The series begins with leaders, and sees a well-known figure, passionate about the subject, examining the achievements and legacies of the people whose decisions affect all our lives. 20th century leaders oversaw great victories, unimaginable hardships, sweeping social change, and the worst conflicts in human history. This film charts some of the qualities that made the century's most iconic leaders stand out, and we quickly learn that the scale of their responsibilities at times of great social change mean that their legacies are often far from straightforward. The programme also demonstrates how leadership changed over the course of 100 years - and the role emerging communication technologies played in that shift. In part because of what we wanted from them - our rulers went from men of empire, determined to maintain an established world order - to people with newly found freedoms, equally determined to start a new way of doing things. Newly emerging technologies affected what we saw and heard of the people in charge - and what we wanted from them. Trevor examines the lives of Winston Churchill, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Margaret Thatcher and Nelson Mandela. He discovers exactly what made each of them stand out, and how we are still living with their legacies to this day. Churchill - From the battlefields of the Boer war, to the blitzed streets of wartime London, Trevor examines the qualities that made Churchill such a towering figure in 20th Century leadership. Roosevelt - Paralysed from the waist down, FDR's bold social and economic reforms turned a country on the brink of catastrophe into a superpower, and helped end World War Two along the way. Thatcher - Britain's first female prime minister, Thatcher was marked out not only by her gender, but for pushing through reforms so bold they have shaped the political landscape ever since. Mandela - At the trial that saw him sent to prison, Mandela made a speech that galvanised international c
The second in series charts the story of exploration in the 20th century. 20th-century exploration began with flag planting in the name of empire, and over the decades, improvements in technology saw explorers take on greater and greater challenges - pursuing prizes from the poles, to the highest points on earth - and beyond. The incredible individuals who took humankind to the limits of what was thought possible also oversaw an evolution - as time went on exploration went from a tool of empire, to one of cultural discovery and conservation. The story of exploration in the 20th century is one that took us from conquest to understanding. As well as displaying almost superhuman bravery and courage, each of the four icons helped us see our world differently - far from being simply a race to the biggest prizes, some of the most valuable lessons learned from 20th Century explorers are not about unknown wonders, but about appreciating and preserving the world around us. Dermot examines the lives of Ernest Shackleton, Gertrude Bell, Neil Armstrong and Jane Goodall. He uncovers their greatest achievements and explores their legacies. Shackleton - From the Heroic Age of Exploration, Shackleton was not famed for a glorious victory, but his extraordinary humanity in the face of what might haven been one of exploration's greatest disasters. Bell - Almost erased from history, Bell was a trailblazing adventurer and spent years learning about the intricate politics of the Middle-East before becoming the first woman to work for British Intelligence. Armstrong - A daring test pilot and Korean War veteran, Armstrong became the focus of the whole world when he stepped out onto the moon and gave us a new perspective on the earth. Goodall - The first person to successfully study chimps in the wild, Goodall set out to explore and chart the chimpanzees in their natural habitat in a remote part of Tanzania, and over the course of the next 40 years her work redefined
This episode sees naturalist Chris Packham assess the lives of the 20th century's greatest scientists. Chris examines the lives of Marie Curie, Albert Einstein, Alan Turing and Tu You You. He explores some of their most famous discoveries - as well as the lesser known human stories behind them - so often overshadowed by the scale and impact of their work. In the 20th century, advancements in science saw life expectancy double; they helped us advance technology in a way which would have been unimaginable just years before - they even meant we shook off gravity and left the Earth itself. The story of science in the 20th century is interwoven with some of the most urgent moments in the history of humanity, from wartime innovations that have cost - and saved - the lives of millions, to the worldwide fight against disease, and the battles to understand the very fabric of the universe. The four icons examined by this documentary each made significant contributions to mankind, but each was, in a way, an outsider. These icons were marginalised or persecuted for different reasons, be it their sexuality, gender or background - but they do share something in common. They were all people with the temerity to cast off the shackles of conventional thought and received wisdom, and to dare to approach things differently. What this film makes clear, is that these are not dusty and lifeless figures of the lab, but extraordinary human beings who often huge sacrifices for their work. They came from different fields - from medicine, chemistry, physics, and mathematics - but humanity owes each of them a great debt. Marie Curie discovered new elements, pioneered radiotherapy and was one of the first to examine the sub-atomic world, before a scandal saw her adopted homeland turn its back on her. Years later, France would owe her an enormous debt when she took to the front lines of the First World War with a fleet of mobile X-ray units. Einstein was a physicist who rewrote th
The fourth in the series, this episode charts the story of entertainment in the 20th century. This episode sees Hollywood star Kathleen Turner examine the achievements and legacies of four of the century's greatest entertainers. The story of entertainment in the 20th century ranged from vaudeville clowns to Space Oddities, and everything in between. This was 100 years where technological developments changed the face of entertainment forever - giving rise to our first movie stars, recording artists, and creating a cult of celebrity. In short, the 20th century was the 100 years in which we fell in love with the people who entertained us. These stars were each innovative and groundbreaking, but because we were the ones who placed them on their pedestal by going to see their films, buying their records or putting their posters on our walls, they belonged to us in a way that almost no other icons could. The four icons examined by this documentary were not only towering figures in their industries, but people who rebelled against the establishment, threatening to tear down social barriers which had been in place for generations. Each was seen as a threat by people who should have had the power to silence them, but were so adored by their fans that their unique talents instead went down in history. Kathleen examines the lives of Charlie Chaplin, Billie Holiday, Marilyn Monroe and David Bowie. She uncovers their greatest achievements and explores their legacies. Chaplin spent much of his childhood in poverty, before becoming the world's first international movie star. Chaplin took on the powers of the studio system, before using his most famous film, the Great Dictator, to send a powerful message about the dangers of fascism. Raised in abject poverty, Holiday's unique singing technique saw her become one of the world's great recording artists before she chose to shine a light on one of the darkest corners of humanity when she released Strange Fruit. Mar
