The latest national and international news, exploring the day's events from a global perspective.
Timothy Spall and his wife Shane are back on board their beloved barge the Princess Matilda as they conclude their trip around the British coast.
Tim takes on Rattray Head in the face of a huge storm. This is the equivalent of Land's End for Scotland and the point where they head south for the first time. The North Sea soon becomes the new enemy as he and Shane struggle to cope with this unrelenting force of nature.
On land they find wonderful Scottish towns - Peterhead, Eyemouth and Stonehaven - but it is the town of Banff that resonates most. They fall in love with it and are sad to leave it behind as they pursue their odyssey of circumnavigating Britain. At the end of the episode, they eventually reach the English sea border, where they launch a message in a bottle.
Charting the birth of the heritage movement and the first arguments of radical thought, from figures including John Lubbock MP, Lieutenant General Augustus Henry Lane Fox Pitt Rivers, Charles Darwin and John Ruskin. These remarkable individuals asked important questions and came up with the building blocks of a new world that valued the past. Their actions led to the first piece of legislation to safeguard prehistoric and ancient structures which until then had often fallen prey to the short-term interests of farmers and landowners.
For a medieval woman approaching the moment of labour and birth, there were no antiseptics to ward off infection or anaesthetics to deal with pain. Historian Helen Castor reveals how this was one of the most dangerous moments a medieval woman would ever encounter, with some aristocratic and royal women giving birth as young as 13. Birth took place in an all-female environment and the male world of medicine was little help to a woman in confinement. It was believed that the pains of labour were the penalty for the original sin of humankind - so, to get through them, a pregnant woman needed the help of the saints and the blessing of God himself.
Chocolate limes, buttered brazils, sherbert dib-dabs and marshmallows. Food writer Nigel Slater charts the origins of British sweets and chocolates from medicinal, medieval boiled sweets to the chocolate bars that line the supermarket shelves today.
With adverts of the sweets everyone remembers and loves, this nostalgic, emotional and heartwarming journey transports Nigel back to his childhood by the powerful resonance of the sweets he used to buy with his pocket money. Nigel recalls the curiously small toffee that inspired him to write his memoir, the marshmallow, which he associates with his mother, and the travel sweet, which conjures up memories of his father. He marvels at the power of something as incidental as a sweet to reveal emotions, character and the past.
Novelist Andrew Martin presents a documentary examining how the train and the railways came to shape the work of writers and film-makers.
Lovers parting at the station, runaway carriages and secret assignations in confined compartments - railways have long been a staple of romance, mystery and period drama. But at the beginning of the railway age, locomotives were seen as frightening and unnatural. Wordsworth decried the destruction of the countryside, while Dickens wrote about locomotives as murderous brutes, bent on the destruction of mere humans. Hardly surprising, as he had been involved in a horrific railway accident himself.
Martin traces how trains gradually began to be accepted - Holmes and Watson were frequent passengers - until by the time of The Railway Children they were something to be loved, a symbol of innocence and Englishness. He shows how trains made for unforgettable cinema in The 39 Steps and Brief Encounter, and how when the railways fell out of favour after the 1950s, their plight was highlighted in the films of John Betjeman.
Finally, Martin asks whether, in the 21st century, Britain's railways can still stir and inspire artists.
THURSDAY 10 OCTOBER 2013
THU 19:00 World News Today (b03c9fv6)
The latest national and international news, exploring the day's events from a global perspective.
THU 19:30 The Sky at Night (b08kbj5d)
Space Surgery Special
The team go camping at the Brecon Beacons star party and answer problems and queries about what to see in the night sky and how to use a telescope. Viewers have been sending in astronomy questions in the hundreds since the Space Surgery was launched six months ago.
THU 20:00 Horizon: 40 Years on the Moon (b00llgs8)
Professor Brian Cox takes a look through nearly 50 years of BBC archive at the story of man's relationship with the moon.
From the BBC's space fanatic James Burke testing out the latest Nasa equipment to 1960s interviews about the bacon-flavoured crystals that astronauts can survive on in space, to the iconic images of man's first steps on the moon and the dramatic story of Apollo 13, Horizon and the BBC have covered it all.
