Great Canal Journeys (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 27th March 2016)
Timothy West and Prunella Scales continue their Swedish canal odyssey, travelling west to east across the breadth of the country. In the second leg of the voyage they follow the ancient route of the Vikings and visit Stockholm, navigating the city’s canals and heading out into the far-flung islands of the archipelago. They also visit Drottningholm Palace Theatre and meet Wallander actor Krister Henriksson.
The Tube: Going Underground (Channel 5 | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 28th March 2016)
Documentary series following the work of the staff who keep London’s underground train service running smoothly. At Victoria, the closure of the ticket office creates problems, Greenford opens a new lift that goes sideways and 72-year-old customer service assistant Philippa calls it a day.
Eddie Izzard: Marathon Man for Sport Relief (BBC 2/HD | 9:40pm to 10:40pm | Monday 28th March 2016)
Eddie Izzard pushes his body and sense of humour to the limit for Sport Relief as he takes on an immense challenge – travelling to South Africa to run 27 marathons in 27 days to mark the 27 years that his hero Nelson Mandela spent in prison. It is a gruelling, uplifting and hilarious journey through baking heat, high roads and hospitals – but can Eddie make it to the final finish line?
Inside Obama’s White House (BBC 2/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Tuesday 29th March 2016)
The story of how Barack Obama tried to reshape America, as told by his inner circle and the president himself. Episode three explores how Obama set out to end George Bush’s wars in the Middle East. In Cairo he speaks to the Arab world, calling democracy a human right. Two years later when protest erupts in Tahrir Square, the president is torn between Hillary Clinton, who believes Hosni Mubarak provides regional stability, and his young advisors, who are in tune with the promise of the Arab Spring. A similar test arises in Libya and Obama agrees to join allies in airstrikes against Colonel Gaddafi. In Syria, when evidence shows the use of chemical weapons, Obama decides to bomb. But when the British parliament votes against intervention, he decides he needs the backing of Congress. This episode also explores how Obama negotiated a secret deal to end the nuclear threat from Iran. Secretary of state John Kerry tells how he worked through the night to secure the outlines of the deal.
Secret Britain (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 30th March 2016)
Series exploring the hidden corners of the UK and revealing landscape secrets. Ellie Harrison, Chris Hollins and Denise Lewis explore the Lake District. Parachuting in – quite literally – Ellie Harrison gets a unique perspective on England’s most popular national park, and she is also let in on the secret of an ancient and long forgotten part of the Cumbrian landscape. Meanwhile, Denise Lewis gets to the botton of the Lakes’ dark and illicit past, and Chris Hollins is coaxed up a sheer cliff face by one of the world’s best climbers – and rewarded with a spectacular view that only a handful of people ever get to see.
Employable Me (BBC 2/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 30th March 2016)
Tom has Tourette’s syndrome and Ashley has autism. Both want to find work and have strengths that would benefit employers. Due to Tourette’s, Tom has uncontrollable motor tics, and screeches and meows like a cat, a condition which meant he struggled through school and university. Due to the severity of his tics, he has found it impossible to start a career. After meeting an occupational psychologist, he begins to search for a career that he can finally excel in. 29-year-old Ashley has Asperger’s syndrome. Despite being highly intelligent, he’s never had a job, and he has a tendency to obsess. One of his biggest obsessions is the Victorian era – he dresses like a Victorian gentleman, complete with top hat. When he meets autism expert Professor Simon Baron-Cohen, he discovers that some obsessions can be valuable if treated as an area of expertise. If Ashley can find a job that taps into his creativity and obsession with Victoriana, he could turn his job hunt around.
The Restoration Man (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 31st March 2016)
George Clarke returns to Harrogate to see how Carol and Majid Nadry have finished converting their brick water tower into their dream home. After the huge delays and eye-watering legal costs of sorting planning and access restrictions, the couple have finally built the two-storey extension that was the key to creating a family home with character. George sees h
Best Walks with a View with Julia Bradbury (itv/HD | 8:00pm to 8:30pm | Friday 1st April 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 suitable for all experience levels. The series explores coastal, mountain, valley and river walks and features accessible route maps, pub and picnic options and stunning aerial perspectives. Heading off on a round-trip walk from Malham village, Julia takes in the magical Janet’s Foss waterfall, the awe-inspiring Gordale Scar and stunning limestone pavement at Malham Cove with its spectacular views across the Yorkshire Dales.
Billy Connolly’s Tracks Across America (itv/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Friday 1st April 2016)
Billy Connolly starts a journey all round the United States as he travels on America’s rail network from Chicago to New York, taking in the vast and astonishing landscapes that make up America’s backyard. The first episode begins in Chicago, before stopping at Minnesota State Fair and a former oil boom town in North Dakota. He yodels with cowboys and stops off at Montana’s answer to Glasgow, a far cry from the Scottish city of the same name he is so familiar with. Billy ends the first leg of his journey at a tent city in Seattle, a unique answer to homelessness.
The Last Leg (Channel 4/HD | 10:00pm to 11:05pm | Friday 1st April 2016)
The seventh series of the critically acclaimed award-winning show comes to an end. Charlotte Church joins Adam Hills, Josh Widdicombe and Alex Brooker as they tear into the weird and wonderful talking points of the week in front of a live studio audience.
All TV guide information taken from DigiGuide — www.getdigiguide.tv/?p=1&r=15119.