The latest national and international news, exploring the day's events from a global perspective.
Meera Syal searches for the hidden paintings which reveal the extraordinary story of a Norfolk Prince. At the heart of the film is the story of Frederick Duleep Singh, son of the Last Maharaja of the Punjab. Despite being disinherited by the British Establishment, he spent his life trying to become one of them. The story unfolds through an extraordinary collection of paintings that he bought - bargain hunt style - from the landed gentry, and then donated to the nation.
Actor Richard Wilson takes a journey into the past, following routes raved about in motoring guides of 50 years ago.
Richard takes the wheel of Ford Zodiac to drive the circular route from Caernarfon that loops through some of Snowdonia's most sensational scenery.
He gets a Welsh lesson at Caernarfon Castle, learns the significance of the Dinorwic slate quarry, drives the Llanberis Pass, meets 71-year-old human fly Eric Jones and takes a trip down memory lane at a former Butlins holiday camp.
Created to spearhead the liberation of Europe in World War II, the Parachute Regiment prides itself on having the toughest selection process in the British Army. This film reveals how its historic missions in Normandy and Arnhem continue to motivate the regiment's recruits to this day.
A period thriller involving the stylish 20s detective created by author Gladys Mitchell, starring Diana Rigg. When Mrs Bradley arrives at her god-daughter's engagement party, nobody expects the night to end in murder. Aided by her chauffeur George, Mrs Bradley sets out to discover the truth.
Mark Lawson talks to the revered actress Dame Diana Rigg about her life and 50-year career on stage and screen. In this thoughtful interview she explores her early years in India, her conflicted feelings about being seen as sexy and the pleasures of professional success into her 70s.
Rigg rose to prominence as proto-feminist Emma Peel in The Avengers and her feisty Bond girl won over 007 in On Her Majesty's Secret Service. She has brought her RSC training and psychological insight to a number of distinguished performances including Medea, Mother Love and Rebecca. Her versatility has been showcased in comic turns on The Morecambe and Wise Show and Extras and musical numbers in Evil Under the Sun and the Stephen Sondheim musical Follies. She continues to pursue her passion for the theatre and a varied career that has brought 'no regrets at all'.
The teenage search for sophistication is recalled in this bittersweet film about the people we were and the luxury items we thought would give us the keys to the kingdom.
WEDNESDAY 28 SEPTEMBER 2011
WED 19:00 World News Today (b0155bwm)
The latest national and international news, exploring the day's events from a global perspective.
WED 19:30 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.
WED 20:30 Storyville (b011nydh)
Law of the Dragon
Mother and Son
Judge Chen and his travelling court journey across the Xuan'en region to ensure that justice is served, even in the remotest corners of China. The hearings take place wherever he hangs the national emblem, be it nailed up in a barn or a field.
In this final episode, Judge Chen listens to complaints of a mother who is suing her son for maintenance.
WED 21:00 Rex Appeal (b0155bwq)
From the beginnings of film-making to the triumph of Jurassic Park - the dinosaur has always been a movie star. Over 60 minutes, BBC4's Rex Appeal takes a bite out of the Cretaceous cinema and reveals the truth about T-Rex.
It's a story that stretches from the charming cartoon apatosaurus Gertie (1914), to the vicious and cunning velociraptors of Spielbrerg's imagination.
But it's not all teeth and trashing city centres - as our critics explain, dinosaur movies are always about more than just dinosaurs. The 'nature finds a way' DNA argument in Jurassic Park directly mirrored the arguements about GM crops in the early 90s. Godzilla - the radioactive-breathed dinosaur emerged from the seas of Japan just nine years after the nuclear attack on Hiroshima. King Kong and his dinosaur pals on Skull Island have sparked a million film school theories.
Of course, not all dino dramas are so high minded - in the Hammer film One Million Years BC, the audience were just as fascinated with Racquel Welsh's fur tops as they were with the Triceratops. Despite Hammer's claim that 'This is the way it was', the science was a little dubious- the last dinosaur died 64 million years before the first modern human appeared.
Whatever cultural anxieties dinosaurs represent, they've always been a cinematic spectacle that has thrilled audiences on a instinctual level - with each new breakthrough in special effects giving us ever more real Rex's.
Willis O'Brien gave us the legendary Kong v Rex fight that taught us to love Kong, Ray Harryhausen invented 'dinomation' and put dinosaurs and cowboys together in The Valley of Gwangi. And since the 90s - CGI has banished the man in the dino suit, and made prehistoric protagonists are more real than ever.
Contributors include film critics James King and Kim Newman, science broadcaster Adam Rutherford, comedian Susan Calman and broadcaster and film historian Matthew Sweet.
WED 22:00 When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth (b0077kgs)
Plucked from the sea when a freak hurricane prevents her from becoming a human sacrifice, Sanna endures attacks by dinosaurs, man-eating plants and jealous tribeswomen before coming under the protection of a motherly dinosaur.