But since President Kennedy's goal of landing a man on the moon before the end of the 1960s was reached, no-one has succeeded in reigniting the public's enthusiasm for space travel and lunar voyages. Why?
On his journey through the ages, Professor Cox explores the role that international competition played in getting man to the moon and asks if, with America no longer the world's only superpower, we are at the dawn of a bright new space age.
THU 21:00 Pain, Pus and Poison: The Search for Modern Medicines (b03ccs7k)
Pus
Infection can take over the entire human body, and if our immune systems aren't strong enough we will die - in fact, infectious disease has regularly wiped out millions of people across the planet. Dr Michael Mosley explores our earliest attempts to tackle infection and reveals the moment we began to harness the power of microbes to fight back. This is the story of how scientists, chemists and doctors helped us win the battle, from Louis Pasteur to Howard Florey, and how a small team of dedicated men and women wiped out one of mankind's deadliest diseases - smallpox.
THU 22:00 After Life: The Strange Science of Decay (b012w66t)
Ever wondered what would happen in your own home if you were taken away, and everything inside was left to rot? The answer is revealed in this fascinating programme, which explores the strange and surprising science of decay.
For two months in summer 2011, a glass box containing a typical kitchen and garden was left to rot in full public view within Edinburgh Zoo. In this resulting documentary, presenter Dr George McGavin and his team use time-lapse cameras and specialist photography to capture the extraordinary way in which moulds, microbes and insects are able to break down our everyday things and allow new life to emerge from old.
Decay is something that many of us are repulsed by. But as the programme shows, it's a process that's vital in nature. And seen in close-up, it has an unexpected and sometimes mesmerising beauty.
THU 23:30 The Art of Australia (b03ccmpt)
[Repeat of broadcast at
21:00 on Tuesday]
THU 00:30 Skippy: Australia's First Superstar (b00qvl9g)
[Repeat of broadcast at
23:00 on Tuesday]
THU 01:30 The Sky at Night (b08kbj5d)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:30 today]
THU 02:00 Horizon: 40 Years on the Moon (b00llgs8)
[Repeat of broadcast at
20:00 today]
THU 03:00 Pain, Pus and Poison: The Search for Modern Medicines (b03ccs7k)
[Repeat of broadcast at
21:00 today]
FRIDAY 11 OCTOBER 2013
FRI 19:00 World News Today (b03c9fvf)
The latest national and international news, exploring the day's events from a global perspective.
FRI 19:30 The Sound and the Fury: A Century of Music (b01qyvd8)
Easy Listening?
The series concludes with the focus shifting to the United States in the post-war years of the 1950s and beyond. Beginning with arguably the most notorious work of 20th century classical music, John Cage's 'silent' composition 4'33", it looks at how a series of maverick Americans re-invented the sound of classical music into a more simple form, bringing back harmonies and rhythms that made it increasingly popular with audiences across the world. It also examines how this music found its way into a spiritual realm, with the strain of pared-down religious composition that came to be known as 'holy minimalism'.
From the Maverick concert hall in Woodstock, New York to an Orthodox cathedral in Estonia to a car park in Peckham, south London, the story is told by a stellar line-up of contributors including Philip Glass, Steve Reich, John Adams, Arvo Pärt and John Tavener.
FRI 20:30 Transatlantic Sessions (b03c7lcq)
Series 6
Episode 3
Music co-directors, Shetland fiddle virtuoso Aly Bain, dobro ace Jerry Douglas and their all-star house band, host a gathering of the cream of Nashville, Irish and Scottish talent in a spectacular new location overlooking the bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond.
In this episode look out for the deftly delicate guitar of Russ Barenberg, one of the Sessions' 'founding fathers', and John McCusker's rollicking fiddle.
FRI 21:00 Tubular Bells: The Mike Oldfield Story (b03cw8g0)
In 1973, an album was released that against all odds and expectations went to the top of the UK charts. The fact the album launched a record label that became one of the most recognisable brand names in the world (Virgin), formed the soundtrack to one of the biggest movies of the decade (The Exorcist), became the biggest selling instrumental album of all time, would eventually go on to sell over 16 million copies and was performed almost single-handedly by a 19-year-old makes the story all the more incredible. That album was Tubular Bells, and the young and painfully shy musician was Mike Oldfield.
