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21	Ian Hislop's Fake News: A True History (2019) #1218 DOCUMENTARY Main 1 hour. BBC. Fake news is never out of today's headlines. But in his latest documentary taking the long view of a hot-button issue, Ian Hislop discovers fake news raking in cash or wreaking havoc long before our own confused, uncertain times. Ian mines history to identify what motivates fake news - from profit, power and politics to prejudice, paranoia and propaganda – as well as to try to figure out what to do about it. In America and back home, Ian meets, amongst others, someone whose fake news stories have reached millions and a victim of fakery alleged to be a mastermind of the spurious paedophile ring ‘Pizzagate’ conspiracy. Viewers also get to see Ian doing something that has never been captured on film before – as he gets a taste of what it is like to be 'deepfaked'. In 1835, New Yorkers were fooled by one of the most entertaining and successful fake news scoops of all time - a tale of flying man-bats spied on the moon through the world’s most powerful telescope. The moon hoax story ran in a cheap, new tabloid - The Sun. Within decades, a circulation war waged between two pioneering press barons - Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst - was seen by many as causing a real war, between America and Spain. Meanwhile, another American conflict, the Civil War of the 1860s, had proved that photography, which initially promised new standards of accuracy, also brought new ways of lying. Ian looks at the battlefield images of pioneering photojournalist Alexander Gardner, who achieved ends by means that would be judged unethical today. He also encounters the spooky 'spirit photography' of William Mumler. Ian digs into one of the most pernicious conspiracy theories of all time - the protocols of the Elders of Zion. He is disturbed to find this virulently anti-Semitic tract available with one click and rave reviews on Amazon, despite comprehensive factual debunking a century ago. Ian also ponders the consequences of official British fake news-mongering. During WWI, lurid stories were spread about German factories manufacturing soap from corpses. But a consequence of such black propaganda was to undermine the currency of trust in government - rather like, Ian notes, the absence of WMDs in Iraq has more recently. To understand more about the current crisis, Ian meets James Alefantis, owner of the Washington DC pizzeria who fell victim to the ‘Pizzagate’ conspiracy. He also quizzes ex-construction worker Christopher Blair, a controversial figure sometimes dubbed 'the godfather of fake news'. He discusses how frightened we should be about fake news, and what can be done about it, with Damian Collins MP who chaired the parliamentary inquiry into fake news. Collins argues that today's tech giants – Facebook in particular - should be taking even more active steps to take down disinformation. But that path also has its perils, as Ian finds out when he resurrects the extraordinary story of Victoria Woodhull, a woman who sued the British Museum for libel in the 1890s. This pioneering American feminist - the first woman who ran to be president - was an early victim of what today would be termed 'slut-shaming'. But does combatting lies give anyone the right to censor the historical record and limit free speech?
22	World on Fire (2019) #1223 TV DRAMA Special With Jonah Hauer-King, Julia Brown, Helen Hunt, Sean Bean. WWII drama centered on the lives of ordinary people affected by the war. BBC. Series 1. 7x1 hour episodes. 1 When war breaks, translator Harry Chase vows to help his Polish lover Kasia flee Warsaw, but how will he explain this to his sweetheart Lois, waiting for him at home in Manchester is the story. 2 A month after the outbreak of war, Warsaw is unrecognizable, while Manchester, on the surface, appears very much the same. Will there be a warm welcome home for Harry? 3 Harry crosses paths with Lois again when she arrives to perform at the BEF base camp in France, while Tom finds himself in the middle of a naval battle in the South Atlantic. 4 Harry and his unit fight for their lives in the city of Leuven in Belgium, where the Allied forces are outnumbered by the Germans. 5 Harry and what's left of his unit try to get to Dunkirk. Where things are getting desperate. 6 Webster begins a campaign of resistance at the American hospital after Paris falls to the Nazis. Mr and Mrs Rossler are arrested in Berlin, and Lois grows closer to Vernon. 7 On a Polish mission as part of the SOE, Harry grasps a second chance at saving Kasia from the horrors of Warsaw, while Lois looks set for happiness with new love, Vernon.
23	Aladdin (2019) #1237 FILM Main Directed by Guy Ritchie. With Will Smith, Mena Massoud, Naomi Scott, Marwan Kenzari. A kind-hearted street urchin and a power-hungry Grand Vizier vie for a magic lamp that has the power to make their deepest wishes come true.
