The latest national and international news, exploring the day's events from a global perspective.
Julia Bradbury faces an epic walk in more ways than one. Not only is this the longest and arguably most dramatic walk yet, but it passes through the unruly territory of Scottish clans and Rob Roy. The Highlands were a place to be wary of, until the railway arrived.
Produced in 1955 and part of the British Transport Films' collection, this short film follows the heroic actions of railway workers who rescue a snowbound train in the north Pennines.
Series about the lives and work of six great figures in children's literature looks at Edith Nesbit, the first modern children's author and creator of The Phoenix and the Carpet and The Railway Children.
In a genre previously dominated by adult voices, Nesbit's stories broke the mould of Victorian sentimentality and were written from the perspective of a child, changing the path of children's literature for ever.
Series telling the enchanting story of children's books continues by looking at the time we first begin to read, and how the magical interplay of words and images continues to shape our childhood imagination.
From the age of six we want books to make sense of the middle years of our childhood as we go to school and make new friendships, a time when we love books full of fantastical worlds, a comforting place of talking animals, but also a frightening one of wild woods and giants.
The programme explores over 150 years of classic books, from Alice in Wonderland to The Wind in the Willows, from Winnie the Pooh to The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, and features interviews, readings and demonstrations of their art from leading writers and illustrators such as Philip Pullman, Jacqueline Wilson, Anthony Horowitz, Quentin Blake and Raymond Briggs.
Documentary series following a year in the life of the society living in and around the Tibetan town of Gyantse.
The monks begin preparations for New Year, one of Tibet's biggest festivals. Lhakpa, a local rickshaw driver, struggles to earn money as winter approaches. He embarks on a scheme to buy and sell puppies, with disastrous consequences.
Hotel owner Jianzang gets involved in a court case which has a surprising outcome. In Tangmai, the doctor cannot cure Lhamo's crippling stomach pains.
A look at the variety of wildlife in the Himalayas, from the valleys of Bhutan to the glaciers of Karakoram to the lush forests of Nepal to frozen wastes of Tibet.
THURSDAY 13 NOVEMBER 2008
THU 19:00 World News Today (b00fh4tt)
The latest national and international news, exploring the day's events from a global perspective.
THU 19:40 The New Avengers (b00fl11v)
Series 1
The Eagle's Nest
Classic British secret agent fantasy adventure series.
Investigating the murder of agent Stannard, the team uncover a plot by Nazis to form a new Third Reich, complete with a resurrected Adolf Hitler.
THU 20:30 Beeching's Tracks (b00fl3tq)
East
Nicholas Crane explores what happened to Norfolk's railways 45 years ago when many of the county's branch lines were closed after the Beeching Report, and he learns of an ambitious plan to build an orbital railway by reinstating some of those axed lines.
THU 21:00 Walter Tull: Forgotten Hero (b00fh1vz)
Walter Tull was a pioneering black British footballer and the first black officer in the British army, who died heroically fighting in the First World War and yet is virtually unheard of today.
Former Eastenders star Nick Bailey relates the story of this forgotten hero, investigating war records to establish whether there was a colour bar in the British Army and asking how Tull managed to become an officer despite army regulations requiring only men of 'pure European descent'. Bailey also tries to discover why Lieutenant Tull was denied a Military Cross for heroism even though his commanding officer recommended him for one.
Tull's parents died before he was seven years old and he was sent to an orphanage in London's East End, but despite that he won a place in the first team of one of Britain's most famous clubs, Tottenham Hotspur. However, after just seven games and great match reports, he received such racial abuse he never played for the first team again. Far from giving up, Tull rebuilt his football career and then signed up for military service at the first opportunity.
THU 22:00 Walter's War (b00fh1w1)
[Repeat of broadcast at
21:00 on Sunday]
THU 23:00 Armistice (b00fcy1p)
Professor David Reynolds takes a fresh look at the extraordinary events and personalities that brought about the armistice of 1918, venturing beyond the familiar British account of Remembrance Day to unravel how the other side, the Germans, plunged to total defeat in just a few months at the end of the war.
In a journey that takes him through command centres and battlefields, he uncovers a story of wounded egos, mental illness and political brinkmanship as statesmen and generals haggled over the terms of peace, while, at the front, the soldiers fought on with sustained brutality.
