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 09 MAY 2009

SAT 19:00 Ford's Dagenham Dream (b00j0gnm)
Documentary which tells the story of a dream of happy families on wheels that the Ford Motor Company brought from Detroit to Dagenham, then sold to Britain.

From the 1950s onwards Ford revolutionised the cars we drove, producing dream cars for the average British family. In the 60s and 70s Ford sold dreams to boy racers too, but it came at a price. The mass production of motor cars required an army of assembly line workers who did jobs that were infamous for their soul-destroying monotony.

At its peak Dagenham was producing more than 3,000 cars every day and its most popular dream car, the Cortina, sold around five million in Britain alone. But the assembly line workers had a love-hate relationship with the cars they made and for some the dream became a nightmare.

Illustrated with powerful first person testimony and rare archive, this is the story of the rise and fall of Ford's Dagenham dream.


SAT 20:00 Britain's Best Drives (b00hq4fb)
North Yorkshire Moors

Actor Richard Wilson takes a journey into the past, following routes raved about in motoring guides of mid-20th century.

In a classic Morris Minor Traveller, he drives from Scarborough to Whitby via the Yorkshire moors. On the way, he learns about the rise and fall of the British seaside resorts, takes a toll road through the Dalby Forest and checks out the mythical roadside wonder that is the Hole of Horecum.

He finds out how the village of Goathland now lives a double life, and ends up with a carload of goths on their way to visit Whitby Abbey.


SAT 20:30 Caravans: A British Love Affair (b00hw3s0)
Documentary about the love affair between the British and their caravans, which saw the country establish the world's largest caravan manufacturer and transformed the holiday habits of generations of families.

In telling the intriguing story of caravanning in Britain from the 1950s through to the present day, the film reveals how caravans were once the plaything of a privileged minority, but after World War II became a firm favourite with almost a quarter of British holidaymakers.

It explores how changes in caravanning across the years reflect wider changes in British society, in particular the increased availability of cars during the 1950s and 60s, but also the improved roads network and changing attitudes towards holidaymaking and leisure time.

Enthusiasts and contributors include Dorrie van Lachterop from the West Midlands and Christine Fagg from Hertfordshire, remarkable and adventurous women who started touring alone in their caravans during the 1950s.


SAT 21:30 The Car's the Star (b0077v03)
Series 6

Volkswagen Beetle

Quentin Willson probes the folklore of the Volkswagen Beetle.


SAT 21:40 Mark Lawson Talks To... (b00kf9ng)
Ian Hislop

Private Eye editor Ian Hislop discusses his role as a satirist with Mark Lawson.

He talks about how boarding school became a second home after the premature death of his father, and his own expectation of an early demise.

Christianity has been a consistent factor in his life, and he describes how he regularly flirts with doubt but always returns to faith.

He also reveals the goings on behind the scenes of Have I Got News For You? where he has been a team captain for almost 20 years, and how the long-running spat with Piers Morgan came about.


SAT 22:40 Penelope Keith and the Fast Lady (b00hq4fd)
Penelope Keith tells the story of Edwardian 'it girl' and motoring pioneer Dorothy Levitt.

She retraces Levitt's 1905 journey from London to Liverpool in a De Dion motor car, with the aid of Dorothy's handbook The Woman and the Car and advice from motoring historians and veteran car enthusiasts. The story is further illustrated by archive material from the period.


SAT 23:40 History of the Future: Cars (b00j4dfw)
Phill Jupitus looks at how we thought the car of the future was going to turn out and finds out why it didn't happen that way, focusing on the classic era of the 50s and 60s, a time when they hadn't quite yet worked out how to make cars fly and instead just made them look like they could.

In his quest to trace the dream car of his childhood, Phill visits the places where the future of motoring seemed to have arrived and learns about the visionaries who let their imaginations rove in the heroic days before marketing and 'sustainability' domesticated the car into the homogenous transports we see today.

The documentary is shot on location in Detroit's Henry Ford Museum and GM Heritage Centre, and the Science Museum in London, and has interviews with Jonathan Glancey and Sir Clive Sinclair.


SAT 00:10 The Car Show (b00j4d3d)
Documentary which explores the ways that cars have been presented on television in the motoring programmes that have tapped into our collective subconscious.

It looks at the classic motoring magazine shows of the 1960s and 70s like Wheelbase, which showcased some of the world's latest innovations and spawned the next generation of programming such as the original Top Gear with Angela Rippon and Noel Edmonds.

The film investigates how more recent motoring programmes changed to accommodate society's view of the car. The new Top Gear and shows such as Panic Mechanics and Stars in Fast Cars reflect a shift away from the traditional car review show towards a more topical, aspirational and spectacular viewing experience.


