Secret History is a long-running British television documentary series. Shown on Channel 4, the Secret History brandname is still used as a banner title in the UK, but many of the individual documentaries can still be found on US cable channels without the branding. It can be seen as Channel 4's answer to the BBC's Timewatch. The series returned to Channel 4 on 10 November 2013 after a nine-year break.
Production According to Channel 4, Secret History is the home of single, hour-long history documentaries that shed new light on some of the most intriguing stories from the past. New evidence from excavation, research, and investigation reveal strange, forgotten stories and shed new light on the events we thought we knew well.Secret History Channel4.com. Retrieved 29 August 2009 The programmes challenge accepted views of key events in history. Sometimes concealed, sometimes manipulated by the media, the truth has been submerged behind the headlines and the propaganda. From Roman legions to Nazi television, the series re-examined contemporary evidence, focusing on often shocking first-hand accounts and the ground-breaking views of leading experts.Secret History Channel4.com. Retrieved 29 August 2009
In 1992, the show won the Royal Television Society award for Best Documentary Series.Secret History Summary tv.com. Retrieved 29 August 2009
Episodes Titles are linked to the main subject of each programme, where possible.
Series 1 "The Hidden Hand" (14 November 1991)Music by Andrew Claxton: Mike Preston. Tele-Tunes 1994: Television, Film & Show Music on CD, Cassette & Vinyl. 12th Edition. Mike Preston Music. Morecambe. 1994. ISBN 0906655110. p 118. "Unquiet Graves" (21 November 1991) "Ratlines" (28 November 1991) "Bloody Sunday" (5 December 1991) "Murder in Mississippi" (12 December 1991) "Prisoners of Propaganda" (19 December 1991)First UK screening of the 1987 documentary written and directed by Graham Shirley.
Series 2 "Deep Sleep" (29 June 1992)For reviews of this episode, see Peter Waymark, "Secret History: Deep Sleep", ("TV Choice") in "Television and Radio", The Times, 29 June 1992, "Life & Times" section, 29 June 1992, p 10. "Birds of Death" (6 July 1992)For a review of this episode, see Peter Waymark, "Secret History: Birds of Death", ("TV Choice") in "Television and Radio", The Times, 6 July 1992, "Life & Times" section, 6 July 1992, p 10; and Tim Kelsey, "RAF suppressed atrocity reports", The Independent, 5 July 1992. "Drowning by Bullets" (13 July 1992)For a review of this episode, see Peter Waymark, "Secret History: Drowning by Bullets", ("TV Choice") in "Television and Radio", The Times, 13 July 1992, "Life & Times" section, 13 July 1992, p 8. "The Last Days of Aldo Moro" (20 July 1992)For a review of this episode, see Peter Davalle, "Secret History: The Last Days of Aldo Moro", ("TV Choice") in "Television and Radio", The Times, 20 July 1992, "Life & Times" section, 20 July 1992, p 10. "The Hidden Holocaust" (27 July 1992)For reviews of this episode, see Stephanie Billen, "Secret History: The Hidden Holocaust", ("TV Choice") in "Television and Radio", The Times, 27 July 1992, "Life & Times" section, 27 July 1992, p 12; and Allison Pearson, "Euphemism goes for gold", The Independent, 1 August 1992. For commentary on this episode, see Allison Pearson, "When parting was such sweet sorrow: TV Programme of the Year", The Independent, 27 December 1992. "Death of a Democrat" (3 August 1992)For a review of this episode, see Peter Waymark, "Secret History: Death of a Democrat", ("TV Choice") in "Television and Radio", The Times, 3 August 1992, "Life & Times" section, 3 August 1992, p 14. "Bad Blood" (10 August 1992)For a review of this episode, see Peter Waymark, "Secret History: Bad Blood", ("TV Choice") in "Television and Radio", The Times, 10 August 1992, "Life & Times" section, 10 August 1992, p 12. "The Robert Kennedy Assassination" (17 August 1992)For reviews of this episode, see Stephanie Billen, "Secret History: The Robert Kennedy Assassination", ("TV Choice") in "Television and Radio", The Times, 17 August 1992, "Life & Times" section, 17 August 1992, p 12; and Thomas Sutcliffe, "Shot in the dark", The Independent, 17 August 1992 (this review was corrected at Thomas Sutcliffe, "Little grouse on the prairie", The Independent, 19 August 1992).
