Historian Simon Schama takes the lead on BBC's new art history show Civilisations

Historian Simon Schama is back on the TV screen, as one of the presenters of BBC Four’s ambitious new series on art, Civilisations.

Professor Schama, who presented the opener last week, will narrate four of the remaining episodes with David Olusoga and Mary Beard the other presenters.

Ranging across thousands of years of visual creativity from across the globe, it is a follow-up to Kenneth Clarke’s famous series Civilisation, first broadcast in 1969.

Professor Schama’s previous TV excursions have included series on the history of Britain and the history of Jews.