Skip to:
Learn from the past. Make sense of the present. Look into the future.
See all History on 4oD
Escape from Colditz
The Germans believed escape from Colditz was all but impossible. But they were proved wrong time and again, defeated by planning, ingenuity and boundless bravery.
Fact or Fiction
Tony Robinson travels around the UK on his quest to discover the real story behind some of the greatest figures in history: King Harold, Boudica, William Wallace and Robin Hood
Upstairs Downstairs Love
The remarkable real life story of barrister Arthur Munby and his servant lover Hannah Cullwick whose relationship transgressed the strict moral codes of nineteenth century Britain
Time Team
In this popular and (literally) groundbreaking programme, Tony Robinson and a team of experts travel the country to investigate a wide range of archaeological sites of historical importance [S] More on Time Team
Next on: Sunday 19 February, 4.05PM on Channel 4
Britain AD: King Arthur's Britain
Francis Pryor argues that the early history of Britain was a vibrant period, when the island thrived under foreign influences from as far a field as the Middle East without losing their cultural identity [S] More on Britain AD: King Arthur's Britain
Warsaw Ghetto: The Unfinished Film
An examination of a mysterious Nazi propaganda film that juxtaposed staged scenes of Jews living a life of luxury in the Warsaw Ghetto with chilling images that required no staging at all More on Warsaw Ghetto: The Unfinished Film
Last broadcast: 30 October 2010, on
Nefertiti and the Lost Dynasty
A brand new scientific investigation brings state-of-the-art CT scans to Egypt's Valley of the Kings to investigate a mysterious family of pharaohs and examine their links to King Tutankhamun [S] More on Nefertiti and the Lost Dynasty
Last broadcast: 12 February 2011, on
Rome Wasn't Built in a Day
Six builders attempt to build an authentic Roman villa working with only the tools and materials that the Romans themselves would have used [S] More on Rome Wasn't Built in a Day
Last broadcast: 24 February 2011, on
Britain's Greatest Codebreaker
Drama documentary recording the brilliance - and the destruction - of one of the 20th century's greatest minds More on Britain's Greatest Codebreaker
Last broadcast: Monday 21 November, 9PM on Channel 4
The Hitler Family
Hitler was obsessively secretive about his family. This documentary has tracked down some of Hitler's relatives who speak for the first time about living in the shadow of the Nazi dictator. More on The Hitler Family
Last broadcast: Wednesday 11 January, 11.05PM on More4
The Lost Kennedy Home Movies
Remarkable home movies revealing the private story of the Kennedy clan from 1935 through to JFK's swearing-in as President in 1961 More on The Lost Kennedy Home Movies
Last broadcast: Sunday 27 November, 10PM on More4
Sex and the Swastika
Located in the English countryside, a secret division created 'Black' propaganda and disseminated pornography to German troops and civilians illustrating the sexual perversions of their leaders [S] More on Sex and the Swastika
The Unsinkable Titanic
An iceberg may have sunk the Titanic, but this documentary argues that it was actually a long chain of misjudgements, human errors and misfortunes that led to this maritime catastrophe [S] More on The Unsinkable Titanic
The Queen's Coronation: Behind Palace Doors
This documentary uncovers the tensions and conflict between the Queen Mother and Prince Philip in the build up to Princess Elizabeth's coronation in 1953 [S] More on The Queen's Coronation: Behind Palace Doors
World War II: The Last Heroes
The personal stories of the soldiers who fought in World War II, brought back to life in reconstructions with real bombs and ammunition [S] More on World War II: The Last Heroes
Last broadcast: Saturday 19 November, 8PM on Channel 4
WWII: Air War
Extraordinary colour archive footage and personal testimony combine to tell the story of the vital fight for control of the skies during the Second World War More on WWII: Air War
Last broadcast: Wednesday 14 December, 11.05PM on More4
Tony Robinson's Gods and Monsters
Tony Robinson reveals a terrifying world of walking corpses and evil spirits - the world that our ancestors thought they lived in [S] More on Tony Robinson's Gods and Monsters
Last broadcast: Saturday 10 December, 8PM on Channel 4
Cannibals of the Stone Age
Archaeologists are investigating a Stone Age mass grave in Germany that may force us to accept that cannibalism and human sacrifice are undeniable parts of our history [S] More on Cannibals of the Stone Age
Last broadcast: Wednesday 07 December, 11PM on More4
The Untold Invasion of Britain
The story of Septimus Severus: Rome's African Emperor who fought a brutal campaign in Britain, crossing Hadrian's Wall and helping to forge the English-Scottish divide familiar to us today [S] More on The Untold Invasion of Britain
The Great Inca Rebellion
An examination of new evidence suggesting the Incas fought a decades-long guerrilla war against the Spanish conquistadors [S] More on The Great Inca Rebellion
Last broadcast: Wednesday 30 November, 11.10PM on More4
Time Team Specials
From the secrets of Stonehenge to the hidden tunnels and dugouts of World War I, Tony Robinson and the Team take on some very special archaeological assignments [S] More on Time Team Specials
Last broadcast: Thursday 10 November, 9PM on Channel 4
Digging the Great Escape
A team of experts visits Germany to examine the ingenious achievements of the Second World War's most daring and famous escape artists [S] More on Digging the Great Escape
Last broadcast: Monday 28 November, 9PM on Channel 4
The Dinosaur Mummy
This documentary follows the excavation and scientific investigation of a mumified dinosaur, complete with organs and scales, discovered in 1999 by an American student More on The Dinosaur Mummy
The Real King's Speech
The true story of King George VI's struggle to overcome his stammer, and the parts played in his battle with his disability by his speech therapist, brother, father and wife [S] More on The Real King's Speech
Last broadcast: 23 February 2011, on
Attila and the Empire of the Huns
The story of how Attila the Hun almost conquered Western Europe, and how the tide of history eventually turned against him More on Attila and the Empire of the Huns
Last broadcast: 26 August 2009, on
Atlantic Convoys
In WWII, merchant ships bringing vital goods across the Atlantic were Britain's crucial lifeline, one which German U-boats were determined to destroy in the longest and bloodiest campaign of the war [S] More on Atlantic Convoys
The Curse of the Hope Diamond
The world's most valuable diamond has a sinister reputation and is a geological anomaly. Scientists conduct a pioneering investigation to unlock the secrets of its strange behaviour. [S] More on The Curse of the Hope Diamond
What Sank the Mary Rose?