24	This Week (18/7/2019) (2019) #1295 DOCUMENTARY Main 65mins. BBC. The final episode. In February 2019, following Neil's decision to step down as host, the BBC announced that This Week would end in July 2019. The final episode aired on 18 July 2019, a live broadcast from Westminster Central Hall with an invited audience of political dignitaries and celebrities. For the final time after 16 years, Andrew Neil reviews the political week with Michael Portillo, Alan Johnson, Miranda Green and Piers Morgan. Some of the team will also appear in a series of Grease-inspired films, alongside Liam Halligan, Liz Kendall and Kevin Maguire. There will be guest appearances from Jan Ravens and Diane Abbott in the extended programme.
25	The Grapes of Wrath: The Ghost of Modern America (2019) #1326 DOCUMENTARY Main 1 hour. Symbol of indignation and rebellion, The Grapes of Wrath written by John Steinbeck and published in 1939 caused a scandal. 80 years later, the themes tackled in the novel are current more than ever: labour, justice, capitalism devastation, financialization of the economy, migrants… Featuring movie excerpts and current footage, unseen audiovisual archives and correspondences of Steinbeck, interviews with historians, Steinbeck specialists and writers, the film will guide us into the analysis of a cult book that became prophetic.
26	Balloon (2019) #1333 FILM Main Directed by Pema Tseden. With Sonam Wangmo, Jinpa, Yangshik Tso. A family struggles against the conflicting dictates of nature, spirituality, politics, and free will.
27	Lucy Worsley's Christmas Carol Odyssey (2019) #1340 DOCUMENTARY-MUSIC Main 1 hour. BBC. In this festive treat featuring the Kingdom Choir and Hampton Court Choir, Lucy Worsley reveals that there’s much more to our best-loved carols than meets the eye. She reveals how their stories add up to a special kind of history of Christmas itself. In the ancient past, the wassail, a pagan fertility ritual, gave us door-to-door carol singing. Wassailing was also an integral part of an older midwinter festival that was adopted by Christianity when it came to Britain, and was rebranded as ‘Christmas’. Religion, however, soon turned its back on carols. They were far too frivolous for the Puritans, who wanted to ban Christmas altogether. French Catholics on the other hand didn’t mind fun and frolics, and Lucy crosses the channel to learn a French renaissance jig, written by a dancing priest in the 16th century. The tune she dances to went on to become the carol Ding Dong Merrily on High in the 19th century. In strict Protestant Britain, the carol survived outside the Church and new ones turned up in some surprising places. Lucy visits the British Library, where she discovers an 18th-century children’s book that contains a little memory game called The Twelve Days of Christmas. Christmas carols could also be politically dangerous and subversive. British Catholics were oppressed for generations after the Reformation, but one Catholic scribe, John Francis Wade, hid a coded message of support for a Jacobite rebellion in the carol O Come All Ye Faithful. Eventually, the Church of England couldn’t resist the power of the carol, and finally opened its doors to all of them, thanks to a chance pairing of words and music in Hark the Herald Angels Sing, performed in the programme by the renowned gospel ensemble, The Kingdom Choir. In the 20th century, Ralph Vaughan Williams’s passion for English folk music took him to the villages of Surrey. Here, Lucy meets a folk singer who tells the tale of an elderly farm labourer, Henry Garman, who sang a tune for Vaughan Williams, which became O Little Town of Bethlehem. Finally, in the snowy Austrian Alps, Lucy discovers the simple story of a young parish priest with a poem in search of a tune. When he found one, the result was Silent Night. During the First World War, this simple carol would become a hymn for peace during the famous Christmas truce of 1914. Silent Night also reminds us that carols are, and have always been, ‘popular music’, music for the people, fulfilling an enduring need to celebrate and sing together at Christmas.
28	Pinocchio (2019) #1364 FILM Main Directed by Matteo Garrone. With Federico Ielapi, Roberto Benigni, Rocco Papaleo, Massimo Ceccherini. Old woodcarver Geppetto's puppet creation, Pinocchio, magically comes to life with dreams of becoming a real boy. Easily led astray, Pinocchio tumbles from one misadventure to another as he is tricked, kidnapped and chased by bandits. Literary Analysis Some literary analysts have described Pinocchio as an epic hero. Like many Western literary heroes, such as Odysseus, Pinocchio descends into hell; he also experiences rebirth through metamorphosis, a common motif in fantasy literature. Before writing Pinocchio, Collodi wrote a number of didactic children's stories for the then-recently unified Italy, including a series about an unruly boy who undergoes humiliating experiences while traveling the country, titled Viaggio per l'Italia di Giannettino ('Little Johnny's voyage through Italy'). Throughout Pinocchio, Collodi chastises Pinocchio for his lack of moral fiber and his persistent rejection of responsibility and desire for fun. The structure of the story of Pinocchio follows that of the folktales of peasants who venture out into the world but are naïvely unprepared for what they find, and get into ridiculous situations. At the time of the writing of the book (1883), this was a serious problem, arising partly from the industrialization of Italy, which led to a growing need for reliable labour in the cities; the problem was exacerbated by similar, more or less simultaneous, demands for labour in the industrialization of other countries. One major effect was the emigration of much of the Italian peasantry to cities and to foreign countries such as the United States. The main imperatives demanded of Pinocchio are to work, be good, and study. And in the end Pinocchio's willingness to provide for his father and devote himself to these things transforms him into a real boy with modern comforts.
