Professor Alice Roberts journeys 40,000 years back in time on the trail of the great beasts of the Ice Age. Drawing on the latest scientific detective work and a dash of graphic wizardry, Alice brings the Ice Age giants back to life.
The Ice Age odyssey begins in the 'land of the sabre-tooth' - North America, a continent that was half covered by ice that was up to two miles thick. Yet this frozen land also boasts the most impressive cast of Ice Age giants in the world.
High in a cave in the Grand Canyon, Alice discovers the mummified excrement of the loveable, grizzly bear-sized Shasta ground sloth. Lying in the sands of Arizona are the shelled remains of a glyptodon, surely the weirdest mammal that ever lived. On the coastal plains of California, Alice encounters the vast Columbian mammoth, an animal far larger than any elephant today.
These leviathans all have one thing in common: they were stalked by the meanest big cat that ever prowled the earth, armed with seven-inch teeth and hunting in packs - Smilodon fatalis, the sabre-toothed cat.
The delicious objects of Parisian Art Nouveau are explored by cultural correspondent Stephen Smith. Uncovering how the luscious decorative style first erupted into the cityscape, Stephen delves into the city's bohemian past to learn how some of the 19th century's most glamorous and controversial figures inspired this extraordinary movement.
Revealing the story behind Alphonse Mucha's sensual posters of actress Sarah Bernhardt, looking at the exquisite jewellery designer Renee Lalique and visiting iconic art nouveau locations such the famous Maxim's restaurant, the programme builds a picture of fin-de-siecle Paris.
But Smith also reveals that the style is more than just veneer deep. Looking further into the work of glassmaker Emile Galle and architect Hector Guimard, he sees how some of art nouveau's stars risked their reputation to give meaning and purpose to work they thought could affect social change.
The death of local construction magnate Girolamo Cascio leads Montalbano back to the murder of Cascio's leading competitor, Giacomo Aletto, who was shot and killed two decades earlier. Rocco Pennisi, Aletto's partner, was sent to prison for the crime. But was the right man convicted?
Alan Yentob gains an insight into the creative world of Dame Shirley Bassey in a programme first shown in 2009. After a triumphant Glastonbury appearance and a major illness at the age of 72, Dame Shirley tentatively re-enters the ring to confront her life in song.
Some of the best contemporary songwriters, including Gary Barlow, the Pet Shop Boys, Manic Street Preachers, Rufus Wainwright, Richard Hawley and KT Tunstall, along with James Bond composer John Barry and lyricist Don Black, have interpreted her life through song for an album produced by David Arnold.
The songs frame and explore the myth of Shirley Bassey, the girl from Tiger Bay, and the voice and the desire are not found wanting. A backstory profiling Shirley, complete with archive of her greatest performances, tells the story of what makes her the living legend that she is today.
Forever sequinned, stylish and sassy, Dame Shirley Bassey, one of Britain's all-time great voices, turned 76 in January 2013.
She began her rise to fame as a 16-year-old singer in 1953 and 60 years on she is still going as strong as ever. Join us as we celebrate Dame Shirley's birthday and her remarkable career, taking a trip down memory lane to uncover some of her finest performances from the vaults of the BBC.
From early BBC appearances on Show of the Week, The Shirley Bassey Show, via the Royal Albert Hall, Glastonbury 2007 and right up to her recent jaw dropping show at the Electric Proms. This is a compilation of some of Dame Shirley's classic performances, taking in iconic songs such as The Performance of My Life, Goldfinger, Big Spender and Diamonds Are Forever.
Peter Powell presents another edition of the weekly pop chart including performances from the Gibson Brothers, the Police, the Tourists, Pink Floyd, Blondie, Thin Lizzy, Rose Royce, the Skids, Status Quo and Dr Hook and dance sequences by Legs & Co.
Sounds of the 70s 2 series continues, and this programme features the boys with their guitars turned all the way up to eleven! It is time to don your double denim, let your hair down and headbang your way through half an hour of rock anthems including performances from Alice Cooper, The Faces, Nazareth, Bad Company, AC/DC, Thin Lizzy, Whitesnake and Black Sabbath.
SUNDAY 30 NOVEMBER 2014
SUN 19:00 The Great War (b0074nyy)
This Business May Last a Long Time
This episode tells how, faced with German forces only 25 miles from Paris, the British and French forces managed to stand firm. On 11th September, the Battle of the Marne was an incontestable victory. But although later it proved to be the decisive victory of the war, the Allies were not able to use it to swiftly end the hostilities. Instead, a few days later at Aisne both sides encountered the phenomenon of trench warfare. By the time of its culmination at the murderous battle of Ypres, the trench line was continuous from the sea to Switzerland.
