Documentaries

Inspirational and award-winning documentaries from over 25 years of groundbreaking television

See all Documentaries on 4oD
  • Gypsy Blood

    Gypsy Blood

    Gypsy Blood examines the violent culture that some gypsy and traveller fathers hand on to their children, exploring its impact on two fathers and their young sons

  • Newport Bouncers

    Bouncers

    Funny, irreverent and often surprising film following the boys of Newport's biggest security firm over a summer of booze and brotherhood

  • MotherTruckers

    MotherTruckers

    How do women lorry drivers get on with their male colleagues, juggle families, and stay feminine? This amusing film meets the new queens of the road.

4od
Order Order by A to Z Order by Date Broadcast
  1. Love Rat Love Rat

    The story of three women who joined forces to foil a serial love-cheat and fraudster [S] More on Love Rat

    Last broadcast: Friday 09 September, 7.35PM on Channel 4

  2. Armadillo Armadillo: Frontline Afghanistan

    A first-hand account of how the reality of war can turn idealism into paranoia, mistrust, alienation and disillusion More on Armadillo: Frontline Afghanistan

    Last broadcast: Tuesday 06 September, 10PM on More4

  3. 9/11: The Firemen's Story 9/11: The Tenth Anniversary

    Two films marking the tenth anniversary of the September 11 attacks [S] More on 9/11: The Tenth Anniversary

    Last broadcast: Monday 05 September, 9PM on Channel 4

  4. The Ground Zero Mosque The Ground Zero Mosque

    An examination of the hysteria, fury and politics surrounding the proposed mosque and Islamic community centre two blocks from the site of the 9/11 attacks in Manhattan [S] More on The Ground Zero Mosque

    Last broadcast: Monday 05 September, 8PM on Channel 4

  5. Great Migrations Great Migrations

    Filmed in more than 20 countries across a three-year period, Great Migrations follows the journeys millions of animals undertake to ensure the survival of their species [S] More on Great Migrations

    Last broadcast: Saturday 03 September, 7.15PM on Channel 4

  6. An old photo featuring children in the 1970s The Homecoming

    In this Cutting Edge film, journalist Rachel Roberts goes in search of the people with whom she once shared a children's home, with only a photo and childhood memories to help her [S] More on The Homecoming

  7. Contact in the Outback Contact in the Outback

    The remarkable tale of two cultures colliding in 1960s Australia, told through the story of one Aboriginal woman [S] More on Contact in the Outback

    Last broadcast: 26 January 2011, on

  8. Lily Allen: Riches To Rags Lily Allen: From Riches to Rags

    Series charting the metamorphosis of Lily Allen from pop star to retailer as she and her sister Sarah launch their own fashion store [S] More on Lily Allen: From Riches to Rags

    Last broadcast: 29 March 2011, on

  9. The Merits of Ferrets The Merits of Ferrets

    Becky Lomax's First Cut film tells the story of three friends and their rescue centre for traumatised ferrets [S] More on The Merits of Ferrets

    Last broadcast: Friday 26 August, 7.35PM on Channel 4

  10. 419: The Internet Romance Scam 419: The Internet Romance Scam

    Barney Lankester-Owen's First Cut film examines the complex psychology of internet romance scams and features rare access to a former Nigerian scammer [S] More on 419: The Internet Romance Scam

    Last broadcast: 29 July 2011, on

  11. Wallis Simpson: The Secret Letters Wallis Simpson: The Secret Letters

    This explosive film examines recently discovered letters written by Wallis Simpson that reveal her secret love, and chart her fear as she found herself becoming trapped into marrying Edward VIII [S] More on Wallis Simpson: The Secret Letters

    Last broadcast: Wednesday 24 August, 9PM on Channel 4

  12. Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work

    A rare insight into the self-doubt and anger that fuels the comedic process, this acclaimed film exposes the private dramas of legendary comedian Joan Rivers More on Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work

    Last broadcast: 09 November 2010, on

  13. Fighting the Red Baron Fighting the Red Baron

    Two Red Arrows pilots recreate the challenges the aviators of World War I faced, flying original WWI aircraft, to find out how this pioneering form of warfare changed so rapidly during the conflict [S] More on Fighting the Red Baron

  14. The Pet Detectives The Pet Detectives

    This documentary meets the detectives who track down kidnapped trophy pets and attempt to reunite them with their owners [S] More on The Pet Detectives

    Last broadcast: Monday 22 August, 8PM on Channel 4

  15. bodyshock_worlds_tallest_man_looking_for_love_brand Bodyshock

    Long-running documentary strand that investigates extraordinary and moving real-life stories about the extremes of the human body [S] More on Bodyshock

