Britbox Movies 2023 (BBC IPLAYER,BBC Earth added), a list by Douglas McArthur

6.8

/288/

67

/17/

62

/5/

3.2

/1673/

Devoted scarecrows Betty O'Barley and Harry O'Hay are planning a wedding to remember. When Harry insists on leaving the farm to collect one last thing for their big day, smooth-talking Reginald Rake swoops in with plans of his own. Chaos follows, and soon Betty's in danger and everything's at risk. Can Harry get back in time and save the day?

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70

/1/

Explores the extraordinary six-year ordeal of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe - a British-Iranian dual national held in Tehran - as well as the tireless campaign by her husband, Richard Ratcliffe, to bring her home. This documentary offers the real-life account - an emotional, human story of wrongful detention, resilience, and love. With exclusive access to former hostages and key political decision-makers, Prisoner 951: The Hostages’ Story offers a rare look at the toll of being used as leverage in political negotiations between states. The film lays bare how authoritarian regimes are increasingly using foreign nationals as geopolitical bargaining chips. Through the lens of Nazanin’s six-year imprisonment in Iran, the film examines the wider pattern of wrongful detention, the international failure to prevent it, and the hidden costs to families, diplomacy, and justice.

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7.7

/13/

90

/1/

90

/1/

This groundbreaking documentary unlocks the hidden psychology of J.M.W. Turner through his 37,000 private sketches, drawings, and watercolours – an extraordinary archive that reveals the man behind the masterpieces. For the first time on television, these pages – Including erotic sketches previously thought to have been destroyed – are used as a window into Turner’s inner world, exposing his private thoughts, creative obsessions and emotional life. Rarely writing about himself, Turner left behind few clues to his personality. But in his sketchbooks, his restless imagination and vulnerabilities come vividly to life. They guide viewers through Turner’s life and art, revealing how his 37,000 sketches not only chart his creative evolution but also provide an unprecedented psychological portrait of a man both visionary and vulnerable.

77

15

7.8

/436/

78

/54/

86

/6/

3.8

/722/

Popcorn

69

/3/

Follow the final three years of Ozzy Osbourne's life as he and Sharon plan a return home after 25 years in LA and prepare for the ultimate farewell gig.

77

7.7

/406/

72

/16/

67

/4/

3.9

/2387/

83

/9/

RogerEbert

3.5

Librarians unite to combat book banning, defending intellectual freedom on democracy's frontlines amid unprecedented censorship in Texas, Florida, and beyond.

?

90

/1/

10

/1/

Virologist Dr Chris van Tulleken embarks on a global investigation into the hunt for the pathogen that could trigger the next pandemic and the cutting-edge science developed to tackle it. Known only as ‘Disease X’, it is shrouded in uncertainty. Its origin is unknown, how it could spread is unclear, but its impact could be much more severe than Covid-19. To uncover what Disease X might be, where it could emerge and what traits it needs to spread, Chris follows the paths of past deadly viruses. He visits the ground zero of the Nipah virus in Malaysia, which inspired the film Contagion. He also heads to the front line of the ongoing bird flu outbreak in US dairy cattle in California.

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6.5

/23/

66

/3/

70

/1/

Made to mark the 80th anniversary of the first nuclear weapons being detonated over Japan in August 1945, this documentary uses colourised black and white photographs and reels of film capturing the project that developed the atomic bomb.

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7.3

/25/

76

/3/

100

/1/

On the Pacific front, towards the end of World War II, Japan's imperial armed forces launched 'kamikaze' attacks - suicide missions by aircraft laden with bombs. It was a mad operation with no hope of returning alive, but the nation went wild, and the attacks continued for ten months, literally until the very last day of the war. Close to 4,000 Japanese airmen died, and nearly 7,000 Allied military personnel were killed, and thousands more were injured by the attacks. How could this happen? Utilising 15 years' worth of extensive interviews with US and Japanese World War II veterans, Takayuki Oshima’s film delves into the mechanism of how a crazed madness swept through an entire nation.

