The Black Death on SBS – Historian Dan Snow and archaeologist Raksha Dave investigate how the Black Death devastated Britain 700 years ago.
This terrible plague killed around 3 million people across the country – 50 percent of the population. Visiting outbreak hotspots and unearthing evidence from the time, Dan and Raksha explore its horrific spread month by month as it crippled the country.
Alongside dramatic reconstructions of events, they witness the terrifying symptoms of the disease. They experience the brutal methods used to try and cure it and they examine the latest cutting-edge research, revealing why the Black Death was and remains the most-deadly pandemic in history.
Series One, Episode One: Outbreak
In June 1348, the most devastating disease in history arrived on Britain’s south coast from the continent. Dan Snow heads to ground zero in Melcombe Regis, Dorset. From here, he begins to trace the spread of the plague that will wipe out half of Britain’s population over the next two years.
Episode Two: Apocalypse
Dan and Raksha pick up the terrifying story of Black Death 6 months after the first deadly outbreak in Britain 700 years ago. By January 1349, the plague had engulfed Southern England. Britain was now in the grip of the most devastating pandemic in history. As Dan and Raksha explore the spiralling death toll, they reveal how the country was gripped by fear and descended into chaos.
The Black Death – New Series Premiere – Double Episode – Sunday, 23 April at 8.30pm on SBS and SBS on Demand (2 Parts)
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