The BBC has announced that it has a sustainable plan for the future of the BBC Singers, in association with The VOCES8 Foundation.
The threat to reduce the staff of the three English orchestras by 20% has not been lifted, but it is being reconsidered.
See the BBC press release here.

Radio-Lists Home Now on BBC 4 Contact

RADIO-LISTS: BBC FOUR
Unofficial Weekly Listings for BBC 4 — supported by bbc.co.uk/programmes/



SATURDAY 04 APRIL 2015

SAT 19:00 Chemistry: A Volatile History (b00qjnqc)
The Power of the Elements

The explosive story of chemistry is the story of the building blocks that make up our entire world - the elements. From fiery phosphorous to the pure untarnished lustre of gold and the dazzle of violent, violet potassium, everything is made of elements - the earth we walk on, the air we breathe, even us. Yet for centuries this world was largely unknown, and completely misunderstood.

In this three-part series, professor of theoretical physics Jim Al-Khalili traces the extraordinary story of how the elements were discovered and mapped. He follows in the footsteps of the pioneers who cracked their secrets and created a new science, propelling us into the modern age.

In the final part, Professor Al-Khalili uncovers tales of success and heartache in the story of chemists' battle to control and combine the elements, and build our modern world. He reveals the dramatic breakthroughs which harnessed their might to release almost unimaginable power, and he journeys to the centre of modern day alchemy, where scientists are attempting to command the extreme forces of nature and create brand new elements.


SAT 20:00 Wild China (b00bf5b0)
Heart of the Dragon

The fairy-tale hills of Guilin and the cormorant fishermen of the Li River form the heart of this exploration of the colourful rice-growing cultures and strange creatures of southern China - a land of endless hills, mysterious caverns, spectacular rock pinnacles and traditional cultures with a taste for wildlife.


SAT 21:00 Inspector Montalbano (b01nvwqr)
Treasure Hunt

An elderly couple, both religious fanatics, barricade themselves in their home and begin shooting from the windows for no apparent reason, until Montalbano's men finally succeed in disarming them.

There seems to be no justification for the couple's insane actions, but police find a strangely disfigured inflatable doll inside their home. A few days later, an identical doll is discovered in a rubbish bin and Montalbano has a bad premonition.

Soon enough, a series of strange occurrences develops - disquieting letters bearing riddles are delivered to Montalbano at Vigata police station, while a young woman is reported missing. A disturbed maniac is playing a macabre game of treasure hunt with the inspector and the riddle must be solved before it's too late.

In Italian with English subtitles.


SAT 22:40 Definitely Dusty (b00780bt)
Documentary looking at the life and work of soul and pop diva Dusty Springfield, singer of such classics as You Don't Have to Say You Love Me and Son of a Preacher Man, who was equally famous for her trademark panda eyes and blonde beehive.

Using archive footage and interviews shot in the UK and the US, it charts her progress from plain Catholic schoolgirl to glamorous star and ventures behind the extravagant image to reveal a complex and vulnerable character.

Featuring interviews with fellow musicians from a career spanning four decades, including Elton John, Burt Bacharach, Neil Tennant, Lulu and Martha Reeves.

Dusty's protective inner circle of friends have never spoken about her on camera before. Pat Rhodes, Dusty's personal secretary for her entire solo career, her manager Vicky Wickham, ardent fan-turned-backing singer Simon Bell and others talk about the highs and lows of the woman they knew and loved.


SAT 23:40 Dusty Springfield at the BBC (b01qyvw7)
A selection of Dusty Springfield's performances at the BBC from 1961 to 1995. Dusty was one of Britain's great pop divas, guaranteed to give us a big melody in songs soaring with drama and yearning.

The clips show Dusty's versatility as an artist and performer and include songs from her folk beginnings with The Springfields; the melodrama of You Don't Have to Say You Love Me; Dusty's homage to Motown with Heatwave and Nowhere to Run; the Jacques Brel song If You Go Away; the Bacharach and David tune The Look of Love; and Dusty's collaboration with Pet Shop Boys in the late 1980s.

There are also some great duets from Dusty's career with Tom Jones and Mel Torme.


SAT 00:40 Top of the Pops (b05pl7rt)
Mike Read presents pop hits of the week, with performances from the Bodysnatchers, Squeeze, Sad Cafe, the Lambrettas, Barbara Dickson, Shakin' Stevens, Martha and the Muffins, UB40, and the Jam, and a dance sequence by Legs & Co.


SAT 01:15 Disco at the BBC (b01cqt74)
A foot-stomping return to the BBC vaults of Top of the Pops, The Old Grey Whistle Test and Later with Jools as the programme spins itself to a time when disco ruled the floor, the airwaves and our minds. The visual floorfillers include classics from luminaries such as Chic, Labelle and Rose Royce to glitter ball surprises by The Village People.