    Last broadcast: 26 May 2011, on

  16. The Ancient World with Bettany Hughes The Ancient World with Bettany Hughes

    A new film about Alexandria provides the centrepiece of Bettany Hughes' definitive history of the ancient world and classical civilisation [S] More on The Ancient World with Bettany Hughes

    Last broadcast: 05 May 2010, on

  17. A Perfect Murder The Perfect Murder

    Judy Kelly's First Cut film tells the remarkable story behind the murder of Trevor Buchanan and Lesley Howell [S] More on The Perfect Murder

    Last broadcast: Friday 19 August, 7.35PM on Channel 4

  18. Jaycee: My 18 Years in Captivity Jaycee: My 18 Years in Captivity

    Jaycee Lee Duggard tells her story of her kidnap and 18-year imprisonment, alongside new video evidence More on Jaycee: My 18 Years in Captivity

    Last broadcast: Thursday 18 August, 10PM on Channel 4

  19. Tony Robinson Man on Earth

    Tony Robinson examines how changes in climate have affected humans throughout history and asks what we can learn as we face our own climate crisis today [S] More on Man on Earth

    Last broadcast: 28 December 2009, on

  20. True Stories: Countdown to Zero Countdown to Zero

    The threat of nuclear war has never gone away. This True Stories film is a frightening exploration of present-day nuclear threats to humanity, from rogue states to terrorists and catastrophic accidents. More on Countdown to Zero

    Last broadcast: Tuesday 16 August, 10PM on More4

  21. Concrete Circus Concrete Circus

    Concrete Circus brings together the world's hottest names in urban sports with viral film-makers and Mike Christie, the director of extreme sport documentary Jump London, to capture unique portraits of the urban sports scene [S] More on Concrete Circus

    Last broadcast: Monday 15 August, 9PM on Channel 4

  22. The Secret Life of Buildings: Tom Dyckhoff The Secret Life of Buildings

    Architecture critic Tom Dyckhoff explores the impact the design of buildings can have on us - on our identity and self-esteem, and on relationships, our chances at school, and even our weight and immune system [S] More on The Secret Life of Buildings

    Last broadcast: Monday 15 August, 8PM on Channel 4

  23. Ben Eagle Photography Life of Rhyme

    Presented by acclaimed hip hop artist Akala, Life of Rhyme explores spoken word and rap, featuring performances and the story of how the UK scene evolved and developed [S] More on Life of Rhyme

    Last broadcast: 14 August 2011, on

  24. Graffiti Wars Graffiti Wars

    Graffiti Wars examines street art and graffiti, and the creative tensions and conflicts within this artistic arena More on Graffiti Wars

    Last broadcast: 14 August 2011, on

  25. Starsuckers Starsuckers

    Starsuckers is a hilarious, shocking documentary about the celebrity-obsessed media and how they feed our addiction to fame [S] More on Starsuckers

  26. How Hip Hop Changed the World How Hip Hop Changed the World

    Idris Elba reveals the defining moments in street music and culture over the last 35 years, featuring rare archive material, seminal music videos and insight from hip hop stars [S] More on How Hip Hop Changed the World

    Last broadcast: 12 August 2011, on

  27. Sex, Lies and Parkinson's Sex, Lies and Parkinson's

    Oliver Cheetham's First Cut film meets Vicki, a mother-of-two diagnosed with young-onset Parkinson's, as she deals with her condition and the effect her medication is having on her life More on Sex, Lies and Parkinson's

    Last broadcast: 12 August 2011, on

  28. Head over Heels in Rats Head Over Heels in Rats

    Kate and Kevin Rattray have 27 rats. First Cut explores their unconventional love affair with their brood, from losing a beloved member of the 'family', to births and birthday parties. [S] More on Head Over Heels in Rats

    Last broadcast: 28 January 2011, on

  29. Superheroes of Suburbia Superheroes of Suburbia

    A small, secretive band of people are donning comic-book costumes and taking to Britain's streets to fight crime. Christian Watt's First Cut film meets three of these suburban superheroes. [S] More on Superheroes of Suburbia

    Last broadcast: 05 August 2011, on

  30. The Redemption of General Butt Naked The Redemption of General Butt Naked

    The story of General Butt Naked, the despised Liberian warlord responsible for the death of 20,000 people, who reinvented himself as an evangelical preacher More on The Redemption of General Butt Naked

    Last broadcast: 02 August 2011, on

  31. Emily Born to Be Different

    A candid and unsentimental documentary filmed over nearly 10 years that chronicles the pressures and joys of family life for parents bringing up a disabled child [S] More on Born to Be Different

    Last broadcast: 23 June 2011, on

  32. hero The Fairy Jobmother

    Hayley Taylor takes on the challenge of getting the unemployed of Britain back into work [S] More on The Fairy Jobmother