SAT 01:10 The Joy of Motoring (b00hq385)
Tristram Hunt shows how motoring has gone from allowing us to explore the beautiful English countryside to the present day of speed cameras, congestion charges and environmental issues. Along the way, he looks at different cars through the ages that define a decade and a generation.


SAT 02:10 Mark Lawson Talks To... (b00kf9ng)
[Repeat of broadcast at 21:40 today]


SAT 03:10 Ford's Dagenham Dream (b00j0gnm)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:00 today]



SUNDAY 10 MAY 2009

SUN 19:00 Cranford (b008j3gf)
Series 1

May 1843

Dr Harrison finds both his career and his reputation ruined, and his courtship destroyed. Miss Matty receives devastating news, but the true values of Cranford's friendships become apparent as the ladies secretly rally to help. Miss Galindo and Mr Carter's friendship strengthens as they are forced to face up to the true tragedy of Hanbury. But will Miss Galindo be able to help Mr Carter carry out his wishes? And who will be able to adapt to change?


SUN 20:00 Wainwright Walks: Coast to Coast (b00k9c1m)
Mowbray and the Moors

Julia Bradbury follows in the footsteps of legendary guidebook writer Alfred Wainwright by walking across the whole of northern England from the west to the east coast .

This was Wainwright's last great venture and has become his greatest legacy - a beautifully simple proposition, linking three national parks that lie between the Irish and the North Sea.

36 years after its creation, Julia is off, through sunshine, wind and rain to cross the changing landscape, understand the history and meet the people that make up almost 200 miles of northern England.

The historic town of Richmond is the starting point for the longest section of Julia's adventure. The country-loving Wainwright unusually singled out this town as one of his highlights, insisting that followers take time to peruse its castle and medieval streets.

Miles and miles of flat walking await as Julia sets off across the broad vale between the Dales and her last National Park. The reward is the rugged escarpment of the North York Moors, offering the broadest views, and for Julia the finest weather of her entire journey.


SUN 20:30 Mud, Sweat and Tractors: The Story of Agriculture (b00k9bms)
Beef

A look at how two of our finest native breeds of cattle, Hereford and Aberdeen Angus, reigned supreme before the Second World War and helped earn Britain a reputation as the 'stockyard of the world'. The programme also shows how, since then, both breeds have been transformed to a much larger size - from standing only to the stockman's waist to reaching his shoulder.


SUN 21:30 Blues Britannia: Can Blue Men Sing the Whites? (b00kc752)
Documentary telling the story of what happened to blues music on its journey from the southern states of America to the heart of British pop and rock culture, providing an in-depth look at what this music really meant to a generation of kids desperate for an antidote to their experiences of living in post-war suburban Britain.

Narrated by Nigel Planer and structured in three parts, the first, Born Under a Bad Sign, focuses on the arrival of American blues in Britain in the late 50s and the first performances here by such legends as Muddy Waters, Sonnie Terry and Brownie McGhee.

Part two, Sittin' on Top of the World, charts the birth of the first British blues boom in the early 60s, spearheaded by the Rolling Stones and groups such as the Yardbirds, Manfred Mann, the Animals and the Pretty Things.

The final section, Crossroads, looks at the next, more hardcore British blues boom of the mid-to-late 60s, with guitarists Eric Clapton and Peter Green and the international dominance of their respective bands, Cream and Fleetwood Mac.

Featuring archive performances and interviews with Keith Richards, Paul Jones, Chris Dreja, Bill Wyman, Phil May, John Mayall, Jack Bruce, Mick Fleetwood, Ian Anderson, Tony McPhee, Mike Vernon, Tom McGuinness, Mick Abrahams, Dick Taylor, Val Wilmer, Chris Barber, Pete Brown, Bob Brunning, Dave Kelly and Phil Ryan.


SUN 23:00 Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood Live at Madison Square Garden (b00k9cbz)
Reunion concert by Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood at New York's Madison Square Garden in 2008. The rock legends took to the stage together for just three concerts in a highly anticipated collaboration, performing a string of hits that included Blind Faith's Presence of the Lord and Can't Find My Way Home, in addition to Clapton's classic After Midnight and Winwood's Dear Mr Fantasy.

Both Winwood and Clapton have long and prestigious musical careers, with countless honours and awards to their names. Their musical paths connected in 1969 with the formation of Blind Faith, a supergroup that pioneered the fusion of rock and blues to tremendous studio and stage success.

Despite critical and popular acclaim the band was short-lived, releasing only one album and embarking on a brief 1969 tour that debuted on July 12 at Madison Square Garden and ended on August 24 in Hawaii. Since that final show, Winwood and Clapton have remained friends but had only performed an occasional song together at charity events.


