All-time favourite factual programmes/presenters.

[Tris39]

Alice Roberts
The Ascent of Man (Jacob Bronowski)
Brian Cox
Civilisation (Kenneth Clark) - currently available on iPlayer.
The Cosmos (Carl Sagan)
Dave Attenborough
Horizon
James Burke :notworthy:
Jim Al-Khalili
Man Alive
Seven Up
Tomorrow's World

[Delboy20]

Nobody compares with David Attenborough.

I do also like Chris Packham, Alice Roberts, David Bellamy, Ray Mears and Les Hiddins.

Factual series,

Anything by Attenborough from Life On Earth onwards.

Walking With Dinosaurs, Coast, Bush Tucker Man.

[Mobyduck]

Andrew Graham Dixon
David Attenborough
Michael Palin

[oldboots]

I'm sure people can guess from this list where my interests lie, the thing I hate these days is the use of actors and "celebrities" to front factual programmes, they know sweet FA and it shows - "Katie Price's Canterbury Tales" or "Joey Essex's Plays wot Shakespere rite" anyone?

Anyway people who know what they're talking about:-

Sir John Betjeman
Dr Ruth Goodman, loved the "- Farm series" etc usually with Alex Landlands and Peter Ginn who are knowledgable chaps.
Paul Murton - not to be confused with Paul Merton the comedian.
Neil Oliver
Professor Sir Simon Schama CBE
Louis Theroux
Michael Moore
Dr Lucy Worsley OBE - even when she's been at the dressing up box.
Dr Janina Ramirez
Professor David Starkey CBE
Professor David Olusoga OBE
I have a sneaking regard for Jonathon Meades in spite of the pretension he can be prone to.


Anyone old enough to remember "World in Action"? Investigative journalism at its best not the rubbish "gotcha journalism" of today.

Panorama has also done outstanding work.
There were also some late 1980s or 90s series called The A to Z of ... which were excellent.
Has "The World at War" ever been bettered for second world war history? (and I include "All Our Yesterdays" in that category).


(sorry about the Sheldon Cooper-like attention to titles but academics get very touchy about stuff like that)

[Aqualung]

Has "The World at War" ever been bettered for second world war history? (and I include "All Our Yesterdays" in that category).

I don't believe it has and it told the truth. People should be watching that next Friday.

I'm going for an unlikely choice in Michael "choo choo" Portillo. I couldn't stand him as a politician but feel he has redeemed himself with his series about British railway lines.

[Quinno]

You got your money's worth with Ian Nairn, enjoyed watching Nairn Across Britain when it was put up on IPlayer a couple of years back.

[ETA]

David Attenborough has to be tops.

Helen Czerski is good, I quite like Bettany Hughes.

Can't stand Ross Kemp though.

[Tris39]

David Attenborough has to be tops.

Helen Czerski is good, I quite like Bettany Hughes.

Nice.

Not a fan of Dallas Campbell - he looks far too young, like he belongs in a boy band, but it seems he's nearly 50!

[oldboots]

Nice.

Not a fan of Dallas Campbell - he looks far too young, like he belongs in a boy band, but it seems he's nearly 50!

He's a divvy TV presenter or as they're sometimes known Gobshites.

[Oggwyn Trench]

Michael Wood
Janina Ramirez
Bethany Hughes
Alice Roberts
James Burke
Dan Snow (in small doses)
Julia Bradbury

Used to love Time Team even though Tony Robinson needs a good slap

The Vietnam War by Ken Burns is one of the best War documentaries ever made , its up there with World at War .

[oldboots]

Dan Snow (in small doses)


very small doses




Used to love Time Team even though Tony Robinson needs a good slap
I think you mean a damn good kicking




The Vietnam War by Ken Burns is one of the best War documentaries ever made , its up there with World at War .

Very much so and the American Civil War series from the same stable.

[Tris39]

Anyway people who know what they're talking about:-

Sir John Betjeman
Dr Ruth Goodman, loved the "- Farm series" etc usually with Alex Landlands and Peter Ginn who are knowledgable chaps.
Paul Murton - not to be confused with Paul Merton the comedian.
Neil Oliver
Professor Sir Simon Schama CBE
Louis Theroux
Michael Moore
Dr Lucy Worsley OBE - even when she's been at the dressing up box.
Dr Janina Ramirez
Professor David Starkey CBE
Professor David Olusoga OBE
I have a sneaking regard for Jonathon Meades in spite of the pretension he can be prone to.


Anyone old enough to remember "World in Action"? Investigative journalism at its best not the rubbish "gotcha journalism" of today.

Panorama has also done outstanding work.
There were also some late 1980s or 90s series called The A to Z of ... which were excellent.
Has "The World at War" ever been bettered for second world war history? (and I include "All Our Yesterdays" in that category).

Neil Oliver always makes me feel he's about to leap out of the TV and head butt me!

The World at War was outstanding. I saw it repeated on iPlayer a couple of years back.


You got your money's worth with Ian Nairn, enjoyed watching Nairn Across Britain when it was put up on IPlayer a couple of years back.

Funnily enough, I have Nairn's London right next to my mouse - a great source of info for pub bores like me and described by Jonathan Meades as 'A masterpiece...Nairn was a poet'.



Dan Snow (in small doses)

Used to love Time Team even though Tony Robinson needs a good slap

The Vietnam War by Ken Burns is one of the best War documentaries ever made , its up there with World at War .

Dan Snow in very small doses. And Tony Baldrick was annoying in an otherwise good programme.

[Tris39]

...and Arthur Negus was always a laugh.

[Pangolin]

...and Arthur Negus was always a laugh.

My very first TV appearance was with him. I say 'with him' - I was dragooned into walking past as he did a piece to camera!

Anyway back to the subject: for sheer entertainment value, Magnus Pyke.

[rpadam]

Anyway back to the subject: for sheer entertainment value, Magnus Pyke.
Personal favourite for mix of proper science as well as entertainment value: Professor Heinz Wolff.

[Tris39]

The Southbank Show was good as was its precursor, Aquarius.

[Tris39]

And then there was also this load of hokum (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2UodhbP9Fw), starting in 1980.

[bcfczuluarmy]

Nobody appears to have mentioned Fred Dibnah.