The latest national and international news, exploring the day's events from a global perspective.
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 the people of Britain and what remains of Bradshaw's experiences today.
As he journeys up the west coast of Scotland from Ayr to Skye, Michael discovers how the railways helped train the first generation of commandos at Lochailort in World War II, finds out why langoustines have replaced herrings as the top catch in the fishing port of Mallaig and sails across the sea to Skye to explore the history of the highland crofters.
In the medieval and Tudor world there was no question in people's minds about the order of God's creation - men ruled and women didn't. A king was a warrior who literally fought to win power then battled to keep it. Yet despite everything that stood in their way, a handful of extraordinary women did attempt to rule medieval and Tudor England. In this series, historian Dr Helen Castor explores seven queens who challenged male power, the fierce reactions they provoked and whether the term 'she wolves' was deserved.
Helen looks at what happened when England was faced not just with inadequate kings, but no kings at all. In 1553, for the first time in English history all the contenders for the crown were female. In the lives of these three Tudor queens - Jane, Mary and Elizabeth - she explores how each woman struggled in turn with wearing a crown that was made for a male head. Elizabeth I seemed to show that not only could a woman rule, but could do so gloriously. But at what cost?
With the widowhood of Queen Victoria, the glorious life of palaces almost came to an abrupt end. There would be just one final flowering of palatial style just before the First World War, on an imperial scale - the redesign of Buckingham Palace and The Mall. The interwar period was a difficult time for many of Britain's best palaces, forced into a half-life of grace-and-favour accommodation for exiled royalty and aristocracy down on their luck. But more recent times would see restoration and conservation on a new scale and, with it, detective work to uncover palace secrets.
Three-part documentary series which goes behind the scenes at the Queen's favourite home, Windsor Castle. President Chirac of France and his retinue are coming to stay. Not only must the castle look spectacular, but the kitchens must produce a banquet to impress the first nation of food. On top of all that, the castle is attempting to stage a performance of Les Miserables in one of the state apartments as after-dinner entertainment.
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.
Leslie is outraged when Ron wins a Woman of the Year award for a project she started. Tom is desperate to find some money to invest in a local Pawnee club.
When a possum bites the mayor's dog on a golf course, Leslie is asked to form a task force to catch the pesky animal. Ron is upset when Mark refuses to bend the rules for him.
THURSDAY 03 JULY 2014
THU 19:00 World News Today (b0486gq9)
The latest national and international news, exploring the day's events from a global perspective.
THU 19:30 Top of the Pops (b0488tsh)
Weekly pop chart programme presented by David Jensen. Includes performances from The Real Thing, Dave Edmunds, Darts, UK Subs, the Pretenders, The Knack, Sparks, The Boomtown Rats, The Dooleys, ABBA, The Korgis and Tubeway Army. Plus a dance sequence by Legs & Co.
THU 20:00 Precision: The Measure of All Things (b02xgf5d)
Mass and Moles
Deep underground in a vault beneath Paris lives the most important lump of metal in the world - Le Grand K. Created in the 19th century, it's the world's master kilogramme, the weight on which every other weight is based. But there is a problem with Le Grand K - it is losing weight. Professor Marcus du Sautoy explores the history of this strange object and the astonishing modern day race to replace it.
THU 21:00 A History of Britain by Simon Schama (b0074kzy)
Series 1
Nations
The British history series continues with the story of Edward I - known by many as the villainous king in the Hollywood film Braveheart - who tried to force English rule on Scotland and Wales, but found the resultant slaughter only served to inspire bold declarations of independence. When the king was eventually forced to listen to the parliament of his own people, England would also learn what it meant to be a nation.
THU 22:00 Rise of the Continents (p019bd2j)
Australia
Professor Iain Stewart uncovers the mysterious history of Australia, and shows how Australia's journey as a continent has affected everything from Aboriginal history to modern-day mining, and even the evolution of Australia's bizarre wildlife, like the koala.
Iain begins searching for the platypus - a strange creature that is half mammal and half reptile. 200 million years ago reptile-like mammals were found across much of the world because at this time Australia was just one part of a huge landmass called Gondwana, that dominated the southern hemisphere.
Piecing together evidence from fossils found in a sea cliff outside Sydney and rocks recovered from Captain Scott's expedition to the South Pole, Professor Stewart shows that Gondwana was covered by a forest of now extinct trees called glossopteris. This was the habitat of the ancestors of today's platypus.
To discover the fate of Gondwana, Iain visits an unusual mining town called Coober Pedy where many of the buildings are underground in dug-out caves. The opals that are mined here enable him to recreate the breakup of Gondwana, and also show how Australia's formation led to the creation of a vast underground aquifer. This source of hidden water sustained the Aboriginal people as they criss-crossed the otherwise arid Australian interior.
Iain travels to the cliffs of the Australian Bight to show how Australia was once joined to Antarctica, and how their split led to the evolution of the biggest group of mammals on earth - the filter feeding whales.
