A NEW programme about the history of York – presented by Michael Portillo – is to be screened for free in the city tomorrow evening.

York: Historic Capital of the North, will be shown at the Yorkshire Museum’s Tempest Anderson Hall at 5.30pm, 6.30pm and 7.30pm.

A spokesman for Unicorn Films, which is releasing the programme on DVD and Blu-ray, said Mr Portillo, the former minister and the presenter of the BBC’s Great British Railway Journeys, discovers during the programme why York is often referred to as the North’s historic capital.

“Michael Portillo travels back in time, mingles with Roman Sixth Legion, sheds light on Anglo Saxon York, visits a Viking street scene and describes Viking Jorvik,” he said.

“He describes the Norman influence and later siege of York in 1644.”

The Press reported last September how Mr Portillo was filmed in the gardens with the 6th Legion re-enactment group at the Multiangular Tower.

At Clifford’s Tower, Mr Portillo and local guide Mark Graham were also set to discuss one of York’s darkest episodes, the anti-Semitic riots of 1190 in which hundreds of city Jews perished.

The show was set to close with him climbing on board Queen Victoria’s favourite Royal Carriage to relive the experience of Victorian royal travel.