SUN 00:00 Blues at the BBC (b00k36m5)
Collection of performances by British and American blues artists on BBC programmes such as The Beat Room, A Whole Scene Going, The Old Grey Whistle Test and The Late Show.

Includes the seminal slide guitar of Son House, the British R&B of The Kinks, the unmistakeable electric sound of BB King and Buddy Guy, Eric Clapton and John Lee Hooker, as well as less familiar material from the likes of Delaney and Bonnie, Freddie King and Long John Baldry.


SUN 01:00 Later... with Jools Holland (b00k99g6)
Blues

Compilation of performances from many of the great blues artists who have featured on Later... and the Hootenanny since 1992, including BB King, Bo Diddley, Buddy Guy, Eric Clapton, Seasick Steve, ZZ Top and many more.


SUN 02:00 Blues Britannia: Can Blue Men Sing the Whites? (b00kc752)
[Repeat of broadcast at 21:30 today]


SUN 03:30 Mud, Sweat and Tractors: The Story of Agriculture (b00k9bms)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:30 today]



MONDAY 11 MAY 2009

MON 19:00 World News Today (b00kfc1c)
The latest national and international news, exploring the day's events from a global perspective.


MON 19:30 Youth Hostelling: The First 100 Years (b00k9c1p)
Nation on Film documentary telling the story of youth hostelling, which was founded in 1909 in Germany and was established in Britain in 1930, through fascinating archive films discovered in a storeroom at the Youth Hostel Association's headquarters in Derbyshire.

The films chart the progress of the movement, as well as the nation's changing attitudes towards 'youth' and the countryside. The images show young people enjoying a new sense of freedom - hiking, rock climbing, folk singing and even the odd bit of skinny-dipping.

The collection includes everything from silent movies through to video, and all promote the YHA's central mission of encouraging young people to enjoy the benefits of the countryside. Most of the films have not been broadcast before, as they were originally shown in cinemas, hostels and community halls.

Contributors include Lord Puttnam, hostel workers, film-makers, actors and historians.


MON 20:30 A Poet's Guide to Britain (b00kfc1f)
Sylvia Plath

Poet and author Owen Sheers presents a series in which he explores six great works of poetry set in the British landscape. Each poem explores a sense of place and identity across Britain and opens the doors to captivating stories about the places and the lives of the poets themselves.

Sylvia Plath is one of the most popular and influential poets of recent history but her poetry is often overshadowed by her life - the story of her marriage to Ted Hughes, her mental health problems and her tragic suicide at the age of 30. A rich and important area of her work that is often overlooked is the wealth of landscape poetry which she wrote throughout her life, some of the best of which was written about the Yorkshire moors.

Sheers explores this rich seam, which culminated in a poem called Wuthering Heights. It takes its title from Emily Bronte but the content and style is entirely Plath's own remarkable vision of the forbidding Pennine landscape.

Sheers visits the dramatic country around Heptonstall where the newly-married Plath came to meet her in-laws, a world of gothic architecture and fog-soaked landscapes, where the locals have a passion for ghost stories that connect directly with the tales that were told in the kitchen of the Bronte parsonage. His journey eventually leads out onto the high moors and the spectacular ruin known as Top Withens. Here amongst the wind and sheep 'where the grass is beating its head distractedly', Plath found the material for some of her most impressive writing.


MON 21:00 Storyville (b00c50dd)
The Father, the Son and the Housekeeper

Documentary about Father Michael Cleary, an unlikely superstar of the Irish Catholic Church who had his own TV chatshow and two hit albums to his credit. He was the man who could seemingly do no wrong, but a year after his death a shocking truth emerged about his private life that would rock the Church to its foundations and leave his family's life in tatters. Alison Millar, who met with Cleary as a young film student, revisits her archive to discover the truth about the 'real Father Ted'.


MON 22:00 Storyville (b00kfc1h)
Up for Debate - Team Qatar

Qatar is said to be the world's richest country, while competitive debating is said to be a training ground for future world leaders. So when the Qatari Emiress charged two recent Oxford graduates with creating the country's first national debate team and taking them to the world championships, the stakes were high.

This documentary follows the journey of five ambitious teenagers as they are initiated into the cut-throat subculture of competitive high school debate. Training in London, Doha and New York, they learn more about the world as they hone their debating skills.

The kids are charismatic and cultured, with strong views and immense curiosity. Only 20 per cent of Qatar's residents are Qatari, and the team reflects this - Tina is Iranian, Vartan is Syrian-Armenian, Fatima is Iraqi, Ayesha is from Pakistan and Talal is half Lebanese, half Qatari.

Alex Just, their coach, was president of the Oxford Union and he is determined to prepare them for victory, despite the fact that they have only been debating for six months.

