"Violent Nation - Episode 1 (2005) | Rik Mayall - Documentary"

Presented by Rik Mayall, this history series questions the current belief that violence and violent crime are ont he rise in 21st Century Britain by unearthing the hidden violence in Britain's past.

First Mongrel Nation debunked the myth that Englishness was under attack from a tidal wave of immigration. Now Violent Nation takes on the real bogeyman – violence. Each hour-long show is themed around one aspect of Britain’s violent history: VIOLENT STREETS, VIOLENT STATE and VIOLENT LIVES.

Each programme encompasses its own chronological sweep, focussing on six key events, moving from the 1600s to the first half of the 20th century. These stories shatter the misconception about how dangerous our country has become by revealing the surprising truth about how things really used to be.

First transmitted in 2004.