Fantasy adventure series. The Dynamic Duo sing their way out of trouble. Harry is nabbed, but the charges won't stick. Aunt Harriet comes to the rescue.
In nine short hours, William the Conqueror triumphed at the Battle of Hastings - and England was changed forever. Simon Schama recounts the saga of blood, betrayal and ambition that led up to this pivotal battle and describes the profound consequences that followed.
Rob Brydon narrates a dramatised/animated documentary which reveals the clash at the heart of the Medieval mind - between the reason and the supernatural - using rational process to dissect the divine.
In 1307 the full weight of medieval justice descended on the sleepy town of Hereford. But this court wasn't summoned to prove innocence or guilt. The man on trial wasn't a murderer, or a criminal. In fact he wasn't even alive. This was a holy inquiry, called by the Catholic Church to prove whether a dead English bishop was actually a miracle-worker - and whether he should be made into a saint.
His case comprised several alleged miracles, the most notorious being the spectacular resurrection of a hanged man. A Welsh terrorist executed by the state, hanged twice just to make sure, this wanted criminal somehow came back from the dead. And now a papal court would use all the instruments of legal process - witness statements, forensic evidence, cross examination - to prove whether it was truly a miracle.
Witty drama adapted from Kenneth Williams's own words in his diaries. It's a spectacular journey inside the mind of one of British radio, TV and film's most popular, peculiar and comic performers. And one of its most tragic, too.
Spanning his entire life, this is the story of Williams's career and private life, a behind-the-scenes look at Williams, not only recreating some of his greatest performances, but also giving a candid and poignant insight into his professional hopes, personal upsets and sexual frustrations of a man who was uncomfortable in his own skin.
The screenplay is rude, arch, uncompromising and hilarious. Michael Sheen delivers a tour-de-force performance as ‘the man of a thousand voices’.
Series of archive clips in which Kenneth Williams tells his own story, from his poverty-stricken upbringing in North London to his life as one of Britain's most famous comedians.
THURSDAY 17 APRIL 2008
THU 19:00 World News Today (b009wzvz)
The latest news from around the world.
THU 19:30 In Search of Medieval Britain (b009wzw1)
Wales
Medieval art historian Dr Alixe Bovey uses the oldest surviving route map of Britain to make a series of journeys through Britain in the Middle Ages. She heads west from Gloucester to follow in the footsteps of the huge armies of Edward I into Wales and uncovers evidence of a lawless borderland, a Medieval arms race and clues to the origins of the map itself.
THU 20:00 Himalaya with Michael Palin (b0074qsf)
Bhutan to Bay of Bengal
In Bhutan, Palin finds himself back in the land of yaks for a last look at the high Himalaya. Trekking to Chomolhari base camp he meets a nomad with a penchant for yak songs before heading down to Paro to witness the Buddhist festival or Tsechu. In a bar in Thimphu, he discusses reincarnation and the pursuit of happiness with Benji and Khendum, two of the king's cousins, and en route to Bangladesh is taken by Benji to see the rare black-neck cranes.
On his journey south through Bangladesh, Michael visits the ship-breaking beaches of Chittagong and grid-locked Dhaka. He meets a man who made a fortune in Birmingham in the poultry business, and a woman who lends money only to women. On a 1920s paddle steamer he is serenaded with the words of Bengal's Shakespeare, and he completes his epic Himalayan journey aboard a fishing boat that carries him out into the Bay of Bengal and a westering sun.
THU 21:00 Inside the Medieval Mind (b009s80l)
Knowledge
Leading authority on the Middle Ages, Professor Robert Bartlett, presents a series which examines the way we thought during medieval times.
To our medieval forebears the world could appear mysterious, even enchanted. Sightings of green men, dog heads and alien beings were commonplace. The world itself was a book written by God. But as the Middle Ages grew to a close, it became a place to be mastered, even exploited.
THU 22:00 Crusades (b009wzw5)
Pilgrims in Arms
Former Monty Python star Terry Jones explores the history of the Crusades. He embarks on a journey to discover exactly what happened nine hundred years ago when the Pope instigated a popular campaign to conquer Jerusalem. Following the route of the crusaders through the Byzantine Empire, whose ruler had made the mistake of asking for help against Turkish invaders, he uncovers a tragicomedy of savagery, greed and ignorance.
