Discovery UK

The trials and horrific visions that made the most famous mystic of all time.

Discovery examines the history of "Golden age of Piracy." The program takes a detailed look at the harsh lives of pirates, their tactics, motivations and why they would choose such a life. The geopolitical forces that lead to the proliferation of pirates and their final demise are explained.

The programme is based on 'The Secret History of the Mongols', a manuscript written in the 13th century, some believe by the adopted son of the great Khan.

Starting off a kilometre high, travelling at the speed of a jet aircraft, and heading for us. It doesn't make for a good outcome. Hollywood-style graphics and real-life archive bring home an imagined near-future scenario, all based on cutting-edge science. —Trevor

Told through documentary, drama and first-hand accounts, this revealing film is a unique account of the most ruthless IRA bombing campaign ever to hit mainland Britain.

The triumphs, heartbreaks and untold stories of the iconic tournament, revealing how it became a stage where sport and society collide, capturing the spirit of a nation through the beautiful game.

Dan Snow attempts to use the latest satellite technology to reveal the secrets of the Roman Empire, identifying lost cities, amphitheatres and forts.

Noted scholar John Romer takes us on a tour of the seven wonders of the ancient world. This program presents the stories of the works of architecture regarded by the Greeks and Romans as the most extraordinary structures of antiquity: the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, The Statute Of Zeus, the Temple of Artemis, the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, the Pharos of Alexandria and the Pyramids of Egypt and more.

There are endless gruesome ways that the world could end; through nasty, natural disasters or because of some man-made abomination. From maniac killer robots and super volcanoes, to an alien invasion and mutant psycho humans, all options are covered in Ten Ways the World Will End.

TV special in which experts in body language, linguistics, and forensic psychology examine Jimmy Savile, one of Britain's most prolific sexual predators.

In BBC ONE's The Virgin Mary, dramatic reconstructions and stunning visual effects are combined with the latest findings from historians and New Testament scholars to recreate the story of this remarkable woman. Presented by actress Sue Johnston, The Virgin Mary explores the history behind the miraculous Bible story to reveal the living, breathing mother of Christianity. The picture that emerges is very different from that of popular belief – the serene young woman, dressed in blue silken robes, was largely a creation of later writers and Renaissance painters.

Tony Robinson’s VE Day: Minute By Minute will take a unique look at a pivotal day in the history of the modern world, delving into the key events that made VE Day such a momentous twenty-four hours. This is the story of what happened on that most celebrated and important day, including original interviews with historians and veterans who tell their stories and share their first-hand experiences. Using unseen archive footage and stills, plus never told accounts from veterans who were there, this one-off special will chart the moment the clock struck midnight, to 24 hours later, when fighting officially stopped across Europe. Up and down the country it was dawning on people that they were waking up not with fear or anxiety, but with relief and excitement. This was a Great Britain no one had experienced for six years. A Britain at peace. At almost no notice street celebrations were being prepared and tens of thousands were flocking to London and other city centres.

In July 2011, Space Shuttle Atlantis will blast-off from the Kennedy Space Center, marking the end of an era. After 34 flights into space, this iconic craft, along with the rest of the shuttle fleet, is entering retirement. The combined effort of thousands of people, from every corner of the globe, will be brought together in one place, for one awe-inspiring moment – the final space shuttle launch. This film winds back the clock and follows the shuttle as it is prepared for its last mission. It draws on personal testimonies of key characters - the engineers, astronauts and others who have spent their lives working on the Shuttle Program. For them, this flight is loaded with mixed emotions, immense pride and nostalgia for the program and great sadness that it is coming to an end.

To commemorate the 70th anniversary of the end of WW2, TONY ROBINSON'S VICTORY IN EUROPE will use an amazing archive of 3D pictures to tell the story of the last days of the Nazi regime. During the one-off special, Tony Robinson will explore life in Europe before the war, with a look at Nazi propaganda - the Olympics, leader's books and the Munich city of Nazism. The photographs from this time provide a unique record of the rise and fall of the Nazis and give Tony an opportunity to look at this well studied time in history with fresh eyes. Tony will also look at the beginning of the end, the last weeks of the war ending with the D Day invasion of Normandy in June 1944.