Tony Robinson

Sir Tony Robinson and an expert design team help groups of residents explore their own street's history, as they unearth surprising stories and hidden treasures.

The presenter discovers how the Thames works around the clock.

In celebration of 63 Up, the latest instalment of Michael Apted’s groundbreaking documentary series that began in 1964, a number of British and American celebrity fans now discuss its impact on popular culture and its lasting legacy. The film also candidly explores pivotal moments of celebrities’ own lives - from school days and first loves to family and fulfilled ambitions - while tapping into changes in social history around topics such as class, education, and parenting.

6.2/10

Covering thousands of miles, Tony begins his first leg exploring Paris, Munich, Budapest and Istanbul by train. In Paris, Tony meets a French friend and in Stuttgart, he visits Mecerdes Benz. Plus, in Budapest he joins a local historian

7.8/10

The actor and television presenter embarks upon a 200-mile journey from source to sea to discover what makes the Thames one of the greatest rivers in the world.

8.1/10

Tony Robinson dons his hiking boots to explore the 200-mile coast-to-coast route made famous by travel writer Alfred Wainwright. In the six-part series, Tony will be trekking across the north of England from St Bee's Beach in Cumbria to Robin Hood's Bay on the Yorkshire coast.

7.5/10

A poignant and humorous film telling the life story of the hugely popular author of the discworld series of books, in his own words.

8.2/10

Hosted by actor and historian Sir Tony Robinson, this one-off special tells the powerful and moving story of five men, all members of a unique volunteer army – the Sheffield City battalion – as it recounts the soldiers’ last days, leaving their homes and loved ones to go and serve alongside their friends and neighbours, completely unaware of what lay ahead of them. Central to the programme is the story of Private Frank Meakin, who recorded his unique personal testimony of the war. Frank and his friends could never have anticipated what they would experience, but 100 years on we know in detail, thanks to his diary – an account that shouldn’t have existed, because keeping one was forbidden for servicemen on active duty on the Western Front. Frank’s diary, which was smuggled back from the Front, reveals the intimate details and dramatic stories of one battalion – and one British city – in the words of one man.

Sir Tony Robinson, the history presenter and former Black Adder star, tells the story of the Great War. How it started, how it changed the world and how it finished with a 100 day flourish of military brilliance, which finally put an end to four years of incompetence and slaughter. With the aid of hundreds of amazing archived 3D images of the Great War which chronicle WWI from start to finish and breathe new life into the story, Tony Robinson's World War I allows modern audiences to see the war in a completely new way. Robinson will also show how the Great War changed British people for generations to come – liberating large portions of the working class, powering the rise of the Labour party and breaking the old ties of service to the aristocracy.

8.7/10

Ten celebrities are about to leave their 21st century lives and everything they know behind to become time travellers. Our ten intrepid travellers will crash into six very different eras of British history and have no idea where – or when – they're going. They will spend a day immersed in each era, living, working, dressing and eating as the ‘lower' classes did whilst attempting to follow orders and fulfil a task set by their superiors. Will they be able to survive history and will they be able to leave their smartphones behind?

8.3/10

In this series Tony Robinson explores the true story of the factory workers whose blood, sweat and toil forged the Industrial Revolution. He finds out how they rose up to launch a wave of social change that laid the foundation for the country we know today. His investigation focuses on Quarry Bank Mill in Cheshire – the inspiration for Channel 4s drama series The Mill. Quarry Banks buildings and machinery are remarkably well preserved and its original records from the 19th century are almost entirely intact. Together, these unique resources reveal the stories of the men, women and children who toiled in the mill.

6/10

Tony Robinson goes for a walk through some of Britain's beautiful and historic landscapes.

8.1/10

Join Tony Robinson as he ventures into the country's extraordinary and fiery past, revealing how our islands were forged from molten rock, volcanic explosions, ice and seismic upheaval.

