Christopher Lee RD (13 October 1941 – 14 February 2021)[1] was a British writer, historian and broadcaster, best known for writing the radio documentary series This Sceptred Isle for the BBC read by Anna Massey and directed by Pete Atkin.
[citation needed] Christopher Lee was recruited into the Royal Navy's Joint Intelligence Reserve Branch and in the 1970s completed a study of the Order of Battle of the Soviet Northern Fleet and its command structure.
It recounts, in 216 episodes each 15 minutes long (46 hours total), the history of Britain from the Romans to the death of Queen Victoria, the 20th century and the British Empire.
In 2001 another shorter series entitled This Sceptred Isle: Dynasties was produced, telling the stories of the powerful and influential families of Britain and Ireland, including the Godwines, the Despensers and the Churchills.
He is also the writer of more than 100 Radio 4 plays and series including, The House for Timothy West, Julian Glover and Isla Blair, Colvil & Soames for Christopher Benjamin and Amanda Redman,[3] Our Brave Boys for Martin Jarvis and Fiona Shaw and the Los Angeles production of his The Trial of Walter Ralegh which Rosalind Ayres produced with Michael York in the title role.
In 2013 the BBC ran his play Air Force One that questioned the events during the 90 minutes between the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and swearing in of Lyndon B Johnson aboard the presidential plane.
Lee was the defence and foreign affairs adviser to the British Forces Broadcasting Service, where he appeared as presenter and contributor on the weekly military analysis programme Sitrep for 30 years.