BBC packs docs around Wolf Hall

The BBC will air a collection of factual programmes celebrating the Tudor era to complement its six-episode drama adaptation of Wolf Hall in early 2015.

The highly-anticipated BBC2 period miniseries, based on the Hilary Mantel novel of the same name and its sequel Bring Up The Bodies, will follow the rise of Thomas Cromwell at the Tudor court. It stars Mark Rylance as Cromwell and Homeland actor Damian Lewis as King Henry VIII and was recently picked up by SVT in Sweden.

To accompany the series, BBC2 and BBC4 will air a complementary collection of art and history films about the Tudor period.

On BBC2, A Night At Hampton Court Palace (working title) will look at the christening of Henry VIII’s son and heir Prince Edward, the future Edward VI, at the iconic building that celebrates its 500th anniversary in 2015. The programme is a BBC Arts production in partnership with Historic Royal Palaces.

Meanwhile, Holbein: Eye of the Tudors – A Culture Show Special, from ZCZ, will take a look at the life of Henry VIII’s court painter, Hans Holbein.

On BBC4, Hidden Killers of the Tudor Home (Modern TV) will see Dr Suzannah Lipscomb investigate the household killers in the era while Mary Arden: A Tudor Life (Maya Vision) will look at what life was like for ordinary Tudor people.

In related news, BBC1 will mark the 50th anniversary of the funeral of UK prime minister Winston Churchill with a 1×60’ documentary from Blakeway Productions.

Churchill: The Nation’s Farewell (wt), will be presented by Jeremy Paxman and will air on BBC1 early next year. The doc will tell the story of the day of 30 January 1965, when the UK laid its most famous statesman to rest.