B4

RADIO-LISTS: BBC FOUR
Unofficial Weekly Listings for BBC 4 — supported by bbc.co.uk/programmes/

SATURDAY 01 AUGUST 2026

SAT 19:00 Natural World (m00184cy)
Short Versions

Planet Earth: A Monkey's Tale

The ruined temples of Sri Lanka are home to Gremlin, a baby toque macaque. With predators nearby and a rivalry with other monkeys brewing, she must quickly learn how to survive.

SAT 19:05 Life on Earth (b01qmd8f)
Victors of the Dry Land

David Attenborough looks at the history of reptiles, the first back-boned creatures to solve the problems of living high and dry on the land. Their waterproofed skin and sealed eggs enabled the mighty reptiles to rule the world.

SAT 20:00 Remembers... (m002zx1q)
Monty Don Remembers... Geoff Hamilton

Described as ‘the nation’s head gardener', Geoff Hamilton combined vast horticultural knowledge with an ease at TV presenting that made everything he did look natural. He led Gardeners’ World for 16 years, until his untimely death in 1996, as well as numerous other series, each displaying both his enthusiasm and his continual will to learn.

Monty Don is the perfect person to detail Geoff’s remarkable career, he inherited the Gardeners’ World mantle in 2003 and has since forged a similar path with his own specialist series alongside. He tells us of Geoff’s early career, how his famous Barnsdale garden became not only the centrepiece of the series, but also why it’s so important for the presenter to own the space he works from. He describes what made Geoff so different from his predecessors, people like Percy Thrower and Peter Seabrook.

We find out what it was about Geoff that made him stand out: his preparedness to show his failures as well as successes; his constant reminders that gardens can be created on any budget, big or small; and his powerful advocacy for organic gardening, despite the scepticism he faced from the greater horticultural world. But most of all, Monty shares his respect for someone who blazed a trail that he and others followed, a reminder of why Geoff Hamilton was revered by the millions of viewers who loved him.

SAT 20:20 Gardeners' World (b07n2w7w)
2016

Episode 19

Now that rambling roses have finished flowering, Monty turns his attention to pruning and tying in new growth for a good display next year.

On the 20th anniversary of the death of Geoff Hamilton, Adam Frost returns to the famous Gardeners' World location, Barnsdale, to pay tribute and to revisit some of his own early gardening memories.

And we travel to Abergavenny to visit the garden of a sweet pea enthusiast, to get her top tips for growing the best blooms.

SAT 20:50 Gardeners' World (m002zwd0)
1986

Episode 29

Geoff Hamilton, Margaret Waddy and John Kelly present a programme from Barnsdale.

Early August is an ideal time for propagation, and with this in mind, the team shows how to take softwood and semi-ripe cuttings and how to build a do-it-yourself propagator.

Fuchsia expert John Smith joins the team, while in the vegetable area, attention turns to unusual vegetables such as pak choi, saladisi and chrysanthemum.

SAT 21:20 Geoff Hamilton: A Man and His Garden (m002zvdj)
The Barnsdale Story

First shown in 1998 as a tribute to TV gardener Geoff Hamilton, this programme tells the history of the gardens he created in Barnsdale in Leicestershire.

SAT 21:50 The Sentinels (m002xtm9)
Series 1

Episode 7

The Sentinels experience a serious setback while en route to free Mazauric. Eventually, the mission resumes, as they unwittingly edge nearer to the Übermensch. At the laboratory, Marthe carries out initial testing on a new recruit. Aria, a young woman who had been sentenced to death, receives her first dose of Dyxenal.

In French and German with English subtitles.

SAT 22:30 The Sentinels (m002xtmp)
Series 1

Episode 8

Irène is forced to halt her investigation when the risk proves too great. With Gabriel and Djibouti captured, how will the Sentinels regroup to take on their most formidable foe yet?

In French and German with English subtitles.

SAT 23:15 Keeping Up Appearances (b007b6wc)
Series 3

The Art Exhibition

When Hyacinth gets passionate about art, Daddy decides to join the Foreign Legion. Meanwhile, Mr Finchley has desires of his own for Rose.

SAT 23:45 One Foot in the Grave (b007bbl2)
Series 2

Timeless Time

Victor is unable to sleep, and things get so desperate that he contemplates opening Ronnie and Mildred's Christmas present from last year.

SAT 00:15 Dangerous Earth (b083dgt5)
Lightning

Dr Helen Czerski examines the hottest natural phenomenon on the planet - lightning. Bolts of lightning five times hotter than the surface of the sun strike our planet over three million times every day - and yet we still know little about this deadly force of nature. Now, specialist photography is revealing how lightning travels through the air, high-speed cameras are unlocking the secrets of upward lightning that's triggered by our urban landscapes, and scientific expeditions are capturing rare images of intense electrical discharges over 80 kilometres wide.

SAT 00:45 Gardeners' World (b07n2w7w)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:20 today]

SAT 01:15 Gardeners' World (m002zwd0)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:50 today]

SAT 01:45 Geoff Hamilton: A Man and His Garden (m002zvdj)
[Repeat of broadcast at 21:20 today]

SAT 02:15 Life on Earth (b01qmd8f)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:05 today]

SUNDAY 02 AUGUST 2026

SUN 19:00 The Fairy-Tale Castles of King Ludwig II with Dan Cruickshank (b036f9vc)
Ludwig II of Bavaria, more commonly known by his nicknames the Swan King or the Dream King, is a legendary figure - the handsome boy-king, loved by his people, betrayed by his cabinet and found dead in tragic and mysterious circumstances. He spent his life in pursuit of the ideal of beauty, which found expression in three of the most extraordinary, ornate architectural schemes imaginable - the castle of Neuschwanstein and the palaces of Linderhof and Herrenchiemsee. Today, these three buildings are among Germany's biggest tourist attractions.