29	1917 (2019) #1429 FILM Main 1917: Directed by Sam Mendes. With Dean-Charles Chapman, George MacKay, Daniel Mays, Colin Firth. April 6th, 1917. As an infantry battalion assembles to wage war deep in enemy territory, two soldiers are assigned to race against time and deliver a message that will stop 1,600 men from walking straight into a deadly trap
30	Civilisations (2018) #1099 DOCUMENTARY Special 9x1 hour. BBC. Civilisations is an epic new series spanning 31 countries on six continents, and covering more than 500 works of art. Presenters SIMON SCHAMA, MARY BEARD and DAVID OLUSOGA will explore humanity's desire to create. Alongside, the Civilisations Festival will bring museums' treasures to life through innovative digital products and events. 1/9 Second Moment of Creation. A look at the formative role art and imagination have played in the forging of humanity. 2/9 How Do We Look? Professor Mary Beard explores images of the human body in ancient art. 3/9 Picturing Paradise. Simon Schama explores one of our deepest artistic urges - the depiction of nature. 4/9 The Eye of Faith. Professor Mary Beard broaches the controversial topic of religion and art. 5/9 The Triumph of Art. Simon Schama examines how traditions developed in the years following the Renaissances. 6/9 First Contact. David Olusoga shows how art was always on the frontline when distant cultures met. 7/9 Radiance. Simon Schama starts his meditation on colour and civilisation in Amiens and Chartres. 8/9 The Cult of Progress. David Olusoga explores the artistic reaction to imperialism in the 19th century. 9/9 The Vital Spark. Simon Schama explores the fate of art in the machine and profit-driven world.
31	Versailles (2018) #1114 TV DRAMA Main 1 hour. BBC. The Wheel of Fortune Versailles, Series 3 Episode 6 of 10 Louis hopes diplomacy will hide his duplicity as he works to undermine Leopold while winning over severe cardinal Leto. Marchal helps Philippe learn a family secret, and is troubled by a command from the king.
32	Black Earth Rising (2018) #1144 TV DRAMA Special With Michaela Coel, John Goodman, Noma Dumezweni, Lucian Msamati. Kate Ashby was rescued as a child from the Rwandan genocide by her renowned international lawyer adopted mother Eve. Living in London and working for barrister Michael Ennis, Kate's mother takes on a case involving an African militia leader which will upend both their lives forever. 8x1 hour episodes. BBC. 1/8 In Other News: British citizen Kate Ashby finds the shadow of her Rwandan past impossible to escape. 2/8 Looking at the Past: A shocking incident in the Hague throws Kate into a new investigation. 3/8 A Ghost in Name: Facing down personal threats, Kate works with Michael to defend Alice Munezero. 4/8 A Bowl of Cornflakes: A notorious war criminal appears in the UK, creating tensions between Kate and Michael. 5/8 The Eyes of the Devil: Alienated from Michael, Kate considers helping the Rwandans bring Ganimana to justice. 6/8 The Game's True Nature: Kate risks her life to find a key file prepared by her mother years earlier. 7/8 Double Bogey on the Ninth: As Michael works to expose a crime, Kate learns the truth about her own history. 8/8 The Forgiving Earth: Kate travels alone to Africa seeking the final truths about her personal history.
