RADIO-LISTS: BBC FOUR
Unofficial Weekly Listings for BBC 4 — supported by bbc.co.uk/programmes/
SATURDAY 28 FEBRUARY 2026
SAT 19:00 Wildlife on One (b007byzc)
Ostriches in the Race for Survival
David Attenborough looks at how ostriches have developed bizarre survival strategies. From flamboyant sex to kidnapping, there is more to the ostrich than being the one of the biggest and fastest birds in the world.
SAT 19:15 Meet the Ancestors (b0074jhs)
Series 2
The Black Hand
In the early 1960s, a Cheshire farmer discovered a human jaw bone in his fields. It remained a mysterious find until the secret beneath the field was revealed. Julian Richards joins archaeologists as they excavate a long-lost chapel and the undisturbed burials of medieval landowners. Using science, genealogy and some good old-fashioned detective work, the team are able to bring a Hampshire teacher face to face with his ancestors.
SAT 19:45 The Good Old Days (b070319r)
Leonard Sachs presents an edition of the old-time music hall programme, from the stage of the City Varieties Music Hall, Leeds. With Ken Dodd, Lyn Kennington, the Jan Hunt Panto and performers from the Players' Theatre.
SAT 20:30 Hetty Wainthropp Investigates (p05b5xp0)
Series 2
Runaways
The Mayor of Titterslow wants Hetty to find his daughter, but there must be no publicity and no police. Hetty discovers where Susan planned to go, but she never arrived. Why not, and who is with her?
SAT 21:20 The Turkish Detective (m001zpfl)
Series 1
Episode 3
The murder of a rap music manager leads Ikmen and team to investigate intrigue and scandal in one of Istanbul’s richest families. Suleyman settles into Istanbul more and reconnects with his estranged father - but he continues to be frustrated in his search for Kayra Khan.
SAT 22:10 The Turkish Detective (m001zpfm)
Series 1
Episode 4
The Demir investigation feels like a wild goose chase until Ikmen decides to look much deeper into the past. Leyla begins to remember things from before her accident and presents Mehmet with a clue that could unlock the whole story of what happened to her.
SAT 23:00 Parkinson (m002334q)
Kenneth Allsop, Lauren Bacall and Tom Paxton
Michael Parkinson in conversation with Kenneth Allsop, Lauren Bacall and Tom Paxton. First transmitted in 1972.
SAT 00:05 Yes, Prime Minister (b037tb14)
Series 2
The Tangled Web
Jim unwittingly lies to the Commons about bugging an MP's phone. Sir Humphrey decides not to lie to the Privileges Committee on Jim's behalf but then discovers that he too has something to hide.
SAT 00:35 Keeping Up Appearances (b01sp831)
Series 1
The New Vicar
Sitcom. Hyacinth has asked the new vicar to tea, and - in her usual meticulous way - she has organised the event down to the last sugar lump. Events take a sudden turn.
SAT 01:05 Gareth Edwards’s Great Welsh Adventure (p09z3jl3)
Series 2
Episode 3
Rugby legend Gareth Edwards and wife Maureen head to one of Wales’s most popular holiday destinations. They arrive just as a heatwave hits, turning Llandudno into a resort to rival the best sunny seaside locations. Llandudno is known for its seafront hotels and B&Bs and the pair check in to a room with a sea view before going in search of the pier and ice cream.
Once, people flocked here for a traditional seaside experience, but today the area is a magnet for adrenaline seekers. Not wanting to miss out, Maureen arranges for the two of them to abseil from the Great Orme. It’s a nerve-wracking prospect, but one both are keen to try.
For 700 years the area has boasted some of the best honey in Britain, and Gareth and Maureen meet a local bee keeper and his bees before trying honey fresh from the hive. The pair travel up the Great Orme by tram, in search of the famous goats. The goats were a gift given to Queen Victoria, but found a new level of fame when they took advantage of lockdown to leave the mountain and explore the town.
Finally, they spend a day with hill farmer Gareth Wyn Jones, who tests how they measure up as traditional Welsh hill farmers, giving them tasks including working with a sheep dog and shearing. They’re rewarded with a trip to the top of a mountain and a breathtaking view out across the Menai Straits.
SAT 01:35 The Good Old Days (b070319r)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:45 today]
SAT 02:20 Hetty Wainthropp Investigates (p05b5xp0)
[Repeat of broadcast at
20:30 today]
SUNDAY 01 MARCH 2026
SUN 19:00 Travels with Pevsner (m002rjn2)
Series 1
Norfolk with Dan Cruickshank
Dan Cruickshank looks at the architecture of Norfolk from Kings Lynn to Holkham Hall, Great Cressingham, South Burlingham and Hunstanton School with the help of Nikolaus Pevsner's architectural guide.
SUN 19:50 Wild (b007cs2w)
2006-07 Shorts
Shearwater Island
How thousands of strange nocturnal birds make their home on the tiny island of Bardsey in north Wales, and an exploration of the rich history of the island itself.
SUN 20:00 Eurovision Classical Concerts (m002r9bn)
Series 1
Helsinki: Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra Plays Sibelius's Finlandia
Celebrating great music making across Europe, this is a special concert celebrating Finland’s Independence Day from the Music Hall in Helsinki.
Throughout the series, renowned British conductor Nicholas Collon takes us on a tour of Manchester, Cologne, Lisbon and Helsinki to hear the excellence and versatility of orchestras that regularly work with European broadcasters.
The Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of its principal conductor Nicholas Collon, perform an all-Finnish concert, including music by Saariaho, Klami and Sibelius.
SUN 21:00 British History's Biggest Fibs with Lucy Worsley (b08d7y3n)
Series 1
The Jewel in the Crown
Lucy debunks the fibs that surround the 'jewel in the crown' of the British Empire - India. Travelling to Kolkata, she investigates how the Raj was created following a British government coup in 1858. After snatching control from the discredited East India Company, the new regime presented itself as a new kind of caring, sharing imperialism with Queen Victoria as its maternal Empress.
Tyranny, greed and exploitation were to be things of the past. From the 'Black Hole of Calcutta' to the Indian 'mutiny', from East India Company governance to crown rule, and from Queen Victoria to Empress of India, Lucy reveals how this chapter of British history is another carefully edited narrative that is full of fibs.
SUN 22:00 Lord of the Flies (m002s7cf)
Making of Lord of the Flies
A trippy tale capturing the creative vision of writer Jack Thorne and director Marc Munden, as a British crew and young cast film this timely adaptation on the remote islands of Malaysia during monsoon season. The crew battle twisters, torrential rain and scary insects to create this hallucinatory fever dream, featuring behind-the-scenes interviews and mesmerising performances by the newbie cast.
SUN 23:00 Ibsen (m002q7ts)
The Lady from the Sea (1953)
Max Faber's 1953 adaptation of the play by Henrik Ibsen that, over three days in the summer of 1888, follows a lighthouse keeper's daughter who is trapped in her marriage and longing for the sea.
SUN 00:40 The Australian Wars (p0gjfhg0)
Series 1
Episode 3
The abolition of slavery in the 1830s was a defining moment for the British Empire. Buoyed by their success, the abolitionists looked to the plight of Indigenous people. Their aim: to ensure the foundation of South Australia was done differently and access to land negotiated with First Nations people. But London was literally on the other side of the planet, and on the ground, no such arrangements or treaties were made as settler interests prevailed.
In the final part of this authored series, film-maker Rachel Perkins, who has both European and Indigenous Australian ancestry, follows the frontier conflict as it expands across the continent as the British administration gives way to state parliaments and the federated Commonwealth.
In Queensland, the new government established its own Native Police to help clear the way for the settlers. Designed to move with the frontier, they gradually made their way north. Over 50 years of its existence, it is estimated the Native Police may have killed perhaps 72,000 Indigenous people. Further north and west, the settlement pattern is repeated. Vast pastoral stations are carved out across Indigenous territories, and a process of ‘quietening the blacks’ begins - a process that First Nations people refer to as the ‘killing times’.
SUN 01:40 Travels with Pevsner (m002rjn2)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:00 today]
SUN 02:30 British History's Biggest Fibs with Lucy Worsley (b08d7y3n)
[Repeat of broadcast at
21:00 today]
MONDAY 02 MARCH 2026
MON 19:00 Seven Worlds, One Planet (m0009tt8)
Series 1
Antarctica
Antarctica - a land of survivors enduring the most hostile conditions on earth. 98 per cent of the mainland is covered by ice on which virtually nothing can live. Even the sea freezes over, but the Weddell seal manages to survive here by keeping its breathing holes open by using its teeth to grind away the ice.
Below the sea ice, conditions have been stable for millennia. Life has flourished and diversified. Starfish, sea spiders and three million predatory worms carpet the ocean floor, and sea anemones feast on ocean giants. Islands on the fringes of the continent are free of sea ice, far more hospitable and crowded. Huge colonies of king penguins cover the land, and four-tonne elephant seals fight for territories on the beach.
The abundance of life found here is down to the incredibly rich ocean surrounding the continent. The strongest currents in the world whip up nutrients to the surface that feed Antarctic krill. Numbering an estimated 400 trillion, their combined weight is greater than any other species in the world. Humpback whales round them up using sophisticated feeding techniques, and gentoo penguins escape the jaws of leopard seals and orcas to reach the open ocean and feed on them. On rare occasions krill swarm in baitballs measuring kilometres across, where they are feasted on by thousands of penguins, seals, albatross and fin whales.
Antarctica was only discovered 200 years ago, but humans have had an enormous impact in that time. The whaling industry killed over 1.5 million whales here, taking many species to the brink of extinction. But since the ban on commercial hunting in 1986, whales are making a remarkable comeback. In addition, the Antarctic treaty is exemplary in demonstrating that countries from around the world can unite to protect wildlife. However, due to climate change, the Southern Ocean is warming and sea levels are rising. Perhaps more worrying is that a warming of the coldest region on earth will have profound effects on global weather patterns. Although Antarctica is far away, what happens here will affect all of us.
MON 20:00 Raiders of the Lost Past with Janina Ramirez (m000slq3)
Series 2
The Viking Ship
Janina is in Scandinavia, investigating the lost thousand-year-old ship that transformed the fierce reputation of the Vikings and became a symbol of a nation's fight for freedom.
MON 21:00 Call My Bluff (m002s7dd)
Panel game of word definitions and deceptions hosted by Robert Robinson with team captains Frank Muir and Patrick Campbell and guests Diana Quick, Robert Powell, Anouska Hempel and Nigel Havers.
