Love on Fire

It was the deadliest, most destructive conflict in human history, and one whose devastating impact on the planet would be felt long after the last bullet was fired. Even today, there is still so much about the Second World War that remains in the shadows – either buried by the victors, or lost amidst the fog of war. Until now. From Dunkirk and D-Day, to the Battle of Britain and the Blitz, ‘The Secret History of World War II’ uncovers the hidden stories behind key moments in the conflict. Filmed in the US, UK and France, this insightful series digs below the headlines for a fresh and fascinating perspective on this extraordinary time in history. FACTUAL / HISTORY

Produced by Woodcut Media for Histoire (France) and Channel 5 (UK)

This fascinating series follows 22-year-old English blacksmith, and popular YouTube personality, Alec Steele as he recreates a wealth of iconic weaponry from history. Leaving school at 16 to pursue his craft, Steele began his own online tutorial series and soon discovered there was a huge audience eager to follow his journey into forging. Now he has over 360 million views and 2.2million subscribers to his channel.

In each episode, Alec forges an iconic weapon from the past, revealing its historical significance and the technical complexity required to create each one. Specially shot footage of Alec at work is combined with archive and background information to further explain the past importance of the weapon, and the might and power of the finished steelwork. Throughout the series, we follow Alec as he brings an impressive arsenal of weapons back to life, including a traditional Japanese katana sword, a Roman gladius, and even a Scottish claymore. FACTUAL / SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Produced by Studio71 UK for History (UK / Sweden)