PICK OF THE DAY

PORTILLO’S EMPIRE JOURNEY, 9PM, CH5

IN THIS enlightening new series, Michael Portillo takes us through the extraordinary story of how a small island nation built the biggest empire the world has ever seen. In this opening episode, Michael ventures to India, the jewel in the crown of the British Empire. Starting in the slums of Kolkata, he learns about the formation of the East India Company, and how one man — Robert Clive — turned a trading company into a superpower. Michael (pictured) also examines how the seemingly unstoppable company and its ruthless army came to an end after a brutal Indian uprising.