In this documentary, Dan Cruickshank explores the rich aesthetic of Ludwig II - from the mock-medievalism of Neuschwanstein, the iconic fairy-tale castle that became the inspiration for the one in Walt Disney's Sleeping Beauty, to the rich, baroque splendour of Herrenchiemsee, Ludwig's answer to Versailles. Dan argues that Ludwig's castles are more than flamboyant kitsch and are, in fact, the key to unravelling the eternal enigma of Ludwig II.

SUN 20:00 A Year in the Wild (b01lvh65)
Cairngorms

The harsh beauty and surprising wildlife of Scotland's Cairngorms National Park through the eyes of the people who know it best.

The Cairngorms is Britain's largest and wildest National Park. A land of Arctic extremes in the heart of the Scottish highlands. Its granite mountains and ancient pine forests are home to some of our rarest and most spectacular animals, including golden eagles, ptarmigan, capercaillie, red deer and crested tits. This lyrical and thought-provoking film reveals the inner secrets of this wild landscape over a year through the eyes of individuals who know and love the Cairngorms: a mountain guide, an artist, a salmon ghillie, a gamekeeper and a nature writer.

SUN 21:00 BBC Proms (m002ztry)
2026

Great Violinists at the Proms

Rising star Sueye Park dazzles with her Proms debut, playing the Sibelius Violin Concerto with John Storgårds and the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. Her wildly virtuosic exploration of the Nordic landscape clearly demonstrates how Park won the prestigious 13th International Jean Sibelius Violin Competition in 2025.

The programme continues with a visit to the archives, featuring two of Britain’s greatest violinists - Nigel Kennedy playing the much-loved Lark Ascending, and Nicola Benedetti performing the playful, lyrical second movement of Wynton Marsalis’s Fiddle Dance Suite.

Katie Derham presents a look at some of the great performances on the violin that have graced the Royal Albert Hall stage.

SUN 22:00 Remembers... (m002zwf1)
Bill Paterson Remembers... The Cheviot, the Stag and the Black, Black Oil

Actor Bill Paterson looks back on one of the earliest roles of his career, in the 1974 boundary-breaking television adaptation of John McGrath's play The Cheviot, the Stag and the Black, Black Oil'. It featured outdoor historical re-enactments of the notorious Highland Clearances intercut with scenes from a live performance of the play.

Bill's involvement with the production began when he was a young member of left-wing theatre company 7:84 - so named to reflect their claim that seven per cent of the population owned 84 per cent of the UK's wealth. It saw Bill originally playing not one but two roles, as Glasgow property speculator McChuckemup and the oilman known as Texas Bill.

SUN 22:15 Play for Today (b0193404)
Series 4

The Cheviot, the Stag and the Black, Black Oil

Tionndadh telebhisean Play for Today bho 1974 air an dealbh-chluich iomraiteach a' sgrìobh John McGrath air a chuir air adhart leis a' companaidh cluich 7:84. Tha an dealbh-chluich ag aithris air cuid de thachartasan ann an eachdraidh na h-Alba a' tòiseachadh ann an 1746 as dèidh blàr Chùil Lodair. Tha iomradh air a thoirt air fuadaichean bho chuid de dh'oighreachdan na Gaidhealtachd airson àite a dhèanamh do chaoraich mhaola; tha dealbh dha tharraing air sealg fhèidh air monaidhean airson spòrs san 19mh linn agus tha cuisean a' tighinn gu crìch anns na 1970s le spàirn na h-ola anns an Chuain a' Tuath. Tha cleasaichean cliùteach a' nochdadh, nam measg, Dolina NicIllinnein, John Bett, Alex Norton, Bill Paterson, Alan Ross, Elizabeth NicIllinnein agus Daidhidh MacIllinnein.

The 1974 Play for Today drama documentary adaptation of John McGrath's iconic play staged by the 7:84 theatre company, exploring some elements of Highland and Scottish history. Opening post Culloden in 1746 and continuing to the early 19th century clearance of crofters from some estates in the Highlands to make way for the more economically viable Cheviot sheep. It stays with the theme of land use and ownership with a view on the development of hunting as a sport in the Highlands in the 19th century and closes with an exploration of aspects of the North Sea oil boom of the 1970s. Featuring performances from an all star cast including John Bett, Alex Norton, Bill Paterson, Alan Ross, Dolina Maclennan, Elizabeth Maclennan and David Maclennan.

SUN 23:45 Ex-S (m002zwf3)
7:84 - Keep Right On?

Robert Dawson Scott presents an in-depth look at fortunes of the 7:84 Theatre Company, founded by John McGrath in the late 1960s. Includes excerpts from stage performances and archive interviews.

SUN 00:15 Munro: Mountain Man (b00mwgyq)
Little more than 100 years ago, Scottish mountains standing at more than 3,000 feet were virtually unknown. Today they are familiar terrain to many thousands of climbers, thanks to Victorian adventurer Hugh Munro's determination to list the high peaks which now define the highlands and islands of Scotland.

This documentary tells the story of the magnificent peaks that bear his name and the people who have been possessed by them.

The birth of this obsession - now known as Munrobagging - is a twisting tale of intrigue, which presenter Nicholas Crane unravels high on the ridges and pinnacles of some of Scotland's most spectacular mountains.

SUN 01:15 The Fairy-Tale Castles of King Ludwig II with Dan Cruickshank (b036f9vc)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:00 today]

SUN 02:15 A Year in the Wild (b01lvh65)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:00 today]

MONDAY 03 AUGUST 2026

MON 19:00 Atlantic: The Wildest Ocean on Earth (p02wnhp6)
From Heaven to Hell

In the balmy tropical Atlantic, everything from dolphins, manatees and whale sharks to sunbathing jellyfish thrive in the Caribbean's warm, sheltered waters, fringed with coral reefs and rich mangrove forests.