7.6/10

Documentary which takes a fantastic voyage through the rich heritage of science TV in the UK, from the real science of The Sky at Night to the science fiction of Doctor Who.

7.3/10

Big Top was a BBC television situation comedy series which first aired on 25 November 2009 and was set in and around a travelling circus, the show aired on BBC One and BBC HD simultaneously. The series revolved around the performers and backstage staff of Circus Maestro. The series consisted of six episodes, each thirty minutes in length. Big Top was not recommissioned for a second series and was formally cancelled by the BBC in February 2010.

3.4/10

Man on Earth is a four-part British documentary television series presented by Tony Robinson. The programme documents the effects of climate change across 200,000 years of human history. The series premiered 7 December 2009 on Channel 4 with 1.4 million viewers. Accompanying Robinson to help explain the science are archaeologist Dr. Jago Cooper and climate modeller Dr. Joy Singarayer.

8.2/10

British show about possible x-files style stories.

This spectacular five-part series, presented by Tony Robinson, investigates the history of natural disasters, from the planet's beginnings to the present, putting a new perspective on our existence – that we are the product of catastrophe. Using the latest CGI effects and featuring scientific experts, the series reveals how the evolution of life on Earth has been shaped by lethal catastrophes that have caused mass extinctions, almost to the point of wiping out life altogether.

8/10

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

Tony Robinson's Crime and Punishment is a British documentary for Channel 4. In a four-part series, Tony Robinson goes on a fascinating and sometimes bizarre journey to discover the origins of our laws and what we do to people when they break them. From trials by boiling water, through the decapitation of a king, to the emergence of our modern democracy, it is a journey that starts two thousand years ago and remains unfinished today. It aired on Australian screens in 2009 on ABC1.

7.8/10

We Are Most Amused was a gala event held at the New Wimbledon Theatre on 12 November 2008 in honour of the 60th birthday of Charles, Prince of Wales, in aid of The Prince's Trust. Prince Charles attended the event with his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall and younger son Prince Harry. The show had a similar format to the Royal Variety Show and showcased a variety of comedy acts. The performance was televised by ITV to the public on 15 November 2008. Robin Williams made his first UK stage appearance in more than 25 years. Tickets were sold to the general public and the event sold out in one hour.

It had to happen. Having spent years of his working life uttering the phrase "I have a cunning plan..." Tony Robinson started to believe it. His magnificent ruse – to tour the UK with a one-man show which will make you laugh, cry, sing along and retch but will also answer the question uppermost on everybody's minds: - How did a man who made his name as a stinking, turnip-loving simpleton crawling through the trenches with Rowan Atkinson in Blackadder, hit the big time by grubbing around in the mud, alongside men with dubious fashion sense in Time Team, before achieving superstar status by rolling up his trousers to wade through urine in The Worst Jobs in History?

6.3/10

Codex is a quiz show set inside the British Museum and presented by Tony Robinson. It has been shortlisted for the gameshow Rose d'Or at the 2008 Lucerne Television Festival. It is made by Diverse Production for Channel 4.

On the night before Hogswatch, the holiday where kids anticipate presents from the beloved Hogfather, Death notices that the Hogfather's life-timer is lying broken on the floor of his castle. Could it be that Hogswatch will not happen this year?

7.5/10

Tony Robinson examines the claims made in Dan Brown's best-selling novel, "The Da Vinci Code."

6.7/10

Spider-Plant Man is a parody of Spider-Man, made for the Comic Relief 2005 appeal and aired on BBC One. It featured Rowan Atkinson as Peter Piper/Spider-Plant Man and Rachel Stevens as his love-interest Jane-Mary (parodying Mary-Jane Watson). Jim Broadbent also made an appearance, portraying Batman, and Tony Robinson as Robin.

