Channel 5 Orders Raft of History Titles

Channel 5 is set to boost its slate of specialist-factual programming with the commission of eight new history series.

Lion TV has been commissioned to produce five of the series, which will largely focus on the Tudor period. Titles include Anne Boleyn: Arrest, Trial, Execution, Thomas Cromwell, Kensington: The Secret Palace, Inside Hampton Court: The Ultimate Royal Retreat and a third season of Inside the Tower of London. The production team has been granted special behind-the-scenes access to Kensington Palace, Hampton Court and the Tower of London to create the series.

Meanwhile, ITN Productions will produce three biographies of notable British historical figures in 3×120-minute programs—Nelson, Lawrence of Arabia and Brunel. Each film will explore their achievements and controversies, with experts and historians exploring and reappraising their characters.

Ben Frow, director of programs at ViacomCBS Networks International, said: “History is a key staple of our schedule and we’re becoming ever more adept at making historical subjects and key figures accessible to a broad audience, creating exciting event programming in the process. It’s testament to the strength of Channel 5’s history output that we have secured special access to a number of historic institutions, enabling us to keep our audience enthralled with all the secrets that lie behind closed doors.”