SUN 19:40 Wild (b0078zg5)
2005-06 Shorts
Water Voles
Documentary presenting an intimate portrait of one of Britain's most charming wild animals, following a family of water voles living on a canal in Derbyshire though a typical year.
The picturesque Cromford canal used to serve the regions cotton mills. Now, having been deserted, it serves as a perfect water vole paradise. For these hyperactive little mammals, a year is nearly a lifetime. They spend their lives in a frenzy of activity, swimming, feeding and breeding - the latter most neccessary, since water voles are becoming a rarity these days.
SUN 19:50 Wild (b0078zkd)
2005-06 Shorts
Red Stag Rut
Documentary about the annual autumn red deer rut in the New Forest, a wildlife spectacle that can end in epic battles between the largest males.
As the weather cools, herds of females are joined by the stags, pumped full of male hormones and ready to fight for mating rights. Their roars are meant to intimidate, but if this doesn't work, the sound of antlers clashing echoes through the forest as the rut reaches its peak.
SUN 20:00 The Day of the Triffids (b0074t39)
Episode 3
A six-part adaptation of John Wyndham's classic sci-fi tale of invasion by man-eating plants, which blind their human prey. Bill and Jo try to find refuge from the panic-stricken streets of London and the danger of the triffids.
SUN 20:30 The Day of the Triffids (b0074t47)
Episode 4
A six-part adaptation of John Wyndham's classic sci-fi tale about an invasion of man-eating plants that blind their human prey. Bill finds himself kidnapped, imprisoned and separated from Jo.
SUN 21:00 Blondie: One Way or Another (b0074thn)
The story of New York's finest - the most successful and enduring band fronted by a woman - Debbie Harry and Blondie. From their Bowery beginnings at CBGB's in 1974 to their controversial induction into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame in New York. The band crossed pop with punk, reggae and rap and had no 1s in all styles. With exclusive backstage and performance footage from their UK tour plus in-depth interviews with current and ex-band members and friends Iggy Pop, Shirley Manson, Tommy Ramone, and Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth of Talking Heads.
SUN 22:10 Cash (b0156t98)
After his brother is killed, Cash teams up with a famous thief to pull off the biggest robbery in history.
In French with English subtitles.
SUN 23:50 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 00:50 Play it Loud: The Story of the Marshall Amp (b04c3l7j)
One iconic black box has probably more than anything else come to define the sound of rock - the Marshall amplifier. It has been, quite literally, behind some of the greatest names in modern music.
It all started in 1962 when drum shop owner Jim Marshall discovered the distinctive growl that gave the electric guitar an exciting new voice. Music got a whole lot louder as young musicians like Clapton, Townshend and Hendrix adopted the revolutionary 'Marshall Sound'. The electric guitar now spoke for a new generation and the genre of rock was born.
Soon Marshall stacks and walls were an essential backdrop of rock 'n' roll. The excesses of rock machismo were gloriously lampooned in the 1984 movie This is Spinal Tap. In an extraordinary piece of reverse irony, it was this comic exposure that rescued the company from financial meltdown.
With contributions from rock legends like Pete Townshend, Lemmy and Slash, plus an interview with the 'Father of Loud' Jim Marshall, this documentary cruises down the rock ages with all the dials set to 'eleven'.
SUN 01:50 Great Guitar Riffs at the BBC (b049mtxy)
Compilation of BBC performances featuring some of the best axe men and women in rock 'n' roll, from Hendrix to The Kinks, Cream to AC/DC, The Smiths to Rage Against the Machine and Radiohead to Foo Fighters. Whether it is The Shadows playing FBI on Crackerjack, Jeff Beck with The Yardbirds, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Cream's Sunshine of Your Love from their final gig, Pixies on the Late Show, AC/DC on Top of the Pops or Fools Gold from The Stone Roses, this compilation is a celebration of rock 'n' roll guitar complete with riffs, fingerstylin', wah-wah pedals and Marshall amps.
SUN 02:50 Top of the Pops (b03mpphy)
1979 - Big Hits
1979 Top of the Pops collection, offering 60 minutes of the year's greatest, cheesiest and oddest performances. 1979 was the year music went portable with the launch of the Sony walkman and another year Top of the Pops, the BBC's flagship music show, managed to still draw over 15 million viewers every Thursday night.
The mod revival and 2 Tone was in full stomp, featured here with the Jam, the Specials, Madness and the Selecter. If new wave was your bag there is Elvis Costello, Squeeze and Gary Numan. In 1979 there was little chance of seeing a show on TV featuring Dame Edna's performance of Waltzing Matilda alongside the Ruts with Babylon's Burning, but the British public's eclectic taste predicted the chart and thus saw them together on TOTP in June.
With singles sales at their peak, it was a regular occurrence for groups like Racey and The Nolans to sell over a million copies and their performances may tell us why, or maybe not! Plus new wave pop from Lene Lovich, disco from Chic and a peek at the nation's favourite, Chas & Dave, singing Gertcha.
