The Crimson Field (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Sunday 4th May 2014)
Drama series presenting one of the untold stories of World War I. Colonel Ballard, an aggressively rude and war-scarred commander of a Sikh regiment, threatens trouble for Grace. It seems he would rather be with his men than at rest within the calm sanctuary of the wards, yet when Grace reveals knowledge of Punjabi and an upbringing in India the colonel is temporarily calmed. As Grace tries to discover what has made him so heated, another soldier, Private Gorman, seems focused on riling him further. Will Grace be able to unlock Ballard’s secret before Gorman provokes him into a very dangerous game? Flora has decided the volunteers should put on some entertainment, but as the pressure mounts, so do Flora’s nerves. Meanwhile, Joan is still waiting for news from her fiance and Jaco calls her to an illicit meeting, sparking a series of events which will draw Joan into danger. How far will love push her to go, and at what risk to her profession and even her life?
Britain’s Most Extreme Weather (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Monday 5th May 2014)
Alex Beresford trawls through centuries of British history and analyses the latest scientific research to find out if our winters are going to get colder. A combination of first-hand testimonies and astonishing homemade footage reveal the dangers of our recent cold snaps. Alex discovers how freezing weather can shut down the transport network, kill livestock and present hazards to anyone caught out in the cold. He experiences the dangers of freezing winds when he endures a wind chill that takes temperatures down to minus 50. Alex examines the severe winter of 1962/63: the coldest in over 200 years, when Britain was hit by temperatures below minus 20, and 80mph winds. The snow lay on the ground for a record-breaking 62 consecutive days and January 1963 was the single coldest month of the 20th century.
Watermen: A Dirty Business (BBC 2/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Tuesday 6th May 2014)
Series focusing on the men and women who take our calls, come to unblock the drains and keep the sewage flowing. This episode showcases the battle against time, as United Utilities deal with the ageing water grid. In Blackpool, Andy and Terry deal with an ancient collapsed sewer which has caused a pavement to subside before tackling a rather pungent blocked sewer. A 40-year-old water main in Cheshire bursts, leaving two thousand irate villagers without water. Meanwhile in Rochdale, waste water team Adrian and Wes investigate a blocked Victorian sewer which is overflowing onto a main road. However, it is a learning curve for some as the aqueduct which supplies Manchester’s water supply is turned off for the first time in 60 years to check for repairs. It is a jaw-dropping thought that the 4,000 men who originally built the tunnel had none of the technology team have nowadays, a testament to the skill and engineering we still rely upon today.
Creating the Kelpies (BBC 2 Scotland & BBC iPlayer only | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Tuesday 6th May 2014)
Documentary following Glaswegian sculptor Andy Scott as he works on The Kelpies, two 30m-high horse heads made of steel, which now stand alongside the Forth and Clyde Canal. This film, narrated by Andy himself, follows the long and tortuous process of creating these 300-tonne sculptures, from design to installation. The enormous technical challenge involved engineers in Leeds, steel mills in Hartlepool and Corby and metal benders in Tipton, and was nearly derailed by the financial crisis of 2008. Originally planned to form part of the canal lock mechanism, the sculptures are now a free-standing attraction within Falkirk’s Helix Park.
Parking Mad (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Thursday 8th May 2014)
Documentary series about the world of parking, following the work of those in the public and private parking sectors and telling the stories of motorists involved in parking disputes. Bailiffs Alan and Paul find a car in Worthing that has 22 outstanding parking tickets on it – will the driver be able to pay the fines, worth over £3,000, and keep his car? In Horsham, parking campaigners Mike and Matt use their own money to buy tickets for motorists when theirs run out of time. In Islington, London, the Black Beret, a masked parking campaigner, is taking the council to court over the wording on its tickets – if he wins, it could mean that the council will have to pay £90 million back to motorists.
Heston’s Great British Food (Channel 4/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Thursday 8th May 2014)
Great British Curries. Britain is home to some of the most iconic dishes in the world. In this new series, Heston Blumenthal delves into the history of some favourites, from curry to pies to afternoon tea and chocolate, in order to find inspiration for an amazing culinary salute. In this episode, Heston discovers that British curry house classics such as bhuna, vindaloo, phal, onion bhaji and the most famous of them all, chicken tikka masala, were all invented in Britain. Heston does his own take on the chicken tikka masala, with whole poussins injected with tikka marinade and stuffed with tikka masala, accompanied by his own lager – ‘beeryani’ – infused with rice and pandan leaves. He also makes his version of lamb biryani with a Bombay mix crust. Every British curry starts with the poppadum and Heston’s is no different, except his are giant – measuring nearly a metre in diameter.
Have I Got News for You (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 9:30pm | Friday 9th May 2014)
The popular news quiz, with team captains Paul Merton and Ian Hislop, guest host David Mitchell and guest panellists including Andy Hamilton.
All TV guide information taken from DigiGuide — www.getdigiguide.tv/?p=1&r=15119.