Lucy Worsley Explores THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION in New PBS Series

On the eve of America’s 250th anniversary, British historian Lucy Worsley will investigate the sabotage, espionage, and unrest that led to the birth of a new nation in a new two-part PBS series. Part of the PBS America @ 250 special programming lineup, Lucy Worsley Investigates: THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION will premiere Tuesday, April 7 and 14, 2026, at 9:00 p.m. ET on PBS.

In 1776, 13 American colonies declared independence from one of the most powerful empires in the world, igniting a bloody eight-year war that claimed thousands of lives and ended in Britain’s humiliating defeat. But how did this historic rupture come to pass, and could it have been avoided?

Over two episodes, Lucy delves deeper into THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION by examining it from the British perspective, discovering the human drama, radical ideas, and political missteps behind this seismic split, and revealing how losing America changed Britain forever. 

“Digging into the past is a true joy for me. So often history gets written by the winners: lots of people know the US side of the American Revolution, but much fewer the British one,” said Worsley. “Interrogating amazing sources and meeting people who can shine a light on this hidden history, I can’t wait to share the forgotten and surprising story of how losing America affected Britain and beyond.”

Lucy Worsley Investigates: The American Revolution will stream simultaneously with broadcast and be available on all station-branded PBS platforms. The program, a 2x60’ for BBC Two and iPlayer, was made by BBC Studios Specialist Factual Productions. It was commissioned by Simon Young, Head of History for the BBC and Zara Frankel is the Executive In Charge for PBS. The Executive Producer is Amanda Lyon and the Series Producer is Linda Sands. BBC Studios is handling Global Sales.

Episode Descriptions:

Episode One (April 7, 2026) takes Lucy to New York’s City Hall Park, where George Washington’s troops heard the Declaration of Independence read aloud — a rallying cry that inspired rebels to destroy a statue of King George III and melt it into musket balls. At the New York Historical, Lucy examines a relic of this defiance and asks whether the rupture was inevitable. She then travels home to England to uncover the British perspective, studying KING George’s maps and visiting Benjamin Franklin’s London home. She traces British and American tensions rising from Britain’s punitive taxes and the Stamp Act of 1765. In Boston, Lucy explores how the Boston Massacre and Boston Tea Party were flashpoints that pushed Americans toward war. Finally, Lucy reveals the radical voices — John Wilkes and Thomas Paine — whose words crystallized America’s vision of liberty and independence. 

Episode Two (April 14, 2026) uncovers how the war reverberated in Britain itself. At Portsmouth Royal Dockyard, Lucy investigates James Aitken’s shocking arson plot to cripple the Royal Navy. She traces Franklin’s secret mission to Paris to secure French support, while British spy Edward Bancroft fed INTELLIGENCE back to London. Lucy explores Britain’s growing fears as France — and later Spain — joined the conflict, and how Irish Volunteers forced Britain to lift trade restrictions between Ireland and America. Back in London, riots erupted, and George III agonized over the possibility of losing the empire. By 1781, Britain’s campaign collapsed at Yorktown, and two years later, Britain formally recognized American independence. Concluding her investigation at Grosvenor Square, the site of America’s first embassy in London, Lucy reflects on a REVOLUTION that created an independent America and reshaped Britain forever. 

Photo Credit: Tom Hayward