SAT 02:15 Wild China (b00bf5b0)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:00 today]


SAT 03:15 Sounds of the 70s 2 (b01glwkz)
Arthouse Glam - Get in the Swing

Performances from The Kinks, Roxy Music, Elton John, New York Dolls, Queen, Sparks, Rod Stewart and the rediscovered David Bowie performance of The Jean Genie from January 1973.

Welcome to gender-bending, boys getting in the swing and girls who would be boys and boys who would be girls in this mixed-up, shook-up 70s world.



SUNDAY 05 APRIL 2015

SUN 19:00 Arena (b009w2yc)
Oooh er Missus! The Frankie Howerd Story

Documentary about the life of Frankie Howerd, with help from friends and colleagues and including highlights from his TV and film career.


SUN 20:00 Shakespeare's Mother: The Secret Life of a Tudor Woman (b05279pq)
Michael Wood tells the extraordinary story of an ordinary woman in a time of revolution. Born during the reign of Henry VIII, Mary Arden is the daughter of a Warwickshire farmer, but she marries into a new life in the rising Tudor middle class in Stratford-upon-Avon. There she has eight children, three of whom die young. Her husband becomes mayor, but is bankrupted by his shady business dealings. Faced with financial ruin, religious persecution and power politics, the family is the glue that keeps them together until they are rescued by Mary's successful eldest son - William Shakespeare!


SUN 21:00 Lost Cities of the Ancients (b00792vj)
The Dark Lords of Hattusha

It was one of the greatest vanishing acts in history. More than 3,000 years ago a mysterious and ruthless civilisation rose from nothing, created a brutal and unstoppable army and built an empire that rivalled Egypt and Babylon. Yet, just as it was at the height of its powers, the great empire suddenly vanished from history.

This is the story of the formidable Hittites, a civilisation bent on world domination. Their long-lost capital, Hattusha, which disappeared thousands of years ago, was recently rediscovered, and archaeologists have unearthed one of the most astonishing and ingenious cities of the ancient world, featuring rings of impenetrable walls, secret tunnels, temples, palaces and a vast pyramid-like structure facing Egypt.

Buried in this lost city is one of the greatest libraries of the ancient world. All the secrets of the mysterious Hittite empire were written in two codes - one a unique form of hieroglyphs. Using these deciphered texts, the film recreates the ancient world of the Hittites, telling the story of what happened to them, and what caused an empire built to last forever to vanish so completely from history.


SUN 22:00 Horizon (b01r6dys)
2012-2013

The Truth About Meteors: A Horizon Special

On a bright, cold morning on 15 February 2013, a meteorite ripped across the skies above the Ural mountains in Russia, disintegrating into three pieces and exploding with the force of 20 Hiroshimas. It was a stark reminder that the Earth's journey through space is fraught with danger. A day later, another much larger 143,000-tonne asteroid passed within just 17,000 miles of the Earth.

Presented by Professor Iain Stewart, this film explores what meteorites and asteroids are, where they come from, the danger they pose and the role they have played in Earth's history.


SUN 23:00 Freddie Mercury: The Great Pretender - Director's Cut (b01pkbc7)
Film-maker Rhys Thomas's full-length director's cut of his film exploring the solo career and private life of one of British rock and roll's great frontmen, Freddie Mercury.

Renowned as the bravura frontman of one of Britain's greatest rock bands, Freddie Mercury's life outside Queen is rarely celebrated or explored. In a touching portrait, this film explores Mercury's solo projects and interests, including a previously unheard collaboration with Michael Jackson and the triumphant Barcelona project with Dame Montserrat Caballe, as well as the life of a gay man who was not yet publicly out. Rare interviews reveal a shy man in search of love, and a driven artist living behind the protection of his stage persona.


SUN 00:25 Queen: The Legendary 1975 Concert (b00p4hgm)
On Christmas Eve 1975, Queen crowned a glorious year with a special concert at London's Hammersmith Odeon. The show on the final night of their triumphant UK tour was broadcast live on BBC TV and radio, and has become a legendary event in Queen's history.

Featuring stunning renditions of early hits Keep Yourself Alive, Liar and Now I'm Here alongside Brian May's epic guitar showcase Brighton Rock, a rip-roaring version of the then new Bohemian Rhapsody and the crowd-pleasing Rock 'n' Roll Medley, this hour-long concert shows Queen at an early peak and poised to conquer the world.


SUN 01:15 Mr Blue Sky: The Story of Jeff Lynne and ELO (b01n3yf4)
Documentary which gets to the heart of who Jeff Lynne is and how he has had such a tremendous musical influence on our world. The story is told by the British artist himself and such distinguished collaborators and friends of Jeff as Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Tom Petty, Joe Walsh, Olivia and Dhani Harrison, Barbara Orbison and Eric Idle.

