Category: TV this week

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 16/01/2016

Call the Midwife - 17-01-2016 - YouView appCall the Midwife (BBC 1/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 17th January 2016)

Easter approaches, and midwives are shaken by the birth of a baby with severe, unexplained deformities. Meanwhile, Trixie begins teaching her brand new keep-fit classes, but a medical emergency for one of her group makes her question the relationship between women and their bodies.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Monday 18th January 2016)

Every train ride begins with a whistle and Michael Portillo’s new railway journey is no exception, blasting off from Birmingham’s jewellery quarter to the sound of the Acme whistle, manufactured there since 1884. A visit to the city’s town hall reveals a magnificent organ and the location for a celebrated music festival. Travelling south to Kidderminster, Michael reports for duty at the Post Office, where he sorts the letters and discovers more about the great postal innovator Sir Rowland Hill, before heading out to deliver the Royal Mail. 19th-century quack doctors and their bogus remedies are exposed in Worcester, where Michael discovers the origins of the British Medical Association.

Silent Witness (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 18th January 2016)

When an ex-convict is found brutally murdered in his home, the Lyell team is introduced to Sasha Blackburn, a forensic psychologist who works closely with those released from prison on life licence. The victim was a client of Sasha’s, and so is one of the suspects: Paul Raynott, a vulnerable young man trying to turn his life around with Sasha’s help. Several other members of the life licence community are drawn into the investigation, each at varying stages of rehabilitation having served time for murder. Whilst the team learn how fragile their freedom really is, Sasha’s close relationship with these damaged men is called into question, as is whether she really knows what’s best for them. There are concerns over Paul’s safety in particular, whose fragile state of mind and desperate need for rehabilitation mean he may be just as much a danger to himself as others.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Tuesday 19th January 2016)

He heads for the sharp end of the Victorian industrial revolution at a needle manufactory in Redditch. The Freemasons of Cheltenham invite Michael into their lodge to share the secrets of their society. In Gloucester, he learns how to make Gloucester cheese. Continuing on to Highnam, Michael is glad to discover the beautiful Victorian Gothic church of Thomas Parry and to join the Gloucester Choral Society in a rendition of Jerusalem composed by Thomas’s son Hubert.

Tricks of the Restaurant Trade (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 8:30pm | Tuesday 19th January 2016)

There are more than a quarter of a million places to eat out in the UK. Most families eat out a couple of times a week, so how can they ensure that they receive good food, a fair price and a great experience? Consumers may not know much about what goes on behind the scenes in restaurants, but that changes in this episode, which reveals that many restaurants serve pre-prepared meals, desserts and cocktails, ordered in from outside catering suppliers, with some restaurants serving meals that might have been made many miles away. Now that chains make up over 40% of all restaurants, the way they prepare food has changed radically. Would you care if your cocktail came ready-made in a carton?

Silent Witness (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Tuesday 19th January 2016)

After the team discovers that suspect Paul may not be who he says he is, and was involved in an infamous murder in the past, the investigation revisits the fifteen-year-old case. Wounds are re-opened for the family of the victim as Paul’s psychopathic accomplice in the historical murder is visited in the hope that he can shed light on the current investigation. Further victims are killed and a distinctive, sadistic modus operandi begins to become clear. The team turns to forensic psychologist Sasha for advice on the killer, but her proximity to the suspects puts her viewpoint in doubt. As the team move closer to discovering who the killer is, they question whether a murderer can truly be rehabilitated and what that rehabilitation really means.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Wednesday 20th January 2016)

Michael takes pot luck on the snooker table as he investigates the Victorian origins of the game and finds out what it takes to produce the fine green cloth which smoothes the path of the balls. In Cirencester, he ploughs a crooked furrow at the Royal Agricultural College before taking tea with the ladies in Bath, where he also discovers a scandalous novel written by an eccentric recluse, once the wealthiest man in England.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Thursday 21st January 2016)

Armed with his Bradshaw’s guidebook, Michael enters the foul-smelling world of a Victorian tannery. In Nailsea, he discovers how mountains of bird droppings made one of the greatest fortunes of the era for a 19th-century entrepreneur, who spent his wealth building churches and chapels and one of the most luxurious country houses in Britain. Reaching Glastonbury, Michael heads for the mystical abbey, where Victorian tourists flocked to hear stories of King Arthur and the Holy Grail.

Death in Paradise (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Thursday 21st January 2016)

DI Goodman finds himself embroiled in the highly strung world of modelling when a young star is strangled in the middle of a fashion show. JP bumps into an old flame.

The Restoration Man (Channel 4/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Thursday 21st January 2016)

Thirty years after starting to restore a Georgian gazebo tower built on top of Pembroke’s medieval city walls, retired businessman Bruce Woodall finally takes on the challenge of finishing it. But Bruce discovers that since his architect drew up the plans, conservation laws have changed and the ‘scheduled ancient monument’ beneath the tower threatens to shut down the build for good. As George unravels this local landmark’s 500-hundred year-old secrets, its place in key chapters in English and Welsh history becomes clear. But has the gazebo tower’s story finally come to an end?

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Friday 22nd January 2016)

Following his Bradshaw’s Guidebook, Michael stands trial at the Bloody Assizes in Taunton and feels the full force of the law. He gets to grips with a miracle of Victorian engineering on the Somerset Levels at Westonzoyland and on Dartmoor he embarks on a mid-19th-century treasure hunt still popular today.

