TV series
40 Minutes
1981–1994, English, on BBC Two.
40 Minutes was a BBC TV documentary strand broadcast on BBC Two between 1981 and 1994. The documentaries could be on any possible subject, the only connection being that they last forty minutes. Some documentaries in the original series were revisited and updated in a 2006 version, Forty Minutes On.
- Seasons
- 14
- Episodes
- 323
- Episode length
- 40 min
- Status
- Ended in 1994
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Latest episode
S13 E21: Times Remembered
Aired 19 April 1994
Seasons 14
Season 1
1981 · 29 episodes
Season 2
1982 · 25 episodes
Season 3
1983 · 26 episodes
Season 4
1984 · 25 episodes
Season 5
1985 · 26 episodes
Season 6
1986 · 27 episodes
Season 7
1987 · 27 episodes
Season 8
1988 · 27 episodes
Season 9
1989 · 26 episodes
Season 10
1990 · 24 episodes
Season 11
1991 · 24 episodes
Season 12
1993 · 15 episodes
Season 13
1993 · 21 episodes
Season 14
TBA · 1 episode
Cast & crew
- Ian HolmNarrator · 2 ep
- Tim Pigott-SmithSelf - Narrator · 2 ep
- Jessie MatthewsCast · 1 ep
- Bhagwan Shree RajneeshCast · 1 ep
- Ernie WiseCast · 1 ep
- George FormbyCast · 1 ep
- Benjamin ZephaniahCast · 1 ep
- Gary GlitterCast · 1 ep
- Brendan IngleCast · 1 ep
- Michel OdentCast · 1 ep
- Frankie VaughanCast · 1 ep
- Bertrand RussellCast · 1 ep
Details
- First aired
- 1 October 1981
- Last aired
- 19 April 1994
- Network
- BBC Two
- Language
- English
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Type
- Documentary
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40 Minutes: quick answers
Is 40 Minutes worth watching?
40 Minutes doesn’t have enough ratings for a verdict yet.
How many seasons of 40 Minutes are there?
40 Minutes has 14 seasons and 323 episodes, about 40 minutes each.
Is 40 Minutes finished?
Yes. 40 Minutes ended in 1994, so you can watch the whole story.
Which OTT platform is 40 Minutes on?
40 Minutes isn’t listed on any OTT platform in India yet. (Checked 3 November 2026.)
40 Minutes parents guide: is it suitable for kids?
No age rating is listed for 40 Minutes yet.
What shows are like 40 Minutes?
If you liked 40 Minutes, try Biography, Deadly Women, Top Gear.