This documentary features contributions from Sir Richard Branson, Danny Boyle, Mike's family and the original engineers of the Tubular Bells album among others. The spine of the film is an extended interview with Mike himself, where he takes us through the events that led to him writing Tubular Bells - growing up with a mother with severe mental health problems; the refuge he sought in music as a child, with talent that led to him playing in folk clubs aged 12 and signing with his sister's folk group at only 15; his frightening experience of taking LSD at 16; and finally arriving at the Manor Recording Studios as a young session musician where he gave a demo tape to a recording engineer who passed it along to young entrepreneur Richard Branson.
After the album's huge success, Mike retreated to a Hereford hilltop, shunned public life and became a recluse until he took part in a controversial therapy which changed his life.
In 2012 Mike captured the public's imagination once again when he was asked to perform at the London Olympic Opening Ceremony, where Tubular Bells was the soundtrack to 20 minutes of the one-hour ceremony.
Filmed on location at his home recording studio in Nassau, Mike also plays the multiple instruments of Tubular Bells and shows how the groundbreaking piece of music was put together.
FRI 22:00 Mike Oldfield: Tubular Bells (b00g8h9q)
A live studio performance from 1974 of Mike Oldfield's composition Tubular Bells, which had been acclaimed in the press as a unique achievement in popular music.
FRI 22:25 Synth Britannia (b00n93c4)
Documentary following a generation of post-punk musicians who took the synthesiser from the experimental fringes to the centre of the pop stage.
In the late 1970s, small pockets of electronic artists including The Human League, Daniel Miller and Cabaret Voltaire were inspired by Kraftwerk and JG Ballard, and they dreamt of the sound of the future against the backdrop of bleak, high-rise Britain.
The crossover moment came in 1979 when Gary Numan's appearance on Top of the Pops with Tubeway Army's Are 'Friends' Electric? heralded the arrival of synthpop. Four lads from Basildon known as Depeche Mode would come to own the new sound, whilst post-punk bands like Ultravox, Soft Cell, OMD and Yazoo took the synth out of the pages of NME and onto the front page of Smash Hits.
By 1983, acts like Pet Shop Boys and New Order were showing that the future of electronic music would lie in dance music.
Contributors include Philip Oakey, Vince Clarke, Martin Gore, Bernard Sumner, Gary Numan and Neil Tennant.
FRI 23:55 Synth Britannia at the BBC (b00n93c6)
A journey through the BBC's synthpop archives from Roxy Music and Tubeway Army to New Order and Sparks. Turn your Moogs up to 11 as we take a trip back into the 70s and 80s!
FRI 00:55 Tubular Bells: The Mike Oldfield Story (b03cw8g0)
[Repeat of broadcast at
21:00 today]
FRI 01:55 Mike Oldfield: Tubular Bells (b00g8h9q)
[Repeat of broadcast at
22:00 today]
FRI 02:20 Synth Britannia (b00n93c4)
[Repeat of broadcast at
22:25 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 Garden in Snowdonia
19:30 MON (b00l5w3w)
A Garden in Snowdonia
01:50 MON (b00l5w3w)
A Garden in Snowdonia
19:30 TUE (b00l965g)
A Garden in Snowdonia
02:00 TUE (b00l965g)
A Pembrokeshire Farm
20:00 TUE (b007hzj1)
A Pembrokeshire Farm
01:30 TUE (b007hzj1)
A Very British Murder with Lucy Worsley
21:00 MON (p01fv16l)
A Very British Murder with Lucy Worsley
02:20 MON (p01fv16l)
A Very British Murder with Lucy Worsley
23:00 WED (p01fv16l)
Africa
19:00 SAT (b01q0t2r)
Africa
01:10 SAT (b01q0t2r)
Africa
22:50 MON (b01q0t2r)
After Life: The Strange Science of Decay
22:00 THU (b012w66t)
Britain on Film
20:30 TUE (b03ccmpr)
Britain on Film
01:00 TUE (b03ccmpr)
Classic Albums
22:40 SAT (b01rlwpd)
Crossing England in a Punt: River of Dreams
23:00 SUN (p00y6r6q)
Elton John at the BBC
02:00 SUN (b00vs5c0)
Elton John in Concert 2013
00:00 SUN (b03c5bpp)
Fabric of Britain
20:00 SUN (b03c2766)
Forever Young: How Rock 'n' Roll Grew Up
23:30 SAT (b00sxjls)
Heritage! The Battle for Britain's Past
20:00 WED (p014fycm)
Heritage! The Battle for Britain's Past
01:30 WED (p014fycm)
Horizon: 40 Years on the Moon
20:00 THU (b00llgs8)
Horizon: 40 Years on the Moon
02:00 THU (b00llgs8)
Lost Kingdoms of Africa
20:00 SAT (b01bs7f7)
Lost Kingdoms of Africa
02:10 SAT (b01bs7f7)
Lost Kingdoms of Africa
23:50 MON (b01bs7f7)
Mark Lawson Talks To...