Will the team overcome their inexperience and hold their own against the sarcastic English, meticulous Singaporeans and ferocious Australians, all with years of practice at reducing lesser teams to tears? How will they deal with America, what will they make of Team Israel, and are they worldly enough to triumph?

At stake in their minds is the chance to demonstrate to the rest of the world their skills as modern, free-thinking Middle-Easterners. Quirky and endearing, engaging and informative, the film offers an entertaining glimspe into the rapidly growing global culture of the Arab world and its relation with the west.


MON 23:30 I Went Down (b00745bp)
Git gets out of jail and straight into trouble when he's forced into an underworld assignment by crime boss Tom French. He's teamed up with a partner, Bunny, a character so dastardly he once binned his own grandad. Everything goes wrong as the two traverse the badlands and boglands, trapped with Frank Grogan, the world's most talkative hostage. As Bunny and Git's troubled relationship blossoms into friendship, they must face the ultimate moral dilemma... with something suspiciously like money on the other side of it.


MON 01:15 Storyville (b00c50dd)
[Repeat of broadcast at 21:00 today]


MON 02:15 A Poet's Guide to Britain (b00kfc1f)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:30 today]


MON 02:45 Youth Hostelling: The First 100 Years (b00k9c1p)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:30 today]



TUESDAY 12 MAY 2009

TUE 19:00 World News Today (b00kfc2j)
The latest national and international news, exploring the day's events from a global perspective.


TUE 19:30 Landscape Mysteries (b0074rfb)
The Tower People of Shetland

Professor Aubrey Manning seeks to solve some of the enduring mysteries of the British landscape through clues in geology, archaeology and natural history.

On the remote Shetland Isles, a series of monumental towers, or Brochs, once dominated the landscape. Aubrey sets off to discover what sort of community built the Brochs towers and for what purpose.

The latest clues are coming from a major archaeological site at Scatness in the southern mainland of Shetland. Here the remains of a Broch settlement are helping to build a picture of the life of these ancient Iron Age people. New studies of the foundations of the Broch suggest a much earlier date for the structure than previously thought. It means the Brochs were built centuries before the Romans advanced up the British coast. Their function seems to have been as a home for the elite of the society.


TUE 20:00 Inside the Medieval Mind (b00b413s)
Belief

Leading authority on the Middle Ages, Professor Robert Bartlett, presents a series which examines the way we thought during medieval times. Our forebears believed they shared the world with the dead and that angels and demons battled for control of human souls. As the church's grip on our beliefs increased, men and women were dragged before religious courts and multitudes were killed in the name of God.


TUE 21:00 In Search of the Pope's Children (b00kfc2l)
Episode 1

Series presented by Irish economist David McWilliams examining the new Irish generation of young and sassy people which experienced unprecedented success until the recent financial downturn hit.

Taking a snapshot of Ireland at a time of economic boom, the series challenges the popular view surrounding New Ireland and its perceived ills, uncovers the reality of Ireland's relationship with cheap credit and questions whether it would build on or blow its economic prosperity.

The first programme explores the Irish as the hedonists of Europe, explaining how the economic success of Ireland has split the classes into two tribes - the HiCos and the Decklanders. David examines Ireland's path from being the sick man of Europe in the seventies, when Hibernian Ireland was an isolated outpost shielded from any foreign cosmopolitan views, to its recent economic success.

Ireland's baby boom peaked nine months to the very day that the Pope kissed the tarmac. These babies, all 620,000 of them, are the Pope's Children.


TUE 21:50 Irish Folk: The Chieftains (b00kk38l)
Ireland's long-running folk group the Chieftains in concert from 1977 at Southport Arts Centre. Tunes include Ril Mhor, Round the House and Mind the Dresser.


TUE 22:05 Flight of the Conchords: On Air (b00kgbcv)
Behind the scenes look at the cult comedy series about Kiwi folk musicians Bret and Jemaine trying to make it big in their adopted home of New York.

It follows the duo in the United States before and after the release of the first series, as they speak candidly about the road to fame, and we meet the other personalities, cast and crew that helped make their show a smash hit in America, NZ and the rest of the world.

As Bret McKenzie's long-term partner, director Hannah Clarke was in a unique position to gain access to the Conchords at their most relaxed, as well as their most frantic and exhausted, and was able to get an up-close-and-personal glimpse into this experience. Through her insider's eye we are granted an intimate look into the lives of this great comedy act and discover how they won the hearts of America.


TUE 22:30 Flight of the Conchords (b00kgbcx)
Series 2

A Good Opportunity

Since his success managing the Crazy Doggs, Murray is in a big office downtown and doesn't have enough time to devote to the Conchords, so Bret and Jemaine fire him. But when they get a job doing the advertising jingle for Femident toothpaste they realise there were things Murray did behind the scenes.


