Finlay Bald
The Early Life of Princess Margaret
Princess Margaret was well-known for her glitz and beauty, her passion for nightlife, the arts, and her regular media appearances. She battled throughout her life to strike a balance between her obligations as a member of the British Royal family and her independent spirit and artistic temperament. Despite being the subject of rumours, tabloid speculation, and scandal, the Princess' romantic relationships were crucial in modernising Royal love. Coming of age at a unique time when celebrity culture and tabloid journalism were beginning, her status as the younger sister to the Queen of the Commonwealth and her natural beauty made her one of the most famous faces in the world. People who came into contact with her could be perplexed by her swings between frivolity and formality. She was a glamorous, charming and informal individual who stood out amongst Royal stereotypes.
Apple TV
Apple iTunes
Wallis Simpson: Kingmaker
Wallis Simpson was an American socialite who had been married twice when she met Edward, Duke of Windsor (then the Prince of Wales), at a party. She became Edward's mistress, leading to the "abdication crisis" in which he stepped down as king in order to be with her. Hearsay and conjecture have clouded the assessment of the Duchess of Windsor's life. There is no document which proves directly that she was anything other than a victim of her own ambition, who lived out a great romance that became a great tragedy. The Duchess is reported to have summed up her life in a sentence: "You have no idea how hard it is to live out a great romance."
Apple TVApple iTunes
The Untold Truth: Dodi and Diana
After years of speculation, Diana, Princess of Wales, divorced Prince Charles in 1996. The following Summer, she began dating Dodi Al-Fayed - the son of Mohamed Al-Fayed - who owned Harrods department store in London and The Ritz Hotel in Paris. Diana met Mohamed Al-Fayed in 1986 at a polo match against Princes Charles. Eleven years later, Mohamed invited Diana and her children on board his yacht in St. Tropez. This is where the brief affair began. The relationship between Diana and Dodi is shrouded in mystery. Conflicting accounts hinder the actual knowledge of how she felt. Was she falling in love, was she trying to make her former lover, Hasnat Khan, jealous or was it all for show?
Apple TVApple iTunes
Fame Kills: George Michael
In the early hours of Christmas morning, 2016, George Michael died at his home in Goring-on-Thames, aged only 53. He was found dead, lying in bed, by his then partner Fadi Fawaz. No cause of death was immediately determined. Throughout his career, George Michael was known for both his chart-topping hits and his turbulent personal life. Brushes with the law and tales of his drug use increasingly made more impact than his musical output. There are a lot of unanswered questions surrounding the singer's death. Health scares dogged the last decade of his life. But it was ultimately fame that led the singer to his downfall.
Apple TVApple iTunes
Fame Kills: Prince
"On Wednesday, April 20th, 2016, Doctor Michael Schulenberg treats Prince again for withdrawals. Later that night, a representative of Prince contacts a Californian addiction specialist Dr Howard Kornfield. He is asked to intervene with the megastars crippling opioid addiction. The doctor cannot make room in his schedule and sends his son Andrew on an overnight flight to Minneapolis. Andrew Kornfield and longtime friends Kirk Johnson and Meron Kekure arrive at Paisley Park Mansion the following day. They go looking for the superstar. To their horror, they find the lifeless body of Prince on the elevator floor. Prince never held back, always giving his all. His life was a party, but parties aren't meant to last. "
Apple TV
Dressing Like Diana
Diana, Princess of Wales once admitted that when she married Prince Charles at age 20, her wardrobe consisted of only one long dress, one silk shirt, and one pair of smart shoes. A few days before The Royal Wedding in 1980, she dashed out to buy "six of everything".The evening gowns chosen by the princess defined a generation as she moved through the bold-shouldered '80s with growing confidence.In the 90s, after she had separated from Prince Charles, Diana began to write her own rules of fashion; donning the latest trends from Jimmy Choos to Dior bags, Versace evening gowns and Chanel suits. No one had ever done it like Di, and no one has since. While Princess Diana's legacy extends far beyond fashion, she is perhaps the most influential fashion icon of the 20th century. Her clothes were not just choices but statements. Every look she gave reflected where she was at that particular time.
Apple TVApple iTunes
Diana: Almost a Fairytale
From shy nursery teacher to world icon, from fairytale princess to humanitarian, Diana, the Princess of Wales, had a truly extraordinary life. When Diana had her iconic wedding, she was just 20 years old. This shy young woman had a lot to learn about life in the Royal Family, but ten years later, she had become a world-famous public figure beloved across the world for her friendly, informal approach to regular people. Her life seemed like the perfect fairytale. The reality was far from that. After becoming a mum to two little Princes, the relationship with Princess Charles broke down. Although she began to find happiness in her final years, the repeated hounding by the press eventually led to her death.
