Portillo's State Secrets Season 1 poster

Portillo's State Secrets — Season 1

201510 episodes

About this season

Michael Portillo takes a look through the national archives to discover different stories that have been hidden in previously classified documents.

Episodes (10)

Crime and Punishment
E1

1. Crime and Punishment

Aired 23 March 2015

Michael discovers the secret files of Britain's last hangman, takes a look at private letters sent to Sherlock Holmes, and examines the hidden history of murderer Dr Crippen.

Tyrants
E2

2. Tyrants

Aired 24 March 2015

Michael discovers Hitler's hidden medical files and looks at the Christmas cards sent to an African dictator. He also finds the details of an incredible shopping list by Henry VIII.

Celebrity and Scandals
E3

3. Celebrity and Scandals

Aired 25 March 2015

Michael finds out about the secret war on the Rolling Stones and how Special Branch spied on a future king.

Mysteries
E4

4. Mysteries

Aired 26 March 2015

Michael learns about the original letter that gave birth to Jack the Ripper and he also finds out about the mysterious disappearance of a wartime hero.

Sport and Politics
E5

5. Sport and Politics

Aired 27 March 2015

Michael learns about the secret documents that show why the country didn’t boycott Hitler’s Olympics and he finds out about Churchill’s attempt to ban the world’s first black heavyweight champion.

Traitors and Spies
E6

6. Traitors and Spies

Aired 30 March 2015

Michael learns about the secret documents that relate to some of the country's traitors.

Monarchy
E7

7. Monarchy

Aired 31 March 2015

Michael takes a look at files from the National Archives that relate to the monarchy as he learns about a speech that would have been read by the Queen in the event of a Third World War happening.

Banned
E8

8. Banned

Aired 1 April 2015

Michael finds out about the state’s strategy on Scientology and learns how bull running was banned in the United Kingdom.

On Trial
E9

9. On Trial

Aired 2 April 2015

Michael takes a look at how Mary Whitehouse defended God in a court of law and learns more about the last woman to be imprisoned under the Witchcraft Acts.

National Security
E10

10. National Security

Aired 3 April 2015

Michael finds out the secret memos behind the SAS’s most daring raid and takes a look at a bloody conspiracy to overthrow the government.

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