6.4/10

The Worst Jobs in History is a British television series hosted by Tony Robinson on Channel 4. The second series was shown in March 2006 on History Television in Canada, then in April 2006 on Channel 4 in the UK. The first season is also shown with some regularity on History International. Tony Robinson tries his hand at each of the jobs, ultimately nominating which one he thought was the worst in each programme.

8.3/10

Tony Robinson explores the major uprising across large parts of England in 1381; it's origins, motives and aftermath.

Who was the real Robin Hood? This age-old question and many more are answered in this exciting documentary. Come and explore the true story behind the beloved myth of Robin Hood the outlawed hero who famously stole from the rich and gave to the poor. In it you will track down the legend of the myth, its origins, and its many interpretations over the years; take a trip back to medieval times and visit the real Robin Hood country; and examine the far-reaching influences the Robin Hood legend has had throughout popular culture. With a myth so famously enduring and intriguing as its subject, this documentary will prove to be both satisfying and fascinating for anyone interested in Robin Hood.

4/10

After her husband's death, A woman starts looking for independence.

6.5/10

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

When Professor Henry Jones Sr. is invited to give lectures all over the world in May 1908, he takes along his wife and son, and invites his former tutor Miss Helen Seymour to teach Henry Jr. during the trip. Their first stop is Cairo, Egypt. When Junior, who prefers to be called 'Indy' and Miss Seymour visit the pyramids, they are invited by T.E. Lawrence (another former student of hers) to join an archaeological dig. When the mummy disappears and a priceless headpiece is stolen, young Indy gets his first taste of adventure. On their next stop in Tangiers, the family stays with Professor Jones' former class mate Walter Harris. Indy befriends a young slave named Omar who belongs to Emily Keen. The two of them get into trouble when they Indy insists on visiting the market place to see a salted head displayed on a pole. Caught by slave traders, they are end up at an auction from which only Harris can attempt to rescue them.

6.8/10

Set inside the crumbling walls of a dilapidated Victorian sanatorium, eight mysterious characters reveal their secret stories to the visiting camera. The eight are linked by one unifying and crucial event in their lives: each of them has had an encounter with Jesus of Nazareth in some way — an experience that has left an indelible mark.

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

In this magical tale, two children, Nellie and George, are sent to stay at a country house while their parents are moving. While exploring the local forest, George mysteriously disappears into Faery Land. With the help of a friendly hobgoblin named Broom, Nellie eventually finds George playing with faeries. Since he has just eaten some of their food, he is bound by faerie law to remain in Faery Land forever. Nellie agrees to complete three tasks in return for her brother's freedom.

5.5/10

Airline is a fly on the wall television programme, produced in the United Kingdom that showcases the daily happenings of passengers, ground workers and on-board staff of Britannia and later EasyJet. The show was broadcast between 1998 and 2006 on ITV, is often repeated on ITV2 and shown on syndication on Pick TV. The programme's success sparked a US version of the series, following American low-cost airline Southwest Airlines.

6.8/10

Albert the Fifth Musketeer is a French animated series based on the story of the Three Musketeers. It is a France Animation and Cinar, Franco-Canadian co-production, for Ravensburger and Children's BBC in association with France 3 and Canal+.

6.8/10

A young boy must restore order when a group of bullies steal the magical book that acts as a portal between Earth and the imaginary world of Fantasia.

3.2/10

Time Team is a British television series which has been aired on British Channel 4 from 1994. Created by television producer Tim Taylor and presented by actor Tony Robinson, each episode featured a team of specialists carrying out an archaeological dig over a period of three days, with Robinson explaining the process in layman's terms. This team of specialists changed throughout the series' run, although has consistently included professional archaeologists such as Mick Aston, Carenza Lewis, Francis Pryor and Phil Harding. The sites excavated over the show's run have ranged in date from the Palaeolithic right through to the Second World War. In October 2012 Channel 4 announced that the final series would be broadcast in 2013. Series 20 was screened in January–March 2013 and a number of specials are planned to be screened into 2014.