Shetland (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Friday 22nd January 2016)

DI Jimmy Perez is convinced that Michael Maguire is somehow implicated in the death of Robbie Morton. But with the investigation seemingly under threat before it’s even started, he faces an uphill battle to uncover the truth behind Maguire’s silence.

Walks Around Britain (Community Channel | 9:00pm to 9:30pm | Friday 22nd January 2016)

Come and take a stroll with the Walks Around Britain team as they take us on fun and easily accessible walks from across the British Isles.

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

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 09/01/2016

Shetland - 15-01-2016 - YouView appMy Mediterranean with Adrian Chiles (BBC 2/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Sunday 10th January 2016)

Adrian Chiles tours the colourful religious festivals of the Mediterranean to find out whether his choice of church was an accident of birth and geography. This episode finds Adrian in Rome, riding a Vespa with Father Gianni on the pillion. The pair speculate on whether having a priest accompanying him to the pearly gates improves or damages Adrian’s chances of entry to heaven. Adrian then joins the faithful in St Peter’s Square to listen to the man he describes as ‘chairman and chief executive’ of his own religion. Later, an 80-year-old cardinal tries to remain unflustered as Adrian makes his first confession in eight years. He observes the Sabbath with a Jewish family, but his brief flirtation with Judaism is cut short when he learns that becoming a Jew is not easy. He cooks with the nuns of Marseille, and visits a Roman Catholic school where 80% of the children are Muslims and where he declares the head teacher to be ‘the most inspiring person I have ever met’.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Monday 11th January 2016)

Michael Portillo embarks on a railway journey along the south coast of Britain. Beginning in the port of Dover, he is inspired by a brave Victorian sea captain to plunge into the English Channel. A spectacular miniature steam railway, one third the size of his customary mode of transport, conveys him from Romney Marsh to Dungeness. In elegant Eastbourne, he discovers how the refined Victorian upper crust was attracted to the town by design of the 7th Duke of Devonshire. He ends his journey in truly eccentric English style at the Glyndebourne opera festival on the South Downs.

Silent Witness (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 11th January 2016)

The murder of a well-known anti-fundamentalist Muslim, Amir Aziz, leads the Lyell team to question who would kill this peaceful but outspoken man. Suspicion quickly falls on a local taxi driver, revealed as a member of the English Defence League whose son was killed by a Taliban IED. The team are joined in the investigation by DI Nina Ryman. Ryman knew Aziz and believed him to be a good man, but her faith in him is called into question when it is discovered that Aziz was in correspondence with a wanted drug smuggler before his death.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Tuesday 12th January 2016)

Following his Bradshaw’s handbook, Michael Portillo examines the nation’s hidden defences against potential invaders, beginning in the port of Newhaven. Detouring north to Balcombe, he interrupts his journey to appreciate two magnificent engineering achievements – the Ouse Valley Viaduct and the Clayton Tunnel – and learns of a gruesome murder. High on top of a favourite Victorian beauty spot, Michael learns how trains once brought hordes of day trippers here to walk and fly kites. Michael ends this leg of his journey in Worthing, where he finds a novel way to pick tomatoes.

Tricks of the Restaurant Trade (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 8:30pm | Tuesday 12th January 2016)

There are more than a quarter of a million places to eat out in the UK. Most families eat out a couple of times a week, so how can they ensure that they receive good food, a fair price and a great experience? Kate Quilton, chef Simon Rimmer and reporter Adam Pearson investigate how customers can get the best quality food and service, and reveal some of the techniques that restaurants use to make you spend more. In this episode, the team put British pizzas to the test. How do two very non-traditional pizzas from takeaway chain Papa John’s compare with an authentic Italian pizza and which will the diners at an Italian restaurant prefer? Can you really improve the traditional Italian classic with curried chicken, spices, fruit and countless other ingredients?

Silent Witness (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Tuesday 12th January 2016)

Thomas must put his personal feelings aside as the team track down Begovic before she and her extremist compatriots strike out again. It soon becomes clear that Begovic isn’t working alone and may not have been the one who shot Ryman. In fact, her accomplice may be a man previously assumed dead.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Wednesday 13th January 2016)

Michael Portillo arrives in Littlehampton, where he discovers how Victorian engineers dug deep to defend the town’s residents from cholera and learns how their drills still access clean water around the world. At Gosport, he experiences first-hand the lethal firepower unleashed on the French and learns how the Victorians were engaged in a furious arms race against them. At the family home of Florence Nightingale in the New Forest, Michael finds out what motivated the Lady of the Lamp, before seizing the chance to drive the first motor car at Beaulieu.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Thursday 14th January 2016)

Armed with his Bradshaw’s Handbook, Michael Portillo arrives in the sailing haven of Lymington where he makes a lifesaving discovery. Exploring Dorchester’s literary landscape, he finds out how the coming of the railways inspired the work of the region’s greatest writer – Thomas Hardy. Weaving his way to Axminster, Michael tries his hand at carpet making. His last stop is Exmouth, home to Francis Danby, a forgotten Victorian landscape artist.

Death in Paradise (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Thursday 14th January 2016)

The team enter the shady world of island politics when the outgoing governor of Saint Marie is poisoned at her leaving party. Meanwhile, DI Goodman dives into the even murkier world of online dating.

