Stephen Fry

The Fringe, Fame and Me is the story of how a small Scottish arts festival that began 75 years ago this year became a national institution – a crucible where new stars are forged, careers made, and sometimes, dreams dashed. Told by the stars who first found fame at the Edinburgh Fringe, this is the inside story of what it takes to make a name here, from those who enjoyed overnight success to those who slogged for years to make it. Through their triumphs, favourite jokes, and sometimes painful failures, we’ll discover a hidden history of British comedy – revealing how the gags we find funny and the comedians we love reflect our changing culture.

A three day period of peace is decimated by the howling wind and the stinging rain of a senile and wizened Fergal Coen who foretells a bad omen that will plague Highfields; a foreboding and brooding force that can make Satan brown his undergarments. The inhabitants of Highfields dismiss Fergal's foretelling. Their ignorance comes at a cost.

The writer and comedian looks at antisemitism and the progressive left. From theatre to football, Baddiel explores a political blindspot with Stephen Fry, Miriam Margolyes and Neil Gaiman.

In 1980s London, a group of queer young men learning to live as themselves deal with the rise of a deadly virus that threatens to tear their new lives apart.

A love letter to the joys and pleasures of champagne.

Through a series of vignettes, the often inexplicable behaviors of contemporary humans are observed and commented upon by a droll narrator. No matter how outlandish or senseless the action, one thing is certain: "It's Always Something."

Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean travel to Alaska on an extraordinary quest to fulfil a life-long dream. Ever since they were kids, they’ve wanted to skate free in nature, rather than round in circles on artificial ice. Now they’ve come to Alaska to make that dream come true.

Film following the acclaimed Birmingham based artist, known for his controversial satirical collages, as he embarks on a UK wide outdoor art installation.

Tony Slattery examines his Mental Health and Alcoholism and looks for a diagnosis.

7.5/10

An edit that brings the Hobbit trilogy closer in line with the book (down to the structure, narrative, and characters) and also pushes the atmosphere closer to what was seen in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, while still being careful to keep the lighthearted and fun side of The Hobbit (which made it so special). With all of the useless made up characters & sideplots gone, both Tolkien fans and casual fans alike can now love Peter Jackson’s adaptation in a new way.

The powerful and inspiring true story of the controversial human rights campaigner whose provocative acts of civil disobedience rocked the British establishment, revolutionised attitudes to homosexuality and exposed world tyrants. As social attitudes change and history vindicates Peter's stance on gay rights, his David versus Goliath battles gradually win him status as a national treasure. The film follows Peter as he embarks on his riskiest crusade yet by seeking to disrupt the FIFA World Cup in Moscow to draw attention to the persecution of LGBT+ people in Russia and Chechnya.

Mark Gatiss explores the life and career of Aubrey Beardsley, an artist who wielded outrage as adroitly as his pen. A lifelong fan, Mark shows how Beardsley was more than just a genius of self-promotion who scandalised the art world of the 1890s. He was also a technological innovator, whose uncompromising attitude still feels remarkably modern.

6.5/10
9.1%

A retail billionaire's 60th birthday party is celebrated in an exclusive hotel on the Greek island of Mykonos.

5.7/10
4.7%

A film about soldiers trying to reintegrate into society after tours of duty.

8/10

Winston Churchill understood the power of films, but the true extent of his use of cinema as a propaganda tool is rarely explored. In 1934, one of Britain's most celebrated film producers, Alexander Korda, signed Churchill up as a screenwriter and historical advisor. It was the start of a unique collaboration. Churchill provided script notes for Korda's productions and penned an epic screenplay. When war broke out, their collaboration took on national importance. Korda was sent on a mission to Hollywood to help bring America into the war, with positive results. With access to previously undiscovered documents, this film documentary examines that mission and a friendship that underpinned a unique, creative partnership.

7.7/10

This intimate documentary follows journalist and presenter Bill Turnbull as he undertakes chemotherapy, tries cannabis for medicinal purposes and adopts a healthier diet.

The filmmaker Jeppe Rønde has invited 10 of the world's foremost researchers - and a robot! - to rethink our relationship with technology and its dilemmas from the outside. Philosophers, anthropologists, archaeologists and programmers show us through their thought experiments that our relationship with technology is just as much about our relationship with ourselves.

7.2/10

Some of the world's most majestic birds display delightfully captivating mating rituals, from flashy dancing to flaunting their colorful feathers.

8.3/10

The charismatic Sir Lionel Frost considers himself to be the world's foremost investigator of myths and monsters. Trouble is, none of his small-minded, high-society peers seems to recognize this. Hoping to finally gain acceptance from these fellow adventurers, Sir Lionel travels to the Pacific Northwest to prove the existence of a legendary creature known as the missing link.

6.7/10
8.9%

An intersex runaway searches for love and a way out of his working class neighborhood in New Jersey.

6.9/10

Pocoyo and his friends celebrate Easter this year with a very special video! "Nina's Easter Day |" includes a brand new Pocoyo episode ready for Easter. Are you ready to catch the chocolate Easter Eggs too?

In an effort to avoid paying off a massive gambling debt to a notorious mobster in England, a couple flees to Los Angeles and hatch a jewel theft plot.

4.7/10

A deliciously scandalous portrait of unsung Hollywood legend Scotty Bowers, whose bestselling memoir chronicled his decades spent as sexual procurer to the stars.

6.6/10
8.8%

After he’s grounded by an injury, a high-flying bachelor is saddled with two wide-eyed orphans as they come face-to-face with the dangers and beauty of the outside world.

5.7/10

7 celebrities champion 7 buildings that have played a key role in helping to define Britain's gay history. Presented by Stephen Fry.

Disgraced poet Ted Wallace is summoned to his friend's country manor to investigate a series of unexplained miracles.

6.4/10
5.7%

A satirical documentary charting Geoffrey Moore and his daughter Ambra’s journey through Hollywood, as the pair track down celebrities and industry insiders in their bid to find out what it takes to become an Academy Award winner.

6.6/10

In November 2014 the Iconic club Madame Jojos closed its doors. This event being interpreted by many as the death knell of Soho.The gentrification of Soho affects the LGBT community and its Drag Queen sub-culture, but the cabaret atmosphere of the entire neighborhood in enormous ways. This active pursuit to destroy a bubbling and vibrant part of the city's heart is viewed by many as an atrocity akin to turning the lights off on Broadway. Over 3rd of London's music venues have been closed in recent years and no one noticed. An active movement to bring a halt to this disaster has begun to unfold with one organization after another emerging to fight for Soho. Organizations made up of citizens and celebrities have sprung up to combat this onslaught. Will they win this battle and save Soho?

7/10

Leading activists and commentators explore the changes that have taken place since homosexuality was decriminalised in the UK in 1967 and the influence of gay culture on society.

6.5/10

Documentary celebrating the LGBTQ contribution to the arts in Britain in the 50 years since decriminalisation. It features interviews with leading figures from right across the arts in Britain, including Stephen Fry, David Hockney, Sir Antony Sher, Alan Cumming, Sandi Toksvig, Jeanette Winterson, Will Young and Alan Hollinghurst, and it explores the distinctive perspectives and voices that LGBT artists have brought to British cultural life.