The film reveals that Lynne is a true man of music, for whom the recording studio is his greatest instrument. With access to Lynne in his studio above LA, this is an intimate account of a great British pop classicist who has ploughed a unique furrow since starting out on the Birmingham Beat scene in the early 60s, moving from the Idle Race to the multimillion-selling ELO in the 70s and then, with Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Roy Orbison and George Harrison, as a key member of the Traveling Wilburys.


SUN 02:15 Jeff Lynne's ELO at Hyde Park (b04ltd74)
On a sunny day in September 2014, Jeff Lynne, head honcho of 70s hit-making band ELO took to the stage in London's Hyde Park and, with the help of his backing band and the strings of the BBC Concert Orchestra, brought to a close Radio 2's Live in Hyde Park annual festival. After an absence from the live stage for 28 years, this headline set by Jeff Lynne's ELO was a much-anticipated and talked-about event, and he did not disappoint.

In front of 50,000 people, Lynne delivered a rousing and crowd-pleasing string of the Electric Light Orchestra's chart-topping hits, including Livin' Thing, Sweet Talkin' Woman, Don't Bring Me Down, Mr Blue Sky, and Roll Over Beethoven. And there was also a special treat, Jeff's touching tribute to his band buddies from the ultimate supergroup of all time, the Traveling Wilburys, with his performance of their 1988 hit Handle With Care.

All in all, a memorable night and a fantastic return to the live arena for Mr Jeff Lynne's ELO!



MONDAY 06 APRIL 2015

MON 19:00 Great Continental Railway Journeys (b05qjwhw)
Series 3 - Reversions

La Coruna to Lisbon - Part 2

Armed with his 1913 Bradshaw's, Michael Portillo explores a very different Spain from the one he knows best and ventures across its border with Britain's oldest ally, Portugal.

Beginning in Galicia, Michael discovers the elegant city of La Coruna, a fashionable destination for Edwardian Britons, for whom the principal attraction was the tomb of a British military hero. Michael uncovers the Celtic roots of the Galician people and tries to master the bagpipes but finds himself upstaged by a six-year-old.

On the pilgrims' trail to Santiago de Compostela, Michael meets walkers from all over the world heading for the cathedral, and he is led into the archive to see one of the world's first guidebooks, dating from the 12th century.

Aboard the West Galician Railway, Michael hears how a 19th-century British railwayman sought his fortune in Galicia and ended up running the company. A visit to a sardine cannery has Michael scrubbing octopus tentacles, and a taste for the cephalopod sees Michael set sail with local fishermen to see if he can trap one.

Arriving at the ornately tiled Sao Bento station in Porto, he finds out about the birth of Britain's long alliance with the Portuguese. A glass of 1953 port awaits him at the city's Factory House, before he embarks on the Linha da Douro along the spectacular Douro Valley.

At Coimbra, Michael is moved by the mournful strains of the fado sung by students of the university, then boards the high-speed train to the Portuguese capital Lisbon.

Following in the footsteps of King Edward VII, who visited his cousin King Carlos in 1903, Michael explores the city from the Santa Justa lift to the harbour at Belem. An attempt to make Portugal's national sweetmeat proves challenging, but help is at hand.

At the handsome Palace Square, Michael hears how turbulent events at the time of his guide saw the Portuguese royal family almost wiped out.


MON 19:30 Great Continental Railway Journeys (b05qjwhy)
Series 3 - Reversions

Lyon to Marseille: Part 1

Michael Portillo follows in the footsteps of Edwardian travellers to trace a route recommended in his Bradshaw's guide, journeying from the heart of France to the Mediterranean coast.

His journey begins in the capital of cuisine, Lyon, where he finds out about the early 20th-century Meres Lyonnaises, to whom the city owes its gastronomic reputation. Ever keen to try his hand, Michael takes instruction from a top chef on how to make an omelette, but his efforts fail to impress.

At the Palais de la Bourse, Michael hears how, at the time of his guide, the city was still reeling from the assassination of the country's president and how a shocked French nation rallied in support of the Third Republic.

Cycling in tandem with his guide, Michael discovers Lyon's role in the country's most famous sporting event, the Tour de France. Forsaking the saddle, Michael takes to the skies and pilots a light aircraft as he learns of one of France's pioneering aviators.

In Avignon, Michael savours the scent of Provence in the region's lavender fields before relaxing with a glass of the city's famous tipple, Chateauneuf-du-Pape.

Moving south to the city of Arles, he learns how its light and the famous mistral drew artists from all over Europe.

His journey ends at the gateway to the former French empire, Marseilles. In the vast port, Michael joins a pilot boat as it leads a supertanker to its berth.