The Restoration Man (Channel 4/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Thursday 14th January 2016)

When Lee Head spotted a Victorian railway station for sale in Northumberland, he saw the opportunity of a lifetime. He drew up a master plan for the rest of the site to pay for converting the main station into a family home; and saving money by doing all the building work alone at weekends. The sheer scale of the challenge has not been helped by planning restrictions. George Clarke gives Lee a hand when he can, and investigates the story behind why such a fine rural railway station never had a chance to achieve its promise.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Friday 15th January 2016)

In Plymouth, Michael finds out about the Royal Navy’s fighting spirit and mixes his own blend of ruin. Crossing into Cornwall, Michael learns about the last bridge to be built by one of his heroes, the engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel. By Tre, Pol and Pen, he comes to know Cornishmen and how to prepare the perfect pasty. His journey ends in a small village which in Victorian times became a hub of global communications.

Shetland (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Friday 15th January 2016)

When a young man disappears on the Aberdeen to Shetland ferry crossing and a small boy ends up in intensive care, DI Jimmy Perez and his team investigate and become convinced the two events are connected.

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

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 02/01/2016

Death in Paradise - 07-01-2016 - YouView appGreat British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Monday 4th January 2016)

Michael Portillo embarks on a journey around north west Britain. Joining the cracker packers of Carlisle on the factory floor, Michael Portillo really takes the biscuit as he investigates the Victorian appetite for the custard cream on his new journey. Braving a perilous descent into the only operational slate mine in England, Michael discovers a miniature railway which once hauled slate to the surface. Following in the footsteps of Victorian miners on their way to work, he steps out gingerly on to what is now Britain’s only Via Ferrata – a terrifying tightrope challenge 300 feet above the Borrowdale Valley.

The Fight of Gordon’s Life (BBC 1 Scotland & BBC iPlayer only | 8:30pm to 9:00pm | Monday 4th January 2016)

Documentary following one young man’s battle with a terminal condition. Diagnosed with motor neurone disease at 29, Gordon Aikman decided to raise money to help fund a cure and campaigned for better treatment. He won major improvements in patient care even as he gradually lost control of his body. And in a year of physical and emotional struggle, he also brought family and friends together to celebrate his marriage.

Silent Witness (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 4th January 2016)

The apparent suicide of a DJ leads Nikki to question her judgement on a strikingly similar case from her past. But when she brings the potential mistake to the attention of her colleagues, the news threatens to have repercussions for the family of the deceased, the police and the Lyell. Meanwhile, Nikki catches up with an old friend from medical school, Scott, but the timing of his reappearance in her life seems suspicious in light of the recent events.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Tuesday 5th January 2016)

Michael Portillo embarks on a journey around north west Britain. Michael continues his journey through the Lake District where he discovers a magical world of talking rabbits, ducks, hedgehogs and mice, who have entertained children for more than 100 years. At the village home of author and illustrator Beatrix Potter, Michael learns about her legacy and her fears about the railways. Fuelled by a Victorian energy bar, Michael presses on to Brantwood, home of the Victorian art critic John Ruskin. He finishes with a brief encounter at Carnforth.

Silent Witness (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Tuesday 5th January 2016)

Nikki is arrested after a senior pathologist that she previously came to blows with is murdered. Whilst the team fight to clear her name, Nikki suspects someone is attempting to frame her. Meanwhile Tony, recently released from prison for attempted murder, learns of the pathologist’s death. Recognising the name from his own trial years ago, Tony begins to fear that his son David is involved in hurting the people involved in his father’s incarceration. As Nikki is released from custody, she has her own doubts and can’t help but suspect her old flame Scott, whose return to her life is so well timed with recent events.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Wednesday 6th January 2016)

Michael Portillo embarks on a journey around north west Britain. Michael reads the riot act in Preston, where he discovers four mill workers were shot dead by soldiers at a protest in 1842. In Darwen, he makes a splash in pink as he traces developments in 19th-century interior design from wallpaper to paint. Michael explores the Victorian industrial landscape of Salford, populated by little matchstick figures, as revealed in the paintings of LS Lowry. Michael finishes this leg of his journey on Kersal Moor, where he twists his tongue around the Lancashire dialect and discovers the poetry of Edwin Waugh.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Thursday 7th January 2016)

Michael Portillo embarks on a journey around north west Britain. Steered by his Bradshaw’s guide, Michael begins this leg of his journey in Merseyside, where he feels the heat of modern glassmaking in St Helen’s. He discovers how the techniques invented in the Victorian era to construct buildings such as the Crystal Palace have evolved and are powering a new architectural revolution.

Death in Paradise (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Thursday 7th January 2016)

DI Goodman and his team are tested when a millionaire philanthropist is murdered on his boat, and the only suspects were all underwater at the time. Meanwhile, DI Goodman’s new hobby raises a few eyebrows…

The Restoration Man (Channel 4/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Thursday 7th January 2016)

A new series of the show where George Clarke helps rescue neglected architectural treasures across Britain. When an Edwardian Baptist church comes up for sale in the small Pennine village of Oxenhope, Colin and Emma Clewes seize on their chance to turn it into a five-bedroom family home. With only a meagre budget, Colin intends to do most of the building work himself – while the couple juggle looking after their young family and running their own business. But restoring a church that has been in decline for years demands every ounce of their hard graft and grit. George offers inspiration and guidance to pull them through, and discovers that the church’s history is woven into the fabric of this small mill-working community.
(Editor’s Choice, High Definition, Subtitles, Part 1 of 5, Audio Described, Episode 1, 3 Star)

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Friday 8th January 2016)

Michael Portillo embarks on a journey around north west Britain. On the last leg of his journey through north west England, Michael makes a clean sweep in Ashley, where, in Victorian times, the new middle classes set up home in suburban villas with multiple chimneys, swept by children. In Macclesfield, Michael finds the end of the Silk Route and tries his hand at screen printing. After stoking the fire on the steam-powered Churnet Valley Railway, Michael alights at Froghall for Alton Towers, to trace the 19th-century origins of the modern theme park.

