Season 2000
Season 1999Season 2001

S2000 Season 2000

BBC Documentaries / Season 2000

01 Jan, 2000 · 49 episodes

 
Season 1999Season 2001

S2000 Season 2000

BBC Documentaries / Season 2000

01 Jan, 2000 · 49 episodes

 
The Beginning of the End of the Affair
S2000 | E01

1h

Write about what you know, as creative writing students are always told. So Graham Greene did just that when he wove the story of his 13-year adulterous relationship with Catherine Walston into his 1951 novel The End Of The Affair. Son Oliver finds it all very fascinating, while daughter Anne is coldly disapproving of her mother's involvement with someone she regarded as selfish and demanding. Gre... Read more

18/01/2000 | 21:00
Moral Combat - NATO at War
S2000 | E02

1h

An examination of NATO's intervention into Kosovo from a year on, and the divisions that arose between those involved.

12/03/2000 | 21:00
Blair's Thousand Days Part 1
S2000 | E04

1h

First of a two-part examination of Tony Blair 's premiership. What Makes Tony Tick. Michael Cockerell draws on extensive interviews with the PM and behind-the-scenes footage to analyse what drives Blair, and asks how he has achieved such huge popularity among the electorate.

30/01/2000 | 21:00
Don't Panic! The Dad's Army Story
S2000 | E05

1h

Victoria Wood presents the true story behind Britain's timeless comedy. Includes footage of the cast on location and incredible personal tales about the making of the series. Was Arthur Lowe really just like Captain Mainwaring? Why did the warden always end up in the water? And how did Corporal Jones find a bomb down his trousers? Find out why Dad's Army was the Queen Mother's favourite show.

28/05/2000 | 20:00
Wild Boys: The Story of Duran Duran
S2000 | E06

1h

Duran Duran came out of Birmingham and conquered the world during the 1980s. Originally a New Romantic band in full make-up and cossack pants, they rapidly became bedroom pin-ups for a generation of teenage girls. Led by Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes and John Taylor, Duran Duran dominated the British and American charts in the mid-1980s with classic singles such as Rio, Save a Prayer and Wild Boys.... Read more

28/08/2000 | 20:00
Stolen Goods, National Treasure
S2000 | E07

1h

A documentary looking at the increasing pressure on museums and galleries to return cultural treasures acquired during colonial times to their countries of origin.

09/12/2000 | 21:00
John Le Carré: The Secret Centre
S2000 | E08

1h

John Le Carré reveals his secret life as a spy.

26/12/2000 | 21:00
OJ - The Untold Story
S2000 | E09

1h

Despite his repeated protestations of innocence, in the eyes of many OJ Simpson was and remains a guilty man. OJ - The Untold Story reveals that clues that some believe pointed away from Simpson as the killer were dismissed or ignored and highlights two other leads which could shed new light on the case.

04/10/2000 | 20:00
Blood and Flowers: In Search of the Aztecs
S2000 | E10

1h

The Aztecs are regarded as the most bloodthirsty of the Central American peoples, but they were also one of the most sophisticated. DrTony Spawforth discovers how, on arriving in Mexico, they created a new and brutal mythology from the relics of an earlier civilisation.

06/01/2000 | 21:00
Robbie Williams - It Ain't Half Hot Mum
S2000 | E11

1h

A documentary following pop singer Robbie Williams as he embarks on his debut American tour. The programme reveals the highs and lows of being young, rich and famous, and features exclusive footage of his American shows plus work in progress from his new album.

04/01/2000 | 21:00
Newsnight at 20
S2000 | E12

1h

Jeremy Paxman introduces a selection of highlights and horrors from two decades of BBC2's news flagship. Ex-Home Secretary Michael Howard relives his verbal pummelling by Paxman, and there's another chance to see what has been tagged the BBC's worst-ever outside broadcast.

29/01/2000 | 21:00
We Gotta Get Out of This Business:Fatboy Slim's 99
S2000 | E13

1h

Documentary charting an extraordinary year for pop star Fatboy Slim , alias Norman Cook. The film follows him across five continents, performing at huge festivals including Glastonbury, clocking up 4 million sales of his album and taking time off to get married to DJ and TV host Zoe Ball.