MONDAY 01 DECEMBER 2014
MON 19:00 World News Today (b04t5wmy)
The latest national and international news, exploring the day's events from a global perspective.
MON 19:30 Great British Railway Journeys (b00y47fb)
Series 2
Aylesford to Tunbridge Wells
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 goes through Kent, from London Bridge around the scenic south coast to Hastings.
Michael explores the life of Victorian hop pickers, finds out about Maidstone's revolutionary paper industry and discovers how the railways turned cricket into a national sport.
MON 20:00 Lost Cities of the Ancients (b00792vj)
The Dark Lords of Hattusha
It was one of the greatest vanishing acts in history. More than 3,000 years ago a mysterious and ruthless civilisation rose from nothing, created a brutal and unstoppable army and built an empire that rivalled Egypt and Babylon. Yet, just as it was at the height of its powers, the great empire suddenly vanished from history.
This is the story of the formidable Hittites, a civilisation bent on world domination. Their long-lost capital, Hattusha, which disappeared thousands of years ago, was recently rediscovered, and archaeologists have unearthed one of the most astonishing and ingenious cities of the ancient world, featuring rings of impenetrable walls, secret tunnels, temples, palaces and a vast pyramid-like structure facing Egypt.
Buried in this lost city is one of the greatest libraries of the ancient world. All the secrets of the mysterious Hittite empire were written in two codes - one a unique form of hieroglyphs. Using these deciphered texts, the film recreates the ancient world of the Hittites, telling the story of what happened to them, and what caused an empire built to last forever to vanish so completely from history.
MON 21:00 Dancing Cheek to Cheek: An Intimate History of Dance (b04t6kb8)
The Shock of the New
Len Goodman and Lucy Worsley discover how the first few decades of the 20th century witnessed the most rapid and revolutionary change in the history of British dance. The bold new sound of ragtime music arrived on our shores from America and paved the way for wave after wave of new dances that would take the dance floor by storm.
Len gets to grips with quirky animal dances before exploring how a young couple called the Castles found fame as the first dancing screen icons. Lucy discovers how, whilst many people lapped up the new American imports, one woman saved that most English tradition, morris dancing, from extinction.
The First World War marked a pivotal moment - after the armistice everyone wanted to dance and Britain was swept up in the greatest dance boom the country had ever known. Palais de Danse opened across the country and for the first time dancing became a big business opportunity, with the dancing public holding sway over what was in or out of fashion on the dance floor.
Len and Lucy explore how we danced in interwar Britain and how women's new-found freedoms were epitomised by the iconic and reckless dancing girl, the flapper. They visit that most famous dance floor, the Tower Ballroom in Blackpool, to examine how dancing professionals sought to take back control with standardisation of music and dancing.
Finally, under the tutelage of Darren Royston, historical dance teacher at Rada, Lucy and Len put together one final performance of the most iconic dance from the era, the Charleston, in full period costume in front of a crowd at the famous Cafe de Paris in London.
MON 22:00 Play For Today (b00jzj72)
Series 6
Nuts in May
Director Mike Leigh’s iconic tale of camping holidays and all the hazards involved. Their Morris packed to the gills, the punctilious Keith and the more spontaneous Candice-Marie arrive at a Dorset campground for ten nights of idyllic bliss.
It starts off pretty perfect; it's peaceful, they go sightseeing, eat vegetarian food and go in search of raw milk. Then a fellow with a loud radio pitches his tent near theirs. Things get worse when a couple arrive on a motorcycle, make noisy love in their tent and start an illegal campfire.
Will Keith and Candice-Marie find a peaceful corner or are they doomed to brawl with the noisy and unwashed? (1976)
MON 23:20 Legends (b0074t24)
Petula Clark - Blue Lady
A revealing look at the long and remarkable career of Petula Clark, best known for her classic 1960s hit Downtown. This documentary traces her many reinventions - from child star to 50s film star, through to her later starring roles in the West End and Broadway. Arguing that there's more to her than just another 60s beat girl, the film reveals a restlessly creative artist with a tenacious capacity for reinvention, including lost masterpieces such as her unpublished country album Blue Lady.
MON 00:20 imagine... (b00p36t8)
[Repeat of broadcast at
22:40 on Saturday]
MON 01:20 Puppy Love (b04smtrw)
Episode 3
Naomi is keen to impress the commodore of the local yachting club, Dave Wilson, and so steps in to join his team, competing in the West Kirby Sailing Club's Wilson Trophy. Sadly, things don't go entirely to plan for her when she invites Dave, and her friends, to an elaborate dinner party that is a complete disaster. She is horrified when Nana V gatecrashes it, revealing her past dalliance with Dave.
