Tag: All Creatures Great and Small

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 30/09/2023

Endurance: Race to the Pole (Channel 5/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 2nd October 2023) ** NEW SERIES **

The Discovery Expedition, 1901-1904. Series 1, episode 1. Ben and Dwayne Fields tackle the trials and tribulations faced by the expeditions racing to become the first to reach the South Pole at the beginning of the 20th century, experience decisive moments that saw Roald Amundsen reach the pole first, Ernest Shackleton become a seasoned explorer and Robert Falcon Scott reach the pole only to die on the return journey. In the opeining episode, Ben and Dwayne land on Antarctica and transition from modern polar explorers into their historical clothes and follow in the footsteps of Britain’s three-year-long Discovery expedition, which began in 1901.

Norfolk and Suffolk (Channel 5/HD | 8:00pm to 8:58pm | Wednesday 4th October 2023)

At a Second World War airbase in Norfolk, 30 members of the Women’s Institute take to the air with the Norfolk Gliding Club. Elsewhere at Thetford Forest, Geoff Scrivens and his team erect two giant tipis in time for a wedding, which takes place as the sun begins to set, and in Lowestoft in Suffolk, the 77ft fishing smack Excelsior is readying for sea.

Celebrity Race Across the World (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 4th October 2023) ** PICK OF THE WEEK **

As they approach the halfway point, the teams must travel from the Mediterranean island of Corsica to the third checkpoint in Zermatt, a mountain resort in the Swiss Alps. Harry Judd and his mother Emma hold a slim one-hour lead having jumped from last place to first place in the previous leg. The pair plan their route to Zermatt via Italy where they take a horseback tour of Lake Como which reawakens Emma’s childhood passion while Mel Blatt and her mum Helene opt for a route through France. Billy Monger and his sister Bonny decide to have some fun after a challenging last leg but Bonny will need some convincing to go with Billy’s caving idea. Alex Beresford and his dad Noel arrive at the checkpoint over 24 hours after the race leaders but are determined to catch up.

Grand Designs (Channel 4/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 4th October 2023)

North Lincolnshire 2023. Series 23, episode 2. Kevin McCloud meets college deputy principal Danny who plans on building a four-bedroom house in his garden in North Lincolnshire. He plans to build a stylish, sustainable but affordable home among the trees with dramatic bedroom pods raised on steel stilts on the edge of a fishing pond to help his three children connect to nature. With plenty of ambition but no experience as a self-builder, his £300,000 budget doesn’t seem to match the scale of his project.

Saving Lives at Sea (BBC 2/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 5th October 2023)

In a Split Second. Series 8, episode 2. In Whitby, north Yorkshire, the crew race to the rescue of two fossil hunters who are cut off by the tide – and soon find that they too are in grave danger. On Dorset’s Jurassic Coast, in Swanage, a trainee yachtsman has suffered a mysterious head injury and is in need of urgent treatment.

All Creatures Great and Small (Channel 5/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Thursday 5th October 2023) ** NEW SERIES **

Broodiness. Series 4, episode 1. Return of the drama, starring Nicholas Ralph and Samuel West. It is Spring 1940, and without Tristan, Skeldale House is busier than ever. James and Helen dream about the future, hoping that he won’t be called up. And a chance encounter with young lad, Wesley Binks, leaves James worrying if his dog, Duke, is being mistreated.

Susan Calman’s Grand Day Out (Channel 5/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Friday 6th October 2023) ** NEW SERIES **

Pennines and Northumberland. Series 6, episode 1. The comedian returns for a fresh batch of adventures, beginning with a trip to the northeast corner of England, taking in the Pennines and Northumberland coast. Susan enjoys a stretch of Heritage Coast and the rolling countryside of the North Pennines. She also explores the Northumberland National Park.

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

Dales Way : Day 2 : Burnsall to Kettlewell

That’s Bugsy, Mark G and myself done day 2 of the Dales Way, which took us 10.04 miles from Burnsall to Kettlewell.

