The latest national and international news, exploring the day's events from a global perspective.
Sitcom about a middle-aged bachelor who lives with his domineering mother and ineffectual father. Timothy tries to stop his godson being bullied at school.
The story of Scottish art and its impact on the international art world is celebrated in this four-part series presented by acclaimed artist Lachlan Goudie. The series spans 5,000 years of Scotland's history, from the earliest Neolithic art to the present day.
In the first programme, Lachlan explores Scotland's earliest art. He visits the Ring of Brodgar in Orkney, where standing stones have watched the seasons pass for thousands of years. On the island of Westray he encounters an ancient figurine - the Westray Wife - the oldest sculpted human figure in the British Isles. He explores the sophisticated art of the Picts and the Gaels, the exuberant Renaissance period of the early Stewart kings, and the destructive heights of the Reformation, when religious artworks were all but wiped out in Scotland.
Lucy Worsley travels to Russia to tell the extraordinary story of the dynasty that ruled the country for more than three centuries. It's an epic tale that includes giant figures such as Peter the Great and Catherine the Great, the devastating struggle against Napoleon in 1812, and the political murders of Nicholas II and his family in 1918 which brought the dynasty to a brutal end.
In this first episode, Lucy investigates the beginning of the Romanovs' 300-year reign in Russia. In 1613, when Russia was leaderless, 16-year-old Mikhail Romanov was plucked from obscurity and offered the crown of Russia. Mikhail was granted absolute power and began the reign of the Romanovs as the most influential dynasty in modern European history.
Lucy also charts the story of Peter the Great, the ruthless and ambitious tsar who was determined to modernise Russia at the end of the 17th century. Lucy traces Peter's accession to the throne as a nine-year-old, when he witnessed a revolt led by royal guards and the slaughter of his uncles and close advisors. Sixteen years later, Peter would vengefully execute a thousand rebellious guards. Throughout his reign, Peter would demonstrate an unwavering commitment to establishing Russia as a naval power - Lucy explores the lengths to which Peter would go to ensure this became a reality, including the creation of a new maritime capital, St Petersburg.
Lucy shows how the Romanovs embraced and sponsored the arts on an astonishing scale - from building spectacular palaces to commissioning grand artworks - that all still dazzle today.
As well as studying this unique royal family, Lucy also considers the impact the Romanovs had on the lives of ordinary Russians, who were often little better than slaves to the elite.
Biography of iconic rock balladeer Roy Orbison told through his own voice, casting new light on the triumphs and tragedies that beset his career. Using previously unseen performances, home movies and interviews with many who have never spoken before, the film reveals Orbison's remote Texas childhood, his battles to get his voice heard, and how he created lasting hits like Only the Lonely and Crying.
The film follows Roy's rollercoaster life, often reflected in the dark lyrics of his songs, from success to rejection to rediscovery in the 80s with The Traveling Wilburys supergroup. It uncovers the man behind the shades, including interviews with his sons, many close friends and collaborators like Jeff Lynne, T Bone Burnett, Bobby Goldsboro and Marianne Faithfull.
THURSDAY 07 JANUARY 2016
THU 19:00 World News Today (b06v9d7v)
The latest national and international news, exploring the day's events from a global perspective.
THU 19:30 Canals: The Making of a Nation (b0685bp2)
The Workers
This is the story of the men who built our canals - the navigators or 'navvies'. They represented an 'army' of hard physical men who were capable of enduring tough labour for long hours. Many roved the countryside looking for work and a better deal. They gained a reputation as troublesome outsiders, fond of drinking and living a life of ungodly debauchery. But who were they? Unreliable heathens and outcasts, or unsung heroes who used might and muscle to build canals and railways? We focus on the Manchester Ship Canal - the swansong for the navvies and hailed as the greatest engineering feat of the Victorian Age. The navvies worked at a time of rising trade unionism. But could they organise and campaign for a better deal?
THU 20:00 Majesty and Mortar: Britain's Great Palaces (b046w5c1)
Towards an Architecture of Majesty
Royal palaces are the most magnificent buildings in our history. Often built to extraordinary levels of luxury and excess, they express the personalities of our kings and queens since 1066.
