Hidden History of Britain

Built in the East End of London 250 years ago, to provide free medical care for some of the poorest and most deprived people in Britain the London Hospital has pioneered medical breakthroughs and healthcare for generations of men, women and children.

On edge of the Suffolk coast lie some of Britain's most mysterious ruins. Monumental concrete bunkers rusting radar towers and crumpled military hardware; a lens into a bygone era of secrets, spies and superpowers. For almost a century Orford Ness was owned by the MOD and when it closed in 1993 its buildings were still shrouded in secrecy. In this episode, Michael sets out to unlock its secrets.

Michael unlocks the doors to Shepton Mallet prison to uncover the story of British crime and punishment. Since it opened its doors 400 years ago, this prison has seen thousands of prisoners, numerous executions and countless escape attempts.

Hidden away in the heart of the Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire is the abandoned shell of Imber. A thousand-year-old-village, which was once a vibrant community before a series of extraordinary events transformed it into a desolate ghost town.

The series returns as Michael visits the former Cambridge Military Hospital in the garrison town of Aldershot, Hampshire to learn of the far-reaching legacy of the medical innovations that took place there.

Michael ventures inside the London Road Fire Station which was decommissioned in 1986. He learns how the devastating loss of life suffered by the brigade led to the profession being transformed.