UK TV programmes to watch this week : 18/09/2021

Vigil (BBC 1/HD & UHD BBC iPlayer only | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Sunday 19th September 2021)

The submarine is forced into lockdown as disaster strikes. With hostile boats tracking and communications down, Vigil’s crew have to navigate this crisis alone. Kirsten desperately hunts for clues to reveal the source of the threat to Vigil, but with no word from the boat, she fears for the safety of Amy, whose quest to uncover the truth places her in grave danger.

The Architecture The Railways Built (Yesterday | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Monday 20th September 2021)

Tim Dunn explores Brunel’s first and last railway projects and looks at a Scottish station with a royal connection.

Silent Witness (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 20th September 2021)

Nikki, Jack and Adam are brought in to investigate the murder of a surgeon in a hospital. DNA evidence suggests the impossible when it implicates a patient who was under the anaesthetic at the time of the killing. Meanwhile, Adam’s friendship with the hospital director brings his impartiality into question.

Fever Pitch: The Rise of the Premier League (BBC 2/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 20th September 2021)

A look at the rise of the celebrity footballer, symbolised by Manchester United’s David Beckham and the breed of player who were starting to resemble rock stars more than sportsmen. In contrast, the programme examines the fate of Beckham’s team-mate Keith Gillespie, whose sense of isolation after a transfer to Newcastle United led him to seek solace in the local bookmakers.

Submarine: Life Under the Waves (Channel 5/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 20th September 2021)

Part two of two. Captain Stephen Brian takes command of HMS Trenchant and his arrival coincides with a growing threat from Russia, as their warships and submarines make forays into British waters. As everyone preparess for the tough realities of life back at sea on board a submarine, orders are received for Trenchant to stop the next Russian vessel making its way towards British waters.

Saving Lives at Sea (BBC 2/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Tuesday 21st September 2021)

In Trearddur Bay, the RNLI crew battle through gale force winds and huge waves as they try to save a surfer, as their worried families watch on from the shore. On the same stretch of Welsh coast, the Llandudno and Rhyl lifeboats are involved in a desperate search for a fishing vessel that’s reported missing.

Silent Witness (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Tuesday 21st September 2021)

Part two of two. With the suspect in a coma and an attacker seemingly at large in the hospital, Nikki calls on Adam’s expertise to help solve the case. The team makes a breakthrough that hints at a medical conspiracy and exposes the lengths some are willing to go to protect their personal and professional reputations. Drama, starring Emilia Fox and Jason Wong.

Changing Rooms (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Wednesday 22nd September 2021)

Anna Richardson and the team are in Bury St Edmunds, where insurance broker Leanna and mechanic Jamie have reached decorative deadlock in their living room. They are handing over their keys to neighbour Donna, a nightclub owner who wants a wow factor in her bedroom. Donna’s keen to push Leanna and Jamie out of their comfort zone and has enlisted her sister Sarah to help. However, with flamboyant designers Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, Russell Whitehead and Jordan Cluroe in charge, anything could happen.

Coastal Devon & Cornwall with Michael Portillo (Channel 5/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Wednesday 22nd September 2021)

Michael begins this leg of his journey at South Devon’s most southerly point, Start Point, and embarks on a walk which takes in a broad sweep of eroding shingle coastline and some of the most picturesque beaches he has encountered. Along the way, he discovers historic fishing villages, and the largest freshwater lake in South West England. His South Devon trek ends near the mouth of the River Dart, but not before he leaves his own mark on this beautiful stretch of coast, a new wooden signpost for walks inscribed with his initials.

Grand Designs (Channel 4/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 22nd September 2021)

Kevin McCloud meets widowed teacher Gretta, who is making a fresh start in rural Cambridgeshire with a Malaysian-inspired burnt wood and glass home being designed by her nephew Carlos and project managed by her brother-in-law Fernando – despite his lack of building experience. However, as site clearance begins, so does the Covid-19 pandemic – and family harmony is tested when an apple tree much loved by Fernando is condemned for removal by Gretta.

Ambulance (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Thursday 23rd September 2021)

A 13-year-old stuck on a bus after dislocating their knee kicks off another busy night shift for Emily and Lois. Across the city, Adam and Charlotte respond to a call for a patient who is struggling to breathe. With concerns of Covid in the family the crew has no choice but to take the patient into hospital. A discussion between Adam and the patient reveals their anxiety about what lies ahead for them – a feeling shared right across the service whether on the road or in dispatch. Narrated by Christopher Eccleston.

All Creatures Great and Small (Channel 5/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Thursday 23rd September 2021) ** PICK OF THE WEEK **

With Tristan’s encouragement, James asks Helen if she’d like to go to the local spring dance. But village resident Gerald’s arrival with his injured dog, Rock, puts a spanner in the works. Meanwhile, Tristan worries that Siegfried is in danger of losing his edge.

The Cotswolds with Pam Ayres (Channel 5/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Friday 24th September 2021)

The poet’s latest journey starts in Wiltshire in the town of Bradford-on-Avon, where she takes to the water on a narrowboat. Pam enjoys a leisurely trip along the Kennet and Avon Canal – a waterway that helps link Bristol in the west with London in the east. Pam also meets the beekeeper producing Cotswold comb honey, before heading to the ancient wool town of Tetbury.

Abandoned Engineering (Yesterday | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Friday 24th September 2021)

Exploring a luxury resort that conceals a top-secret facility, a mysterious complex in Bali struck by disaster, and a relic of hope near Jerusalem.

Lighthouses: Building the Impossible (Channel 5/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Friday 24th September 2021)

Rob Bell uncovers the incredible stories behind Scotland’s mighty Bell Rock lighthouse, an engineering marvel built on a deadly submerged reef in the treacherous North Sea. Eleven miles offshore, this light has stood strong for over 200 years, but at the start of the 19th century, the reef was a menace causing innumerable wrecks and drowning countless mariners. As the show reveals, Robert Stevenson, a young, ambitious engineer, was determined to prove that something could be done to stop Bell Rock claiming so many lives.

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