From the Tower of London to Hampton Court Palace, Dan Cruickshank reveals an extraordinary story of buildings, often fortified, that cemented the monarch's claim to the throne. Palaces reveal our monarchs like no other buildings - their taste for luxury, their fear of the mob, even their relationship with God. Palaces have been caught up in some of the most dramatic events in history - some survive in all their magnificence like Hampton Court while others have vanished from the surface of the earth as completely as if they'd never existed.
THU 21:00 Timeshift (b053pxdr)
Series 14
The Nation's Railway: The Golden Age of British Rail
Timeshift revisits Britain's railways during the era of public ownership. For all its bad reputation today, the old British Rail boldly transformed a decayed, war-torn Victorian transport network into a system fit for the 20th century. With an eye firmly on the future, steam made way for diesel and electric, new modern stations like Euston were built, and Britain's first high-speed trains introduced.
Made with unique access to the British Transport Films archive, this is a warm corrective to the myth of the bad old days of rail, but even it can't hide from the horror that was a British Rail sandwich.
THU 22:00 India's Frontier Railways (b0555xgw)
The Maitree Express
Filmed during the holy month of Ramadan, this is a journey from India into Bangladesh on a train that reunites the region of Bengal. Partitioned in 1947, Bengal was divided in half, creating East Pakistan - a satellite state ruled by Pakistan. It was an unwelcome occupation. In 1971, they fought a war of independence and East Pakistan became the People's Republic of Bangladesh. 37 years later, the first train ran between India and Bangladesh - the Maitree Express. Maitree means friendship.
It takes 12 hours to make the 392km journey from Kolkata to Dhaka, and staffing on the train is almost the same on both sides of the border. They speak the same language, share a history and all love fish.
Amirul, once a freedom fighter in the war of independence, now plays announcements and religious tapes on the Maitree. Aalo supports his family by selling chocolates on the train, but has a problem with the 30-degree heat. Sixteen-year-old Abdullah ran away from home and a madrasa. Now he sells papers on Dhaka's trains and platforms, hoping for a brighter future. Gautam Bannerjee is a guard on the Maitree and a respected astrologer. Can his calculations foretell the future? Urmi Rahman, a writer, was born in Bangladesh, married an Indian and lives in Kolkata, but she is very clear about her identity. Krishendu Basu is happy with his life. Not only a guard, he is also a tabla player, photographer and self-confessed foodie. But music is his passion.
These stories of people who work, travel or depend on the Maitree Express take us on a journey through history, sharing their hopes, needs and desires - on India's frontier railways.
THU 23:00 The Joy of the Single (b01nzchs)
Do you remember buying your first single? Where you bought it? What it was? The thrill of playing it for the first time? What it sounded like? How it maybe changed your life? Lots of us do. Lots of us still have that single somewhere in a dusty box in the attic, along with other treasured memorabilia of an adolescence lost in music and romance. The attic of our youth.
The Joy of the Single is a documentary packed with startling memories, vivid images and penetrating insights into the power of pop and rock's first and most abiding artefact - the seven-inch, vinyl 45-rpm record, a small, perfectly formed object that seems to miraculously contain the hopes, fears, sounds and experiences of our different generations - all within the spiralling groove etched on its shiny black surface, labelled and gift-wrapped by an industry also in its thrall.
In the confident hands of a star-studded cast, the film spins a tale of obsession, addiction, dedication and desire. The viewer is invited on a journey of celebration from the 1950s rock 'n' roll generation to the download kids of today, taking in classic singles from all manner of artists in each decade - from the smell of vinyl to the delights of the record label, from the importance of the record shop to the bittersweet brevity of the song itself, from stacking singles on a Dansette spindle to dropping the needle and thrilling to the intro.
Featuring contributions from Noddy Holder, Jack White, Richard Hawley, Suzi Quatro, Holly Johnson, Jimmy Webb, Pete Waterman, Norah Jones, Mike Batt, Graham Gouldman, Miranda Sawyer, Norman Cook, Trevor Horn, Neil Sedaka, Paul Morley, Rob Davies, Lavinia Greenlaw, Brian Wilson and Mike Love.
