Digging for Britain

In this episode, Alice Roberts explores recent discoveries that illuminate the Tudor Age. She examines an excavation of Shakespeare’s first theatre in Shoreditch, London, revealing new insights into the period’s cultural landscape. The findings help deepen our understanding of Tudor‑era life.

The Tudors is a television programme presented in an episode format. It belongs to the historical documentary genre and concentrates on the era of the Tudor dynasty. Each instalment is designed to bring viewers nearer to the lives, events and cultural backdrop of England’s most famous monarchs. In this particular episode, presenter Alice Roberts uncovers a series of recent discoveries that illuminate aspects of the Tudor Age. Among the findings she discusses is an archaeological dig at the site of Shakespeare’s first playhouse, located in Shoreditch, London. The excavation offers tangible evidence that helps to visualise the era, and she notes that such evidence helps bridge the gap between myth and history. The episode walks the audience through the significance of these archaeological results, showing how material remains can fill gaps left by written records. Roberts explains how the Shoreditch dig, in particular, provides a concrete link between the theatrical world of Shakespeare and the broader social fabric of Tudor England. By highlighting these investigations, the programme underscores the value of modern research in reshaping our understanding of the past. Viewers are given a clearer picture of daily life, artistic expression and urban development during the Tudor period, all anchored by the newly uncovered evidence from the historic theatre site. In doing so, the programme makes the distant Tudor world feel more immediate.