BBC Documentaries

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2006
2006x22
The Bad Food Guide
Episode overview
The surprising story of how left-wing historian and crime writer, Raymond Postgate, rescued eating-out in post-war Britain.
2006x13
Geisha Girl
Episode overview
Documentary following 15-year-old Yukina as she leaves home and moves to Kyoto to embark on the arduous training needed to become a geisha. The profession has always been shrouded in .. show full overview
2006x46
The World According to Google
Episode overview
By Charles Miller BBC Money Programme Google's ad system earned the company $1.5bn during the July to September quarter of 2005, almost double what it made a year earlier. And ad .. show full overview
2006x16
Tired and Emotional: Drinking in British Government
Episode overview
Eddie Mair explores the history of drink in British politics. Many of our leaders, from Winston Churchill to George Brown, acquired a reputation for fortifying themselves to cope with .. show full overview
2006x6
To Mars by A-Bomb
Episode overview
The extraordinary yet true account of a secret US government-backed attempt to build a spaceship the size of an ocean liner and send it to Mars, Jupiter and Saturn, propelled by .. show full overview
2006x14
The Story of Pulp's Common People
Episode overview
The Story of Pulp's Common People takes a forensic look at the seminal track, and attempts to shed light on its inspiration, its lyrics, and the man who wrote them.Jarvis Cocker goes .. show full overview
2006x71
Through Hell and High Water
Episode overview
The story of James Cracknell and Ben Fogle's conquering of the Atlantic in a row boat. When celebrity rowers James Cracknell and Ben Fogle decided to compete in the Atlantic Rowing .. show full overview
2006x49
The Story of Jackanory
Episode overview
A look back at the history of the hugely popular children's series, Jackanory, in which a well-known actor would read a book to camera alongside specially-commissioned illustrations. .. show full overview
2006x56
Come Home Gary Glitter
Episode overview
For the last nine months, Jamie Campbell and Joel Wilson have been on the trail of the fallen glam-rock star. Just what had he been doing in the years before his arrest in Vietnam?
2006x31
The Sky at Night - Apollo 11. A Night To Remember
Episode overview
July 1969 saw one of mankind's greatest technological achievements - the first landing on the moon. Unearthing rare archival footage from the BBC, this two-hour documentary compiles the .. show full overview
2006x52
The Moon
Episode overview
This film tells the epic story of our love affair with the moon - what inspired it, how it faded away and how we are now falling in love all over again.
2006x53
The Sun
Episode overview
A revealing portrait of our closest star - the sun. Responsible for all life on Earth, the sun has always been worshipped. In the Stone Age, monuments were built to its constancy and .. show full overview
2006x64
Kenneth Williams in His Own Words
Episode overview
Drawing on BBC archive footage, the beloved performer talks about his highs and lows.
2006x26
Dounreay: The Atomic Dream
Episode overview
The story of the rise and fall of a daring experiment into atomic energy. At a time when nuclear is firmly back on the agenda, this documentary meets the original Dounreay pioneers and .. show full overview
2006x20
The Plot Against Harold Wilson
Episode overview
Dramatised documentary which explores the reasons behind the sudden resignation on 16 March 1976 of British prime minister Harold Wilson. It is based on secret discussions that he had at .. show full overview
2006x67
The Family That Walks On All Fours
Episode overview
A documentary that explored the science and the story of five individuals in the Ulas family that walk with a previously unreported quadruped gait.
2006x15
Olympic Architecture: After The Circus Leaves Town
Episode overview
When London won the race to become the host venue for the 2012 Olympic Games, the immediate reaction was ecstatic. But staging the Greatest Show on Earth is always vastly expensive - and .. show full overview
2006x36
Demob Happy: How TV Conquered Britain
Episode overview
A chronicle of a formative era in British broadcasting following World War II. Hitherto, radio output had been genteel and sedate, in the music hall tradition. But after 1945, a new .. show full overview
2006x33
I Love Being HIV+
Episode overview
Gay men fantasising about passing on HIV may encourage some to set out to become infected with the virus, a BBC programme has found.
2006x1
Hannibal: Rome's Worst Nightmare
Episode overview
It is 200 years before the birth of Christ and Rome is the new superpower of the ancient world. She believes she is invincible - but one man is destined to change that. He is a man bound .. show full overview
2006x27
Gorillas Revisited with David Attenborough
Episode overview
David Attenborough recounts his very personal experiences with the mountain gorillas of Rwanda. Ever since they were discovered over a century ago, these remarkable creatures have been .. show full overview
2006x7
The Code Breakers
Episode overview
The famous digital divide is getting wider. A two-part documentary, "The Code Breakers," to be aired on BBC World starting 10 May 2006 examines whether free/ open source software .. show full overview
2006x29
Joe Building: The Stalin Heritage Trail
Episode overview
Jonathan Meades looks at the fate of modernist architects in the Soviet Union after Stalin mandate of populism and monumentality.
