The latest national and international news, exploring the day's events from a global perspective.
Michael Portillo takes to the tracks with a copy of George Bradshaw's Victorian Railway Guidebook. In a series of four epic journeys, he travels the length and breadth of the country to see how the railways changed us, and what remains of Bradshaw's Britain.
His journey takes him from Buxton along one of the first railway routes south to the capital, London. This time, Michael explores one of the grandest railway stations and hotels in the country - St Pancras. He rides the world's first tube line to Smithfield market and climbs up the clock tower of the Houses of Parliament to hear Big Ben chime.
Untrained mariner Timothy Spall has spent a fortune on technology for his new challenge - the unpredictable Irish Sea - as he and his wife continue their mini-odyssey around Britain. From Cardiff they head west to Milford Haven at the end of the River Severn and all seems well. However, Captain Spall bungles his departure to Fishguard and ends up going nowhere at full speed due to the turning tides.
Shattered and in the dark of night, they eventually find Fishguard. They also visit Aberystwyth, a return home for his wife Shane, and then the 'discovery' of the trip so far, Porthdinllaen. Here they find the most beautiful cove they have ever seen, a beach pub and a ride in a lifeboat to see the stunning Welsh coastline in its full glory.
'Mr and Mrs Vasco de Gama' are back on their travels in this seductive and heartwarming series.
Untrained mariner Timothy Spall has spent a fortune on technology for his new challenge - the unpredictable Irish Sea - as he and his wife continue their mini-odyssey around Britain.
Entering Liverpool means navigating their first big city since leaving London, but reaching dry land can be daunting in a small boat when dodging tankers and ferries. It's even more difficult when the coastguard sends him round in circles because he's on the wrong side of the marker buoys.
On his way to Glasson Dock in Lancashire, Tim is tricked again by another buoy. Misunderstanding his sea chart results in an unplanned dropped anchor in the middle of the Irish Sea, where they have to wait all night before he can enter the port.
Their next destination finds them in the company of royalty - Piel Island near Barrow-in-Furness has the unusual honour of having its own king and queen, a tradition which goes back centuries.
Dan Cruickshank visits Britain's finest country houses, museums and factories as he uncovers the 18th- and 19th-century fascination with silver. Delving into an unsurpassed era of shimmering opulence, heady indulgence and conspicuous consumption, Dan discovers the Georgian and Victorian obsession with this tantalising precious metal which represented status, wealth and excellent taste. He gives us a glimpse of some of the most extensive collections and exquisite pieces of silverware to have ever been made on British shores.
Sean and Beverly Lincoln are a happily married English couple, who are also the creators of a hit British TV show. Their life seems complete. That is until a hugely powerful and charismatic US network president persuades them to move to Los Angeles to recreate their show for American television.
After a night to remember - and bitterly regret - Beverly returns home to find her husband waiting with open arms. She desperately hopes to put the ugly chapter behind them.
The dreadful Pucks! pilot wraps and Sean and Beverly prepare to return to London. However, a final goodbye between Matt and Sean takes an unexpected turn involving a missing Jaguar, a red-nosed reindeer and the smell of cinnamon.
A look at the experiences of those disabled while fighting for their country in the two world wars, and the harsh, often brutal realities that confronted the vast majority of disabled people in the early years of the century. It covers World War I heroes reduced to begging in the streets; Horace Blackburn's struggle to get work; Bill Surrey, in institutions for 77 years; Gladys Brooks, strapped to a steel frame for two and a half years; Snowy Harding, whose family could not afford a wheelchair; fighter ace Douglas Bader, who lost both legs; and the Guinea Pig Club.
THURSDAY 03 MAY 2012
THU 19:00 World News Today (b01h0d82)
The latest national and international news, exploring the day's events from a global perspective.
THU 19:30 Top of the Pops (b01h257p)
21/04/77
Tony Blackburn looks at the weekly pop chart from 1977 and introduces Delegation, David Dundas, Deniece Williams, Tavares, Leo Sayer, Elkie Brooks, Dead End Kids and Abba.
THU 20:00 The End of the World? A Horizon Guide to Armageddon (b00zj1c2)
Our understanding of the world around us is better now than ever before. But are we any closer to knowing how it is all going to end?
Dallas Campbell delves into the Horizon archive to discover how scientists have tried to predict an impending apocalypse - from natural disaster to killer disease to asteroid impact - and to ask: when Armageddon arrives, will science be able to save us?
THU 21:00 After Life: The Strange Science of Decay (b012w66t)
Ever wondered what would happen in your own home if you were taken away, and everything inside was left to rot? The answer is revealed in this fascinating programme, which explores the strange and surprising science of decay.
For two months in summer 2011, a glass box containing a typical kitchen and garden was left to rot in full public view within Edinburgh Zoo. In this resulting documentary, presenter Dr George McGavin and his team use time-lapse cameras and specialist photography to capture the extraordinary way in which moulds, microbes and insects are able to break down our everyday things and allow new life to emerge from old.