A team of experts from the fields of shipbuilding, science, history and archaeology gather to try and pin down why Henry VIII's flagship, The Mary Rose, capsized and sank without warning in 1545 More on What Sank the Mary Rose?
Back from the Dead
Using cutting-edge forensic techniques on the skeletons of long-dead warriors, this series examines the lives and deaths of soldiers from history [S] More on Back from the Dead
Last broadcast: Sunday 18 September, 8PM on Channel 4
Commando
This four-part series tells the true story of Churchill's band of brothers - an unorthodox mix of misfits and buccaneers who operated outside the normal rules of warfare [S] More on Commando
Not Forgotten
Presented by Ian Hislop, the Not Forgotten documentaries use Britain's war memorials as a starting point for an investigation of the impact of the First World War on British society [S] More on Not Forgotten
WWI: Finding the Lost Battalions
Three UK families investigate whether their relatives are amongst the remains of 250 soldiers found in unmarked graves near a village in northern France [S] More on WWI: Finding the Lost Battalions
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
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
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
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
Egypt's Warrior King
The story of Thutmosis III, the 'Napoleon of Egypt', and how he brought Egyptian imperialism to its peak [S] More on Egypt's Warrior King
Last broadcast: 11 June 2011, on
Civilization: Is the West History?
Niall Ferguson explores how Western civilization - a clear minority of mankind - secured a lion's share of the world's resources, and examines whether the West is about to be overtaken by the rest [S] More on Civilization: Is the West History?
Last broadcast: 10 April 2011, on
Saxon Gold: Finding the Hoard
The story of Britain's largest ever Anglo Saxon treasure hoard: the 1,600 items discovered in a Staffordshire field in 2009 by a metal detecting enthusiast [S] More on Saxon Gold: Finding the Hoard
The Great Wall of China
This intriguing documentary tells the story behind the Great Wall of China, one of the world's great wonders and the most ambitious building project ever attempted [S] More on The Great Wall of China
The Ancient Skeletons of Peru
High in the Andes in the 16th century, the fiercely independent Chachapoya tribes suddenly disappeared. Now archaeologists have found startling evidence that may indicate what happened to them. [S] More on The Ancient Skeletons of Peru
Last broadcast: 14 May 2011, on
The Untold Battle of Britain
The story of 303 Squadron: 34 Polish fighter pilots who overturned RAF prejudices to earn their chance to fight in the Battle of Britain, in which they shot down 126 Luftwaffe aircraft [S] More on The Untold Battle of Britain
Codex
Locked in the British Museum overnight, a team of intrepid contestants must turn historical code breakers in this engaging combination of game show and archaeological mystery tour More on Codex
Churchill's Darkest Decision
The forgotten story of Winston Churchill's darkest decision: to destroy the French battle fleet rather than trust the French government's promise to never hand them over to Hitler More on Churchill's Darkest Decision
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
The Untold Battle of Trafalgar
Twenty-five different nationalities fought on behalf of Nelson at Trafalgar. For many, the Royal Navy was the first equal opportunities employer, offering freedom and potential fortune. [S] More on The Untold Battle of Trafalgar
Snowdon and Margaret: Inside a Royal Marriage
Documentary that throws new light on the spectacular and very public break-up one of the most iconic couples of the 1960s - Tony Snowdon and Princess Margaret [S] More on Snowdon and Margaret: Inside a Royal Marriage
Seven Ages of Britain
Bettany Hughes explores the history of Britain from a fresh perspective: through the lives and aspirations of the ordinary citizens More on Seven Ages of Britain
A Harlot's Progress
A Harlot's Progress dramatically depicts the artist William Hogarth's exploration of sex trafficking and debauchery in Georgian London - an investigation that threatens to destroy his career [S] More on A Harlot's Progress
The Battle of Hood and Bismarck
Two-part documentary that uses unique archive footage, eyewitness testimony, dramatic reconstruction and state of the art computer graphics to tell the definitive story of this epic sea battle More on The Battle of Hood and Bismarck
Titanic: The Mission
Four modern day engineers attempt to rebuild sections of the Titanic, using the tools and techniques of the early twentieth century [S] More on Titanic: The Mission
Last broadcast: 25 October 2010, on
Birth of Britain
Tony Robinson tells the epic story of how Britain was formed, and how the earth beneath our feet has shaped the country we live in today [S] More on Birth of Britain
Last broadcast: 31 January 2011, on
Hide & Seek
Jewish survivors of the Second World War tell their inspiring stories from the childhood years they spent in hiding and on the run [S] More on Hide & Seek
Last broadcast: 26 January 2011, on
| Abbreviation | Explanation |
|---|---|
| [S] | Subtitles |
| [AD] | Audio Description |
Channel 4 © 2012. Channel 4 is not responsible for the content of external websites.