S2007 E1 • Castrato

Castrati were the undisputed superstars of 18th-century musical culture, driving crowds wild with their intoxicatingly androgynous virtuoso voices. Nicholas Clapton, countertenor and castrato historian, analyses the anatomical mysteries of the castrato and the biological implications of castrato. He travels to Bologna, the adopted home of Farinelli, perhaps the most famous castrato. And for the first time in Britain, American male soprano Michael Maniaci, a young Baroque opera singer whose voice did not break at puberty, performs Mozart's Exultate Jubilate, a piece originally written for castrato Rauzzini.

Première diffusion : 26 juin 2007

S2007 E2 • The Moon

The Moon - Ruler of the Night This exclusive BBC documentary tries to explain the ancient fascination of humans for the earthly satellite. Almost every night it stands on the sky, sometimes a small sickle, sometimes full and round. The full moon is a symbol of fertility and insanity, lust for murder and werewolves. But what influence does the moon really hold on our life? This movie shows the millenia old fascination for the earthly satellite - from the stone-circles of ancient moon-cults to the time of the cold war to new missions to the moon in the near future. Science has discovered the moon anew. After the race to space had been won by the Americans it quickly lost its magic/attraction. Already new and farther away targets were luring. The long awaited landing on the moon insofar turned out to be a disappointment as it only showed that the earth-satellite was exactly what had been observed in the sky: a cold, lifeless rock which only catches the attention of the eye because it reflects the light of the sun. This realization left no room for the century old myths and legends which surrounded the moon. Yet, while the public turned its attention to new discoveries, geologists just started with their examinations. The gathered moonstone told the story of the creation of the earth and its satellite from a new point of view. The moon itself emerged from the collision of the young earth and another planet some 4.5 billion years ago. Its rock hasn't changed much since and thus gives important clues to the history of the earth. Other celestial bodies like the Jupiter satellites Io and Europa and the Saturn-moon Titan turned out to be exciting worlds with gigantic volcanic eruptions, thick atmospheres and ice-covered oceans. Should our own moon too hold more than had been discovered until now? Indeed scientists found something of interest on the poles: a thin layer of ice which could provide humans with life-giving water. This discovery ignited the race to spa

Première diffusion : 16 décembre 2007

S2007 E3 • The British Enlightenment

A groundbreaking history of the British Enlightenment retraces the innovations in representative government, industrialization, religious tolerance, and individualism that made the eighteenth century so important in the history of England, and the world. Historian professor Roy Porter examines the contributions of 18th-century British scientists, philosophers, economists and industrialists to the era that shaped the destiny of modern Europe.

Première diffusion : 21 octobre 2007

S2007 E4 • Jonathan Ross in Search of Steve Ditko

Jonathan Ross goes in search of his hero, Steve Ditko, co-creator of Spider-Man but virtually unknown to all but a handful of comic-book enthusiasts. In a one-off film for BBC Four, Ross, a noted comic-book enthusiast and obsessive Ditko fan, goes in search of the comic-book legend who lives his life as a recluse. Ditko should be a multi-millionaire. Many times he has been offered vast sums of cash in return for explaining why he left Marvel and, of course, Spider-Man, the character he co-created with Stan Lee back in 1961. Ditko and Lee worked together at Marvel for five years but, when Spider-Man was on the verge of becoming the best-sëlling comic book in the world, Ditko left the book and the company. While at Marvel, he had designed all of the characters, illustrated and inked each issue and provided Spider-Man with his unique look. He'd also plotted every story, leaving Lee to write the dialogue. In the years that followed he continued creating many new and wonderful characters for the biggest comic companies, as well as expressing his own political and personal views in independently published books. He has never explained why he left Spider-Man when he did, or why he has never returned to draw his most famous character again. It's a question that intrigues and perplexes comic fans all over the world. Meanwhile, Stan Lee's contribution to the Spider-Man phenomenon has left him well-known and wealthy. To discover what led to Ditko's unusual career path, and in an effort to ensure this reclusive genius receives the credit that he's due, Ross heads off in search of both the man and, hopefully, the truth. Ross's search takes him from the UK to Los Angeles. On his journey, he talks to those who have met and worked with Ditko, including Lee and another comic-book legend, Northampton-based Alan Moore.

