B4

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

SATURDAY 26 MAY 2012

SAT 19:00 Talk at the BBC (b01dy7pr)
Episode 1

Funny, surreal and extraordinary - extracts from interviews broadcast on the BBC from the 1950s to the 1970s, arguably the golden age of conversation.

SAT 20:00 Lost Kingdoms of Africa (b01c2wns)
Series 2

The Berber Kingdom of Morocco

We know less about Africa's distant past than almost anywhere else on Earth. But the scarcity of written records doesn't mean Africa lacks history. It is found instead in the culture, artefacts, and traditions of the people. Art historian Dr Gus Casely-Hayford explores some of the richest and most vibrant histories in the world, revealing fascinating stories of complex and sophisticated civilisations: The Kingdom of Asante; The Zulu Kingdom; The Berber Kingdom of Morocco; The Kingdoms of Bunyoro & Buganda.

It's easy to think of Islamic North Africa as Arab, rather than African. But the land that is now Morocco once lay at the centre of a vast African Kingdom that stretched from northern Spain to the heart of West Africa. It was created by African Berbers, and ruled for centuries by two dynasties that created tremendous wealth, commissioned fabulous architecture, and promoted sophisticated ideas. But art historian Dr. Gus Casely-Hayford reveals how the very forces that forged the kingdom ultimately helped to destroy its indigenous African identity.

SAT 21:00 Den fördömde (b01jg0nt)
Sebastian Bergman

The Cursed One: Part 1

Brilliant, difficult and politically incorrect, Sebastian Bergman is one of Sweden's leading police profilers. His life and and career are on the skids when he returns to his home town, two weeks late for his mother's funeral but just in time to help the local police solve the brutal murder of a 15-year-old boy.

In Swedish with English subtitles.

SAT 22:30 Top of the Pops (b01j0wxj)
12/05/77

Jimmy Savile looks at the weekly pop chart from 1977 and introduces Honky, Blue, Trinidad Oil Company, Simon May, Martyn Ford, Mud, Billy Paul, Dr Feelgood, Barbra Streisand, 10cc, Kenny Rogers and Deniece Williams, with a dance sequence from Legs & Co.

SAT 23:10 Sex and the Sitcom (b00zwnt0)
How has the sitcom responded to the sexual revolution?

From Hancock's Half Hour in the 50s, through 70s sitcoms like Up Pompeii! and Reggie Perrin to contemporary comedies like Him & Her, this documentary explores sexual frustration as an enduring sitcom theme, the changing role of women and the British love of innuendo.

Why did Butterflies cause such a stir in the 80s? Did Men Behaving Badly really capture the sexual politics of the 90s? And how did the permissive society affect Terry and June?

The film looks at the changing language of sitcom, contrasts British comedy with its more liberal American counterpart, and asks whether the modern sitcom recognises any taboos at all.

Contributors include sitcom stars Leslie Phillips, Lesley Joseph, Wendy Craig, and writers David Nobbs, Simon Nye and Jonathan Harvey.

SAT 00:15 Anyone for Demis? How the World Invaded the Charts (b013g87k)
The British have a love-hate relationship with the foreign pop song. For years they were frequent visitors to the charts and were bought in their millions. Once heard never forgotten, these international hits conjure instant memories of a holiday abroad, musical portraits of countries far away.

This documentary tells the story of these musical imports from the Second World War to the present day. It reveals surprising stories behind some of the songs and asks what made them so popular.

The programme starts with the fad for Hawaiian music in wartime Britain. Dodging the bombs was Felix Mendelssohn and his Hawaiian Serenaders. Hula dancer Doreena Sugundo, who joined the band aged seventeen, remembers their exotic stage act and the intricacies of the homemade grass skirt.

In the 1950s the foreign pop song was a fixture in the newly-formed charts. From Anton Karas's zither music to the Obernkirchen Children's Choir, continental pop sold in its millions. On BBC television, calypsos from Harry Belafonte and Cy Grant were family favourites, while Danish aristocrats Nina and Frederik brought a certain cosmopolitan cool with their versions of international folk music.

One would think that the worldwide success of the Beatles would see off these foreign pretenders. Not so, as in their breakthrough year of 1963 they were challenged in the charts by the Singing Nun's song Dominique. But the Singing Nun's subsequent fall from grace rivals any rock and roll tragedy.