MON 20:00 Bombay Railway (b007t30p)
Pressures

Documentary about Bombay's vast suburban rail network, which serves six-and-a-half million commuters every day. As Bombay's population swells by tens of thousands each week, the railway and the people whose lives revolve around it struggle to cope with the pressure and the peaktime 'super-dense crush load'. From the train driver to the illegal hawker and the homeless shoe-shine boy, each has a story to tell about this remarkable railway system, often described as the lifeline of India.


MON 21:00 Bombay Railway (b007t367)
Dreams

India is undergoing unprecedented growth and Bombay is its financial powerhouse. The city promotes itself as a positive vision of the future, a place where dreams can come true. Like an extended family, the Bombay railway provides an unfailing lifeline to the city. This series follows the hope and dreams of some the people who work for the railway.

Hans Dev Sharma is a senior operations clerk. He works in the timetabling department, which schedules over 2,000 trains a day - under its cultural quota, Hans was talent-spotted as an exceptional actor and dancer and the railways offered him a job. Hans is living the Bollywood dream, with Bombay Railways as his life and his stage. But will he get his big break?

Jagdish Paul Raj was born in Bombay and is as ambitious as the city he lives in. The son of a railway catering officer, Jagdish, like his father, always had an interest in food but none in the railway. He graduated in politics and economics and became a fully qualified chef. Now 31, he is running a successful catering business on the train to Goa. He is tendered for more trains, but will he be successful?

Mumtaz Kazi is Indian Railways' first fully qualified female train driver and has driven trains all over India. Mumtaz was brought up in a traditional Muslim family - a railway family. Now her father has retired and her immediate family live in Canada - Mumtaz is the only member left in Bombay. It will be Mumtaz's responsibility to find a wife for her brother, to get him married and back to Canada in just eight weeks. Can she do it and still drive the train?


MON 22:00 The Titfield Thunderbolt (b03mv97b)
Ealing comedy about a group of villagers and their battle to preserve the local railway line by running it themselves, an enterprise that goes well until they are sabotaged in a midnight raid by the rival bus company. Undaunted, they wheel out the Thunderbolt, an ancient exhibit in the village museum. Now all that remains is to put on a satisfactory run for the stickler of a government inspector.


MON 23:20 Timeshift (b053pxdr)
Series 14

The Nation's Railway: The Golden Age of British Rail

Timeshift revisits Britain's railways during the era of public ownership. For all its bad reputation today, the old British Rail boldly transformed a decayed, war-torn Victorian transport network into a system fit for the 20th century. With an eye firmly on the future, steam made way for diesel and electric, new modern stations like Euston were built, and Britain's first high-speed trains introduced.

Made with unique access to the British Transport Films archive, this is a warm corrective to the myth of the bad old days of rail, but even it can't hide from the horror that was a British Rail sandwich.


MON 00:20 Bombay Railway (b007t30p)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:00 today]


MON 01:25 Bombay Railway (b007t367)
[Repeat of broadcast at 21:00 today]


MON 02:25 Timeshift (b053pxdr)
[Repeat of broadcast at 23:20 today]



TUESDAY 07 APRIL 2015

TUE 19:00 World News Today (b05q1hhm)
The latest national and international news, exploring the day's events from a global perspective.


TUE 19:30 Great Continental Railway Journeys (b05qjxcy)
Series 3 - Reversions

Lyon to Marseille: Part 2

Michael Portillo follows in the footsteps of Edwardian travellers to trace a route recommended in his Bradshaw's guide, journeying from the heart of France to the Mediterranean coast.

His journey begins in the capital of cuisine, Lyon, where he finds out about the early 20th-century Meres Lyonnaises, to whom the city owes its gastronomic reputation. Ever keen to try his hand, Michael takes instruction from a top chef on how to make an omelette, but his efforts fail to impress.

At the Palais de la Bourse, Michael hears how, at the time of his guide, the city was still reeling from the assassination of the country's president and how a shocked French nation rallied in support of the Third Republic.

Cycling in tandem with his guide, Michael discovers Lyon's role in the country's most famous sporting event, the Tour de France. Forsaking the saddle, Michael takes to the skies and pilots a light aircraft as he learns of one of France's pioneering aviators.

In Avignon, Michael savours the scent of Provence in the region's lavender fields before relaxing with a glass of the city's famous tipple, Chateauneuf-du-Pape.

Moving south to the city of Arles, he learns how its light and the famous mistral drew artists from all over Europe.

His journey ends at the gateway to the former French empire, Marseilles. In the vast port, Michael joins a pilot boat as it leads a supertanker to its berth.


TUE 20:00 Every Breath We Take: Understanding Our Atmosphere (b04bdqsz)
The air around us is not just empty space; it is an integral part of the chemistry of life. Plants are made from carbon dioxide, nitrogen nourishes the soil and oxygen gives us the energy we need to keep our hearts pumping and our brains alive. But how did we come to understand what air is made of? How did we come to know that this invisible stuff around us contains anything at all?

