Making sense of modern Britain is a tough call. But the explanation, more often than not, lies in the British Empire. Jeremy Paxman believes that unless we come to terms with our Imperial past, we'll never understand who we are and where we're going today.

So in this series, he cuts through our national embarrassment, turning his forensic and unapologetic gaze on to this most compelling period of our history – and tracing its far-reaching influence on the present.