Wednesdays at 9pm from 2 January

We do history on Wednesday nights – a new strand looking at some of the most significant times in our history.

It all kicks off with the fascinating landmark series Monarchy, where David Starkey presents a gripping biographical narrative of England’s royal rulers, with informative insight and original analysis of the gradual emergence of a unique form of government – a constitutional monarchy; something that has relevance still today in our current political climate.

History Night covers an amazing array of subjects. From the incredibly story of how our nation turned on itself creating a civil war, which tore families and communities apart in Blood on Our Hands (Wednesday 2 and 9 January, 10pm); to the powerful and highly emotive story of the bloodiest day in British history – where over 55,000 soldiers lay dead or wounded. The Somme (Wednesday 23 and 30 January, 10pm) is told through the letters and diaries of the men who were there and official reports from the time; bringing their thoughts and feelings to life.