Main content

Categories: Factual: History

  1. Digging for Britain

    Prof Alice Roberts follows a year of British archaeology, joining up the results of digs.

    BBC Two

    Show available episodes

  2. The Making of King Arthur

    Simon Armitage traces the evolution of the Arthurian legend through medieval literature.

    BBC Four

  3. Voices from the Old Bailey

    Amanda Vickery presents dramatised extracts from 18th-century Old Bailey court cases

    BBC Radio 4

    Show available episodes

  4. The London Nobody Knows

    Historian and broadcaster Dan Cruickshank goes off the beaten track in London

    BBC Radio 4

    Show available episodes

  5. A Brief History of Mathematics

    Professor Marcus du Sautoy reveals the personalities behind the calculations.

    BBC Radio 4 Extra

    Show available episodes

  6. Who Do You Think You Are? USA

    Lost connections and unknown histories are revealed as US stars trace their family trees.

    BBC One

    Show available episodes

  7. Little Ships: The Miracle of Dunkirk

    Dan Snow tells the story of the 'little ships' that took part in the Dunkirk evacuation.

    BBC Two

  8.

    The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll

    Author Howard Sounes reveals the story behind Bob Dylan's song.

    BBC Radio 4 Extra

  9.

    The Tudor Tarantino

    Dominic Arkwright charts the life of Thomas Middleton, the bad boy of Renaissance drama

    BBC Radio 4 Extra

  10. Democracy on Trial

    Michael Portillo examines the development of democracy over 2,500 years

    BBC Radio 4

    Show available episodes

  11. Good King George

    Simon Heffer re-evaluates the reign of George V.

    BBC Radio 4

  12. A History of the World in 100 Objects Omnibus

    The British Museum's Neil MacGregor tells A History of the World in 100 Objects.

    BBC Radio 4

    Show available episodes

  13. Witness History: The Cambridge Spies

    Louise Hildago explores the story of communist spies, Guy Burgess and Donald Maclean.

    BBC Radio 4 Extra

  14. A History of the World in 100 Objects

    Director of the British Museum, Neil MacGregor, retells humanity's history through objects

    BBC Radio 4

    Show available episodes

  15. Tiugainn a Dhannsa

    The place of village halls at the heart of communities across Scotland.

    BBC ALBA

  16. Defining The Decade

    Edward Stourton tries to make sense of the past decade

    BBC Radio 4

    Show available episodes

  17. Witness History

    The story of our times, told by the people who were there

    BBC World Service

    Show available episodes

  18. Parting Shots

    Matthew Parris marks the passing of the valedictory despatch from British ambassadors

    BBC Radio 4

    Show available episodes

  19. In the Footsteps of Blair Mayne

    Eddie Irvine walks in the footsteps of his hero, World War Two legend Blair Mayne.

    BBC One Northern Ireland

  20. An Solas Buan (Lighthouses of Scotland)

    A series looking at Scotland's lighthouses

    BBC ALBA

    Show available episodes

  21. A Short History of Ireland

    A series exploring Ireland’s rich and turbulent history.

    BBC Radio Ulster

    Show available episodes

  22. Iran: A Revolutionary State

    John Tusa chronicles the making of modern Iran

    BBC Radio 4

    Show available episodes

  23. Hunting Haydn's Head

    Simon Townley learns how 'the father of the symphony' lost his head for 145 years.

    BBC Radio 4 Extra

  24. Hearts and Minds

    Nick Fraser considers the role of intellectuals in relation to world events and conflicts

    BBC Radio 4

    Show available episodes

  25. The Hidden Henry

    Five academics present portraits of unknown, intimate and surprising aspects of Henry VIII

    BBC Radio 4 Extra

    Show available episodes

  26. Horrible Histories

    Historical sketch show, based on the successful books by Terry Deary.

    CBBC

    Show available episodes

  27. Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen's Men of Fashion

    Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen tells the story of dandyism and male peacockery through the ages

    BBC Radio 4 Extra

    Show available episodes

  28. The Prime Ministers

    Nick Robinson explores the history of Britain's prime ministers

    BBC Radio 4

    Show available episodes

  29. A Voyage on Livingstone's Lake

    The story of the MV Ilala, a 60-year-old boat still in use in Malawi and Mozambique.

    BBC Radio 4

  30.

    Brand Cuba

    Allan Little analyses some of the factors that have given Cuba such a prominent image.

    BBC Radio 4

  31.

    Ian Hislop Goes off the Rails

    Ian Hislop looks at the 1963 Beeching Report, which closed a third of the UK's railways.

    BBC Four

  32. America, Empire of Liberty

    Series charting the history of America, written and presented by David Reynolds

    BBC Radio 4

    Show available episodes

  33. Forbidden Families

    Bettany Hughes tells the stories of women denied their families by the march of history

    BBC Radio 4

    Show available episodes

  34. The Black Pharaohs

    The story of the Black African Kingdom of Kush.

    BBC Two

  35. In Living Memory

    Series examining contemporary history

    BBC Radio 4

    Show available episodes

  36. The Lost World of Tibet

    Dan Cruickshank presents a documentary revealing the story of the Dalai Lama.

    BBC Four

  37.

    Britain's Sputnik

    Roland Pease recalls ZETA, a nuclear energy project unveiled in 1958 by British scientists

    BBC Radio 4

  38. Random Edition

    History series investigating stories taken from archive newspapers

    BBC Radio 4

    Show available episodes

  39. The Real Spooks

    A look into the shadowy world of Britain's security services

    BBC Radio 4

    Show available episodes

  40. The Trumpet Shall Sound

    Jazz composer Julian Joseph goes in search of black classical musicians from the past.

    BBC Radio 4

  41. Garibaldi's Grand Scheme

    Misha Glenny traces the career of Italian nationalist hero Giuseppe Garibaldi

    BBC Radio 4 Extra

    Show available episodes

  42. Roy Noble

    Music, guests and chat for Sunday, plus listener requests in Roy's Golden Postbag.

    BBC Radio Wales

    Show available episodes

  43. The Eureka Years

    Series exploring spectacular years in the history of science

    BBC Radio 4

    Show available episodes

  44. A Royal Recovery

    How the monarchy recovered after the death of Diana, Princess of Wales.

    BBC Radio 4

  45. Dead Sea Scrolls Revisited

    Roger Bolton reassesses one of the world's great archaeological discoveries

    BBC Radio 4

    Show available episodes

  46. Things We Forgot to Remember

    Series examining overlooked but noteworthy historical events, with Michael Portillo

    BBC Radio 4

    Show available episodes

  47. Tracing Your Roots

    Series exploring the practice of researching family history

    BBC Radio 4

    Show available episodes

  48. Wainwright: The Man Who Loved the Lakes

    Documentary recalling the life of eccentric Lancastrian Alfred Wainwright.

    BBC Four

  49. The Making of Modern Medicine

    Narrative history series exploring over 2,000 years of western medicine

    BBC Radio 4

    Show available episodes

  50. Prescott at Your Service

    Exploring a strange coincidence from 1957, when John Prescott was a cruise ship waiter.

    BBC Radio 4

  2. 1
  3. …
  4. 8
  5. 9
  6. 10
  7. 11
  8. 12
  9. …
  10. 13