THU 00:00 Legends of the Deep: Deep Sea Sharks (b06237md)
[Repeat of broadcast at
22:00 on Monday]
THU 00:55 The End of the World? A Horizon Guide to Armageddon (b00zj1c2)
[Repeat of broadcast at
20:00 on Monday]
THU 01:55 Majesty and Mortar: Britain's Great Palaces (b046w5c1)
[Repeat of broadcast at
20:00 today]
THU 02:55 Timeshift (b053pxdr)
[Repeat of broadcast at
21:00 today]
FRIDAY 08 JANUARY 2016
FRI 19:00 World News Today (b06v9fdm)
The latest national and international news, exploring the day's events from a global perspective.
FRI 19:30 The Good Old Days (b06s5zw2)
A celebration of music hall favourites from the famous City Varieties Theatre, Leeds. Featuring chairman Leonard Sachs and a host of special guests, this Christmas special was originally broadcast in 1983.
FRI 20:30 Sounds of the 70s 2 (b01k68gc)
Punk - Anarchy on the BBC
The late 70s had parents from all over the UK fearing one particular four letter word... punk. With anarchy spreading across the nation, the BBC managed to capture and sometimes contain some of the chaotic energy of these iconic moments in its studios. This episode provides another chance to jump up and down on the couch and pogo to performances from the Stranglers, the Damned, the Sex Pistols, the Jam, Undertones, the Rezillos, Buzzcocks, the Clash, X-Ray Spex and Joy Division.
FRI 21:00 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.
FRI 22:00 Top of the Pops (b06v9fdp)
The Story of 1981
The year the teens take over and 80s 'new pop' is born with Depeche Mode, the teen-fronted Human League, Kim Wilde and Duran Duran all debuting, while Ultravox and Visage master the art of pop videos. The show embraces the shift with a new theme tune and titles and, as Legs and Co leave, invite a swathe of club kids and cheerleaders in to create a permanent 80s party atmosphere. Britain is torn between rioting, unemployment and the royal wedding, a mood captured in the Specials' Ghost Town, which the band perform on Top of the Pops, and then promptly split up in their dressing room at Television Centre.
With Duran Duran, Depeche Mode, the Human League, Kim Wilde, Midge Ure, Jerry Dammers (the Specials), Leee John, Freeez, Beggar and Co, Richard Skinner, Mike Read and Carrie Grant.
Narrated by Mel Giedroyc.
FRI 23:00 Top of the Pops (b06vkg5r)
1981 - Big Hits
A bumper crop of hits from the Top of the Pops archive showcasing an exciting year on the pop charts. 1981 embraced disco and ska, new wave punk, the burgeoning New Romantic scene and the rise of synthpop, with some prog quirkiness and good old rock 'n' roll thrown in.
Performances from big-hitter soloists Phil Collins, Shakin' Stevens and Kim Wilde are featured alongside the exuberant chaos of groups like Tenpole Tudor, Adam and the Ants and The Teardrop Explodes. It's party time as Odyssey fill the dancefloor with the infectious Going Back to My Roots and Clare Grogan adopts some unorthodox shapes for Altered Images' Happy Birthday. And The Specials' 2 Tone social-commentary classic Ghost Town vies with Ultravox's Vienna and The Human League's Don't You Want Me for song of the year.
FRI 00:00 Genesis: Together and Apart (b04l3phb)
A feature-length documentary about one of the most successful British bands in rock music, reuniting Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, Tony Banks, Mike Rutherford and Steve Hackett to tell their story. The film recounts their extraordinary musical story, exploring the songwriting and the emotional highs and lows. It features previously unseen archive material and rare footage from across their entire career.