But extreme heat in Africa unleashes terrifying hurricanes, causing chaos across the region.

MON 20:00 Art of Spain (b008vsgz)
The Moorish South

Critic and art historian Andrew Graham-Dixon travels from southern to northern Spain to tell the story of some of Europe's most exciting and vital art. For 700 years, most of Spain was an Islamic state, and the south was its beating heart. Under the Moors, Spain became the most advanced, wealthy and populous country in Europe. Andrew travels to Cordoba, Seville and Granada, visiting beautiful Moorish palaces and mosques, telling the story of one of the most colourful and sophisticated cultures to ever appear in Europe.

MON 21:00 Remembers... (m002zx28)
Sally Magnusson Remembers... Mastermind

Broadcaster and writer Sally Magnusson takes her seat in the original, imposing Mastermind chair, and shares memories of her father Magnus's time as the host of one of British television's most enduring quiz shows.

She tells the story of how the programme originated, how her father got the job of quiz master, and what it was like growing up as a teenager and having the catchphrases 'pass' and 'I've started, so I'll finish' hurled your way on a regular basis.

Sally also reveals how it feels to sit and face questions in the famous chair and how it came to be that it now lives in her own living room as, literally, part of the furniture.

MON 21:20 Mastermind (m002zwdw)
1972

The Final

Magnus Magnusson presents the 1972 final of the classic quiz.

MON 21:50 Call My Bluff (m002zwdz)
Robert Robinson chairs as Arthur Marshall, Sally Magnusson and Peter Egan take on Frank Muir, Anna Massey and Godfrey Smith in the panel game of word definitions and deceptions.

MON 22:20 Becoming Frida Kahlo (p0f513pm)
Series 1

A Star Is Born

Dangerous politics and turbulent love shock Frida's world. After conducting a short affair with Leon Trotsky, Diego's political mentor, she finally achieves her own solo exhibition in Europe. But all does not go according to plan, and she returns to Mexico to find that Diego wants a divorce. Pouring her pain into work, she creates one of her most famous masterpieces - The Two Fridas.

After an assassination and an arrest, Diego and Frida are reunited in San Francisco. But her health problems increase, and she spends her last years in excruciating pain, continuing to paint all the while and creating some of her most enduring and heartbreaking images.

MON 23:20 Turner: The Man Who Painted Britain (m000xnyh)
While Joseph Mallord William Turner is considered by many to be Britain's greatest landscape painter, his private life reveals a man of extremes and contradictions. This docudrama explores the extraordinary story of a brilliant self-made man.

MON 00:20 Atlantic: The Wildest Ocean on Earth (p02wnhp6)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:00 today]

MON 01:20 Becoming Frida Kahlo (p0f513pm)
[Repeat of broadcast at 22:20 today]

MON 02:20 Art of Spain (b008vsgz)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:00 today]

TUESDAY 04 AUGUST 2026

TUE 19:00 Great British Railway Journeys (m001xzb1)
Series 15

Lincoln to York

Michael Portillo’s postwar journey from Merseyside to Teesside resumes at Brayford Pool in Lincoln, where England’s oldest canal, the Fossdyke, meets the city of Lincoln.

The larger-than-life figure of one of Britain’s most celebrated poets, Philip Larkin, rushing towards the platform at Hull Paragon Station leads Michael to investigate his life and work. And alongside the Humber estuary, Michael recalls the politics behind the construction of the suspension bridge before making his way to York, one of the host cities for the Festival of Britain in 1951.

TUE 19:30 Wainwright Walks (b0079y0d)
Series 1

Haystacks

Julia Bradbury is in the Western Lakes to walk to the summit of Wainwright's favourite fell, Haystacks. With a little help and advice from local broadcaster and friend of Wainwright's, Eric Robson, Bradbury sets out to discover what makes this fell so special and why Wainwright chose it as his final resting place.

TUE 20:00 To the Manor Born (b00785w5)
Series 1

Grantleigh

When her inheritance is eaten up by her late husband's creditors, Audrey fforbes-Hamilton prepares to bid farewell to her beloved manor house, until a mysterious millionaire enters her life.

TUE 20:30 Keeping Up Appearances (b0077zlm)
Series 3

What to Wear When Yachting

Sitcom about an obsessive snob. When Hyacinth plans a nautical supper, events take an unexpected turn - and so does the boat!

TUE 21:00 She-Wolves: England's Early Queens (b01dpqtx)
Jane, Mary and Elizabeth

In the medieval and Tudor world there was no question in people's minds about the order of God's creation - men ruled and women didn't. A king was a warrior who literally fought to win power then battled to keep it. Yet despite everything that stood in their way, a handful of extraordinary women did attempt to rule medieval and Tudor England. In this series, historian Dr Helen Castor explores seven queens who challenged male power, the fierce reactions they provoked and whether the term 'she wolves' was deserved.

Helen looks at what happened when England was faced not just with inadequate kings, but no kings at all. In 1553, for the first time in English history all the contenders for the crown were female. In the lives of these three Tudor queens - Jane, Mary and Elizabeth - she explores how each woman struggled in turn with wearing a crown that was made for a male head. Elizabeth I seemed to show that not only could a woman rule, but could do so gloriously. At what cost though?

TUE 22:00 Castles: Britain's Fortified History (b04v85sy)
Defence of the Realm

Sam Willis explores how, by the Wars of the Roses, castles were under attack from a new threat - the cannon - but survived into the Tudor era only to find their whole purpose challenged. What had once been strategic seats of power now had to keep up with the fickle fashions of the court and become palaces to impress monarchs such as Elizabeth I.

