{{Short description|British archaeologist and television presenter}} {{Use British English|date=October 2018}} '''Ben Robinson''' is a British archaeologist and television presenter who currently works for Historic England. He has appeared as a contributor and presenter for Channel 4, ITV and the BBC.
==History== Robinson obtained a BSc (Hons) in Computer Science from Teesside University (Polytechnic at the time) in 1989. He achieved his PhD at the University of York<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/2130898.university-of-york/|title=University of York - The Press p.19 March 2008|date=19 March 2008 |accessdate=22 October 2018}}</ref> in 2008 while working for Peterborough City Council as the Historic Environment Manager.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/news/archaeology-looking-beneath-the-surface-1-96823|title=Archaeology: Looking beneath the surface - Peterborough Telegraph p.2 April 2008|accessdate=22 October 2018}}</ref> In 2009 Robinson joined English Heritage<ref>{{cite web|url=https://heritagecalling.com/2013/04/29/the-flying-archaeologist/|title=The Flying Archaeologist - Heritage Calling p.29 April 2013|date=29 April 2013 |accessdate=22 October 2018}}</ref> as a Team Leader and Inspector of Ancient Monuments. Robinson has worked for Historic England since the 2015 split of English Heritage as the Principal Adviser, Heritage at Risk for the East Midlands.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/publications/har-2015-registers/em-har-register2015/|title=Heritage at Risk East Midlands Register 2015 - Historic England|accessdate=22 October 2018}}</ref>
==Television work== Robinson first appeared on the Channel 4 programme ''Time Team'' in 2005, on a dig at Northborough, and went on to make a further eleven appearances, with his last in 2011 at Litlington, Cambridgeshire.
Robinson appeared on the episode "East" of the 2009 BBC One programme ''Rivers with Griff Rhys Jones''.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Q6G1F89z1hgC&pg=PT195|title=Rhys-Jones.G - Rivers: One man and his dog paddle into the heart of Britain |isbn=9780340918647|accessdate=22 October 2018|last1=Jones |first1=Griff Rhys |date=27 October 2011 }}</ref> In 2010 he presented the four-part BBC Four series ''The Flying Archaeologist''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/reviews/last-nights-viewing-the-fall-bbc2-the-flying-archaeologist-bbc4-8614519.html|title=Last night's viewing - The Fall, BBC2; The Flying Archaeologist, BBC4 - The Independent - Tom Sutcliffe p.14 May 2013|website=Independent.co.uk|date=13 May 2013 |accessdate=22 October 2018}}</ref>
During 2014 he presented the episode "The Zeppelin Terror" for the BBC Four documentary ''World War One At Home''. In the episode he followed the paths of the Zeppelin attacks over the East of England.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cambstimes.co.uk/gallery-bbc-one-documentary-will-trace-terror-of-first-world-war-air-attacks-on-east-of-england-by-the-zeppelin-1-3620938|title=BBC One documentary will trace terror of First World War air attacks on east of England by the Zeppelin - Cambs Times p.29 May 2014|accessdate=22 October 2018}}</ref> Also in 2014, Robinson co-presented the ITV series ''Secrets from the Sky'' with historian Bettany Hughes.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2014/oct/18/secrets-from-the-sky-review-itv-king-arthur-tintagel-castle|title=Secrets from the Sky review – touring King Arthur's castle … by drone - The Guardian - Sam Wollaston p.18 October 2014|website=TheGuardian.com|date=18 October 2014 |accessdate=22 October 2018|last1=Wollaston |first1=Sam }}</ref>
In 2015 Robinson co-presented the BBC One documentary ''The Last Journey of the Magna Carta King'' with Professor Stephen Church.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv-programme/e/dfgkjw/last-journey-of-the-magna-carta-king/|title=Last Journey of the Magna Carta King - Radio Times|accessdate=22 October 2018}}</ref> In 2018 he joined presenter Alice Roberts in the six-part Channel 4 programme ''Britain's Most Historic Towns''.
In 2019 Robinson fronted the BBC Four series ''Pubs, Ponds and Power: The Story of the Village'', a six-part programme documenting the history of the English village in various regions.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/tv-review-pubs-ponds-and-power-the-story-of-the-village-koalas-cute-cuddly-vlvvbgrzh|title=TV review: Pubs, Ponds and Power: The Story of the Village; Koalas: Cute & Cuddly|website=The Times.co.uk|author=James Jackson|date=23 January 2019|access-date=22 September 2019}}</ref> This was followed by the similar format, ''Villages by the Sea'' later in 2019, which has gone onto a further three series.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/programme/b-atrntq/villages-by-the-sea/#seasons|title=Villages by the Sea|website=Radio Times|access-date=21 March 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/villages-sea-seaton-sluice-northumberland-27872865|title=Northumberland village set to feature in fourth series of BBC documentary|newspaper=The Chronicle|date=15 October 2023}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{IMDb name|2563144|Ben Robinson}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Robinson, Ben}} Category:Alumni of the University of York Category:Living people Category:21st-century British historians Category:21st-century British archaeologists Category:English television presenters Category:Archaeologists appearing on Time Team Category:Year of birth missing (living people)