FRI 01:30 Top of the Pops (b06vkg5r)
[Repeat of broadcast at
23:00 today]
FRI 02:30 Top of the Pops (b06v9fdp)
[Repeat of broadcast at
22:00 today]
FRI 03:30 Sounds of the 70s 2 (b01k68gc)
[Repeat of broadcast at
20:30 today]
LIST OF THIS WEEK'S PROGRAMMES
(Note: the times link back to the details; the pids link to the BBC page, including iPlayer)
An Evening with Glen Campbell
00:50 SAT (b01pyfht)
Britain on Film
03:15 SUN (b0229pbj)
Britain on Film
03:25 MON (b02w63mx)
Britain on Film
03:30 TUE (b02xgf58)
Canals: The Making of a Nation
19:30 THU (b0685bp2)
Castles: Britain's Fortified History
20:00 SAT (b04t6n19)
Citizen Kane
21:00 SUN (b0074n82)
Country at the BBC
02:10 SAT (b017zqwb)
Empire of the Tsars: Romanov Russia with Lucy Worsley
21:00 WED (b06vm9qp)
Empire of the Tsars: Romanov Russia with Lucy Worsley
03:00 WED (b06vm9qp)
Genesis: Together and Apart
00:00 FRI (b04l3phb)
Great Guitar Riffs at the BBC
21:00 FRI (b049mtxy)
India's Frontier Railways
22:00 THU (b0555xgw)
Kate Bush at the BBC
23:50 SAT (b04f86xk)
Legends of the Deep: Deep Sea Sharks
22:00 MON (b06237md)
Legends of the Deep: Deep Sea Sharks
00:00 THU (b06237md)
Majesty and Mortar: Britain's Great Palaces
20:00 THU (b046w5c1)
Majesty and Mortar: Britain's Great Palaces
01:55 THU (b046w5c1)
Michael Palin's Quest for Artemisia
01:15 SUN (b06t3w73)
Roy Orbison: One of the Lonely Ones
23:00 WED (b06t3vb9)
Sorry!
19:30 MON (b03vrw24)
Sorry!
19:30 TUE (b03vrw27)
Sorry!
19:30 WED (b03vrzq7)
Sounds of the 70s 2
20:30 FRI (b01k68gc)
Sounds of the 70s 2
03:30 FRI (b01k68gc)
Stories from the Dark Earth: Meet the Ancestors Revisited
19:00 SAT (b01s74g9)
Stories from the Dark Earth: Meet the Ancestors Revisited
01:25 MON (b01s74g9)
Talking Pictures
23:00 SUN (b01rscc0)
The Crusades
22:00 TUE (b01b3ftw)
The Crusades
00:00 WED (b01b3ftw)
The End of the World? A Horizon Guide to Armageddon
20:00 MON (b00zj1c2)
The End of the World? A Horizon Guide to Armageddon
00:55 THU (b00zj1c2)
The First World War from Above
00:25 MON (b00vyrzh)
The Good Old Days
19:30 FRI (b06s5zw2)
The Joy of Logic
01:30 TUE (b03k6ypz)
The Joy of the Single
23:00 THU (b01nzchs)
The Kate Bush Story: Running Up That Hill
22:50 SAT (b04dzswb)
The Queen's Castle
21:00 TUE (b00792nm)
The Queen's Castle
22:00 WED (b00792nm)
The Richest Songs in the World
23:45 SUN (b01pjrt5)
The Story of Scottish Art
20:00 WED (b06h7xsm)
The Story of Scottish Art
02:00 WED (b06h7xsm)
The World's Most Expensive Stolen Paintings
20:00 TUE (b03n2yzh)
The World's Most Expensive Stolen Paintings
01:00 WED (b03n2yzh)
The Young Montalbano
21:00 SAT (b06vn81l)
Timeshift
21:00 THU (b053pxdr)
Timeshift
02:55 THU (b053pxdr)
To Boldly Go
21:00 MON (b0195rlg)
To Boldly Go
02:25 MON (b0195rlg)
To Boldly Go
00:30 TUE (b0195rlg)
Top of the Pops
22:55 MON (b00zwrn5)
Top of the Pops
22:00 FRI (b06v9fdp)
Top of the Pops
23:00 FRI (b06vkg5r)
Top of the Pops
01:30 FRI (b06vkg5r)
Top of the Pops
02:30 FRI (b06v9fdp)
Treasures of Heaven
19:00 SUN (b012248j)
Treasures of Heaven
02:30 TUE (b012248j)
Westminster Abbey
20:00 SUN (b01pg23c)
Westminster Abbey
02:15 SUN (b01pg23c)
When Albums Ruled the World
23:00 TUE (b01qhn70)
World News Today
19:00 MON (b06v98xf)
World News Today
19:00 TUE (b06v9bg2)
World News Today
19:00 WED (b06v9cbv)
World News Today
19:00 THU (b06v9d7v)
World News Today
19:00 FRI (b06v9fdm)