75

26

7.5

/987/

80

/47/

77

/8/

3.5

/1334/

The Mitchell family deal with the devastating aftermath of an act of sexual abuse committed by a member of their own family who, after two years, is about to leave prison.

?

It was a killing that shocked India: Punjabi hip-hop legend Sidhu Moose Wala shot dead by hired hitmen in the pay of gangsters. Three years after the murder, BBC Eye investigates how one of India’s biggest music stars found himself on the wrong side of the country’s most feared gang — and asks the fugitive gangster who says he ordered the hit: why did he want Moose Wala dead?

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6.5

/43/

70

/1/

80

/1/

A look inside one of the most brutal campaigns of state repression in modern history - told by those who endured it and those who enforced it.

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Documentary following Joe Allen through a season like no other.

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6.6

/10/

80

/2/

On 21 December 1988, passenger jet Pan Am 103 was blown up over the small Scottish town of Lockerbie, killing 259 on board and 11 on the ground. It was the UK’s largest crime scene and remains the deadliest terrorist attack on British soil. In this documentary, families and loved ones, most of whom are speaking for the first time, tell the deeply personal stories of six victims, each with their own hopes and dreams.

65

36

6.8

/1185/

67

/151/

63

/13/

3.2

/4913/

A Titanic dive. A fatal implosion. Five lives lost. As the world watched, investigators raced to uncover the truth behind the disaster. But was this more than a tragic accident?

?

8.0

/47/

60

/1/

When Bradford City FC met Lincoln City on 11 May 1985 for the final game of the season, what everyone hoped to remember was the carnival atmosphere in the stadium. But what happened at the end of a goalless first half was instead the stuff of nightmares. A fire, believed to have been started by a discarded cigarette or match, engulfed one of the old wooden stands. 56 lives were lost, and the event made headlines around the world as the city and the nation struggled to confront the enormity of the loss to Bradford. The prime minister, Margaret Thatcher, travelled to the scene of the disaster as the media looked to someone to blame, and a senior judge was appointed to launch an inquiry. The findings would have a long-lasting impact on safety at football matches in Britain and around the world. With access to survivors, family members of those lost and emergency service first responders, this film aims to relive a largely forgotten tragedy

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7.9

/39/

70

/4/

80

/1/

Tells the extraordinary story of Anita Lasker-Wallfisch who, along with other victims of Auschwitz, played and created music amidst the terrors of the Holocaust.

?

3.5

/85/

100

/2/

Five years since the murder of George Floyd – the police killing that set America on fire with rage and sparked a wave of protests around the world, director Kwabena Oppong's film explores one of the most important and defining events in modern history. Featuring ground-breaking interviews with members of George Floyd’s family, the Minneapolis Police Chief who took the bold step of testifying against one of his own officers, Boris Johnson’s advisor on race Samuel Kasumu, and Sal Naseem the former Regional Director for London at the IOPC, as well as cultural figures Che Lingo, Nathalie Emmanuel, broadcasters Andi and Miquita Oliver and Munya Chawawa.

?

N/A

82

63

8.2

/2386/

82

/220/

86

/30/

4.2

/15239/

94

/62/

68

/12/

14 years after his first visit, Louis Theroux meets some of the growing community of religious-nationalist Israelis who have settled in the occupied West Bank.

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8.4

/97/

83

/3/

46

/7/

In the most personal and unflinching film of his career, historian Simon Schama confronts the enormity of the Holocaust and the catastrophe experienced by its victims. In a journey that ends with his first visit to Auschwitz, Simon travels across the Continent to explore how the Holocaust was far more than a Nazi obsession that played out in gas chambers, but a European-wide crime of complicity. From bullets in the Lithuanian lands of his ancestors to bureaucracy in the Netherlands, he reveals how deep-rooted prejudice was weaponised to turn people against their Jewish neighbours. As a moving interview with a survivor reveals, the story of how ‘evil comes step by step’ remains powerfully relevant today.