01/02/2000 | 21:00
The Mission: Viva Las Vanicel
S2000 | E14

1h

Documentary following Las Vegas tycoon Sheldon Adelson as he embarks on an ambitious quest to build the world's biggest casino hotel. Situated in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip, the complex includes a$2.5 billion replica of Venice. But the project is fraught with difficulties.

28/03/2000 | 20:00
Alan Ladd: the True Quiet Man
S2000 | E15

1h

A documentary profile of the Hollywood actor who, in 1954, was voted the world's most popular film star by Photoplay magazine. Featuring clips from This Gun for Hire, The Blue Dahlia, and Shane.

07/04/2000 | 20:00
Ivory Wars
S2000 | E16

1h

A documentary exposing the extent of the illegal trade in ivory, which is increasing as a result of rocketing demand for the commodity in the Far East. The investigation reveals the true scale of elephant deaths and the corruption behind this highly-organised business.

05/04/2000 | 20:00
The Body Hunter
S2000 | E17

1h

Documentary following Chief Inspector Martin Hemingway 's harrowing assignment to Kosovo last summer to collect evidence for the War Crimes Tribunal in the Hague. The programme provides a powerful testimony of a country's loss as Hemingway's team uncover an extraordinary story combining human savagery and courage.

10/05/2000 | 20:00
Secret Life of a Crocodile
S2000 | E18

1h

Documentary following young British zoologist Dr Adam Britton on a quest through north-west Australia to uncover the mystery of the remarkable immune system of saltwater crocodiles. These wild beasts often lose limbs in attacks by other crocodiles, but their horrendous wounds rarely become infected, despite the filthy, bacteria-infested waters in which they live.

31/05/2000 | 20:00
Sex and Stopping: a History of Contraception
S2000 | E19

1h

Nick Hancock reveals the lighter side of a usually serious subject as he charts 4,000 years of contraceptive history. His investigation uncovers unusual methods used by different societies to prevent unwanted pregnancy, while archive film gives an amusing insight into the reserved way in which the subject was often treated.

17/05/2000 | 20:00
The Dream Academy
S2000 | E20

1h

This one-off documentary looks at a year in the life of four students at the Italia Conti Theatre School. Ben wants to be on West End stages, Georgia's aiming for EastEnders, Kelli dreams of singing stardom and Tim just wants to act. Will they hit the big time?

04/10/2000 | 20:00
Glastonbury Man
S2000 | E21

1h

To accompany BBC2's weekend of music from the festival, a documentary tribute to its founder, Michael Eavis , that follows him from August 1999 up to the eve of this year's event. In addition to the usual preparations, however, Eavis also had to cope with the death of his wife and festival partner, Jean. Featuring interviews with musicians plus previously unseen footage and Eavis's personal archiv... Read more

24/06/2000 | 20:00
Michelle in Brazil
S2000 | E22

1h

In a one-off documentary actress Michelle Collins visits some of the disadvantaged communities of Brazil to highlight the importance of education

04/07/2000 | 20:00
In Love with Elizabeth: the Early Life of the Queen Mother
S2000 | E23

1h

Documentary charting the Queen Mother's early life. Combining personal testimony with rare archive film, photographs and letters this film helps paint a portrait of an extraordinary woman.

16/07/2000 | 20:00
Blair's Thousand Days Part 2
S2000 | E24

1h

Concluding a two-part examination of Tony Blair 's premiership. The Lady and the Lords. New Labour came to power pledging to abolish the 800-year-old right of hereditary peers to sit and vote in the House of Lords. Michael Cockerell tells the story of the efforts made by Lady Jay, the first female Labour Leader of the Lords, to get the bill through Parliament.

06/02/2000 | 21:00
Pilgrimage to Bach
S2000 | E25

1h

John Eliot Gardner 's personal quest to bring Johann Sebastian Bach 's music to the modern public entailed performing all of the composer's cantatas in a single year. This documentary follows the top conductor as he tries to pull off his most ambitious coup to date.

