British writer Agatha Christie (1890-1976) published her first novel in 1920, in which the eccentric Belgian private sleuth Hercule Poirot made his debut. Later, in 1927, the first short story starring the gentle spinster Miss Jane Marple appeared. A fascinating journey through popular culture in search of the footprints of two of the most charismatic characters in crime and mystery literature.
The history of arguably the most famous shop in the world, which has been based on Brompton Road in London for more than 175 years, employs more than 6,000 people and still welcomes 15 million customers every year. This documentary tells the story of the people behind the department store, including Robin Harrod, the great-great-grandson of the store's founder, and culminates with the recent allegations against former chairman Mohamed Al-Fayed
Britain is undergoing a domestic heating revolution - heat pumps are replacing gas boilers and apparently everyone should prepare to put one in their homes. Alexis Conran investigates whether these devices live up to the hype, examining the pros and cons to help consumers choose the best option. Plus, tips on maximising savings.
Surpassed only by the Bible and Shakespeare, Agatha Christie is the most successful writer of all time. We all know her characters and incredible plot twists, but what do we know about Agatha herself? Combining rare access to Agatha's family, her personal archive and speaking to those who know her work best, discover what made the world's most successful crime writer tick.
Wham! icon Andrew Ridgeley counts down the very best Christmas songs from his festive ski lodge. Featuring seasonal singalongs from Mariah Carey, Slade, Band Aid and more.
Exclusive access to the Four Seasons Hotel, London, in the run-up to Christmas. Expect festive photoshoots, afternoon teas, Christmas trees and sackfuls of presents.
A biopic drama-documentary about the 'King of Pop', that mixes real footage and new interviews with people around him (most notably his mother Katherine Jackson) with re-enactments of times of Michael's life until his untimely death on the 25th of June in 2009.
Unsettling medical details on the JFK assassination are disclosed by seven doctors who were in the ER during a futile effort to save his life in 1963.
Tracy Borman and Jason Watkins explore the mystery of what happened to the two young princes that were brought to the Tower of London in 1483 by their uncle Richard, Duke of Gloucester. A few weeks later, the two boys vanished without a trace. Jason treads the boards as Shakespeare's greatest villain, Richard III, to try to get inside his mind, while Tracy investigates the discovery of the bones of two children found at the Tower in the 1600s.
During a bizarre chapter of WWII, Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels decided to make a movie based on the sinking of the Titanic. This epic film was so large in scale that the Nazis were forced to divert men, material and ships from the war effort in order to complete it. Titanic was filmed aboard cruise ship SS Cap Arcona in the Baltic Sea. The movie’s director Herbert Selpin was arrested by the Gestapo over comments he made about the ship’s crew and he was questioned by Goebbels. Selpin was found dead the next day in his cell. The Gestapo’s verdict was suicide. Titanic never received the impressive premiere that Goebbels intended, being first shown in Nazi-occupied Paris in 1943. We reveal this little known but fascinating story by looking at the making of the film, as well as the fate of the German ship Cap Arcona.
New gas and electricity meters promise to save customers time, money and energy, but cameras reveal not all is what it seems when it comes to smart meters. With reports of more and more horror stories of inaccurate bills and an invasion of privacy, an investigation into things the energy companies and the government don't want you to know.
How the UK buckled under soaring temperatures in a summer like no other: over 2,000 lives were lost to heat-related incidents, fires raged, roads melted and rail tracks warped.
Behind-the-scenes stories from the long-running sci-fi drama. There are tales of stunts that went dangerously wrong and secrets of how the crew brought monsters to life, as well as revelations about how some storylines proved to be so scary the BBC were forced to re-edit episodes.
Agatha Christie was born in Torquay on England's south coast. In a career spanning over half a century, the prolific crime writer was inspired by the landscapes and character of her home country, much of which featured in her novels. This heart-warming documentary takes viewers on a literary tour of England - focusing on the most interesting locations featured in some of her best-known books.
The shocking story of how husband John Mook was being poisoned by his wife Heather.
A look at two of the worst flash floods in British history, which were separated by exactly 52 years, featuring interviews with survivors, rescuers, politicians and experts. On August 16th, 1952, 15cm of rain fell in just a few hours on Lynmouth in Devon, cascaded into the village via the East and West Lyn rivers, bringing with it 114,000 tons of boulders, sediment and uprooted trees that smashed into buildings. 52 years later, on August 16th, 2004, Boscastle in Cornwall suffered four hours of relentless rainfall, which funnelled down the steep banks of the valley from the moors above the port.
Delving into the background of Mick Philpott - violent criminal and media villain.Investigating the deaths of the six Philpott children, who perished due to a fire that broke out in their home in May, 2012.
Give them massive numbers, that’ll impress them. The Secret Life of the Long Haul Flight (Channel 5) is one of those documentaries that does that, right from the off: each year, 300 million passengers fly more than 6bn miles on long-haul flights. Some of them on an Airbus A380, which costs £280m, carries 484 passengers, is 73 metres long, 25 metres high ...
Lusitania: an ocean liner to rival Titanic. On May 7th 1915 11 miles off the Old Head of Kinsale she was struck by a single torpedo from a German U-boat. 18 minutes later she was gone: a death toll of nearly 1200. Who will live and who will die, as the political shockwave is felt around the world?
Documentary taking a behind-the-scenes look at how the world's biggest, multi-billion pound movie series came into existence. Featuring rare interviews with Star Wars producers Gary Kurtz and Robert Watts and insights from those members of the creative team who won Oscars making the visual effects. Plus, a few little-known and surprising facts surrounding the film franchise