Australia's journey away from Antarctica has also left its mark on the koala. Its big, round face and fluffy ears are a result of adaptations to the climate change that Australia has undergone on its northwards journey.
Finally Iain travels to Indonesia to meet the Bajau people of the Banda Sea - sea gypsies who glean almost all they need to live from the waters around them. Contained within these waters is evidence that shows Australia's eventual fate. Over the next 50 million years, Australia will collide with Asia, its isolation will be over, and it will become forested and lush once again.
THU 23:00 Battlefield Britain (b0078ry5)
The Battle of Naseby
Peter and Dan Snow go back 350 years to tell the story of a battle that shook the British royal family to its core. It was the turning point in a civil war that had ripped the country apart for three long years. With the aid state-of-the-art graphics, father and son reveal the crucial moments of a battle that is seen by many as the starting point of British democracy.
Dan Snow experiences at first hand what it would have been like for the ordinary foot-soldiers as they struggled with cumbersome pikes and Peter joins his son on the back of a motorbike, where they try their skills with a sword in a simulated cavalry charge.
THU 00:00 Rebels Of Oz: Germaine, Clive, Barry and Bob (b0486smr)
[Repeat of broadcast at
21:00 on Tuesday]
THU 01:00 Top of the Pops (b0488tsh)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:30 today]
THU 01:40 Precision: The Measure of All Things (b02xgf5d)
[Repeat of broadcast at
20:00 today]
THU 02:40 A History of Britain by Simon Schama (b0074kzy)
[Repeat of broadcast at
21:00 today]
FRIDAY 04 JULY 2014
FRI 19:00 World News Today (b0486gqg)
The latest national and international news, exploring the day's events from a global perspective.
FRI 19:30 Symphony (b0170bm6)
Beethoven and Beyond
Simon Russell Beale continues his journey into the world of the symphony with the story of the revolutionary later symphonies of Ludwig van Beethoven and their phenomenal impact. We also meet Franz Schubert, whose two greatest symphonies were only discovered after his tragic early death, the obsessive French Romantic Hector Berlioz and the flamboyant pianist turned composer Franz Liszt. The music is performed by the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and the Halle, conducted by Sir Mark Elder.
FRI 20:30 Sounds of the Eighties (b0074sk2)
Episode 3
Musical memories from the BBC archives. This edition concentrates on the soul and funk artists who found success in the British charts of the 1980s, with performances from Kool and the Gang, The Pointer Sisters, Grace Jones, Cameo, Bobby Womack, Sade, Alexander O'Neal and Whitney Houston.
FRI 21:00 The Richest Songs in the World (b01pjrt5)
Mark Radcliffe presents a countdown of the ten songs which have earned the most money of all time - ten classic songs each with an extraordinary story behind them. Radcliffe lifts the lid on how music royalties work and reveals the biggest winners and losers in the history of popular music.
FRI 22:30 Neil Sedaka: King of Song (b03v2yxt)
Neil Sedaka is one of the most successful American singer-songwriters of the last century. A classically trained musician, he won a scholarship to the Juilliard School at the age of nine and four years later he embarked on a writing career that would see him create some of the most perfect pop songs of all time. Throughout his career he wrote, recorded and sang a number of instantly recognisable and memorable tunes, as well as delivering a string of hits as a songwriter for other artists.
This documentary portrait film tells the story of Neil Sedaka's life and career, in which he had two distinct periods of success. Between 1958 and 1963 he sold over 25 million records, but then his career nose-dived after the Beatles and the British Invasion hit the USA. Leaving his homeland, he found success in the UK in the early 1970s and relaunched his career before returning to the US and achieving new stardom with songs like Solitaire and Laughter in the Rain.
Neil gives great insight into how he created catchy classics like Calendar Girl, (Is This the Way to) Amarillo, Breaking Up Is Hard to Do, Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen and Stupid Cupid, amongst many others.
FRI 23:30 Neil Sedaka Says: All You Need Is the Music (b00pwstt)
During a career which was originally designed to make him a classical pianist, the musical achievements and statistics of singer-songwriter Neil Sedaka have made him a compelling figure in contemporary music, with 600 songs written and 20 million records sold. The hits from his early rock 'n' roll days to his later, more lyrical age are all included in this special one-man show from the 1980s.