TUE 22:55 The Armstrong and Miller Show (b0085c04)
Series 1

Episode 2

Beneath the veneer of po-faced respectability lies a wealth of great characters in Alexander Armstrong and Ben Miller's sketch show.

Divorced dad and his young son bond over a cup of tea, and the conversation turns to frank discussions about why Granny died - possibly something to do with an imperial gallon of Tia Maria. A pair of builders decide pretending to be Polish will give them an easier life at work; while a guest at a medieval feast just can't get into the swing of the merry-making thanks to a long list of food intolerances. Russian boss Dimitri and unsuspecting manager Tony snuggle up in front of an episode of Property Ladder; while a busy CEO's loyal aides keep him posted with up-to-the-minute news - Hitler didn't like his nose and crisp packets shrink in the oven. And there's more...


TUE 23:25 Saltwater (b0074mnd)
George is in danger of losing his chip shop because of his betting debts to local loan shark 'Simple' Simon, however his son plans a caper that may get them unstuck.

Frank's younger brother Joe, meanwhile, learns a bitter lesson when he becomes friendly with a psychotic teen and winds up accused of date rape.


TUE 01:00 In Search of the Pope's Children (b00kfc2l)
[Repeat of broadcast at 21:00 today]


TUE 01:50 Flight of the Conchords: On Air (b00kgbcv)
[Repeat of broadcast at 22:05 today]


TUE 02:15 Inside the Medieval Mind (b00b413s)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:00 today]


TUE 03:15 In Search of the Pope's Children (b00kfc2l)
[Repeat of broadcast at 21:00 today]



WEDNESDAY 13 MAY 2009

WED 19:00 World News Today (b00kfc61)
The latest national and international news, exploring the day's events from a global perspective.


WED 19:30 Wainwright Walks: Coast to Coast (b00k9c1m)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:00 on Sunday]


WED 20:00 Victorian Farm (b00hhns2)
Episode 5

Historical observational documentary series following a team who live the life of Victorian farmers for a year. Wearing period clothes and using only the materials that would have been available in 1885, historian Ruth Goodman and archaeologists Alex Langlands and Peter Ginn go back in time to relive the day-to-day life of the Victorian farmer.

The project is based on the Acton Scott estate in Shropshire, a world frozen in time, lost in Victorian rural England. Its buildings and grounds are cluttered with antique tools and machinery collected by the Acton family, who have lived on the estate since the 12th century.

Working for a full calendar year, Ruth, Alex and Peter rediscover a lost world of skills, crafts and knowledge assisted by an ever-dwindling band of experts who keep Victorian rural practices alive. Each month and season brings pressing priorities, from tending to livestock and repairing buildings to raising crops, preparing food and crafting furniture and tools. Can they make a success of farming the Victorian way?

In this episode, the team embarks on a trip by steam train, Ruth begins a tough task in the dairy, Alex tries his hand at beekeeping, the sheep are sheared using the latest time-saving technology, and the lengthening summer days allow Alex and Peter to try out the new Victorian sport of cricket. It is also time for the hay harvest, weather permitting.


WED 21:00 In Search of the Pope's Children (b00kjjrt)
Episode 2

Series presented by Irish economist David McWilliams examining the new Irish generation of young and sassy people which experienced unprecedented success until the recent financial downturn hit.

Taking a snapshot of Ireland at a time of economic boom, the series challenges the popular view surrounding New Ireland and its perceived ills, uncovers the reality of Ireland's relationship with cheap credit and questions whether it would build on or blow its economic prosperity.

David examines Ireland's national obsession with property. New Ireland began and has ended with the property explosion. The boom has not just changed Ireland economically, it has changed the Irish as a people and turned them into a nation of property speculators.

He takes us through the cycle of Ireland's property experience, where prices soar dramatically, become vulnerable and too expensive before falling back to earth, and examines why regardless of age, social class, colour or creed the subject of property is one of our favourite topics of conversation.

David travels to Navan to meet with the 'decklanders' and share their experiences; to Galway, the fastest growing city in Europe to examine the boom in the sale of old abandoned cottages; and to Tarmonbarry in Roscommon, formerly a village of about 16 houses now with a purpose-built marina development - the Porto Banus of Ireland.

David also takes a trip to Bulgaria and introduces us to Robopaddy, who travels the world buying up houses.


WED 21:50 Coast (b00cgnxn)
From the Air

Ireland - Dublin to Derry

Aerial journeys around the coastline of the British Isles captured in stunning high definition by the BAFTA award-winning series Coast.

Three great cities Dublin, Belfast and Derry are the stepping stones on this odyssey along Ireland's lush coast.