2006x73
The Last Duel
Episode overview
Drama-documentary telling the story of one of the last trials by battle to be fought in Europe, a tale of sex, brutality and political machination set in 14th century medieval .. show full overview
2006x8
Hieronymus Bosch - The Delights of Hell
Episode overview
Fascinating documentary exploring the life and work of the 15th-century painter whose imaginative depiction of hell and earthly pleasures have made him one of the world's best-loved artists.
2006x18
Krakatoa: The Last Days
Episode overview
A historical drama documentary depicting the eruption of Krakatoa volcano in 1883. The volcano was located in the Sunda strait in Indonesia and its eruption resulted in tsunami, rains of .. show full overview
2006x55
You Have My Full Confidence
Episode overview
Eddie Mair presents the story of how governments spin their way out of personnel crises, from John Profumo to Peter Mandelson and David Blunkett.
2006x28
Frank Lloyd Wright: Murder, Myth And Modernism
Episode overview
A documentary exploring Frank Lloyd Wright's visionary architectural works and relating the story of his turbulent personal life.
2006x24
Richard Hammond and the Holy Grail
Episode overview
Richard Hammond embarks on a quest to find the truth about the most famous relic of all time - the Holy Grail. From the Aegean to the Atlantic, Hammond's journey takes him to some of .. show full overview
2006x38
Richard Hammond and the Holy Grail
Episode overview
Richard Hammond embarks on a quest to find the truth about the most famous relic of all time - the Holy Grail. From the Aegean to the Atlantic, Hammond's journey takes him to some of .. show full overview
2006x32
Shipwreck Ark Royal
Episode overview
Veterans who served on WW2 aircraft carrier The Ark Royal talk about her history, as the wreck is rediscovered a kilometre below the surface of the Mediterranean.
2006x23
The Battle That Made Britain
Episode overview
It was the last battle on British soil but more than 250 years later Culloden remains one of the most controversial events in British history. This documentary takes a fresh look at .. show full overview
2006x34
Bird in the Air Pump
Episode overview
Ben Woolley tells the story of a neglected masterpiece: Joseph Wright of Derby's An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump. Until recently, Wright was dismissed by many art critics as a .. show full overview
2006x21
The Battle for British Art
Episode overview
At the dawn of the 18th century, most British artists were seen as incompetent, destitute and disreputable. One hundred years later, they'd achieved wealth, status and glory. In this .. show full overview
2006x48
Samuel Johnson: The Dictionary Man
Episode overview
Drama-documentary telling the story of Samuel Johnson's creation of the first English dictionary, in an attic room just off Fleet Street in Georgian London. The depressive .. show full overview
2006x69
The Black 18th Century
Episode overview
This programme focuses on Britain's black community in the Georgian era, profiling the slave-turned-author Ignatius Sancho.
2006x45
Happy Birthday Broons!
Episode overview
Celebrities including Elaine Smith, Ford Kiernan and Tam Cowan recall their favourite moments as the comedy strip family celebrates its seventieth anniversary.
2006x5
The Somme: From Defeat to Victory
Episode overview
Based on diaries, records and eyewitness accounts, this is the story of the two Battles of the Somme from the perspective of British and German soldiers. It shows how the major lessons .. show full overview
2006x54
How to be 18th Century
Episode overview
Nigel Planer recreates his spoof thespian Nicholas Craig for a look at the role of the actor in the 18th century, including tips on how to have a Georgian hissy fit, foppishness and acting with your bosoms.
2006x35
The Boys Who Killed Stephen Lawrence
Episode overview
Mark Daly investigates the racist murder of black teenager Stephen Lawrence in 1993 and presents new evidence which fundamentally challenges the alibis of the five main suspects.
2006x41
Queens of Heartache
Episode overview
Documentary about a group of female singers whose voices make you weep, sang songs of heartbreak and betrayal, had lives that seem to mirror their music and deaths that came too soon and .. show full overview
2006x68
My Breasts & I
Episode overview
Former Atomic Kitten Jenny Frost faces up to her breast hang-ups and talks to other women about their experiences. Can Jenny learn to love her boobs?
2006x65
Lord of the Dance Machine
Episode overview
BBC documentary about K-Dogg and his dream to become world "In The Groove" champion.