Like yesterday, the weather was great, maybe a bit more windy. But still dry and sunny.

The highlight was walking around Grassington, which is also used has the fictional town of Darrowby in the 2020 Channel 5 series of All Creatures Great and Small.

Here are some photos from day 2. Plus our route can be found at www.strava.com/activities/8913976449

Many more photos can be found at www.gordon-valentine.com/zenphoto/dales-way/

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 17/12/2022

The Snowman: The Film That Changed Christmas (Channel 4/HD | 5:00pm to 6:00pm | Saturday 17th December 2022)

This year marks 40 years since Channel 4 first broadcast the animated adaptation of Raymond Briggs’ much-loved children’s book The Snowman. Children’s authors Tom Fletcher, Joseph Coelho and Dapo Adeola celebrate a film that has become an essential part of the British Christmas, while members of the team who created it share their memories. Narrated by Mandip Gill.

The Snowman (Channel 4/HD | 6:00pm to 6:30pm | Saturday 17th December 2022)

Raymond Briggs’ festive favourite, a wordless animated fantasy telling the story of a small boy whose snowman magically comes to life and whisks him off on the journey of a lifetime to the North Pole. Howard Blake’s score includes the award-winning song Walking in the Air, which was taken to number five in the charts by a young Aled Jones, but is here sung by Peter Auty.

The Snowman and the Snowdog (Channel 4/HD | 6:30pm to 7:30pm | Saturday 17th December 2022)

Animated sequel to Raymond Briggs’ classic festive tale The Snowman, telling the story of another youngster’s magical Christmas. A boy’s snowman and snowdog come to life at the stroke of midnight and take him on an adventure to the North Pole, where he and his new companions meet an assortment of colourful characters, including Santa himself, before returning home – where a wonderful surprise awaits.

Top Gear (BBC 2/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 18th December 2022)

The team carries out some consumer testing, taking a look at 50 family cars on the market and whittling them down to he best three. Plus, some tips on buying a delivery van on a budget, and Paddy McGuinness heads to Italy to test drive the Daytona SP3, Ferrari’s retro-styled supercar inspired by its iconic 1960s racers.

The Railway Children (BBC 2/HD | 3:00pm to 3:45pm | Tuesday 20th December 2022)

Three Edwardian children are forced to leave their comfortable middle-class London home and move to the wilds of Yorkshire after their father is wrongfully imprisoned for treason. Family drama adapted from E Nesbit’s story, starring Jenny Agutter, Sally Thomsett, Gary Warren, Dinah Sheridan, Bernard Cribbins, William Mervyn and Iain Cuthbertson.

Sports Personality of the Year (BBC 1/HD | 6:45pm to 9:00pm | Wednesday 21st December 2022)

Gary Lineker, Clare Balding, Gabby Logan and Alex Scott present coverage of the ceremony live from MediaCityUK in Salford, as the year’s key sporting moments are reviewed and the successor to Emma Raducanu is crowned following a public vote. The top scorer in England’s Euro 2022 triumph Beth Mead and the ICC World T20-winning cricketer Ben Stokes are among those expected to be in contention. The 69th staging of the show will also champion the unsung heroes in local communities who do inspiring work at grassroots level.

Paddington (BBC 1/HD | 3:15pm to 4:45pm | Thursday 22nd December 2022)

An earthquake forces a bear from the Peruvian jungle to start a new life in London. He finds modern Britain to be very different from the stories told to him by his aunt, but makes a new home with a kindly family. However, a sinister taxidermist intends to turn him into a museum exhibit. Comedy based on Michael Bond’s series of children’s books, starring Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins and Nicole Kidman, with the voice of Ben Whishaw.