Gabrielle Walker tells the remarkable story of the quest to understand the air. It's a tale of heroes and underdogs, chance encounters and sheer blind luck that spans the entire history of science. It began as a simple desire to further our knowledge of the natural world, but it ended up uncovering raw materials that have shaped our modern world, unravelling the secrets of our own physiology and revealing why we are here at all.


TUE 21:00 The Normans (b00thpzb)
Normans of the South

Professor Robert Bartlett explores the impact of the Normans on southern Europe and the Middle East. The Normans spread south in the 11th century, winning control of southern Italy and the island of Sicily. There they created their most prosperous kingdom, where Christianity and Islam co-existed in relative harmony and mutual tolerance. It became a great centre of medieval culture and learning.

But events in the Middle East provoked the more aggressive side of the Norman character. In 1095, the Normans enthusiastically answered the pope's call for holy war against Islam and joined the first crusade. They lay siege to Jerusalem and eventually helped win back the holy city from the muslims. This bloody conquest left a deep rift between Christianity and Islam which is still being felt to this day.


TUE 22:00 A Very British Airline (p01yyhgg)
Episode 1

British Airways is one of the UK's most visible brands, selling Britishness as a mark of quality. But in the last decade, the business has faced financial crisis and today more people fly Easyjet than BA. As the airline reaches a turning point, the BBC's cameras have been allowed unique access to its inner world, from top level decisions to the daily challenges of a global operation.

This episode explores how the airline tries to persuade people to spend more to fly, revealing the world found behind the 'millionaire's door' at Heathrow Terminal 5 - a lounge, restaurant, spa and champagne bar reserved for those select few who are happy to part with small fortunes to fly in the airline's first class.

Also this episode, a look at how the airline is playing catch-up with some of its rivals as it brings its first A380, the world's biggest passenger plane, into service. Plus, the programme follows 18 anxious new recruits on their journey to become cabin crew with British Airways. With exacting standards of dress, behaviour and knowledge, not all of them will make it through the six-week training course designed to uncover who is - and who is not - BA.


TUE 23:00 Bombay Railway (b007t30p)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:00 on Monday]


TUE 00:00 Timeshift (b044yw1d)
Series 14

Mods, Rockers and Bank Holiday Mayhem

A trip back to the days when 'style wars' were just that - violent confrontations about the clothes you wore. Spring 2014 marked the 50th anniversary of the bank holiday 'battles of the beaches', when hundreds of mods and rockers flocked to seaside resorts on scooters and motorbikes in search of thrills and spills.

Timeshift tells the story of how this led to violence, arrests and widespread concern about the state of British youth. But mods and rockers had more in common than was first obvious - they were the first generation of baby boomers to reach their teenage years at a time when greater prosperity and wider freedoms were transforming what it meant to be young.


TUE 01:00 Every Breath We Take: Understanding Our Atmosphere (b04bdqsz)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:00 today]


TUE 02:00 A Very British Airline (p01yyhgg)
[Repeat of broadcast at 22:00 today]


TUE 03:00 The Normans (b00thpzb)
[Repeat of broadcast at 21:00 today]



WEDNESDAY 08 APRIL 2015

WED 19:00 World News Today (b05q1hhs)
The latest national and international news, exploring the day's events from a global perspective.


WED 19:30 Railways of the Great War with Michael Portillo (b04dbrkp)
A Railway War Begins

World War I was a railway war. Michael Portillo finds out how the railways helped to precipitate a mechanised war, shaped how it was fought, conveyed millions to the trenches and bore witness to its end. He takes to historic tracks to rediscover the locomotives and wagons of the war that was supposed to end all war and hears the stories of the gallant men and women who used them in life and in death.

Michael travels through Britain and northern Europe uncovering railway stories from the Great War. He begins his quest in the French city of Metz on European tracks built with war in mind, charts the birth of the railway war at a small station in Luxembourg and discovers how Britain's railways coped with the challenge of sending thousands of troops to join the conflict from Southampton. Finally, he returns to France to learn how the early war of movement gave way to the stalemate of the trenches.


WED 20:00 Great Irish Journeys with Martha Kearney (b05nyhq4)
Episode 3

Martha Kearney walks in the footsteps of a 19th-century artist and geologist who spent his life charting the landscape, people and buildings of Ireland. She retraces the journey of George Victor Du Noyer whose 35-year odyssey left a unique record of how Ireland looked during a period of great change.

In this episode, Martha examines places of power in Ireland as seen through Du Noyer's eyes. She traces the movement of power from Newgrange, through the Rock of Cashel, sees the magnificent Waterford Charter Roll, and ends up at the sumptuous Castletown House.