MON 21:30 Face the Music (m002s7dg)
Joseph Cooper invites viewers to match their musical wits against guests Joyce Grenfell, Robin Ray and Richard Baker. With guest musician Alfredo Campoli.
MON 22:00 Made by Machine: When AI Met the Archive (b0bhwk3p)
Dr Hannah Fry and a virtual host present a new way of making television, as the BBC research and development department uses artificial intelligence to delve into the treasures of the BBC Archive.
Computers trawl through more than quarter of a million shows using a variety of machine learning techniques, then let loose to create short programmes-within-a-programme in the style of BBC Four.
MON 23:00 Horizon (b08wwnwk)
2018
Dawn of the Driverless Car
The car has shrunk our world, increased personal freedom and expanded our horizons. However, there is a flip side. Fumes from car exhausts have harmed the quality of the air we breathe, all the while presenting far more conventional implications for road safety.
Horizon explores a world where cars can drive themselves safely and looks into the artificial intelligence required to make it possible. Peering into the implications of a future driverless world, Horizon also investigates the ethics of driverless car crashes and the impact of the technology on jobs.
MON 00:00 Romancing the Stone: The Golden Ages of British Sculpture (b00yvsjd)
Children of the Revolution
'Sculpture has changed more in the last 100 years,' says Alastair Sooke, 'than in the previous 30,000.' The third and last episode of the series tells the dramatic story of a century of innovation, scandal, shock and creativity.
It begins with the moment at the turn of the 20th century, when young sculptors ceased visiting the Elgin Marbles at the British Museum and looked instead at the 'primitive' works of Africa and the Pacific islands. The result was an artistic revolution spearheaded by Eric Gill and Jacob Epstein that would climax in the anti-sculptural gestures of Gilbert & George and Damien Hirst.
Yet for all the provocation and occasional excesses of conceptualism, sculpture has never enjoyed such popularity. From the memorials of World War I to the landmarks of Antony Gormley and Rachel Whiteread, sculpture remains the art form that speaks most directly and powerfully to the nation.
The programme climaxes with a series of encounters between Alastair and leading sculptors Damien Hirst, Rachel Whiteread, Antony Gormley and Anthony Caro.
MON 01:00 Face the Music (m002s7dg)
[Repeat of broadcast at
21:30 today]
MON 01:30 Seven Worlds, One Planet (m0009tt8)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:00 today]
MON 02:30 Raiders of the Lost Past with Janina Ramirez (m000slq3)
[Repeat of broadcast at
20:00 today]
TUESDAY 03 MARCH 2026
TUE 19:00 Canals: The Making of a Nation (b06823cv)
Geology
Liz McIvor discovers how carving up the landscape in order to build canals helped further our understanding of the earth below. The canal builders struggled with rocks. Without maps or geological surveys, construction often relied on guesswork. The Kennet and Avon had more than its fair share of problems. William Smith, a surveyor working on the connecting Somerset Coal Canal, discovered a way of ordering layers of rocks. He eventually created the first geological map of England and Wales - the so-called 'map that changed the world'.
TUE 19:30 Weatherman Walking (p01w6l7v)
Dylan's Walks
Swansea and Llansteffan
In the first of two special walks celebrating the centenary of Dylan Thomas's birth, Derek Brockway walks in Dylan's footsteps around his home town of Swansea. With his guide, actor Adrian Metcalfe, Derek sets off from Dylan's childhood home on Cwmdonkin Drive. He then walks through the city's beautiful parks and down to the seafront before visiting some of Dylan's haunts in later life. Derek even gets to end his walk with a pint! He then heads west to the Llansteffan Peninsula where his guide, artist Osi Rhys Osmond, leads him through the beautiful countryside which was home to many of Dylan's relatives. They visit his aunt's farm, which would provide the inspiration for Dylan's poem Fernhill, before dropping down to the stunning Three Rivers estuary where the Taf, Tywi and Gwendraeth meet.
TUE 20:00 Keeping Up Appearances (b01djr8z)
Series 1
Stately Home
Sitcom about a snobbish housewife. Hyacinth is looking forward to visiting her favourite stately home, but the trip goes wrong when her family become involved.
TUE 20:30 Sorry! (b03vrw24)
Series 1
For Love or Mummy
Timothy Lumsden meets a girl at his amateur dramatics society and determines to go on a riverboat shuffle with her, despite all his mother's attempts to prevent him.
TUE 21:00 Remembers... (m002s7f7)
Simon Schama Remembers... A History of Britain
Sir Simon Schama looks back on his series A History of Britain, a journey through 5,000 years of life in the British Isles, with each episode centred on a key moment from Britain’s past. Simon has described the presentation of popular history as telling stories - something his ambitious series tackled head-on.
Simon tells us of the long debates over what to include, and just as crucially, what was left out. He shares his memories of filming and the search for apt locations, such as an abbey in France where Thomas Becket hid and an abandoned military warehouse in Kent. He explains why he tried, and failed, to get battle reenactors to undress for one shot. And he talks of his inspirations - Kenneth Clark and Alistair Cook - and his drive to make history accessible, wanting audiences to share his passion in the stories the series imparted.
TUE 21:20 A History of Britain by Simon Schama (b0074kwx)
Series 1
Beginnings
Simon Schama begins his history of Britain with a visit to the miraculously preserved Stone Age cottages of Skara Brae in Orkney and then moves all the way to the world of Anglo-Saxon England, newly converted to Christinanity, and plagued by Vikings. He describes how a nation was conceived by war, trade, migrations of peoples, religion, and an infatuation with Rome.
