Lucy Worsley Investigates

The Black Death struck in 1348 killing an astonishing three million people, half of Britain’s population at the time. Where did it start, how was it treated and what changes did it inflict on the country? Lucy Worsley examines the latest science and explores how the massive death toll affected religious beliefs, class structure, work and women in this extraordinary history documentary.

We all think we know what we mean by a witch, but behind the clichés of pointy hats and broomsticks lies a terrifying history that’s largely forgotten. 400 years ago, thousands of ordinary people, most of them women, were hunted down, tortured and killed in witch hunts across Britain. In this fascinating history documentary, Lucy Worsley investigates what lay behind these horrifying events.

True crime is often thought of as a recent obsession. Lucy Worsley investigates the phenomenon through one of the world's most infamous serial killers: Jack the Ripper. She uncovers a story which goes beyond a single murderer and his five victims, to a burgeoning newspaper industry desperate for readers and a Victorian society tantalized by the Rippers hideous crimes.

In 1605, a group of radical Catholic conspirators, including Guy Fawkes, came within hours of blowing up the Houses of Parliament. Had they not been stopped, they could have changed British history entirely. Lucy Worsley investigates what drove them to attempt such an audacious act. She looks at the motivations of the plotters, and visits the room where Guy Fawkes finally faced his interrogators.