Just as castles seemed to have lost their defensive function, the English Civil War erupted. The legacy of that tumultuous period resulted in castles no longer being associated with protection. Rather, their ruins took on a unique appeal, embodying a nostalgia for an age of chivalry that became a powerful part of the national psyche.

TUE 23:00 Corridors of Power: Should America Police the World? (m0020xx9)
Series 1

Syria – The Risk of Doing Nothing

In his acceptance speech for the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize, President Obama stated: 'I believe that force can be justified on humanitarian grounds, as it was in the Balkans'. When the Arab Spring-driven demonstrations against the Syrian regime were brutally put down, Obama, stung by failure in Libya, did not want to be dragged into another war in the Middle East. But when the Syrian regime began to consider the use of chemical weapons, Obama warned they would be crossing a red line.

TUE 00:00 Corridors of Power: Should America Police the World? (m0020xxd)
Series 1

Syria – A Loop of Imperfection

America’s unwillingness to act after the chemical attack caused Syrian rebels to despair; no-one would come and save the day, leaving a vacuum that would be filled by the forces of Isis, turning Syria into hell on earth. Obama’s conclusion was that there was no scenario where intervention in Syria would give a desired outcome. With over half a million killed and millions of refugees fleeing Syria’s borders, Obama's vision of a Middle East where the youth would create a democratic and free world for itself had collapsed.

TUE 01:00 She-Wolves: England's Early Queens (b01dpqtx)
[Repeat of broadcast at 21:00 today]

TUE 02:00 Castles: Britain's Fortified History (b04v85sy)
[Repeat of broadcast at 22:00 today]

TUE 03:00 Great British Railway Journeys (m001xzb1)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:00 today]

WEDNESDAY 05 AUGUST 2026

WED 19:00 Great British Railway Journeys (m001xz9f)
Series 15

York to Skipton

Michael Portillo’s postwar exploration of Merseyside to Teesside finds him in York, a paradise for rail enthusiasts. In the company of some of the most famous locomotives ever built, he recalls the controversy surrounding their relocation from London to a freight depot in York.

Michael crosses the magnificent Knaresborough viaduct, with its castellated walls and four beautiful arches over the River Nidd, to reach the spa town of Harrogate. On the edge of the elegant town, Michael discovers the gardens at Harlow Carr and learns how they opened in 1950 to test growing conditions for plants in northern climes.

Across town, Michael checks into the headquarters of Yorkshire Tea. And his last destination on this leg of his journey is a bog near Skipton. In the 'gateway to the Dales', he joins members of Yorkshire Peat Partnership to find out what makes a bog.

WED 19:30 Wainwright Walks (b0079y0f)
Series 1

Blencathra

Julia Bradbury sets off to climb her first mountain, Blencathra. Her route to the summit sees her tackle Sharp Edge, the Lake District's most technical and vertigo-inducing ridge climb. In the process, she discovers why the obsessive Wainwright chose to cover this fell in more detail than any other.

WED 20:00 Treasures of Ancient Rome (b01mmrn5)
Pomp and Perversion

Alastair Sooke follows in the footsteps of Rome's mad, bad and dangerous emperors in the second part of his celebration of Roman art. He dons a wetsuit to explore the underwater remains of the Emperor Claudius's pleasure palace and ventures into the cave where Tiberius held wild parties. He finds their taste in art chimes perfectly with their obsession with sex and violence.

The other side of the coin was the bombastic art the Romans are best remembered for - monumental arches and columns that boast about their conquests. Trajan's Column in Rome reads like the storyboard of a modern-day propaganda film.

Sooke concludes with the remarkable legacy of the Emperor Hadrian. He gave the world the magnificent Pantheon in Rome - the eternal image of his lover Antinous, the most beautiful boy in the history of art - and a villa in Tivoli where he created one of the most ambitious art collections ever assembled.

WED 20:55 Mary Beard Remembers... Ultimate Rome: Empire Without Limit (m0024zhh)
Professor Mary Beard is known for her explorations of the ancient world, but here looks back on her more recent past, and the making of her acclaimed four-part 2016 series Ultimate Rome.

She explains how the series wasn’t just an education for her in regard to the Roman Empire, but also provided valuable lessons in the art of film-making, and reveals some behind-the-scenes stories that will add new context for viewers of the main episodes. They include the importance of pizza, and how her claim to be the first to wear an antique Roman helmet was way off the mark.

WED 21:10 Mary Beard's Ultimate Rome: Empire Without Limit (b0797ysr)
Episode 1

In this first episode, Mary Beard reaches back to the myths and legends of the origins of Rome to gain an insight into the deep-rooted psyche of the people of Rome - a city born through fratricide and rape. But from the very beginning, Rome was also an asylum for outcasts and exiles and because of this, it adopted a uniquely inclusive approach towards its neighbours and defeated enemies. The expansion of the city brought territory initially in Italy and Sicily, where Rome first came head to head and eventually defeated her great rival, Carthage.

Mary then travels to Greece, where Rome adopted a complex mix of brute force and cultural cringe, and France, where she finds evidence of war methods akin to outright genocide. In typical myth-busting style, Mary argues that the period of greatest Roman expansion occurred when Rome itself was little more than a provincial backwater, a shanty town of mud and brick. The marble, monumental Rome we know came about because of imperial conquest - not the other way round. And likewise, the creation and possession of an empire transformed the politics of Rome forever, creating the conditions for one-man rule, and ending the centuries-old Roman Republic.

WED 22:10 I, Claudius (b0074srt)
What Shall We Do about Claudius?

Livia engineers the downfall of Julia, who is banished. Tiberius is recalled to Rome and is joint heir with Postumus. Poor stumbling, stuttering Claudius finds a friend in Herod, king of the Jews.