For many Germans, the armistice was a betrayal of all they had fought for and it caused lasting resentments that would eventually fuel Adolf Hitler's rise to power. Reynolds argues that the bitter endgame of the 'war to end all wars' tragically sowed the seeds of even more appalling conflict to come.
THU 00:30 BBC Four Sessions (b0074nv9)
Youssou N'Dour
The crown prince of African music, Youssou N'Dour, in fiery form on the last night of his 2003 European tour at the Union Chapel in London.
Mixing material from his highly acclaimed album Nothing's In Vain (Coono Du Reer) with classic songs like Immigres and Seven Seconds from his back catalogue, Dakar's favourite son mixes acoustic intimacy with all-singing, all-dancing showstoppers in a joyous celebration of his music.
THU 01:30 Walter Tull: Forgotten Hero (b00fh1vz)
[Repeat of broadcast at
21:00 today]
THU 02:30 Armistice (b00fcy1p)
[Repeat of broadcast at
23:00 today]
FRIDAY 14 NOVEMBER 2008
FRI 19:00 World News Today (b00fh55d)
The latest national and international news, exploring the day's events from a global perspective.
FRI 19:30 Karim's Journey (b008ptkc)
Celebrated documentary filmmaker Christopher Nupen's award-winning film follows the development of Amman-born pianist, conductor and composer Karim Said. Filmed over a seven-year period, it tracks Said's progress from the age of 11 to 17.
A protégé of renowned conductor Daniel Barenboim, Said is recognised as a major musical talent and has already received eight international prizes, while the documentary itself was the winner of the Special Jury Prize at the Palermo Festival.
FRI 20:30 Only Connect (b00fh2bf)
[Repeat of broadcast at
20:30 on Monday]
FRI 21:00 BBC Four Sessions (b00fh55j)
Paul Weller
In an exclusive BBC4 session filmed at BBC Television Centre, Paul Weller performs numbers from his album 22 Dreams, solo hits including From the Floorboards Up and Peacock Suit, and a couple of classics from The Jam's back catalogue.
Weller performs with his regular five-piece band and is joined on some numbers by the Wired Strings and a brass section. He also has special guests, including Oasis guitarist Gem Archer on Echoes Round the Sun, fiddle player Eliza Carthy on Wild Wood and Where'er You Go and Blur guitarist Graham Coxon on Black River.
FRI 22:00 Paul Weller: Into Tomorrow (b00fjdr9)
Documentary looking at the 30-year career of Paul Weller, who tells his own story with the input of those who know him.
Using unseen photos and archive footage, it covers his upbringing in Woking, his years with The Jam and The Style Council, his insecurity after being dropped by a record company, his unexpected return to popularity in the 1990s, and his view on where he finds himself now.
Contributors include his parents, Bruce Foxton, Boy George and Noel Gallagher.
FRI 23:30 The New Avengers (b00fl11v)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:40 on Thursday]
FRI 00:20 The Avengers (b0074t6l)
Series 4
What the Butler Saw
60s drama series. Steed becomes a gentleman's gentleman, while Mrs Peel faces a fate worse than death.