WED 22:00 The Van (b0074821)
Dublin, November 1989. Bimbo Reeves, a baker, has lost his job. Refusing to accept a future of afternoon TV and pubs, he buys a dilapidated van with his redundancy money.

As 1990 gets underway and World Cup fever hits Dublin, Bimbo and his best friend and partner Larry, enter the fast food business. Bimbo's wife Maggie is also involved. The enterprise starts brilliantly, the men are happy and the friendship is solid. But, as the business prospers things gradually turn sour.


WED 23:35 Pavee Lackeen: The Traveller Girl (b00825q5)
Semi-improvised drama about a spirited young girl whose family is part of Ireland's traveller community. Young Winnie's austere roadside-caravan life with her mother and community is under threat from supposedly well-meaning outside forces.

The film's principle cast members are from the same family and give the impression of acting out versions of their own lives.


WED 01:00 In Search of the Pope's Children (b00kjjrt)
[Repeat of broadcast at 21:00 today]


WED 01:50 Batman (b0084lc2)
Series 1

A Riddle a Day Keeps the Riddler Away

Cult 60s fantasy drama series. The Riddler returns with a devious plan to kidnap visiting dignitary King Boris.


WED 02:15 Batman (b0084lg0)
Series 1

When the Rat's away, the Mice Will Play

The Riddler and his mice gang believe Batman and Robin are dead and their plan to extort money from the good citizens of Gotham can proceed. A museum is their target for a bomb.


WED 02:40 Mad Men (b00bv0mq)
Series 1

The Wheel

Drama series set in the world of advertising in 1960s New York. Peggy directs her first radio spot. Don's work gets in the way of his home life as Betty uncovers his secret. Don finds out that his brother Adam is dead. Peggy is taken ill in the office and is shocked by the diagnosis.


WED 03:30 Mad Men (b00hk8r1)
Series 2

For Those Who Think Young

Drama series which takes an unflinching look at the world of advertising in 1960s New York.

On Valentine's Day, the staff of the Sterling Cooper Advertising Agency are hustling and checking out the latest in office equipment. Don and Duck clash over an account, while Betty runs into an old friend.



THURSDAY 14 MAY 2009

THU 19:00 World News Today (b00kfc87)
The latest national and international news, exploring the day's events from a global perspective.


THU 19:40 The New Avengers (b00kfc89)
Series 2

K is for Kill: Tiger by the Tail

It appears that the Russian soldiers active in France were just the first wave of something bigger, which intelligence suggests is aimed at setting off a third world war, and that two active K-agents are the key to the plan. One K-assassin is killed while attacking a retired general. But who is the target for the second K-agent, and how might this start a major war? Steed, Gambit and Purdey need to save the world.


THU 20:30 Wainwright Walks: Coast to Coast (b00kfc8c)
The End of the Road

Julia Bradbury follows in the footsteps of legendary guidebook writer Alfred Wainwright by walking across the whole of northern England from the west to the east coast .

This was Wainwright's last great venture and has become his greatest legacy - a beautifully simple proposition, linking three national parks that lie between the Irish and the North Sea.

36 years after its creation, Julia is off through sunshine, wind and rain, to cross the changing landscape, understand the history and meet the people that make up almost 200 miles of northern England.

Starting at the highest and most remote overnight spot of the whole walk, Julia sets out on the final stage. Robin Hood's Bay is the goal, but first she must complete the North York Moors and walk through Eskdale, before getting a magical first glimpse of the North Sea.

The tranquil woods of Littlebeck and the clifftop finale provide ample opportunity to reflect on a great adventure and the enduring legacy of the uniquely passionate Wainwright.


THU 21:00 In Search of the Pope's Children (b00kjjy7)
Episode 3

Series presented by Irish economist David McWilliams examining the new Irish generation of young and sassy people which experienced unprecedented success until the recent financial downturn hit.

Taking a snapshot of Ireland at a time of economic boom, the series challenges the popular view surrounding New Ireland and its perceived ills, uncovers the reality of Ireland's relationship with cheap credit and questions whether it would build on or blow its economic prosperity.

David takes us back to learn some lessons from history and how what is stable today can change dramatically tomorrow. He poses the questions about a 'plan B' for Ireland going forward - how to deal with China, immigration and increasing monthly mortgage repayments?

The programme also explores how Ireland has gone from being a country with too many people and not enough money to a country of not enough people and too much credit. David uncovers what seems to be an endless supply of credit and takes us to Germany to introduce us to the hero of the Irish economic boom.

He examines Ireland's economic relationship with Europe and the US and explains how a madness for property has sucked most of the resources out of the economy, elbowing out investment in other ventures such as research and development. With most of Ireland's exports generated by multinationals, the boardrooms of New York have more of an impact on the fortunes of the Irish economy than Dail Eireann.