Paddington 2 (BBC 1/HD ( 3:35pm to 5:15pm | Friday 23rd December 2022)

The lovable little bear has settled into his new life with the Brown family in London, becoming a much-loved member of the local community – until his search for a birthday present for his aunt leads to him being framed as a thief. While the Browns try to clear Paddington’s name, he tries to make himself at home in prison, winning over the other convicts and getting involved in an escape attempt. Comedy adventure, starring Hugh Bonneville, Hugh Grant and Sally Hawkins, with Ben Whishaw providing the voice of Paddington.

All Creatures Great and Small (Channel 5/HD | 9:00pm to 10:10pm | Friday 23rd December 2022) ** PICK OF THE WEEK **

It’s Christmas in Darrowby and everyone is trying to make the most of things while the world is at war. A young guest brings some wonder, mischief and cheer to Skeldale House while everyone waits for important news. When Mrs Pumphrey heralds the arrival of a kitten in need of some extra care at Pumphrey Manor, James has just the person to take him under their wing. Siegfried is asked to pay a visit to an injured River just before a big race and makes an important discovery which Sebright Saunders uses as leverage to get River back on the racetrack.

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

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 15/10/2022

Inside Central Station (BBC 1 Scotland/HD & BBC iPlayer only | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Monday 17th October 2022)

The team start work on cleaning up the station’s disused Victorian Platform, ready for renovation. Up on the concourse, Transport Police tackle drug issues around the station and station staff receive life-saving training. A special unveiling takes place to honour war veterans and out on the tracks, and the engineering team tackle one of the biggest sections of work in the Argyll line closure.

Our Dementia Choir with Vicky Mcclure (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 17th October 2022)

Part two of two. Vicky and the choir are joined by Pop Star Tom Grennan as they sing at Splendour Festival, taking their fight for change to their biggest audience ever. Vicky also meets new choir member Steve, who has just been diagnosed with dementia, and catches up with the choir’s youngest singer Julie who was diagnosed at 51

Grand Designs (Channel 4/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 19th October 2022)

Back in 2011, Edward and Hazel Short set out to build an art deco, shining white lighthouse tower with additional bedrooms, guest rooms and infinity pool, all on a rugged but beautiful clifftop in north Devon. It was an ambitious project and quickly ran into trouble, not least the apparent breakdown of the couple’s marriage and a spiral of borrowing and debt which, by the end of 2019, left Edward facing bankruptcy. Kevin McCloud now returns to see if anything has been salvaged from this disastrous project.

Saving Lives at Sea (BBC 2/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 20th October 2022)

In Thurso, Scotland’s most northerly mainland station, the crew race to the rescue of an ocean-going rower who’s run into trouble 40 miles out to sea. In Dungeness, on the Kent coast, there are two different shouts for the crew to deal with – an 11-year-old boy who has drifted out to sea on an inflatable dinghy, and three migrants attempting to cross the English Channel at night.

All Creatures Great and Small (Channel 5/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Thursday 20th October 2022) ** PICK OF THE WEEK **

The Skeldale House regulars think about what matters to them most when the radio reports that Britain is standing on the brink of war. As everyone processes the news, James discovers a case of TB at Heston Grange. Richard begs him not to report it or the farm will be shut down and he could lose his livelihood.

Susan Calman’s Grand Day Out (Channel 5/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Friday 21st October 2022) ** NEW SERIES **

The comedian heads to the south Cornish Coast in her campervan, Helen. Susan’s adventure starts at the most southerly point of Britain on the Lizard peninsula, where she explores the coast by kayak to see the dramatic scenery up close.

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

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 08/10/2022

Inside Central Station (BBC 1 Scotland/HD & BBC iPlayer only | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Monday 10th October 2022)

Station staff work to raise awareness of homelessness by hosting a sleep out on the concourse, while staff benefit from a visit from a therapet to boost mental health. The maintenance team deal with a blocked toilet and the engineering teams below ground, work to carry out vital repairs to waterproof the tunnels. Paul explores the fascinating history of Glasgow’s shipyards and their link to the railway and Jackie and Drew receive exciting news that will have a big impact on the station tours.