6/10

In the sequel to Tim Burton's "Alice in Wonderland", Alice Kingsleigh returns to Underland and faces a new adventure in saving the Mad Hatter.

6.2/10
2.9%

An adventure reporter must adapt to the times when he becomes the boss to a group of millennials in the digital department of the magazine.

6.2/10
4.5%

From Jane Austen’s novella, the beautiful and cunning Lady Susan Vernon visits the estate of her in-laws to wait out colorful rumors of her dalliances and to find husbands for herself and her daughter. Two young men, handsome Reginald DeCourcy and wealthy Sir James Martin, severely complicate her plans.

6.4/10
9.7%

Ten years ago, in an award-winning series, Stephen Fry first spoke about living with manic depression and began a national conversation about mental health. A decade later, we return to the subject to understand where he and thousands of others diagnosed with bipolar (as it is now called) are now.

7.6/10

'Better a witty fool, than a foolish wit.' Filled with a cast of unforgettable characters, Twelfth Night combines cruelty with high comedy and the pangs of unrequited love with some of the subtlest poetry and most exquisite songs Shakespeare ever wrote. The Globe revisits its award-winning Twelfth Night of 2002 with an all-male Original Practices production, exploring clothing, music, dance and settings possible in the Globe of around 1601. Mark Rylance reprises his performance of Olivia in Twelfth Night, 10 years after its original premiere at Middle Temple Hall and The Globe. Synopsis In the household of Olivia, two campaigns are being quietly waged - one by the lovesick lord Orsino against the heart of the indifferent Olivia; the other by an alliance of servants and hangers-on against the high-handedness of her steward, the pompous Malvolio. When Orsino engages the cross-dressed Viola to plead with Olivia on his behalf, a bittersweet chain of events follows.

8.9/10

Growing up poor in Madras, India, Srinivasa Ramanujan Iyengar earns admittance to Cambridge University during WWI, where he becomes a pioneer in mathematical theories with the guidance of his professor, G.H. Hardy.

7.2/10
6.2%

The story of Tony Blair's destruction of the Labour Party, his well-remunerated business interests, and the thousands of innocent people who have died following his decision to invade Iraq.

7.8/10
7.3%

A biography of the poet W. B. Yeats and his contribution to the Irish independence movement as a Protestant nationalist.

7/10

Journalist David Farrier stumbles upon a mysterious tickling competition online. As he delves deeper he comes up against fierce resistance, but that doesn’t stop him getting to the bottom of a story stranger than fiction.

7.6/10
9.4%

Santa Forgot, narrated by Stephen Fry, imagines a world where Santa is living with the effects of dementia and no longer visits children on Christmas Eve. But we believe in the power of research to change the future. Do you?

Enjoy this special Halloween bundle with three episodes of Pocoyo: "Invisible Pocoyo", Monster Mystery" and "Poczilla". 25 minutes of spooky fun!

7.8/10

Coming into the tournament, there was a particular significance to the defending champion, Novak Djokovic's bid for a third title. Thirty years earlier his coach Boris Becker had won the first of his three singles titles. Meanwhile women's world No.1 Serena Williams had her sights set on something really special - completing her hold on all four majors at once for only the second time in her career. There were some surprise early round exits. Fourteen-time major winner Rafael Nadal and defending champion Petra Kvitova were beaten by the qualifier Dustin Brown and former world No.1 Jelena Jankovic respectively. Britain's Heather Watson was two points away from victory over Williams before the American clawed her way to survival; while Novak Djokovic survived a dramatic five-set encounter against Kevin Anderson from South Africa.

The Rocky Horror Show was born at the Royal Court's tiny Theatre Upstairs on June 16, 1973, and went on to become an international stage smash hit and a major motion picture.

7.9/10

In this documentary, Stephen Fry tells the story behind his success, after presenting the BAFTAs for more than ten years. With an outstanding career in film and television which began with a chance meeting with comedy partner Hugh Laurie at Cambridge, he went on to create the outrageous Melchett in Blackadder and has become a firm favourite on BBC2 with the quite interesting quiz QI. Featuring a supporting cast of friends, including interviews with Michael Sheen, Hugh Laurie and Alan Davies.

6.1/10

Bilbo Baggins lives a simple life with his fellow hobbits in the shire until the wizard Gandalf arrives and convinces him to join a group of dwarves on a quest to reclaim the kingdom of Erebor. The journey takes Bilbo on a path through treacherous lands swarming with orcs, goblins, and other dangers, not the least of which is an encounter with Gollum and a simple gold ring that is tied to the fate of Middle Earth in ways Bilbo cannot even fathom.

An unsettling portrait of a destructive three night affair between two men - one is gay, lost and adolescent, the other is married to a woman and middle-aged. Set in the heart of Soho, a fracturing queer landscape, Nightstand is a whirlwind of repressed yearnings and urban loneliness.

6.1/10

The author, actor and comedian embarks on a journey through the entire Central American isthmus to the Panamanian border with South America, beginning in Mexico.

7.3/10

TV musical by Ellen Hobson.

4.5/10

Imagine walking some of the largest land animals in existence across one of the most densely populated regions on earth. Intelligent, majestic and awe-inspiring, Elephants have a long and fascinating history with man. On this epic journey we experience the modern day relationship between man and beast.

Immediately after the events of The Desolation of Smaug, Bilbo and the dwarves try to defend Erebor's mountain of treasure from others who claim it: the men of the ruined Laketown and the elves of Mirkwood. Meanwhile an army of Orcs led by Azog the Defiler is marching on Erebor, fueled by the rise of the dark lord Sauron. Dwarves, elves and men must unite, and the hope for Middle-Earth falls into Bilbo's hands.

7.4/10
5.9%

Broke in the lead up to Christmas, family man James agrees to a murderous mission. But his mark is the last person he expects

Stephen Fry pays tribute to legendary darts commentator Sid Waddell. He discusses the time they spent together in the commentary box and also talks to Phil Taylor and Sid's son Dan.

A short about what happens under and around us. A chipmunk and a small mouse go on an adventure; they grow and learn about life and its obstacles.

7.9/10

This documentary explores Kate Bush's career and music, from January 1978's Wuthering Heights to her 2011 album 50 Words for Snow, through the testimony of some of her key collaborators and those she has inspired.

8/10

One man's journey to discover the bitter truth about sugar. Damon Gameau embarks on a unique experiment to document the effects of a high sugar diet on a healthy body, consuming only foods that are commonly perceived as 'healthy'. Through this entertaining and informative journey, Damon highlights some of the issues that plague the sugar industry, and where sugar lurks on supermarket shelves.

7.5/10
6.8%

Immerse yourself in the lives of extraordinary characters that stand a few inches tall. From chipmunks to mice, be entertained and spellbound by the creatures that call the Hidden Kingdoms home.

8.1/10

Paul Raymond builds a porn, entertainment and real estate empire that makes him the wealthiest man in Britain, but drugs doom his beloved daughter, Debbie.

6/10
5.4%

Sir David Frost traces the development of the sketch show over the last fifty years, from variety theatre to primetime television.

The life of Sir David Frost as told by Stephen Fry. Featuring David Frost's three sons, his friends and the political figures who were interviewed by him, who also became his friends. The story of the pioneer in broadcasting who conducted The Nixon Interviews.