03/08/2000 | 20:00
Ladies who Punch
S2000 | E26

1h

A documentary following a group of female boxers during their preparations for the third annual US Women's Boxing championships, to be held in Midlands, Texas.

13/08/2000 | 20:00
Gladiators: the Brutal Truth
S2000 | E27

1h

Terry Jones investigates the truth of the Roman Games, uncovering what it took to be a gladiator and looking at why, to the noble ladies of Rome, these brave men were the rock stars of their day. The programme also examines how the legacy of the games lives on in the great sports arenas of the 20th century and reveals why the Romans would be as shocked by our violent entertainments as we are by t... Read more

28/08/2000 | 20:00
Meeting the Masai Mob
S2000 | E28

1h

Documentary which follows a unique encounter between the Masai and a group of four Aboriginal Australians who travel to East Africa. Both communities share a common grievance in their struggle for land rights and the two groups exchange stories and experiences as they struggle to maintain their existence in the modern world.

05/09/2000 | 20:00
Diane Warren - How Do I Live?
S2000 | E29

1h

Ronan Keating narrates this documentary on one of the most successful songwriters in the world. With songs like How Do I Live and Don't Turn Around, Diane Warren has provided hits for numerous artists, including Celine Dion and LeAnn Rimes.

07/10/2000 | 20:00
Beastly Business: Tactics of Terror
S2000 | E30

1h

A documentary in which extremists in the animal rights movement explain what formerly drove them to carry out arson and bombing campaigns, while those involved in research using animals describe what it is like to live in fear.

21/10/2000 | 20:00
Josie's Journey
S2000 | E31

1h

Documentary following the progress of teenager Josie Russell, whose mother and sister were murdered in the Kent countryside in 1996. The film reveals how Josie and her father Shaun have coped, and travels with them to South Africa to visit their former home.

01/11/2000 | 21:00
The Rest Is History
S2000 | E32

1h

Mark Lawson looks at the making of the epic documentary series A History of Britain by Simon Schama

06/11/2000 | 21:00
The Beautiful South - Paul's Gang
S2000 | E33

1h

Documentary which follows the creative process involved in assembling a body of songs for the Beautiful South's new album Painting It Red, and profiles the band's leader, Paul Heaton , revealing his patriarchal relationship with his fellow group members.

17/11/2000 | 21:00
Freddie Mercury: the Untold Story
S2000 | E34

1h

Nine years after his death from an Aids-related illness, and a quarter of a century after Bohemian Rhapsody first topped the singles charts, friends and relatives of Queen's flamboyant front man Freddie Mercury recall their memories in a frank portrait of his life. Featuring contributions from the singer's mother and sister, his former lovers, members of Queen, Elton John and opera star Montserrat... Read more

08/12/2000 | 21:00
Eyes of a Child - One Year On
S2000 | E35

1h

Follow-up to the documentary Eyes of a Child, shown in September last year, which revealed the shocking extent of poverty in modern Britain. This film revisits children in Sheffield, Leicester and Portsmouth to see if government measures to tackle poverty have had an effect on their lives.

11/12/2000 | 21:00
Mel B - the Players Club
S2000 | E36

1h

Radio 1 DJ Trevor Nelson meets "Scary Spice" Mel B who invites him into her home and takes him to a family party in Leeds, where she talks candidly about her life before and after fame, the breakdown of her marriage and hopes for the future.

12/12/2000 | 21:00
Reconstructing Evil - the Making of Touch of Evil
S2000 | E37

1h

Janet Leigh , Peter Bogdanovich and Charlton Heston contribute to this documentary which tells the dramatic behind-the-scenes story of Orson Welles 's film Touch of Evil, the subsequent controversial re-editing undertaken by the studio, and the recent restoration work that has enabled audiences to see as much of Welles's intended version as possible.