Première diffusion : 16 septembre 2007

S2007 E5 • Only Yesterday - The Carpenters Story

Documentary about brother and sister duo The Carpenters, one of the biggest selling pop acts of the 1970s, but one with a destructive and complex secret that ended in tragedy with Karen Carpenter's untimely death at 32. Featuring behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with Richard Carpenter, family and friends.

Première diffusion : 9 avril 2007

S2007 E6 • Car Crash: The Delorean Story

Former General Motors high-flyer John DeLorean had a plan to build a stylish European sports car, at a price that would make it attractive to the American market. The site he chose for his state-of-the-art factory was on the outskirts of Belfast, a city best-known for sectarian violence and high levels of unemployment. The unexpected marriage of high-tech glamour with the gritty reality of 1970s Northern Ireland captured the public's imagination but this early optimism would end in failure. Although the cars looked great, the windows leaked and the engines seized; as his financial problems mounted the maverick DeLorean faced charges of drugs trafficking. Adrian Dunbar narrates the story.

Première diffusion : 22 août 2007

S2007 E7 • Sea of Fire

HMS Coventry brought down more aircraft than any other ship during the Falklands War. As other British ships sank around them, Coventry believed they were invincible. But at the height of the conflict, HMS Coventry was sent on a risky mission to lure enemy bombers away from the troops landing in San Carlos Bay. The Argentineans duly obliged by sending waves of Skyhawks to take out the British Destroyer. By late afternoon on May 25th 1982, HMS Coventry had already survived two raids and shot down three enemy planes. But just as Captain Hart Dyke and his crew thought they had weathered the storm, the Argentineans launched one last attack. For the first time in 25 years the men of HMS Coventry tell their dramatic story.

Première diffusion : 1 juin 2007

S2007 E8 • Hotel California - LA from the Byrds to the Eagles

Documentary looking at the music and mythology of a golden era in Californian culture, and telling the story of how Los Angeles changed from a kooky backwater in the early 1960s to become the artistic and industrial hub of the American music industry by the end of the 1970s. Alongside extensive and never before seen archive footage, the programme features comprehensive first-hand accounts of the key figures including musicians (David Crosby, Graham Nash, J. D. Souther, Bernie Leadon and Bonnie Raitt, music industry bosses (David Geffen, Jac Holzman, Ron Stone and Peter Asher) and legendary LA scenesters including Henry Diltz, Pamela Des Barres and Ned Doheny. The film explores how the socially-conscious folk rock of young hippies with acoustic guitars was transformed into the coked-out stadium excess of the late 1970s and the biggest selling album of all time.

Première diffusion : 27 mai 2007

S2007 E9 • The Comet's Tale

Although believed to be gods by many ancient civilisations, who saw them as bringers of life or harbingers of doom, to Isaac Newton they were the key to unlocking the secrets of gravity. Hundreds of years later, a new breed of space mission can show what comets are really made of, where they come from, and their surprising influence on events on Earth.

Première diffusion : 25 novembre 2007

S2007 E10 • The Satellite Story

Fifty years ago Sputnik was launched by the Russians, and the space age dawned. Starting with the jubilation, fear and panic that accompanied the launch of "The Red Moon", this documentary explores how satellites have now affected almost every aspect of our lives. Spy satellites and GPS (global positioning system) have transformed the military. Communications have been revolutionized, with Telstar, the first commercially-launch satellite, even becoming an international celebrity. Satellites have revolutionized our understanding of our climate, saving countless lives. Hubble, so nearly a disaster, went on to change the way we understand our universe. Thanks to satellites, the world is now a smaller, safer, and better understood place. The programme explores the technological milestones that have made all this possible but ends with a warning. Our civilization is now dependent on satellites, making us vulnerable were something to go wrong. Recent events in China have revealed just how vulnerable we might be, for they suggest we might be on the verge of another new age - of satellite terrorism.

