Big Ben: Saving the World's Most Famous Clock

Episode 1: Taking Stock
Big Ben’s intricate clock mechanism is taken apart for the first time in 160 years.

London’s iconic Elizabeth Tower will see its bells silenced for four years. This innovative documentary goes behind the scenes of this massive renovation project and meets the three clockmakers who have the challenging task of taking the gigantic clock mechanism apart for the first time in nearly 160 years. Can Big Ben be returned to its former glory?

Episode 2: Secrets Revealed
What is the strange mystery lurking at the pinnacle of Big Ben’s iconic tower?

As the multi-year renovation of Big Ben continues, key personnel working to maintain the iconic tower reveal the project’s progress. A foundry owner charged with making the new ironwork for the clock tower explains his process. And modern technology unearths long-buried secrets in the structure’s original design, including a mystery at the very pinnacle of the tower.

Episode 3: Ringing the Changes
Can modern craftspeople replicate the intricate Victorian skills needed to fix Big Ben?

For the first time since the clock tower was built in 1859, the iconic structure of Big Ben is undergoing a massive re novation. Every element of this London landmark will be cleaned, repaired or replaced. It’s a massive undertaking involving skilled craftspeople attempting to replicate the work of Victorian workers. But can modern methods restore this esteemed building to its former glory?

Episode 4: Mission Accomplished
As the massive restoration project concludes, will the Big Ben bells sound the same?

The massive restoration project renovating London’s iconic Big Ben clocktower is finally nearing completion. With unique access, this documentary goes behind the scaffolding to tell the extraordinary story of the build. As Big Ben rings out once more, a close-up view of all the vibrant new details are revealed, while inside the belfry, the famous bells have been recalibrated.