Ray’s History Radio & TV Picks. No.2016/43. 2 Dec 2016

Time Commanders
BBC Four: Mon 12 Dec 2016, 21.00 – 22.00. New series, 1 / 3
Hosted by Gregg Wallace, this show features ordinary members of the public who refight some of the most significant battles from history in an innovative mix of genuine history and game show competition. The first combat is a re-run of the Battle of Zama in 202 BC. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b084xym1

The Weapon Hunter
Discovery History: Tues 13 Dec 2016, 20.00 – 21.00. ( Sky 535, Virgin 262)
In a search for collectible artifacts and weapons, Paul Scull travels down south to examine American Civil War weapons. (First aired 2015)

Digging for Britain
BBC Four: Tues 13 Dec 2016, 21.00 – 22.00. 2 / 3
Alice Roberts heads to the north of Britain. Finds include evidence of the first Roman siege in Britain, including the biggest cache of Roman bullets discovered anywhere; and Britain’s most famous monastery, Lindisfarne. The team also explore the ancient Scottish man-made islands that entirely rewrite our understanding of Stone Age technology. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0851gnz

Six Wives with Lucy Worsley
BBC One: Wed 14 Dec 2016, 21.00 – 22.00. 2 / 3
In this second episode Lucy Worsley follows the end of Henry VIII’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon, made possible by Henry’s rejection of Catholicism. He marries his second wife, Anne Boleyn, and she gives birth to a baby girl, Elizabeth. But the romance soon turns sour … http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0854cjm

In Our Time: The Gin Craze
BBC Radio 4: Thu 15 Dec 2016, 9.00 – 9.45.
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the craze for gin in Britain in the 18th Century and the attempts to control it. With the arrival of William of Orange, it became an act of loyalty to drink Protestant, Dutch gin rather than Catholic brandy, and changes in tariffs made everyday beer less affordable.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b084zk6z

Vienna: Empire, Dynasty and Dream
BBC Four: Thu 15 Dec 2016, 21.00 – 22.00. 2 / 3
Simon Sebag Montefiore tells the story of Vienna triumphant, after the Ottoman threat receded at the end of the 17th century. The Habsburgs now vowed their empire and imperial capital would become the most glittering in the world. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p046dkrd

Close to the Enemy
BBC2: Thu 15 Dec 2016, 21.00 – 22.00. 6 / 7. (Repeated Fri 16 Dec 23.05 – 00.05)
In Stephen Poliakoff’s drama of the post-Second World War, Victor, still struggling to cope with the effects of the war, tries to expose the activities of Callum’s team. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b086028t

Sources: Radio Times / History Extra