WED 20:30 The Quizeum (b05q20w0)
Series 1

Episode 3

At Queen's House at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, the experts being put to the test by Griff Rhys Jones are historian Professor Kate Williams, historian specialising in European and Chinese ceramics Lars Tharp, former first sea lord Admiral Lord West, and physicist and oceanographer Helen Czerski.


WED 21:00 Treasures of Ancient Greece (b05ql1sf)
The Age of Heroes

In the first episode Alastair Sooke explores the surprising roots of Greek art, beginning his journey in Crete at the palace of Knossos, legendary home of the Minotaur. He travels to Santorini to the 'Greek Pompeii', and finds gold in the fabled stronghold of Mycenae and dazzling remains from Greece's Dark Ages. Alastair discovers the beginnings of a defining spirit in Greek art, embracing mythology, a passion for symmetry, and an obsession with the human body.


WED 22:00 Secret Knowledge (b05ql1l7)
The Body Beautiful - Ancient Greeks, Good Looks and Glamour

Writer and classicist Natalie Haynes leads us on a journey into ancient beauty and modern glamour, examining how our current obsession with the body beautiful goes back thousands of years to an era of stunning artistic achievement. With unique access to a major British Museum exhibition, Haynes explores the Greek preoccupation with the human form, ranging from objects of abstract simplicity to breathtaking realism.


WED 22:30 Bombay Railway (b007t367)
[Repeat of broadcast at 21:00 on Monday]


WED 23:30 Timeshift (b03fv7sl)
Series 13

Full Throttle: The Glory Days of British Motorbikes

Timeshift returns with an exploration of the British love of fast, daring and sometimes reckless motorbike riding during a period when home-grown machines were the envy of the world. From TE Lawrence in the 1920 to the 'ton-up boys' and rockers of the 1950s, motorbikes represented unparalleled style and excitement, as British riders indulged their passion for brands like Brough Superior, Norton and Triumph.

But it wasn't all thrills and spills - the motorbike played a key role during World War II and it was army surplus bikes that introduced many to the joy and freedom of motorcycling in the 50s, a period now regarded as a golden age. With its obsession with speed and the rocker lifestyle, it attracted more than its fair share of social disapproval and conflict.

Narrated by John Hannah.


WED 00:30 Shakespeare's Mother: The Secret Life of a Tudor Woman (b05279pq)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:00 on Sunday]


WED 01:30 The Quizeum (b05q20w0)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:30 today]


WED 02:00 Secret Knowledge (b05ql1l7)
[Repeat of broadcast at 22:00 today]


WED 02:30 Treasures of Ancient Greece (b05ql1sf)
[Repeat of broadcast at 21:00 today]



THURSDAY 09 APRIL 2015

THU 19:00 World News Today (b05q1hhy)
The latest national and international news, exploring the day's events from a global perspective.


THU 19:30 Top of the Pops (b05qjxm0)
Peter Powell presents chart hits of the week, with performances from Liquid Gold, Genesis, Brothers Johnson, Dr Hook, Judas Priest, Siouxsie & the Banshees, John Foxx, the Detroit Spinners and the Jam, and a dance sequence by Legs & Co.


THU 20:00 The Final Frontier? A Horizon Guide to the Universe (p00yjn1x)
Dallas Campbell looks back through almost 50 years of the Horizon archives to chart the scientific breakthroughs that have transformed our understanding of the universe. From Einstein's concept of spacetime to alien planets and extra dimensions, science has revealed a cosmos that is more bizarre and more spectacular than could have ever been imagined. But with every breakthrough, even more intriguing mysteries that lie beyond are found. This great journey of discovery is only just beginning.


THU 21:00 4,000-Year-Old Cold Case: The Body in the Bog (b03js0gf)
A 4,000-year-old body is found preserved in an Irish peat bog, in Cashel, in Ireland's midlands. To scientists and historians, it could offer brand new clues to solve an ancient mystery - the hundreds of bodies found mummified in the boglands of northern Europe.

An international team of experts assemble to investigate this new find, led by Ned Kelly of the National Museum of Ireland. Ned is a veteran archaeologist, and has previously investigated some of Ireland's most famous bog bodies.

Will 'Cashel Man' help prove his theory these Irish victims were ancient kings? And what clues can the bog bodies of Europe offer to explain our ancestors' most macabre tradition, ritual murder?

Meanwhile, that question could be answered by the bog itself. New science has found clues to suggest these deaths may be explained by prehistoric climate change.