People travelled the world through their record collections and on the new BBC2 Nana Mouskouri brought an early version of world music to our homes. In the late 1960s the package holiday boom meant that ordinary Britons could visit the places they'd only dreamt of seeing. Holiday songs like Sylvia's Y Viva Espana were souvenirs of a week in the sun and Greek balladeer Demis Roussos became the 1970s' most unlikely sex symbol.

Since then there has been the fad for pan pipes, initially coming not from the Andes but Romania, and in the 1980s the success of Paul Simon's Graceland and the emergence of world music. As our holidays became more exotic and our tastes for food more international, so music from around the world has become more dominant, with the craze for Latin and salsa music.

So now when music is truly global, and international stars like Shakira bestride the music world, has the foreign pop song had its day? Will there ever been another foreign pop sensation like the Singing Nun or the pan pipes, and is there anyone for Demis?

Featuring interviews with Nana Mouskouri, Sylvia, Ladysmith Black Mambazo and the Gipsy Kings. Narrated by Liza Tarbuck.

SAT 01:15 Exotic Pop at the BBC (b013g87m)
Compilation of international hits from the BBC archives that paint exotic musical portraits of far away countries or instantly conjure up memories of holidays abroad. This smorgasbord of foreign pop delights includes performances by Demis Roussos, Vanessa Paradis, Gheorghe Zamfir and Sylvia, amongst many others.

SAT 02:15 Lost Kingdoms of Africa (b01c2wns)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:00 today]

SAT 03:15 Talk at the BBC (b01dy7pr)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:00 today]

SUNDAY 27 MAY 2012

SUN 19:00 Natural World (b00tj7j4)
2010-2011

The Himalayas

Documentary looking at the wildlife of the most stunning mountain range in the world, home to snow leopards, Himalayan wolves and Tibetan bears.

Snow leopards stalk their prey among the highest peaks. Concealed by snowfall, the chase is watched by golden eagles circling above. On the harsh plains of the Tibetan plateau live extraordinary bears and square-faced foxes hunting small rodents to survive. In the alpine forests, dancing pheasants have even influenced rival border guards in their ritualistic displays. Valleys carved by glacial waters lead to hillsides covered by paddy fields containing the lifeline to the east, rice. In this world of extremes, the Himalayas reveal not only snow-capped mountains and fascinating animals but also a vital lifeline for humanity.

SUN 20:00 Cobra Ferrari Wars (b0074n1j)
The date is 1959. The place is Le Mans racing circuit, France. A little known Texan racing driver, Carrol Shelby, wins the most prestigious event in motor racing at his first attempt and is universally acclaimed as one of the best drivers in the world.

But Shelby had a secret that was to prevent him ever driving again.

This is the comeback story of a man driven by the desire to beat the world on the race track, and specifically to beat the might of motor racing, Ferrari. From his base in California with only a team of hot rodders for support, in three years Shelby put together a car that would take on the world and win. The Shelby Cobra, as it was known, is still an automotive icon today.

Featuring a great 60s soundtrack and using true-to-the-period split screen effects, this film is for car fans and casual viewers alike.

SUN 21:00 imagine... (b017pj2l)
Winter 2011

Vidal Sassoon - A Cut Above

Vidal Sassoon is more than a hairdresser - he created styles that defined a generation. Craig Teper's film charts the career of the man who invented the bob-cut and, over the course of more than fifty years, created one of the most recognisable brands in the beauty business.

SUN 22:10 We'll Take Manhattan (b01b674s)
Winter 1962, and cockney photographer David Bailey and unknown model Jean Shrimpton are sent to New York for a prestigious Vogue photo shoot. This drama tells the story of a wild week, their love affair, terrible fights with their fashion editor - and how two young people with no such intention happened to change the world of fashion forever.

SUN 23:40 Pink Floyd: Wish You Were Here (b01j0yyv)
John Edginton's documentary explores the making of Pink Floyd's ninth studio album, Wish You Were Here, which was released in September 1975 and went on to top the album charts both in the UK and the US.

Featuring new interviews with band members Roger Waters, David Gilmour and Nick Mason alongside contributions from the likes of sleeve designer Storm Thorgerson and photographer Jill Furmanovsky, the film is a forensic study of the making of the follow-up to 1973's Dark Side of the Moon, which was another conceptual piece driven by Roger Waters.