Decay is something that many of us are repulsed by. But as the programme shows, it's a process that's vital in nature. And seen in close-up, it has an unexpected and sometimes mesmerising beauty.
THU 22:30 The King & the Playwright: A Jacobean History (b01h23lr)
[Repeat of broadcast at
21:00 on Monday]
THU 23:30 Top of the Pops (b01h257p)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:30 today]
THU 00:10 Annie Nightingale: Bird on the Wireless (b011mb8d)
It's over 40 years since Annie Nightingale's very first show on Radio 1 - she was the station's first female DJ and is its longest-serving broadcaster. A lifelong champion of new music, first with punk, then new wave, acid house and dubstep, Annie is still at the cutting edge in her current incarnation as the 'Queen of the Breaks'.
In this film Annie takes us on a counter-cultural journey through the events, people and sounds that have inspired her career. Full of insightful anecdotes about her sonic adventures and the numerous pop-cultural shifts that have helped shape her idiosyncratic outlook and tastes, the film features exclusive contributions from some of the many artists Annie has worked with and admired, including Sir Paul McCartney and Mick Jones of The Clash. We also hear from the new generation of artists who confirm that she's an icon of the British music scene.
THU 01:10 The End of the World? A Horizon Guide to Armageddon (b00zj1c2)
[Repeat of broadcast at
20:00 today]
THU 02:10 After Life: The Strange Science of Decay (b012w66t)
[Repeat of broadcast at
21:00 today]
FRIDAY 04 MAY 2012
FRI 19:00 World News Today (b01h0d87)
The latest national and international news, exploring the day's events from a global perspective.
FRI 19:30 BBC Young Musician (b01h26ct)
2012
Woodwind Final
Clemency Burton-Hill presents highlights of the BBC Young Musician 2012 category finals from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff, with behind-the-scenes access, profiles and performance from the finalists and all the latest news. With the keyboard, brass and strings winners already decided and through to the semi-final, the competition is hotting up and just two places are left up for grabs.
In the woodwind category final, five different instruments are represented: those more commonly seen at this stage of the competition such as the clarinet, played by Jordan Black, and the flute, played by Luke O'Toole, along with those less familiar - the saxophone, played by Lucinda Dunne, and bassoon, played by Charlotte Cox. Finally, making BBC Young Musician history, the recorder - played by Charlotte Barbour-Condini - makes an appearance for the first time in 12 years.
Only one of them can win through to the semi-final, with that all-important chance of a place in the final on May 13th at the Sage, Gateshead and a shot at the title of BBC Young Musician 2012.
FRI 21:00 Fleetwood Mac: Don't Stop (b00nq7q9)
Fleetwood Mac are one of the biggest-selling bands of all time and still on the road. Their story, told in their own words, is an epic tale of love and confrontation, of success and loss.
Few bands have undergone such radical musical and personal change. The band evolved from the 60s British blues boom to perfect a US West Coast sound that saw them sell 40 million copies of the album Rumours.
However, behind-the-scenes relationships were turbulent. The band went through multiple line-ups with six different lead guitarists. While working on Rumours, the two couples at the heart of the band separated, yet this heartache inspired the perfect pop record.
FRI 22:00 Peter Green: Man of the World (b00k92x1)
Legendary blues guitarist BB King named Peter Green as one of the greatest exponents of the blues, and the 'only guitar player to make me sweat'. If Green had only written Black Magic Woman, his name would still have a place in blues rock history forever.
His three short years leading Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac saw the band established as one of the biggest-selling groups of the 1960s. Yet at the height of their fame Green left the group, with his life spiralling into turmoil as drug-induced mental health issues took control. Rumours of his demise began to spread, and sightings of him became notorious.
After years battling his mental illness, Green wrote and recorded again. Featuring archive performances and interviews with Carlos Santana, Noel Gallagher, founding members of Fleetwood Mac and Green himself, this film tells the story of one of blues rock's living legends.
FRI 23:30 Pearl Jam Twenty (b0170cl0)
In 1990 they started a band, their first album went gold, then sold 13 million copies. The band would go on to sell more than 60 million records worldwide and perform in nearly every major city in the world. Now they have opened their vault, with 20 years of rare and never-before-seen footage to tell their extraordinary story. From one of the great directors of our generation.
Told in big themes and bold colours with blistering sound, this is the definitive portrait of Pearl Jam - part concert film, part intimate insider-hang, part testimonial to the power of music and uncompromising artists.
Carved from more than 1,200 hours of footage, live performances and recent interviews, the film chronicles the years leading up to Pearl Jam's formation, their rise to fame and the chaos that ensued soon thereafter.
Academy Award-winning director Cameron Crowe has assembled the best-of-the-best from Pearl Jam's past and present in a compelling narrative that recreates the visceral feeling of what it is to love music and feel it deeply.
After 20 years, nine bestselling albums, 60 million record sales and thousands of live performances across the globe, Pearl Jam has a devoted fanbase often compared to that of music legends like the Grateful Dead, Bruce Springsteen and the Who, propelling them into superstardom and solidifying their position as one of the biggest, most magnetic touring acts in the world.