Nana V asks Jasmine and Eron to look after her daycare dogs, including Dave's dog Charlie, but the pair go missing and are later found stranded on an island with the tide coming in. Naturally, it's up to Dave and the RNLI to come to the rescue.
MON 01:50 The Old Grey Whistle Test (b0074t8q)
California Comes to the Whistle Test
A compilation of BBC performances by artists who lived and worked in California in the 1970s. Featuring Jackson Browne, Little Feat, Ry Cooder, Judee Sill, Bonnie Raitt and a rare duet between James Taylor and Carly Simon.
MON 02:50 Dancing Cheek to Cheek: An Intimate History of Dance (b04t6kb8)
[Repeat of broadcast at
21:00 today]
TUESDAY 02 DECEMBER 2014
TUE 19:00 World News Today (b04t5wn4)
The latest national and international news, exploring the day's events from a global perspective.
TUE 19:30 Great British Railway Journeys (b00y47jt)
Series 2
Canterbury to Margate
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 goes through Kent, from London Bridge around the scenic south coast to Hastings.
Michael finds out how Canterbury Cathedral was saved during the Baedeker raids of World War II, goes whelk fishing in Whitstable and explores the origins of a seaside swim in Margate.
TUE 20:00 Bombay Railway (b007t30p)
Pressures
Documentary about Bombay's vast suburban rail network, which serves six-and-a-half million commuters every day. As Bombay's population swells by tens of thousands each week, the railway and the people whose lives revolve around it struggle to cope with the pressure and the peaktime 'super-dense crush load'. From the train driver to the illegal hawker and the homeless shoe-shine boy, each has a story to tell about this remarkable railway system, often described as the lifeline of India.
TUE 21:00 Michael Grade's Stars of the Musical Theatre (b03kk0s0)
Michael Grade saw Annie Get Your Gun as a small boy in the 1950s and ever since he has been hooked on musicals - and their stars. He and his family have represented some of the world's greatest musical performers and he knows and understands talent. But one question has always fascinated him - is it the musical which creates the star or the star who makes the musical?
In search of answers, Michael interviews stars and directors on both sides of the Atlantic, including Michael Ball, Elaine Paige, Dominic West, Imelda Staunton, Joel Grey, Chita Rivera, Hal Prince and Trevor Nunn.
In what way are the qualities of a musical star unique? Michael explores the alchemy of the musical by looking at performances from the 1940s onwards in key shows like Oklahoma!, My Fair Lady, West Side Story, Evita and Les Miserables - examining the union of musicals that brilliantly reflect their time with performers who can interpret their magic.
Michael uses all the knowledge, taste and judgement he has built up over decades as he sets out to define what it is that makes the great musical stars great.
TUE 22:00 Balmoral (b00mqg2c)
Documentary telling the story of Balmoral, the royal family's most private residence. For over 150 years this Scottish castle has been home to royal traditions of picnics, stag hunting and kilts. From prime ministers to Princess Diana, life at this tartan-bound holiday home has not appealed to everyone.
But there is another story of Balmoral, of how the royal family has played a role in shaping modern Scotland and how Scotland has shaped the royal family. Queen Victoria's adoption of Highland symbols, from tartan to bagpipes, helped create a new image for Scotland. Her values, too, helped strengthen the union between Scotland and England. Ever since, Balmoral has been a place that reflects the very essence of the royal family.
TUE 23:00 When Rock Goes Acoustic (b0141myx)
The cliche of classic rock guitar is one of riffs, solos and noise. But write a list of great guitarists and their finest moments and a quieter, more intense playing comes to the fore. The acoustic guitar is the secret weapon in the armoury of the guitar hero, when paradoxically they get more attention by playing quietly than being loud.
This documentary takes an insightful and occasionally irreverent look at the love affair between rock and the humble acoustic guitar. Exploring a much less celebrated, yet crucial part of the rock musician's arsenal, contributors including Johnny Marr, Keith Richards, Ray Davies, James Dean Bradfield, Biffy Clyro, Joan Armatrading, Donovan and Roger McGuinn discuss why an instrument favoured by medieval minstrels and singing nuns is as important to rock 'n' roll as the drums, bass and its noisy sister, the electric guitar.
TUE 00:00 Acoustic at the BBC (b0141mz1)
A journey through some of the finest moments of acoustic guitar performances from the BBC archives - from Jimmy Page's television debut in 1958 to Oasis and Biffy Clyro.
Highlights include:
Neil Young - Heart of Gold
David Bowie - Starman
Oasis - Wonderwall
Donovan - Mellow Yellow
Joan Armatrading - Woncha Come on Home
Bert Jansch, Johnny Marr and Bernard Butler - The River Bank
Joni Mitchell - Chelsea Morning
Biffy Clyro - Mountains.
