UK TV programmes to watch this week : 06/10/2018

Mediterranean with Simon Reeve (BBC 2/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 7th October 2018)

Simon Reeve embarks on the first leg of an extraordinary four-part journey around the Mediterranean, travelling from Malta across the sea to southern Italy and onto Albania.

Great Canal Journeys (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 7th October 2018)

A new run of the show in which Timothy West and Prunella Scales embark on spectacular canal journeys across Britain and abroad. Tim and Pru decide that they’ve had enough of kicking their heels at home in Wandsworth and head off to explore one of the world’s great waterways, the River Nile. At first Tim is unsure, but Pru is determined: ‘…all the journeys I’ve done with him have opened doors for me and given me new and thrilling experiences’. Travelling from Luxor to Aswan, Tim and Pru uncover the secrets of this great artery of an ancient civilisation and discover how some of the first-ever canals were used to build the temple at Karnak. They also visit a Nubian village; purchase aphrodisiacs in the souk; and dance by moonlight.

Monkman and Seagull’s Genius Guide to Britain (BBC 2/HD | 8:00pm to 8:30pm | Monday 8th October 2018)

University Challenge icons and real-life best friends Eric Monkman and Bobby Seagull visit Scotland, England, Northern Ireland and Wales in search of hidden gems of British scientific and technological ingenuity. Their genius road trip concludes with a whistle-stop tour of some of Scotland’s most enigmatic scientific achievements. Their journey begins in Edinburgh at the birthplace of a little-known scientist who changed the face of history.

Paddington Station 24/7 (Channel 5/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 8th October 2018)

Documentary series about one of the UK’s busiest transport hubs and the western rail network it serves. A nasty surprise awaits engineers as they discover rotten wooden sleepers that disintegrate under foot. Even veteran train staff are shocked by the reason the 15:00 to Bristol has come to a halt – a driver tried to start the train from the wrong end.

Glasgow, Love and Apartheid (BBC 2 Scotland & BBC iPlayer only | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Tuesday 9th October 2018)

Documentary in which director Dhivya-Kate Chetty tells her family’s story. The film follows her parents Radha and Maggie on a trip from Glasgow back to South Africa and documents the effects of apartheid on one family spread across two continents – from the pain of migration, to the daily indignities of one of the abominations of the 20th century. The stories of several family members are blended to create a personal and moving account of apartheid and the fight for its downfall.

Grand Designs (Channel 4/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 10th October 2018)

Chiropractor Steph Wilson has spent 20 years dreaming of living on her grandfather’s farmland in Leominster, Herefordshire, which was sold when she was 16. Steph and her husband Alex have re-mortgaged their current house to buy back 27 acres of the farm. Steph has secured planning permission for a sleek contemporary cantilevered farmhouse in the old gravel pit where she played as a child. She is determined to give her two young children a version of the blissful childhood she had. Steph and Alex are told their ambitious design will cost £500k – twice what they can borrow. Regardless, the family take a leap of faith and move into a draughty old caravan on site. It’s supposed to be a temporary solution. But after six months, caravan life is starting to look like it could become permanent. The family are in desperate need of a saviour, or their dream could turn into a nightmare. Then along comes Steph’s oldest friend.

The Great Model Railway Challenge (Channel 5/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Friday 12th October 2018)

Reality contest as railway modellers compete to create miniature masterpieces against the clock. Heat two’s theme sees the judges tuning in to model railway layouts inspired by beloved shows EastEnders, Doctor Who and Blackadder.

Walking Britain’s Lost Railways (Channel 5/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Friday 12th October 2018)

Rob Bell explores the lost landscapes and infrastructure of some of Britain’s former railway lines. Clues that the old track through the Lake District even existed are not clear, but Rob learns that it once served mainly miners, and sustained the entire region with hard industry before becoming more of a tourist draw.

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

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