Channel 4 commissioning editor Emily Shields said: 'It's so rare to find brand new evidence relating to well-known figures in history but Dr Fern Riddell’s research into the relationship between Queen Victoria and John Brown is extraordinary.
'It will be thrilling to see Rob Rinder interrogate the details and ask if it's time for the history of The Widow of Windsor to be re-written.'
Steve Maher, executive producer on the new documentary, said: 'This is a project that we've been developing with Fern for some time, and we are really excited to be working with Channel 4 to explore this compelling new take on the life and loves of Queen Victoria.'
Dr Riddell's other works include The Victorian Guide to Sex: Desire and Deviance in the 19th Century and Sex: Lessons From History.
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