Apple TVApple iTunes
Banksy: Street Rat
Banksy changed the modern art world, taking it from galleries and onto the street. His identity has always been hidden from the public; keeping this secret was key to avoiding any criminal charges. He started as a freehand graffiti artist in Bristol but turned to the art of stencilling after realising how much quicker it was to complete work. Banksy developed a distinctive iconography of highly recognisable images, such as rats and police officers, that communicated his anti-authoritarian message. As his art spread, so did his popularity. He made headlines for his Kissing Coppers, painted the West Bank Wall and walked into galleries and hung his own work. Banksy is one of the best-known artists of the 21st Century, yet, does anybody know who he really is?
Apple TVApple iTunes
Fame Kills: Princess Diana
On Saturday, August 30th, 1997, Diana Princess of Wales leaves Sardinia on a private jet. She arrives in Paris with film producer Dodi Fayed, stopping there en route to London, having spent the preceding nine days together on board Fayed's yacht on the Italian and French Riviera. At 12:20 pm, Diana and Dodi departed from the Ritz Paris hotel rear entrance, heading for Dodi's father's apartment in Rue Arsène Houssaye. By doing this, they avoid a swarm of over thirty photographers waiting in front of the hotel. Three minutes later, after being chased by the paparazzi, the driver loses control of the vehicle and the car crashes. Diana's life was complicated, and it ended tragically. The fame and public admiration, although well intentioned is what ultimately killed her.
Apple TVApple iTunes
Madonna: Move to the Music
Madonna: the Queen of Pop. Every tune, dance step and decision over four decades has shaped today’s contemporary musical landscape. Over a career that has lasted for decades, Madonna has ushered underground sounds and trends into the mainstream - she arrived at the dawn on the MTV music video era and utilised the medium to create a series of stylish, sexy clips that garnered her a reputation as a provocateur, whilst establishing the fledgling TV network as a hub for popular culture in the 1980s. Madonna is unstoppable, her impact on pop culture, undeniable, inspiring almost every other female act to come after her. Repeatedly re-inventing herself, she has changed the blueprint of how to be a successful woman in the music business in the process.
Apple TV
Ed Sheeran: Man + Guitar
Ed Sheeran went from homeless, to being in the homes of millions - from busking on the streets of London to being the most streamed artists of the last decade. Ed has found success from being, just simply, a man + his guitar. Since the very start of his career Ed Sheeran has been something different - during a time when manufactured pop artists were dominating the charts, Ed offered his listeners something new as a self-made musician. Sheeran worked his way up in the industry, making connections with the likes of Jamie Foxx and Elton John. Once signed, Ed wrote from the heart connecting with a fan base that has been ever growing since. Sheeran has never slowed down, working tirelessly and touring non-stop he has garnered music royalty status. Although short, Ed Sheeran has had one of the most impressive careers in the music industry. Winning numerous awards, headlining festivals and breaking his own music records, there is no stopping Ed.
Apple TVApple iTunes
Google Play Movies
Obama: Building the Dream
He was elected as the 44th President of the United States simply for being Obama: voters, tired of what America had become, responded to his persona, his message and what he embodied... hope. Obama was in many ways a mirror, a mirror in which millions of Americans saw reflected their personal ideals: ideals of justice, tolerance and equality.After spending two tumultuous terms in office, through a period of geopolitical upheaval and economic crisis, it is easy to forget how the young president captivated the world simply by being ‘Obama’.
Apple TVApple iTunesGoogle Play Movies
Elton John: A Life in Song
Elton John’s career has spanned decades, but his legacy is more than just his music.Reginald Dwight’s early debut was in the band Bluesology - there he would meet lyricist Bernie Taupin whom he would go on to write over 30 albums with. After parting ways with the band and his birth name, the Rocketman was born.