The Dwarves, Bilbo and Gandalf have successfully escaped the Misty Mountains, and Bilbo has gained the One Ring. They all continue their journey to get their gold back from the Dragon, Smaug.

7.8/10
7.4%

The dodo is history. Can you imagine being the last one? Well, this is HIS STORY. If WE all share it, maybe other animals won't. We watch The Lonely Dodo travel across the globe in search of another of his kind, a fruitless quest to find a mate.

Stephen Fry explores first-hand how the lives of men and women in different communities across the globe have been impacted by their sexuality. He sets out to explore what lies beneath people’s prejudices and why some people feel so threatened by homosexuality.

7.9/10

Hugh Laurie hears joy, passion, love, even humor in blues. He is off on a journey with a bunch of musicians across America, from east coast to west, in honor of his hero Professor Longhair.

Jools Holland takes us on a journey of his life that has made him the doyen of the music scene.

Generations of sports fans loved listening to the lyricism and wit of the legendary Sid Waddell and on Christmas Day, Sky Sports News HD looked back at his extraordinary life in Special Report – The Voice of Darts.

Heist thriller and adaptation of Ian Rankin's book, which sees a bored millionaire plan to swap the contents of a gallery's warehouse with near-perfect forgeries.

5.7/10

Gadget aficionado Stephen Fry chooses and presents his 100 all-time favourite contraptions, from the tin opener, trouser press and answering machine to the apple peeler, iron and iPod

6.5/10

A Buckingham Palace guard attending to Queen Elizabeth's room takes her dogs for a walk and while he's away an intruder breaks in for a chat with the monarch.

7.4/10

John Cleese, Michael Palin, Terry Jones and Terry Gilliam pay tribute to their late Monty Python colleague Graham Chapman in this hilarious, 3-D animated adaptation of Chapman's brazenly fictionalized life story. (TIFF)

5.9/10
4.4%

Gadget Man shows the world's collection of handy gadgets throughout the ages, from today's smart devices to decades old electronics to even older mechanical devices.

7.6/10

Released alongside a spectacular edition of Shakespeare’s Sonnets for the Apple iPad, this beautifully produced DVD features specially filmed performances of all 154 Sonnets by a stellar cast of actors including, Fiona Shaw, Sir Patrick Stewart and David Tennant. William Shakespeare’s Sonnets are among the most beautiful and most fascinating poems ever written. All of the poems, together with their enigmatic Dedication, are featured in readings by a star-studded cast. A full-colour accompanying booklet features each actor, a list of their Sonnets and a short biography.

Cicadas come out of the ground for a party at the end of their lives.

7.3/10

A Victorian comedy adventure in the style of Charles Dickens following shop owner Jedrington Secret-Past. Jedrington teams up with a seemingly charming new business partner, Harmswell Grimstone. As the Secret-Past family's fortunes rise, it looks like they are built on crumbling foundations indeed, especially when it is revealed that Conceptiva too has a secret that turns out to be even darker than Jedrington's own.

6.8/10

Horrible Histories with Stephen Fry was a re-version of Horrible Histories. Broadcast from 19 June 2011 to 31 July 2011, the program featured a compilation of sketches from the first two seasons of the parent show with Stephen Fry replacing Rattus Rattus as host, presenting "added insight and historical nuggets". The spin-off consists of his "hand pick[ed] funniest moments" from the two then-aired series. Holy Moly describes the series as "a re-hash of all the best sketches and japes from the previous two series, presented by Stephen Fry, who pops up every few minutes to explain and elucidate historical facts." "Horrible Histories has been a hideously gruesome and gory success for CBBC and we are delighted to welcome it to BBC One", said Cassian Harrison, Commissioning Executive, History and Business, Science and Natural History. This version of the show came out just before the British Comedy Awards, when the show was still classified as strictly a children's show. After the awards show, when it had won the award and had become a lot more well known, it "made the transition". Norris found that the Stephen Fry repackage saw the adult demographic as a whole start to watch, where before it had just been parents and children. Instead of leaving the older generations knowing about the cultural phenomenon and the way the show is stereotype but knowing little about he actual show itself, it also gave them the "opportunity to go and watch it". Norris explained that the show was an experiment of "what would we do if [the Horrible Histories] was in primetime". While she liked the result, she would change some things if she "were to do it again". Essentially, all the writers had to do to make the repackage was choosing the sketches that seemed like they would work for adults, i.e., the non-kiddy ones, and then "writing links for Stephen Fry to connect them". So far, only one six-part series was aired.

8.1/10

Set 70 million years ago in the Cretaceous period in North America, this animated docu/drama follows the journey of a young Edmontosaurus named Scar and his herd as they migrate south for the winter. This film depicts recent findings about Dinosaurs, such as Tyrannosaurs with feathers.

6.5/10

The story of a nerdy skiffle-loving redhead from Cockfosters, who discovers he's a wizard. He journeys to Australia and is taught magic under the watchful eye of mentor Pentangle and filmmaker Werner Herzog

7.5/10

Family adventure based on Mary Norton's classic children's books about a race of tiny people who live under the floorboards, resourcefully surviving by borrowing bits and pieces from the large residents who dwell above. After being discovered by 'human beans', borrower Arrietty and her parents are forced to leave their home while attempting to evade the clutches of obsessive scientist Professor Mildeye.

6.3/10

Fry's Planet Word sees Stephen Fry finding out more about linguistic achievements and how our skills for the spoken word have changed. He dissects language in many of its guises.

7.9/10

A 3-part documentary granting a unique and privileged access into the magical world of whales and dolphins, uncovering the secrets of their intimate lives as never before. Episode 1: Giant Lives / Episode 2: Deep Thinkers / Episode 3: Voices of the Sea

8.2/10

Terry Wogan looks at the life and work of the writer P.G. Wodehouse, including interviews from rarely seen archive footage.

8/10

There is a new criminal mastermind at large (Professor Moriarty) and not only is he Holmes’ intellectual equal, but his capacity for evil and lack of conscience may give him an advantage over the detective.

7.5/10
6%

A fantastical re-imagining of the events of 1979, when Monty Python made Life of Brian and the debate about what is an acceptable subject for comedy was blown wide open.

7.1/10

Alice, an unpretentious and individual 19-year-old, is betrothed to a dunce of an English nobleman. At her engagement party, she escapes the crowd to consider whether to go through with the marriage and falls down a hole in the garden after spotting an unusual rabbit. Arriving in a strange and surreal place called 'Underland,' she finds herself in a world that resembles the nightmares she had as a child, filled with talking animals, villainous queens and knights, and frumious bandersnatches. Alice realizes that she is there for a reason – to conquer the horrific Jabberwocky and restore the rightful queen to her throne.

6.4/10
5.1%

Stephen Fry Live at the Sydney Opera House will be recorded at his first performance in Australia on Tuesday 27 July. Fry will discuss travel, art, TV and madness, with a tactful avoidance of cricket. With his usual admirable, rhetorical technique, sparkling wit and rich tones, this perfect Englishman will entertain and enthral during his 90 minute talk. Stephen John Fry is a national treasure in his native land of England. A writer, presenter, social commentator, satirist, actor and TV personality, Fry's diverse interests have seen him gain significant presence in radio, TV, film, print, online and even on PlayStation 3.