Our Dementia Choir with Vicky Mcclure (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 10th October 2022) ** NEW SERIES **

Part one of two. Vicky reunites with members of the choir of people living with dementia she helped to form four years ago, as well as some new recruits. Vicky and the choir decide to record a charity single to raise awareness for the lack of support for people living with the condition, performing a song gifted to them by a local band. They become the first dementia choir to record at the legendary Abbey Road studios.

The Ice Cream Wars (BBC 1 Scotland/HD & BBC iPlayer only | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 10th October 2022) ** NEW SERIES **

Part one of two. In the early 1980s, Glasgow’s gangsters found themselves fighting over an unlikely commodity – ice cream vans and the lucrative routes to be found in each of the city’s sprawling new schemes, such as Easterhouse and Ruchazie, which housed thousands but gave them little access to shops, pubs or other facilities. With little alternative, ice cream vans thrived and evolved to sell a range of goods, making so much money that they attracted the attention of the city’s gangsters.

The Ice Cream Wars (BBC 1 Scotland/HD & BBC iPlayer only | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Tuesday 11th October 2022)

The conclusion of the two-part documentary picks up in the summer of 1984, with the criminal investigation into the fire that killed six members of the Doyle family. The police’s efforts to find those responsible would lead to one of the biggest trials in Scottish history, with seven men in the dock. In the end, just two, Thomas Campbell and Joe Steele, would be convicted of murder, despite doubts over the strength of the evidence against them. There followed one of the most dramatic campaigns for justice as both men fought to keep their case in the public eye.

Grand Designs (Channel 4/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 12th October 2022)

Kevin meets south London chef Corinne, who loves to entertain and is rustling up plans for a beautifully crafted, double-kitchen home designed around her love of cooking. The end-of-terrace plot is on a hill and surrounded by woodland within a strict conservation area, so it won’t be an easy build. But having come through a divorce and cancer treatment, Corinne sees the house as vital on so many levels, not least as an opportunity to create a space that represents her new lease of life.

Saving Lives at Sea (BBC 2/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 13th October 2022)

In Swanage, in Dorset, the crew race to the rescue of a diver whose life hangs in the balance. In Kinghorn, on the east coast of Scotland, a swimmer is swept out to sea and is at severe risk of hypothermia. And on Holywell beach, in Newquay, a multi-agency operation kicks into gear when a walker suffers a serious injury.

All Creatures Great and Small (Channel 5/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Thursday 13th October 2022) ** PICK OF THE WEEK **

Siegfried and Tristan are left in charge of Skeldale House, when Mrs Hall takes time off to meet up with an important person from her past. Siegfried immediately puts Tristan in charge of housekeeping duties and focuses on running the practice and educating a visiting work experience boy named Andrew Simmonds.

Martin Compston’s Scottish Fling (BBC 2/HD | 9:30pm to 10:00pm | Friday 14th October 2022)

Martin and Phil MacHugh end their tour of Scotland in the lowlands. Phil is unexpectedly delayed due to bad weather on the island of Barra, so Martin flyes solo at the Edinburgh Fire Festival of Beltane. Eventually they head to the Line of Duty star’s hometown of Greenock for a heartfelt sign-off.

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

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 01/10/2022

Inside Central Station (BBC 1 Scotland/HD & BBC iPlayer only | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Monday 3rd October 2022)

A staff absence means the pressure is on for Jackie as she tackles her biggest-ever tour, while a gaming competition on the concourse causes staff to get competitive. In the tunnels beneath Central, the engineers tackle complex steel repairs and the closed lines allows Paul to explore the history of some of Glasgow’s forgotten stations. Outside the station, the team at Polmadie depot works against the clock to get the Caledonian Sleeper back on for its nightly service.

Michael Palin: Into Iraq (Channel 5/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Tuesday 4th October 2022)

As he begins the final part of his journey into Iraq, Michael finds a local school in Baghdad and talks to the children about their lives and future hopes. He also heads to Kerbala and the shrine of Imam Husayn, one of the most sacred religious sites in Iraq, visited by millions of Shia pilgrims each year. A truly humbling and extraordinary sight that is very rarely seen, it makes Michael weigh up this country’s recent troubled past and its incredible history.