FRI 01:10 BBC Four Sessions (b00fh55j)
[Repeat of broadcast at
21:00 today]
FRI 02:10 Paul Weller: Into Tomorrow (b00fjdr9)
[Repeat of broadcast at
22:00 today]
FRI 03:40 Karim's Journey (b008ptkc)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:30 today]
LIST OF THIS WEEK'S PROGRAMMES
(Note: the times link back to the details; the pids link to the BBC page, including iPlayer)
1914-1918
20:10 TUE (b00fk9pd)
A Year in Tibet
22:00 WED (b009hp6b)
A Year in Tibet
01:20 WED (b009hp6b)
An Awfully Big Adventure
20:10 WED (b0074tpq)
Armistice
23:00 THU (b00fcy1p)
Armistice
02:30 THU (b00fcy1p)
BBC Four Sessions
00:55 SUN (b00fd1q1)
BBC Four Sessions
00:30 THU (b0074nv9)
BBC Four Sessions
21:00 FRI (b00fh55j)
BBC Four Sessions
01:10 FRI (b00fh55j)
Beeching's Tracks
20:30 THU (b00fl3tq)
Damages
22:45 SAT (b00936y6)
Damages
23:30 SAT (b009hqfs)
Edwardians in Colour: The Wonderful World of Albert Kahn
20:00 SUN (b00dj1xn)
Edwardians in Colour: The Wonderful World of Albert Kahn
01:55 SUN (b00dj1xn)
Edwardians in Colour: The Wonderful World of Albert Kahn
19:30 MON (b007hg9t)
Edwardians in Colour: The Wonderful World of Albert Kahn
00:00 MON (b007hg9t)
Edwardians in Colour: The Wonderful World of Albert Kahn
02:30 MON (b007hg9t)
Flight of the Conchords
21:30 TUE (b008d37m)
Flight of the Conchords
02:55 TUE (b008d37m)
In Search of Spanish Flu
23:30 MON (b00dwf49)
Karim's Journey
19:30 FRI (b008ptkc)
Karim's Journey
03:40 FRI (b008ptkc)
Mad Men
22:05 SAT (b009hf6l)
Mark Lawson Talks To...
22:00 SUN (b00fh1w3)
Mark Lawson Talks To...
02:55 SUN (b00fh1w3)
Merlin the Legend
20:05 SAT (b00dpspb)
My Family at War
19:30 TUE (b00ffkm9)
Natural World
23:00 WED (b0077xh7)
Only Connect
20:30 MON (b00fh2bf)
Only Connect
01:00 MON (b00fh2bf)
Only Connect
03:30 MON (b00fh2bf)
Only Connect
02:25 TUE (b00fh2bf)
Only Connect
20:30 FRI (b00fh2bf)
Parkinson
23:00 SUN (b0074q5h)
Paul Weller: Into Tomorrow
22:00 FRI (b00fjdr9)
Paul Weller: Into Tomorrow
02:10 FRI (b00fjdr9)
Picture Book
19:00 SAT (b00fd164)
Picture Book
01:45 SAT (b00fd164)
Picture Book
21:00 WED (b00fh49n)
Picture Book
23:50 WED (b00fh49n)
Picture Book
02:20 WED (b00fh49n)
Railway Walks with Julia Bradbury
19:30 WED (b00fd1dd)
Railway Walks with Julia Bradbury
00:50 WED (b00fd1dd)
Railway Walks with Julia Bradbury
03:20 WED (b00fd1dd)
Reader, I Married Him
21:05 SAT (b0074sxl)
Reader, I Married Him
02:45 SAT (b0074sxl)
Selling the Sixties
00:15 SAT (b009364s)
Snowdrift at Bleath Gill
20:00 WED (b00f2ksz)
Storyville
22:00 MON (b00fh2bk)
Storyville
01:00 TUE (b00fh2bk)
The Avengers
00:20 FRI (b0074t6l)
The Book Quiz
21:00 TUE (b00b3zk8)
The Hard Sell
01:15 SAT (b00936cc)
The New Avengers
19:40 THU (b00fl11v)
The New Avengers
23:30 FRI (b00fl11v)
Timeshift
21:00 MON (b00fh2bh)
Timeshift
01:30 MON (b00fh2bh)
Timewatch
22:00 TUE (b00fg9hw)
Walter Tull: Forgotten Hero
21:00 THU (b00fh1vz)
Walter Tull: Forgotten Hero
01:30 THU (b00fh1vz)
Walter's War
21:00 SUN (b00fh1w1)
Walter's War
00:00 SUN (b00fh1w1)
Walter's War
00:00 TUE (b00fh1w1)
Walter's War
22:00 THU (b00fh1w1)
What Did You Do in the Great War, Daddy?
23:00 TUE (b008cxzt)
What Did You Do in the Great War, Daddy?
03:20 TUE (b008cxzt)
Wilfred Owen: A Remembrance Tale
19:00 SUN (b0088x0j)
World News Today
19:00 MON (b00fh2b9)
World News Today
19:00 TUE (b00fh3tx)
World News Today
19:00 WED (b00fh49l)
World News Today
19:00 THU (b00fh4tt)
World News Today
19:00 FRI (b00fh55d)