2006x44
Top of the Pops - The True Story
Episode overview
Robbie Williams features as presenters and stars get misty-eyed reminiscing. Plus archive performances from the good, the bad and the ugly. Contributors include Sir Jimmy Savile, .. show full overview
2006x17
Cruel Sea: The Penlee Lifeboat Disaster
Episode overview
In December 1981, the Penlee lifeboat was called out to help a stricken coaster off the coast of Cornwall. In hurricane winds and sixty foot waves, the crew of the Solomon Browne made an .. show full overview
2006x60
How To Be Sci-Fi
Episode overview
Examining the lighter side of being in a British science fiction television series, Nigel Planer plays classically-trained "actawr" Nicholas Craig in a one-hour special, How To Be .. show full overview
2006x25
How to Improve Your Memory
Episode overview
Co-hosted by Professor Robert Winston and Dr Tanya Byron, this interactive special invites you to take part in a range of experiments to test your memory and receive practical help on .. show full overview
2006x3
The Red Arrows
Episode overview
Insight into the recruitment for the RAF's elite formation flying team, as we follow nine eager pilots through the arduous selection procedure.
2006x58
Betjeman and Me: Rick Stein's Story
Episode overview
Rick Stein celebrates John Betjeman's long love affair with the English seaside holiday and his deep affection for Cornwall. He travels around the area, speaking to people who remember .. show full overview
2006x72
My Small Breasts and I
Episode overview
My Small Breasts and I uncovers the complex, poignant, and sometimes amusing relationship women have with their tiny breasts. Talking candidly, three women reveal how they really feel .. show full overview
2006x47
Be My Baby - the Girl Group Story
Episode overview
Over the last five decades, the girl group formula has yielded hit after hit. But this classic pop template is also guaranteed to deliver high drama and backstage rows. This nostalgic .. show full overview
2006x62
Aberfan: The Untold Story
Episode overview
Dramatised documentary about the tragedy which struck the Welsh mining village of Aberfan in 1966, when a mountain of coal slurry engulfed a school, claiming 144 lives, many of them children.
2006x43
If It Ain’t Stiff ...
Episode overview
Stiff Records was founded by the visionary Jack Riviera and Dave Robinson. This documentary charts how the maverick label influenced the punk and new wave movements, championing such .. show full overview
2006x10
Stephen Fry: The Secret Life of the Manic Depressive (1)
Episode overview
Stephen Fry explores the world of manic depression, a mental illness which affects up to 4 million people in the UK, including himself. He sets out to uncover more about a misunderstood .. show full overview
2006x11
Stephen Fry: The Secret Life of the Manic Depressive (2)
Episode overview
In the second of two programmes, Stephen reveals in detail for the first time how this illness overwhelmed him in the 1990s and caused him to attempt suicide, and also why he disappeared .. show full overview
2006x75
The Piano: A Passion
Episode overview
Alexander Waugh has been passionate about pianos ever since he was a small boy. Fuelled by an insatiable curiosity about the roots of his musical addiction, he sets out in search of .. show full overview
2006x70
Darts Tarts - Welcome to my World
Episode overview
Writer Jacques Peretti grew up glued to darts: a gripping, beer-swilling sport with high scores and larger-than-life stars. In this documentary, he presents an eye-opening account of the sport's heady popularity in the 1970s and 1980s.
2006x63
Jake Thackray: on the Box
Episode overview
Examining the career of Leeds troubadour Jake Thackray, which saw him perform his unique style of satirical but hauntingly romantic music and poetry on television and radio, and live on .. show full overview
2006x59
The Birth of Liquid Crystals
Episode overview
A historical reconstruction of the discovery and nature of liquid crystals. Looks at how, nearly a hundred years after its discovery, British chemists found a way to exploit liquid .. show full overview
2006x4
The Lost World of Tibet
Episode overview
Dan Cruickshank presents a documentary revealing the story of the Dalai Lama, his secret Himalayan kingdom and the story of his exile, using eyewitness accounts from Tibetans including .. show full overview
2006x50
The Real Casino Royale
Episode overview
Andrew Graham-Dixon explores the inspiration behind Ian Fleming 's first James Bond novel.
2006x51
Rain in my Heart
Episode overview
Documentary which follows four alcohol abusers - Vanda, aged 43; Mark, 29; Nigel, 49 and Toni, 26 - from the impoverished Medway towns of north Kent. Filmed over the course of a year, .. show full overview
2006x40
Casualty 1906
Episode overview
Casualty 1906 is an innovative hospital drama that plunges the viewer into the Receiving Room (today's A&E) of the London hospital deep in the teeming East End. The drama is shot with .. show full overview
2006x42
The Dead Sea Scrolls
Episode overview
The Dead Sea Scrolls are the biblical find of the age - they contain the earliest versions of the Hebrew Bible, maps to hidden temple treasure, and insight into the mindsets of John the .. show full overview
2006x39
A Tudor Feast at Christmas
Episode overview
Without the use of modern conveniences, a group of historians and archaeologists prepare a Tudor feast as it would have been over 400 years ago. They wear clothes from the period, source .. show full overview
2006x74
Adventures for Boys: John Buchan - Master of Suspense
Episode overview
Unfairly known as a one-hit wonder for his noirish novel The Thirty-Nine Steps, it tells the story of the real John Buchan, affording him the attention he has long deserved. Drawing on .. show full overview

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