WED 23:35 Extinct: A Horizon Guide to Dinosaurs (b014vy60)
[Repeat of broadcast at
00:10 on Saturday]
WED 00:35 Charles Darwin and the Tree of Life (b00hd5mf)
David Attenborough is a passionate Darwinian, and sees evolution as the cornerstone of all the programmes and series he has ever made. Here, he shares his personal view on Darwin's controversial idea. Taking us on a journey through the last 200 years, he tracks the changes in our understanding of the natural world. Ever since Darwin, major scientific discoveries have helped to underpin and strengthen Darwin's revolutionary idea so that today, the pieces of the puzzle fit together so neatly that there can be little doubt that Darwin was right. As David says: 'Now we can trace the ancestry of all animals in the tree of life and demonstrate the truth of Darwin's basic proposition. All life is related.'
David asks three key questions: how and why did Darwin come up with his theory of evolution? Why do we think he was right? And why is it more important now than ever before?
David starts his journey in Darwin's home at Down House in Kent, where Darwin worried and puzzled over the origins of life. He goes back to his roots in Leicestershire, where he hunted for fossils as a child and where another schoolboy unearthed a significant find in the 1950s, and he revisits Cambridge University, where both he and Darwin studied and where many years later the DNA double helix was discovered, providing the foundations for genetics.
At the end of his journey in the Natural History Museum in London, David concludes that Darwin's great insight revolutionised the way in which we see the world. We now understand why there are so many different species, and why they are distributed in the way they are. But above all, Darwin has shown us that we are not set apart from the natural world and do not have dominion over it. We are subject to its laws and processes, as are all other animals on earth to which, indeed, we are related.
WED 01:35 Angel of Mine (b015d3qt)
[Repeat of broadcast at
22:00 on Sunday]
WED 03:05 Rex Appeal (b0155bwq)
[Repeat of broadcast at
21:00 today]
WED 04:05 Storyville (b011nydh)
[Repeat of broadcast at
20:30 today]
THURSDAY 29 SEPTEMBER 2011
THU 19:00 World News Today (b0155fsn)
The latest national and international news, exploring the day's events from a global perspective.
THU 19:30 Top of the Pops (b0155fsq)
23/09/76
Tony Blackburn presents the weekly pop charts from which he introduces Smokie, Kiki Dee, The Drifters, Manfred Mann's Earth Band, The Wurzels, Bay City Rollers, Rod Stewart, ABBA, and dance sequences from Ruby Flipper.
THU 20:00 When TV Goes to War (b014v43c)
Documentary looking at how war has been dramatised on British television from the Second World War through the Falklands campaign to contemporary conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, examining the challenges - both financial and dramatic - in bringing war to the small screen.
Why have so many of our greatest TV writers been drawn to the subject, and why has so much of their work been controversial? Should writers always respect the historical facts, or can dramatic licence reveal the greater truth about war? And in a world of 24-hour news, can drama tell us anything about war we canʼt now see for ourselves?
It also looks at the lighter side of war, and why it has inspired some of our most successful sitcoms. Is there something about army life that lends itself to comedy? Soldiers who have had their exploits dramatised for television - Colonel Tim Collins, played by Kenneth Branagh in Ten Days to War, and Robert Lawrence, played by Colin Firth in Tumbledown - talk about the experience.
Other contributors include historians Antony Beevor and Max Hastings, and playwrights Alan Bleasdale (The Monocled Mutineer) and Ian Curteis (The Falklands Play). Ex-MI5 chief Stella Rimington considers television's coverage of the Cold War, and comedy writers Jimmy Perry (Dad's Army) and Greg McHugh (Gary Tank Commander) discuss the rules of the war-based sitcom.
THU 21:00 The Perfect Suit (b012cnww)
A witty exploration of the evolution of the gentleman's suit. Alastair Sooke only owns one suit, but he is fascinated by how the matching jacket and trousers has become a uniform for men. Over the last 100 years the suit has evolved from working man's Sunday best to the casual wear of royalty.
For many 'the suit' is synonymous with all that is dull. But tailor Charlie Allen, Top Man chief designer Gordon Richardson and Sir Paul Smith show Alastair that the suit can be a cutting-edge fashion item and 'armour' to face the world.
THU 22:00 Timeshift (b0155fss)
Series 11
Dear Censor
Lifting the lid on the world of cinema censorship, this programme has unique access to the files of the British Board of Film Classification. Featuring explicit and detailed exchanges between the censor and film-makers, 'Dear Censor' casts a wry eye over some of the most infamous cases in the history of the board.
From the now seemingly innocuous Rebel Without a Cause, the first 'naturist' films and the infamous works of Ken Russell, and up to Rambo III, this frank and surprisingly warm documentary demonstrates how a body created by the industry to safeguard standards and reflect shifts in public opinion has also worked unexpectedly closely with the film-makers themselves to ensure that their work was able reach an audience.