TUE 01:00 Michael Grade's Stars of the Musical Theatre (b03kk0s0)
[Repeat of broadcast at
21:00 today]
TUE 02:00 Sex and Sensibility: The Allure of Art Nouveau (b01dprb6)
[Repeat of broadcast at
20:00 on Saturday]
TUE 03:00 When Rock Goes Acoustic (b0141myx)
[Repeat of broadcast at
23:00 today]
WEDNESDAY 03 DECEMBER 2014
WED 19:00 World News Today (b04t5wn9)
The latest national and international news, exploring the day's events from a global perspective.
WED 19:30 Great British Railway Journeys (b00y47ts)
Series 2
Sandwich to Folkestone
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 goes through Kent, from London Bridge around the scenic south coast to Hastings.
Michael explores a secret port that ran the first train ferries to France carrying vital supplies during World War I, visits Walmer Castle, the home of the Duke of Wellington, and discovers how the Victorians initiated the building of the Channel Tunnel.
WED 20:00 Bombay Railway (b007t367)
Dreams
India is undergoing unprecedented growth and Bombay is its financial powerhouse. The city promotes itself as a positive vision of the future, a place where dreams can come true. Like an extended family, the Bombay railway provides an unfailing lifeline to the city. This series follows the hope and dreams of some the people who work for the railway.
Hans Dev Sharma is a senior operations clerk. He works in the timetabling department, which schedules over 2,000 trains a day - under its cultural quota, Hans was talent-spotted as an exceptional actor and dancer and the railways offered him a job. Hans is living the Bollywood dream, with Bombay Railways as his life and his stage. But will he get his big break?
Jagdish Paul Raj was born in Bombay and is as ambitious as the city he lives in. The son of a railway catering officer, Jagdish, like his father, always had an interest in food but none in the railway. He graduated in politics and economics and became a fully qualified chef. Now 31, he is running a successful catering business on the train to Goa. He is tendered for more trains, but will he be successful?
Mumtaz Kazi is Indian Railways' first fully qualified female train driver and has driven trains all over India. Mumtaz was brought up in a traditional Muslim family - a railway family. Now her father has retired and her immediate family live in Canada - Mumtaz is the only member left in Bombay. It will be Mumtaz's responsibility to find a wife for her brother, to get him married and back to Canada in just eight weeks. Can she do it and still drive the train?
WED 21:00 And Now for Something Completely Different (b00n7sf5)
The first film version of classic sketches and memorable moments from the Monty Python gang's long-running television series, including Nudge Nudge, Hell's Grannies, Killer Cars, Dead Parrot, Lumberjack Song, Blackmail and Upper Class Twit of the Year.
WED 22:25 Frost on Sketch Shows (b01sg96h)
Many of Britain's biggest comedy stars cut their teeth on sketch shows and many of our most-loved comedy series began as sketches.
Sir David Frost traces the development of the sketch show over the last 50 years - from the variety theatre to peak-time television, from Arthur Haynes to Morecambe and Wise and The Two Ronnies, from Monty Python to Not the Nine o'Clock News and Catherine Tate.
He is joined by TV comedy greats including Ronnie Corbett, Stephen Fry and Michael Palin as they look back on the highs and lows of their own sketch show experiences. And together with comedy veterans Michael Grade and Richard Curtis, they ask if, in an age dominated by stand-up and sitcoms, the sketch show can continue to flourish and survive.
WED 23:25 When Albums Ruled the World (b01qhn70)
Between the mid-1960s and the late 1970s, the long-playing record and the albums that graced its grooves changed popular music for ever. For the first time, musicians could escape the confines of the three-minute pop single and express themselves as never before across the expanded artistic canvas of the album. The LP allowed popular music become an art form - from the glorious artwork adorning gatefold sleeves, to the ideas and concepts that bound the songs together, to the unforgettable music itself.
Built on stratospheric sales of albums, these were the years when the music industry exploded to become bigger than Hollywood. From pop to rock, from country to soul, from jazz to punk, all of music embraced what 'the album' could offer. But with the collapse of vinyl sales at the end of the 70s and the arrival of new technologies and formats, the golden era of the album couldn't last forever.
With contributions from Roger Taylor, Ray Manzarek, Noel Gallagher, Guy Garvey, Nile Rodgers, Grace Slick, Mike Oldfield, Slash and a host of others, this is the story of When Albums Ruled the World.
WED 00:55 Blondie: One Way or Another (b0074thn)
[Repeat of broadcast at
21:00 on Sunday]
WED 02:05 New York Rock at the BBC (b007mwcf)
From the streets of New York City to the studios of the BBC comes the cream of the New York rock scene, including classic archive performances from The Ramones, New York Dolls, Television, Blondie, Lou Reed and many more.