The album wrestles with the legacy of the band's first leader, Syd Barrett, who had dropped out of the band in 1968 and is eulogised in the album's centrepiece, Shine On You Crazy Diamond. Pink Floyd had become one of the biggest bands in the world, but the 60s were over and the band were struggling both to find their purpose and the old camaraderie.

SUN 00:40 A Pink Floyd Miscellany 1967-2005 (b014grts)
A compilation of rarely screened Pink Floyd videos and performances, beginning with the Arnold Layne promo from 1967 and culminating with the reunited band's performance at Live 8 in 2005. Also including a newly restored Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2) and performances of Grantchester Meadows, Cymbeline and others.

SUN 01:40 Delius: Composer, Lover, Enigma (b01j0yys)
The composer Frederick Delius is often pictured as the blind, paralysed and caustic old man he eventually became, but in his youth he was tall, handsome, charming and energetic - not Frederick at all for most of his life, but Fritz. He was a contemporary of Elgar and Mahler, yet forged his own musical language, with which he always tried to capture the pleasure of the moment.

Using evidence from his friend, the Australian composer Percy Grainger, who reported that Delius 'practised immorality with puritanical stubbornness', this film by John Bridcut explores the multiple contradictions of his colourful life. Delius has long been renowned for his depiction of the natural environment, with pieces such as On Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring, yet his music is usually steeped in the sensuality and eroticism that he himself experienced.

The documentary features specially-filmed performances by the widely-acclaimed Danish interpreters of Delius, the Aarhus Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Bo Holten, as well as the chamber choir, Schola Cantorum of Oxford.

SUN 03:10 Natural World (b00tj7j4)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:00 today]

MONDAY 28 MAY 2012

MON 19:00 World News Today (b01j9wv9)
The latest national and international news, exploring the day's events from a global perspective.

MON 19:30 Canal Walks with Julia Bradbury (b01173hc)
The Kennet and Avon Canal

Seasoned stomper Julia Bradbury dons her walking boots once again to explore her own British backyard, travelling along the country's network of canals and their accompanying towpath trails. This sees her navigating Highland glens, rolling countryside and river valleys, as well as our industrial heartlands, following these magical waterways as they cut a sedate path through some of the country's finest scenery.

Julia starts this walk in the beautiful world heritage city of Bath, where the Kennet and Avon Canal provided a 19th-century 'canal superhighway' between the country's two most important ports, Bristol and London. But only forty years later the trade along the canal was usurped by rail travel, leaving the once great waterway neglected and derelict. Julia's 20-mile walk along what is arguably the most picturesque stretch of the canal tells the story of how the waterway was restored to its former glory after it was awarded the biggest ever lottery heritage grant. The walk ends at the spectacular Caen Hill flight of locks, listed as one of the seven wonders of British waterways.

MON 20:00 High Flyers: How Britain Took to the Air (b00nnlz3)
Documentary which tells the story of the golden age of British aviation and of how the original 'jet set' shaped air travel for generations to come. In Britain in the 1920s and '30s a revolution took place that would change forever our perspective on the world. While the country was in the grip of recession, dashing pilots and daring socialites took to the air, pushed back boundaries and forged new links across the globe. The era of commercial air travel was born.

MON 21:00 Around the World by Zeppelin (b00qpjpr)
In 1929, for the first time in history a Graf Zeppelin circumnavigated the globe. Beneath the enormous airship hung a gondola to accommodate the lucky passengers and crew for the duration of the 21-day voyage, among them the young journalist Lady Grace Drummond-Hay, reporting for the Hearst media empire. Based upon her letters and diaries and told exclusively through archival and newsreel film from the time, this film relives the incredible voyage.

As a crew of forty kept the zeppelin in the air, Lady Grace feasted her eyes on the world's major cities, white alpine peaks, oceans and swamps, and fell in love with a married man. Rare archival footage gives glimpses of day-to-day life in a zeppelin gondola, Grace listening to one of her fellow passengers playing the accordion, the repair of a tear in the cloth shell during the flight, the sleeping cabins and lounge, and the splendid views from the windows. The film offers a fascinating look into the world of the roaring twenties which would soon be gone forever.

MON 22:25 The Eiger: Wall of Death (b00tlwj3)
A history of one of the world's most challenging mountains, the Eiger, and its infamous north face. The film gets to the heart of one of Europe's most notorious peaks, exploring its character and its impact on the people who climb it and live in its awesome shadow.

