TELEVISION - 2017
US Presidential Inauguration - Republican Donald J Trump is inaugurated as the 45th President of the United States. Coverage includes the build up and the Inauguration + the Parade by the President from Capitol Building to the White House (10, 8 hours, 5 Discs, BBC, PAL)
British History's Biggest Fibs - Historian Dr. Lucy Worsley revisits 3 moments of British History to uncover the true story of the time and not the myth that surrounds the events. The 3 moments investigated are "Wars of the Roses", The 1688 "Glorious Revolution" and "India and the British Empire" (10, 3 Episodes of 1 hour each, 2 Discs, BBC, PAL)
Taboo - Series 1 - British actor Tom Hardy stars in a tale of retribution and revenge set in London in 1814. After twelve years in Africa, James Delaney returns to England following the death of his father and, as the war with the United States nears its end, finds himself in a battle with the all-powerful East India Company and the King (10, 8 episodes of 1 hour each, 4 Discs, BBC, PAL)
June Brown at 90 - Actress June Brown, famous for playing Dot Cotton in East Enders, looks back at her career as she reaches her 90th birthday. Includes archive clips from the show (10, 29 minutes, 1 Disc, BBC, PAL)
Let's Sing and Dance for Comic Relief - Celebrities re-create famous songs and dances and compete against each other to raise money for Comic Relief. Celebrities include Radio Presenter Matt Edmondson (Nicki Minaj), James and Ola Jordan (Meghan Trainor), Steph and Dom Parker (Meatloaf) and Pete Firman & Ellie Taylor (Little Mix). The winner was The Chasers from "The Chase" with their Wizard of Oz medley. Coverage includes all 3 semi-finals + the final (10, 4 episodes of 1.5 hours each, 4 Discs, BBC - Perkins/Giedroyc, PAL)
The Sky at Night : 60th Anniversary Special - Introduced by Chris Lintott and Maggie Aderin-Pocock, the programme looks at how our knowledge of the universe has been transformed in the last six decades. Featuring contributions from Jim Al-Khalili, Dallas Campbell and Monica Grady, the programme looks back at an extraordinary age of discovery and the role of "The Sky at Night" during this time (9, 1 hour, 1 Disc, BBC, PAL)
Jane Austen : Behind Closed Doors - Historian Dr. Lucy Worsley visits and explores the different houses in which novelist Jane Austen lived and stayed, to discover just how much they shaped Jane's life and novels. Lucy travels from Jane's beginnings in Steventon in Hampshire, to her rise and fall in Bath and Southampton, to her literary peak in Chawton in Hampshire (10, 1 hour, 1 Disc, BBC, PAL)
One Love Manchester - 13 days after her concert was attacked by a suicide bomber and 22 people died, American singer Ariana Grande created and hosted a charity concert at the Oval in Manchester to raise money for the victims of the attack. Ariana invited her friends to play for free, with each artist getting a couple of songs to play. The artists included Take That, Robbie Williams, Marcus Mumford, Pharrell Williams, Miley Cyrus, Niall Horan, Little Mix, Imogen Heap, Black Eyed Peas, Katy Perry, Justin Bieber, Coldplay and Liam Gallagher (10, 2 Discs, BBC, PAL)
Sgt Pepper's Musical Revolution - On the 50th anniversary of The Beatles 1967 album "Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band", composer Howard Goodall explores why it is still seen as so innovative, revolutionary and influential. With the help of outtakes and studio conversations between the band, he takes the music apart and reassembles it, to show how the album works (10, 1 hour, 1 Disc, BBC, PAL)
The Andrew Neil Interviews : Theresa May - Political commentator Andrew Neil interviews Conservative Party leader Theresa May, ahead of the general election (9, On the same disc as 2017 The Andrew Neil Interviews : Jeremy Corbyn + the May/Corbyn debate, 30 minutes, 1 Disc, BBC - Neil, PAL)
The Andrew Neil Interviews : Jeremy Corbyn - Political commentator Andrew Neil interviews Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, ahead of the general election (9, On the same disc as 2017 The Andrew Neil Interviews : Theresa May + the May/Corbyn debate, 30 minutes, 1 Disc, BBC - Neil, PAL)
Election 2017 - Coverage of the 2017 General Election in which the country couldn't decided on which party to lead, resulting in a hung Parliament. The Conservatives, led by Theresa May, won 318 seats but not enough for a majority government. Labour, led by Jeremy Corbyn, did better than expected and won 261 seats. To make up a government, the Conservatives formed an alliance with the Northen Irish party, the DUP (10, 10 hours, 5 Discs, BBC - Edwards, PAL)