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

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 26/12/2015

Sherlock - 01-01-2016 - YouView appGareth Malone’s Great Choir Reunion (BBC 2/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Tuesday 29th December 2015)

To mark the 10th anniversary of The Choir, Gareth Malone tracks down members from all his choirs for one huge reunion party. The centrepiece will be his Choir of Choirs, made up of his most talented singers from across the decade. But he has got just four short weeks – can he bring them all together and pull off a performance worthy of a decade’s work getting the nation singing? In the first of two episodes, Gareth tracks down ex-pupils from the first two choirs he created at Northolt High School and Lancaster Boys School. He discovers how being part of the choir changed their lives, and how they have gone on to successful careers, many in music. When he gets a group of them together to start rehearsing for the big reunion, they immediately feel the old bonds of camaraderie, and Gareth can’t resist suggesting an impromptu performance for friends and family.

David Beckham: For the Love of the Game (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:30pm | Tuesday 29th December 2015)

David Beckham sets himself the challenge of a lifetime: playing a football match on all seven continents of the globe and getting back in time for his own star-studded Unicef fundraising match at Old Trafford. On the journey, David discovers what football means to the many different people he meets and plays with, as well as some of the universal truths about the game itself, like its unique ability to inspire and unite people across the world. David plays with tribes in Papua New Guinea, children from an earthquake-damaged school in Nepal and refugees from neighboring African countries at a refugee camp in Djibouti. He flies on to Argentina, where he plays a community youth team in Buenos Aires, then to Antarctica to play with an international team of scientists, then to the USA to play the University of Miami women’s soccer team, before finally flying on to Old Trafford in Manchester for the Unicef fundraiser match.

What Britain Bought in 2015 (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Wednesday 30th December 2015)

What Britain Bought in 2015 is an eye-opening and intriguing look back at how we shopped in 2015 and what the £6 billion-a-week shopping habit says about the nation. Mary Portas discovers the must-haves, can’t-resists, and why-did-we-ever purchases of 2015, meeting the high street buyers, trend forecasters and retail gurus who spotted their potential – but who also reveal the products that took them by surprise. With exclusive inside information from some of the nation’s biggest retailers – including M&S, Lakeland, Waitrose, Superdrug, JD Sports and John Lewis – Mary lifts the lid on a year of British spending. If you haven’t purchased a spiralizer, colouring book for adults, coconut oil, dyed your hair pastel, grown a beard sporting athleisure wear, or 70s-style clothing, before sipping from a magnum of Prosecco – where have you been?

Gareth Malone’s Great Choir Reunion (BBC 2/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 31st December 2015)

To mark the 10th anniversary of The Choir, Gareth Malone tracks down members from all his choirs for one huge reunion party. The centrepiece will be his Choir of Choirs, made up of his most talented singers from across the decade. But he has got just four short weeks – can he bring them all together and pull off a performance worthy of a decade’s work getting the nation singing? In the second half, Gareth continues to spread the word of his reunion to the remainder of his choirs and tracks down some of the best singers from South Oxhey Community Choir, the Military Wives and the nine workplace choirs he formed for his choral contest Sing While You Work. Frenzied rehearsals and preparations for the reunion culminate in a hugely emotional and joyous reunion party with choir members from across the country coming together to celebrate ten years of The Choir.

Sherlock (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:35pm | Friday 1st January 2016)

Special of the crime drama which sees Sherlock Holmes and John Watson transplanted to Victorian London. Thomas Ricoletti is a little surprised to see his wife dressed in her old wedding gown, since just a few hours before, she took her own life. Mrs Ricoletti’s ghost now appears to be prowling the streets with an unslakeable thirst for revenge. From fog-shrouded Limehouse to the bowels of a ruined church, Holmes, Watson and their friends must use all their cunning to combat an enemy seemingly from beyond the grave.

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

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 19/12/2015

Doctor Who - 25-12-2015 - YouView appThe Muppets (BBC 1/HD | 1:55pm to 3:30pm | Saturday 19th December 2015)

When an oil magnate discovers that there is a reservoir of oil just below the Muppet theatre, the puppets must combine forces with two of their biggest fans and put on an unforgettable display to raise the ten million dollars they need to keep the building in one piece. In the last few years, the gang has gone in separate directions and tracking all of them down proves quite a challenge.

Sports Personality of the Year 2015 (BBC 1/HD | 6:50pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 20th December 2015)

Gary Lineker, Clare Balding and Gabby Logan host BBC Sports Personality of the Year, live from the SSE Arena, Belfast. It’s been another incredible 12 months of sporting excellence and this world famous show – now in its 62nd year – again recognises some of the standout achievers. Stars from the sporting world are among the 7,500 crowd in Northern Ireland’s capital city and, as ever, there is a full review of the sporting year.

Reggie Yates’ Extreme UK (BBC 3/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 21st December 2015)

Being a British guy in 2015 is not easy, and in this series Reggie Yates travels to the extreme edge of modern British masculinity, to discover that 21st-century pressures are changing the way we live, the way we love, and even the way we look. Reggie investigates the extreme ways in which male body culture is impacting on young British guys – from extreme exercise to invasive plastic surgery and even steroid abuse. As Reggie embarks on his own challenge to get into shape he asks what it’s all for and follows the story from a private hospital in Istanbul to a lock-up in the Midlands and beyond.