MON 23:25 Cobra Ferrari Wars (b0074n1j)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:00 on Sunday]

MON 00:25 Canal Walks with Julia Bradbury (b01173hc)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:30 today]

MON 00:55 Munro: Mountain Man (b00mwgyq)
Little more than 100 years ago, Scottish mountains standing at more than 3,000 feet were virtually unknown. Today they are familiar terrain to many thousands of climbers, thanks to Victorian adventurer Hugh Munro's determination to list the high peaks which now define the highlands and islands of Scotland.

This documentary tells the story of the magnificent peaks that bear his name and the people who have been possessed by them.

The birth of this obsession - now known as Munrobagging - is a twisting tale of intrigue, which presenter Nicholas Crane unravels high on the ridges and pinnacles of some of Scotland's most spectacular mountains.

MON 01:55 High Flyers: How Britain Took to the Air (b00nnlz3)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:00 today]

MON 02:55 Around the World by Zeppelin (b00qpjpr)
[Repeat of broadcast at 21:00 today]

TUESDAY 29 MAY 2012

TUE 19:00 World News Today (b01j9wvg)
The latest national and international news, exploring the day's events from a global perspective.

TUE 19:30 Great British Railway Journeys (b00xhxxf)
Series 2

Telford to Wrexham

Michael Portillo takes to the tracks with a copy of George Bradshaw's Victorian Railway Guidebook. Portillo travels the length and breadth of the country to see how the railways changed us, and what remains of Bradshaw's Britain, as his journey follows the route of the Irish Mail from Ledbury to Holyhead.

Michael visits the world's first iron bridge at Coalbrookdale, explores the historic Chirk Castle and has a go at making traditional Cheshire cheese.

TUE 20:00 On Film (b012p58f)
Bristol on Film

Bristol has fascinated film-makers from the moment the camera was invented. From shipping, sherry and tobacco to Brunel, bridges and the blitz, this programme explores the visual archives that document this ancient city.

TUE 20:30 On Film (b012tnr8)
Harold Baim's Britain on Film

A record of Britain and its people as seen through the lens of film-maker Harold Baim. Extracts from Baim's archive of bright and shiny cinema shorts from the 1940s to 1980s reveal a world that has gone forever.

TUE 21:00 Harlots, Housewives and Heroines: A 17th Century History for Girls (b01jcc8b)
Act Two: At Home

Dr Lucy Worsley, historian and Chief Curator of Historic Royal Palaces, explores the ordinary as well as the extraordinary lives of women in the home. This was an age when respectable women were defined by their marital status as maids, wives or widows. If they fell outside these categories they were in danger of being labelled whores or, at worst, witches.

While history has left many women voiceless over the centuries, Lucy discovers that in the Restoration a surprising number of women were beginning to question their roles in relationship to their husbands, their position in the home, their attitudes to sex and, most importantly, the expectation to produce children.

Meeting a host of experts and experiencing what life was like behind closed doors, Lucy explores whether their lives changed for better or worse during the second half of the 17th century.

TUE 22:00 10 Things You Didn't Know About... (b008vrwk)
Avalanches

Iain Stewart travels across mountain ranges and glaciers to reveal ten remarkable stories about avalanches.

Over a million avalanches happen throughout the world each year, and yet we know more about the surface of the moon than we do about the chaotic turbulence inside an avalanche. Scientists have had to put themselves right inside a raging avalanche to find out more.

Stewart shows how the deadliest avalanche in history killed 18,000 people in three minutes; how Hannibal's army was devastated by avalanches as he crossed the Alps to fight Rome; why an avalanche was key to one of the greatest aviation mysteries of all time; and how global warming may increase the rate of ice avalanches in the future.

TUE 23:00 Den fördömde (b01jg0nt)
[Repeat of broadcast at 21:00 on Saturday]

TUE 00:30 On Film (b012p58f)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:00 today]

TUE 01:00 On Film (b012tnr8)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:30 today]

TUE 01:30 10 Things You Didn't Know About... (b008vrwk)
[Repeat of broadcast at 22:00 today]

TUE 02:30 Great British Railway Journeys (b00xhxxf)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:30 today]

TUE 03:00 Harlots, Housewives and Heroines: A 17th Century History for Girls (b01jcc8b)
[Repeat of broadcast at 21:00 today]

WEDNESDAY 30 MAY 2012

WED 19:00 World News Today (b01j9wvm)
The latest national and international news, exploring the day's events from a global perspective.