Anthony Joshua : The Road to Klitschko - A behind-the-scenes documentary following British boxer Anthony Joshua for the 2 years prior to his career-defining fight against the legendary Ukranian Heavyweight, Wladimir Klitschko. Includes interviews and fight action (10, 1 hour, 1 Disc, BBC, PAL)
Frank Skinner in Muhammad Ali - British comedian and boxing fan Frank Skinner goes on a journey to explore the life of boxing legend Muhammad Ali, meeting Ali's family and friends and visiting key locations in his life. Includes interviews with Ali's brother Rahaman and his wife Khalilah, his business manager Gene Kilroy and former sparring partner Larry Holmes (10, 1 hour, 1 Disc, BBC, PAL)
Horizon : Space Volcanoes - A look at how Volcanoes on other planets in the solar system help scientists on Earth understand our planet better. Using original NASA material and computer graphics, the programme looks at Olympus Mons on Mars, the violent eruptions on Jupiter's moon Io and the icy geyser eruptions on Saturn's moon Enceladus (10, 1 hour, 1 Disc, BBC, PAL)
Host the Week : Episode 1 - A weekly entertainment show where a celebrity is asked to host the show without prior knowledge of the script or the running order. Episode 1 was hosted by Scarlett Moffatt. 2 days after the show, the series was cancelled (10, 46 minutes, 1 Disc, Channel 4, PAL)
Diana, 7 Days - On the 20th anniversary of her death, the BBC looks back at the week starting the 31st August 1997 that began with the news that Princess Diana had died in a car crash and ended with her emotional funeral at St.Paul's cathedral in London. The documentary tackles questions such as What was it about Diana that explained such an outpouring of grief? What did that week reveal about the British public’s relationship with the monarchy, then and now? And how - if at all - has Britain changed in the aftermath? Includes interviews with her children, Prince's William and Harry, and her family + people involved in dealing with the week including former Prime Minister Tony Blair (9, 1 hour 35 minutes, 1 Disc, BBC, PAL)
Mars - A Traveller's Guide - Using real images and data, Horizon brings Martian landmarks to life - from vast plains to towering volcanoes, from deep valleys to hidden underground caverns - to explain what the first visitors to Mars can expect (10, 1 Hour, 1 Disc, BBC, PAL)
The 21st Century Race for Space - Professor Brian Cox investigates the growing business of commercial Space travel. Brian goes behind the scenes at Virgin Galactic, Blue Origin and Spaceport America, to see what is happening in privately financed space flight, from space tourism to asteroid mining. Includes interviews with Jeff Bezos, Sir Richard Branson and Elon Musk (10, 1 Hour, 1 Disc, BBC, PAL)
George Michael : Freedom - What started out as a documentary on the making of George Michael's 1990 album Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1, narrated by George himself, turned into a tribute to his life after George passed away at the age of 53 after completing the film. Includes interviews with friends and family and rare footage of George at work and at play (10, 1 hour 31 minutes, 1 Disc, Channel 4, PAL)
Harry Potter : A History of Magic - In advance of the opening of the "History of Magic" exhibition at the British Library, author JK Rowling goes behind the scenes and details how the history of magic greatly influenced her writing of the "Harry Potter" series. Includes readings of the books from David Thewlis, Evanna Lynch, Warwick Davis, Miriam Margolyes and Mark Williams (10, 1 Hour, 1 Disc, BBC, PAL)
Bobby Sands : 66 Days - A look back at the story of Bobby Sands's 66-day hunger strike in the spring of 1981. Sands was a convicted member of the Provisional Irish Republican Army, serving 15 years for possession of firearms. The film uses extracts from Bobby Sands's diary, testimony and footage from TV archives, and also features interviews with journalists, historians, sociologists and medical experts (10, 1 hour 29 minutes, 1 Disc, BBC, PAL)
Bear's Mission with Anthony Joshua - Survivalist Bear Grylls spends a weekend with World Heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua and helps him conquer Bosigran Ridge on the Cornwall coast (10, 46 minutes - On the same disc as the 2017 Bear's Mission with Rob Brydon, 1 Disc, ITV, PAL)