WED 23:05 I, Claudius (b0074sry)
Poison Is Queen

The Imperial Army on the Rhine has been wiped out and Tiberius is sent to avenge the defeat, followed later by Germanicus. Livia has discredited Postumus, who has been banished. Augustus has been feeling unwell, but is avoiding suspicions of poisoning by eating figs from his own garden.

WED 23:55 Treasures of Ancient Rome (b01mmrn5)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:00 today]

WED 00:55 Wainwright Walks (b0079y0d)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:30 on Tuesday]

WED 01:25 Wainwright Walks (b0079y0f)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:30 today]

WED 01:55 Mary Beard's Ultimate Rome: Empire Without Limit (b0797ysr)
[Repeat of broadcast at 21:10 today]

WED 02:55 Great British Railway Journeys (m001xz9f)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:00 today]

THURSDAY 06 AUGUST 2026

THU 19:00 Great British Railway Journeys (m001xz6z)
Series 15

Northallerton to Chester-Le-Street

Michael Portillo confronts a detachment of Gurkhas, produces a fine heritage cheese and discovers a monster cracker that is key to making plastic, before ending his postwar journey from Merseyside to Teesside in a recreated 1950s street, where childhood memories are rekindled in the Beamish Museum hairdresser.

THU 19:30 Pubs, Ponds and Power: The Story of the Village (b0bsrqky)
Series 1

Cromford

The story of Cromford. A picturesque Derbyshire village at the heart of famous industrialist Sir Richard Arkwright's mechanised cotton mills and a textile revolution. Presenter and archaeologist Ben Robinson discovers it wasn't just an industrial revolution. Cromford became a new kind of village, built to service the enterprise of this powerful man.

THU 20:00 Superman (m002zvky)
Before his planet is destroyed, Jor-El sends his infant son to Earth. Raised by kindly farmers, a young Clark Kent discovers the source of his superhuman powers and moves to Metropolis to fight evil.

THU 22:15 Christopher Reeve: Keeping Hope in Motion (m002zwd4)
A riding accident in 1995 left Superman star Christopher Reeve paralysed and in a wheelchair. This update from 2004 to the original documentary, Hope in Motion, follows Reeve as he decides to undergo a revolutionary new operation aimed at getting him off an artificial ventilator and breathing independently again. But how will he cope with setbacks that strike along the way?

THU 23:15 Parkinson (m002zwd6)
Mel Smith, Kenneth Griffith and Christopher Reeve

Michael Parkinson in conversation with Mel Smith, Kenneth Griffith and Christopher Reeve.

THU 00:15 Ian Rankin's Hidden Edinburgh (b007vbm9)
Edinburgh is often described as the 'Athens of the North' but its most famous detective Inspector Rebus views Scotland's capital in quite a different light - it is a crime scene waiting to happen.

As his creator Ian Rankin prepares to write the last ever Rebus case, the award-winning author re-visits the key locations from the books. From the city's 'pubic triangle' and the home of Scotland's most infamous madam to a police station where he was interviewed about a real murder, Rankin explores the hidden Edinburgh into which tourists never venture.

THU 01:10 Pubs, Ponds and Power: The Story of the Village (b0bsrqky)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:30 today]

THU 01:40 Ian Rankin's Hidden Edinburgh (b007vbm9)
[Repeat of broadcast at 00:15 today]

THU 02:40 Great British Railway Journeys (m001xz6z)
[Repeat of broadcast at 19:00 today]

FRIDAY 07 AUGUST 2026

FRI 19:00 BBC Proms (m002zvj7)
2026

Also Sprach Zarathustra at the Proms

This specially curated programme features a trio of pieces, all inspired by the wonders of the sky. To open, Richard Strauss’s powerhouse symphonic poem, made famous by Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. This masterpiece of orchestral splendour envelops the Royal Albert Hall, performed by the BBC Philharmonic under the baton of John Storgårds.

Judith Weir’s ethereal Moon and Star follows swiftly, a stunning musical interpretation of Emily Dickinson’s poem of the same name, performed by the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the BBC Singers and Ryan Wigglesworth. The hall lights up in a choral cloud, evoking the night sky.

Finishing with a debut performance by the Spanish National Orchestra, Ravel’s Alborada del gracioso is brought to the Royal Albert Hall under the watchful eye of conductor David Afkham, bringing Spanish flare to round off this programme.

Presented by Katie Derham

FRI 20:20 Top of the Pops (m002zwd8)
Jamie Theakston presents the pop chart programme, first broadcast on 10 March 2000 and featuring All Saints, Vengaboys, Mariah Carey feat Joe, Honeyz, Kelis, *NSYNC and Madonna.

FRI 20:45 Top of the Pops (b0964pqg)
Richard Skinner and John Peel present the pop chart programme, first broadcast on 9 August 1984. Featuring Tracey Ullman, Windjammer, Jeffery Osborne, Blancmange, Laura Branigan and Frankie Goes to Hollywood.

FRI 21:15 Top of the Pops (m00095kw)
Janice Long and Mark Goodier present the pop chart programme, first broadcast on 4 August 1988. Featuring Kim Wilde, The Funky Worm and Fairground Attraction.

FRI 21:45 Tony Bennett at the London Palladium: BBC Sessions (b0187wr4)
The truly legendary American singer celebrates his eighty-fifth birthday in fine style, with a special concert at the historic London Palladium. Accompanied by his quartet, Tony Bennett moves effortlessly through a repertoire spanning 60 years, with songs such as Steppin' Out with My Baby, The Good Life, Smile and his favourite, I Left My Heart in San Francisco. He is joined for two unique duets by stellar British singers Cleo Laine and Leona Lewis.