TUE 22:20 Storyville (m002s7f9)
Red Light to Limelight
In a red-light district of Kolkata, a group of women reclaim their voices through the power of storytelling.
Given unprecedented access, this film follows Rabin, Bilkis, Afsara and other sex-working mothers who navigate the narrow lanes of an independent brothel district in Kalighat. Together, they form their own grassroots film collective, regularly uploading dynamic visual stories about their lives to YouTube. Their work details their personal struggles and the challenges of their past.
Despite the derision of a deeply conservative society, the women remain determined to become film-makers and actors, attempting to break the cycle of prostitution for the next generation and survive through the art of cinema.
An immersive and emotionally resonant portrait of courage and
self-determination.
TUE 00:00 Border Country: The Story of Britain's Lost Middleland (b0404r3t)
Episode 1
For historian and MP Rory Stewart, the building of Hadrian's Wall was the single most important event in Britain's history. Meeting experts and local people, and drawing on memories from his life in Iraq and Afghanistan, he explores the impact of Rome's occupation and departure, and tells the story of how the powerful new Kingdom of Northumbria was born in Britain's lost Middleland.
TUE 01:00 Made by Machine: When AI Met the Archive (b0bhwk3p)
[Repeat of broadcast at
22:00 on Monday]
TUE 02:00 Canals: The Making of a Nation (b06823cv)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:00 today]
TUE 02:30 Weatherman Walking (p01w6l7v)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:30 today]
TUE 03:00 Horizon (b08wwnwk)
[Repeat of broadcast at
23:00 on Monday]
WEDNESDAY 04 MARCH 2026
WED 19:00 Canals: The Making of a Nation (b068c3zh)
Engineering
Liz McIvor tells the story of the early canal builders who struggled with the rugged terrain of England's Pennine hills. Creating a network of canals in this landscape was an uphill challenge - sometimes literally! But connecting the powerhouses of Yorkshire and Lancashire was a great prize at the time of the industrial revolution. What should the engineers do? Should they build over, under or around the hills? Who succeeded, and who struggled?
WED 19:30 Weatherman Walking (b042689s)
Dylan's Walks
New Quay and Laugharne
In the second of his two special Dylan's Walks programmes, which celebrate the centenary of Dylan Thomas's birth, Derek Brockway travels to the seaside town of New Quay on Cardigan Bay, where Dylan and his wife Caitlin lived during the war. Derek's hitting the Dylan Thomas trail with his guide Jeff Towns to find out why their time here was so dramatic and how it inspired Dylan to write some of his greatest work.
Derek's final walk takes him to Laugharne to visit some iconic Dylan Thomas sites with Hannah Ellis, Dylan and Caitlin's granddaughter. She tells Derek how important Laugharne was to her grandparents and how much it still means to them as a family. Derek ends his walk in great Dylan fashion with a sing-song and a pint at Brown's Hotel.
WED 20:00 The Secret Genius of Plants (m0024vfc)
Series 1
Super Strategies
Technical developments are enabling us to see the world of plants in ever greater detail, giving us insights into their remarkable abilities to adapt and survive.
WED 20:55 Natural World (m0015gk2)
Short Versions
Raising Sancho
Wildlife documentary. The touching story of a giant otter cub called Sancho who was rescued and is being raised by Brazilian naturalist Carolina Vargas.
WED 21:00 Tribe (2005) (b0080934)
Series 3
Penan
Documentary series. Explorer Bruce Parry treks into the jungles of Sarawak, Borneo, in search of the last nomadic Penan. The Penan are hunter-gatherers whose forest home is in the process of being cut down around them and whose traditional way of life is about to disappear forever.
WED 22:00 Remembers... (m00192zr)
Bernard Hill Remembers... Boys from the Blackstuff
Bernard Hill remembers Boys from the Blackstuff, Alan Bleasdale’s iconic drama, which was once described as ‘TV’s most complete dramatic response to the Thatcher era’. Hill’s performance as Yosser Hughes, with his ‘Gizza job’ catchphrase, captured the public’s imagination in a way that few roles have since. Here he looks back on how he got the part, why it struck such a chord, and what audiences should take from ‘Blackstuff’ today.
WED 22:10 Boys from the Blackstuff (b00v2xkq)
Series 1
Jobs for the Boys
Alan Bleasdale's acclaimed drama series - following on from his play The Black Stuff - is an astute social commentary about life in recession-hit Britain in the Thatcher era.
Chrissie, Dixie, Yosser, Loggo and George sign on at the benefit office before heading off for some short-term work for the builder Malloy. The conversion job turns out to be the future new offices of the DHSS. Unfortunately, DHSS officials Moss and Lawton suspect their scam and are determined to catch them in the act. Ineptitude on several sides, however, leads to tragedy.
WED 23:05 Boys from the Blackstuff (b00v3xln)
Series 1
Moonlighter
Dixie Dean, working at night in the port as a security guard, is strongarmed into accepting bribes for allowing the removal of goods under his charge in a docked ship. Chrissie, Loggo and George, the other members of the original gang, meet up prior to Snowy Malone's funeral.