The Repair Shop (BBC 1/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Wednesday 5th October 2022)

Jay Blades and the team lovingly resuscitate four treasured family heirlooms and the memories they hold. First into the barn are siblings Marc Maderson and Melanie Henry with a 50-year-old childhood toy. They’re hoping bookbinder Chris Shaw will be able to make their tattered and torn paper kite flight-worthy once again. The kite was made by Marc’s stepfather and Melanie’s father Roddy, who died six years ago. It’s a reminder of fun days out, seeing the once-vibrant and colourful kite soaring in the sky. However, having been grounded for the past 20 years, Chris has his work cut out on this delicate paper repair.

Grand Designs (Channel 4/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 5th October 2022)

Kevin McCloud meets retired racehorse breeder John and his wife Helen in Dunstable. The couple met at Newbury races in 2005 and wed two years later, living together in a 17th-century farmhouse until illness struck in 2018. Helen had a catastrophic stroke, severely affecting her mobility and leaving her with aphasia, which affects her ability to communicate. Constrained by the steep stairs, narrow doorways and changes in level of their current home, John resolved to make a big change in their lives with the purchase of a nearby two-acre plot. Following the demolition of an old, dilapidated house on site, a new high-tech accessible pavilion, complete with wildlife garden, will be built in its place for £1.3million.

Saving Lives at Sea (BBC 2/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 6th October 2022)

In Eastbourne, a routine day at the station changes in an instant when a boat catches fire just outside the harbour. In Trevone, north Cornwall, 18-year-old lifeguard Alfie races to the rescue of a surfer caught in a notorious rip current. On the Northumberland coast, the Blyth crew face a frantic search for a dog that’s been swept out by the tide.

All Creatures Great and Small (Channel 5/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Thursday 6th October 2022) ** PICK OF THE WEEK **

James is finally succeeding with the farmers’ uptake of the Ministry of Agriculture’s TB testing scheme, but is struggling with the complicated paperwork – a fact that he is keen to keep from Siegfried. Tristan decides that he is outgrowing running the small animal surgery and buys a car to help with errands at the practice, which also provides him with transport for taking Florence, the daughter of Siegfried’s rival, George Pandhi, out on a date.

Martin Compston’s Scottish Fling (BBC 2/HD | 9:30pm to 10:00pm | Friday 7th October 2022)

Martin and Phil MacHugh travel through the Central Belt to explore why performance is such a big part of Scottish culture. They visit Scotland’s National Sporting Performance Centre just outside Edinburgh to meet the men’s football team, whose performances pretty much define the mood of the nation, and chat to actor and comedian Greg McHugh about Gary: Tank Commander and the Edinburgh Festival.

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

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 24/09/2022

Inside Central Station (BBC 1 Scotland/HD & BBC iPlayer only | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Monday 26th September 2022)

It’s Easter Weekend and an influx of rival football fans at Glasgow Central puts extra pressure on the staff and transport police, as they segregate the fans heading to Hampden. There is a new team member on the concourse as police dog recruit, Marvin, is put through his paces during training. Outside Central, the Network Rail ecologists work to help a peregrine falcon nesting on one of their bridges. And the engineering team get to work on the Argyll line track repairs.

Michael Palin: Into Iraq (Channel 5/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Tuesday 27th September 2022)

Michael continues his journey into the heart of Iraq, arriving in Kirkuk and the exact spot where the British discovered oil in 1927, when the country was under British rule. The next day, he heads towards Tikrit, Saddam Hussein’s home town and, having been stopped at several military checkpoints along the way, and met with severe military authority, is surprised when he receives a warm welcome from the local commander.

