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. Jamie Oliver Jamie's Kitchen

    Jamie Oliver's nine-month struggle to turn a team of unemployed young people, with virtually no previous cooking experience, into chefs in the high-pressure environment of a London restaurant More on Jamie's Kitchen

  2. Japan Tsunami: Caught on Camera Japan's Tsunami: Caught on Camera

    Eyewitness accounts of the tsunami that devastated Japan in March 2011, captured by the people who kept filming as the cataclysmic events unfolded around them [S] More on Japan's Tsunami: Caught on Camera

    Last broadcast: Sunday 11 December, 8.15PM on Channel 4

  3. Japan's Tsunami: How It Happened Japan's Tsunami: How It Happened

    The science behind the earthquake and tsunami that have devastated Japan [S] More on Japan's Tsunami: How It Happened

    Last broadcast: 24 March 2011, on

  4. 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

  5. Jess: Britain's Youngest Sleep Walker Jess: Britain's Youngest Sleepwalker?

    Cutting Edge reveals what life is like for a little girl whose insomnia has become more than a childhood habit. Three-year-old Jess has a condition that has baffled medical experts. [S] More on Jess: Britain's Youngest Sleepwalker?

  6. Jesus Camp Jesus Camp

    This Oscar-nominated True Stories documentary follows children at the Kids on Fire summer camp, where American children are taught to become young Christian soldiers of God More on Jesus Camp

  7. Jesus Politics Jesus Politics

    Originally shown as part of More4's US Election Season, Ilan Ziv's True Stories documentary is a probing look at how religious faith shapes 21st century American politics More on Jesus Politics

  8. 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

  9. John Le Carre: A Life Unmasked John Le Carre: A Life Unmasked

    John le Carre speaks with unprecedented candour about his life, and about his career as both special agent and celebrated author [S] More on John Le Carre: A Life Unmasked

    Last broadcast: 10 December 2010, on

  10. Novelist John Updike John Updike: In His Own Words

    A tribute to John Updike, who died earlier this month. Acclaimed by many as America's greatest novelist, Updike talks to Booker Prize-winner Ian McEwan about his views on American life. More on John Updike: In His Own Words

  11. Johnny Dankworth: The Show Went On Johnny Dankworth: The Show Went On

    Using previously unseen videos, archive footage and interviews, Johnny Dankworth: The Show Went On chronicles the life of the late modern jazz pioneer Sir John Dankworth CBE [S] More on Johnny Dankworth: The Show Went On

    Last broadcast: 10 April 2010, on

  12. Jon Snow Meets Jimmy Carter Jon Snow Meets Jimmy Carter

    Jon Snow interviews Jimmy Carter at London's Southbank Centre, discussing everything from Osama bin Laden to Palestine and Harry Potter [S] More on Jon Snow Meets Jimmy Carter

    Last broadcast: Monday 28 November, 11PM on More4

  13. One of the Parkouristes looks before he leaps Jump London

    Meet the Parkouristes, a team of French Free Runners. Like fictional superheroes, the group perform death-defying and eye-popping stunts as they leap from rooftop to rooftop across London. More on Jump London

  14. Mark Craig Junk Mail Britain

    Director Mark Craig's portrait of community life and social change, guided by the examination of the heap of junk mail he has collected over the past five years [S] More on Junk Mail Britain

  15. Juvenile Liaison Juvenile Liaison 2

    After their original film was banned, directors Nick Broomfield and Joan Churchill return to the Lancashire Police Juvenile Liaison Scheme to find out why and to discover how things have changed More on Juvenile Liaison 2

  16. William and Kate: Romance and the Royals: David Starkey Kate and William: Romance and the Royals

    David Starkey puts Prince William's marriage to Kate Middleton into a historical context, to examine whether it really does constitute a break with royal tradition [S] More on Kate and William: Romance and the Royals

    Last broadcast: 27 April 2011, on

  17. 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

  18. Katie: My Beautiful Friends Katie: My Beautiful Friends

    Katie Piper sets out on an extraordinary journey to use her personal experience to help rebuild the lives and confidence of people like her who are fighting for normality while living with a disfigurement [S] More on Katie: My Beautiful Friends

