create confusion, yet the most pressing threat of deepfakes is not politics, but porn. Research shows around 96 per cent of deepfake videos are pornographic, with almost 100 per cent of them involving non-consenting women.

The film features three women who have been impacted by this form of image-based sexual abuse, including a leading Florida state senator, Lauren Book, UK campaigner Kate Isaacs and Dina, a woman who was deepfaked by a work colleague.

We see the devastating emotional and psychological consequences the deepfakes have had for these women.