Head start on Henry VIII

Channel 5, 9pm A MAN with a reputation as a bully, a charismatic leader who ruled with an iron fist and got his own way... no, we’re not talking American politics here.

This docudrama is about King Henry VIII, a ruler who has long been a subject of fascination.

He was never meant to be the king. He was the spare heir, the wild younger brother of Arthur, whose beloved mother died tragically. Where have we heard this before?

Arthur died at the age of 15 and when his father, Henry VII, keeled over, suddenly Henry became King Henry VIII.

Decades of tumultuous times followed , as he did absolutely anything to get what he wanted.

Thi s series combines expert interviews with dramatically played out scenes f i lmed i n hi storic locations like Hampton Court, Windsor Castle and the Vatican. And it aims to separate the man from the myth once and for all.

Narrated by actor Jason Isaacs, this three-part series serves up all the drama of The Crown. But previously unseen documents also give us real insight into our countr y ’s most notorious king.

So how exactly did Henry change from a charismatic young prince into an overweight, paranoid monster who had two of his wives killed? Tonight’s instalment begins with his traumatic childhood , from the deaths of his older brother and mother, to the relationship with his controlling father who kept him a virtual prisoner.

When Henry VII died, a young Henry brutally executed his father’s closest advisors and began his reign of paranoia and manipulation.

It’s one gripping watch for any history buff.

KILLER LOOKS Scenes serving up the real king