Bear's Mission with Rob Brydon - Survivalist Bear Grylls spends a weekend with Welsh comedian Rob Brydon and helps him conquer the hills and mines of Snowdonia (10, 46 minutes - On the same disc as the 2017 Bear's Mission with Anthony Joshua, 1 Disc, ITV, PAL)
Lucy Worsley: Elizabeth I's Battle for God's Music - Historian Dr. Lucy Worsley investigates the story of the most remarkable creation from the tumultuous and violent era known as the Reformation - choral evensong. Based on Elizabeth I's personal testimony, Lucy recounts how Elizabeth found a religious compromise between Protestant and Catholic religion in the shape of music, and the service of choral evensong (10, 1 Hour, 1 Disc, BBC, PAL)
Lucy Worsley's Nights at the Opera - Historian Dr. Lucy Worsley explores how opera and history go hand in hand. Travelling to six European cities, she uncovers the historical stories behind eight of the greatest operas : Monteverdi's The Coronation of Poppea, Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro, Beethoven's Fidelio, Verdi's Nabucco, Bizet's Carmen, Puccini's La Boheme, Wagner's Ring Cycle and Strauss's Salome (10, 2 Episodes of 1 hour each, 1 Disc, BBC, PAL)
Trump : An American Dream - A documentary spanning 5 decades looking at the life and career of American President Donald Trump. From his beginnings working for his Father, through his highs and lows in the 1980's, and culminating in his rise again in the 1990's and 2000's that saw him gain success on TV and finally the Presidency (9, 4 episodes of 47 minutes each, 2 Discs, Channel 4, PAL)
Expedition Volcano - Documentary presented by Xand van Tulleken who follows a scientific team as they assess the current state of 2 volcanoes in the Democratic Republic of Congo : The Nyiragongo and the Nyamulagira. The team travel to the edge of the volcanic craters to take their measurements, braving exploding lava and poisonous gases. Xand also looks at the health challenges for the locals living in the shadow of the volcanoes (10, 2 Episodes of 1 hour each, 2 Discs, BBC, PAL)
Britain's Cycling Superheroes : The Price of Success ? - The story of the controversial success of Great Britain's Track and Road Cycling programmes, led by Dave Brailsford and Shane Sutton. Despite unprecedented success, the Track riders revolted against alleged abused, while the Road riders suffered from allegations of doping as they started to dominate the premier road race, the Tour de France. Includes interviews with Brailsford, Sutton and team riders + archive action (9, 1 hour, 1 Disc, BBC, PAL)
John Noakes : TV Hero - A look back at the television career of legendary Blue Peter presenter John Noakes, who died on the 28th May 2017. Includes archive clips and interviews with Peter Purves, Lesley Judd, Biddy Baxter and John's wife Vicky (10, 40 minutes, 1 Disc, BBC, PAL)
The Galaxy Britain Built - Presenter and Star Wars fan David Whiteley celebrates the British contribution to the original Star Wars movie, talking to the people who helped define the tone and style of the greatest ever movie franchise. Includes interviews with Production supervisor Robert Watts, Production executive Peter Beale, Art director Les Dilley, Set decorator Roger Christian and Costume designer John Mollo (10, 1 hour, 1 Disc, BBC, PAL)
The Vietnam War - A documentary looking back at the Vietnam War using rarely seen, digitally re-mastered archive footage from sources around the globe, photographs taken by some of the most celebrated photojournalists of the 20th Century, historic television broadcasts, evocative home movies and revelatory audio recordings from inside the Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon administrations. The series starts with a look back at the history of Vietnam occupation and the rise of Ho Chi Minh, through the American occupation in the 1960's to their withdrawl in the 1970's (9, 10 episodes of 55 minutes each, 5 Discs, BBC, PAL)
Frankie Boyle's New World Order - Comedian Frankie Boyle looks back at an eventful 2017 with studio guests Sara Pascoe, Katherine Ryan, Miles Jupp and Mona Chalabi (10, 43 minutes, BBC, PAL)
Travel Man 48 hours in Hong Kong - Comedian Richard Ayoade spends 48 hours in Hong Kong with American actor Jon Hamm. They taste the local food (fusion dim sum), get a suit made to order, take part in a tai chi drop-in session, get a painful foot massage and get their fortunes told (10, 47 minutes, 1 Disc, Channel 4, PAL)
