Attenborough at 90 (BBC 1/HD | 7:00pm to 8:00pm | Sunday 8th May 2016)
In celebration of his ninetieth birthday, Sir David Attenborough shares extraordinary highlights of his life and career with broadcaster Kirsty Young, including the inspiring people he has met, the extraordinary journeys he has made and the remarkable animal encounters he has had across the globe. Joined by colleagues and friends, including Michael Palin and Chris Packham, Sir David shares some of the unforgettable moments from his unparalleled career, from capturing unique animal behaviour for the first time to the fast-paced advances in wildlife filming technology, as well as stories of the wonder and fragility of the natural world – stories that Sir David has spent his life exploring and championing.
Paul Merton’s Secret Stations (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 8th May 2016)
Paul Merton continues his journey around Britain’s railway request stops on the glorious West Highland Line and Beasdale, where the Special Operations Executive taught espionage in World War Two. Paul discovers a request stop just outside the centre of Bristol. And at Pontarddulais, Paul sees how a former mining town has reinvented itself as ‘the wedding village’ – with a high street full of bridal shops. Paul helps a young bride pick out her perfect dress, and has the chance to sing with the local male voice choir – the most successful choir in Wales.
The Tube: Going Underground (Channel 5/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 9th May 2016)
Documentary series following the work of the staff who keep London’s underground train service running smoothly. Engineer Anita hopes she has got her sums right as a new passenger tunnel nears completion, 192 new trains hit the tracks and legend of the line steps down.
How Scotland Works (BBC 2 Scotland & BBC iPlayer only | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Tuesday 10th May 2016)
Documentary series exploring life in 21st-century Scotland. In Scotland today, finding a home can be a challenge. The kinds of homes people want, and where they want them, are changing. More people are now working from home and tenements are being turned into workspaces. With land and houses in short supply, some people are turning to more radical solutions such as making their homes in houseboats or caravans to save money. Also, with people living longer lives there is the need to create homes for the elderly, which is sparking some innovative solutions. From a brand new town being developed in Aberdeenshire, to a houseboat on the canal, and even to a 200-year-old castle, this documentary tells the story of Scotland at home through a diverse range of characters and the homes they live in.
Highlands (BBC 1 Scotland/HD & BBC iPlayer only | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 11th May 2016)
Spring – Season of Extremes. Ewan McGregor narrates a series about the wildlife of the Scottish Highlands. In this edition it is spring, the most unpredictable of all seasons in the Cairngorm mountains. Ospreys, red squirrels, dippers, capercaillies, roe deer and bottlenose dolphins struggle to find food and raise their young while coping with the extremes of wind and weather.
Gareth’s Invictus Choir (BBC 1/HD | 9:000pm to 10:00pm | Thursday 12th May 2016)
Choirmaster Gareth Malone is facing his toughest challenge to date. He has been asked to form a choir of wounded ex-service personnel to perform at the Invictus Games in Orlando, Florida. In this episode the choir have survived their first public performance. With just 4 weeks before they sing at the opening ceremony in Orlando, Gareth brings his choir to Somerset House in London and announces he wants them to write their own song for the performance. The songwriting process challenges the choir to dig deep into their experiences of injury or illness and the different stages of recovery they are each in. Gareth singing them the finished song is a key moment, as the choir hear the lyrics of their own stories. Once they are happy with the song, Gareth decides to show the lyrics to an industry friend. Following some unexpected news at a recording studio, the choir finally set off to the US for their big moment.
Barging Round Britain with John Sergeant (itv/HD | 8:00pm to 8:30pm | Friday 13th May 2016)
John Sergeant travels along some of the most impressive canals in Britain. In this episode, John is aboard his narrowboat enjoying a trip along one of the oldest and prettiest canals in Britain – the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal. On the way, he marvels at ingenious feats of 18th century engineering. He also tackles – with mixed results – the difficult art of glass-blowing, and discovers a secret underground cold war bunker.
All TV guide information taken from DigiGuide — www.getdigiguide.tv/?p=1&r=15119.