UK TV programmes to watch this week : 20/02/2016

Ugly House to Lovely House with George Clarke - 25-02-2016 - YouView appPenelope Keith’s Hidden Villages (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Saturday 20th February 2016)

Penelope Keith explores the world of our smallest communities. In this episode Penelope learns about life amid the renowned landscape of Cumbria. The wonder of the Lake District can’t be ignored, but from Morecambe Bay to the Pennines, Penny finds there’s much more to life in a Cumbrian village than tourists and tea shops. Penny starts in Coniston, a village that has seen everything from copper mining to hill farming, high-class Victorian tourism and the speed records of Donald Campbell. Further north, Penny meets the community buying its local mountain, before indulging in the unique Cumbrian pursuit of hound trailing.

The Adventure Show (BBC 2 Scotland & BBC iPlayer only | 6:20pm to 7:20pm | Sunday 21st February 2016)

In this month’s Adventure Show, Dougie Vipond and Deziree Wilson are in the Borders for the Jedburgh Three Peaks Ultra Marathon. 250 racers face almost 3,000 feet of ascent and descent over the three extinct volcanoes that make up the Eildon hills. With 38 miles of running in total, this demanding race attracts the UK’s top endurance athletes. Plus the Adventure Show explores the psychology of extreme sport and finds out if one runner can increase both performance and enjoyment at the Glencoe Skyline.

Call the Midwife (BBC 1/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 21st February 2016)

A spate of violent attacks on women brings a state of fear to Poplar, and impacts directly on the residents of Nonnatus House. A secret pregnancy threatens the life of a young girl, after her mother takes matters into her own hands. Meanwhile, a long-overdue holiday for the Turner family fails to live up to expectations.

Griff’s Great Britain (itv/HD | 8:00pm to 8:30pm | Monday 22nd February 2016)

Griff Rhys Jones sets out to explore some of Britain’s most stunning landscapes. In this episode, he travels to the beautiful borderlands of the Shropshire countryside where he takes to the air to survey the landscape in all its glory. He explores medieval Ludlow, and revels in the engineering marvel that is Chirk Aqueduct. In his challenge to ‘catch a dragon’, he travels around the region the Victorians called Little Switzerland, taking in the historic Llangollen Canal.

The X Files (Channel 5 | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 22nd February 2016)

Revived sci-fi drama series about two FBI agents who investigate the paranormal. Mulder and Scully travel to Oregon to follow up on accounts of a slaying by a bizarre lizard-human hybrid during a full moon.

The Secret Life of the Zoo (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Tuesday 23rd February 2016)

There’s a tragedy in Chester Zoo’s elephant house. The Hi Way elephant family have been hit with a potentially deadly virus affecting animals in captivity and in the wild. With the youngest members of the family most at risk, the keepers and the zoo’s veterinary team do all they can to combat the mysterious illness. Mac the stallion zebra is introduced to the zoo’s three mares in the hope that they will produce much needed offspring for this endangered species. But the reaction from the mares isn’t quite what the keepers had hoped for and Mac must try to earn his stripes among the herd. There’s also a fascinating look into the bizarre world of the naked mole rat. Matriarch Janet rules her empire with an iron paw. She’s the head of a 38-strong colony of worker rats and is expecting her next litter.

Inside Buckingham Palace (Channel 5 | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 24th February 2016)

This two-part series explores one of the most famous buildings in the world, and its roles as a family home, the official office of the Queen as Head of State and a stage for pomp and ceremony. This episode looks back over the more than sixty years since the Queen ascended to the throne and looks ahead to ask what might happen to the Palace when Charles becomes King.

Ugly House to Lovely House with George Clarke (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 25th February 2016)

We are a nation obsessed with property. But many of us are stuck with houses which we feel embarrassed to call home. Sky high prices mean that the drabbest, most outdated property on the street is often all we can afford. But rather than waste time dreaming of the perfect home, the solution could be right under your nose. In this new series, George Clarke shows that even the ugliest house can be transformed into something to be proud of. George matches some of Britain’s most unloved houses with some of the country’s leading architects, who join cutting-edge conception to a tight budget, proving that great design doesn’t have to cost the earth. In the first episode, Tony and Sarah feel uninspired by their 70s house in the Vale of Glamorgan, including its dirty pebbledash facade, small windows and dated décor.

Winter Road Rescue (Channel 5 | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 25th February 2016)

Series following patrols who make sure the UK does not grind to a halt when winter weather hits. In the Highlands, snow plough driver Chris has his work cut out keeping Applecross Pass open, patrolman Steve has to help a driver stuck in the mud without getting trapped himself and the heavies are called in to deal with a serious accident involving a lorry.

Death in Paradise (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Thursday 25th February 2016)

Detective drama series set on a Caribbean island. The team is faced with an impossible murder when a young backpacker is shot inside a sealed room. DI Goodman has a date, plus it is the day of JP’s wedding – but will he make it to the altar?

Best Walks with a View with Julia Bradbury (itv/HD | 8:00pm to 8:30pm | Friday 26th February 2016)

Julia Bradbury chooses some of her favourite and most accessible family treks from across the UK, in search of the perfect walk with a view which anyone can manage. The series explores coastal, mountain, valley and river walks and includes accessible route maps, pub and picnic options and stunning aerial perspectives. Episode two sees Julia in the Lake District, on the Borrowdale Walk – a haven for the adventurous and many a Viking sheep. She heads for one of her favourite fells – the much-loved and rugged little peak of Castle Crag. From the lush green valley floor to magnificent views over Derwent Water, it is an unforgettable walk.

The Last Leg (Channel 4/HD | 10:00pm to 11:05pm | Friday 26th February 2016)

The critically acclaimed award-winning show continues with its unique brand of irreverent satire for a seventh series. Adam Hills hosts alongside co-hosts Josh Widdicombe and Alex Brooker, who tear into the weird and wonderful talking points of the week. A celebrity guest will join the team each week in front of a live studio audience.

All TV guide information taken from DigiGuide — www.getdigiguide.tv/?p=1&r=15119.