72

55

7.1

/2196/

68

/89/

67

/22/

3.4

/3669/

89

/27/

89

/31/

54

/6/

In the Welsh town of Port Talbot, 1942, Richard Jenkins lives as a wayward schoolboy, caught between the pressures of his struggling family, a devastating war and his own ambitions. However, a new opportunity arises when Richard’s natural talent for drama catches the attention of his teacher, Philip Burton.

80

17

8.3

/286/

78

/39/

81

/8/

3.9

/711/

The story of two soldier-cameramen, Sgt Mike Lewis and Sgt Bill Lawrie, who witnessed the liberation of Belsen during the closing days of World War II.

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5.6

/7/

80

/1/

A look at the life and work of television producer Innes Lloyd

74

36

7.1

/218/

67

/8/

79

/4/

3.5

/1089/

88

/16/

70

/43/

Twiggy takes a comprehensive look at the life story of UK model and cultural icon Twiggy, real name Lesley Lawson, whose career kickstarted in the 1960s. It features interviews with Twiggy and her husband Leigh Lawson, as well as commentary from Erin O’Connor, Paul McCartney, Lulu, Poppy Delavigne, Brooke Shields, Pattie Boyd and Zandra Rhodes.

76

21

6.3

/71/

67

/7/

100

/1/

67

/100/

85

/14/

Idris Elba confronts the reality of knife crime, speaking to those most affected - from the streets to the system - in a quest to uncover how we can break the cycle.

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6.2

/89/

80

/3/

70

/1/

The last weeks in the Nazi concentration camp revealed through the touching stories of survivors such as Eva Kor and Samuel Modiano. Between suffering and resistance, the documentary explores human courage in inhumane conditions, revealing the hope that flourished even in the darkest moments. A powerful tribute to memory and freedom, essential for not forgetting.

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80

/2/

70

/2/

N/A

?

7.1

/28/

57

/4/

60

/1/

Marking the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, journalist Jordan Dunbar meets survivors of the holocaust and travels to visit the camp.

79

20

8.1

/188/

Trakt

77

/16/

80

/3/

4.0

/1485/

An uplifting and touching documentary special which tells the story of one of Britain's best loved sitcoms as it comes to an end after 17 years. Featuring unprecedented access to creators James Corden and Ruth Jones as well as the cast and crew, including filming the final episode as they all say goodbye to the much-cherished show.

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80

/1/

A centenary celebration of the life and legacy of Rikki Fulton, one of Scotland’s most beloved comic actors. Ashley Jensen narrates an affectionate tribute to one of Scotland’s funniest comedians, Rikki Fulton. It’s 100 years since Rikki first made an entrance on to the world stage and 20 years since he bowed out. For decades, he’s been making the nation laugh with his rubber face, razor sharp wit and laconic demeanour. His influence is still felt in new generations of comics, and clips of his sketches still make us laugh to this day.

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Phenomenal talent, unwavering passion and a legendary will to win. Friends and foes on the incredible career of Sir Alex Ferguson - Britain's most decorated football manager.

62

15

6.2

/349/

62

/33/

66

/5/

3.0

/1165/

A small fish with a big imagination gets lost in the deep wide ocean, until he is saved by his own storytelling.

?

6.4

/27/

100

/1/

N/A

?

80

/1/

Seventeen years after Gavin & Stacey begun, the series comes to an end with a 90-minute finale. Before the final episode, the last we saw of Nessa and Smithy was in the 2019 Christmas special, where Nessa went down on one knee, asking Smithy to marry her. The BBC's Colin Paterson went behind the scenes during the filming of the last episode.

70

?

