Blue Planet II (BBC 1/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 19th November 2017)
Documentary series narrated by David Attenborough which explores the planet’s oceans. This episode explores the big blue, a vast ocean desert where dolphins race to beat the competition and sperm whales must dive 1,000 metres just to feed.
Guy Martin’s WWI Tank (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 10:00pm | Sunday 19th November 2017)
Guy Martin wants to build a full working replica of a World War One tank. It could well prove Guy’s most ambitious engineering challenge. He wants to celebrate this groundbreaking British invention – created in Lincoln, just a few miles from his home – and remember those who built and fought in the machine which helped end the war. It’s the centenary of the Battle of Cambrai, where tanks first proved their effectiveness. With help from British engineering giant JCB and the Norfolk Tank Museum, Guy attempts to build his own 30-tonne tank in just five months. He visits battfields in France, delves into recordings from the archive of men who served in the original tanks, and the women who built them. Guy also takes his tank driving test in the British Army’s current lead battle tank, the Challenger 2. Will Guy’s tank be ready and able to join Lincoln’s Remembrance Day parade?
Chris Tarrant: Extreme Railway Journeys (Channel 5/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 20th November 2017)
Travel series. Chris Tarrant embarks on some of the world’s most difficult train journeys. Chris attempts to cross the five countries of the Balkan region in six days. Travelling from Slovenia to Montenegro, via Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia, he discovers how the former state-run Yugoslav railways in Tito’s days are faring since their break-up in the 1990s, goes in search of Tito’s famous blue train and talks to some fascinating local people en route.
The Secret Life of the Zoo (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Wednesday 22nd November 2017)
West African mandrill JC is being challenged for his dominant position by his sons Ludo and Jareth. While JC is taken to the vet’s for some health checks, Ludo gets ‘over-friendly’ with his dad’s girlfriend. The keepers are concerned that the situation might turn nasty when JC returns. Male red panda Jung is losing weight and the keepers can’t work out why. After relationship problems with his partner Nima are ruled out, Jung is put on a special diet, but with no success. So Jung undergoes a full medical examination and keepers have to make a difficult decision. Sumatran tiger Kirana and her daughter Kasarna have started to clash at mealtimes. The keepers have a plan to sort out the tension between them. Tempers start to fray among Chester Zoo’s Humboldt penguin colony during the annual moult. Can young penguins Frazzle and Munch avoid being picked on by the grown-ups?
Blitz (BBC 2/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Thursday 23rd November 2017)
During the Blitz over 450,000 bombs dropped on Britain, and every bomb has its own story. This series examines the specific effect of four bombs, from their initial impact on individual lives right through to their wider consequences for the Second World War, and all the way to the present day. The first episode follows a bomb that fell on Martindale Road in the East End of London on the first night of the Blitz. Initially there was relief as this bomb remained unexploded and Martindale Road residents were evacuated. However, while some residents decided to leave London others were not so lucky, as those who put their faith in the authorities suffered a tragedy when the bombers returned. Thousands lost everything in the first weeks of the Blitz; this film explores the work of one MP who put into place city-wide welfare systems that worked for everyone and joined the call for a National Health Service.
The World’s Greatest Bridges (Channel 5/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Friday 24th November 2017)
Documentary series. Rob Bell explores the story and construction of the world’s most iconic bridges. The Millau Viaduct over the Tarn gorge in southern France is the world’s tallest bridge and considered by many to be the world’s most beautiful. Rob meets the design team, including architect Lord Norman Foster and structural engineer Dr Michel Virlogeux, and learns about the innovative and ancient techniques used to build it. London’s Millennium Bridge, Lord Foster’s other project at the time, is also featured, including what caused the wobble and how it was rectified.
The Last Leg (Channel 4/HD | 10:00pm to 11:05pm | Friday 24th November 2017)
The live, joyous, topical comedy extravaganza hosted by Adam Hills, Alex Brooker and Josh Widdicombe examines the biggest and most entertaining news stories and rounds up the main talking points of the week. In this show, they are joined by American comedian Margaret Cho who helps dissect the week’s events.
All TV guide information taken from DigiGuide — www.getdigiguide.tv/?p=1&r=15119.