THU 22:00 Wild China (b00bf5b0)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:00 on Saturday]


THU 23:00 The Normans (b00thpzb)
[Repeat of broadcast at 21:00 on Tuesday]


THU 00:00 Top of the Pops (b05qjxm0)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:30 today]


THU 00:35 The Final Frontier? A Horizon Guide to the Universe (p00yjn1x)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:00 today]


THU 01:35 Great Irish Journeys with Martha Kearney (b05nyhq4)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:00 on Wednesday]


THU 02:05 Neil Sedaka Says: All You Need Is the Music (b00pwstt)
During a career which was originally designed to make him a classical pianist, the musical achievements and statistics of singer-songwriter Neil Sedaka have made him a compelling figure in contemporary music, with 600 songs written and 20 million records sold. The hits from his early rock 'n' roll days to his later, more lyrical age are all included in this special one-man show from the 1980s.


THU 02:50 4,000-Year-Old Cold Case: The Body in the Bog (b03js0gf)
[Repeat of broadcast at 21:00 today]



FRIDAY 10 APRIL 2015

FRI 19:00 World News Today (b05q46hx)
The latest national and international news, exploring the day's events from a global perspective.


FRI 19:30 Placido Domingo's Gala Concert from the Royal Opera House (b01pdt87)
From the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Katie Derham introduces a gala concert in celebration of Plácido Domingo, one of the greatest figures in the world of music. On stage with the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House conducted by Antonio Pappano are some of the finest singers of today performing selected gems of the operatic repertory. Opera stars Nina Stemme, Joyce DiDonato, Joseph Calleja, Rolando Villazón perform alongside voices new to Covent Garden - Stefan Pop, Julia Novikova and Sonya Yoncheva.


FRI 21:00 Biggest Band Break Ups and Make Ups (b05q472d)
Mark Radcliffe presents a look at the highs and lows of band life - the creative tension that produces great music and the pressures that come with success and fame, and pull most bands apart. Radcliffe lifts the lid on the main reasons why bands break up and the secrets of bands that manage to stay together.


FRI 22:00 More Dangerous Songs: And the Banned Played On (b048wwpz)
Compilation of songs previously banned by the BBC, including Lola by The Kinks, Jackie by Scott Walker and We Don't Need This Fascist Groove Thang by Heaven 17.


FRI 23:00 Britain's Most Dangerous Songs: Listen to the Banned (b048wwlk)
From My Little Stick of Blackpool Rock to God Save the Queen, this is the story of ten records from the 1930s to the present day that have been banned by the BBC. The reasons why these songs were censored reveals the changing controversies around youth culture over the last 75 years, with Bing Crosby and the Munchkins among the unlikely names to have met the wrath of the BBC.

With contributions from Carrie Grant, Paul Morley, Stuart Maconie, Glen Matlock, Mike Read and John Robb.


FRI 00:00 Tubular Bells: The Mike Oldfield Story (b03cw8g0)
In 1973, an album was released that against all odds and expectations went to the top of the UK charts. The fact the album launched a record label that became one of the most recognisable brand names in the world (Virgin), formed the soundtrack to one of the biggest movies of the decade (The Exorcist), became the biggest selling instrumental album of all time, would eventually go on to sell over 16 million copies and was performed almost single-handedly by a 19-year-old makes the story all the more incredible. That album was Tubular Bells, and the young and painfully shy musician was Mike Oldfield.

This documentary features contributions from Sir Richard Branson, Danny Boyle, Mike's family and the original engineers of the Tubular Bells album among others. The spine of the film is an extended interview with Mike himself, where he takes us through the events that led to him writing Tubular Bells - growing up with a mother with severe mental health problems; the refuge he sought in music as a child, with talent that led to him playing in folk clubs aged 12 and signing with his sister's folk group at only 15; his frightening experience of taking LSD at 16; and finally arriving at the Manor Recording Studios as a young session musician where he gave a demo tape to a recording engineer who passed it along to young entrepreneur Richard Branson.

After the album's huge success, Mike retreated to a Hereford hilltop, shunned public life and became a recluse until he took part in a controversial therapy which changed his life.

In 2012 Mike captured the public's imagination once again when he was asked to perform at the London Olympic Opening Ceremony, where Tubular Bells was the soundtrack to 20 minutes of the one-hour ceremony.

Filmed on location at his home recording studio in Nassau, Mike also plays the multiple instruments of Tubular Bells and shows how the groundbreaking piece of music was put together.


