Tony Robinson Explores the Dark Side of Roman Britain

Tony Robinson explores the lives of ordinary people who shaped Britain during the 1950s. From an Irish nurse who escaped home to help victims of a devastating train crash to factory workers, rag-and-bone men, struggling housewives and a Jamaican RAF veteran turned pop star, their stories reveal how post-war Britain was rebuilt.

Tony Robinson uncovers the extraordinary lives of ordinary people in Edwardian Britain. From Titanic survivor Arthur John Priest and striking chain-maker Patience Round to pioneering footballer and Army officer Walter Tull, their stories reveal an era divided by class, transformed by industry and ultimately shattered by war.

From a flamboyant highwayman dancing his way to the gallows and a sailor kidnapped into Captain Cook's crew to an agonising amputation without anaesthetic, Georgian Britain was a brutal place for ordinary people. The episode reveals how poachers, gin sellers, sailors and criminals fought to survive in a society where poverty could easily become a death sentence.

This documentary explores how the Victorians invented the Great British seaside holiday. From Blackpool's famous piers, tower and trams to dazzling illuminations, grand ballrooms and spectacular entertainment, discover how Victorian engineering and innovation transformed a quiet fishing town into Britain's entertainment capital.

Discover how Roman engineers built the Colosseum and transformed it into the empire’s greatest arena. From flooded naval battles and deadly gladiatorial contests to the stolen treasure and enslaved labour that financed its construction, this documentary reveals the engineering, brutality and political ambition behind ancient Rome’s most famous monument.

From a child surviving the Bethnal Green disaster and a young tank gunner watching almost his entire troop perish to a brave Channel Island baker defying the Nazis, this episode reveals the Second World War through the experiences of ordinary Britons. Amid bombing, occupation and devastating loss, there are also stories of remarkable courage — and an unlikely wartime romance.