Series 3 "The Soviet Wives Affair" (20 January 1994)For a review of this episode, see Thomas Sutcliffe, "Letting off steam on the beaten track", The Independent, 21 January 1994. "White Lies" (27 January 1994)For a review of this episode, see Stephanie Billen, "Secret History: White Lies" in "Choice", The Times, 27 January 1994, p 43 "The Dambusters Raid" (3 February 1994)For reviews of this episode, see Stephanie Billen, "Secret History: The Dambusters' Raid" in "Choice", The Times, 3 February 1994, p 43; and Thomas Sutcliffe, "Dambusters have gone from history to myth", The Independent, 4 February 1994. "Dead or Alive?" (10 February 1994)For a review of this episode, see Peter Waymark, "Secret History: Dead or Alive?" in "Choice", The Times, 10 February 1994, p 43 "The Lynchburg Story" (17 February 1994)For a review of this episode, see Peter Waymark, "Secret History: the Lynchburg Story" in "Choice", The Times, 17 February 1994, p 43; and Thomas Sutcliffe, "Sterilisation - and it's all for a good cause", The Independent, 18 February 1994. "Suicide Island" (24 February 1994)For a review of this episode, see Peter Waymark, "Secret History: Suicide Island" in "Choice", The Times, 24 February 1994, p 43
Special "The Roswell Incident" (28 August 1995)For a review of this episode, see Thomas Sutcliffe, "review", The Independent, 28 August 1995.
Series 4 "The Battle of Goose Green" (11 July 1996)For a review of this episode, see Peter Preston, "Same old story, fight for love and glory", The Guardian, 12 July 1996, p 9. "The Whitechapel Murders" (25 July 1996)For reviews of this episode, see Peter Waymark, "Secret History: The Whitechapel Murders" in "Choice", The Times, 25 July 1996, p 43; Matthew Bond, "Conclusive proof or another ripping yarn?", The Times, 26 July 1996, p 43; and David Aaronovitch, "Thinking man's psychic investigator", The Independent, 27 July 1996. "The Voyage of the St. Louis" (1 August 1996)For a review of this episode, see Peter Waymark, "Secret History: The Voyage of the St Louis" in "Choice", The Times, 1 August 1996, p 43. "Mutiny in the RAF" (8 August 1996)For reviews of this episode, see Peter Waymark, "Secret History: Mutiny in the RAF" in "Choice", The Times, 8 August 1996, p 43; Lynne Truss, "Animal crackers, that's what this country is", The Times, 9 August 1996, p 39; and Thomas Sutcliffe, review, The Independent, 8 August 1996. "Harold Wilson – the Final Days" (15 August 1996)For reviews of this episode, see Elizabeth Cowley, "Secret History: Harold Wilson – The Final Days" in "Choice", The Times, 15 August 1996, p 43; Lynne Truss, "When public interest shades into prurience", The Times, 16 August 1996, p 39; and Alan Watkins, "Harold wasn't pushed, he'd wanted to jump for years", The Independent, 17 August 1996. "Konkordski" (22 August 1996)Originally scheduled for 18 July (the day after the crash of TWA Flight 800) which was replaced with repeat of The Soviet Wives Affair.For reviews of this episode, see Elizabeth Cowley, "Secret History: Konkordski" in "Choice", The Times, 22 August 1996, p 43; and Matthew Bond, "Plane truth about industrial espionage", The Times, 23 August 1996, p 47. "Hello Mr President" (21 January 1997)For reviews of this episode, see Peter Waymark, "Secret History: Hello Mr President" in "Choice", The Times, 21 January 1997, p 51; Matthew Bond, "Awkward pauses and fluffed cues all round", The Times, 22 January 1997, p 47; and Thomas Sutcliffe, "Review", The Independent, 22 January 1997.