Première diffusion : 2 décembre 2007

S2007 E11 • The Last 48 Hours of Kurt Cobain

This documentary speaks to some of the people who saw or met up with him in that last week. The woman who watched him lick his plate clean, and fail to sign a cheque, in his local restaurant; Duff Mckagan, former bass player of Guns n Roses, who sat next to him on the plane back to Seattle; his drug counsellor from rehab. There are also those who claim to have seen him in those last few days, to have touched the hem of his cloth. And there is Brant, who saw him in a dream the night before he died. It is a film about the generation of a myth. Of the deification of Cobain and the eery silence that fell over Seattle in the days following his death, when his ghost wandered the city.

Première diffusion : 18 février 2007

S2007 E12 • Richard Hammond Meets Evel Knievel

The documentary is based around the Evel Knievel Days event in Butte, Montana. The presenter, Richard Hammond, spends four days with former motorcycle daredevil Evil Knievel. Knievel, by now 69 years old had become very ill, requiring an oxygen tank strapped up to him constantly to aid with breathing and 48 hours before the film crew arrived Knievel had a stroke.[2] At several points during filming, Knievel cuts the interview short and leaves before Hammond has finished asking questions.

Première diffusion : 23 décembre 2007

S2007 E13 • Rover - The Long Goodbye

In the days when Britain's car industry was the envy of the world, Rover epitomised everything to which the driver of taste aspired, but in 2005 it reached the end of the road. The film explores how Rover cars went from defining their eras to becoming victims of their times, telling the story behind the key models to the controversial joint ventures with Japanese and Indian manufacturers in later years.

Première diffusion : 23 août 2007

S2007 E14 • Pavarotti: A Life in Seven Arias

When Luciano Pavarotti died in 2007, the world lost one of its finest voices. The 'King of the High Cs' was sought after by all the major opera houses in his early career. International superstardom came with his Three Tenors and Pavarotti and Friends concerts, and his version of Nessun Dorma was used for the BBC's coverage of the 1990 FIFA World Cup. This portrait uses archive and the memories of his closest associates- including Jose Carreras, Dame Joan Sutherland and Juan Diego Florez.

Première diffusion : 24 décembre 2007

S2007 E15 • What Did You Do in the Great War, Daddy?

Documentary telling the tragic story of the greatest loss of fathers in British history. When the nation was called to arms in the patriotic fervour of 1914 it was difficult to imagine that, four years later, half a million children would have lost their fathers in battle. The impact of their deaths was devastating and never forgotten by their sons and daughters. Now in their 90s, they go on an emotional journey to remember their lost fathers, culminating in a visit to their graves in France.

Première diffusion : 11 novembre 2007

S2007 E16 • Ian Hislop's Scouting for Boys

Robert Baden-Powell's handbook Scouting for Boys, written in 1908, may be largely forgotten today but it is one of the most influential and best-selling books of all time. In the 20th century, only the Bible, the Koran and the Thoughts of Chairman Mao sold more. But they had fewer jokes, no pictures and were useless at important stuff like tying knots. In this entertaining and affectionate film, Ian Hislop uncovers the story behind the book which kick-started the Scout Movement - a work which is very eccentric, very Edwardian and very British.

Première diffusion : 20 mai 2007

S2007 E17 • Wainwright: The Man Who Loved the Lakes

Capturing the beauty of the English Lake District, a documentary which traces the life of writer and artist Alfred Wainwright, the eccentric Lancastrian who created a series of iconic fell-walking books which he hand-wrote, illustrated and published himself in the 1950s. Celebrating the centenary of his birth, the film captures his passionate love affair with the Lakeland landscape and explores how his books have become guide-book classics for millions of fell-walkers.

Première diffusion : 13 juillet 2007

S2007 E18 • The Dodo's Guide to Surviving Extinction

Documentary charting the extinction of the dodo and the lessons that could be applied to modern life.