WED 00:05 Boys from the Blackstuff (b00v9glr)
Series 1
Shop Thy Neighbour
Alan Bleasdale's acclaimed drama series, an astute social commentary about life in recession-hit Britain in the Thatcher era. Chrissie and his wife Angie are driven to despair by money problems and hounding by the Department of Employment investigators.
WED 01:05 Tribe (2005) (b0080934)
[Repeat of broadcast at
21:00 today]
WED 02:05 Canals: The Making of a Nation (b068c3zh)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:00 today]
WED 02:35 Weatherman Walking (b042689s)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:30 today]
THURSDAY 05 MARCH 2026
THU 19:00 Canals: The Making of a Nation (b06828hz)
Capitalism
Liz McIvor tells the story of 'canal mania' - a boom period of frenzied activity that helped develop Britain's modern financial economy, now centred in London. The canal capitalists made money by investing and speculating in the new inland waterways used to carry fuel and goods around the country. Many of the investors were part of an emerging middle class. The Grand Junction Canal - built to improve the connection between London and the Midlands - was one of the new routes, and eventually proved to be a good investment for shareholders. However, not all canals were profitable. The new investors discovered that investment capitalism was a system that created winners and losers.
THU 19:30 Canal Walks with Julia Bradbury (b010v7kx)
The Caledonian Canal
Seasoned stomper Julia Bradbury dons her walking boots once again and this time she is exploring 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 kicks off her tour with a visit to the Scottish Highlands. Against the stunning backdrop of Ben Nevis, her walk starts near Fort William where she embarks on her eight-mile trip along the Caledonian Canal, the majestic waterway that cuts through beautiful mountain country and is regarded as one of the most ambitious canals of its time. Julia's journey tells the story of one of the greatest canal engineers, Thomas Telford, whose ambition was to create not only an engineering marvel, but also badly needed jobs and wealth for the Highlands. Two hundred years on, it is now one of the most popular walking trails in the country.
THU 20:00 The Normans (b00tcgkl)
Men from the North
In the first episode of a three-part series, Professor Robert Bartlett explores how the Normans developed from a band of marauding Vikings into the formidable warriors who conquered England in 1066. He tells how the Normans established their new province of Normandy -'land of the northmen' - in northern France. They went on to build some of the finest churches in Europe and turned into an unstoppable force of Christian knights and warriors, whose legacy is all around us to this day. Under the leadership of Duke William, the Normans expanded into the neighbouring provinces of northern France. But William's greatest achievement was the conquest of England in 1066. The Battle of Hastings marked the end of the Anglo-Saxon aristocracy and monarchy. The culture and politics of England would now be transformed by the Normans.
THU 21:00 Misery (m002hzpq)
Author Paul Sheldon is injured in a car accident on a remote snowy road. He is saved by nurse Annie Wilkes, a great fan of his work, but her devotion soon takes a sinister turn.
THU 22:40 Mark Lawson Talks To... (b0074t54)
Stephen King
Master of horror writing Stephen King talks to Mark Lawson about his book Lisey's Story and discusses the inspiration for his novels and how he battled with his own demons.
THU 23:40 Light and Dark (p01k4yt6)
Light
Two-part series in which Professor Jim Al-Khalili shows how, by uncovering its secrets, scientists have used light to reveal almost everything we know about the universe. But in the last 30 years we have discovered that far from seeing everything, we have seen virtually nothing. Our best estimate is that more than 99 per cent of the universe is actually hidden in the dark.
The story of how we used light to reveal the cosmos begins in the 3rd century BC when, by trying to understand the tricks of perspective, the Greek mathematician Euclid discovered that light travels in straight lines, a discovery that meant that if we could change its path we could change how we see the world. In Renaissance Italy 2,000 years later, Galileo Galilei did just that by using the lenses of his simple telescope to reveal our true place in the cosmos.
With each new insight into the nature of light came a fresh understanding of the cosmos. It has allowed us to peer deep into space and even revealed the composition and lifecycles of the stars.
In the 1670s, the Danish astronomer Ole Roemer discovered that light travelled at a finite speed, a discovery that had a profound implication. It meant the further one looks out into the universe, the further one looks back in time. And in 1964, by detecting the cosmic microwave background, the afterglow of the big bang, we captured the oldest light in the universe and saw as far back as it is possible to see with light.
THU 00:40 Romancing the Stone: The Golden Ages of British Sculpture (b00yvsjd)
[Repeat of broadcast at
00:00 on Monday]
THU 01:40 Canals: The Making of a Nation (b06828hz)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:00 today]
THU 02:10 Canal Walks with Julia Bradbury (b010v7kx)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:30 today]
THU 02:40 The Normans (b00tcgkl)
[Repeat of broadcast at
20:00 today]
FRIDAY 06 MARCH 2026
FRI 19:00 Top of the Pops (m002s7dj)
Jayne Middlemiss presents the pop chart programme, first broadcast on 14 May 1999 and featuring 911, Bryan Adams, Whitney Houston, Fierce, Kula Shaker, Pete Heller, Stereophonics and Backstreet Boys.
FRI 19:30 Top of the Pops (m002s7dl)
Scott Mills presents the pop chart programme, first broadcast on 21 May 1999 and featuring Shania Twain, Geri Halliwell, Super Furry Animals, Skunk Anansie, Powerhouse feat Duane Harden, 1000 Clowns, Happy Mondays and Boyzone.