Christmas Shopping Fever: John Lewis and the Retail Race (BBC 2/HD | 9:30pm to 10:30pm | Wednesday 23rd December 2015)

Cherry Healey goes behind the scenes of one of the nation’s biggest stores to find out how it survives the pressure cooker of Christmas. Since more than 50 per cent of many retailers’ annual profits are made in the last quarter of the year, for John Lewis and its competitors, Christmas has become a year-long, full-scale military campaign. Charting the relentless countdown to Christmas 2015 – from the midsummer Christmas press launch, to the honing of the ad, to the discounting frenzy of Black Friday – Cherry sees the John Lewis team tackling the multitude of challenges presented by our changing shopping habits. In the run-in to this Christmas, they have to contend with customer complaints, website woes and unpredictable buying behaviour. Cherry discovers how John Lewis is now catering for a new breed of savvy online shoppers. The competition used to be rivals on the high street, like Debenhams and M&S, but now the retailer has to contend with a host of online rivals too.

The Snowman and the Snowdog (Channel 4/HD | 5:25pm 6:00pm | Thursday 24th December 2015)

A charming animated sequel to Raymond Briggs’s classic The Snowman. When a young boy, Billy, and his mother move house, he discovers a box hidden under the floorboards of his bedroom. In the box, he finds a hat, scarf, some lumps of coal and a shrivelled tangerine – it’s a snowman-making kit! When it begins to snow the child builds a Snowman and, with some spare snow, a Snowdog. That night, at the stroke of midnight, the Snowman and the Snowdog magically come to life! Billy awakes and joins them on an amazing adventure, flying over London and onwards to the North Pole, where they join Snowmen and Snowwomen from around the world.

Brave (BBC 1/HD | 3:10pm to 4:35pm | Friday 25th December 2015)

Determined to make her own path in life, Princess Merida defies a custom that brings chaos to her kingdom. Granted one wish, Merida must rely on her bravery and her archery skills to undo a beastly curse.

Doctor Who (BBC 1/HD | 5:15pm to 6:15pm | Friday 25th December 2015)

It is Christmas Day on a remote human colony, and the Doctor is hiding from Christmas carols and comedy antlers. But when a crashed spaceship calls upon the Doctor for help, he finds himself recruited into River Song’s squad and hurled into a fast and frantic chase across the galaxy. King Hydroflax is furious, and his giant robot bodyguard is out of control and coming for them all. Will Nardole survive? And when will River Song work out who the Doctor is? All will be revealed on a starliner full of galactic supervillains and a destination the Doctor has been avoiding for a very long time.

Call the Midwife (BBC 1/HD | 7:30pm to 8:45pm | Friday 25th December 2015)

Festive cheer is in plentiful supply as Poplar readies itself for Christmas. An unexpected surprise for a grieving mother helps bring the Christmas magic home, while Nonnatus is rocked to the core when one of its own goes missing.

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

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 12/12/2015

Our Guy in Latvia- 06-14-2015 - YouView appCountryfile (BBC 1/HD | 6:20pm to 7:20pm | Sunday 13th December 2015)

Ellie Harrison and Matt Baker are in the Peaks in Derbyshire, looking at how the geology there gives rise to two distinct landforms – the Dark Peak and the White Peak. Matt is in the White Peak discovering that the limestone that characterises the region is the remnant of an ancient tropical reef. Ellie is in the Dark Peak, where it’s gritstone that marks out the landscape. She takes a walk with an artist who maps the land and creates three-dimensional maps in metal. Ellie then ventures further north to catch a glimpse of England’s last remaining population of mountain hares. Sean Fletcher is at Haddon Hall helping with some of the restoration of this famous building. Adam Henson recounts the story of the tractor, from its origins in the age of steam to the hi-tech GPS-guided self-driving tractors of today. Tom Heap finds out that not everyone is pleased to see the return of wild boars to the Forest of Dean.

The Adventure Show (BBC 2 Scotland & BBC iPlayer only | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 13th December 2015)

This month’s Adventure Show comes from the 3 Pistes – the UK’s highest sportive, with over 100 miles of road biking that includes more than 2,000 metres of climbing. Riders are taken through three of Scotland’s most iconic ski resorts, starting with the punishing ascents of Glenshee and the Lecht before finishing at Cairngorm Mountain. Also on this month’s Adventure Show, there is an exclusive report from Nepal which reveals that five months after the earthquakes that devastated much of the country, no outside aid has reached the mountain communities in the Everest National Park.

The Mountain (BBC 1 Scotland/HD & BBC iPlayer only | 7:30pm to 8:00pm | Monday 14th December 2015)

Series charting life around Cairngorm. As the summer comes to a close with a big splash, the mountain gets its new ski tow installed in the nick of time, and Polly and Ross count the cost of a busy summer.

Our Guy in Latvia (Channel 4/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 14th December 2015)

Guy Martin, best known as the daredevil petrol-head with a passion for speed and death-defying adventures, takes a rare week off work to make a personal journey to the Baltics to uncover the truth about his Latvian grandfather, Walter Kidals, who died nine years ago. The details of Walter’s life have always been unclear, so Guy decides to find out what really happened, and uncovers an extraordinary life involving prisoner of war camps, daring escapes, and the constant threat of death and deportation.

