Empire-ical Evidence

Andy Zaltzman and Anuvab Pal trace the rise and fall of the British Empire by looking at what's been left behind, in a combination of location recording and stand-up comedy.

It's strange to think that, technically, the British Empire only ended in 1997. But that's partly because it still feels like it is all around us - Admiral Nelson's statue looks out over a city built with the spoils of Empire.

In the first episode of Empire!, Andy has invited Anuvab to London to give him a tour of the city, looking at the buildings the British Empire left behind. From banks to tea shops to government buildings to statues, they'll see what we can learn about how the British view what they did between 1600 and 1997.

This guided walk will culminate in a live recording of stand-up comedy from the two of them, arguing about who got the better deal out of the British Empire - Britain, or India? It's obviously a close-run thing, so be sure to listen in to find out the answer, once and for all.