WED 19:30 Great British Railway Journeys (b00xhxys)
Series 2

Chester to Conwy

Michael Portillo takes to the tracks with a copy of George Bradshaw's Victorian Railway Guidebook. Portillo travels the length and breadth of the country to see how the railways changed us, and what remains of Bradshaw's Britain, as his journey follows the route of the Irish Mail from Ledbury to Holyhead.

Michael takes a tour of Chester's Roman remains and discovers a secret World War II chemical weapons plant at Rhydmwyn. After spending the night in Llandudno, he goes mussel fishing on the beautiful Conwy estuary.

WED 20:00 Delphi: The Bellybutton of the Ancient World (b00w4jtx)
What really went on at the ancient Greek oracle at Delphi, how did it get its awesome reputation and why is it still influential today?

Michael Scott of Cambridge University uncovers the secrets of the most famous oracle in the ancient world. A vital force in ancient history for a thousand years, it is now one of Greece's most beautiful tourist sites, but in its time it has been a gateway into the supernatural, a cockpit of political conflict, and a beacon for internationalism. And at its heart was the famous inscription which still inspires visitors today - 'Know Thyself'.

WED 21:00 The Story of Variety with Michael Grade (b00z8rd6)
Onto the Box

What happened to the variety stars once the theatres closed and the cameras beckoned? Michael Grade tells the ups and downs of the variety stars on television.

WED 22:00 Evidently... John Cooper Clarke (b01jcdbc)
Documentary which records and celebrates the life and works of 'punk poet' John Cooper Clarke, looking at his life as a poet, a comedian, a recording artist and revealing how he has remained a significant influence on contemporary culture over four decades.

With a bevy of household names from stand-up comedy, lyricists, rock stars and cultural commentators paying homage to him, the film reveals Salford-born Cooper Clarke as a dynamic force who remains as relevant today as ever, as successive generations cite him as an influence on their lives, careers and styles.

From Bill Bailey to Plan B, Steve Coogan to Kate Nash and Arctic Monkeys front man Alex Turner to cultural commentators such as Miranda Sawyer and Paul Morley, the film reveals the life behind one of Britain's sharpest and most witty poets - a national treasure.

WED 23:00 The Old Grey Whistle Test (b01jg3n8)
Annie Nightingale presents the rock magazine show, with studio performances from Siouxsie & the Banshees and John Cooper Clarke, film of the Cars and Steely Dan and Peter Tosh and Mick Jagger on tape.

WED 23:40 imagine... (b017pj2l)
[Repeat of broadcast at 21:00 on Sunday]

WED 00:50 Delphi: The Bellybutton of the Ancient World (b00w4jtx)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:00 today]

WED 01:45 Great British Railway Journeys (b00xhxys)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:30 today]

WED 02:15 The Story of Variety with Michael Grade (b00z8rd6)
[Repeat of broadcast at 21:00 today]

WED 03:15 Evidently... John Cooper Clarke (b01jcdbc)
[Repeat of broadcast at 22:00 today]

THURSDAY 31 MAY 2012

THU 19:00 World News Today (b01j9wvv)
The latest national and international news, exploring the day's events from a global perspective.

THU 19:30 Top of the Pops (b01jcf5f)
19/05/77

David 'Kid' Jensen looks at the weekly pop chart from 1977 and introduces Suzi Quatro, Linda Lewis, Carole Bayer Sager, Tony Etoria, the Jacksons, the Jam, the Bay City Rollers, Joe Tex, Joy Sarney and Rod Stewart, with a dance sequence from Legs & Co.

THU 20:00 Pugin: God's Own Architect (b01b1z45)
Augustus Northmore Welby Pugin is far from being a household name, yet he designed the iconic clock tower of Big Ben as well as much of the Palace of Westminster. The 19th-century Gothic revival that Pugin inspired, with its medieval influences and soaring church spires, established an image of Britain which still defines the nation. Richard Taylor charts Pugin's extraordinary life story and discovers how his work continues to influence Britain today.

THU 21:00 The Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II (b01jcf5h)
Documentary about the greatest public ceremony of the twentieth century. As well as recounting the events of Coronation Day, 2nd June 1953, the film focuses on the months of meticulous planning beforehand. What took place behind the scenes is told using diaries, letters, official records and government papers, together with much rare, evocative archive. There are interviews with historians and experts on royal ceremonial as well as participants in the ceremony.

