Documentaries

Arthur Briggs: The Brit Who Brought Jazz to Europe
Hugh Schofield delves into the little-known story of jazz pioneer Arthur Briggs.
30 Mar 2023,28 mins
Hit the Road Stax
Paul Gambaccini recalls The Stax Volt Tour of 1967, which brought soul greats to Europe.
14 Apr 2007,30 mins
Bellfield's Year
One year with a primary school in a poor part of Birmingham as it battles to stay solvent
05 May 2020,37 mins
Diane Arbus: Intimate Portraits
What is the unique vision and contested legacy of photographer Diane Arbus?
11 Jul 2023,28 mins
Midnight Feasts and Lashings of Ginger Beer
Why is British children's fiction so preoccupied with feasting? Sheila McClennon explores.
12 Jan 2010,30 mins
Eastern Classical
Musician Mark Seow traces tensions between his Asian heritage and Western classical music.
15 Aug 2023,28 mins
Bill Dare: Comedy Alchemist
Hugh Dennis presents a tribute to the late Bill Dare.
12 Jun 2025,28 mins
The Edge of Life
We follow the healthcare authority aiming to reduce lives lost to suicide to 0% by 2020.
22 Aug 2017,38 mins
Ukraine - On the Frontline
Drone technology is transforming the battlefield in Ukraine.
11 Aug 2024,28 mins
I See You: Poetry, Porn and Me
Poet Helen Mort reflects on being the object of deepfake pornography.
20 Feb 2022,28 mins
The Red Hills of Home
Part Four - Chenjerai
A profile of the writer Chenjerai Hove
09 Jun 1997,13 mins
More episodes
Requiem for a Moth
Martin Wainwright looks at our national night time obsession - with the beauty of moths.
06 May 2011,28 mins
The Life of Pope Francis
Following the death of Pope Francis, Edward Stourton explores his life and legacy.
21 Apr 2025,41 mins
John Burnside: From the Other Side
How a recent near-death experience has influenced poet John Burnside's life and work.
30 Oct 2022,28 mins
Does the Irish Republic want reunification?
Rising taxes, changes to flags and anthems. It’s more complicated than it seems.
22 May 2023,28 mins
The Invisible Man of Britain's Far Right
An investigation into Jim Dowson, the front man for Knights Templar International.
01 May 2018,38 mins
Vessels of Memory: Glass Ships of Sunderland
Now an endangered craft, discover the lost legacy of Sunderland’s glass ships in bottles.
23 Jun 2024,28 mins
A Walk on the Supply Side
Duncan Weldon explores the past, present and uncertain future of supply-side economics.
01 Nov 2022,28 mins
The Animal Employment Agency
Meet the creatures with a career path - in niche jobs where only an animal will do.
14 May 2025,28 mins
A Documentary: By ChatGPT
What would a documentary made by ChatGPT sound like? Lara Lewington explores AI territory.
06 Mar 2023,28 mins
Reading the Air
Writer Chris Yates looks to the skies in search of the wintering hen harrier.
23 Oct 2022,28 mins
Suck it and See
Award-winning songwriter Amy Wadge investigates the history and potential of the harmonica
29 Mar 2016,30 mins
A Dyeing Wish
Facing his own mortality, an artist collaborates with a farmer to transform toxic dyes.
13 Dec 2023,28 mins
Pilgrimage for a Pint
Julie Fowlis and Karine Polwart journey to the most remote pub in mainland Britain.
24 Dec 2023,28 mins
Searching for cosmic dust
A jazz musician becomes a cosmic dust hunter.
30 Apr 2023,28 mins
Andy Warhol: Time Regained
Lenny Henry unveils the mysterious contents of Andy Warhol's Time Capsules.
11 Sep 2014,28 mins
The Hidden History of the Attic
Rachel Hurdley discovers a part of the home full of memory, mystery and possession.
23 Apr 2023,28 mins
How A Volcano Shaped The World
How a natural disaster helped shape the modern world
11 May 2000,24 mins
Cover Story
Rufus Wainwright on how he approaches the song A Foggy Day and why he's drawn to it.
04 Aug 2022,28 mins
Train Hopping in the USA
Jumping on freight trains in America, adventure or desperation? Peter Bowes explores.
19 Dec 2012,30 mins