Apple TVApple iTunesGoogle Play Movies
Diana: Life in Fashion
Lady Diana Spencer was one half of the highest-profile courtship the British royal family had seen in decades. The wonder of Diana, and her style, stemmed partially from how noticeable she was from the very beginning. As she was culled from relative but distinguished - albeit aristocratic - obscurity and introduced as a princess-to-be, the cameras were consistently there. The paparazzi hounded her in London following the rumours of her involvement with the heir apparent. When she joined the family, Diana was the glamorous and alluring new member of the royal press pack. The constant media coverage propelled her into a new sphere of notoriety, one that any royal before or after would ever experience. It wasn't only individuals she shook hands with who felt near her; anyone drinking their tea and enjoying their morning paper could as well. Diana's status as Charles's bride would have earned her a place on the front page regardless. But her clothing kept her there, day after day. At 5 feet 10 inches tall, Diana was model-like in her stature, at turn dazzling and demure. When in public, Dianna would always reach into a crowd, embracing strangers with enthusiasm. She was emotional, expressive, and most of all, available - all qualities that up to this point, the royal family had not been.
Apple TVApple iTunesGoogle Play Movies
Adele: A New Chapter
Adele is a Grammy Award-winning artist whose soulful sound has thrust her into the limelight. Her soulful voice, frank personality and chart-topping hits have made her one of the most successful artists of all time. Her authenticity in her work appeals to so many; there are no gimmicks with Adele. What you see is what you get. Through her own words, video and live performances, this documentary takes an incredible look at the life and times of one of the greatest artists of all time.
Apple TVApple iTunesGoogle Play Movies
The Story of Jay-Z
Jay-Z is one of the most talented, successful and acclaimed musicians of all time. He changed the game and without him, music - and more specifically hip hop - would not be in the medium it is today. From growing up in the Marcy Projects of Brooklyn, his life has two main stories: The story of the rapper and the story of the hustler. These two tales overlap just as much as they diverge. Jay-Z has made rap accessible to a wide audience but never lost sight of who he is.
Apple TVApple iTunesGoogle Play Movies
Hillary Clinton: Fighting for Us
Although perhaps perceived as a polarising figure in American society, it cannot be disputed that since 1992 Hillary Rodham Clinton has wielded a certain level of political power - from First Lady to Senator to Secretary of State to Democratic Presidential Candidate. Hillary has been committed to the true feminism of equality and human rights from her days as a school girl in Chicago to becoming an international speaker on the world stage.
Apple TVApple iTunesGoogle Play Movies
9/11: Stories from the City
New York City - five proud boroughs sitting where the Hudson River meets the Atlantic Ocean. At the city’s heart - Manhattan - densely populated and among the world’s major cultural, commercial and financial centers. With over eight million people living in New York City, one in every 38 people in the United States call this city home. On September 11 2001, New York changed forever... Not just the skyline, but the mindset of a nation... It is one of those pivotal moments that has shaped America. For many, it was the moment when neighbors became brothers, stopping what they were doing to contribute time, money, and other resources to those directly impacted by the attacks. Where were you, the day the world changed? Everyone has their own story to tell… When everyone, everywhere stopped and nothing would ever be the same again. 20 years later and the horror from that day still remains almost unimaginable.
Apple TVApple iTunesGoogle Play Movies
Andy Warhol: A Life in Art
From early on in his career, Andy Warhol had an extraordinary ability to find the sacred in the profane. Like so many successful Americans, he was a product of Eastern European immigrant experience, who himself became an icon - a shy, gay, working-class man who became the court painter of the 1960s and 70s. He was the most glamorous figure of 20th Century American Art. He surrounded himself with the elite of New York City - people who all give compelling yet competing commentaries of their time with him. Warhol was certainly an enigma, and yet, ironically, he is one of the world’s most well-known artists and a cult figure. Popular culture inspired his art; Warhol used instantly accessible images to reach mass audiences. He gave Americans what was already theirs, both critiquing and glorifying American culture and the American way of life. Above all, Warhol was a chronicler of modern life. He redefined art and what art can be, what it can mean, who has access to art, who can make art, and whose voice matters. His artwork still resonates with the public decades after they were created. His impact has most definitely lasted much longer than fifteen minutes.
Apple TVApple iTunesGoogle Play Movies
The Dolly Parton Story: From Rags to Rhinestones
Dolly Parton is one of the most iconic singer-songwriters of all time - having won numerous prestigious awards for her emotional writing that strikes at the very heart of what it is to be human. From the bright lights of recording contracts in Nashville to topping the music charts, from acting in movies to appearances across the world in sold-out arena tours - Dolly has certainly come a long way and it hasn’t always been an easy ride. From her humble beginnings - one of 12 children living in a shack in Tennessee - Dolly has not only conquered the Country music scene, but made her mark on the entertainment industry.
Apple TVApple iTunesGoogle Play Movies