Perspectives

Oscar-winning actor Eddie Redmayne explores war art and how conflict's compelling stimulus to the imagination has created some of our richest and most powerful artistic inspiration. He takes an intensely emotional journey, visiting artists' studios, museums and travelling to battlefield locations to discover how artists have shone a powerful light into the abyss of warfare, leaving a unique legacy.

Twenties and thirties New York produced the best songs ever written according to presenter and journalist Nicky Campbell. In this film he journeys to Manhattan to explore his lifelong musical passion for the golden age of song-writing when the music of packed Broadway theatres fused with the sounds of Harlem’s raunchy jazz clubs.

Charlie Chaplin was at one time the most famous person in the world. His creation - the little tramp - was a universal figure adored by millions across the globe. He took crude, knockabout, slapstick comedy and turned it into an art form with films that have stood the test of time. Terry Jones, comedian, writer, director, best known for his work with Monty Python and long-time fan of silent comedies, offers a personal re-appraisal of the man who changed the face of film comedy.

Antonio Vivaldi’s the Four Seasons is the most popular piece of classical music of all time. It’s become so ubiquitous that it has been denounced as Muzak for the middle classes. Rick Wakeman – platinum-selling prog rock keyboardist and television Grumpy Old Man – thinks the critics are wrong. He believes that the Four Seasons was so far ahead of its time that it was actually the first ever concept album – and that Vivaldi was the world’s first rock superstar.

Sir Bruce Forsyth considers Sammy Davis Jr to be the greatest entertainer of all time – a performer who could sing, dance, act, tell jokes, do impersonations…and all to an astonishingly high standard. His was a career that emerged from the dying days of vaudeville and continued to superstardom, taking in nightclub performances, Broadway and West End theatre, Hollywood movies, network television the biggest showrooms in Las Vegas and performances for royalty and presidents.

The bad boy of opera, Alfie Boe explores the art of Freddie Mercury; the outrageous genius, the ultimate front-man of Queen and superlative songwriter and singer. Alfie’s journey from opera to exploring all kinds of music is almost the mirror image of that of his hero Freddie Mercury who went from rock to opera as he used his genius to propel Queen from conventional rockers to become one of the greatest bands ever - embracing many musical styles and art forms.

Singer-songwriter Emeli Sandé made her admiration for the iconic Mexican painter Frida Kahlo perfectly clear four years ago, when she had a large tattoo of the artist’s face etched onto her forearm.

Having first discovered Rene Magritte’s art as a teenager, singer Will Young was immediately struck by Magritte’s strange distortions of familiar objects and his subversive humour. So much so that Will opened his last tour donning a bowler hat and raincoat, so synonymous with Magritte.

Hugh Laurie makes a pilgrimage across America to explore the country's blues music, before playing a concert in homage to his musical hero, Professor Longhair.

Jonathan Ross examines the life and career of the most celebrated director in the history of cinema, Sir Alfred Hitchcock, in a quest for the British roots of his unique style.

Paul O'Grady reveals the effect that a legendary striptease artist had on him as he explores the life of the queen of American burlesque, Gypsy Rose Lee.

Former minister Michael Portillo examines the life and work of Pablo Picasso and reveals how his love of Picasso's art was influenced by his own father, a Spanish republican exile.

Hugh Laurie takes a personal journey into the heart and soul of blues and jazz music.