7.1/10

David's 29th birthday also happens to be the day of his father's funeral. When David discovers that he shares that birthday with a Hollywood star, it begins to feel like his life is a series of missed opportunities. But that self-obsession threatens to destroy his relationships with his unemotional mother and disabled teenage sister when they need him the most.

6.4/10

Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie are to reunite for a TV special to mark the 30th anniversary of their partnership.

7.4/10

It is 1984. Frank (Layke Anderson) is a determined English teenager who runs away from high school to find an alternative gay lifestyle in Amsterdam. He finds a home and a job at the "House of Boys", a bar-cum-brothel run by a strict Madame (Udo Kier) who has an eye for what his punters crave. Frank works his way up from barman to on-stage dancer and falls in love with some of his housemates Jake (Ben Northover). The first intimations of what is described as 'the gay cancer', casts a long shadow over Frank's tight-knit group of friends. Yet despite the troubles that cloud the hopes and dreams of young Frank, his perseverance, along with support from a willing doctor (Stephen Fry), will carry him through. House of Boys is a glamorous, colourful coming-of-age story that lifts the lid on an exciting world of sex and music, where deep passions suddenly turn into a struggle for courage.

6.6/10

30 years after Fawlty Towers (1975) ended, Stephen Fry narrates a documentary about the making of this classic sitcom.

7.8/10

Fawlty Exclusive: Basil's Best Bits” is a two hour journey through the very best of Fawlty Towers with cast and crew, together with some of the show's biggest celebrity fans, talking us through their favourite scenes from this iconic sitcom.

6.9/10

Twenty years after Douglas Adams and Mark Carwardine traveled the world in search of some of the most endangered animals, Stephen Fry joins Mark to retrace their journeys.

8.3/10

A look behind the scenes of satirical sketch show Not the Nine O'Clock News.

Mr. Stephen Fry introduces you to free software, and reminds you of a very special birthday.

This documentary marks the 25th anniversary since the first transmission of The Black Adder in 1983 and reunites the iconic cast to give their opinions on all series and specials. Narrated by John Sergeant, this in-depth guide includes interviews from the cast and crew, a clip from the pilot episode, clips from all four series and the specials, opinions about certain moments in the show, and much more. With interviews by Rowan Atkinson, writers Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie, producer John Lloyd, Miriam Margolyes, Rik Mayall, Tim McInnerny, Miranda Richardson, Tony Robinson and editor Chris Wadsworth.

7.9/10

This is the story of a living legend and his part in one of the greatest exploits in British military history: Operation Chastise was the code name given to one of the most audacious air raids of World War II - on the night of 16/17 May 1943, nineteen Lancasters with 133 men of the specially formed 617 Squadron took off from RAF Scampton to attack the Mohne, Sorpe, Ennepe and Eder dams at the heart of the Ruhr. Squadron Leader Johnny Johnson DFM is one of the Last of the Dambusters and hero of the most daring air raid of World War Two.

The Spectacled Bear lives in Peru. Little is known about the habits of this elusive creature, and as narrator Stephen Fry reveals, many of our assumptions were wrong. For years they were thought to be gentle vegetarians, but the latest studies reveal a new and alarming side to this endangered bear.

To mark the 25th anniversary since the first transmission of Blackadder in 1983, the iconic cast of the much-loved sitcom appear together in a documentary for the first time. The show includes an exclusive in-depth interview with Edmund Blackadder himself, Rowan Atkinson - the first time he has agreed to be interviewed about his experience making the show.

8.1/10

Here comes the unforgettable Pocoyo - charming as always- along with friends new and old! Pocoyo and his pals - Pato, Elly and Louella- play together in heart-warming adventures filled with laughter and learning. Whether helping a friend feel better or watching a hungry caterpillar transform into a butterfly, these friends are always there for one another! Filled with sights and sounds perfectly tailored to encourage child development, Pocoyo & Friends is preschool entertainment especially designed to delight your child! Includes 7 hilarous stories!

The printing press was the world's first mass-production machine. Its invention in the 1450s changed the world as dramatically as splitting the atom or sending men into space, sparking a cultural revolution which shaped the modern age.

7.4/10

Stephen Fry journeys across America, hoping to visit all 50 states of the country which has always fascinated him.

7.9/10

Tales of the Riverbank tells the story of three friends - Hammy Hamster, Roderick Rat and GP the Guinea Pig - who, having swept down the river in a violent storm, embark on an epic journey in search of their lost homes. Their journey, full of comic incident and dramatic danger, becomes even more precarious when they discover that the whole riverbank is threatened by a waffle, Marmalade and Doughnut (WMD) factory which, owned by the evil Fat Cats, is polluting the countryside with increasingly dangerous emissions...the Big Dirt!

4.9/10

Based upon the final confession of Adolf Eichmann, made before his execution in Israel, of his role in Hitler's plan for the final solution.

5.9/10
3.8%

When their beloved school is threatened with closure should the powers that be fail to raise the proper funds, the girls scheme to steal a priceless painting and use the profits to pull St. Trinian's out of the red.

5.8/10
3.1%

Kingdom is a British television series produced by Parallel Film and Television Productions for the ITV network. It was created by Simon Wheeler and stars Stephen Fry as Peter Kingdom, a Norfolk solicitor who is coping with family, colleagues, and the strange locals who come to him for legal assistance. The series also starred Hermione Norris, Celia Imrie, Karl Davies, Phyllida Law and Tony Slattery. The first series of six one-hour episodes was aired in 2007 and averaged six million viewers per week. Despite a mid-series ratings dip, the executive chairman of ITV praised the programme and ordered a second series, which was filmed in 2007 and broadcast in January and February 2008. Filming on the third series ran from July to September 2008 for broadcast from 7 June 2009. Stephen Fry announced on his blog in October 2009 that ITV was cancelling the series, which was later confirmed by the channel, which said that given tighter budgets, more expensive productions were being cut.

7.9/10

Prince Charming was supposed to live long and happily with Snow White after kissing her back to life. However the jealous 'good' fairy decides that she and the prince were meant to be, only the start of a whole series of perversions of various fairy tale characters' traditional good nature.

4.7/10

During World War I, in an unnamed country, a soldier named Tamino is sent by the Queen of the Night to rescue her daughter Pamina from the clutches of the supposedly evil Sarastro. But all is not as it seems.

6.6/10
7%

Alex Rider thinks he is a normal school boy, until his uncle is killed. He discovers that his uncle was actually spy on a mission, when he was killed. Alex is recruited by Alan Blunt to continue the mission. He is sent to Cornwall to investigate a new computer system, which Darrius Sayle has created. He plans to give the new computer systems to every school in the country, but Mr. Blunt has other ideas and Alex must find out what it is.

5.1/10
3.5%

In a world in which Great Britain has become a fascist state, a masked vigilante known only as “V” conducts guerrilla warfare against the oppressive British government. When V rescues a young woman from the secret police, he finds in her an ally with whom he can continue his fight to free the people of Britain.

8.2/10
7.3%

The Story of Light Entertainment is a British documentary series shown on the BBC in 2006. The series comprises eight episodes and is narrated by Stephen Fry.