The Repair Shop (BBC 1/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Wednesday 28th September 2022)

A brother and sister who hail from a family of variety performers hope that bike expert Tim Gunn can get their mother’s unicycle back in gear for future generations, while bookbinder Chris Shaw restores a large bible that he believes could date back to the 1880s. Will Kirk sets to work on a wooden table damaged after an unfortunate accident with a fish tank and goldsmith Richard Talman faces a tough challenge with a ring that is badly scorched after spending weeks lost in a fireplace.

Grand Designs (Channel 4/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 28th September 2022)

Kevin meets Mike and Sarah, who bought a remote smallholding in the Derbyshire Dales, somewhere to rear animals and provide a home for themselves and their elderly parents. Kevin follows the couple as they set out to build a 21st-century version of a historic Derbyshire longhouse. Enormous, corrugated and with a highly complex roof shape, it was never going to be an easy build. But soon they face delays and their schedule begins to slide. However, that is nothing compared with the problems of a more personal nature that hit the project.

Saving Lives at Sea (BBC 2/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 29th September 2022)

In Eastbourne, new recruit Chris is put through his paces when two casualties are cut off by the tide near Beachy Head. On the coast of south Wales, Penarth crew member Tom is called up for his first shout when a female paddleboarder is caught out by the tide.

All Creatures Great and Small (Channel 5/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Thursday 29th September 2022) ** PICK OF THE WEEK **

Siegfried receives some difficult news and becomes even more irascible than usual. The perfect distraction comes along in the form of Major Sebright Saunders, who asks Siegfried to look at a difficult young racehorse called River. Drama, starring Nicholas Ralph and Samuel West.

Martin Compston’s Scottish Fling (BBC 2/HD | 9:30pm 10:00pm | Friday 30th September 2022)

Actor Martin Compston and his friend Phil MacHugh set off on a sporty exploration of the North of Scotland by taking part in their own Highland Games. They begin their journey at Britain’s most northerly racetrack, the Little Ferry Circuit in Golspie, home to the North of Scotland Kart Club. Here, they meet ex racer Abi Munro and discover how the track plays a major part in the local community’s lives.

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

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 10/09/2022

Inside Central Station (BBC Scotland 1/HD & BBC iPlayer only | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Monday 12th September 2022)

It’s Easter Weekend and an influx of rival football fans at Glasgow Central puts extra pressure on the staff and transport police, as they segregate the fans heading to Hampden. There is a new team member on the concourse as police dog recruit, Marvin, is put through his paces during training. Outside Central, the Network Rail ecologists work to help a peregrine falcon nesting on one of their bridges. And the engineering team get to work on the Argyll line track repairs.

Changing Rooms (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Wednesday 14th September 2022)

Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen and design duo Jordan Cluroe and Russell Whitehead are in the Berkshire town of Wokingham to help two sets of neighbours make over a room in each other’s homes. Lucy and Andy and Mark and Jackie update a small boxy bedroom and a large beige sitting room in their 1960s homes. But has Laurence gone a step too far with his surrealist-inspired boudoir, and will Russell and Jordan be able to create a cinema and an office space in only 48 hours?

Shetland (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 14th September 2022)

Douglas Henshall stars in the conclusion of the crime drama, based on the novels of Ann Cleeves. The team races to identify the killer and prevent disaster striking the town. As the investigation draws to a close, Perez faces a life-changing decision. Co-starring Alison O’Donnell, Steven Robertson and Julie Graham.

Days that Shook the BBC with David Dimbleby (BBC 2/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 14th September 2022)

David explores the BBC’s relationship with the British people, asking how the BBC can seek to serve its entire audience, amid challenges to its impartiality. He considers Radio 2’s Sachsgate affair, which resulted in thousands of complaints after Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross left actor Andrew Sachs obscene voicemail messages, as well as the rise of Rupert Murdoch, who asserted that the BBC was not serving its audience.