WED 03:05 Sounds of the 70s 2 (b01jk1b8)
Soul: Keep On Keeping On
Imported American soul was big news in the UK in the 1970s. Before the Brits developed their own brand of soul, American performers were here demonstrating how it was done and being appreciated by all and sundry. The series continues with classic performances from the kings and queens of soul, including Aretha Franklin, Billy Preston, The Tams, Curtis Mayfield, Bill Withers, The Stylistics, Gil Scott-Heron and The Jacksons.
THURSDAY 04 DECEMBER 2014
THU 19:00 World News Today (b04t5wng)
The latest national and international news, exploring the day's events from a global perspective.
THU 19:30 Top of the Pops (b04t9bxw)
Simon Bates presents another edition of the weekly pop chart including performances from Darts, Dollar, UK Subs, the Three Degrees, the Sugarhill Gang, Storm, Motorhead, Marianne Faithfull and the Police and dance sequences by Legs & Co.
THU 20:00 Orbit: Earth's Extraordinary Journey (b01d7kd5)
Episode 1
Right now you're hurtling around the sun at 64,000 miles an hour (100,000km an hour). In the next year you'll travel 584 million miles, to end up back where you started.
Presenters Kate Humble and Dr Helen Czerski follow the Earth's voyage around the sun for one complete orbit, to witness the astonishing consequences this journey has for us all.
In this first episode they travel from July to the December solstice, experiencing spectacular weather and the largest tides on Earth. To show how the Earth's orbit affects our lives, Helen jumps out of an aeroplane and Kate briefly becomes the fastest driver on Earth.
THU 21:00 Castles: Britain's Fortified History (b04t6n19)
Instruments of Invasion
Sam Willis looks at the history of the castle from its first appearance with the Normans in 1066 to the longest siege on English soil at Kenilworth Castle 200 years later. The castle arrived as an instrument of invasion but soon became a weapon with which unruly barons challenged the Crown. Tintagel Castle, the place where King Arthur is said to have been conceived, is also on the itinerary. It remains one of the most evocative of castles to this day, drawing visitors from around the world with its tales of myth and legend.
THU 22:00 Puppy Love (b04t6n1c)
Episode 4
It's a big day for Naomi. Jepherson Denomer, a trustee from the charity she works for, Future'Z, is coming on a fact-finding visit. He arrives in his vintage Daimler with his elderly dog Tuggy, and Naomi shows him what's been achieved in the local area. When Jep arrives to watch Eron's football demonstration, his car gets stuck in Nana V's muddy yard. Due at Future'Z's Scottish branch, Jep is forced to leave by train, leaving Naomi to care for Tuggy.
Nana V is concerned that something's wrong with her dog No Name. She takes her to the local vet Lilli Kusiak, who can't find anything amiss. Nana V becomes convinced that No Name's odd behaviour is because she herself has cancer, which the dog can smell.
But then Naomi calls to say Tuggy is unwell. She needs Nana V's help urgently. Lilli Kusiak is consulted once again - and this time it's serious.
THU 22:30 Dancing Cheek to Cheek: An Intimate History of Dance (b04t6kb8)
[Repeat of broadcast at
21:00 on Monday]
THU 23:30 Queens of Heartache (b007ch35)
Documentary about a group of female singers whose voices make you weep, who sang songs of heartbreak and betrayal, had lives that seemed to mirror their music and deaths that came too soon and made myths of them all. Yet their voices triumph over tragedy and they became icons of the 20th century.
Edith Piaf, the Urchin Queen, stood small but strong and became the voice of her nation and of everyone who ever made mistakes. Billie Holiday, the Jazz Queen, her voice full of pain and yearning. Judy Garland, Showbiz Queen, raised in the film studio that fed her addiction to pills and to fame. Maria Callas, Drama Queen, whose voice brought out the heartache in opera and whose life echoed the roles she played. And Janis Joplin, Wild Queen, who offered up a 'piece of her heart' and died of drug abuse at just 27.
With contributions from Mickey Rooney, Charles Aznavour, Country Joe McDonald, KT Tunstall, Katie Melua and Corinne Bailey-Rae.
THU 00:30 Top of the Pops (b04t9bxw)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:30 today]
THU 01:10 Duets at the BBC (b01c2xwt)
The BBC delves into its archive for the best romantic duets performed at the BBC over the last 50 years. Whether it is Robbie and Kylie dancing together on Top of the Pops or Kris Kristofferson and Rita Coolidge singing into each other's eyes on the Whistle Test, there is plenty of chemistry. Highlights include Nina and Frederik's Baby It's Cold Outside, Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers, Sonny and Cher, Shirley Bassey and Neil Diamond, Peaches and Herb, and a rare performance from Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush.
THU 02:10 Puppy Love (b04t6n1c)
[Repeat of broadcast at
22:00 today]
THU 02:40 Castles: Britain's Fortified History (b04t6n19)
[Repeat of broadcast at
21:00 today]
FRIDAY 05 DECEMBER 2014
FRI 19:00 World News Today (b04t5wnm)
The latest national and international news, exploring the day's events from a global perspective.