THU 22:50 Mad Men (b009wxc0)
[Repeat of broadcast at
22:00 on Sunday]
THU 23:35 Chinese School (b009wz4r)
[Repeat of broadcast at
21:00 on Tuesday]
THU 00:35 In Search of Medieval Britain (b009wzw1)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:30 today]
THU 01:05 Inside the Medieval Mind (b009s80l)
[Repeat of broadcast at
21:00 today]
THU 02:05 The Book Quiz (b009wyng)
[Repeat of broadcast at
20:30 on Monday]
THU 02:35 In Search of Medieval Britain (b009wzw1)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:30 today]
THU 03:05 Inside the Medieval Mind (b009s80l)
[Repeat of broadcast at
21:00 today]
FRIDAY 18 APRIL 2008
FRI 19:00 World News Today (b009x03y)
The latest news from around the world.
FRI 19:30 The Chopin Etudes (b0074pnr)
Opus 10, No 6
Pianist Freddy Kempf plays Chopin's Etude in E flat minor, Op 10 no 6.
FRI 19:35 The Creation by Haydn at the Barbican (b009xnyr)
Haydn's sacred oratorio The Creation (Die Schopfung) performed by the London Symphony Orchestra and Chorus conducted by Sir Colin Davis at the Barbican in London. Haydn is at his most ambitious, having been inspired by hearing Handel's Messiah during visits to London. The Creation is divided into three parts: 1 and 2 give an account of the six days of the Creation itself, while 3 introduces us to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Soloists are Sally Matthews, Ian Bostridge and Dietrich Hensche.
FRI 21:30 Amazing Journey: The Story of The Who (b009x040)
Murray Lerner and Paul Crowder's documentary provides a definitive audio-visual record of the legendary British rock band, and follows Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey as they record The Who's first new music in more than 20 years and travel to the Far East for their first-ever live performance in Japan.
FRI 23:30 The Avengers (b00b0xbf)
Series 5
From Venus with Love
Action adventure with bowler-hatted sleuth Steed and the glamorous Emma Peel. Steed and Emma become entangled with a fiendish plot from Venus to turn everyone's hair white.
FRI 00:20 Electric Proms (b009zj8p)
2006
The Who
Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey are on blistering form in a session recorded at the Roundhouse in north London, as the grand finale of the BBC's Electric Proms in 2006. The setlist showcases a sprinkling of songs from their new mini-opera Wire and Glass, but it's also packed with big singalong tunes like My Generation, Who Are You, Baba O'Riley and Pinball Wizard.
FRI 01:10 Pop Britannia (b008nkvq)
A Well Respected Man
Three-part documentary series telling the story of British popular music and its place in British culture since the 1950s. In the 60s Britain went pop mad. The architects were a group of artists and entrepreneurs who would prise pop out of the grasp of showbiz interests to create a truly authentic British sound of the Beatles, Stones and Who and at the same time prepared the way for a new, more corporate pop business. With Pete Townsend, Sir George Martin, Bryan Ferry, Sandie Shaw and Lulu.
FRI 02:10 The Creation by Haydn at the Barbican (b009xnyr)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:35 today]
LIST OF THIS WEEK'S PROGRAMMES
(Note: the times link back to the details; the pids link to the BBC page, including iPlayer)