Première diffusion : 4 septembre 2007

S2007 E19 • Beryl's Last Year

The novelist Dame Beryl Bainbridge thinks she's going to die at the age of 71, because everyone in her family died when they were that age, from her mother and father to her grandparents, aunts and uncles. Opening with her 71st birthday, this uniquely personal film, made by Beryl's eldest grandson Charlie Russell, follows Beryl as she lives out her 'last year', prepares for her death and tries to write her final novel.

Première diffusion : 2 janvier 2007

S2007 E20 • Blondie: One Way or Another

Documentary about the Debbie Harry-fronted New York band Blondie, who crossed pop with punk, reggae and rap and had no 1's in all styles, from their Bowery beginnings at CBGBs in 1974 to their controversial induction into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame. With exclusive backstage and performance footage from their 2006 UK tour, plus in-depth interviews with current and ex-band members and friends Iggy Pop, Shirley Manson, Tommy Ramone, and Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth of Talking Heads.

Première diffusion : 7 mars 2007

S2007 E21 • Queens of Disco

Graham Norton profiles the leading ladies of the disco era, including Gloria Gaynor, Donna Summer, Grace Jones, Chaka Khan, Madonna and 'honorary disco queen' Sylvester. Includes contributions from the queens themselves, plus Antonio 'Huggy Bear' Fargas, choreographer Arlene Phillips, songwriters Ashford and Simpson, disco artists Verdine White from Earth, Wind and Fire, Bonnie Pointer of the Pointer Sisters and Nile Rodgers of Chic.

Première diffusion : 6 mars 2007

S2007 E28 • Gambling in Las Vegas

Louis Theroux heads to Las Vegas, the fastest growing city in America, to take a look at the pastime that made it famous and meet the gamblers, the high rollers and the casino men who keep this town in the middle of the desert green with money. The Las Vegas Hilton is Louis's home over the course of one very memorable long weekend. Once the biggest hotel in the world, it is old school Vegas with a face-lift; this is the casino where Elvis played over eight hundred sold-out shows. We meet Richard Wilk, the Hilton's smooth-talking 'super host' who prides himself on his ability to say yes to his clients. Louis hangs out with Richard's high-rolling 'whales'. Whales like Allan, who flies in from Canada to party in a 25,000 dollar suite, ready to blow 200,000 dollars or more over the weekend. Louis makes his way past the dancing girls and flashing lights to find Martha, a glamorous septuagenarian who spends at least 1,000 dollars a day on the slots. She hasn't missed a day in ten years and has lost 4 million dollars. And there's John and Tim, Vegas regulars who take Louis under their wing as he nervously gambles his own money on one long night on the black jack table. They walk away at 5am - but are they winners?

Première diffusion : 16 juin 2007

S2007 E29 • Ultimate Wild Water

Journalist Kate Silverton abandons the safety of her BBC studio to embark on an adrenalin-fuelled journey of discovery through Britain's fastest flowing rivers and most turbulent seas. Amid the pounding North Cornish surf, Kate's childhood fear of open water dramatically re-awakens. Now she must conquer not only strong currents, huge waves and white water, but also her own worst nightmares.

Première diffusion : 21 août 2007

S2007 E30 • Once Upon a Time in New York: The Birth of Hip Hop, Disco and Punk

How the squalid streets of '70s New York gave birth to music that would go on to conquer the world - punk, disco and hip hop. In the 1970s the Big Apple was rotten to the core, yet out of the grime, grit and low rent space emerged new music unlike anything that had gone before.

Première diffusion : 5 mars 2007

S2007 E31 • Vienna: City of Dreams

Joseph Koerner explores the art, architecture and music of fin de siecle Vienna. Using one of Vienna's most famous sons, Sigmund Freud, as a key, Koerner attempts to unlock Vienna's psyche for clues as to why this unlikely city gave birth to modernism. Home to Klimt, Schoenberg and Hitler, he portrays an artistic and intellectual melting pot; a place where many of the great dreams, and nightmares, of the modern era were first imagined.

Première diffusion : 30 décembre 2007

S2007 E32 • Guys and Dolls

Documentary about the men who use sophisticated life-size dolls for sexual satisfaction and more - such as dates, affection and lifelong companionship. Featuring a young American man who gives his doll daily massages in the home he shares with his disapproving Mum and Dad; a British man who takes his doll out on day trips to the coast where she watches him hang- glide; and two Americans who live with multiple dolls, one of whom shares his eight synthetic lovers with his human girlfriend.