FRI 20:00 Top of the Pops (b01qyvrp)
Noel Edmonds presents the pop chart programme, first broadcast on 2 March 1978 and featuring Darts, Kate Bush, Nick Lowe, Andy Williams, Samantha Sang, Rita Coolidge, Tom Robinson Band, ABBA and Legs & Co.
FRI 20:30 Top of the Pops (m000x2h1)
Jakki Brambles presents the pop chart programme, first broadcast on 28 February 1991 and featuring Massive Attack, Jesus Jones and N-Joi.
FRI 21:00 Simon & Garfunkel: Concert in Central Park (m0010kk0)
On 19 September 1981, Simon & Garfunkel reunited for a free public concert on the Great Lawn of New York City's Central Park, raising awareness and funding to help restore the world’s most famous urban park.
The duo had rarely performed since their breakup in 1970, but their music continued to resonate with the city from which they came. This unforgettable performance, which drew one of the largest audiences ever assembled for a single concert, features all of Simon & Garfunkel’s greatest hits as well as selections from their solo catalogues, newly arranged with an expanded 11-man band.
Songs performed include Mrs Robinson, America, Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard, Bridge Over Troubled Water, The Boxer, Old Friends, The Sound of Silence and Late in the Evening.
FRI 22:30 Simon & Garfunkel: The Harmony Game (m0010kjw)
At the end of a decade when the world was in crisis and inspiration needed resurrecting, an influential duo released a masterpiece of popular music, Bridge over Troubled Water. Through darkness and light, the album takes its listeners on an emotional ride that echoes its era, and has proved to be a work that continues to inspire an audience the world over. Its symphonic hymn of a title track became an anthem for a generation.
This film tells the story behind what is widely considered Simon and Garfunkel's greatest work. The influential duo's last studio album has its legacy shrouded in rock'n'roll mythology, complete with legendary tales of inspiration, innovation and separation. Paul Simon, Art Garfunkel and their collaborators share the journey in their own words and reflect back on its impact 40 years later, using never-before-seen film, photos and memorabilia.
FRI 23:40 Sounds of the Sixties (b0074qbv)
Original Series
The Folk Revival
A trawl through the BBC's archives for 60s music with an acoustic bent. Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen and Tim Buckley feature.
FRI 00:10 Peter, Paul and Mary: Rhythm on Two (m00233z2)
Part One
A concert by well-known American folk singers Peter, Paul and Mary,
recorded on location at the Southport Theatre. From 1983.
FRI 00:40 Peter, Paul and Mary: Rhythm on Two (m00233z5)
Part Two
Second part of a concert given by well-known American folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary during a visit to the UK in 1983. Recorded on location at the Southport Theatre.
FRI 01:10 Top of the Pops (m002s7dj)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:00 today]
FRI 01:40 Top of the Pops (m002s7dl)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:30 today]
FRI 02:10 Top of the Pops (b01qyvrp)
[Repeat of broadcast at
20:00 today]
FRI 02:40 Top of the Pops (m000x2h1)
[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)
A History of Britain by Simon Schama
21:20 TUE (b0074kwx)
Border Country: The Story of Britain's Lost Middleland
00:00 TUE (b0404r3t)
Boys from the Blackstuff
22:10 WED (b00v2xkq)
Boys from the Blackstuff
23:05 WED (b00v3xln)
Boys from the Blackstuff
00:05 WED (b00v9glr)
British History's Biggest Fibs with Lucy Worsley
21:00 SUN (b08d7y3n)
British History's Biggest Fibs with Lucy Worsley
02:30 SUN (b08d7y3n)
Call My Bluff
21:00 MON (m002s7dd)
Canal Walks with Julia Bradbury
19:30 THU (b010v7kx)
Canal Walks with Julia Bradbury
02:10 THU (b010v7kx)
Canals: The Making of a Nation
19:00 TUE (b06823cv)
Canals: The Making of a Nation
02:00 TUE (b06823cv)
Canals: The Making of a Nation
19:00 WED (b068c3zh)
Canals: The Making of a Nation
02:05 WED (b068c3zh)
Canals: The Making of a Nation
19:00 THU (b06828hz)
Canals: The Making of a Nation
01:40 THU (b06828hz)
Eurovision Classical Concerts
20:00 SUN (m002r9bn)
Face the Music
21:30 MON (m002s7dg)
Face the Music
01:00 MON (m002s7dg)
Gareth Edwards’s Great Welsh Adventure
01:05 SAT (p09z3jl3)
Hetty Wainthropp Investigates
20:30 SAT (p05b5xp0)
Hetty Wainthropp Investigates
02:20 SAT (p05b5xp0)
Horizon
23:00 MON (b08wwnwk)
Horizon
03:00 TUE (b08wwnwk)
Ibsen
23:00 SUN (m002q7ts)
Keeping Up Appearances
00:35 SAT (b01sp831)
Keeping Up Appearances
20:00 TUE (b01djr8z)
Light and Dark
23:40 THU (p01k4yt6)
Lord of the Flies
22:00 SUN (m002s7cf)
Made by Machine: When AI Met the Archive
22:00 MON (b0bhwk3p)
Made by Machine: When AI Met the Archive
01:00 TUE (b0bhwk3p)
Mark Lawson Talks To...