Grand Designs (Channel 4/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 14th September 2022)

Kevin McCloud meets Dorran, who has taken on the ambitious task of building a super-modern underground home on a hill outside Canterbury. He entrusts the work to a team of contractors, but when delays and rising costs force him to take charge of the build himself, Dorran faces the biggest challenge of his life, juggling his time between the site and his work as a ship’s master out on the North Sea. However, having promised the house to his wife and children, he knows that failure is not an option.

Saving Lives at Sea (BBC 2/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 15th September 2022)

On Ireland’s north-west coast, the RNLI crew at Bundoran races to the rescue of a teenage girl who has been swept out to sea by a rip-current. In Portishead, north Somerset, a man suffers serious chest injuries after falling 30ft from a cliff, and needs to be rushed to hospital. Across the Bristol Channel, in Porthcawl, a missing dog sends the crew on a wild goose chase.

All Creatures Great and Small (Channel 5/HD | Thursday 15th September 2022 | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Thursday 15th September 2022) ** NEW SERIES * PICK OF THE WEEK **

Return of the drama, starring Nicholas Ralph and Samuel West. Three months have passed and it is now spring 1939, with big changes happening at Skeldale and everyone having to learn how to adjust. Tristan is now a qualified vet, while James enters a new stage of his life with Helen and at the practice. After being made joint business partner by Siegfried, James pushes to take on more responsibility via the Ministry of Agriculture’s new bovine TB testing scheme, but its unexpected challenges risk pushing him to breaking point. And as a potential world war looms, all the Skeldale family have to consider their purpose in Darrowby and beyond.

Martin Compston’s Scottish Fling (BBC 2/HD | 9:30pm to 10:00pm | Friday 16th September 2022)

The actor is given a taste of island life when his friend Phil MacHugh takes him on a journey back to his family’s homeland of the Western Isles. Iin Stornoway, they have an appointment at the barbers to meet Syrian refugee Ousama and his eldest son Abdullah to see how their family have been settling into Western Isle life.

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

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 18/12/2021

Sports Personality of the Year (BBC 1/HD | 6:45pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 19th December 2021) ** PICK OF THE WEEK **

Gary Lineker, Gabby Logan, Clare Balding and Alex Scott present coverage of the ceremony live from MediaCityUK in Salford, as the year’s key sporting moments are reviewed and the successor to Lewis Hamilton is crowned following a public vote. The contenders are Olympic gold medallists in diving and swimming respectively Tom Daley and Adam Peaty, heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury, US Open tennis title-winner Emma Raducanu, one of the stars of England’s run to the Euro 2020 final Raheem Sterling, and Great Britain’s most successful Paralympian Sarah Storey.

Guy Martin’s Lancaster Bomber (Channel 4/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Sunday 19th December 2021) ** NEW **

Guy honours Lancaster bomber crews of World War II, as he tries out several on-board roles from pilot to gunner and ‘bomb aimer’. Has he got what it takes to join Bomber Command?

Great British Landmark Fixers (Yesterday | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Monday 20th December 2021)

After 14 decades centre stage the Manchester Town Hall is in urgent need of repair. Now a dedicated team are working hard to do this architectural giant justice.

The Great British Truck Up (Channel 4/HD | 10:00pm to 11:00pm | Tuesday 21st December 2021)

In the run-up to Christmas 2021, with the UK in the grip of a crippling shortage of lorry drivers, a training school in Croydon is putting new recruits behind the wheel. This documentary follows them through five days of intensive coaching from veteran instructors at the National Driving Centre, before they take their test on Croydon’s roads – featuring notorious roundabouts and the dreaded reversing manoeuvre.

Top Gear (BBC 1/HD | 8:30pm to 9:30pm | Friday 24th December 2021)

Chris Harris, Paddy McGuiness and Freddie Flintoff aren’t choosing their own cars, but instead choosing for one another. After unwrapping their presents in the Welsh village of Bethlehem, the trio set off on a yuletide trek across Britain, stopping off to play the game of `High-Speed Visual Charades” and deliver an enormous tree to the Unesco World Heritage city of Bath. Then it’s time for the presenters to visit the Top Gear test track, transformed into a winter wonderland of speed.