FRI 00:15 Sounds of the Eighties (b0074sk2)
[Repeat of broadcast at
20:30 today]
FRI 00:45 The Richest Songs in the World (b01pjrt5)
[Repeat of broadcast at
21:00 today]
FRI 02:15 Neil Sedaka: King of Song (b03v2yxt)
[Repeat of broadcast at
22:30 today]
FRI 03:15 Neil Sedaka Says: All You Need Is the Music (b00pwstt)
[Repeat of broadcast at
23:30 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 History of Art in Three Colours
23:55 MON (b01lng0m)
A History of Britain by Simon Schama
00:25 TUE (b0074kyy)
A History of Britain by Simon Schama
21:00 THU (b0074kzy)
A History of Britain by Simon Schama
02:40 THU (b0074kzy)
Arena
21:00 SUN (b0486nzj)
Battlefield Britain
23:00 THU (b0078ry5)
Caravans: A British Love Affair
00:00 WED (b00hw3s0)
Commonwealth on Film
20:30 TUE (b0486px4)
Commonwealth on Film
02:25 TUE (b0486px4)
Dolly Parton: Platinum Blonde
19:00 SUN (b0074pt7)
Dolly Parton: Platinum Blonde
23:40 SUN (b0074pt7)
Edge of Darkness
22:00 MON (b0074p8c)
Glastonbury
20:00 SAT (b048sflv)
Glastonbury
22:45 SAT (b048sgv1)
Great British Railway Journeys
19:30 MON (b00yd1pb)
Great British Railway Journeys
19:30 TUE (b00yd1x4)
Great British Railway Journeys
20:00 TUE (b00yd2q7)
Great British Railway Journeys
19:30 WED (b00yd34b)
Hidden Killers
22:40 SUN (b01rp5hh)
Hidden Killers
01:25 TUE (b01rp5hh)
Inspector Montalbano
21:00 SAT (b01c6dsd)
Jigs and Wigs: The Extreme World of Irish Dancing
20:00 MON (b03zq10k)
Jigs and Wigs: The Extreme World of Irish Dancing
01:25 MON (b03zq10k)
Len Goodman's Dance Band Days
21:00 MON (b03n2sck)
Len Goodman's Dance Band Days
02:55 MON (b03n2sck)
Lionel Bart: Reviewing the Situation
01:55 MON (b03kw1rv)
Majesty and Mortar: Britain's Great Palaces
22:55 MON (b047pdzg)
Majesty and Mortar: Britain's Great Palaces
21:00 WED (b0488trx)
Majesty and Mortar: Britain's Great Palaces
02:45 WED (b0488trx)
Neil Sedaka Says: All You Need Is the Music
23:30 FRI (b00pwstt)
Neil Sedaka Says: All You Need Is the Music
03:15 FRI (b00pwstt)
Neil Sedaka: King of Song
22:30 FRI (b03v2yxt)
Neil Sedaka: King of Song
02:15 FRI (b03v2yxt)
Only Connect
20:30 MON (b0486px7)
Only Connect
00:55 MON (b0486px7)
Parks and Recreation
01:00 WED (b01skwfj)
Parks and Recreation
01:20 WED (b01skwfm)
Pop Charts Britannia: 60 Years of the Top 10
01:40 SUN (b01nwfxs)
Precision: The Measure of All Things
20:00 THU (b02xgf5d)
Precision: The Measure of All Things
01:40 THU (b02xgf5d)
Queens of Country
20:00 SUN (b007cbjb)
Queens of Country
00:40 SUN (b007cbjb)
Rabbit-Proof Fence
22:00 TUE (b0074sr8)
Rebels Of Oz: Germaine, Clive, Barry and Bob
21:00 TUE (b0486smr)
Rebels Of Oz: Germaine, Clive, Barry and Bob
02:55 TUE (b0486smr)
Rebels Of Oz: Germaine, Clive, Barry and Bob
00:00 THU (b0486smr)
Rise of the Continents
22:00 THU (p019bd2j)
She-Wolves: England's Early Queens
20:00 WED (b01dpqtx)
She-Wolves: England's Early Queens
01:45 WED (b01dpqtx)
Skippy: Australia's First Superstar
23:25 TUE (b00qvl9g)
Sounds of the Eighties
03:10 SUN (b0074sjk)
Sounds of the Eighties
20:30 FRI (b0074sk2)
Sounds of the Eighties
00:15 FRI (b0074sk2)
Storyville
00:55 SAT (b03x3vb9)
Swarm: Nature's Incredible Invasions
19:00 SAT (b00gq43y)
Swarm: Nature's Incredible Invasions
02:45 SAT (b00gq43y)
Swarm: Nature's Incredible Invasions
23:00 WED (b00gq43y)
Symphony
19:30 FRI (b0170bm6)
The Queen's Castle
22:00 WED (b00792nm)
The Richest Songs in the World
21:00 FRI (b01pjrt5)
The Richest Songs in the World
00:45 FRI (b01pjrt5)
Top of the Pops
00:15 SAT (b047pf91)
Top of the Pops
19:30 THU (b0488tsh)
Top of the Pops
01:00 THU (b0488tsh)
World News Today
19:00 MON (b0486gpt)
World News Today
19:00 TUE (b0486gpz)
World News Today
19:00 WED (b0486gq4)
World News Today
19:00 THU (b0486gq9)
World News Today
19:00 FRI (b0486gqg)