Michael Portillo returns with an authored documentary, that uses British state papers to shed fresh light on key events and personalities during the Civil War period in Ireland.

How did Britain respond to Ireland's Civil War? How important was the relationship between former enemies, such as Michael Collins and Churchill, who found their political fortunes tied to a settlement that generated little enthusiasm on either side of the Irish Sea? These are the questions explored by Taking Sides, the final installment in Michael Portillo's documentary series, which draws on archival documents to trace Britain's role in Ireland's Revolution.—Canon y mus