FRI 22:45 Tony Bennett Sings... (m001tdn3)
Series 1

Songs from the Movies

International song stylist Tony Bennett presents, in an intimate setting, music by the world's best songwriters. In this edition he sings songs from the movies.

FRI 23:15 Tony Bennett Sings... (m001ph4v)
Series 1

His Personal Hit Songbook

Tony features his own personal hit songbook, including songs like I Left My Heart in San Francisco, I Wanna Be Around, For Once in My Life, Fly Me to the Moon and Stranger in Paradise.

FRI 23:50 Tony Bennett Sings... (m001tdn7)
Series 1

Songs of Broadway

International song stylist Tony Bennett presents, in an intimate setting, music by the world's best songwriters. In this edition, the theme is Songs of Broadway.

FRI 00:20 Tony Bennett Sings... (m001tdn9)
Series 1

Saloon Songs

International song stylist Tony Bennett presents, in an intimate setting, music by the world's best songwriters. This edition's theme: Saloon Songs.

FRI 00:55 Tony Bennett Sings... (m001ph5v)
Series 1

Song Stories

Tony Bennett presents music by the world's best songwriters, featuring the compositions of Duke Ellington, Johnny Mercer and Cole Porter.

FRI 01:25 Tony Bennett Sings... (m001tdnc)
Series 1

Tin Pan Alley

International song-stylist Tony Bennett presents, in an intimate setting, music by the world's best songwriters. This programme's theme: Tin Pan Alley.

FRI 01:55 Arena (m001ph4d)
Tony Bennett’s New York

Once dubbed the 'king of cool', a look at the man behind the silky voice as Tony Bennett - civil rights activist, jazz enthusiast, painter and New Yorker - takes a tour around his native city and the world of American music with reporter Reggie Nadelson.

Featuring politician Mario Cuomo, painter David Hockney, songwriter Elvis Costello and jazz musician Wynton Marsalis.

FRI 03:20 Top of the Pops (m002zwd8)
[Repeat of broadcast at 20:20 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 Year in the Wild 20:00 SUN (b01lvh65)

A Year in the Wild 02:15 SUN (b01lvh65)

Arena 01:55 FRI (m001ph4d)

Art of Spain 20:00 MON (b008vsgz)

Art of Spain 02:20 MON (b008vsgz)

Atlantic: The Wildest Ocean on Earth 19:00 MON (p02wnhp6)

Atlantic: The Wildest Ocean on Earth 00:20 MON (p02wnhp6)

BBC Proms 21:00 SUN (m002ztry)

BBC Proms 19:00 FRI (m002zvj7)

Becoming Frida Kahlo 22:20 MON (p0f513pm)

Becoming Frida Kahlo 01:20 MON (p0f513pm)

Call My Bluff 21:50 MON (m002zwdz)

Castles: Britain's Fortified History 22:00 TUE (b04v85sy)

Castles: Britain's Fortified History 02:00 TUE (b04v85sy)

Christopher Reeve: Keeping Hope in Motion 22:15 THU (m002zwd4)

Corridors of Power: Should America Police the World? 23:00 TUE (m0020xx9)

Corridors of Power: Should America Police the World? 00:00 TUE (m0020xxd)

Dangerous Earth 00:15 SAT (b083dgt5)

Ex-S 23:45 SUN (m002zwf3)

Gardeners' World 20:20 SAT (b07n2w7w)

Gardeners' World 20:50 SAT (m002zwd0)

Gardeners' World 00:45 SAT (b07n2w7w)

Gardeners' World 01:15 SAT (m002zwd0)

Geoff Hamilton: A Man and His Garden 21:20 SAT (m002zvdj)

Geoff Hamilton: A Man and His Garden 01:45 SAT (m002zvdj)

Great British Railway Journeys 19:00 TUE (m001xzb1)

Great British Railway Journeys 03:00 TUE (m001xzb1)

Great British Railway Journeys 19:00 WED (m001xz9f)

Great British Railway Journeys 02:55 WED (m001xz9f)

Great British Railway Journeys 19:00 THU (m001xz6z)

Great British Railway Journeys 02:40 THU (m001xz6z)

I, Claudius 22:10 WED (b0074srt)

I, Claudius 23:05 WED (b0074sry)

Ian Rankin's Hidden Edinburgh 00:15 THU (b007vbm9)

Ian Rankin's Hidden Edinburgh 01:40 THU (b007vbm9)

Keeping Up Appearances 23:15 SAT (b007b6wc)

Keeping Up Appearances 20:30 TUE (b0077zlm)

Life on Earth 19:05 SAT (b01qmd8f)

Life on Earth 02:15 SAT (b01qmd8f)

Mary Beard Remembers... Ultimate Rome: Empire Without Limit 20:55 WED (m0024zhh)

Mary Beard's Ultimate Rome: Empire Without Limit 21:10 WED (b0797ysr)

Mary Beard's Ultimate Rome: Empire Without Limit 01:55 WED (b0797ysr)

Mastermind 21:20 MON (m002zwdw)

Munro: Mountain Man 00:15 SUN (b00mwgyq)

Natural World 19:00 SAT (m00184cy)

One Foot in the Grave 23:45 SAT (b007bbl2)

Parkinson 23:15 THU (m002zwd6)

Play for Today 22:15 SUN (b0193404)

Pubs, Ponds and Power: The Story of the Village 19:30 THU (b0bsrqky)

Pubs, Ponds and Power: The Story of the Village 01:10 THU (b0bsrqky)

Remembers... 20:00 SAT (m002zx1q)

Remembers... 22:00 SUN (m002zwf1)

Remembers... 21:00 MON (m002zx28)

She-Wolves: England's Early Queens 21:00 TUE (b01dpqtx)

