Brian Cox

Professor Brian Cox and Robin Ince take the musings of the great and the good of British science, producing an insight into the multifaceted subjects involved in building a Universe. They tackle everything from the Big Bang to parallel Universes, fierce creatures to extra-terrestrial life, and brain science to artificial intelligence.

Where are we? Are we alone? Who are we? Why are we here? What is our future? Professor Brian Cox tackles some of the greatest questions that humans have asked to try and understand the very nature of ourselves and the Universe in which we live.

Four more series of the multi-award-winning science/comedy show Celebrating the wonders of the universe since 2009 The Infinite Monkey Cage combines wit and wisdom to explore scientific concepts in an entertaining accessible way.

In these four series physicist Brian Cox and comedian Robin Ince are back to 'put a smile on the face of science' (The Independent). They're joined by a wealth of boffins brainiacs and celebrity science enthusiasts all keen to share their hard facts soft theories and bold comic deviations.

Beginning with the end of the universe they tackle topics including black holes the human brain Neanderthals and the science of cooking - and attempt to answer profound philosophical questions such as 'What is life and how did it start?' 'Is time an illusion?' and ''What is reality?'

There's also an astronaut's guide to isolation featuring Helen Sharman Chris Hadfield Nicole Stott and Apollo 9's Rusty Schweickart; a look back at 60 years of chimpanzee research with Jane Goodall; and a history of rock (not in the Rolling Stones sense but actual rolling stones).

Plus the duo play Animal Top Trumps to find out whether we should prefer beautiful bats to much-maligned flies; travel deep below the ocean waves to see what lies beneath; discover how trees communicate using the Wood Wide Web; and learn why two brains are definitely better than one...

Among their special guests are Eric Idle Steve Martin Matt Lucas Tim Minchin Bill Bailey Mark Gatiss Steve Jones Ross Noble Sara Pascoe Prof Alice Roberts Carlo Rovelli Harold McGee Dr Janna Levin Dave Gorman Brendan Hunt and Katy Brand.

From Titus Andronicus with the RSC to media magnate Logan Roy in HBO's Succession, Brian Cox has made his name as an actor of unparalleled distinction and versatility. We know him on screen, but few know of his extraordinary life story. Growing up in Dundee, Scotland, Cox lost his father when he was just eight years old and was brought up by his three elder sisters in the aftermath of his mother's nervous breakdowns and ultimate hospitalization. After joining the Dundee Repertory Theatre at the age of fifteen, you could say the rest is history - but that is to overlook the enormous graft that has gone into the making of the legend we know today.