Arena
Arena is a documentary on BBC2. The gold standard for arts documentaries, from 1975 to the present day. A cultural map of the world’s greatest artists and musicians, as captured by exceptional film-makers. The program has been available since 2024. A total of 14 episodes have been broadcast, most recently in June 2025.
Last episode
Arena
Documentary from 2001 featuring photographer Sebastião Salgado in conversation with writer and artist John Berger, intercut with photographs from Salgado's collection Migrations.
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Documentary profile of actor and comedian Charlie Drake. Drake had much to overcome - marital, financial and career troubles dogged him. He recalls his highs and lows. From 2001.
May 2025
Arena's profile of Clint Eastwood continues with his directorial debut, Play Misty for Me, which he completed in five weeks before going on to huge success in Dirty Harry.
Clint Eastwood recalls his tough childhood and looks back at his early career, from Rawhide to Dirty Harry and the spaghetti westerns.
March 2025
Arena celebrates Roy Plomley's classic radio favourite with the help of famous castaways, including Frankie Howerd, Arthur Askey and Paul McCartney. First transmitted in 1982.
A tribute to Liverpudlian comic Ken Dodd, in which he discusses his career and influences. Featuring clips of his early performances and footage of him on tour in recent times.
An examination of the work and the legend of Welsh poet Dylan Thomas, originally broadcast in 2003 to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of his death.
The story of Bob Dylan, from a rock 'n' roll-loving kid in the midwest to his arrival as a major force in the world of folk music. Including unseen footage and rare recordings.
Martin Scorsese continues to explore Bob Dylan's early career. At 23, Dylan confounds expectations and finds a new musical vocabulary to capture the seismic cultural shift.
December 2024
1983 reunion concert by the Everly Brothers following their ten-year split. They chose the Royal Albert Hall as they had treasured memories of playing there with their father Ike.
1984 film about the Everly Brothers, among the most successful and revered of the early rock 'n' roll giants, who influenced The Beatles, Simon and Garfunkel and The Beach Boys.
August 2024
Profile celebrating the centenary of the famous author Agatha Christie’s birth. Looking at her life, her character and the key moments in her childhood that influenced her writing.
Through the words of James Baldwin, this film touches on the lives and assassinations of Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr and Medgar Evers.