21:00 SUN (b03ctzdw)
Mark Lawson Talks To...
03:00 SUN (b03ctzdw)
Medieval Lives: Birth, Marriage, Death
21:00 WED (b03cv0lm)
Medieval Lives: Birth, Marriage, Death
02:30 WED (b03cv0lm)
Mike Oldfield: Tubular Bells
22:00 FRI (b00g8h9q)
Mike Oldfield: Tubular Bells
01:55 FRI (b00g8h9q)
Miss Marple
19:00 SUN (b01lc9s4)
Miss Marple
22:00 MON (b03cch46)
Nigel Slater: Life Is Sweets
22:00 WED (p00y4hd1)
Only Connect
20:30 MON (b03cch42)
Only Connect
00:50 MON (b03cch42)
Pain, Pus and Poison: The Search for Modern Medicines
22:00 TUE (p01f51z4)
Pain, Pus and Poison: The Search for Modern Medicines
21:00 THU (b03ccs7k)
Pain, Pus and Poison: The Search for Modern Medicines
03:00 THU (b03ccs7k)
Sight and Sound in Concert
22:00 SUN (b03czdtl)
Skippy: Australia's First Superstar
23:00 TUE (b00qvl9g)
Skippy: Australia's First Superstar
00:30 THU (b00qvl9g)
Synth Britannia at the BBC
23:55 FRI (b00n93c6)
Synth Britannia
22:25 FRI (b00n93c4)
Synth Britannia
02:20 FRI (b00n93c4)
The Art of Australia
21:00 TUE (b03ccmpt)
The Art of Australia
02:30 TUE (b03ccmpt)
The Art of Australia
23:30 THU (b03ccmpt)
The Great British Outdoors
00:00 TUE (b00t4kh5)
The Making of Elton John: Madman Across the Water
01:00 SUN (b00vs4yv)
The Sky at Night
19:30 THU (b08kbj5d)
The Sky at Night
01:30 THU (b08kbj5d)
The Sound and the Fury: A Century of Music
19:30 FRI (b01qyvd8)
The Young Montalbano
21:00 SAT (b03cc891)
Timeshift
00:00 WED (b00dwflh)
Timothy Spall: All at Sea
19:30 WED (b01cl52j)
Timothy Spall: All at Sea
01:00 WED (b01cl52j)
Top of the Pops
00:30 SAT (b03c68lk)
Transatlantic Sessions
20:30 FRI (b03c7lcq)
Tubular Bells: The Mike Oldfield Story
21:00 FRI (b03cw8g0)
Tubular Bells: The Mike Oldfield Story
00:55 FRI (b03cw8g0)
Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?
20:00 MON (b0077kr5)
Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?
01:20 MON (b0077kr5)
Wild
19:50 SUN (b0078yps)
World News Today
19:00 MON (b03c9ftl)
World News Today
19:00 TUE (b03c9ftr)
World News Today
19:00 WED (b03c9ftx)
World News Today
19:00 THU (b03c9fv6)
World News Today
19:00 FRI (b03c9fvf)