New OU/BBC series tells the story of the British Empire

Jeremy Paxman traces the story of the British Empire in a major new five-part series produced by the BBC and The Open University.

The series, called Empire, will trace the British Empire's rise and fall and explore the complex effects it had on the modern world – political, technological and social – and equally the effects of the Empire on Britain. The first episode will be broadcast on Monday 27 February at 9pm on BBC One.

Travelling across the globe, Jeremy goes in search of the extraordinary characters, burning ambitions and surprising principles which created an empire that has so influenced the shape of the world we see today. From India to Canada, the Far East to Africa, he finds out how the Empire began as a pirates' treasure hunt and grew into the largest global financial network the world had ever seen; how the British created a particular idea of home wherever they conquered and settled; how Britain spread the gospel of sport, laying the foundations for almost all the major sports of today; and at the many different ways in which Britain took and held power in the Empire.

Karl Hack, Senior Lecturer in History at The Open University and academic consultant on the series, said: “This series tackles the really big themes of imperialism – power, trade, identity, settlement and culture. Yet it does this in a way that makes you feel you are there in person – talking to a settler; hearing the views of an old Mau Mau anti-colonial fighter who is still proud of her struggle; frequenting the clubs, trading floors and playing fields of Empire.”

The Open University is offering the chance to continue exploring the story of the Empire via OpenLearn, offering free courses, a free poster on with historical and contemporary maps, and the opportunity to create a personalised empire-themed party invite.

For those interested in taking the learning journey further, the OU offers a number modules that link to the series, including:

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TweetJeremy Paxman traces the story of the British Empire in a major new five-part series produced by the BBC and The Open University. The series, called Empire, will trace the British Empire's rise and fall and explore the complex effects it had on the modern world – political, technological and social – and equally the effects of the Empire on Britain. The first episode will be ...