7.7

/7/

71

/10/

72

/4/

3.7

/389/

39

/18/

87

/6/

Doctor Who fan favourite Catherine Tate presents a concert of music, monsters and mayhem featuring soundtracks from the iconic series, a specially shot feature for the Fifteenth Doctor and a host of scary aliens as they thrill a packed audience at London's Royal Albert Hall. In a concert like no other in time and space, the much-loved music, performed by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, is accompanied by specially edited sequences from the series.

75

15

7.8

/88/

81

/8/

62

/4/

4.0

/1027/

This documentary tells the story of one of TV's darkest and most celebrated comedies, featuring cast interviews and extensive candid moments with creators Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton. Cameras are admitted everywhere throughout the making of the show's final series, from the writers' room to the makeup trailer, from prop store to set design, making this the perfect farewell to the multi-award winning series.

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60

/2/

40

/1/

Dame Mary Berry is joined by Amanda Holden, Oti Mabuse and Nick Grimshaw in a beautifully festive coastal setting to create delicious gifts for family and friends this Christmas.

82

7.5

/40145/

76

/2939/

75

/590/

3.8

/432884/

100

/138/

90

/278/

83

/31/

RogerEbert

3.5

age 7+

Gromit’s concern that Wallace is becoming too dependent on his inventions proves justified, when Wallace invents a “smart” gnome that seems to develop a mind of its own. When it emerges that a vengeful figure from the past might be masterminding things, it falls to Gromit to battle sinister forces and save his master… or Wallace may never be able to invent again!

72

29

7.1

/434/

80

/75/

65

/13/

3.6

/1799/

The story of how George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley's Wham! turned one song into a cultural phenomenon. As well as new interviews with Wham! fans and friends, figures such as Mary J Blige, Sir Bob Geldof, Neil Tennant and Sam Smith give their views on the song's themes of unrequited love and loss.

79

7.3

/10781/

76

/1348/

73

/147/

3.8

/80483/

100

/12/

81

/46/

Pioneering documentary maker Philomena Cunk returns with her most ambitious quest to date: venturing right up the universe and everything to examine life and existence in an attempt to find out the point of it all. Along the way, she interrogates experts on subjects from the big bang to biology and art to artificial intelligence. Really get to the nub of it.

76

39

7.2

/481/

65

/20/

3.6

/1199/

94

/16/

85

/2/

72

/4/

Nelly and Nadine meet in Ravensbrück concentration camp. They spend the rest of their lives together. Decades later, Nelly’s granddaughter goes in search of clues. A poignant film about a love story and the need for individual and collective remembrance.

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It’s time for a return trip through the best of the BBC’s music archives, celebrating more of the songs that are so good, other artists haven’t be able to resist recording their own versions. This extravaganza features the best in pop, rock and soul from the past five decades and features artists ranging from Adele and Annie Lennox to Happy Mondays and Manic Street Preachers.

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85

/2/

Ten soldiers from the Welsh Guards share their untold stories from the front line of the war in Afghanistan during the bloodiest summer for the British armed forces in half a century.

82

7.5

/4315/

76

/242/

76

/78/

4.0

/22553/

99

/72/

81

/13/

82

/18/

RogerEbert

3.5

Journalist Shiori Ito embarks on a courageous investigation of her own sexual assault in an improbable attempt to prosecute her high-profile offender. Her quest becomes a landmark case in Japan, exposing the country's outdated judicial and societal systems.

?

6.8

/11/

80

/1/

The Hunt for Lady Olive and the German Submarine follows the tenacious work of a dedicated team of historians, divers and researchers as they push to find the truth of the lost submarine and its crew, trapped inside over a century ago.

?

After signing up for a literal elevator pitch, a screenwriter grapples with the conflicting advice from three very different producers.

72

?

7.3

/78/

72

/4/

3.6

/503/

Chronicling Scottish girl bands from the 1960s to present, a scrapbook of pop music unveils challenges faced in a male-dominated industry. A colourful mixtape of unheard demos, lost archive and rare performances.

65

32

6.8

/1327/

66

/86/

62

/8/

3.4

/1546/

78

/9/