She-Wolves: England's Early Queens 01:00 TUE (b01dpqtx)

Superman 20:00 THU (m002zvky)

The Fairy-Tale Castles of King Ludwig II with Dan Cruickshank 19:00 SUN (b036f9vc)

The Fairy-Tale Castles of King Ludwig II with Dan Cruickshank 01:15 SUN (b036f9vc)

The Sentinels 21:50 SAT (m002xtm9)

The Sentinels 22:30 SAT (m002xtmp)

To the Manor Born 20:00 TUE (b00785w5)

Tony Bennett Sings... 22:45 FRI (m001tdn3)

Tony Bennett Sings... 23:15 FRI (m001ph4v)

Tony Bennett Sings... 23:50 FRI (m001tdn7)

Tony Bennett Sings... 00:20 FRI (m001tdn9)

Tony Bennett Sings... 00:55 FRI (m001ph5v)

Tony Bennett Sings... 01:25 FRI (m001tdnc)

Tony Bennett at the London Palladium: BBC Sessions 21:45 FRI (b0187wr4)

Top of the Pops 20:20 FRI (m002zwd8)

Top of the Pops 20:45 FRI (b0964pqg)

Top of the Pops 21:15 FRI (m00095kw)

Top of the Pops 03:20 FRI (m002zwd8)

Treasures of Ancient Rome 20:00 WED (b01mmrn5)

Treasures of Ancient Rome 23:55 WED (b01mmrn5)

Turner: The Man Who Painted Britain 23:20 MON (m000xnyh)

Wainwright Walks 19:30 TUE (b0079y0d)

Wainwright Walks 19:30 WED (b0079y0f)

Wainwright Walks 00:55 WED (b0079y0d)

Wainwright Walks 01:25 WED (b0079y0f)

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

Ex-S 23:45 SUN (m002zwf3)

Comedy: Sitcoms

Ex-S 23:45 SUN (m002zwf3)

Keeping Up Appearances 23:15 SAT (b007b6wc)

Keeping Up Appearances 20:30 TUE (b0077zlm)

One Foot in the Grave 23:45 SAT (b007bbl2)

To the Manor Born 20:00 TUE (b00785w5)

Drama

Play for Today 22:15 SUN (b0193404)

Superman 20:00 THU (m002zvky)

The Sentinels 21:50 SAT (m002xtm9)

The Sentinels 22:30 SAT (m002xtmp)

Drama: Action & Adventure

Superman 20:00 THU (m002zvky)

Drama: Historical

I, Claudius 22:10 WED (b0074srt)

I, Claudius 23:05 WED (b0074sry)

Drama: War & Disaster

The Sentinels 21:50 SAT (m002xtm9)

The Sentinels 22:30 SAT (m002xtmp)

Entertainment

Call My Bluff 21:50 MON (m002zwdz)

Mastermind 21:20 MON (m002zwdw)

Parkinson 23:15 THU (m002zwd6)

Factual

Atlantic: The Wildest Ocean on Earth 19:00 MON (p02wnhp6)

Atlantic: The Wildest Ocean on Earth 00:20 MON (p02wnhp6)

Becoming Frida Kahlo 22:20 MON (p0f513pm)

Becoming Frida Kahlo 01:20 MON (p0f513pm)

Christopher Reeve: Keeping Hope in Motion 22:15 THU (m002zwd4)

Ian Rankin's Hidden Edinburgh 00:15 THU (b007vbm9)

Ian Rankin's Hidden Edinburgh 01:40 THU (b007vbm9)

She-Wolves: England's Early Queens 21:00 TUE (b01dpqtx)

She-Wolves: England's Early Queens 01:00 TUE (b01dpqtx)

Factual: Arts, Culture & the Media

Art of Spain 20:00 MON (b008vsgz)

Art of Spain 02:20 MON (b008vsgz)

Factual: Arts, Culture & the Media: Arts

Arena 01:55 FRI (m001ph4d)

Becoming Frida Kahlo 22:20 MON (p0f513pm)

Becoming Frida Kahlo 01:20 MON (p0f513pm)

Castles: Britain's Fortified History 22:00 TUE (b04v85sy)

Castles: Britain's Fortified History 02:00 TUE (b04v85sy)

Mary Beard Remembers... Ultimate Rome: Empire Without Limit 20:55 WED (m0024zhh)

Remembers... 20:00 SAT (m002zx1q)

Remembers... 22:00 SUN (m002zwf1)

Remembers... 21:00 MON (m002zx28)

The Fairy-Tale Castles of King Ludwig II with Dan Cruickshank 19:00 SUN (b036f9vc)

The Fairy-Tale Castles of King Ludwig II with Dan Cruickshank 01:15 SUN (b036f9vc)

Treasures of Ancient Rome 20:00 WED (b01mmrn5)

Treasures of Ancient Rome 23:55 WED (b01mmrn5)

Turner: The Man Who Painted Britain 23:20 MON (m000xnyh)

Factual: History

Art of Spain 20:00 MON (b008vsgz)

Art of Spain 02:20 MON (b008vsgz)

Castles: Britain's Fortified History 22:00 TUE (b04v85sy)

Castles: Britain's Fortified History 02:00 TUE (b04v85sy)

Great British Railway Journeys 19:00 TUE (m001xzb1)

Great British Railway Journeys 03:00 TUE (m001xzb1)

Great British Railway Journeys 19:00 WED (m001xz9f)

Great British Railway Journeys 02:55 WED (m001xz9f)

Great British Railway Journeys 19:00 THU (m001xz6z)

Great British Railway Journeys 02:40 THU (m001xz6z)

Mary Beard's Ultimate Rome: Empire Without Limit 21:10 WED (b0797ysr)

Mary Beard's Ultimate Rome: Empire Without Limit 01:55 WED (b0797ysr)