300 years of French and Saunders - To celebrate 30 years together, Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders present a clip show of their favourite sketches + new sketches and never-before-seen footage. Includes guest appearances from Joanna Lumley, Lulu and 2 members of the BBC drama Poldark (9, 48 minutes, 1 Disc, BBC, PAL)
Astronauts: Do You Have What It Takes? - Astronaut Chris Hadfield, former Nasa medical researcher Dr Kevin Fong and psychologist Dr Iya Whiteley put 12 exceptional British candidates through a series of gruelling physical and psychological tests to find out who has what it takes to be an astronaut. Using a series of the tests, the candidates are whittled down to a final 4 and they are taken to Florida for their final test (10, 6 episodes of 1 hour each, 3 Discs, BBC, PAL)
BBC Year in Review - 4 programmes looking back at the events of 2017. The 4 programmes are "The Royal Year", "Year in Science", "Year in Sport" and "We Remember" which is a look back at the people who passed away in 2017 (9, Each episode 26 minutes, 1 hour 45 minutes, 1 Disc, BBC, PAL)
Funny Women : Joan Rivers - A look back at the life and career of American Comedian Joan Rivers, who died in 2014. Featuring clips from her ground-breaking routines from the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s and the 00s and contributions from friends, colleagues and family including her daughter Melissa (9, On the same disc as 2014 The Joan Rivers Position : The Best of, 44 minutes, 1 Disc, Channel 5, PAL)
Rich Hall's Countrier than You - American comedian Rich Hall looks at the history of country music in a journey from Tennessee to Texas, focusing on movements and artists that don't get much notoriety. With the help of prominent performers and producers including Michael Martin Murphey, Robbie Fulks and Ray Benson, Rich explores the early origins of country music in Nashville and Austin (9, 1 hour 30 minutes, 1 Disc, BBC, PAL)
America in Color - A series looking back at the key moments in American history from the 20th century, starting with the 1920's and ending with the 1960's. The footage is re-colourised black and white footage and coverage includes the Great Depression, the 2nd World War and the birth of Rock and Roll (9, 5 episodes of 45 minutes each, 3 Discs, Smithsonian Channel, PAL)
America's Secret Space Heroes - A look at the untold story of the machines that created history in the world of space exploration. Each episode looks at the creation, design and build of the machines, along with contemporary accounts from the people responsible. Episode 1 covers the Saturn V rocket. Episode 2 the Lunar Lander Module. Episode 3 the Space Shuttle. Episode 4 the International Space Station. Episode 5 the Hubble Telescope and Episode 6 the Viking Mars Mission (9, 6 episodes of 46 minutes each, 3 Discs, Smithsonian Channel, PAL)
Gun Trucks of Vietnam - The untold story of an improvised weapon developed by the soldiers in Vietnam : The Gun Truck. Through interviews and home movies, the story of the design, development and implementation of the Gun Truck is told, and also how the Gun Truck influenced modern day combat tactics (9, 45 minutes, 1 Disc, The Smithsonian Channel, PAL)
Passions : Richard Pryor by Romesh Ranganathan - British stand-up comedian Romesh Ranganathan investigates his passion for legendary American stand-up comedian and actor, Richard Pryor. He interviews people that knew him to find out how his life shaped his material and questions whether it is right to idolise a renowned women beater (9, 44 minutes, 1 Disc, SKY Arts, PAL)
Live at the Apollo : Series 13, Episode 1 - Introduced by Sara Pascoe and also featured Gary Delaney and Larry Dean (8, 28 minutes, On the same disc as 2023 Live at the Apollo Series 18 Episode 2, 1 Disc, BBC, PAL)
Urban Myths : The Sex Pistols v Bill Grundy - A dramatised reconstruction of the 1976 live, early-evening TV Interview hosted by Bill Grundy with the Punk band, The Sex Pistols. The interview is famous for band member Steve Jones swearing as he was goaded by Grundy. Grundy is portrayed by Steve Pemberton, John Lydon by Frankie Fox, Steve Jones by Charlie Wernham and producer Mike Housego by Daniel Mays (9, 22 minutes - On the same Disc as 2002 Classic Albums : Never Mind the Bollocks, 1 Disc, SKY Arts, PAL)