7.5/10

Stephen Fry: The Secret Life of the Manic Depressive is a 2006 two-part television documentary directed by Ross Wilson and featuring British actor and comedian Stephen Fry. It explores the effects of living with bipolar disorder, based on the experiences of Fry, other celebrities and members of the public with, or affected by, the disorder. It won an Emmy Award for Best Documentary at the 35th International Emmys in 2007.

8.1/10

The Gunpowder Plot was a failed attempt to blow up England’s King James I (1566-1625) and the Parliament on November 5, 1605. The plot was organized by Robert Catesby (c.1572-1605) in an effort to end the persecution of Roman Catholics by the English government. Catesby and others hoped to replace the country’s Protestant government with Catholic leadership. Around midnight on November 4, 1605, one of the conspirators, Guy Fawkes (1570-1606), was discovered in the cellar of the Parliament building with barrels of gunpowder. Fawkes and other men involved in the plot were tried and executed for treason. Every November 5, the British celebrate Guy Fawkes Day by burning Fawkes in effigy.

An in-depth examination of the complete production of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005).

Meet Pocoyo, the unforgettable little boy with a very big personality! Your child will learn through laughter as 3-year-old Pocoyo and his adorable friends explore the world around them. In these charming episodes, Pocoyo enjoys making music, blowing bubbles, solving puzzles, and even watching an egg hath. Filled with sights and sounds perfectly tailored to encourage child development, Meet Pocoyo! is a preschool entertainment especially deigned to delight your child!

Steve Coogan, an arrogant actor with low self-esteem and a complicated love life, is playing the eponymous role in an adaptation of "The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman" being filmed at a stately home. He constantly spars with actor Rob Brydon, who is playing Uncle Toby and believes his role to be of equal importance to Coogan's.

6.7/10
8.9%

Documentary charting the rise of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy from its original guise as a radio series through to becoming a Hollywood blockbuster.

6.8/10
6%

Mere seconds before the Earth is to be demolished by an alien construction crew, Arthur Dent is swept off the planet by his friend Ford Prefect, a researcher penning a new edition of "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy."

6.8/10
6%

In a fantasy world of opposing kingdoms, a 15-year old girl must find the fabled MirrorMask in order to save the kingdom and get home

6.8/10
5.4%

Pocoyo is a Spanish pre-school animated television series created by Guillermo García Carsí, Luis Gallego and David Cantolla, and is a co-production between Spanish producer Zinkia Entertainment, Cosgrove-Hall Films and Granada International. Two series have been produced, each consisting of 52 seven-minute episodes. English actor and comedian Stephen Fry narrates the English-language version and José María del Río narrates the Castilian Spanish version. Set in a 3D space, with a plain white background and usually no backdrops, it is about Pocoyo, a 3-year-old boy, interacting with his friends Pato, Elly and Loula. Viewers are encouraged to recognise situations that Pocoyo is in, and things that are going on with or around him. The narrator usually speaks explicitly to the viewers and to the characters as well. Each character has its own distinctive dance and also a specific sound, and most episodes end with the characters dancing. Many episodes also involve parties. In the United Kingdom, it was originally broadcast on CITV, a children's strand on the ITV network. In September 2007, Channel 5 acquired terrestrial rights in the United Kingdom to the first and second series, making it part of the Milkshake! strand. The show, however, will continue to air on the CITV Channel. Other broadcasters in the English speaking countries include RTÉ in the Republic of Ireland, Nick Jr. in the U.S. nationwide and local station KCET-TV as well as KLCS-TV channel 58-2 in Los Angeles and on Univision in LATAM Spanish, Treehouse TV in Canada, ABC in Australia and TVNZ in New Zealand.

7.6/10

Here comes the unforgettable Pocoyo - charming as always - along with friends new and old! Pocoyo and his pals - Pato, Elli and Loula - play together in heart-warming adventures filled with laughter and learning. Whether helping a friend feel better or watching a hungry caterpillar tranform into a butterfly, these frinds are always there or one another! Filled with sights and sounds perfectly tailored to encourage child development, Pocoyo & Friends is preschool entertainment escpecially designed to delight your child.

The determined new headmaster of an English prep school attempts to reform the frequently unruly students, who are tormented by a ruthless bully.

7.5/10

The turbulent personal and professional life of actor Peter Sellers (1925-1980), from his beginnings as a comic performer on BBC Radio to his huge success as one of the greatest film comedians of all time; an obsessive artist so dedicated to his work that neglected his loved ones and sacrificed part of his own personality to convincingly create that of his many memorable characters.

6.9/10
6.9%

Documentary that gives background on Trollope's life from childhood, adolescence, adulthood and death.

7.8/10

Based on the true story of a Canadian soldier, enroute to World War I from Winnipeg, who adopts an orphaned bear cub at White River Ontario. It is namned Winnie (for Winnipeg) and eventually ends up at the London Zoo where it became the inspiration for A.A.Milne's Winnie The Pooh stories.

7/10

The Secret Policeman benefit shows for Amnesty International brought together comedy grand masters - from Python and Beyond the Fringe - and performers then relatively unknown, like Rowan Atkinson. Narrated by Dawn French, the programme includes interviews with many of the comedians and musicians who took part: John Cleese, Stephen Fry, Michael Palin, Sting, Lenny Henry and many more. The shows and their stars had a huge effect on modern British comedy. There are few comics today whose careers have not been heavily influenced by the anarchic and surreal humour of these events.

Tooth is a young, feisty Tooth Fairy, who lives in a world called Fairytopia that has lost its ability to use magic. Fed up with the way most fairies have forgotten about magic, she decides to give away all of its money. When Tooth begins to understand how much trouble she is in, she realizes the only person who can help is the legendary Mrs. C, who disappeared, along with magic over 100 years ago. Teaming up with two human children and a number of fairies, who are living incognito amongst humans she sets off on the adventure of a lifetime. Pursued by the evil Plug, a terrifying fairy hunter and his posse, the race is on to save the world before Christmas, Easter and all the holidays are ruined forever.

2.9/10

In the 1930s, a social set known to the press – who follow their every move – as the “Bright Young Things” are Adam and his friends who are eccentric, wild and entirely shocking to the older generation. Amidst the madness, Adam, who is well connected but totally broke, is desperately trying to get enough money to marry the beautiful Nina. While his attempts to raise cash are constantly thwarted, their friends seem to self-destruct, one-by-one, in an endless search for newer and faster sensations. Finally, when world events out of their control come crashing around them, they are forced to reassess their lives and what they value most.

6.6/10
6.5%

Comedy quiz show full of quirky facts, in which contestants are rewarded more if their answers are 'quite interesting'.

8.6/10

Stephen Fry and John Bird star as spin doctors Charles Prentiss and Martin McCabe as they bring the popular and satirical Radio 4 comedy Absolute Power to BBC Two. Stephen as Prentiss and John as McCabe are an unscrupulous pair who run the blue chip PR agency Prentiss McCabe. Dealing with commercial as well as personal PR, their remit covers everything from political communications to celebrity media relations. Their manipulation skills are tested to the full as they frequently find that their work brings them into conflict with political parties, newspaper editors and celebrities.

8.1/10

A documentary giving film fans a behind-the-scenes look at the making this Robert Altman film about a murder at an English country estate. Includes interviews with the cast and crew, who relate some of their experiences with making the film, as well as giving their views on all the work that went into it.

