All-time favourite factual programmes/presenters.

[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.