Reggie Yates’ Extreme UK (BBC 3/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 14th December 2015)

Being a British guy in 2015 is not easy, and in this series Reggie Yates travels to the extreme edge of modern British masculinity to discover that 21st-century pressures are changing the way we live, the way we love and even the way we look. In the second film, Reggie meets the angry young British men who think feminism has gone too far – and some of the women who have felt their wrath on an internet tailor-made for anti-feminism and trolls. He meets young guys espousing men’s rights at Speakers’ Corner in Hyde Park and the underground movement of male separatists of MGTOW (or Men Going Their Own Way). Reggie also encounters infamous self-styled pick-up artist Roosh V, who dishes out advice on how to have more sex with women – but doesn’t seem to like them very much.

TFI Friday (Channel 4/HD | 7:30pm to 9:00pm | Friday 18th December 2015)

Chris Evans is joined by Norfolk icon and national treasure Alan Partridge to co-host this special Christmas comedy show. A stellar line-up of guests includes James Corden, Jack Whitehall and Lee Mack. Plus music from Sir Tom Jones, Bryan Adams, Lianne La Havas and Elle King.
(High Definition, Subtitles, 3 Star)

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

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 05/12/2015

Countryfile - 06-12-2015 - YouView appDoctor Who (BBC 1/HD | 8:00pm to 9:05pm | Saturday 5th December 2015)

If you took everything from him, betrayed him, trapped him, and broke both his hearts… how far might the Doctor go? Returning to Gallifrey, the Doctor faces the Time Lords in a struggle that will take him to the end of time itself. Who is the Hybrid? And what is the Doctor’s confession?

Countryfile (BBC 1/HD | 6:20pm to 7:20pm | Sunday 6th December 2015)

Ellie Harrison and Joe Crowley explore the NC500 – a new 500-mile scenic loop that takes in some of Scotland’s remotest and most beautiful places. Ellie is in the west near Applecross where she comes face to face with the fearsome Belach na Ba – the ‘Pass of the Cattle’. At more than 2,000 feet, it’s Britain’s highest road. Ellie then snakes up the coast to Ullapool to find out how one small native fish could be the answer to the salmon-farming industry’s prayers. Joe Crowley is in the east, riding the NC500 through Sutherland’s fertile planes. He stops off to meet the young couple who have jacked it all in to live the crofting life. He then drives on to the Black Isle – so called because of its rich black fertile soils. Here, he meets the farmers growing premium barley destined for the whiskey industry. Tom investigates the high number of traffic accidents that happen on our rural roads, while Adam discovers that the future of UK energy production may be straw powered.

The Hunt (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Sunday 6th December 2015)

Nature documentary series narrated by Sir David Attenborough, taking an intimate and detailed look at the strategies employed by hunters to catch their prey, and the hunted to escape. The coast is the dynamic border between land and sea. Powered by the tides and thrashed by waves, this is a world of continuous change. Opportunities never last long here, so hunters are always in a race against time. The coast is the only place on the planet where predators from air, land and sea come together. Dolphins that leave the safety of the sea to fish, walking octopuses, ingenious monkeys, fishing wolves and the greatest gathering of feeding humpback whales come to the coast to hunt. For all, timing is everything.

The Mountain (BBC 1 Scotland/HD & BBC iPlayer only | 7:30pm to 8:00pm | Monday 7th December 2015)

Series charting life around Cairngorm. Possibly the UK’s weirdest music festical gets underway. The sailing school calls up new management to survive. The ski patrol team takes on the adventure triathalon.

Bothy Life (BBC 2 Scotland & BBC iPlayer only | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 9th December 2015)

Documentary telling the story of the unsung heroes of Scotland’s mountains. For 50 years volunteers of the Mountain Bothy Association have been providing shelter for people travelling through the wilder parts of Scotland. They selflessly give up their time to renovate old buildings for the benefit of others. Bothy Life celebrates their work, as well the spirit of adventure and camaraderie of those who step out into the hills.

BBC Music Awards (BBC 1/HD | 8:00pm to 10:00pm | Thursday 10th December 2015)

Chris Evans and Fearne Cotton host the second annual BBC Music Awards from the Genting Arena in Birmingham, celebrating an amazing 12 months of popular music across the BBC. The spectacular show features stand-out performances of some of this year’s biggest songs by artists including One Direction, Rod Stewart, Ellie Goulding, Faithless, Hozier, James Bay, Jess Glynne, Little Mix, Mumford and Sons, OMI, Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott, the Shires and Jack Garratt, who will also be crowned BBC Introducing Artist of the Year. Other awards presented during the show include British Artist of the Year, International Artist of the Year, the public-voted Song of the Year and, new for 2015, BBC Live Performance of the Year. The BBC Concert Orchestra also performs alongside many of the artists.

TFI Friday (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Friday 11th December 2015)

The new series of Chris Evans’ entertainment show continues, from its new home in central London, with new features, raucous stunts and an array of guests, including Martin Freeman, Idris Elba, Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott, James Bay, and Rita Ora and Sigma.