THU 21:50 Coast (b008wvdd)
Shorts

Dublin and the Laytown Races

Neil Oliver visits the Irish capital on the Liffey, and Amanda Krestovnikoff enjoys horse racing on the seashore at the Laytown Races.


THU 22:00 A Poet's Guide to Britain (b00kfc1f)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:30 on Monday]


THU 22:30 Legends (b0094zrm)
The Chieftains

Profile of the band who has helped to save Irish traditional music from disappearing, spreading its sound and popularity across the world for more than four decades. Featuring interviews with the current four members - fiddler Sean Keane, vocalist and bodhran player Kevin Conneff, flautist Matt Molloy and band leader Paddy Moloney, who plays pipes and whistle - and tributes from fans including Keith Richards, Sting, Elvis Costello, Sir James Galway and Andrea Corr.


THU 23:30 Dead Bodies (b0074fhx)
Twenty-something slacker Tommy is reluctantly living with girlfriend-from-hell Jean. One day, after a row, Tommy returns home to find Jean dead on the floor. Convinced that he will be accused of her murder, Tommy buries Jean's body, which is however soon found by the police. Buried in the same spot is also the corpse of another woman, murdered eight years earlier. Tommy, who is now the main suspect of both killings, has to hide his dark secret from his new love interest Viv.


THU 00:55 In Search of the Pope's Children (b00kjjy7)
[Repeat of broadcast at 21:00 today]


THU 01:45 Wainwright Walks: Coast to Coast (b00kfc8c)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:30 today]


THU 02:15 The New Avengers (b00kfc89)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:40 today]


THU 03:05 A Poet's Guide to Britain (b00kfc1f)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:30 on Monday]


THU 03:35 Wainwright Walks: Coast to Coast (b00kfc8c)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:30 today]



FRIDAY 15 MAY 2009

FRI 19:00 World News Today (b00kfckr)
The latest national and international news, exploring the day's events from a global perspective.


FRI 19:30 A Poet's Guide to Britain (b00kfc1f)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:30 on Monday]


FRI 20:05 Dido and Aeneas from the Royal Opera House (b00kgbv9)
Marking the 350th anniversary of Henry Purcell's birth is a new production of Dido and Aeneas, a short operatic masterpiece which brings together the Royal Opera and the Royal Ballet and is directed by Wayne McGregor, the Royal Ballet's resident choreographer.

British mezzo-soprano Sarah Connolly sings the role of Dido and American baritone Lucas Meachum is Aeneas. The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment is conducted by the period instrument pioneer Christopher Hogwood.

Introduced by Charles Hazlewood.


FRI 21:10 So Hard to Beat (b00kl0fz)
Too Late to Stop Now

The story of Northern Ireland's rock and pop over the last four decades, featuring exclusive interviews with Van Morrison, Snow Patrol, Gary Moore, Stiff Little Fingers, The Undertones and others.


FRI 22:30 BBC Four Sessions (b00b0cl1)
Van Morrison

Series of unique and intimate concerts at St Luke's in London, featuring musicians from around the world. Van Morrison showcases tracks from albums including Keep It Simple, Magic Time and Vanlose Stairway, backed by a full band and joined by guests including guitarist Mick Green and organ maestro Georgie Fame.


FRI 23:30 Flight of the Conchords (b00kgbcx)
[Repeat of broadcast at 22:30 on Tuesday]


FRI 23:55 Flight of the Conchords: On Air (b00kgbcv)
[Repeat of broadcast at 22:05 on Tuesday]


FRI 00:20 The New Avengers (b00kfc89)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:40 on Thursday]


FRI 01:15 Van Morrison on Later with Jools Holland (b00b0cl3)
A selection of Van Morrison's finest performances from the Later with Jools Holland and Hootenanny shows.


FRI 01:45 BBC Four Sessions (b00b0cl1)
[Repeat of broadcast at 22:30 today]


FRI 02:45 So Hard to Beat (b00kl0fz)
[Repeat of broadcast at 21:10 today]




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

A Poet's Guide to Britain 20:30 MON (b00kfc1f)

A Poet's Guide to Britain 02:15 MON (b00kfc1f)

A Poet's Guide to Britain 22:00 THU (b00kfc1f)

A Poet's Guide to Britain 03:05 THU (b00kfc1f)

A Poet's Guide to Britain 19:30 FRI (b00kfc1f)

BBC Four Sessions 22:30 FRI (b00b0cl1)

BBC Four Sessions 01:45 FRI (b00b0cl1)

Batman 01:50 WED (b0084lc2)

Batman 02:15 WED (b0084lg0)