    Last broadcast: 12 April 2011, on

  19. Katie: The Science of Seeing Again Katie: The Science of Seeing Again

    Katie Piper explores the issues surrounding the pioneering surgery she's undergoing to regain the sight in her left eye [S] More on Katie: The Science of Seeing Again

    Last broadcast: Tuesday 07 February, 9PM on Channel 4

  20. Keith Floyd Keith Meets Keith

    Keith Allen meets his long-term hero, Keith Floyd, who transformed the presentation of gastronomy on British television. Sadly, Keith Floyd passed away on Monday 14th September, 2009. [S] More on Keith Meets Keith

    Last broadcast: 14 September 2009, on

  21. Kenya Murder Mystery Kenya Murder Mystery

    This True Stories documentary gains unprecedented access to the family of Tom Cholmondeley, who is facing the death penalty after allegedly killing a poacher on his 56,000 acre Rift Valley estate More on Kenya Murder Mystery

  22. Kevin McCloud: Slumming It Kevin McCloud: Slumming It

    Kevin McCloud travels to India to explore one of the most extreme cities on earth [S] More on Kevin McCloud: Slumming It

    Last broadcast: 15 January 2010, on

  23. Men in front of the Houses of Parliament Kidnap Ronnie Biggs

    The remarkable story of 'Operation Anaconda,' the 1981 mission to kidnap Ronnie Biggs from Rio and bring him back to British soil [S] More on Kidnap Ronnie Biggs

  24. Lester Adams Kidnapped by the Kids

    As parents everywhere struggle to balance the competing demands of work and home life, Kidnapped by the Kids finds out what would happen if, just for a while, the children were in charge [S] More on Kidnapped by the Kids

  25. The Kidnapping of Elizabeth Smart The Kidnapping of Elizabeth Smart

    In 2002, 14-year-old Elizabeth Smart was abducted from her bedroom by a Mormon extemist and his wife, raped, and dragged halfway across America before rescue. Years later, True Stories catches up with her. More on The Kidnapping of Elizabeth Smart

  26. The Kidnapping of Ingrid Betancourt The Kidnapping of Ingrid Betancourt

    The story of Colombian presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt, who was kidnapped in 2002 by Marxist revolutionary forces More on The Kidnapping of Ingrid Betancourt

  27. The Kids Grow Up The Kids Grow Up

    Doug Block's film follows his relationship with his daughter Lucy as she, now aged 17, is just a year away from leaving home for college More on The Kids Grow Up

    Last broadcast: 11 January 2011, on

  28. Kill it Skin it Wear It Kill It, Skin It, Wear It

    Chef Merrilees Parker admits to liking fur, but can she kill it, skin it and still wear it? She want to find out if it's possible to source ethical fur as we source ethical food. [S] More on Kill It, Skin It, Wear It

  29. Killer in a Small Town Killer in a Small Town

    Cutting Edge documentary exploring the lives of those who became victims of the Suffolk Strangler and examining how the fastest serial killings in British criminal history affected the community of Ipswich More on Killer in a Small Town

  30. Kimberley and Harvey Kimberley: Young Mum 10 Years On

    Cutting Edge takes an unflinching look at motherhood as acclaimed filmmaker Daisy Asquith returns with a follow-up to the multi award-winning documentary Fifteen More on Kimberley: Young Mum 10 Years On

  31. King of Christmas Lights King of Christmas Lights

    Cutting Edge explores the world of extreme Christmas decorating, meeting people who adorn their houses in festive regalia every year, and finding out why they do it More on King of Christmas Lights

    Last broadcast: Monday 19 December, 9PM on Channel 4

  32. Henry Kissinger Kissinger

    An intriguing look at Henry Kissinger, based on Niall Ferguson's two years of exclusive access to the Nobel Peace Prize winner [S] More on Kissinger