Première diffusion : 17 janvier 2007

S2007 E33 • China's Terracotta Army

Dan Snow follows the making of the British Museum's biggest exhibition in a generation and tells the story of its subject, the First Emperor of China. Qin Shihuangdi is one of the most important but least well-known men in history. He founded the world's oldest political entity and created the spectacular Terracotta Army to guard his vast tomb. With exclusive access to the BM team for over a year, Dan follows the curator Jane Portal, and the design team, as they create a blockbuster exhibition in the historic Round Reading Room and he travels to China to see the original Great Wall, the sacred mountain Tai Shan, and the great necropolis at Xian with its thousands of warriors.

Première diffusion : 15 septembre 2007

S2007 E34 • Rageh Inside Iran

Documentary presented by Rageh Omaar which reveals the lives, hopes and fears of the young generation of Tehran, the most intriguing, talked about but least understood city in the world today.

Première diffusion : 20 juillet 2007

S2007 E35 • The Pink Floyd Story - Which One's Pink

Forty years after Britain's foremost 'underground' band released their debut album, 'Piper At The Gates Of Dawn', Pink Floyd remain one of the biggest brand names and best-loved bands in the world. This film features extended archive footage alongside original interviews with David Gilmour, Roger Waters, Richard Wright and Nick Mason, and traces the journey of a band that has only ever had five members, three of whom have lead the band at different stages of its evolution.

Première diffusion : 12 décembre 2007

S2007 E36 • The Most Hated Family in America

Louis struggles to come to terms with the infamous family who picket the funerals of soldiers in protest against an America that tolerates homosexuality.

Première diffusion : 1 avril 2007

S2007 E37 • Windscale: Britain's Biggest Nuclear Disaster

Fifty years ago, Britain suffered its worst nuclear accident. On the night of 10 October 1957, a fire began to spread throughout the core of the Windscale nuclear reactor, sending radioactive dust across Britain. Using the taped recordings of the inquiry into the fire - which have been kept secret ever since the disaster and are heard for the first time - and featuring interviews with the men who risked their lives to prevent a tragedy, this film reveals how political ambition fuelled the fire and then dictated that the heroes of Windscale be made the scapegoats. The Windscale nuclear reactor was a project on an unprecedented scale. Designed to produce materials first for Britain's A-bomb, and then for the H-bomb, it was a triumphant statement of British scientific and technological prowess. But, beneath its image, Windscale had been built in a hurry - with dire consequences. Radioactive leaks were found and the core of the reactor began dangerously overheating. Some scientists warned that radioactive materials inside could catch fire. But the leaks were hushed up and the warnings ignored. Instead, Windscale was ordered to achieve even greater increases in output to meet a political deadline to explode Britain's first H-bomb. The result was potential disaster - the core of the reactor caught fire and radioactive dust began spreading over the country. Windscale workers faced a terrible dilemma - if they tried to put the fire out with water they risked turning the reactor into a gigantic nuclear bomb, and if they let the fire burn, it could contaminate people across a huge area. Risking death from explosion and radioactive poisoning, the Windscale men averted a major tragedy. The inquiry revealed that the warnings about the risks had been hushed up or ignored. But the government kept its findings secret, and instead blamed the fire on an "error of judgement" by the very workers who had first warned of the potential problems and then battled so heroic

Première diffusion : 8 octobre 2007

S2007 E38 • Ray Mears and Ewan McGregor: Extreme Jungle

Survival Expert Ray Mears takes actor Ewan McGregor deep into the Honduran Jungle in search of a lost civilisation. Ray is no soft option travelling companion - he tests people to the utmost in the wild. After just a few basic lessons in survival they set off to face everything the jungle can throw at them.

