Lucy Worsley Investigates

We all think we know what we mean by a witch, but behind the clichés of pointy hats and broomsticks lies a terrifying history that’s largely forgotten. 400 years ago, thousands of ordinary people, most of them women, were hunted down, tortured and killed in witch hunts across Britain. In this fascinating history documentary, Lucy Worsley investigates what lay behind these horrifying events.

The Black Death struck in 1348 killing an astonishing three million people, half of Britain’s population at the time. Where did it start, how was it treated and what changes did it inflict on the country? Lucy Worsley examines the latest science and explores how the massive death toll affected religious beliefs, class structure, work and women in this extraordinary history documentary.

In 1483, two young princes and heirs to the English throne, Edward and Richard, vanished. Their uncle, Richard, who subsequently became king, was always thought to be involved in their murder. But what really happened to the Princes in the Tower? In this intriguing history documentary, Lucy Worsley uncovers the story of the boys whose disappearance has led to centuries of mystery and speculation.

In 1788, the 50-year-old British king, George III, fell ill. His symptoms included talking for 19 hours at a time, being violently agitated and vivid hallucinations. How did his mental illness change Britain? In this illuminating history documentary, Lucy Worsley uncovers royal papers and explores how an assassination attempt on the King’s life by a mentally ill subject changed psychiatry forever.