BBC Two

Behind the singing, smiles and double denim was blood, sweat and tears. Heartthrobs from Take That to Westlife and 911 share tales of success, adoration and the flipside of fame.

The Ruins Of Empires is an innovative performance piece by Hip Hop Artist and writer Akala. It is an abridged version of his epic poem of the same name and is a personal interpretation of history as told through the 'knowledge seeker' performed by Akala himself. He follows the course of mans evolution, via astral travel and multiple reincarnations, in an attempt to discover the cause of the rise and fall of Empires. It is driven by a musical score by Mala and Paul Gladstone-Reid and combines innovative animation techniques and emerging technology with some of the most ground breaking creative talents in the industry, under the creative guidance of Andy Serkis and The Imaginarium.

Film about a family of lions living in the swamps of the Okavango delta, seen through the eyes of a cub born just before the annual flood

Chris van Tulleken takes a personal view at why ultra-processed foods are so irresistible and how they have come to dominate food culture.

To mark 25 years since Geri, Emma, Victoria and the Mels first exploded onto the world stage, we take a trip into the music archives to uncover the performances that every Spice Girls devotee really, really wants to see again. These are the Fab Five’s finest appearances on a range of BBC shows from over the years and includes all the favourites, from their breakout number one Wannabe through to their final release as a girl band, Headlines. Our playlist also contains a selection of the hits the girls enjoyed when they’d said ‘Goodbye’ and launched themselves as solo stars

David Scarboro, who played Mark Fowler in EastEnders (1985), fell to his death at Beachy Head in 1988. Simon, his younger brother, presents this tribute, featuring David's achievements as a young actor as well as his problems.

Ten soldiers from the Welsh Guards share their untold stories from the front line of the war in Afghanistan during the bloodiest summer for the British armed forces in half a century.

In medical science, there’s been no longer harder fight than against malaria. This is the inside story of a historic new vaccine - from the Oxford lab behind the COVID jab.

Michael Wood embarks on a great historical adventure, exploring the stories, people and landscapes that have helped create China's distinctive character and genius over four thousand years.

Following Sir Brian May over a decade-long journey to understand the crisis caused by bovine tuberculosis and his opposition to the controversial badger cull, implemented to curb the spread of the disease in cattle. It’s a story surrounded by controversy, but one little known to many - a tale of tragedy for both humans and animals.

Academic and activist Stuart Hall and actor and activist Maggie Steed present a rigorous deconstruction of the racism - both explicit and more insidious in its subtlety - of the British media from within.

Launched 30 years ago, Loaded magazine epitomised the 90s in its irreverence and appetite for hedonism. But how did it stand up to pressure to put more 'sexy babes' on the cover?

Eighty years on, the BBC has been gathering first-hand accounts from the UK's D-Day veterans – some now more than 100 years of age. Rachel Burden traces their stories in Normandy and hears memories of the massive beach invasion and the battles that led to the defeat of Nazi Germany and the end of the Second World War in Europe.

With previously unheard interviews with the band and new interviews with those who met them, this is the story of ABBA’s love affair with the UK since their Eurovision triumph.

In 1986, six hopefuls awaited their turn on New Faces, the popular TV talent show. Among them were comedians, singers, a teenage violin prodigy, and a Birmingham club crooner. New Faces had launched stars like Victoria Wood, Jim Davidson, and Les Dennis. For these six contestants, it was a night that changed their lives in unexpected ways. Their subsequent 25 years involved tangled love stories, international drama, a business collapse, an appearance in Britain's Got Talent semi-finals, and even prison and homelessness.

The experiences of two young Jewish boys evacuated from Manchester to Blackpool during the Blitz.

Experience the classic sci-fi film The Matrix like never before in this spectacular live show brought to life through mind-expanding dance and the latest immersive design.

Jonathan Scott narrates the extraordinary story of the leopard - the one big cat that still survives across half the world while tigers, cheetahs and lions are all struggling. By following the lives of leopard mothers and their cubs in East Africa the film investigates what it is about the natural history of these cats that makes them born survivors. Perhaps the most extraordinary revelation is that leopards are living undercover on farms and even in cities across Africa and Asia.

Looking at the marriage of Charles Dickens through the eyes of his wife Catherine, Sue Perkins exposes the lesser-known reality of the Dickens family Christmas.

This documentary tells the story of one of TV’s darkest and most celebrated comedies, featuring cast interviews and extensive candid moments with creators Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton. Cameras are admitted everywhere throughout the making of the show’s final series, from the writers’ room to the makeup trailer, from prop store to set design, making this the perfect farewell to the multi-award winning series.