For lovers of Masterpiece Theater and watchers of the Crown, a sumptuous social history of the most British institution imaginable, that none the less was filled with brilliant emigres, pioneered liberal freedoms as it slyly impressed British superiority, and was both a chronicler and creator of some of the great events of the last hundred years. For 100 years, the British Broadcasting Corporation has served as a rare and extraordinary institution in the UK. A constant source of information, comfort and entertainment, through both war and peace, the BBC celebrates its centenary as a rare establishment that continues to serve and provide for people around the world.

In The BBC former BBC producer David Hendy, an expert in broadcasting and cultural history who has privileged access to previously unused behind-the-scenes resources, tells the history of an extraordinary institution; the oldest national public broadcaster in the world. In doing so, he presents a broader cultural history of Britain, weaving into it