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

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 28/11/2015

The World's Most Famous Train - 30/11/2015 (YouView app)Doctor Who (BBC 1/HD | 8:05pm to 9:00pm | Saturday 28th November 2015)

Trapped in a world unlike any other he has seen, the Doctor faces the greatest challenge of his many lives. One final test. And he must face it alone. Pursued by the fearsome creature known only as the Veil, he must attempt the impossible. If he makes it through, Gallifrey is waiting…

Guy Martin: Last Flight of the Vulcan Bomber (Channel 4/HD | 7:30pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 29th November 2015)

The last airworthy Vulcan bomber, XH558, flew for the final time to great fanfare in October this year. This iconic plane played a pivotal role in protecting UK interests in the post-World War II era as the first nuclear deterrent, and was also responsible for the longest raid in British military history when it successfully attacked enemy targets in the Falkland Islands. Mechanic Guy Martin is given unprecedented access to the aircraft, helping a select group of engineers prepare it for an ambitious farewell tour around of Britain. He also gets the rare chance to fly alongside the plane in formation, as well as taking the controls to try and ‘wheelie’ the 70-tonne aircraft along a runway. This 90-minute documentary is the definitive story of the Vulcan bomber, featuring expert contributions from Vulcan pilots and crew who faced the awesome responsibility of potentially having to drop nuclear bombs.

The Hunt (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Sunday 29th November 2015)

Nature documentary series narrated by Sir David Attenborough, taking an intimate and detailed look at the strategies employed by hunters to catch their prey, and the hunted to escape. Half of all land is desert or grassland. In these, the most exposed habitats on our planet, predators like cheetahs, bald eagles and lions can usually see their prey. But it works both ways: the prey can see them too. With nothing but open vistas the element of surprise is hard-won, and predators must make their own opportunities. Nowhere to Hide explores the strategies of predator and prey in the open arena.

The Mountain (BBC 1 Scotland/HD & BBC iPlayer only | 7:30pm to 8:00pm | Monday 30th November 2015)

Series charting life around Cairngorm. The mountain team has to call in the helicopter to reach their remotest ski tow, the Glorious Twelfth looks less than glorious, Ruari gets married, and 25,000 people turn up in Aviemore to hear Spud the piper.

Coming Oot! (BBC 1 Scotland/HD & BBC iPlayer only | 10:35pm to 11:35pm | Monday 30th November 2015)

Documentary featuring a rich mix of eye-witness testimony, archive and historical research to chart the radically changing attitudes towards Scotland’s gay community. Scotland was over a decade behind England and Wales in decriminalising homosexuality but now has the best gay rights in Europe.

The World’s Most Famous Train (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Monday 30th November 2015)

During its nine-month-long season, the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express makes over 60 journeys, covering 150,000 kilometres, with the majority of trips between London and Venice. Marketed as the world’s most luxurious and romantic train journey, the train is comprised of 17 unique 1920s carriages. Having carried an abundance of elite individuals across Italy, Switzerland, and Turkey for well over a century, each one contains its own unique history, from dramatic incidents to royal scandals. Nowadays, from champagne bars to five-star gastronomy, the train service offers an idyllic, luxury trip. This one-off film follows the stories of the staff and passengers – who in a world of budget, two-hour flights, are still willing to fork out £2000 for a 36-hour journey across Europe, without Wi-Fi or showers.

Trusadh (BBC Alba | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 30th November 2015)

Railway enthusiast Alasdair MacCalum goes on a special journey of discovery on the Highland Railway as he tells the story of this famous network to mark its 150th anniversary. The series of lines run from Perth to Inverness, then out east towards Keith, north up to Wick and Thurso and across to Kyle of Lochalsh in the west. Together they make up one of the most stunning and isolated railway systems in Europe. Along the way, Alasdair meets historians, experts, engineers and fellow enthusiasts and brings this amazing railway’s story to life. From the enormous engineering feats needed to build it to the massive impact that it had on the Highland communities, this programme tells the story of a railway that is unique in many different ways.

Loch Lomond: A Year in the Wild (Channel 5 | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Tuesday 1st December 2015)

Documentary series about the wildlife of Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park in Scotland, filmed across one year. The winter is mild and wet, which is good news for some but bad news for others. Red deer are forced to higher ground, salmon have gone six months without food, mountain hares turn a conspicuous white, and squirrels kick their own young out of the nest.

TFI Friday (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Friday 4th December 2015)

The new series of Chris Evans’ entertainment show continues, from its new home in central London, with new features, raucous stunts and guests include Kylie Minogue, Daniel Radcliffe, Florence and The Machine, Mumford and Sons, and Nathaniel Rateliff and The Night Sweats.

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

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 21/11/2015

Doctor Who - 21/11/2015 (YouView app)Doctor Who (BBC 1/HD | 8:10pm to 9:00pm | Saturday 21st November 2015)

The Doctor and Clara, with their old friend Rigsy, find themselves in a magical alien world, hidden on a street in the heart of London. Sheltered within are some of the most fearsome creatures of the universe, and Ashildr! With a death sentence hanging over their heads, not all of the intruders will get out alive.

The Hunt (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Sunday 22nd November 2015)

Nature documentary series narrated by Sir David Attenborough, taking an intimate and detailed look at the strategies employed by hunters to catch their prey, and the hunted to escape. This episode follows blue whales, sharks, sea lions, frigatebirds, dolphins and albatrosses to reveal the strategies they use to hunt for prey in the big blue. The open ocean is an immense wilderness that covers more than half the surface of our planet, yet for the most part it’s a watery desert, largely devoid of life. Predators face an endless search to find and catch food, yet these great tracks of ocean are home to some of the most remarkable hunters on the planet.

