Episode 1
The opening episode transports us back to the late 18th Century, when the building first came into royal hands. Alexander Armstrong discovers that, originally, it wasn't a palace at all – but a private country house built by a man called the Duke of Buckingham. With red brick walls and a mere 40 rooms, "Buckingham House", as it was known, looked nothing like the imposing palace we see today.
But in 1761 the modest country pile caught the eye of King George III and his new bride, Queen Charlotte. The royal lovebirds purchased it as a rural retreat where they could raise a family and throw raucous parties. Raksha Dave gets glammed up, Georgian-style, to find out about the gossip and scandal that dominated the first balls thrown at Buckingham House – meanwhile JJ Chalmers hits the dancefloor to trial some fancy footwork to impress the queen.
Soon, King George and Queen Charlotte started making their mark on their new home. Alexander reveals how the Palace's gardens became home to the first zebra to ever set hoof in England – as well as an impressive underground ice house, the fridge-freezer of its day. But the building still lacked some facilities we consider essential today… toilets. Raksha discovers how one of the most prestigious jobs at Buckingham House involved carrying the king's portaloo – a role rewarded with a princely salary of £240,000, in today's money.
Later in the episode, JJ whips up some surprisingly appetizing Parmesan Ice Cream beloved by Buckingham House's first royal residents, and Raksha sniffs out the stinky yet sustainable solution to emptying the palace's cess pit.
Throughout, a CGI floorplan shows how the royal couple utterly transformed the house with massive extensions. But trouble was on the horizon. Soon madness and greed would drag the palace to the brink of destruction…
Trailer
Recently Updated Shows
American Experience
American Experience is TV's most-watched history series and brings to life incredible characters and compelling stories from our past that inform our understanding of the world today. Acclaimed by viewers and critics alike, American Experience documentaries have been honored with every major broadcast award, including 30 Emmy Awards, 4 duPont-Columbia Awards, and 18 George Foster Peabody Awards.
I Am a Killer
I Am a Killer gives a fascinating and in-depth insight into the stories of prisoners on death row in America, awaiting their fate. Showing that there are multiple sides to every story, each episode profiles prisoners convicted of capital murder and sentenced to death. The series features never before seen footage with extraordinary access to prisons across America. Each convicted prisoner recounts the events that led up to their crime and, shockingly, the event itself. We discover their motivations, their expectations and ultimately how they now view the crime, after time spent on death row. Different viewpoints and the impact of decisions made in a split second that have changed the course of the killers' lives throw into question the viewer's opinions towards the killers.
Murdoch Mysteries
Set in Toronto at the dawn of the 20th century, Murdoch Mysteries is a one-hour drama series that explores the intriguing world of William Murdoch, a methodical and dashing detective who pioneers innovative forensic techniques to solve some of the city's most gruesome murders. Murdoch's colleagues include the love of his life, coroner and psychiatrist Dr. Julia Ogden, a staunch ally who shares the detective's fascination for science; Constable George Crabtree, Murdoch's eager but sometimes naïve right-hand man; Inspector Brackenreid, Murdoch's skeptical yet reluctantly supportive boss; and coroner Dr. Emily Grace, Dr. Ogden's protégé.
Hell's Kitchen
In Hell's Kitchen, aspiring chefs are put through an intense culinary academy to prove they possess the right combination of ingredients to win a life-changing grand prize.