17/12/2000 | 21:00
Mythical Journeys
S2000 | E38

1h

A one-off documentary examining part of the Orphic myth. Metamorpheus. In ancient legend, the women of Thrace killed the poet Orpheus in a Dionysian frenzy and threw his head with his lyre into the river Hebrus. Still singing, the head made its way to the island of Lesbos where it was established as an oracle. Professor Oliver Taplin sets out to follow the journey of the poet's head through modern... Read more

17/12/2000 | 21:00
Five Steps to Tyranny
S2000 | E39

1h

A disturbing documentary examining how tyrannies are created by ordinary people. Using as examples ground-breaking psychological experiments, Sheena McDonald shows how each and every one of us is capable of committing terrible acts against our fellow human beings.

19/12/2000 | 21:00
The History of Sex Appeal
S2000 | E40

1h

Burt Lancaster , Adolf Hitler and i Laurel and Hardy are among the subjects of this documentary, which examines how the nature of what was perceived as male sexiness developed over the last century.

21/12/2000 | 21:00
1900 UK
S2000 | E41

1h

Exploration of life in Britain in the first year of the 20th century, using film footage, photographs, music, illustrations and first-hand testimony.

01/01/2000 | 21:00
One Foot in the Past: Transport
S2000 | E42

1h

Celebrating the golden age of public transport - when railway stations were cathedrals, journeys were to be enjoyed and inventors sought new ways of getting around.

29/04/2000 | 20:00
Platforms @ Christmas
S2000 | E43

1h

Performances of Christmas hits by Glam Rock bands / singers Radio l's Mark Radcliffe argues that the seventies were the golden age of the Christmas single. This programme takes a tongue-in-cheek look at its development.

21/12/2000 | 21:00
Spanish Inquisition - The Brutal Truth
S2000 | E44

1h

The Tribunal of the Holy Office of the Inquisition (Spanish: Tribunal del Santo Oficio de la Inquisición), commonly known as the Spanish Inquisition (Inquisición española), was established in 1478 by Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile. It was intended to maintain Catholic orthodoxy in their kingdoms and to replace the Medieval Inquisition, which was under Papal cont... Read more

Rothko's Rooms
S2000 | E45

1h

In the late 1940s and 50s, Mark Rothko (1903-70) was one of the leading American artists who created wall-scale abstract paintings that filled the viewer's field of vision and became a form of environment. Rothko spoke of wanting the spectator to feel inside the pictorial space, enveloped in his canvases luminous colour and apparitional surfaces. Together with painters such as Barnett Newman and C... Read more

30/04/2000 | 20:00
Great Speeches: Geoffrey Howe
S2000 | E46

1h

The day the loyal servant bit back. Sir Geoffrey Howe savaged Margaret Thatcher's leadership and her policies in his resignation speech to the Commons on 13 November 1990. The impact was sensational and immediate. Nine days later, Mrs Thatcher was forced to resign. Sir Geoffrey revisits his words and the emotions they engendered.

12/05/2000 | 20:00
Michael Palin on the Colourists
S2000 | E47

1h

Michael Palin explores the lives and paintings of four Scottish artists known as the Colourists: John Duncan Fergusson, George Leslie Hunter, Samuel John Peploe and Francis Campbell Boileau Cadell. Their works hang in 10 Downing Street, but in their own lifetimes their vibrant vision shocked the critics.

08/10/2000 | 20:00
News from Number Ten
S2000 | E48

1h

As New Labour enters its third year in office, Michael Cockerell examines the work of its news machine under Alastair Campbell, Tony Blair's controversial press secretary. Shot over the last three months, tonight's film includes a unique glimpse of the media strategies developed to deal with controversies surrounding the London Mayoral election, the birth of Leo Blair, the visit of Russia's Presi... Read more

15/07/2000 | 20:00
Harry Enfield's Real Kevins
S2000 | E49

1h

An illustration of the devastating accuracy of Harry Enfield's adolescent comedy character Kevin that talks to four boys and a selection of celebrities - including Vic Reeves and Michael Parkinson - about being teenagers.

20/04/2000 | 20:00
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