FRI 19:30 Karajan's Magic and Myth (b04tfvwp)
Over twenty-five years after his death in July 1989, the controversial Austrian conductor Herbert von Karajan remains an enigma. He was the most successful conductor in the history of classical music. Many of those recordings - of Italian opera, of Wagner and Richard Strauss, of Sibelius, Beethoven and Brahms - are treasured by music lovers around the world. Yet, even at the peak of his fame, his performances were variously criticised for being too opulent, too manicured, lacking warmth or spiritual depth.
This musical profile explores the many paradoxes in the life and music of this controversial figure, who forged his international reputation in London with the Philharmonia Orchestra shortly after the end of the Second World War and went on to reign supreme in the classical music world during his three decades with the Berlin Philharmonic. The film also examines Karajan's belief in the visual power of music, and his determination to leave behind a substantial legacy of music on film.
Karajan was famous not only for his music, but also his glittering off-duty moments on the ski slopes, piloting his own jet, sailing his yacht and driving top-of-the-range fast cars. Yet, at the same time, he was a solitary man with few friends, who drew his strength from long walks in the Austrian mountains.
In this feature-length profile, the first ever made about Karajan for BBC Television, those who worked closely with Karajan, including singers Placido Domingo and Jessye Norman, violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter, conductors Nikolaus Harnoncourt and Sir Neville Marriner and flautist Sir James Galway, speak of his almost magical power as a conductor and the reality that lay behind the Karajan myth.
FRI 21:00 The Story of Funk: One Nation Under a Groove (b04t6nm5)
In the 1970s, America was one nation under a groove as an irresistible new style of music took hold of the country - funk. The music burst out of the black community at a time of self-discovery, struggle and social change. Funk reflected all of that. It has produced some of the most famous, eccentric and best-loved acts in the world - James Brown, Sly & the Family Stone, George Clinton's Funkadelic and Parliament, Kool & the Gang and Earth, Wind & Fire.
During the 1970s this fun, futuristic and freaky music changed the streets of America with its outrageous fashion, space-age vision and streetwise slang. But more than that, funk was a celebration of being black, providing a platform for a new philosophy, belief system and lifestyle that was able to unite young black Americans into taking pride in who they were.
Today, like blues and jazz, it is looked on as one of the great American musical cultures, its rhythms and hooks reverberating throughout popular music. Without it hip-hop wouldn't have happened. Dance music would have no groove. This documentary tells that story, exploring the music and artists who created a positive soundtrack at a negative time for African-Americans.
Includes interviews with George Clinton, Sly & the Family Stone, Earth, Wind & Fire, Kool & the Gang, War, Cameo, Ray Parker Jnr and trombonist Fred Wesley.
FRI 22:00 The Genius of Funk (b04t9cjz)
A selection of some of funk's best artists from the BBC archives and beyond, beginning in the 1970s. Includes performances from acts such as Earth, Wind & Fire, Kool & the Gang, Average White Band and Herbie Hancock.
FRI 23:00 New Power Generation: Black Music Legends of the 1980s (b0177bjb)
Prince: A Purple Reign
Film which explores how Prince - showman, artist, enigma - revolutionised the perception of black music in the 1980s with worldwide hits such as 1999, Kiss, Raspberry Beret and Alphabet Street. He became a global sensation with the release of the Oscar-winning, semi-autobiographical movie Purple Rain in 1984, embarking on an incredible journey of musical self-discovery that continued right up to his passing in April 2016, aged 57.
From the psychedelic Around the World in a Day to his masterpiece album Sign O' the Times and experiments with hip-hop and jazz, Prince was one of most ambitious and prolific songwriters of his generation. He tested the boundaries of taste and decency with explicit sexual lyrics and stage shows during his early career, and in the 1990s fought for ownership of his name and control of his music, played out in a public battle with his former label, Warner. Highly regarded as one of the most flamboyant live performers ever, Prince was a controversial and famously elusive creative force.
Contributors include Revolution guitarist Dez Dickerson, Paisley Park label president Alan Leeds, hip-hop legend Chuck D and Prince 'Mastermind' and UK soul star Beverley Knight.