7.4/10

A comic drama about the weird and wonderful world of Salvador Dali and the Surrealists. This film charts Dali's meteoric rise from obscurity to the world's most publicised artist.

6.8/10

An 11-year-old boy's amazing ability to break wind leads him first to fame and then to death row, before it helps him to fulfill his ambition of becoming an astronaut.

3.7/10
6%

Retracing the footsteps of the beloved Paddington Bear, Stephen Fry travels to the Cloud Forests of Peru in search of the rare Spectacled Bear.

Half-way through his 12-year prison sentence for an incompetent armed robbery, Jimmy Hands gets a lucky break: he's transferred to a prison from which he can probably escape. He convinces the governor to stage a musical in an old chapel next to the prison's outer wall. He rounds up volunteer actors and puts his escape plan into production. Two other barriers, besides the wall, confront him: the arrival of a nasty inmate, John Toombes, who insists on joining the escape, and Jimmy's feelings of attraction for Anabel, a social worker who agrees to appear in the play. Opening night approaches: is this Jimmy's breakout performance?

6.2/10
4.8%

Disappointed with humanity, God wants to revoke his contract with humanity and wants to take back the stone tablets containing the ten commandments. To this end an angel is sent out to affect the personal lives of three humans so an appropriate child may be conceived.

6.7/10

In 1930’s England, a group of pretentious rich and famous gather together for a weekend of relaxation at a hunting resort. But when a murder occurs, each one of these interesting characters becomes a suspect.

7.2/10
8.6%

This romantic comedy deals with the fleeting attractions between men and women. When American Ben arrives in London to become a writer on a well-known sitcom, he never dreamed that he would end up in a complex love quadrangle. Sitcom star Carly is married to show producer Allen. French make-up artist Fiona is single, as is Ben. Though Carly quickly develops a crush on Ben, she decides that Fiona w

4.9/10

An intimate behind the scenes short film while shooting the Black Adder special Back and Forth.

David is a thirty-something architect. His life is complicated - he’s sharing his apartment with an American personal trainer, his relationship with his cleaning lady is becoming more than professional and his ex-girlfriend is raising their son who David suspects might not turn out to be heterosexual. No wonder he’s in therapy!

4.5/10

24 is an American television series produced for the Fox network and syndicated worldwide, starring Kiefer Sutherland as Counter Terrorist Unit agent Jack Bauer. Each 24-episode season covers 24 hours in the life of Bauer, using the real time method of narration.

8.3/10
8.6%

A comedy of discriminating taste and dirty little secrets, the story is set in 1952 England, where Nigel, the Earl of Marshwood, woos Hollywood star Miranda Frayle, upsetting both his mother, Countess Felicity of Marshwood, and her former love, fellow Hollywood star Don Lucas. Right before the engagement party to be held at Marshwood, Moxie, the Countess's personal maid and best friend reveals that Miranda is her estranged sister. Crestwell, the Countess's butler, quickly devises a plan-but an inebriated Lucas's arrival at Marshwood to try to talk to Miranda causes all chaos to break loose.

6.5/10
2%

It's 1976, and Vinny is a confused teenager who can't decide whether he is a disco king or a proto punk rocker.

6.4/10
4%

A documentary on 'The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp'.

7.2/10

June, 1815. Napoleon Bonaparte, surrounded by enemies, is about to play his definitive part in history. He has spent his whole life creating a mystique, becoming synonymous with determination, strength and mystery. But, that whole super-leader trip is smothering him and he just can't stand it anymore. Meanwhile, one of his aides, le maréchal Hugo Armani, has only one dream: to emulate the man who is his idol, his emperor. Armani picks the battle of Waterloo as the moment for his borderline psychotic attack - the first case of Napoleonic delirium in modern psychiatry. Due to the shortage of maréchals at the moment, Napoleon's got no choice: he has to leave Armani in command. Unbalanced Armani, so unexpectedly promoted, now leads the troops of France.

4.9/10

At the Castle of Gormenghast, the Groan family has ruled with dusty ceremony for more than seventy generations. A clever and ambitious new kitchen boy, Steerpike, begins to insinuate himself into the affections of Lady Fuchsia Groan and to murder his way to power.

7.4/10

Watership Down is an animated television series, loosely adapted from the novel of the same name by Richard Adams. It was a co-production of Alltime Entertainment of the United Kingdom and Decode Entertainment of Canada, and produced by Martin Rosen, the director of the 1978 feature film adaptation. Watership Down aired for 39 episodes and three series from 1999 to 2001, on both YTV in Canada and CITV in the UK, though the latter did not broadcast the third series. It starred several well-known British actors, including Stephen Fry, Rik Mayall, Phil Jupitus, Jane Horrocks, Dawn French, John Hurt, and Richard Briers, among others. Stephen Gately sang a new arrangement of Art Garfunkel's "Bright Eyes", which had been included in the 1978 feature film, while Mike Batt and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra contributed a completely new score. In 2003, composer Eric Robertson as well as David Greene and Mike Batt were nominated for a Gemini Award for Best Original Music Score for a Dramatic Series for their work on the show. Some episodes from the adaptation were released on VHS and later, DVD. In October 2005, a Region 2 DVD box set of all three series was released in the UK.

7.7/10

What was a cunning plan from Lord Edmund Blackadder V to fake a time machine on his gullibly incompetent friends, turns out to be the real thing and hurls him and his imbecile underling, Baldrick, through the course of human history.

7.7/10

An engaging profile of the classic film; featuring interviews with Stephen Fry, Dulcie Gray and Dorothy Tutin.

TV documentary which shows the roller-coaster career of the former Spice Girl, Geri Halliwell, including very candid behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with her.

7.3/10

The Magician's House is a quartet of children's fantasy books by William Corlett. Two mini-series were produced in 1999 for British television, which were directed by Paul Lynch. The series featured Jennifer Saunders and Stephen Fry voicing some of the animal characters. The books were published in the early 1990s, and named as follows: ⁕The Steps up the Chimney ⁕The Door in the Tree ⁕The Tunnel behind the Waterfall ⁕The Bridge in the Clouds Although in a rural setting, this series' focus on subjects such as industrial development and the combining of present-day and past settings in the plotline gives it a feeling tending more towards urban fantasy than simply contemporary fantasy. In addition, though there is no specific mention of Welsh myths and legends, the strong part nature plays in the stories and the settings bring to mind other British children's authors. Authors like Alan Garner, who is perhaps best known for The Owl Service and Elidor, and Susan Cooper, famous for The Dark Is Rising sequence of books, who allude more specifically to British myth and legend in their writings.

6.3/10

A series of killings of bank managers has London in a turmoil, all the way up to Parliament. And the killer regularly calls about his handiwork, but only to a street-wise, and usually rather tipsy, radio reporter, about to be sacked for his habitual irreverence toward his station and the BBC. And while everything seems to point to a lead singer of a rock group famous for the "In The Red" music which has been connected to the killings, in typical British mystery fashion, there are also other sub-plots to be considered.

