England's Forgotten Queen: The Life and Death of Lady Jane Grey

England's Forgotten Queen: The Life and Death of Lady Jane Grey (2018)

EndedDocumentary showHistory

In this three-part series for BBC Four, historian Helen Castor pieces together the astonishing true story of Lady Jane Grey - the first reigning Queen of England.

We may think we know the history: an innocent teen thrust onto the throne and beheaded as a traitor after reigning for just nine days. But Helen discovers original documents that reveal a Tudor thriller - an epic story of dynastic rivalry, intrigue and betrayal. A young woman manipulated by older men who ends up losing her life as a result.

In July 1553, Tudor England is rocked by a constitutional crisis. Henry VIII's young son Edward dies with no male heir to inherit the throne. Having never had a reigning Queen, England now has two who claim the title. Two women prepared to fight for the throne - the 37 year-old Catholic Mary Tudor and the teenage Protestant Jane Grey.

Network
Scheduleevery Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday at 21:00 (60 min)

Last Episode

Episode 3
Season 1Episode 360 min

Episode 3

Jane has been installed in the Tower of London by a powerful cabal of men in the royal court. They want to keep the Catholic Mary Tudor from power. Meanwhile, Mary has assembled an army and is ready to fight back. Led by the manipulative Duke of Northumberland, Jane's forces have assembled close to Mary's castle at Framlingham. Poised on the brink of battle, the two sides are evenly matched and the outcome hangs by a thread. When a key supporter of Jane's defects to Mary's side, taking with him thousands of followers, the balance tips. The Duke of Northumberland is thrown into confusion and the country holds its breath to see what will happen next. On the final day of Jane's nine-day reign, the men who placed her on the throne abandon her and switch sides to join Mary. Their ringleader is Jane's own uncle, the Earl of Arundel. Jane and her father, the Duke of Suffolk, are prisoners in the Tower as Mary enters London in triumph. Jane is put on trial, but at first her life is spared. It is only when Jane's father joins a second rebellion that Mary takes action. She decrees that Jane, her husband and her father should be executed. Dr. Helen Castor discovers that despite her reign lasting only nine days, Jane did leave a legacy: when Elizabeth I finally inherits the throne the lessons she learned from observing Jane's struggles help her to rule for 44 years. And, crucially, Jane opened the door for a woman to rule England in her own right.

Jan 11, 2018

Recent Episodes

EpisodeNameAirdate
S01E03Episode 3Jan 11, 2018
S01E02Episode 2Jan 10, 2018
S01E01Episode 1Jan 9, 2018
View all episodesView all seasons

Cast

View all cast

Characters

View all characters

Recently Updated Shows

Recently updated shows that might be of your interest.
Digman!
Running

Digman!

Digman! is set in a world where archaeologists are massive celebrities and the coolest people on the planet.

South Park
Running

South Park

South Park is an adult comedy animation show centred around 4 children in the small town of south park. Its humour is often dark involving satirical elements and mocking current real-life events.

GenreComedy
Dateline: Secrets Uncovered
Running

Dateline: Secrets Uncovered

Real-life mysteries. Investigative reporting. Justice. Dateline is the long-running, award winning newsmagazine bringing viewers stories ranging from compelling mysteries to powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Hosted by NBC News' Craig Melvin, each episode of Dateline: Secrets Uncovered incorporates the classic elements of drama and great storytelling: good guys, bad guys, conflict with the highest stakes, suspense and resolution. Hear the chilling tales directly from those most affected and involved, including investigators tasked with cracking the case and the families confronting tragedy. In every story we tell, we help the real people who lived the events share their journeys with you.

The Chelsea Detective
Running

The Chelsea Detective

London's Chelsea neighbourhood is a beautiful borough for beautiful people, but it has a dark underside of deception, violence, greed-and murder. Bodies have a way of showing up, and things are rarely what they seem. DI Max Arnold and his partner must root out the truth and bring those responsible to justice, no matter their wealth or status.

Twisted Metal
Running

Twisted Metal

Twisted Metal is about a motor-mouthed outsider offered a chance at a better life, but only if he can successfully deliver a mysterious package across a post-apocalyptic wasteland. With the help of a trigger-happy car thief, he faces savage marauders driving vehicles of destruction and other dangers of the open road, including a deranged clown who drives an all too familiar ice cream truck.