8.5/10

Teenage Health Freak is a British teen comedy-drama about the life and travails of a socially awkward teenager as he goes through life. It is best known for featuring the actress Liza Walker and the actor Alex Langdon. It was based on the book Diary of a Teenage Health Freak, by Dr. Ann McPherson and Dr. Aidan Macfarlane.

8.1/10

Maid Marian and her Merry Men is a British children's sitcom created and written by Tony Robinson and directed by David Bell. It began in 1989 on BBC One and ran for four series, with the last episode shown in 1994. The show was a partially musical comic retelling of the legend of Robin Hood, placing Maid Marian in the role of leader of the Merry Men, and reducing Robin to an incompetent ex-tailor. The programme was much appreciated by children and adults alike, and has been likened to Blackadder, not only for its historical setting and the presence of Tony Robinson, but also for its comic style. It is more surreal than Blackadder, however, and drops even more anachronisms. Many of the show's cast such as Howard Lew Lewis, Forbes Collins, Ramsay Gilderdale and Patsy Byrne had previously appeared in various episodes of Blackadder alongside Robinson. Like many British children's programmes, there is a lot of social commentary sneakily inserted, as well as witty asides about the Royal family, buses running on time, etc. Many of the plots spoofed or referenced film and television shows including other incarnations of Robin Hood in those mediums.

7.9/10

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

Twins June and Jennifer Gibbons speak only to each other in a language of their own creation. As young teens, they commit a violent crime. After 14 years in Broadmoor Psychiatric Institution, freedom visits them in a mysterious way.

7.3/10

Part of Sweet Disaster; a 1986 series of short films made for Channel 4. It consists of "animated visions of the apocalypse".

Dark animation examining the thin line between human definitions of war and peace.

6.4/10

Agamemnon returns home from the Trojan war and is murdered by his wife, setting off a chain of revenge that stretches across this trilogy of play. Directed by Peter Brook for the National Theatre, this is an all-male performance with masks.

9/10

In the Middle Ages, Prince Edmund the Black Adder constantly schemes and endeavors to seize the crown from his father and brother.

8.1/10

"The British Brothers leave Hackney at 4.30 today and will march with bands and banners through the Jewish quarters of White-chapel and Bethnal Green." The story of Jewish immigrants in London's East End in the early 20th century.

Television production of a Nativity play for children which sees Gabby (the angel Gabriel) and his fellow angels help Mary, Joseph and the Wiseman to follow their destiny.

A long-distance lorry driver; a spaceman; a volunteer under reduced environmental conditions; a man in solitary confinement: the discomfort of these people is shared by Doran - when he can't put his finger on the panic button.

Jim Brannigan is sent to London to bring back an American mobster who is being held for extradition but when he arrives he has been kidnapped which was set up by his lawyer. Brannigan in his American Irish way brings American law to the people of Scotland Yard in order to recapture this mobster with both a price tag on his head and a stuffy old London cop to contend with.

6.2/10
2%

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

Tony Robinson takes a look at the facts behind the myth of Shakespeare's Macbeth, and finds a quite different character and story to that created by the 'Bard of Avon'.

Britain's Real Monarch was a historical documentary presented by Tony Robinson first shown on Channel 4 on 3 January 2004. It has also been broadcast in Australia and in the United States. The documentary discusses the descendants of George Plantagenet, Duke of Clarence, and their claim to the throne of England.

7.8/10

Contrary to popular perception, Richard III, was loyal, fair and effective as a ruler- much more than the infamous one dimensional Shakesperian villain rumored to have murdered the "Princes in the Tower". Did he?

In the Tudor court of Elizabeth I, Lord Edmund Blackadder strives to win Her Majesty's favour while attempting to avoid a grisly fate should he offend her.

8.6/10

A celebratory documentary looking back at the 30 years since comedy legend Mr Bean landed on our screens. This documentary explores the magic behind this unlikely hero.