About this season
How did a small island once rule over a quarter of the world's population? This shared history still shapes us today - and billions of people are part of its story.
Episodes (3)
E1
1. Episode 1
3.3Aired 7 November 2025 • 59 min
David Olusoga tells the story of the British Empire, from its origins under Elizabeth I to the establishment of colonies in America, the Caribbean and India.
E2
2. Episode 2
2.0Aired 14 November 2025 • 59 min
David Olusoga reveals how the loss of the American colonies led to the colonisation of Australia and how the Indian indenture system was established.
E3
3. Episode 3
2.0Aired 21 November 2025 • 59 min
David Olusoga reveals how the Empire reached its maximum size after the First World War but within a generation had begun to collapse, as he uncovers the story of decolonisation.