The Coronation was an immense challenge - the views of forceful personalities from die-hard traditionalists to forward-thinking innovators had to be reconciled, the movements of thousands had to be marshalled like clockwork, and the BBC had to mount its most ambitious television outside broadcast to date in the teeth of prime minister Winston Churchill's opposition. At the centre of it all was the 27-year-old Queen, bearing an immense responsibility while remaining apparently calm and unperturbed throughout.

This is a story of precision planning, last minute nerves and an ancient ceremony which brought together church, state, aristocracy and monarchy in a glorious panoply - the like of which will never be seen again.

THU 22:30 Around the World by Zeppelin (b00qpjpr)
[Repeat of broadcast at 21:00 on Monday]

THU 23:55 Harlots, Housewives and Heroines: A 17th Century History for Girls (b01jcc8b)
[Repeat of broadcast at 21:00 on Tuesday]

THU 00:55 Top of the Pops (b01jcf5f)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:30 today]

THU 01:35 Pugin: God's Own Architect (b01b1z45)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:00 today]

THU 02:35 The Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II (b01jcf5h)
[Repeat of broadcast at 21:00 today]

FRIDAY 01 JUNE 2012

FRI 19:00 World News Today (b01j9ww0)
The latest national and international news, exploring the day's events from a global perspective.

FRI 19:30 Gershwin at the Proms (b01933t2)
Charles Hazlewood conducts the BBC Concert Orchestra in memorable performances of works by George Gershwin at the Proms. From 2006 comes the ever popular Rhapsody in Blue with pianist Kevin Cole, and from 2008, Strike Up the Band and a new arrangement of My Man's Gone Now from the opera Porgy and Bess.

FRI 20:00 Gershwin's Summertime: The Song that Conquered the World (b017nf05)
An intriguing investigation into the extraordinary life of Gershwin's classic composition, Summertime. One of the most covered songs in the world, it has been recorded in almost every style of music - from jazz to opera, rock to reggae, soul to samba. Its musical adaptability is breathtaking, but Summertime also resonates on a deep emotional level. This visually and sonically engaging film explores the composition's magical properties, examining how this song has, with stealth, captured the imagination of the world.

From its complex birth in 1935 as a lullaby in Gershwin's all-black opera Porgy and Bess, this film traces the hidden history of Summertime, focusing on key recordings, including those by Billie Holiday, Janis Joplin, Mahalia Jackson, Miles Davis and Ella Fitzgerald. It reveals how musicians have projected their own dreams and desires onto the song, reimagining Summertime throughout the 20th century as a civil rights prayer, a hippie lullaby, an ode to seduction and a modern freedom song.

Back in the 1930s, Gershwin never dreamt of the global impact Summertime would have. But as this film shows, it has magically tapped into something deep inside us all - nostalgia and innocence, sadness and joy, and our intrinsic desire for freedom. Full of evocative archive footage as well as a myriad versions of Summertime - from the celebrated to the obscure - the film tells the surprising and illuminating tale behind this world-famous song.

FRI 21:00 Punk Britannia (p00s81jz)
Pre-Punk 1972-1976

Narrated by Peter Capaldi, this opener of a three-part documentary series in BBC FOUR's celebrated 'Britannia' strand is scheduled to chime with the 35th anniversary of the Queen's Silver Jubilee and the arrival of punk as national and then international music culture. The film explores the road to punk in Britain, which begins in the early 70s with a young generation already conscious that they have 'missed the 60s party' and are stuck in a Britain heading for economic woes and dwindling opportunities. Meanwhile the music of the day - prog and super rock - seems to ask not for their interest and involvement, but only their awe and their money.

But before the punk generation finally arises to have its say during 1976 come a group of pub rockers, a generation of bands sandwiched between 60s hippies and mid-70s punks who will help pave the way towards the short, sharp shock of punk, only to be elbowed aside by the emergence of the Sex Pistols, the Clash et al.

An unlikely cast of characters set the scene for punk in early 70s Britain. Reacting against overblown super rock of the day and the glam their younger sisters like on Top of the Pops, pub rock set the template for punk. Small venues, fast retro rock 'n' roll and bags of attitude typified bands like Dr Feelgood, Ducks Deluxe, Kilburn and the High Roads and Eddie and the Hotrods. These bands engendered a small London scene which is sometimes forgotten and helped define the Pistols, the Clash and the Damned, both positively and negatively.