Sanjeev Bhaskar explore the lives of the 20th century's greatest activists, examining the lives of Emmeline Pankhurst, Mahatma Gandhi, Helen Keller and Martin Luther King Jr. He'll assess the qualities that made them great, and the groundbreaking ways in which each of them fought for their causes. The 20th Century was the century of activism. It was a century in which a series of extraordinarily brave individuals encouraged whole swathes of society to throw off the shackles of oppression and get the rights they deserved. These activists spoke for those without a voice, often prepared to lay down their lives for the causes they believed in. At the beginning of the century, most women couldn't vote, empires ruled much of the planet and marginalised people across the world were being persecuted. The work of these four icons would help society take huge leaps forward. Clearly, there is much more to do in a pursuit of a world in which everyone is equal, but today's activists stand on the shoulders of these giants. Each of these four greats dared to step outside the expectations society had of them. They changed what the world thought possible for women, the subjugated, disabled people and African Americans, and in doing so advanced their causes exponentially. If it weren't for these four icons, history would be very different. Often softened and sanitised by history, this documentary reminds us that these people were firebrands, revolutionaries who were unafraid to risk everything for the advancement of their causes. Emmeline Pankhurst rallied women in one of the largest protests London had ever seen, before leading them in a campaign of militancy and vandalism, which would see her cause placed firmly at the top of the social agenda. Mahatma Gandhi employed non violent tactics of passive resistance in the face of the largest empire the world had ever known, he not only helped to secure independence for India, he created the blueprint for generations of activi
Clare Balding examine the achievements of four of the 20th century's most influential sports stars. Clare will be assessing the legacies of Pele, Muhammad Ali, Billie Jean King and Tanni Grey Thompson. Each of them transcended their sport, and had an impact on the century far beyond their professional record. As the 20th century began, sport largely belonged to those who could afford leisure time, and was often an amateur pursuit. By the year 2000, sport provided some of the most watched moments in human history - often uniting billions. The 20th century also saw records smashed and previously unimaginable sporting feats achieved. Increasingly, the work of our greatest sport stars highlighted urgent social issues. From the democratisation of sport to the battle for equal pay, the talents of these icons helped shape the world we know today. Pele was far more than just the greatest footballer of all time, he showed the world that anyone, from any background, could become the world's most renowned sports star - if they had the talent. He took the world by storm, helping to secure Brazil's sporting reputation and football's place as the sport of the 20th century. Muhammad Ali's talent and charisma secured the love of his fans, but his attitudes towards race, religion and America's role in the Vietnam War all challenged society. He boldly took up an anti-war stance that saw him banned from boxing for three years in his prime. Billie Jean King is tennis' greatest talents, and also a tireless campaigner for equality. She fought for prize-money parity, was instrumental in the first women's professional tennis tour, founded the Women's Tennis Association, and beat Bobby Riggs in the Battle of the Sexes. Tanni Grey-Thompson was born at a time when the physical and political landscape for disabled people was far from enlightened, she became one of Britain's most successful paralympians. She secured 16 paralympic medals (11 gold), smashed over 30 world records and
This episode sees actress Lily Cole examine four of the 20th century's greatest artists and writers. Lily explores the lives of Pablo Picasso, Virginia Woolf, Alfred Hitchcock and Andy Warhol - finding out what inspired their most celebrated works, and why they still resonate today. In the 20th century, history unfolded at a rate humanity could barely keep up with. Wars industrialised killing, science radically altered the way we live, and rampant consumerism and mass media swept across the planet. Helping us process these seismic shifts were a group of complex, sometimes dark geniuses: our artists and writers. Art had for a long time belonged largely to the elite, but in the 20th century it burst out of its gilt frame and into every aspect of our lives. These four icons each revolutionised their artform, unafraid to break with generations of convention. They sought to both reflect and change their times. Whether they were shining a light on the most brutal episodes of war, or holding up a mirror to the darkest aspects of post-war society, these four greats were unafraid to create bold and sometimes challenging work - work which forced society to take a long, hard look at itself. Cofounder of the Cubist movement, Pablo Picasso possessed extraordinary talent from an early age. He could have had a brilliant career as a traditional artist but he chose instead to rip up the artistic rule book, creating defiantly sensual and provocative pieces, and one of the most powerful and enduring images of conflict that the world has ever seen. Feminist, pacifist and trailblazer Virginia Woolf subverted expectations, both professionally and personally. She broke new ground in literature, was unafraid to write about mental health, and issued a rallying cry for artistic equality on behalf of women everywhere. Nicknamed the master of suspense, Hitchcock's career spanned six decades, and he was behind some of the most famous moments in cinema. Not only was Hitchcock a prodi
The live final of the series exploring the achievements of some of the greatest figures of the 20th century. The public vote for who they believe should be called the greatest.