FRI 01:00 Biggest Band Break Ups and Make Ups (b05q472d)
[Repeat of broadcast at 21:00 today]


FRI 02:00 More Dangerous Songs: And the Banned Played On (b048wwpz)
[Repeat of broadcast at 22:00 today]


FRI 03:00 Britain's Most Dangerous Songs: Listen to the Banned (b048wwlk)
[Repeat of broadcast at 23:00 today]




LIST OF THIS WEEK'S PROGRAMMES
(Note: the times link back to the details; the pids link to the BBC page, including iPlayer)

4,000-Year-Old Cold Case: The Body in the Bog 21:00 THU (b03js0gf)

4,000-Year-Old Cold Case: The Body in the Bog 02:50 THU (b03js0gf)

A Very British Airline 22:00 TUE (p01yyhgg)

A Very British Airline 02:00 TUE (p01yyhgg)

Arena 19:00 SUN (b009w2yc)

Biggest Band Break Ups and Make Ups 21:00 FRI (b05q472d)

Biggest Band Break Ups and Make Ups 01:00 FRI (b05q472d)

Bombay Railway 20:00 MON (b007t30p)

Bombay Railway 21:00 MON (b007t367)

Bombay Railway 00:20 MON (b007t30p)

Bombay Railway 01:25 MON (b007t367)

Bombay Railway 23:00 TUE (b007t30p)

Bombay Railway 22:30 WED (b007t367)

Britain's Most Dangerous Songs: Listen to the Banned 23:00 FRI (b048wwlk)

Britain's Most Dangerous Songs: Listen to the Banned 03:00 FRI (b048wwlk)

Chemistry: A Volatile History 19:00 SAT (b00qjnqc)

Definitely Dusty 22:40 SAT (b00780bt)

Disco at the BBC 01:15 SAT (b01cqt74)

Dusty Springfield at the BBC 23:40 SAT (b01qyvw7)

Every Breath We Take: Understanding Our Atmosphere 20:00 TUE (b04bdqsz)

Every Breath We Take: Understanding Our Atmosphere 01:00 TUE (b04bdqsz)

Freddie Mercury: The Great Pretender - Director's Cut 23:00 SUN (b01pkbc7)

Great Continental Railway Journeys 19:00 MON (b05qjwhw)

Great Continental Railway Journeys 19:30 MON (b05qjwhy)

Great Continental Railway Journeys 19:30 TUE (b05qjxcy)

Great Irish Journeys with Martha Kearney 20:00 WED (b05nyhq4)

Great Irish Journeys with Martha Kearney 01:35 THU (b05nyhq4)

Horizon 22:00 SUN (b01r6dys)

Inspector Montalbano 21:00 SAT (b01nvwqr)

Jeff Lynne's ELO at Hyde Park 02:15 SUN (b04ltd74)

Lost Cities of the Ancients 21:00 SUN (b00792vj)

More Dangerous Songs: And the Banned Played On 22:00 FRI (b048wwpz)

More Dangerous Songs: And the Banned Played On 02:00 FRI (b048wwpz)

Mr Blue Sky: The Story of Jeff Lynne and ELO 01:15 SUN (b01n3yf4)

Neil Sedaka Says: All You Need Is the Music 02:05 THU (b00pwstt)

Placido Domingo's Gala Concert from the Royal Opera House 19:30 FRI (b01pdt87)

Queen: The Legendary 1975 Concert 00:25 SUN (b00p4hgm)

Railways of the Great War with Michael Portillo 19:30 WED (b04dbrkp)

Secret Knowledge 22:00 WED (b05ql1l7)

Secret Knowledge 02:00 WED (b05ql1l7)

Shakespeare's Mother: The Secret Life of a Tudor Woman 20:00 SUN (b05279pq)

Shakespeare's Mother: The Secret Life of a Tudor Woman 00:30 WED (b05279pq)

Sounds of the 70s 2 03:15 SAT (b01glwkz)

The Final Frontier? A Horizon Guide to the Universe 20:00 THU (p00yjn1x)

The Final Frontier? A Horizon Guide to the Universe 00:35 THU (p00yjn1x)

The Normans 21:00 TUE (b00thpzb)

The Normans 03:00 TUE (b00thpzb)

The Normans 23:00 THU (b00thpzb)

The Quizeum 20:30 WED (b05q20w0)

The Quizeum 01:30 WED (b05q20w0)

The Titfield Thunderbolt 22:00 MON (b03mv97b)

Timeshift 23:20 MON (b053pxdr)

Timeshift 02:25 MON (b053pxdr)

Timeshift 00:00 TUE (b044yw1d)

Timeshift 23:30 WED (b03fv7sl)

Top of the Pops 00:40 SAT (b05pl7rt)

Top of the Pops 19:30 THU (b05qjxm0)

Top of the Pops 00:00 THU (b05qjxm0)

Treasures of Ancient Greece 21:00 WED (b05ql1sf)

Treasures of Ancient Greece 02:30 WED (b05ql1sf)

Tubular Bells: The Mike Oldfield Story 00:00 FRI (b03cw8g0)

Wild China 20:00 SAT (b00bf5b0)

Wild China 02:15 SAT (b00bf5b0)

Wild China 22:00 THU (b00bf5b0)

World News Today 19:00 TUE (b05q1hhm)

World News Today 19:00 WED (b05q1hhs)

World News Today 19:00 THU (b05q1hhy)

World News Today 19:00 FRI (b05q46hx)