Bettany Hughes: Treasures Of Jordan
Sunday 19 March 7:30 PM
Award-winning historian Professor Bettany Hughes OBE explores the artistic and cultural wonders of Jordan.
A strategic crossing point for East and West, Jordan has been the centre of great civilisations throughout human history.In the rock-cut city of Petra, capital of the little-known Nabateans, Bettany uncovers wonders off the beaten track, including a luxury Nabatean mansion, exquisite 2000-year-old frescoes and a mysterious snake pyramid.
Discovering the well-preserved Roman city of Jerash, Bettany reports on brand new archaeology which reveals the tragic story of an earthquake that struck the city in the early Islamic era. With unique access to the excavation’s findings, Bettany learns how this diverse city never recovered from the devastating natural disaster and sees first-hand the toll of the quake, including a damaged house and smashed skeleton of one of its young occupants.
Lost City Of Gaul: Unearthing Bibracte
Sunday 19 March 8:30 PM
In the heart of the French region of Burgundy, deep in a forest, lies a hidden city that had been dormant for 2,000 years. It’s called Bibracte, the most important oppidum in all of Gaul. That is where the Aedui, a Gallic tribe allied to the Romans, once built a fortified city on top of a mountain.
What did this 10,000-inhabitant ancient city look like? How did the builders manage to erect indestructible fortifications at a time when no other Gallic city featured such protection? How did archaeologists decipher old pieces of wood despite the wear and tear of Father Time? And why did the Aedui suddenly abandon their capital?Thanks to topographic maps using LIDAR technology as well as spectacular computer-generated imagery, you’re about to discover the evidence of galloping Romanisation, notably through a sophisticated hydraulic system, a forum, and a basilica.
To this day, Bibracte remains a colossal excavation site, the remains of which continue to reveal long-lost secrets. As true investigators, archaeologists unveil the craftiness and the genius of this ancient tribe at a turning point in the Roman Gallic era.
Chef Antonio’s Recipes For Revolution
Monday 20 March 9:25 PM
Chef Antonio de Benedetto is on a quest to change the world with his delicious Italian food. His apprentices are Mirko Piras, a young man born with Down syndrome, who dreams of becoming a great chef ‘just like Antonio’ and Jessica Berta, an ambitious waitperson who’s also set her sights on a career among the pots and pans.
Their tiny kitchen is the beating heart of a revolutionary restaurant and hotel like no other. Both are staffed by young men and women living with Down syndrome who come from across Italy to train and work in hospitality, so they can take their place at the table of life. Chef Antonio’s Recipes for Revolution is their closely observed story, told in first person by Antonio, Mirko, and Jessica. It’s a journey through their lives and loves, dreams and dramas.
Manayek - Season 2
From Tuesday 21 March 11:05 PM
Season two continues the story of Izzy Bachar (Shalom Asayag), a police internal affairs investigator, who discovers that his long-time friend Barak Harel (Amos Tamam), a senior police officer, is accused of corruption.
Big Ben Restored: The Grand Unveiling
Wednesday 23 March 7:35 PM
The greatest clock tower in the world has undergone the most extraordinary and extensive renovation in history.
Presiding over the House of Commons, Big Ben is not only the most iconic landmark on London’s skyline, but it is also a timeless piece of architecture that symbolises Britain’s democratic heritage. However, after more than a century of exposure to pollution and the elements, not to mention a near miss during the Blitz, Big Ben, or the Elizabeth Tower as it’s properly known, has been in dire need of repair. In 2017, the bells were silenced, and the world’s most famous clock tower was shrouded in scaffolding, to begin the process of restoring Big Ben to its original glory.
The unique access documentary Big Ben Restored: The Grand Unveiling goes behind the scaffolding to tell the extraordinary story of the six-year-renovation. Director of Landmark Trust Anna Keay bears witness to every step of the process. She meets the dedicated team of architects, engineers, historians, scientists, and master craftspeople who are tasked with stripping the tower down to its frame, then repairing or replacing every exquisite detail of this neo-Gothic masterpiece. In the process they discover exactly what Big Ben looked like when it was first built - and it’s a far cry from the sombre, black-painted tower we have known for so long.
Daylight Saving Ends
