History TV and radio in the UK: what's on our screens this week?
Can't decide which shows to watch or listen to this week? Here are the latest history radio and TV programmes airing in the UK that you won't want to miss
You’re Dead To Me
BBC Radio 4
Saturday 16th August, 10am
One narrative of India in the 18th century is that it was a time of decline as the Mughals lost their hold over power, but is this true? Historian Dr Jagjeet Lally and comedian Nish Kumar join Greg Jenner to discuss the story of early modern India.
Seven Wonders Of The Ancient World With Bettany Hughes
5
Saturday 16th August, 6.15pm
The classicist heads for Turkey as she concludes her tour of sites that impressed our forebears. Here, she looks at the stories behind the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, a once vast tomb located in modern-day Bodrum, and the Temple of Artemis. She also imagines how the Hanging Gardens of Babylon might have looked.
24 Hours: The Japanese Surrender
Channel 4
Saturday 16th August, 8.10pm
The final days of the Second World War were delayed by the Japanese leadership’s reluctance to accept the inevitably of defeat. Shown to mark the 80th anniversary of VJ Day, this documentary takes viewers through the final hours of the conflict, when the military attempted a coup d’état.
The Narrow Road To The Deep North
BBC One
Sunday 17th August, 9.20pm
Final episode of the powerful drama based on the novel by Richard Flanagan. The Second World War is over and Dorrigo (Jasob Elordi) returns home and tries to rebuild his life. In scenes featuring the older Dorrigo (Cairaín Hands), regarded as a hero, he looks back at what he experienced.
The Long History Of Heroism: From Achilles To Zelensky
BBC Radio 4
Monday 18th August, 9am
Rory Stewart continues his excellent series on the nature of heroism. In the third episode, his narrative reaches the early 20th century. Stewart begins here with the trauma of the First World War, a time when the horrors of mechanised conflict challenged existing ideals of heroism.
The Second Map
BBC Radio 4
Monday 18th August, 11am
Drawing on the accounts of eye-witnesses, both those who fought and civilians, Kavita Puri examines the Second World War as it played out in Asia. In the first of three episodes, we hear testimony from those taken prisoner during the fall of Singapore in 1942.
Book At Bedtime: Crooked Cross
BBC Radio 4
Monday 18th August, 10.45pm
For many years, Sally Carson’s novel dealing with the rise of Nazism, as seen through the eyes of a single family, was largely forgotten. Since it was republished by Persephone Books, it has sold steadily, and here’s a chance to discover why it has so fascinated readers as Scarlett Courtney reads an abridged version over 10 weekday episodes.
Fake Or Fortune?: What Happened Next? A Double Whodunnit
BBC One
Monday 18th August, 8pm
Fiona Bruce and Philip Mould revisit a programme from 2017, when they investigated the provenance of two portraits of black British women. It’s a story of paintings that have increased massively in value – both in financial terms and in a newfound recognition of their cultural significance.
Pompeii: Life In The City With Dan Snow
5
Tuesday 19th August, 9pm
The theme of the final show in the series is crime – particularly violent crime. One Roman writer, we learn, advised writing a will before going out for an evening meal because the town was considered to be so dangerous. Plus the story of a riot that broke out in the wake of a gladiatorial contest.
The Mystery Of The Desert Kites – pick of the week
BBC Four
Wednesday 20th August, 8pm
In the 1920s, RAF pilots flying over Arabia noticed strange geometric patterns in the desert, which were likened to childhood kites. At ground level, these turned out to be long stone walls. Cameras follow archaeologists as they investigate structures that predate Egypt's pyramids and Stonehenge.