    Last broadcast: Tuesday 11 October, 10PM on More4

  33. View of Krakatoa Krakatoa

    A two-hour dramatised account of the 1883 eruption of Krakatoa that tells the story of the scientists who took the first steps towards understanding what caused it [S] More on Krakatoa

  34. Kurt Cobain: About a Son Kurt Cobain - About a Son

    Based on more than 25 hours of previously unheard interviews, this critically acclaimed True Stories documentary offers an intimate and moving meditation on the late musician Kurt Cobain More on Kurt Cobain - About a Son

  35. The Lady and the Revamp The Lady and the Revamp

    Cutting Edge follows the new editor of The Lady, as she tries to turn around the fortunes of Britain's longest-standing women's weekly magazine [S] More on The Lady and the Revamp

  36. Lake of Fire Lake of Fire

    Fifteen years in the making and shot entirely in black and white, Lake of Fire documents the bitter US divide on the issue of abortion More on Lake of Fire

  37. The Last American Freakshow The Last American Freak Show

    Richard Butchins' extraordinary film is a road trip with a difference, as he follows the journey of a self-described travelling Freak Show through America [S] More on The Last American Freak Show

    Last broadcast: 15 December 2009, on

  38. Tony Blair The Last Days of Tony Blair

    Journalist Will Hutton joined Tony Blair in his last three months as Prime Minister, to assess his legacy and find out how he feels he will be remembered More on The Last Days of Tony Blair

  39. The Last Days of the Raj The Last Days of the Raj

    This drama-documentary, filmed entirely on location in India, charts the events of six traumatic months in 1947 that saw the end of the British Raj [S] More on The Last Days of the Raj

  40. Last Party at the Palace Last Party at the Palace

    In May 1958, a longstanding aristocratic ritual came to an end as the last debutantes took their curtsies before the Queen. This evocative documentary tells the story of that final 'season'. [S] More on Last Party at the Palace

  41. David Monteith goes back to his roots The Last Slave

    David Monteith, a young black Londoner, uncovers the story of his ancestor Archibald, who was among the last slaves transported by the British from Africa to Jamaica More on The Last Slave

  42. Last Train Home Last Train Home

    Last Train Home documents how, every spring, China's cities are plunged into chaos as a tidal wave of migrant workers return home by train for the Chinese New Year More on Last Train Home

    Last broadcast: 14 September 2010, on

  43. Last of the Honeybees The Last of the Honeybees

    This film about the plight of honeybees focuses on three American apiarists whose colonies are destroyed by unknown forces More on The Last of the Honeybees

  44. The Laughing Club of India The Laughing Club of India

    A look at the power of laughter, and the popularity of laughing clubs in contemporary Bombay - part of a movement that now has over 6000 clubs in 60 countries [S] More on The Laughing Club of India

    Last broadcast: 25 December 2010, on

  45. The Lazarus Effect The Lazarus Effect

    The Lazarus Effect follows the stories of four people living with HIV/AIDS, whose lives have been transformed by antiretroviral medication [S] More on The Lazarus Effect

  46. Terre'Blanche and Baby The Leader, His Driver and the Driver's Wife

    Nick Broomfield's 1991 film chronicles the collapse of the white supremacist AWB party in apartheid South Africa More on The Leader, His Driver and the Driver's Wife

  47. Leaving Home at Eight Leaving Home at 8

    Cutting Edge examines how children and parents deal with the emotional highs and lows of leaving home to go to boarding school More on Leaving Home at 8

  48. Will this renaissance plane fly? Leonardo's Machines

    Is it possible that the Renaissance genius Leonardo Da Vinci was hundreds of years ahead of other scientists, and had actually developed the means with which people could fly? More on Leonardo's Machines

  49. Les Dawson Les Dawson's Lost Diaries

    Drawing on the personal diaries of the late, great comedian, this programme offers a fascinating insight into the private world of fears and disappointments of the funny man More on Les Dawson's Lost Diaries

  50. The Lie of the Land The Lie of the Land

    Documentary chronicling what could be the death throes of a way of life, as Britain's farming industry and countryside battle with disease, development and legislation More on The Lie of the Land

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