FRI 00:00 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 01:00 The Story of Funk: One Nation Under a Groove (b04t6nm5)
[Repeat of broadcast at
21:00 today]
FRI 02:00 The Genius of Funk (b04t9cjz)
[Repeat of broadcast at
22:00 today]
FRI 03:00 New Power Generation: Black Music Legends of the 1980s (b0177bjb)
[Repeat of broadcast at
23:00 today]
LIST OF THIS WEEK'S PROGRAMMES
(Note: the times link back to the details; the pids link to the BBC page, including iPlayer)
Acoustic at the BBC
00:00 TUE (b0141mz1)
And Now for Something Completely Different
21:00 WED (b00n7sf5)
Balmoral
22:00 TUE (b00mqg2c)
Blondie: One Way or Another
21:00 SUN (b0074thn)
Blondie: One Way or Another
00:55 WED (b0074thn)
Bombay Railway
20:00 TUE (b007t30p)
Bombay Railway
20:00 WED (b007t367)
Cash
22:10 SUN (b0156t98)
Castles: Britain's Fortified History
21:00 THU (b04t6n19)
Castles: Britain's Fortified History
02:40 THU (b04t6n19)
Dancing Cheek to Cheek: An Intimate History of Dance
21:00 MON (b04t6kb8)
Dancing Cheek to Cheek: An Intimate History of Dance
02:50 MON (b04t6kb8)
Dancing Cheek to Cheek: An Intimate History of Dance
22:30 THU (b04t6kb8)
Duets at the BBC
01:10 THU (b01c2xwt)
Frost on Sketch Shows
22:25 WED (b01sg96h)
Great British Railway Journeys
19:30 MON (b00y47fb)
Great British Railway Journeys
19:30 TUE (b00y47jt)
Great British Railway Journeys
19:30 WED (b00y47ts)
Great Guitar Riffs at the BBC
01:50 SUN (b049mtxy)
Ice Age Giants
19:00 SAT (p018cbd4)
Ice Age Giants
01:45 SAT (p018cbd4)
Inspector Montalbano
21:00 SAT (b01mtrmg)
Karajan's Magic and Myth
19:30 FRI (b04tfvwp)
Legends
23:20 MON (b0074t24)
Lost Cities of the Ancients
20:00 MON (b00792vj)
Michael Grade's Stars of the Musical Theatre
21:00 TUE (b03kk0s0)
Michael Grade's Stars of the Musical Theatre
01:00 TUE (b03kk0s0)
New Power Generation: Black Music Legends of the 1980s
23:00 FRI (b0177bjb)
New Power Generation: Black Music Legends of the 1980s
03:00 FRI (b0177bjb)
New York Rock at the BBC
02:05 WED (b007mwcf)
Orbit: Earth's Extraordinary Journey
20:00 THU (b01d7kd5)
Pink Floyd: Wish You Were Here
23:50 SUN (b01j0yyv)
Play For Today
22:00 MON (b00jzj72)
Play it Loud: The Story of the Marshall Amp
00:50 SUN (b04c3l7j)
Puppy Love
01:20 MON (b04smtrw)
Puppy Love
22:00 THU (b04t6n1c)
Puppy Love
02:10 THU (b04t6n1c)
Queens of Heartache
23:30 THU (b007ch35)
Sex and Sensibility: The Allure of Art Nouveau
20:00 SAT (b01dprb6)
Sex and Sensibility: The Allure of Art Nouveau
02:45 SAT (b01dprb6)
Sex and Sensibility: The Allure of Art Nouveau
02:00 TUE (b01dprb6)
Shirley Bassey at the BBC
23:40 SAT (b01psct4)
Sounds of the 70s 2
01:15 SAT (b01j8h0b)
Sounds of the 70s 2
03:05 WED (b01jk1b8)
Synth Britannia at the BBC
00:00 FRI (b00n93c6)
The Day of the Triffids
20:00 SUN (b0074t39)
The Day of the Triffids
20:30 SUN (b0074t47)
The Genius of Funk
22:00 FRI (b04t9cjz)
The Genius of Funk
02:00 FRI (b04t9cjz)
The Great War
19:00 SUN (b0074nyy)
The Old Grey Whistle Test
01:50 MON (b0074t8q)
The Story of Funk: One Nation Under a Groove
21:00 FRI (b04t6nm5)
The Story of Funk: One Nation Under a Groove
01:00 FRI (b04t6nm5)
Top of the Pops
00:40 SAT (b04smtrr)
Top of the Pops
02:50 SUN (b03mpphy)
Top of the Pops
19:30 THU (b04t9bxw)
Top of the Pops
00:30 THU (b04t9bxw)
When Albums Ruled the World
23:25 WED (b01qhn70)
When Rock Goes Acoustic
23:00 TUE (b0141myx)
When Rock Goes Acoustic
03:00 TUE (b0141myx)
Wild
19:40 SUN (b0078zg5)
Wild
19:50 SUN (b0078zkd)
World News Today
19:00 MON (b04t5wmy)
World News Today
19:00 TUE (b04t5wn4)
World News Today
19:00 WED (b04t5wn9)
World News Today
19:00 THU (b04t5wng)
World News Today
19:00 FRI (b04t5wnm)
imagine...
22:40 SAT (b00p36t8)
imagine...
00:20 MON (b00p36t8)