Series 5 "Lords of the Underworld" (23 June 1997)For reviews of this episode, see Peter Waymark, "Secret History: Lords of the Underworld" in "Television Choice", The Times, 23 June 1997, p 46; Joe Joseph, "Vice and virtue with extra pepperoni, please", The Times, 24 June 1997, p 51; John Pearson, "The Lords of the Underworld", The Independent, 14 June 1997; and Thomas Sutcliffe, "Last Night", The Independent, 23 June 1997. "The Tragedy of HMS Glorious" (30 June 1997)For a review of this episode, see Joe Joseph, "A serial portrait painter, serially revisited", The Times, 1 July 1997, p 51. "Breaking the Sound Barrier" (7 July 1997)Later re-edited for Nova on US PBS as "Faster Than Sound", 14 October 1997, with narration by Stacey Keach rather than Veronika Hyks. "Faster Than Sound." NOVA Transcripts, PBS, air date: 14 October 1997. Retrieved 26 April 2009.For a review of this episode, see Peter Waymark, "Secret History: Breaking the Sound Barrier" in "Television Choice", The Times, 7 July 1997, p 46. "Gold Fever" (14 July 1997)For reviews of this episode, see Peter Waymark, "Secret History: Gold Fever" in "Television Choice", The Times, 14 July 1997, p 46; and Thomas Sutcliffe, "Television review", The Independent, 14 July 1997. "Spying for Love" (21 July 1997)The Times, 21 July 1997, p 47. "S4C", The Times, 4 August 1997, p 43.
Specials – Indian Summer season "The Forgotten Famine" (12 August 1997)For a review of this episode, see Peter Waymark, "Indian Summer: The Forgotten Famine" in "Television Choice", The Times, 12 August 1997, p 46. "The Cawnpore Massacres" (14 August 1997)For reviews of this episode, see Peter Waymark, "Indian Summer: The Cawnpore Massacre" in "Television Choice: Structural evolution explored", The Times, 14 August 1997, p 42; and Thomas Sutcliffe, "Last Night", The Independent, 14 August 1997. "Bloody Partition" (25 August 1997)For a review of this episode, see Frances Lass, "Secret History" in "Television Choice: Truth behind the rumours", The Times, 25 August 1997, p 42.
Series 6 "The Voyage of the Exodus" (11 May 1998)For a review of this episode, see Peter Waymark, "Secret History Special" in "Television Choice: King: queen of Wimbledon", The Times, 11 May 1998, p 46. "The Porn King, the Stripper and the Bent Coppers" (18 May 1998)For reviews of this episode, see Peter Waymark, "Secret History: The Porn King, the Stripper and the Bent Coppers" in "Television Choice: Born again in Lebanon", The Times, 18 May 1998, p 50; and Joe Joseph, "'Ello, 'ello, 'ello, what's coming off 'ere then?", The Times, 19 May 1998, p 55. "The Chair" (1 June 1998)For reviews of this episode, see Peter Waymark, "Secret History: The Chair" in "Television Choice: Highs and Low's in Borneo", The Times, 1 June 1998, p 46; and Joe Joseph, "Thomas Edison and his infernal invention", The Times, 2 June 1998, p 51 "Dad's Army" (8 June 1998)For reviews of this episode, see Peter Waymark, "Secret History: Dad's Army" in "Television Choice: A damp twitch in Trinidad", The Times, 8 June 1998, p 46; Joe Joseph, "The truth about Mainwaring's brave band", The Times, 9 June 1998, p 55; and "Last Night", The Independent, 8 June 1998. "Killer Flu" (15 June 1998)For a review of this episode, see Peter Waymark, "Secret History: Killer Flu" in "Television Choice: Those magnificent men . . .", The Times, 15 June 1998, p 50. "The Berlin Airlift" (29 June 1998)For a review of this episode, see Peter Waymark, "Secret History: The Berlin Airlift" in "Television Choice: Re-Generation game show", The Times, 29 June 1998, p 46; and Joe Joseph, "BBC game show fails to meet the challenge", The Times, 30 June 1998, p 51. "Purple Secret – In Search of Royal Madness" (6 July 1998)The Times, 6 July 1998, p 47For further commentary on this episode, see Vanessa Thorpe, "Royals still carry 'mad' George gene", The Independent, 21 June 1998.