All Creatures Great and Small (Channel 5/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Friday 24th December 2021)

Adaptation of James Herriot’s books about life as a vet in the Yorkshire Dales, starring Nicholas Ralph and Samuel West.

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

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 16/10/2021

The Earthshot Prize: Repairing Our Planet (BBC 1/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 17th October 2021)

Dermot O’Leary and Clara Amfo present the awards ceremony celebrating environmental projects working to combat climate change, and providing funding to help them achieve their goals in the next 10 years. David Attenborough speaks on the challenges these issues are designed to mitigate, and there are performances from Coldplay, Ed Sheeran, Yemi Alade, KSI and Shawn Mendes.

The Architecture The Railways Built (Yesterday | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Monday 18th October 2021)

Tim Dunn heads to Bishopstone in Sussex, a seaside station with a difference – it’s also a fortress designed to defend the nation from German attack during the Second World War.

Blair & Brown: The New Labour Revolution (BBC 2/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 18th October 2021)

A look at how millennium celebrations were tempered by a feeling across the country that New Labour hadn’t yet delivered what they promised when they first came to power in 1997. Prime minister Tony Blair decided to regroup and refocus by turning his attention to public services and aiming to put choice at the heart of reform, stepping firmly outside of the Old Labour tradition.

Hornby: A Model World (Yesterday | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 18th October 2021)

Experienced designer Carl has a challenge on his hands attempting to recreate a First World War biplane as a 1/48th scale Corgi model.

Saving Lives at Sea (BBC 2/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Tuesday 19th October 2021)

Just off the west coast of Scotland, on the rugged Isle of Mull, the Tobermory lifeboat crew have to battle huge waves to save a 40-foot fishing boat that’s lost all power. On the Pembrokeshire coast, the crew are called out to reports of an injured fisherman onboard a Belgian trawler.

Shetland (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 20th October 2021) ** NEW SERIES & PICK OF THE WEEK **

Douglas Henshall returns in the detective drama. Perez attends his mother’s funeral on Fair Isle, where he begins to worry that his father is having trouble with his memory. However, when Tosh calls to inform him of a murder – the shooting of a prominent and controversial Shetlander on their doorstep in broad daylight – he rushes back to lead the investigation. Co-starring Alison O’Donnell, Mark Bonnar and Steven Robertson.

All Creatures Great and Small (Channel 5/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Thursday 21st October 2021)

As Chamberlain heads to meet with Hitler in Munich, James prepares to face his parents and give them some difficult news. Meanwhile, the prospect of a return to war acts as a timely reminder to make the most of life while you can. But James’s agenda is derailed by an emergency with the Alderson’s pregnant mare, Candy.

Secrets of the River Clyde (Channel 5/HD | 7:00pm to 8:00pm | Friday 22nd October 2021)

The River Clyde is one of Britain’s most important rivers. Running from the Lowther Hills in Lanarkshire to the Irish Sea, it has been a source of wealth and a symbol of pride for Glasgow and for Scotland. Using archive footage, contemporary film and interviews, cameras reveal how the Clyde has been at the heart of British shipbuilding for more than 300 years.

Susan Calman’s Grand Day Out (Channel 5/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Friday 22nd October 2021)

The comedian climbs the dramatic and spectacular peaks of north Wales. She she stops off at the must-see tourist spot of the Tu Hwnt Ir Bont Tearoom, said to be the most photographed in Wales and famed for its Welsh rarebit. Moving on to Mount Snowdon, Susan climbs the magnificent peak in style, using the mountain railway.

Walking Britain’s Lost Railways (Channel 5/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Friday 22nd October 2021)

Rob Bell visits Cornwall, once one of the world’s great industrial landscapes, and explores the copper mining that once dominated this peninsula. From north coast to south coast, Rob follows Cornwall’s first two railways, and discovers how the deep mines they served prompted the invention of the all-important steam engine.

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