Première diffusion : 24 octobre 2007

S2007 E39 • A Tudor Feast at Christmas

This special hosted by the BBC is an hour-long documentary set in Haddon Hall, in Derbyshire. Haddon Hall, started in 1195, is one of the most spectacularly preserved manors in England. Although the castle/manor has been used in literature, TV shows and movies and is currently open to visitors during part of the year, the Tudor kitchen hadn’t been used in 300 years. The team of historians and archaeologists in this fascinating documentary recreate a Tudor feast using period ingredients, recipes, kitchenware, and methods. They have three days to prepare and cook the [feast] and they use every minute. The first thing the recreationists do is light the big ovens using flint and steel with a bit of linen to catch the flame. They gather water in wooden buckets from the stream for water. They grind up sugar blocks, spices, and knead dough for all the dishes, explaining the importance of each to the Tudor feast. We learn from the experts how a boar would have been hunted, how fish in the river would have been caught, how confections were made, and food was prepared. They explain most of the dishes, including the boar, the peacock that has been skinned and stuffed with meat delicacies, and the desert subtlety which was gilded with gold leaf applied with a feather. They even set the feast hall and the tables as they would have in the Tudor period, and explain some table manners. Finally, the feast is enjoyed by several guests in period garb, a nice conclusion to an interesting and informative journey into the culinary past.

Première diffusion : 23 décembre 2007

S2007 E40 • Dangerous Knowledge

David Malone looks at four brilliant mathematicians - Georg Cantor, Ludwig Boltzmann, Kurt Gödel and Alan Turing - whose genius has profoundly affected us, but which tragically drove them insane and eventually led to them all committing suicide. The film begins with Georg Cantor, the great mathematician whose work proved to be the foundation for much of the 20th-century mathematics. He believed he was God's messenger and was eventually driven insane trying to prove his theories of infinity.

Première diffusion : 8 août 2007

S2007 E41 • They Call Me Good Time George: A Tribute to George Melly

A warm, amusing and moving profile of the famous jazz singer and critic as he reflects on his life and music and visits his old haunts in Soho, Barcelona and Wales. With contributions from Dr Jonathan Miller and Humphrey Littleton.

Première diffusion : 6 juillet 2007

S2007 E42 • Simon Schama: Rough Crossings

Rough Crossings, presented by Simon Schama, tells the story of Britain, the slave trade and the American War of Independence; and how the British government offered freedom to enslaved African Americans if they would fight for the king. It focuses on the little-known, heroic story of three incredible men: freed slaves Thomas Peters and David George and English Naval Officer John Clarkson.

Première diffusion : 23 mars 2007

S2007 E43 • Bashing Booze Birds

Nicky Taylor hits the drinking circuits of Britain to investigate what's going on with women on their nights out, asking how big is the problem, is the binge drinking to blame and what the link is between alcohol and aggression.

Première diffusion : 28 janvier 2007

S2007 E44 • Lonesome George and the Battle for Galapagos

Lonesome George is officially the loneliest animal on the planet. He is the last remaining Pinta Island Giant Tortoise in existence; when he dies, his race will be extinct. He has become an icon of his native Galapagos Islands and symbol of the battle to preserve their unique wildlife. The islands are at a critical point in their history - threatened by illegal fishing, the demands of a booming population and an ever-expanding tourism industry - yet the will within the islanders to protect Galapagos is strong. This is both the personal story of Lonesome George and of the local characters intent on turning around the fortunes of their unique tropical paradise.

Première diffusion : 29 août 2007

S2007 E45 • Stephen Fry: Guilty Pleasures

Actor, writer, director and presenter Stephen Fry reveals the things he considers his guiltiest pleasures. These include darts, romantic novels by Georgette Heyer, the work of Richard Wagner and TV game show Countdown. With the help of entertaining clips and personal recollections, the programme provides an amusing insight into the mind of one of Britain's favourite comedy performers.

Première diffusion : 18 août 2007

S2007 E46 • Stephen Fry: 50 Not Out

Documentary to celebrate the great man's 50th birthday, with interviews from colleagues such as Emma Thompson and Richard Curtis.