THU 23:00 Only Connect (b01558gv)
[Repeat of broadcast at
20:30 on Monday]
THU 23:30 Regimental Stories (b0155b4p)
[Repeat of broadcast at
20:30 on Tuesday]
THU 00:00 Top of the Pops (b0155fsq)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:30 today]
THU 00:30 When TV Goes to War (b014v43c)
[Repeat of broadcast at
20:00 today]
THU 01:30 The Perfect Suit (b012cnww)
[Repeat of broadcast at
21:00 today]
THU 02:30 Only Connect (b01558gv)
[Repeat of broadcast at
20:30 on Monday]
THU 03:00 Timeshift (b0155fss)
[Repeat of broadcast at
22:00 today]
FRIDAY 30 SEPTEMBER 2011
FRI 19:00 World News Today (b0155h76)
The latest national and international news, exploring the day's events from a global perspective.
FRI 19:30 Mahler's 1st Symphony with Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic (b01174dh)
The world famous Berlin Philharmonic, under the baton of their Chief Conductor and Artistic Director Sir Simon Rattle perform Mahler's 1st Symphony.
This concert was recorded in November 2010 at the Esplenade Concert Hall in Singapore, renowned for its state-of-the-art acoustics.
Sir Simon Rattle is considered one of the world's leading Mahler interpreters and this performance is part of a complete cycle of Mahler's symphonies which Sir Simon and the Berlin Philharmonic are undertaking over a period of eighteen months.
Now considered a remarkable achievement for the then 28-year-old composer, Mahler's 1st Symphony was not well received when first performed in Vienna in 1900.
In contrast, the symphony is partnered with Rachmaninov's last completed work, the 'Symphonic Dances'. Written in the summer of 1940, it is regarded by many as a summation of his musical career.
FRI 21:15 Singer-Songwriters at the BBC (b015f5c8)
Series 2
Episode 1
The celebration of the singing songwriting troubadours of the 1960s and 70s continues with a further trawl through the BBC archives for timeless and classic performances.
Don McLean performs his huge hit American Pie from 1972 and Tim Buckley provides some sublime sounds with a rendition of his song Happy Time. Also making an appearance is the long-lamented John Martyn, folk queen Sandy Denny and, in a duet with Joe Egan as Stealers Wheel, the late Gerry Rafferty. Stealers Wheel chum and one-time collaborator Rab Noakes also makes a contribution to this compilation.
Leonard Cohen and Julie Felix present a unique collaboration and performance of Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye, and there's an unforgettable performance of Case of You by Joni Mitchell. No celebration of this genre would be complete without contributions from songwriting heavyweights such as Elton John, Paul Simon, Loudon Wainwright III and Yusuf Islam aka Cat Stevens.
FRI 22:15 Songwriters' Circle (b0155h78)
Series 2
Allen Toussaint, James Dean Bradfield, John Grant
The new series of the songwriters' showcase gets off to a flying start with an intriguingly diverse trio of artists.
Legendary American soul songwriter Allen Toussaint shares the stage at London's Bush Hall with Manic Street Preachers frontman James Dean Bradfield and the critically hailed ex-Czars frontman John Grant.
Allen Toussaint has written for and been covered by countless artists, from Glen Campbell to The Grateful Dead, Irma Thomas to The Yardbirds. Here, accompanying himself with his elegant New Orleans-style piano playing, he performs classic songs like 'Working In a Coalmine', 'Get Out of My Life, Woman' and for the first time ever, 'It's Raining'.
Mr Toussaint is clearly enthralled by the rich baritone and lovelorn confessional songs of John Grant on the piano opposite. Grant's solo debut 'Queen of Denmark" was Mojo's Album of the Year and this live performance shows why, with songs from the reference-laden 'Sigourney Weaver', to the sublime epic, 'Where Dreams Go to Die' .
Sandwiched between the two baby grands, James Dean Bradfield on guitar more than holds his own. The stripped back acoustic format reveals the unadorned strength of powerhouse band hits like 'If You Tolerate This' and 'Design for Life', as well as suiting gentler (musically, if not lyrically) songs like 'Small Black Flowers That Grow in the Sky'.
An inspiring musical journey of discovery for artists and audience alike.
FRI 23:15 Troubadours: The Rise of the Singer-Songwriter (b012cr37)
Morgan Neville's full-length documentary is James Taylor and Carole King's first-hand account of the genesis and blossoming of the 1970s singer-songwriter culture in LA, focusing on the backgrounds and emerging collaboration between Taylor, King and the Troubadour, the famed West Hollywood club that nurtured a community of gifted young artists and singer-songwriters.
Taylor and King first performed together at the Troubadour in November 1970, and the film explores their coming together and the growth of a new, personal voice in songwriting pioneered by a small group of fledgling artists around the club. Contributors include Taylor, King, David Crosby, Roger McGuinn, Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, Kris Kristofferson, JD Souther, Peter Asher, Cheech & Chong, Steve Martin and Elton John.
FRI 00:40 Singer-Songwriters at the BBC (b015f5c8)
[Repeat of broadcast at
21:15 today]
FRI 01:40 Songwriters' Circle (b0155h78)
[Repeat of broadcast at
22:15 today]
FRI 02:40 Mahler's 1st Symphony with Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic (b01174dh)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:30 today]