The Mountain (BBC 1 Scotland/HD & BBC iPlayer only | 7:30pm to 8:00pm | Monday 23rd November 2015)

Series charting life around Cairngorm. In this edition, the steam railway gets overheated, the mountain team battles the midges, Rona the downhill racer’s dreams come adrift, and the pub springs a leak.

Emergency! Trains v Weather (itv/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Tuesday 24th November 2015)

What does it take to keep Britain’s railways running through some of the worst winter weather on record? This film follows the army of engineers and maintenance teams as they battle against the elements to keep the rail network open and prevent the delays that cause misery to millions of passengers every winter. Using the latest technology and sheer old-fashioned graft, they tackle floods, hurricane force winds and tracks buried under six feet of snow – not to mention the annual blight of leaves on the line. With millions depending on the trains every day, the maintenance teams are the unsung heroes of the rail network.

Loch Lomond: A Year in the Wild (Channel 5 | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Tuesday 24th November 2015)

Documentary series featuring the wildlife of Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park in Scotland, filmed across one year. Autumn is when stags compete to breed, osprey chicks begin a 3000-mile migration to West Africa, salmon return to the rivers where they were born and adders give birth to live young.

Grand Designs (Channel 4/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 25th November 2015)

In this final episode Kevin McCloud reveals the winner of the Royal Institute of British Architects House of the Year 2015. There are three extraordinary houses still to see: a simple but beautiful timber and steel clad home in Dungeness; a soaring pink brick house in Belfast with fabulous views of the surrounding landscape; and an 18th-century converted mill in a remote, rural part of Scotland. The three are vying for the last place on the finalist shortlist. And then, at the end of the show, Kevin announces the overall winner of this year’s prestigious award and visits the house to discover why it has been crowned the best new home in Britain.

TFI Friday (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Friday 27th November 2015)

The new series of Chris Evans’ entertainment show continues, from its new home in central London, with new features, raucous stunts and guests include Ellie Goulding, The Vamps, Wolf Alice and Jamie Lawson.

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

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 14/11/2015

Restoring Britain's Landmarks - 18-11-2015 - YouView appDoctor Who (BBC 1/HD | 8:15pm to 9:00pm | Saturday 14th November 2015)

This terrifying story is assembled from footage discovered in the wreckage of Le Verrier Space Station.

The Hunt (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Sunday 15th November 2015)

Hide and Seek (Forests). Nature documentary series narrated by Sir David Attenborough, taking an intimate and detailed look at the strategies employed by hunters to catch their prey, and the hunted to escape. This episode follows tigers, harpy eagles, chimpanzees, army ants and other predators as they rise to the challenge of hunting within the forest – a dense, confusing, three-dimensional world, one in which even finding prey is a maddening task. The prize for succeeding at nature’s great game of hide-and-seek is one worth winning. Forests cover one third of the land surface, and concealed within are over half of the species on Earth.

The Mountain (BBC 1 Scotland/HD & BBC iPlayer only | 7:30pm to 8:00pm | Monday 16th November 2015)

Series charting life around Cairngorm. Spud the piper returns and gets a riding lesson, Ruari goes diving for his wedding menu, the oldest ski tow on the mountain needs demolishing, and a young mountain biker gets out of school to go racing.

Loch Lomond: A Year in the Wild (Channel 5 | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Tuesday 17th November 2015)

Documentary series featuring the wildlife of Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park in Scotland, filmed across one year. It is now June, and the park is bathed in 17 hours of daylight. With the warm temperatures come rich pickings, but for the newborn the summer months are crucial as they learn to fight, find food and avoid predators. Will an orphaned hen harrier chick, young red squirrels, Eurasian beaver kits and two rare osprey chicks make it through to the autumn?

Restoring Britain’s Landmarks (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Wednesday 18th November 2015)

The last episode in the series follows the final push to complete the restoration of St Edward’s Presbytery in Ramsgate, a house designed by architect Augustus Pugin. Conservation Manager Alastair Dick-Cleland visits an unusual Martello tower at Aldeburgh in Suffolk – one of a chain of impressive coastal forts built to keep Napoleon out of Britain, that is now battling to keep out the water. And historian Anna Keay explores Appleton Water Tower in Sandringham Park. She investigates the role it played in a shocking story of disease and death on the Royal Estate, and reveals how the heir to the throne of the British Empire very nearly died.

Grand Designs (Channel 4/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm Wednesday 18th November 2015)

Kevin McCloud reveals another five candidates vying to be crowned Riba House of the Year 2015. There’s a luxurious city home built from Danish brick and bronze, complete with a basement swimming pool. A bold concrete and brick open-plan house in Liverpool, with floor to ceiling glass. A dramatic geometric homestead in rural Northern Ireland. A glamorous Hollywood-inspired pad in north London. And lastly, a picture perfect, white, modernist villa in north Wales, with vast sea views, that appeared on Grand Designs last year. Find out at the end of the show which one has made it through to the finals for this year’s prestigious award.

Tyger Takes On (BBC 3/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Thursday 19th November 2015)

Two-part series in which Tyger Drew-Honey explores the blurring boundaries of 21st-century sexuality and sexism, delving head first into the thought-provoking lives of young adults today. In the second film, Tyger explores the battle of the sexes, visiting some of the battlegrounds on which it is being fought, and treading the minefield of sexism from the mating game and universities to politics. Tyger questions whether he is part of the problem.

TFI Friday (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Friday 20th November 2015)

Chris Evans’ seminal cult entertainment show continues the new series with brand new features, raucous stunts and guests including Mark Ronson, ELO, Hozier and Stereophonics.

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