22:40 THU (b0074t54)
Meet the Ancestors
19:15 SAT (b0074jhs)
Misery
21:00 THU (m002hzpq)
Natural World
20:55 WED (m0015gk2)
Parkinson
23:00 SAT (m002334q)
Peter, Paul and Mary: Rhythm on Two
00:10 FRI (m00233z2)
Peter, Paul and Mary: Rhythm on Two
00:40 FRI (m00233z5)
Raiders of the Lost Past with Janina Ramirez
20:00 MON (m000slq3)
Raiders of the Lost Past with Janina Ramirez
02:30 MON (m000slq3)
Remembers...
21:00 TUE (m002s7f7)
Remembers...
22:00 WED (m00192zr)
Romancing the Stone: The Golden Ages of British Sculpture
00:00 MON (b00yvsjd)
Romancing the Stone: The Golden Ages of British Sculpture
00:40 THU (b00yvsjd)
Seven Worlds, One Planet
19:00 MON (m0009tt8)
Seven Worlds, One Planet
01:30 MON (m0009tt8)
Simon & Garfunkel: Concert in Central Park
21:00 FRI (m0010kk0)
Simon & Garfunkel: The Harmony Game
22:30 FRI (m0010kjw)
Sorry!
20:30 TUE (b03vrw24)
Sounds of the Sixties
23:40 FRI (b0074qbv)
Storyville
22:20 TUE (m002s7f9)
The Australian Wars
00:40 SUN (p0gjfhg0)
The Good Old Days
19:45 SAT (b070319r)
The Good Old Days
01:35 SAT (b070319r)
The Normans
20:00 THU (b00tcgkl)
The Normans
02:40 THU (b00tcgkl)
The Secret Genius of Plants
20:00 WED (m0024vfc)
The Turkish Detective
21:20 SAT (m001zpfl)
The Turkish Detective
22:10 SAT (m001zpfm)
Top of the Pops
19:00 FRI (m002s7dj)
Top of the Pops
19:30 FRI (m002s7dl)
Top of the Pops
20:00 FRI (b01qyvrp)
Top of the Pops
20:30 FRI (m000x2h1)
Top of the Pops
01:10 FRI (m002s7dj)
Top of the Pops
01:40 FRI (m002s7dl)
Top of the Pops
02:10 FRI (b01qyvrp)
Top of the Pops
02:40 FRI (m000x2h1)
Travels with Pevsner
19:00 SUN (m002rjn2)
Travels with Pevsner
01:40 SUN (m002rjn2)
Tribe (2005)
21:00 WED (b0080934)
Tribe (2005)
01:05 WED (b0080934)
Weatherman Walking
19:30 TUE (p01w6l7v)
Weatherman Walking
02:30 TUE (p01w6l7v)
Weatherman Walking
19:30 WED (b042689s)
Weatherman Walking
02:35 WED (b042689s)
Wild
19:50 SUN (b007cs2w)
Wildlife on One
19:00 SAT (b007byzc)
Yes, Prime Minister
00:05 SAT (b037tb14)
LIST OF THIS WEEK'S PROGRAMMES ORDERED BY GENRE
(Note: the times link back to the details; the pids link to the BBC page, including iPlayer)
Comedy: Satire
Yes, Prime Minister
00:05 SAT (b037tb14)
Comedy: Sitcoms
Keeping Up Appearances
00:35 SAT (b01sp831)
Keeping Up Appearances
20:00 TUE (b01djr8z)
Sorry!
20:30 TUE (b03vrw24)
Yes, Prime Minister
00:05 SAT (b037tb14)
Drama
Boys from the Blackstuff
22:10 WED (b00v2xkq)
Boys from the Blackstuff
23:05 WED (b00v3xln)
Boys from the Blackstuff
00:05 WED (b00v9glr)
Ibsen
23:00 SUN (m002q7ts)
Misery
21:00 THU (m002hzpq)
Drama: Crime
Hetty Wainthropp Investigates
20:30 SAT (p05b5xp0)
Hetty Wainthropp Investigates
02:20 SAT (p05b5xp0)
The Turkish Detective
21:20 SAT (m001zpfl)
The Turkish Detective
22:10 SAT (m001zpfm)
Drama: Horror & Supernatural
Misery
21:00 THU (m002hzpq)
Entertainment
Call My Bluff
21:00 MON (m002s7dd)
Parkinson
23:00 SAT (m002334q)
Entertainment: Variety Shows
The Good Old Days
19:45 SAT (b070319r)
The Good Old Days
01:35 SAT (b070319r)
Factual
Canal Walks with Julia Bradbury
19:30 THU (b010v7kx)
Canal Walks with Julia Bradbury
02:10 THU (b010v7kx)
Gareth Edwards’s Great Welsh Adventure
01:05 SAT (p09z3jl3)
Horizon
23:00 MON (b08wwnwk)
Horizon
03:00 TUE (b08wwnwk)
Lord of the Flies
22:00 SUN (m002s7cf)
Storyville
22:20 TUE (m002s7f9)
The Secret Genius of Plants
20:00 WED (m0024vfc)
Factual: Arts, Culture & the Media
Romancing the Stone: The Golden Ages of British Sculpture
00:00 MON (b00yvsjd)
Romancing the Stone: The Golden Ages of British Sculpture
00:40 THU (b00yvsjd)
Travels with Pevsner
19:00 SUN (m002rjn2)
Travels with Pevsner
01:40 SUN (m002rjn2)
Factual: Arts, Culture & the Media: Arts
Mark Lawson Talks To...
