Jeremy Irons on the Henrys. BBC2: 10.55pm

In Henry IV and Henry V, Jeremy Irons (who is playing Henry IV in the new BBC films) uncovers the extraordinary appeal of Shakespeare's History Plays. He unravels the differences between the real history and the drama that Shakespeare creates, and discovers what William's sources were - and how he distorts them! And he invites us behind the scenes at the filming of some of the most im-portant scenes in the new films of all of these plays. As Jeremy himself visits the battlefield at Agincourt in Northern France, which is the climax of these history plays, the truth emerges that Shakespeare's view of History was rather more subversive and less patriotic than some of his most ardent admirers often think.

Story by Sheena McGinley | 15:53 | Saturday 7th July 2012 | TV Highlights

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