10 Things You Didn't Know About...
01:55 SAT (b0074spx)
A History of Britain by Simon Schama
20:00 WED (b0074ky2)
Amazing Journey: The Story of The Who
21:30 FRI (b009x040)
Arena
00:00 MON (b0074t5z)
Arena
03:45 MON (b0074t5z)
BBC Proms
01:50 TUE (b007yp7s)
Batman
19:35 TUE (b009yy8q)
Batman
19:35 WED (b009yyc5)
Becket
22:30 TUE (b007xh7w)
Chinese School
21:00 TUE (b009wz4r)
Chinese School
00:50 TUE (b009wz4r)
Chinese School
03:25 TUE (b009wz4r)
Chinese School
23:35 THU (b009wz4r)
Crusades
22:00 THU (b009wzw5)
Dear Television
21:00 SUN (b009wxbw)
Earth: The Power of the Planet
20:10 SAT (b008cykg)
Electric Proms
00:20 FRI (b009zj8p)
Frankie Howerd: Rather You Than Me
22:45 SUN (b009s7gv)
Frankie Howerd: Rather You Than Me
02:40 SUN (b009s7gv)
Goodness Gracious Me
22:00 TUE (b00b051m)
Himalaya with Michael Palin
20:00 THU (b0074qsf)
In Search of Medieval Britain
19:10 SAT (b009vsbp)
In Search of Medieval Britain
03:25 SAT (b009vsbp)
In Search of Medieval Britain
19:30 THU (b009wzw1)
In Search of Medieval Britain
00:35 THU (b009wzw1)
In Search of Medieval Britain
02:35 THU (b009wzw1)
Inside the Medieval Mind
21:00 THU (b009s80l)
Inside the Medieval Mind
01:05 THU (b009s80l)
Inside the Medieval Mind
03:05 THU (b009s80l)
Jonathan Ross's World of Robin Hood
19:30 MON (b007chqj)
Kenneth Williams in his Own Words
23:20 WED (b0074s9t)
Kenneth Williams: Fantabulosa!
22:00 WED (b0074s9v)
Kenneth Williams: Fantabulosa!
01:50 WED (b0074s9v)
Life in Cold Blood
20:00 TUE (b008y3g1)
Mad Men
23:40 SAT (b009lt2d)
Mad Men
00:25 SAT (b009pg6v)
Mad Men
01:10 SAT (b009s6q7)
Mad Men
22:00 SUN (b009wxc0)
Mad Men
22:50 THU (b009wxc0)
Meetings with Remarkable Trees
19:00 SAT (b0074stm)
Mozart's Requiem
20:00 SUN (b0074tn6)
Mozart's Requiem
00:45 SUN (b0074tn6)
Pompeii: The Last Day
21:10 SAT (b0074c6d)
Pop Britannia
01:10 FRI (b008nkvq)
Pop Go the Sixties
19:30 TUE (b0088nyx)
Pop Go the Sixties
19:30 WED (b008bxxs)
Sacred Music
19:00 SUN (b009s86s)
Sacred Music
01:40 SUN (b009s86s)
Stephen Fry and the Gutenberg Press
21:00 MON (b009wynj)
Stephen Fry and the Gutenberg Press
01:15 MON (b009wynj)
Stephen Fry and the Gutenberg Press
02:45 MON (b009wynj)
Stephen Fry and the Gutenberg Press
23:50 WED (b009wynj)
The Avengers
23:30 FRI (b00b0xbf)
The Best of Youth
22:10 SAT (b009yy4f)
The Book Quiz
19:40 SAT (b009s76h)
The Book Quiz
02:55 SAT (b009s76h)
The Book Quiz
20:30 MON (b009wyng)
The Book Quiz
02:15 MON (b009wyng)
The Book Quiz
02:05 THU (b009wyng)
The Chopin Etudes
19:30 FRI (b0074pnr)
The Creation by Haydn at the Barbican
19:35 FRI (b009xnyr)
The Creation by Haydn at the Barbican
02:10 FRI (b009xnyr)
The Name of the Rose
22:00 MON (b00dwn6b)
The Saint and the Hanged Man
21:00 WED (b009wzcs)
The Saint and the Hanged Man
00:50 WED (b009wzcs)
The Saint and the Hanged Man
03:10 WED (b009wzcs)
Washes Whiter
21:10 SUN (b009wxby)
Who Killed Kirsty MacColl?
23:45 SUN (b0074qly)
World News Today
19:00 MON (b009wyn9)
World News Today
19:00 TUE (b009wz4p)
World News Today
19:00 WED (b009wzcq)
World News Today
19:00 THU (b009wzvz)
World News Today
19:00 FRI (b009x03y)