Featuring copious unseen archive footage and interviews with John Lydon, Paul Weller, Mick Jones, Wilko Johnson, Nick Lowe, Adam Ant, Brian James and many more.

FRI 22:00 Top of the Pops (b00zwrn7)
The Story of 1976

The nation grew up with Top of the Pops and it was always a talking point, but 35 years ago a particular kind of Top of the Pops programme and tone held sway. This documentary explores Top of the Pops in 1976 - as a barometer of the state of pop and light entertainment TV.

It celebrates the power of the programme and observes British society of the mid 70s, British TV and the British pop scene. In 1976, glam was over and nothing had replaced it - the charts belonged to Showaddywaddy, Brotherhood of Man and the Wurzels, all to be found on Top of the Pops hosted by the Radio 1 DJs. If you wanted rock you looked to the Old Grey Whistle Test, while outside the charts a new scene was rumbling.

Contributors include Tony Blackburn, David 'Diddy' Hamilton, Paul Morley, Toyah Willcox, Showaddywaddy, Brotherhood of Man, the Wurzels and Dave Haslam.

FRI 22:50 We Who Wait: TV Smith & the Adverts (b01jch17)
We Who Wait tells the story of punk band the Adverts and the continuing music career of their former frontman TV Smith, one of the most talented, literate and passionate - yet curiously overlooked - songwriters to emerge from London's vibrant '77 new wave scene.

Smith formed the Adverts in late '76 with his girlfriend Gaye and press criticism of the band's alleged musical ineptitude was answered by a defiant and iconic debut single, One Chord Wonders. A couple of months later, they secured their first chart hit with the macabre punk classic, Gary Gilmore's Eyes. Gaye's status as reluctant punk icon ensured the band received a lot of press attention and a promising future beckoned. However, after a well-received but underperforming debut LP and a critically-reviled follow-up, the Adverts suffered an acrimonious collapse.

Pushed to the margins of the music industry by shifting musical trends and a stubborn refusal to compromise, Smith nonetheless continued a dogged struggle to make a living as a singer and songwriter in the face of critical hostility and industry indifference. After years of bad luck, personal loss and failed bands, Smith's persistence is finally paying dividends. He has carved out a career as a solo artist and troubadour and painstakingly built a new audience through constant touring. To this day, he remains a fiercely inventive songwriter and an electrifying live performer - an enduring embodiment of punk's DIY ethos, passion and power.

The film is a testament to one of UK music's great outsiders, featuring a wealth of stills and archive footage and contributions from former band members, collaborators, critics and friends including Smith and Gaye Advert, Brian James, Richard Strange, John Robb, Greil Marcus, Miles, Henry Rollins, Ian MacKaye and many others.

FRI 23:55 Sight and Sound in Concert (b00s3vzc)
Dr Feelgood and Ian Dury

Pete Drummond introduces a concert from Queen Mary College with Ian Dury and the Blockheads, Chaz Jankel and Dr Feelgood.

FRI 00:55 Stiff at the BBC (b0074sw3)
Episode 1

First part of a compilation of BBC performances by the original Stiff Records artists and those closely associated with the maverick label. Featuring Elvis Costello's debut on Top of the Pops, Dr Feelgood on the Old Grey Whistle Test and Ian Dury and the Blockheads from In Concert.

FRI 01:25 Stiff at the BBC (b0074sw5)
Episode 2

Second part of a compilation of BBC performances by the original Stiff Records artists and those closely associated with the maverick label, including Madness, Ian Dury, the Pogues, Lene Lovich and Jona Lewie.

FRI 02:25 Punk Britannia (p00s81jz)
[Repeat of broadcast at 21:00 today]

FRI 03:25 We Who Wait: TV Smith & the Adverts (b01jch17)
[Repeat of broadcast at 22:50 today]

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

10 Things You Didn't Know About... 22:00 TUE (b008vrwk)

10 Things You Didn't Know About... 01:30 TUE (b008vrwk)

A Pink Floyd Miscellany 1967-2005 00:40 SUN (b014grts)

Anyone for Demis? How the World Invaded the Charts 00:15 SAT (b013g87k)

Around the World by Zeppelin 21:00 MON (b00qpjpr)

Around the World by Zeppelin 02:55 MON (b00qpjpr)

Around the World by Zeppelin 22:30 THU (b00qpjpr)