7.8/10

Based on a true story, set in the late 19th century: Lord Tichborne, the ninth richest nobleman in England, disappears after a South American shipwreck. Some years later his erudite Afro-English valet, Bogle, is sent to investigate rumors that Tichborne survived and settled in Australia. An alcoholic ruffian answer's Bogle's inquiries claiming to be the lost heir. Bogle suspects fraud, but conspires with the claimant to split the inheritance should the latter succesfully pass himself off to friends, family and the courts. As the claimant returns to England to continue his charade, enough people confirm his identity to make both the claimant and Bogle believe that he just might be the rightful heir after all.

6/10

Jan Schlickmann is a cynical lawyer who goes out to 'get rid of' a case, only to find out it is potentially worth millions. The case becomes his obsession, to the extent that he is willing to give up everything—including his career and his clients' goals—in order to continue the case against all odds.

6.6/10
6.1%

The story of Oscar Wilde, genius, poet, playwright and the First Modern Man. The self-realisation of his homosexuality caused Wilde enormous torment as he juggled marriage, fatherhood and responsibility with his obsessive love for Lord Alfred Douglas.

6.9/10
7.1%

Zany adventure that follows The Spice Girls and their entourage (mostly fictional characters) - manager Clifford, his assistant Deborah, and filmmaker Piers (who is trying to shoot a documentary on "the real Spice Girls").

3.5/10
3.5%

Jailed for his reckless driving, rambunctious Mr. Toad has to escape from prison when his beloved Toad Hall comes under threat from the wily weasels, who plan to build a dog food factory on the very meadow sold to them by Toad himself. This fantastic roller-coaster ride of hilarious adventures was both written and directed by Terry Jones, who also plays the central role of Mr. Toad. Alongside three former Pythons are a gallery of well-known faces all bringing wit and wonder to a feast of colourful characters. An absolutely charming film to delight children and adults alike, The Wind in the Willows is a perfect updating of Kenneth Grahame’s well-loved children’s classic.

6.3/10
7.5%

In this adaptation of the satirical British novel, Flora Poste, a plucky London society girl orphaned at age 19, finds a new home with some rough relatives, the Starkadders of Cold Comfort Farm. With a take-charge attitude and some encouragement from her mischievous friend, Mary, Flora changes the Starkadders' lives forever when she settles into their rustic estate, bringing the backward clan up to date and finding inspiration for her novel in the process.

7.3/10
8.3%

A young American computer hackeress is hired by a liberal British lawyer to right the wrong done to a third world country by a London investment company. Even the expertise of her building inspector sidekick can not prevent a surprising development though.

4.3/10

Albert Einstein helps a young man who's in love with Einstein's niece to catch her attention by pretending temporarily to be a great physicist.

6.2/10
4.4%

Few wartime prisoners have attempted escape quite as many times as bumbling RAF Officer James Forrester. Though Officer Forrester has twenty-three escape attempts to his name, each successive attempt he makes to break free somehow seems to go worse than the last. But this time there's a difference, because Officer Forrester isn't just plotting his own escape, but the escape of all 327 of his fellow prisoners as well - and all at once. In fact even the Germans want to escape!

6.7/10

It is New Year's weekend and the friends of Peter gather at his newly inherited country house. Ten years ago, they all acted together in a Cambridge University student comedy troupe, but it's less clear how much they have in common now.

7/10
7.1%

The Common Pursuit is a play by Simon Gray which follows the lives of six characters who first meet as undergraduates at Cambridge University when they are involved in setting up a literary magazine called The Common Pursuit.

Daniel is an obeying and high-flying barrister with the good life on his side. Nathaniel Quass is a rich and bizarre recluse, generous, obsessed and sad. This reluctant pair are caught up in an alliance againstu an ingenious conspiracy which threatens both of their lives.

Jeeves and Wooster is a British comedy-drama series adapted by Clive Exton from P.G. Wodehouse's "Jeeves" stories. The series was a collaboration between Brian Eastman of Picture Partnership Productions and Granada Television. It aired on the ITV network from 1990 to 1993, with the last series nominated for a British Academy Television Award for Best Drama Series. It starred Hugh Laurie as Bertie Wooster, a young gentleman with a "distinctive blend of airy nonchalance and refined gormlessness", and Stephen Fry as Jeeves, his improbably well-informed and talented valet. Wooster is a bachelor, a minor aristocrat and member of the idle rich. He and his friends, who are mainly members of The Drones Club, are extricated from all manner of societal misadventures by the indispensable valet, Jeeves. The stories are set in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1930s. When Fry and Laurie began the series they were already a popular double act due to regular appearances on Channel 4's Friday Night Live and their own show A Bit of Fry & Laurie. In the television documentary, Fry and Laurie Reunited, upon reminiscing about their involvement in the series, it was revealed that they were initially reluctant to play the part of Jeeves and Wooster but decided to do so in the end because they felt no one else would do the parts justice.

8.4/10

Happy Families is a children's television series made in the late 1980s based on the Happy Families series of books by Janet and Allan Ahlberg. Each tale is about a family of characters which in turn is based on the Happy Families card game. The cast played several different characters throughout the series with many recurring roles for the main cast including Milton Johns, Annette Badland and Elizabeth Estensen. Happy Families ran for two series, 24 episodes in all, and was shown on Children's BBC in 1989 and 1990.

7.2/10

After the criticisms of the 1987 show’s disproportionate focus on music - and the financial disaster of its music-only Festival Of Youth weekend concert in 1988, Amnesty returned to the original formula that had been so successful in the 1976-1981 era with a primary focus on comedy. Pat Duffy was dropped from organising any further benefit events for Amnesty and for the 1989 show, Amnesty hired producer Judith Holder.

6.8/10

A Bit of Fry & Laurie is a British sketch comedy television series written by and starring former Cambridge Footlights members Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie, broadcast on both BBC1 and BBC2 between 1989 and 1995. It ran for four series and totalled 26 episodes, including a 35 minute pilot episode in 1987. As in The Two Ronnies, elaborate wordplay and innuendo were staples of its material. It frequently broke the fourth wall; characters would revert into their real-life actors mid-sketch, or the camera would often pan off set into the studio. In addition, the show was punctuated with non-sequitur vox pops in a similar style to those of Monty Python's Flying Circus, often making irrelevant statements, heavily based on wordplay. Laurie was also seen playing piano and a wide variety of other instruments and singing comical numbers.

8.3/10

A diamond advocate is attempting to steal a collection of diamonds, yet troubles arise when he realizes that he is not the only one after the diamonds.

7.5/10
9.4%

A short movie, made for Comic Relief, in which Blackadder (Rowan Atkinson) and Baldrick (Tony Robinson) must help protect King Charles I (Stephen Fry) from the machinations of Oliver Cromwell and his Roundheads

8/10

This Is David Lander was a TV show that parodies Roger Cook style door-stepping investigative journalism shows, starring Stephen Fry as David Lander and written by Tony Sarchet. It began as the BBC Radio 4 show Delve Special, which became this six part Channel 4 series in 1988.

8.1/10

English aristocrat Tony Last welcomes tragedy into his life when he invites John Beaver to visit his vast estate. There Beaver makes the acquaintance of Tony's wife, Brenda. Together, they continue their relationship in a series of bedroom assignations in London. Trusting to a fault, Tony is unaware that anything is amiss until his wife suddenly asks for a divorce. With his life in turmoil, Tony goes on a haphazard journey to South America.

