'Channel 4's The Curse of the Hope Diamond (Monday) was a neat reminder that our obsession with wealth transcends all boundaries. This vast gem (45.5 carats), indestructible and priceless, has been at the heart of 350 years of varied history, from Louis XIV to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, via George IV and all sorts of other upper-class oddballs. Wherever it’s been, it seems to have caused death, ruin and bad luck.
The programme was an example of a lateral sort of history, one which focuses attention on the human and the glittering – both admirable qualities. In particular, the macabre and fascinating story of the doomed Hope family, who gave the gem its name, and who were made by gems and then torn apart, in a downward spiral culminating in Lord Francis Hope. The playboy heir was ruined by an American showgirl called May Yohe, and in 1911 was forced to sell the diamond ‘penniless and with his marriage in tatters’. The subsequent owner, socialite Evalyn Walsh McLean, ended in similar penury after her son was run over by a Model T Ford. Their stories would go untold were it not for the diamond, a reminder that some of history’s doors must be unlocked by unusual keys ... a polished insight into the lengths we’ll go to for baubles'. The Daily Telegraph
Here are all the cast and crew of 'King Alfred ... the Great', shown 17 May on BBC 1 South. Clip here. 'As part of the BBC's History Of The World project, each BBC region will be broadcasting its own programme examining a turning point in the history of the local area. So, in the south Lucy Worsley considers the story and reputation of King Alfred'. The Guardian, 'Pick of the Day'.
Fi Glover is joined by historian Lucy Worsley as studio guest. The poet is Murray Lachlan Young. Here are Lucy and Murray stuck in the lift on the way out. To hear the programme click here.
This green shoe from the 1740s visited the 'Woman's Hour' studio at Radio 4 for Jenni Murray's interview with Lucy Worsley about her new book COURTIERS, THE SECRET HISTORY OF KENSINGTON PALACE, on 6 May 2010. Later, on the same day, the shoe visited Robert Elms at BBC Radio London as well. To hear the Woman's Hour interview click here.
I sprang from my bed at 4.30 to be an assistant GMTV 'weather girl' for the morning (though I'm not sure that it's right that such a demeaning phrase is still in common use). Based at the Hampton Court Flower Show, we covered Henry VIII, Shakespeare, Katherine Howard, James I, and Katherine of Braganza's fertility problems at 6.30, 7.30 and 8.30.
I had the great pleasure of working with the History MA students of Sheffield University, their tutor Mark Greengrass, and the University's film crew, on a film about Bolsover Castle. You can see the website the students also made here. The film will be used by distance learning students in future years.
'Henry VIII's favourite palace was, like the king himself, huge, complex and full of intrigue. A new documentary explores the 1,300 rooms and labyrinth of tunnels at Hampton Court'. Daily Express
The Pope had just relaxed entry requirements for the Roman Catholic church, so we talked about the Break with Rome in Henry's Council Chamber at Hampton Court, where the Reformation actually started.
Yes, they like Henry VIII in Belgium too.
Exactly five hundred years later, I tell all interested parties what the weather was like on Henry VIII’ coronation day in 1509.
This film examined Henry VIII’s medical history. For me the highlight was squashing a pig to reconstruct his jousting accident of 1536.
‘Unexpectedly, exploding pigs shed light on the mystery of Henry VIII's psyche … a different take on the widely perceived change in Henry’ – Nancy Banks-Smith, The Guardian
'HENRY VIII's transformation from Tudor heart-throb to gluttonous brute could have been triggered by a serious jousting accident ... A 21st-century 'autopsy' of the sixtimes married monarch has concluded brain damage suffered during the dramatic fall could have been at the root of his personality change'. Daily Mail
'In this intelligent and often wry documentary, a trio of experts examine the historical evidence behind Henry's innumerable medical conditions. Smallpox, varicose ulcers, malaria and constipation are all put under the microscope, while his dismal reproductive record incurs a study of what might have lurked inside the royal codpiece'. The Sunday Times
'Doctors have carried out a 'virtual autopsy' on Henry VIII - 462 years after his death. They found a jousting fall damaged his brain and drove him mad ... the findings are revealed on a TV documentary screened on the History Channel'. The Sun
With its glamorous presenter, Suzie Wilks.
Went into the studio with the velvet-voiced Fi Glover and poet Kate Fox.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/04/2009_11_fri.shtml
I took Judy Merry from Woman’s Hour into the costume stores at Kensington to see some of Queen Victoria’s outfits.
This was a huge production with a crew of about 20 and a French celebrity historian called Stephane Bern! The finished film seemed to be largely about ghosts, and there was a character called a 'sexologue' who cropped up quite a lot.
The feature film Young Victoria had just come out, so I had a chat with
Germaine Greer about our favourite queen.
In this short film we toured Hampton Court, and visited the room where Jane Seymour died (as she does, halfway through Season 3).
I showed George Oliphant III from New York around Hampton Court.
Commemorating the seventieth anniversary of the Kindertransport train, which brought Jewish children out of Nazi Germany. Kindertransport survivor Bertha Leverton was an inspirational person to meet.