    Last broadcast: 28 June 2011, on

  33. The Space Shuttle's Last Flight The Space Shuttle's Last Flight

    As Atlantis completes its 135th and final mission, this definitive documentary charts the legacy and tragedies of the most ambitious space programme ever undertaken - the space shuttle More on The Space Shuttle's Last Flight

    Last broadcast: 23 July 2011, on

  34. Katie Piper Katie: My Beautiful Face

    Katie was young and beautiful, but a vicious acid attack destroyed her face. Cutting Edge follows Katie as she tries to re-build her life. [S] More on Katie: My Beautiful Face

  35. The Mystery of the Nevada Triangle The Mystery of the Nevada Triangle

    An investigation of the 'new Bermuda Triangle' in America's Sierra Nevada mountains, where hundreds of aircraft have disappeared [S] More on The Mystery of the Nevada Triangle

  36. After the Apocalypse After the Apocalypse

    The story of the people of Semipalatinsk in Kazakhstan, who were used as guinea pigs in the Soviet Union's testing of nuclear weapons More on After the Apocalypse

    Last broadcast: 19 July 2011, on

  37. Emergency in the Womb Emergency in the Womb

    This Cutting Edge film follows the life and death stories of critically ill babies undergoing radical surgery in the womb [S] More on Emergency in the Womb

  38. Double Lesson Double Lesson

    The fictional story of a secondary school teacher who, one Monday afternoon, attacks a pupil in his class [S] More on Double Lesson

    Last broadcast: 15 July 2011, on

  39. Bodysnatches of New York Bodysnatchers of New York

    The chilling story of New York surgeon Dr Michael Mastromarino, who illegally carved up hundreds of corpses without permission before selling the bones and tissue on for transplants [S] More on Bodysnatchers of New York

    Last broadcast: 26 October 2010, on

  40. Special Needs Pets Special Needs Pets

    From parrots on anti-depressants to paralysed rabbits in wheelchairs, Cutting Edge follows owners striving to come to terms with their beloved pets' disabilities [S] More on Special Needs Pets

  41. A Very Dangerous Doctor A Very Dangerous Doctor

    The story of the doctor who dared to accuse mothers of abusing their own children, and the mothers who say he abused his power in order to use their children for research More on A Very Dangerous Doctor

    Last broadcast: 12 May 2011, on

  42. Enemies of the People Voices from the Killing Fields

    The Khmer Rouge slaughtered nearly two million people in the late 1970s. Yet the Killing Fields of Cambodia remain unexplained. Investigative journalist Thet Sambath records shocking testimonies, from the foot soldiers to Pol Pot's right-hand man. More on Voices from the Killing Fields

    Last broadcast: 05 July 2011, on

  43. 7/7: The Miracle of Carriage 346 7/7: The Miracle of Carriage 346

    An inspirational documentary about survival and rescue, which tells the stories of people who emerged alive against all the odds from the Kings Cross train bombing [S] More on 7/7: The Miracle of Carriage 346

  44. Susanna Pell 7/7: The Angels of Edgware Road

    On 7 July 2007, a bomb exploded on a tube train at Edgware Road station. Hear these uplifting stories of people who, in the aftermath, put their own lives at risk trying to save strangers. [S] More on 7/7: The Angels of Edgware Road

  45. Brunel pauses to admire his work Men of Iron

    A three-part series charting a whole generation of great Victorian engineers, told through the rivalries of two great engineering families - the Stephensons and the Brunels [S] More on Men of Iron

  46. The September Issue The September Issue

    Watch Anna Wintour, editor of Vogue, as she prepares the prestigious September 2007 issue of the fashion bible, with all the autumn fashions More on The September Issue

    Last broadcast: 24 August 2010, on

  47. The Model Agency The Model Agency

    This new series goes inside the offices of Premier Model Management to reveal the realities of life in the world's most glamorous industry [S] More on The Model Agency

    Last broadcast: 06 April 2011, on

  48. For Neda: Neda Agha Soltan For Neda

    The story of Neda Agha Soltan, the young Iranian woman shot dead in Tehran in 2009 - who she was, why she became a powerful symbol and what she was fighting for [S] More on For Neda

    Last broadcast: 21 June 2011, on

  49. Michael Jackson What Really Happened

    On a mission to extract reality from rumour, investigative journalist Jacques Peretti picks apart the most sensational high-profile scandals of recent years [S] More on What Really Happened

  50. Father Ray Comes Out Father Ray Comes Out

    Anna Llewellyn's First Cut film follows an Anglican vicar as he shares a personal secret with his congregation: he is gay [S] More on Father Ray Comes Out

    Last broadcast: 11 February 2011, on

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