6.7/10

When the British Amnesty shows finally resumed in 1987 after a six-year hiatus, the show format was retooled in an effort to take advantage of the growing number of rock musicians supporting Amnesty. Instead of the live show being primarily a comedy show with a few musical cameos, the event made a point of giving equal emphasis to the comedy and the music.

6.3/10

A funny remake of "The Prisoner" - with a 1980's twist to it 'The Laughing Prisoner' is a remake (or homage) of (to) the Kafkaesque 1960's television show 'The Prisoner' with Patrick McGoohan in the lead role. This time it is a successful television presenter (Jools Holland) who decides to quit at the height of his stardom. He is abducted from his apartment and brought to the village, where number 2 (a young Stephen Fry) is questioning him. The whole show has a cosy 1980's feel to it, with several bands from that period performing their music.

6.3/10

In April 1986, inspired by the previous summer's bombastic Live Aid event and the success of Amnesty's first four Secret Policeman's Ball shows, the UK's alternative comedy scene (and a few of the old guard) put on a fund-raising comedy revue at The Shaftesbury Theatre, London. The show's took place on 4-6 April, a recording was broadcast by the BBC on 25 April.

7.1/10

The Dangerous Brothers was a stage and TV act by anarchic comedy duo Rik Mayall and Ade Edmondson, performing respectively as "Richard Dangerous" and "Sir (or occasionally Lady) Adrian Dangerous". Although originating before the show, they appeared in a number of brief sketches in the 1980s TV programme Saturday Live. Eventually being banned for being "too sexy and too violent", they staged a protest by returning as 'The Ben Elton Brothers', and blowing up the car park at LWT Studios. One of the final sketches prepared for Saturday Live was entitled 'Kinky Sex'. This fell foul of Channel 4 censors who banned it. The duo responded in the sketch Dangervision by apparently hijacking the programme and blowing up the wall on which the show's logo was painted in graffiti art. The banned sketch, which by modern standards seems fairly tame, was finally released on a compilation video The Dangerous Brothers present: World of Danger.

7.6/10

The comedy event of the year took place in April 1986 at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London. All those taking part gave their services free in order to support the famine relief camp in Umbala in the west of Sudan. Tonight Omnibus, in collaboration with Charity Projects, presents the best comic talents in Britain today. Among those appearing: Rowan Atkinson, Frank Bruno, Kate Bush, Graham Chapman, Billy Connolly, Ronnie Corbett, Paul Eddington, Ben Elton, French and Saunders, Stephen Fry, Bob Geldof, Terry Gilliam, Lenny Henry, Howard Jones, Terry Jones, Hugh Laurie, Hank Marvin, Rik Mayall, Michael Palin, Cliff Richard, Pamela Stephenson, Spitting Image, Midge Ure, The Young Ones.

1.6/10

Happy Families was a rural comedy drama written by Ben Elton which appeared on the BBC in 1985 and told the story of the dysfunctional Fuddle family. It starred Jennifer Saunders as Granny Fuddle, Dawn French as the Cook and Adrian Edmondson as her imbecilic grandson Guy. The plot centred around Guy's attempts to find his four sisters - also played by Saunders - for a family reunion.

7.2/10

Bill Hooper -- bitter after a messy divorce -- tries to help a friend gain custody of his child any way he can.

6.1/10

Saturday Live was a British television comedy and music show broadcast by Channel 4 from 1985 to 1987, and in 1988 as Friday Night Live. Influenced by the American show Saturday Night Live, it was produced by Paul Jackson. The series made stars of Ben Elton, Harry Enfield, Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie, and featured appearances by Patrick Marber, Morwenna Banks, Chris Barrie, Emo Philips, Craig Ferguson, Craig Charles and many others. The show featured comic duo Adrian Edmondson and Rik Mayall in their act The Dangerous Brothers. All episodes were transmitted live, although some material was pre-recorded. Recordings of shows were edited into compilation repeats, retitled Saturday Almost Live. The show was succeeded by Friday Night Live, a shorter and slightly more tightly-formatted show with Elton as the permanent host, which ran for a single series in 1988. The show's titles consisted of reforming clay animations, highly comparable to early MTV idents.

8.2/10

A sketch comedy show featuring some of Britain's great comedic talents of the 1980s and 1990s in one of their earliest TV appearances.

6.4/10

The Crystal Cube was a spoof science program, based on shows such as Tomorrow's World. The show was hosted by Jackie Meld (Dame Emma Thompson).

6.9/10

A TV version of the Cambridge Footlights Revue. Starring Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie, Emma Thompson, Tony Slattery, Paul Shearer, and Penny Dwyer.

7.9/10

Short-lived sketch show which is notable today for early appearances by Ben Elton, Dame Emma Thompson, Stephen Fry, and Hugh Laurie. Originally broadcast only in the Granada television area, it was refashioned as Alfresco (1983) for national broadcasting.

6.4/10

A short documentary on the history of Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot.

After a genial spirit shows the benevolent Ebenezer Blackadder visions of his unscrupulous ancestors, he resolves to mend his generous ways.

Inventing flying contraptions, war machines, and studying cadavers, Leonardo da Vinci takes on the grand meaning of life itself with the help of French princess, Marguerite de Nevarre.

7.1/10
7.8%

Documentary exploring the connections between JK Rowling’s mythical Fantastic Beasts creatures and real animals that have roamed Earth, taking viewers into the Natural History Museum and drawing parallels between creatures like the extinct wooly rhino and the Erumpent, a magical beast from the world of Harry Potter.

In a profile pic-obsessed, filter-fixated world where online and reality blur, influencer Dorian Gray makes a deal. For his social star never to fade. For the perfect self he broadcasts to the world to always remain. But as his mental health starts to decline, as corruption and murderous depravity start to creep into his world, the true and horrific cost of his deal will soon need to be met. From the team behind the New York Times Critic’s Pick, five star “game-changer” (Telegraph) online production of What a Carve Up! comes a brand-new adaptation that brings Oscar Wilde’s Faustian tale kicking and screaming into a world of Instagram, Facebook and dating apps.

7.5/10
9.3%

An American family moves in to the Canterville Chase, a London mansion that has been haunted by ghost Sir Simon De Canterville for 300 years.

6.9/10
8.6%

Sci-Fi Channel production is first shown in 2001, this documentary preceded the channel's premiere of The Prisoner. Presented by James Hyman and featuring clips and interviews, In Search Of The Prisoner examines the phenomena of one of the most influential cult TV series of all time.

Adrian Healey is clever, charming and witty, but above all he is an expert liar. His unparalleled ability to consummately cheat and deceive is a skill that does not go unrecognized at one of England’s finest educational establishments where he is groomed in the dark arts of spy craft. Whilst pursuing his first romance, Adrian is thrown into a wild and thrilling web of espionage. In a world where all is not what it seems, has Adrian met his match?

6.6/10
6.3%

To find peace with Now, it's necessary to make peace with Then. Christopher Metcalfe returns to his childhood home following the death of his father. Here, he confronts memories of his time at public school and relives the intense, passionate affair he shared with fellow student Stephen Walker. This forces him to come to terms with himself at last.

'Marked' is the story of James Dempsey (Sutherland) a middle-aged, brow beaten, debt-laden suburban husband. Drowning in debt, James hits crisis point and in his desperation agrees upon an unlikely opportunity to make some easy money.

3.5/10