Pubs, Ponds and Power: The Story of the Village 19:30 THU (b0bsrqky)

Pubs, Ponds and Power: The Story of the Village 01:10 THU (b0bsrqky)

She-Wolves: England's Early Queens 21:00 TUE (b01dpqtx)

She-Wolves: England's Early Queens 01:00 TUE (b01dpqtx)

The Fairy-Tale Castles of King Ludwig II with Dan Cruickshank 19:00 SUN (b036f9vc)

The Fairy-Tale Castles of King Ludwig II with Dan Cruickshank 01:15 SUN (b036f9vc)

Treasures of Ancient Rome 20:00 WED (b01mmrn5)

Treasures of Ancient Rome 23:55 WED (b01mmrn5)

Factual: Homes & Gardens

Gardeners' World 20:20 SAT (b07n2w7w)

Gardeners' World 20:50 SAT (m002zwd0)

Gardeners' World 00:45 SAT (b07n2w7w)

Gardeners' World 01:15 SAT (m002zwd0)

Factual: Homes & Gardens: Gardens

Gardeners' World 20:20 SAT (b07n2w7w)

Gardeners' World 20:50 SAT (m002zwd0)

Gardeners' World 00:45 SAT (b07n2w7w)

Gardeners' World 01:15 SAT (m002zwd0)

Geoff Hamilton: A Man and His Garden 21:20 SAT (m002zvdj)

Geoff Hamilton: A Man and His Garden 01:45 SAT (m002zvdj)

Factual: Life Stories

Geoff Hamilton: A Man and His Garden 21:20 SAT (m002zvdj)

Geoff Hamilton: A Man and His Garden 01:45 SAT (m002zvdj)

Munro: Mountain Man 00:15 SUN (b00mwgyq)

Pubs, Ponds and Power: The Story of the Village 19:30 THU (b0bsrqky)

Pubs, Ponds and Power: The Story of the Village 01:10 THU (b0bsrqky)

Turner: The Man Who Painted Britain 23:20 MON (m000xnyh)

Factual: Pets & Animals

Life on Earth 19:05 SAT (b01qmd8f)

Life on Earth 02:15 SAT (b01qmd8f)

Factual: Politics

Corridors of Power: Should America Police the World? 23:00 TUE (m0020xx9)

Corridors of Power: Should America Police the World? 00:00 TUE (m0020xxd)

Factual: Science & Nature

Natural World 19:00 SAT (m00184cy)

Factual: Science & Nature: Nature & Environment

A Year in the Wild 20:00 SUN (b01lvh65)

A Year in the Wild 02:15 SUN (b01lvh65)

Atlantic: The Wildest Ocean on Earth 19:00 MON (p02wnhp6)

Atlantic: The Wildest Ocean on Earth 00:20 MON (p02wnhp6)

Dangerous Earth 00:15 SAT (b083dgt5)

Life on Earth 19:05 SAT (b01qmd8f)

Life on Earth 02:15 SAT (b01qmd8f)

Munro: Mountain Man 00:15 SUN (b00mwgyq)

Natural World 19:00 SAT (m00184cy)

Factual: Science & Nature: Science & Technology

Christopher Reeve: Keeping Hope in Motion 22:15 THU (m002zwd4)

Factual: Travel

Great British Railway Journeys 19:00 TUE (m001xzb1)

Great British Railway Journeys 03:00 TUE (m001xzb1)

Great British Railway Journeys 19:00 WED (m001xz9f)

Great British Railway Journeys 02:55 WED (m001xz9f)

Great British Railway Journeys 19:00 THU (m001xz6z)

Great British Railway Journeys 02:40 THU (m001xz6z)

Wainwright Walks 19:30 TUE (b0079y0d)

Wainwright Walks 19:30 WED (b0079y0f)

Wainwright Walks 00:55 WED (b0079y0d)

Wainwright Walks 01:25 WED (b0079y0f)

Music

Tony Bennett Sings... 22:45 FRI (m001tdn3)

Tony Bennett Sings... 23:15 FRI (m001ph4v)

Tony Bennett Sings... 23:50 FRI (m001tdn7)

Tony Bennett Sings... 00:20 FRI (m001tdn9)

Tony Bennett Sings... 00:55 FRI (m001ph5v)

Tony Bennett Sings... 01:25 FRI (m001tdnc)

Tony Bennett at the London Palladium: BBC Sessions 21:45 FRI (b0187wr4)

Music: Classic Pop & Rock

Tony Bennett Sings... 22:45 FRI (m001tdn3)

Tony Bennett Sings... 23:15 FRI (m001ph4v)

Tony Bennett Sings... 23:50 FRI (m001tdn7)

Tony Bennett Sings... 00:20 FRI (m001tdn9)

Tony Bennett Sings... 00:55 FRI (m001ph5v)

Tony Bennett Sings... 01:25 FRI (m001tdnc)

Top of the Pops 20:20 FRI (m002zwd8)

Top of the Pops 20:45 FRI (b0964pqg)

Top of the Pops 21:15 FRI (m00095kw)

Top of the Pops 03:20 FRI (m002zwd8)

Music: Classical: Orchestral

BBC Proms 21:00 SUN (m002ztry)

BBC Proms 19:00 FRI (m002zvj7)

Music: Jazz & Blues: Jazz

Tony Bennett Sings... 22:45 FRI (m001tdn3)

Tony Bennett Sings... 23:15 FRI (m001ph4v)

Tony Bennett Sings... 23:50 FRI (m001tdn7)

Tony Bennett Sings... 00:20 FRI (m001tdn9)

Tony Bennett Sings... 00:55 FRI (m001ph5v)

Tony Bennett Sings... 01:25 FRI (m001tdnc)