About this season
Secret History was a long-running British television documentary series. Shown on Channel 4, the Secret History brandname was used as a banner title in the UK, but many of the individual documentaries can still be found on US cable channels without the branding. It can be seen as Channel 4's answer to the BBC's Timewatch.
Episodes (9)
1. Shakespeare's Tomb
Aired 19 April 2016
Documentary focuses on investigating mysteries of burial grounds of William Shakespeare led by noted historian Dr. Helen Castor.
2. The Mystery of the Crossrail Skulls
Aired 26 April 2016
Engineers digging for Crossrail have made a chilling discovery: dozens of skulls under London's Liverpool Street station. It's clear the skulls are from Roman London, but nothing like this has been found before. This documentary unravels the mystery, using ground-breaking archaeological investigation. Who are these people and how did their skulls get there? There are many theories: they could be victims of a massacre, or gladiators; they could have naturally washed out of cemeteries in times of peace or be executed rebels; they could even be the victims of some grisly, long-lost ritual. Now the tools are available to solve the mystery. The investigation covers Boudicca's rebellion, the bloody gladiatorial arena, and head-hunting sites in France. Does the investigation answer the mystery of the Crossrail skulls?
3. Jutland - WW1's Greatest Sea Battle
Aired 21 May 2016
Thousands of British sailors died in the Battle of Jutland. It has been plagued by controversy ever since. This Secret History film joins a landmark expedition to uncover the truth about the battle.
4. Messages Home - Lost Films of the British Army
Aired 26 June 2016
5. China's Forgotten Emperor
Aired 3 July 2016
For 1300 years, Wu Zetian - China's only female Emperor - has been remembered as a callous tyrant who brought calamity to China. But new discoveries paint a very different picture of her reign.
6. Saddam Goes to Hollywood
Aired 24 July 2016
7. Heroes of Helmand - The British Army's Greatest Escape
Aired 16 August 2016
8. Secrets of a Police Marksman
Aired 18 August 2016
9. The Good Terrorist
Aired 27 August 2016