David Pearson

BBC series exploring cultures around the world.

A BBC documentary film strand, with the focus on investigative journalism.

A unique and compelling account of the day that changed the modern world, captured by ordinary people who chose to pick up their cameras and film that fateful day.

Groundbreaking BBC series that follows transgender activist Julia Grant from her first year living as a woman to her experience of gender reassignment surgery and beyond.

Short-listed as one of the 15 best documentaries of the year, Mugabe And The White African is the story of one family's astonishing bravery as they fight to protect their property, their livelihood and their country. Mike Campbell is one of the few white farmers left in Zimbabwe since its leader, Robert Mugabe, enacted his disastrous land redistribution program. Once the breadbasket of Africa, Zimbabwe has since spiraled into chaos, the economy decimated as farms given to Mugabe cronies are run into ruin. After enduring years of intimidation and threats, Campbell decides to take action. Unable to call upon help from his country's authorities, he challenges Mugabe before an international court.

This fascinating documentary is based around the Japanese wrestling organisation Gaea's rural training camp, and traces, in the main, the careers of four hopefuls. In charge are two magnificent specimens, the butch champion Chigusa Nagayo, still venting her hurt at the hands of her army father as she tries to whip her surrogate daughters through the pain and commitment barriers; and her sophisticated and slightly menacing Chairman. It's a gruelling, physical film, as you would expect, but the makers don't make heavy weather of it. And it certainly disposes of any idea that the game is faked.

Writer Alan Bennett visits a hotel in the north of England, observes the guests, and reminisces about his experiences of staying in boarding-houses as a child.

Tim Piggot-Smith investigates the famous sleuth of 221b Baker Street.

Life on a remote Hebridean island. One young man emigrates to Glasgow hoping for a job and a brighter future.

Most people believe their home is their castle. But it isn't. If the council want it, it's theirs. Billy and Gordon Howard still believe Rose Cottage belongs to them. Barnsley Council knows better. It has placed a compulsory purchase order on the cottage and surrounding land. Legally the council is the owner. The bachelor brothers are 65 and 73. They are set in their ways and absolutely refuse to budge. They doggedly refuse to recognise the validity of an order confirmed by a Secretary of State. Their stance is a symbol of the impossibility of reconciling individual freedom with community needs. For when the bailiffs come, the brothers say they will shoot, rather than give up their birthright.