Première diffusion : 8 septembre 2007

S2007 E47 • Sickert versus Sargent

Two contrasting artists of the Edwardian era come under scrutiny: Walter Sickert of the Camden Town School, who painted low life, and the glamorous John Singer Sargent, who painted the rich and famous.

Première diffusion : 21 mai 2007

S2007 E48 • Xtreme Teen Drivers

With cameras in the car of a boy racer, the programme sets him the ultimate challenge - can he change from reckless speed freak into a model motorist before he kills himself?

Première diffusion : 15 décembre 2007

S2007 E50 • The Dead Sea Scrolls

Rageh Omaar tells the story of the Dead Sea Scrolls and uncovers the truth behind the myth. The biblical find of the age, they contain the earliest versions of the Hebrew bible, maps to hidden temple treasure, and insight into the mindset of John the Baptist, Jesus, and the early Christians. But the scrolls were soon embroiled in controversy, with allegations of conspiracy and cover-up, rumours that persist today thanks to The Da Vinci Code.

Première diffusion : 24 août 2007

S2007 E51 • Baddiel and the Missing Nazi Millions

David Baddiel travelled to Russia in 2004 to see the remnants of his grandfather's factory, stolen by the Nazis. It is estimated that $150 billion of Jewish businesses, houses, art collections and cash were taken from Jews during the Holocaust. David embarks on a new journey to New York, Berlin and Poland to discover how Jews have been fighting to get their money back. Along the way he is forced to confront his own discomfort about the issue of Holocaust restitution.

Première diffusion : 14 novembre 2007

S2007 E52 • The Art of Tommy Cooper

Tommy Cooper was a national comedy institution whose catchphrase still remains in the language today. This bumbling giant with outsized feet and hands, whose mere entrance on stage had audiences erupting with uncontrollable laughter, was born in Caerphilly in 1921. This programme looks at the life and art of the man in the fez whose clumsy, fumbling stage magic tricks hid a real talent as a magician. His private life was complicated and often difficult but as far as his audiences were concerned, he was first and foremost a clown whose confusion with the mechanisms of everyday life made for hilarious viewing. Contributors include Tom O'Connor and Barry Cryer.

Première diffusion : 14 septembre 2007

S2007 E53 • Wilfred Owen: A Remembrance Tale

Jeremy Paxman presents a docudrama about tragic First World War poet Wilfred Owen, telling the poignant tale of his life from a childhood in Shropshire and northern England to his travels in pre-war France. Paxman visits the sites of the battles in which he fought and died, and there are reconstructions from Owen's experience in the trenches and in hospital, when he was writing most intensely.

Première diffusion : 11 novembre 2007

S2007 E54 • Darcey Bussell's Ten Best Ballet Moments

Darcey Bussell, who retired from the Royal Ballet in 2007, introduces and demonstrates some of her favourite ballet moments with dancers Roberto Bolle and Jonathan Cope. Featuring some of her own performances and archive highlights, with music ranging from Scott Joplin to Tchaikovsky. The ballets include Giselle, The Nutcracker and a classic performance by Margot Fonteyn in Swan Lake.

Première diffusion : 26 décembre 2007

S2007 E55 • Why Birds Sing

Why are we so attracted to the music of nature? In this documentary, David Rothenberg interviews leading birdsong scientists and musicians, including Jarvis Cocker and Beth Orton, to support his controversial idea that birds might actually be singing for the sheer joy of it. The film features a unique musical composition combining human music with birdsong, with contributions from Peter Gabriel, the Guillemots - and even an eider duck and a woodpecker:

Première diffusion : 20 juin 2007

S2007 E56 • The Music of the Primes

Marcus du Sautoy presents the story of those who have tried to capture one of the greatest unsolved problems of mathematics, the pattern of prime numbers. Filmed on location in America, India, Greece, Germany and England, the film includes interviews with some of the world's leading mathematicians.

Première diffusion : 26 juillet 2007

S2007 E57 • Hubble Telescope

Documentary about the work of the world's most famous space telescope. Hubble celebrated its 15th anniversary in 2005 and has been used to look into the furthest regions of the universe.

Première diffusion : 2 décembre 2007