33	Dazzling Duets at the BBC (2018) #1145 MUSIC Main 1 hour. BBC. Dazzling duets from four decades of BBC entertainment, from Parkinson to the Proms. Whether it's pianos or banjos, violins or voices, kora, erhu or harmonica, this is a journey full of striking partnerships and extraordinary combinations. Oscar Peterson, Larry Adler, Ballake Sissoko, Kiri Te Kanawa, Nigel Kennedy and Bela Fleck are just some of the featured artists bringing us a musical feast, full of fun and surprises. George Gershwin I Got Rhythm Performer: Stéphane Grappelli. Performer: Yehudi Menuhin. Oscar Peterson & André Previn Improvisation Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart La ci darem la mano Performer: Plácido Domingo. Performer: Susan Graham. John Dowland My Lord Willoughby's Welcome Home Performer: Julian Bream. Nigel Kennedy & Doug Boyle The Wind Cries Mary Lyricist: Jimi Hendrix. Johann Sebastian Bach Concerto in C minor Performer: Güher Pekinel. Performer: Süher Pekinel. Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn Banjo Banjo Robert Schumann Ich bin dein Baum Performer: Janet Baker. Performer: Peter Savage. Ballaké Sissoko & Vincent Ségal Musique de Nuit Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Concerto for Flute and Harp Performer: James Galway. Performer: Marisa Robles. Rodrigo Sánchez & Gabriela Quintero Tamacun Franz Liszt Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 Performer: Victor Borge. Performer: Sahan Arzruni. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Bei Mannern welche Liebe Fyhlen Performer: Kiri Te Kanawa. Performer: Thomas Allen. Johann Sebastian Bach Duet No. 3 in E Flat major Performer: Heinz Holliger. Performer: Maurice Bourgue. Léo Delibes Flower Duet Performer: Diana Damrau. Performer: Nadia Krasteva. Scott Joplin Maple Leaf Rag Performer: Katia Labèque. Performer: Marielle Labèque. Béla Bartók Pizzicato and Dance from Maramaros George Gershwin Summertime - A woman is a sometime thing (Porgy and Bess - suite) Performer: Larry Adler. Performer: Itzhak Perlman.
34	Holst and Vaughan Williams: Making Music English (2018) #1155 DOCUMENTARY-MUSIC Main 1 hour. BBC. Historian Amanda Vickery and broadcaster Tom Service unearth the fascinating story of the life-long friendship between composers Ralph Vaughan Williams and Gustav Holst, whose music gave birth to the 'English sound' in the first half of the 20th century. They retrace the walking trips the two composers took together across the country to discover how influences ranging from the Renaissance masters to folk music imbued their music with the 'Englishness' we recognise today. Illustrating the story, the BBC Concert Orchestra perform excerpts of both composers' music.
35	Ready Player One (2018) #1157 FILM Main Directed by Steven Spielberg. With Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Ben Mendelsohn, Lena Waithe. When the creator of a virtual reality world called the OASIS dies, he releases a video in which he challenges all OASIS users to find his Easter Egg, which will give the finder his fortune.
36	All Is True (2018) #1219 FILM Main Directed by Kenneth Branagh. With Kenneth Branagh, Judi Dench, Ian McKellen, Nonso Anozie. A look at the final days in the life of renowned playwright William Shakespeare.
37	Ashes in the Snow (2018) #1260 FILM Main Directed by Marius A. Markevicius. With Bel Powley, Sophie Cookson, Jonah Hauer-King, James Cosmo. In 1941, a 16-year-old aspiring artist and her family are deported to Siberia amidst Stalin's brutal dismantling of the Baltic region. One girl's passion for art and her never-ending hope will break the silence of history.
38	The Grinch (2018) #1310 FILM Main Directed by Yarrow Cheney, Scott Mosier. With Benedict Cumberbatch, Cameron Seely, Rashida Jones, Pharrell Williams. A grumpy Grinch (Benedict Cumberbatch) plots to ruin Christmas for the village of Whoville.
39	Art of France (2017) #976 DOCUMENTARY Main 3x1 hour. BBC. Andrew Graham Dixon takes viewers on a stunning visual journey through French art history. 1/3 Plus Ca Change. French art's development up to the arrival of Classicism and the Age of Enlightenment. 2/3 There Will Be Blood. Andrew Graham-Dixon explores how art took a dramatic turn following the French Revolution. 3/3 This Is the Modern World. France's angry young artists re-invent how to paint.
40	British History's Biggest Fibs with Lucy Worsley (2017) #977 DOCUMENTARY Main 3x1 hour. BBC. Lucy Worsley explores how British history is a concoction of fibs and stories manipulated by whoever was in power at the time. 1/3 The Wars of the Roses. Lucy debunks the foundation myth of one of our favourite royal dynasties, the Tudors. 2/3 The Glorious Revolution. Debunking the Glorious Revolution, when William of Orange stole the throne from James II. 3/3 The Jewel in the Crown. Lucy debunks the fibs that surround India, the 'jewel in the crown' of the British Empire.

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