Canal Walks with Julia Bradbury 19:30 MON (b01173hc)

Canal Walks with Julia Bradbury 00:25 MON (b01173hc)

Cobra Ferrari Wars 20:00 SUN (b0074n1j)

Cobra Ferrari Wars 23:25 MON (b0074n1j)

Delius: Composer, Lover, Enigma 01:40 SUN (b01j0yys)

Delphi: The Bellybutton of the Ancient World 20:00 WED (b00w4jtx)

Delphi: The Bellybutton of the Ancient World 00:50 WED (b00w4jtx)

Den fördömde 21:00 SAT (b01jg0nt)

Den fördömde 23:00 TUE (b01jg0nt)

Evidently... John Cooper Clarke 22:00 WED (b01jcdbc)

Evidently... John Cooper Clarke 03:15 WED (b01jcdbc)

Exotic Pop at the BBC 01:15 SAT (b013g87m)

Gershwin at the Proms 19:30 FRI (b01933t2)

Gershwin's Summertime: The Song that Conquered the World 20:00 FRI (b017nf05)

Great British Railway Journeys 19:30 TUE (b00xhxxf)

Great British Railway Journeys 02:30 TUE (b00xhxxf)

Great British Railway Journeys 19:30 WED (b00xhxys)

Great British Railway Journeys 01:45 WED (b00xhxys)

Harlots, Housewives and Heroines: A 17th Century History for Girls 21:00 TUE (b01jcc8b)

Harlots, Housewives and Heroines: A 17th Century History for Girls 03:00 TUE (b01jcc8b)

Harlots, Housewives and Heroines: A 17th Century History for Girls 23:55 THU (b01jcc8b)

High Flyers: How Britain Took to the Air 20:00 MON (b00nnlz3)

High Flyers: How Britain Took to the Air 01:55 MON (b00nnlz3)

Lost Kingdoms of Africa 20:00 SAT (b01c2wns)

Lost Kingdoms of Africa 02:15 SAT (b01c2wns)

Munro: Mountain Man 00:55 MON (b00mwgyq)

Natural World 19:00 SUN (b00tj7j4)

Natural World 03:10 SUN (b00tj7j4)

On Film 20:00 TUE (b012p58f)

On Film 20:30 TUE (b012tnr8)

On Film 00:30 TUE (b012p58f)

On Film 01:00 TUE (b012tnr8)

Pink Floyd: Wish You Were Here 23:40 SUN (b01j0yyv)

Pugin: God's Own Architect 20:00 THU (b01b1z45)

Pugin: God's Own Architect 01:35 THU (b01b1z45)

Punk Britannia 21:00 FRI (p00s81jz)

Punk Britannia 02:25 FRI (p00s81jz)

Sex and the Sitcom 23:10 SAT (b00zwnt0)

Sight and Sound in Concert 23:55 FRI (b00s3vzc)

Stiff at the BBC 00:55 FRI (b0074sw3)

Stiff at the BBC 01:25 FRI (b0074sw5)

Talk at the BBC 19:00 SAT (b01dy7pr)

Talk at the BBC 03:15 SAT (b01dy7pr)

The Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II 21:00 THU (b01jcf5h)

The Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II 02:35 THU (b01jcf5h)

The Eiger: Wall of Death 22:25 MON (b00tlwj3)

The Old Grey Whistle Test 23:00 WED (b01jg3n8)

The Story of Variety with Michael Grade 21:00 WED (b00z8rd6)

The Story of Variety with Michael Grade 02:15 WED (b00z8rd6)

Top of the Pops 22:30 SAT (b01j0wxj)

Top of the Pops 19:30 THU (b01jcf5f)

Top of the Pops 00:55 THU (b01jcf5f)

Top of the Pops 22:00 FRI (b00zwrn7)

We Who Wait: TV Smith & the Adverts 22:50 FRI (b01jch17)

We Who Wait: TV Smith & the Adverts 03:25 FRI (b01jch17)

We'll Take Manhattan 22:10 SUN (b01b674s)

World News Today 19:00 MON (b01j9wv9)

World News Today 19:00 TUE (b01j9wvg)

World News Today 19:00 WED (b01j9wvm)

World News Today 19:00 THU (b01j9wvv)

World News Today 19:00 FRI (b01j9ww0)

imagine... 21:00 SUN (b017pj2l)

imagine... 23:40 WED (b017pj2l)