FRI 01:25 Fleetwood Mac: Don't Stop (b00nq7q9)
[Repeat of broadcast at
21:00 today]
FRI 02:25 BBC Young Musician (b01h26ct)
[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)
... Sings Bacharach and David!
02:40 SUN (b01gxl5w)
After Life: The Strange Science of Decay
21:00 THU (b012w66t)
After Life: The Strange Science of Decay
02:10 THU (b012w66t)
Ancient Apocalypse
22:00 TUE (b0074m6w)
Ancient Apocalypse
03:20 TUE (b0074m6w)
Annie Nightingale: Bird on the Wireless
00:10 THU (b011mb8d)
Around the World in 60 Minutes
20:00 SAT (b00ymjkt)
Around the World in 60 Minutes
02:10 SAT (b00ymjkt)
Around the World in 60 Minutes
23:10 WED (b00ymjkt)
BBC Young Musician
19:30 FRI (b01h26ct)
BBC Young Musician
02:25 FRI (b01h26ct)
Beautiful Minds
00:00 MON (b01glqt3)
Burt Bacharach... This Is Now
01:45 SUN (b011g945)
Episodes
22:40 WED (b00z1jr6)
Episodes
02:30 WED (b00z1jr6)
Fleetwood Mac: Don't Stop
21:00 FRI (b00nq7q9)
Fleetwood Mac: Don't Stop
01:25 FRI (b00nq7q9)
Great British Railway Journeys
19:30 TUE (b00qgzdd)
Great British Railway Journeys
01:50 TUE (b00qgzdd)
Great British Railway Journeys
19:30 WED (b00qgzr9)
Inside the Medieval Mind
20:00 MON (b00b413s)
Inside the Medieval Mind
01:30 MON (b00b413s)
Mark Lawson Talks To...
01:10 SAT (b01gxkgw)
Mark Lawson Talks To...
22:45 SUN (b01h23h3)
Metalworks!
21:00 WED (b01fhmhp)
Metalworks!
03:00 WED (b01fhmhp)
Parkinson: The Interviews
23:00 SAT (b01h22vh)
Parkinson: The Interviews
22:00 WED (b01h22vh)
Parkinson: The Interviews
01:50 WED (b01h22vh)
Pearl Jam Twenty
23:30 FRI (b0170cl0)
Peter Green: Man of the World
22:00 FRI (b00k92x1)
Petworth House: The Big Spring Clean
19:30 MON (b01173rk)
Petworth House: The Big Spring Clean
01:00 MON (b01173rk)
Royal Institution Christmas Lectures
19:00 SUN (b00x1v7l)
Royal Institution Christmas Lectures
23:45 SUN (b00x1v7l)
Shock and Awe: The Story of Electricity
20:00 SUN (p00kjq6h)
Shock and Awe: The Story of Electricity
00:45 SUN (p00kjq6h)
South Pacific
19:00 SAT (b00ks63z)
South Pacific
03:10 SAT (b00ks63z)
Survivors: Nature's Indestructible Creatures
22:00 MON (b01bgnmq)
Survivors: Nature's Indestructible Creatures
02:25 MON (b01bgnmq)
The Bridge
21:00 SAT (b01h221w)
The Bridge
22:00 SAT (b01h221y)
The Bridge
23:00 MON (b01h221w)
The Bridge
22:50 TUE (b01h221y)
The Disabled Century
00:10 WED (b0077s2j)
The End of the World? A Horizon Guide to Armageddon
20:00 THU (b00zj1c2)
The End of the World? A Horizon Guide to Armageddon
01:10 THU (b00zj1c2)
The Kidnap Diaries
00:10 SAT (b01glr00)
The King & the Playwright: A Jacobean History
21:00 MON (b01h23lr)
The King & the Playwright: A Jacobean History
03:25 MON (b01h23lr)
The King & the Playwright: A Jacobean History
22:30 THU (b01h23lr)
The Story of British Pathé
20:00 TUE (b013g7dm)
The Story of British Pathé
23:50 TUE (b013g7dm)
Tim
21:00 SUN (b0078szx)
Timeshift
00:50 TUE (b00rm508)
Timothy Spall: Back at Sea
20:00 WED (b0135m57)
Timothy Spall: Back at Sea
20:30 WED (b013fj45)
Timothy Spall: Back at Sea
00:50 WED (b0135m57)
Timothy Spall: Back at Sea
01:20 WED (b013fj45)
Top of the Pops
23:35 SAT (b01glqzy)
Top of the Pops
19:30 THU (b01h257p)
Top of the Pops
23:30 THU (b01h257p)
Unnatural Histories
21:00 TUE (b011wzrc)
Unnatural Histories
02:20 TUE (b011wzrc)
World News Today
19:00 MON (b01h0d7j)
World News Today
19:00 TUE (b01h0d7p)
World News Today
19:00 WED (b01h0d7x)
World News Today
19:00 THU (b01h0d82)
World News Today
19:00 FRI (b01h0d87)