Blues Britannia: Can Blue Men Sing the Whites? 21:30 SUN (b00kc752)

Blues Britannia: Can Blue Men Sing the Whites? 02:00 SUN (b00kc752)

Blues at the BBC 00:00 SUN (b00k36m5)

Britain's Best Drives 20:00 SAT (b00hq4fb)

Caravans: A British Love Affair 20:30 SAT (b00hw3s0)

Coast 21:50 WED (b00cgnxn)

Coast 21:50 THU (b008wvdd)

Cranford 19:00 SUN (b008j3gf)

Dead Bodies 23:30 THU (b0074fhx)

Dido and Aeneas from the Royal Opera House 20:05 FRI (b00kgbv9)

Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood Live at Madison Square Garden 23:00 SUN (b00k9cbz)

Flight of the Conchords: On Air 22:05 TUE (b00kgbcv)

Flight of the Conchords: On Air 01:50 TUE (b00kgbcv)

Flight of the Conchords: On Air 23:55 FRI (b00kgbcv)

Flight of the Conchords 22:30 TUE (b00kgbcx)

Flight of the Conchords 23:30 FRI (b00kgbcx)

Ford's Dagenham Dream 19:00 SAT (b00j0gnm)

Ford's Dagenham Dream 03:10 SAT (b00j0gnm)

History of the Future: Cars 23:40 SAT (b00j4dfw)

I Went Down 23:30 MON (b00745bp)

In Search of the Pope's Children 21:00 TUE (b00kfc2l)

In Search of the Pope's Children 01:00 TUE (b00kfc2l)

In Search of the Pope's Children 03:15 TUE (b00kfc2l)

In Search of the Pope's Children 21:00 WED (b00kjjrt)

In Search of the Pope's Children 01:00 WED (b00kjjrt)

In Search of the Pope's Children 21:00 THU (b00kjjy7)

In Search of the Pope's Children 00:55 THU (b00kjjy7)

Inside the Medieval Mind 20:00 TUE (b00b413s)

Inside the Medieval Mind 02:15 TUE (b00b413s)

Irish Folk: The Chieftains 21:50 TUE (b00kk38l)

Landscape Mysteries 19:30 TUE (b0074rfb)

Later... with Jools Holland 01:00 SUN (b00k99g6)

Legends 22:30 THU (b0094zrm)

Mad Men 02:40 WED (b00bv0mq)

Mad Men 03:30 WED (b00hk8r1)

Mark Lawson Talks To... 21:40 SAT (b00kf9ng)

Mark Lawson Talks To... 02:10 SAT (b00kf9ng)

Mud, Sweat and Tractors: The Story of Agriculture 20:30 SUN (b00k9bms)

Mud, Sweat and Tractors: The Story of Agriculture 03:30 SUN (b00k9bms)

Pavee Lackeen: The Traveller Girl 23:35 WED (b00825q5)

Penelope Keith and the Fast Lady 22:40 SAT (b00hq4fd)

Saltwater 23:25 TUE (b0074mnd)

So Hard to Beat 21:10 FRI (b00kl0fz)

So Hard to Beat 02:45 FRI (b00kl0fz)

Storyville 21:00 MON (b00c50dd)

Storyville 22:00 MON (b00kfc1h)

Storyville 01:15 MON (b00c50dd)

The Armstrong and Miller Show 22:55 TUE (b0085c04)

The Car Show 00:10 SAT (b00j4d3d)

The Car's the Star 21:30 SAT (b0077v03)

The Joy of Motoring 01:10 SAT (b00hq385)

The New Avengers 19:40 THU (b00kfc89)

The New Avengers 02:15 THU (b00kfc89)

The New Avengers 00:20 FRI (b00kfc89)

The Van 22:00 WED (b0074821)

Van Morrison on Later with Jools Holland 01:15 FRI (b00b0cl3)

Victorian Farm 20:00 WED (b00hhns2)

Wainwright Walks: Coast to Coast 20:00 SUN (b00k9c1m)

Wainwright Walks: Coast to Coast 19:30 WED (b00k9c1m)

Wainwright Walks: Coast to Coast 20:30 THU (b00kfc8c)

Wainwright Walks: Coast to Coast 01:45 THU (b00kfc8c)

Wainwright Walks: Coast to Coast 03:35 THU (b00kfc8c)

World News Today 19:00 MON (b00kfc1c)

World News Today 19:00 TUE (b00kfc2j)

World News Today 19:00 WED (b00kfc61)

World News Today 19:00 THU (b00kfc87)

World News Today 19:00 FRI (b00kfckr)

Youth Hostelling: The First 100 Years 19:30 MON (b00k9c1p)

Youth Hostelling: The First 100 Years 02:45 MON (b00k9c1p)