22:40 THU (b0074t54)
Remembers...
21:00 TUE (m002s7f7)
Remembers...
22:00 WED (m00192zr)
Factual: History
A History of Britain by Simon Schama
21:20 TUE (b0074kwx)
Border Country: The Story of Britain's Lost Middleland
00:00 TUE (b0404r3t)
British History's Biggest Fibs with Lucy Worsley
21:00 SUN (b08d7y3n)
British History's Biggest Fibs with Lucy Worsley
02:30 SUN (b08d7y3n)
Canals: The Making of a Nation
19:00 TUE (b06823cv)
Canals: The Making of a Nation
02:00 TUE (b06823cv)
Canals: The Making of a Nation
19:00 WED (b068c3zh)
Canals: The Making of a Nation
02:05 WED (b068c3zh)
Canals: The Making of a Nation
19:00 THU (b06828hz)
Canals: The Making of a Nation
01:40 THU (b06828hz)
Meet the Ancestors
19:15 SAT (b0074jhs)
Raiders of the Lost Past with Janina Ramirez
20:00 MON (m000slq3)
Raiders of the Lost Past with Janina Ramirez
02:30 MON (m000slq3)
The Australian Wars
00:40 SUN (p0gjfhg0)
The Normans
20:00 THU (b00tcgkl)
The Normans
02:40 THU (b00tcgkl)
Factual: Life Stories
Canals: The Making of a Nation
19:00 TUE (b06823cv)
Canals: The Making of a Nation
02:00 TUE (b06823cv)
Canals: The Making of a Nation
19:00 WED (b068c3zh)
Canals: The Making of a Nation
02:05 WED (b068c3zh)
Canals: The Making of a Nation
19:00 THU (b06828hz)
Canals: The Making of a Nation
01:40 THU (b06828hz)
Mark Lawson Talks To...
22:40 THU (b0074t54)
Factual: Science & Nature
Horizon
23:00 MON (b08wwnwk)
Horizon
03:00 TUE (b08wwnwk)
Natural World
20:55 WED (m0015gk2)
Seven Worlds, One Planet
19:00 MON (m0009tt8)
Seven Worlds, One Planet
01:30 MON (m0009tt8)
Tribe (2005)
21:00 WED (b0080934)
Tribe (2005)
01:05 WED (b0080934)
Wild
19:50 SUN (b007cs2w)
Wildlife on One
19:00 SAT (b007byzc)
Factual: Science & Nature: Nature & Environment
Natural World
20:55 WED (m0015gk2)
The Secret Genius of Plants
20:00 WED (m0024vfc)
Factual: Science & Nature: Science & Technology
Horizon
23:00 MON (b08wwnwk)
Horizon
03:00 TUE (b08wwnwk)
Light and Dark
23:40 THU (p01k4yt6)
Made by Machine: When AI Met the Archive
22:00 MON (b0bhwk3p)
Made by Machine: When AI Met the Archive
01:00 TUE (b0bhwk3p)
Factual: Travel
Canal Walks with Julia Bradbury
19:30 THU (b010v7kx)
Canal Walks with Julia Bradbury
02:10 THU (b010v7kx)
Canals: The Making of a Nation
19:00 TUE (b06823cv)
Canals: The Making of a Nation
02:00 TUE (b06823cv)
Canals: The Making of a Nation
19:00 WED (b068c3zh)
Canals: The Making of a Nation
02:05 WED (b068c3zh)
Canals: The Making of a Nation
19:00 THU (b06828hz)
Canals: The Making of a Nation
01:40 THU (b06828hz)
Gareth Edwards’s Great Welsh Adventure
01:05 SAT (p09z3jl3)
Tribe (2005)
21:00 WED (b0080934)
Tribe (2005)
01:05 WED (b0080934)
Weatherman Walking
19:30 TUE (p01w6l7v)
Weatherman Walking
02:30 TUE (p01w6l7v)
Weatherman Walking
19:30 WED (b042689s)
Weatherman Walking
02:35 WED (b042689s)
Music
Face the Music
21:30 MON (m002s7dg)
Face the Music
01:00 MON (m002s7dg)
Simon & Garfunkel: Concert in Central Park
21:00 FRI (m0010kk0)
Simon & Garfunkel: The Harmony Game
22:30 FRI (m0010kjw)
Music: Classic Pop & Rock
Simon & Garfunkel: Concert in Central Park
21:00 FRI (m0010kk0)
Simon & Garfunkel: The Harmony Game
22:30 FRI (m0010kjw)
Sounds of the Sixties
23:40 FRI (b0074qbv)
Top of the Pops
19:00 FRI (m002s7dj)
Top of the Pops
19:30 FRI (m002s7dl)
Top of the Pops
20:00 FRI (b01qyvrp)
Top of the Pops
20:30 FRI (m000x2h1)
Top of the Pops
01:10 FRI (m002s7dj)
Top of the Pops
01:40 FRI (m002s7dl)
Top of the Pops
02:10 FRI (b01qyvrp)
Top of the Pops
02:40 FRI (m000x2h1)
Music: Classical
Eurovision Classical Concerts
20:00 SUN (m002r9bn)
Music: Folk
Peter, Paul and Mary: Rhythm on Two
00:10 FRI (m00233z2)
Peter, Paul and Mary: Rhythm on Two
00:40 FRI (m00233z5)