Tag: George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 14/06/2014

Clydebuilt: The Ships That Made the Commonwealt (YouView app screenshot)All Aboard: East Coast Trains (Pick TV | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 15th June 2014)

The team have to improvise when heavy snowfall spells trouble for the entire network. Plus, staff deliver their verdicts on the company’s new uniforms.

Horizon : Where is Flight MH370? (BBC 2/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Tuesday 17th June 2014)

Horizon tells the inside story of the search for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, with access to the key players on the frontline in the southern Indian Ocean and the British satellite engineers who tracked the plane’s final hours.

Coast Australia (BBC 2/HD | 9:10pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 18th June 2014)

Series exploring Australia’s coastline. Neil Oliver meets the residents of Melbourne’s historic beach huts, and explores the beacon that helped birth a nation at Cape Otway. Xanthe Mallett dives for clues to solve the mystery behind a tragic shipwreck that marked the end of an era. Meanwhile, Brendan Moar uncovers the history of the Great Ocean Road, and, armed with his pick, grasps the challenges of building this now world-famous coastal road in the 1920s. Emma Johnston dives in to hunt for a delicate seadragon, and discovers the tragic tale of an artist captivated by its vivid beauty. Tim Flannery scours the water for evidence of a marine mega fauna that roamed the ancestral Port Philip Bay, while Miriam Corowa discovers why the coast at Bells Beach keeps pumping out perfect surfing waves.

George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 19th June 2014)

George Clarke meets motorbike racer Ollie, who’s fed up with sleeping in the back of a transit van when away at competitions and wants to transform a double decker coach into a Japanese-style pod hotel for 20 sleepers. George and Will’s road trip across Texas takes in a building entirely made of rubbish. George meets the man who helped his daughter on to the property ladder by building a home for her in his back garden for just £12,000. George’s own garden build takes shape, as he and Will attempt to erect the entire studio structure in 15 minutes. George meets James, who designed a truly accessible glamping pod after being left bedridden for eight months following a car crash. And there’s also Barny, who built a replica of his grandfather’s horse-drawn wagon to take his family on a slow holiday across France.

Clydebuilt: The Ships That Made the Commonwealth (BBC 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 19th June 2014)

Documentary series exploring the stories of four ships built on the river Clyde. In this episode, David Hayman meets some of the men who sailed on HMS Hood and travels to Scapa Flow to experience what life was like for those people working to protect the vital North Atlantic convoys. He tries his hand at riveting, in order to understand what it took to make this battlecrusier strong and watertight and investigates the flaws that were present from the very beginning.

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

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 07/06/2014

David Beckham Into the Unknown (YouView app screenshot)All Aboard: East Coast Trains (Pick TV | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 8th June 2014)

Thousands of fans descend on Newcastle Station for a big football match, while, in Durham, staff deal with the annual exodus of university students.

David Beckham Into the Unknown (BBC 1/HD | 8:30pm to 10:00pm | Monday 9th June 2014)

After 22 years playing for the world’s greatest football teams, David Beckham has retired. For the first time in his adult life he has freedom to do whatever he wants and to mark the occasion he’s going on an adventure. He’s chosen Brazil, and he’s taking three of his closest friends to join him on this once in a lifetime experience. Starting with beach footvolley in Rio, the friends travel deep into the Amazon, ending up with the remote Yanonami tribe, with David desperately trying to explain the beautiful game.

Road Rage Britain: Caught on Camera (ITV/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 9th June 2014)

The British lead the world in road rage, as these confrontations and clashes caught on camera by the motorists and cyclists in the thick of it show. In a fight for supremacy between two wheels and four, this programme attempts to uncover what causes these regular traffic temper tantrums. The show features video clips and interviews with perpetrators and victims. In a unique experiment, two cyclists, a London cabbie and a white van man swap their methods of transport to see if they can learn to respect their fellow road users.

Coast Australia (BBC 2/HD | 9:10pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 11th June 2014)

Series exploring Australia’s coastline. On Australia’s shiny holiday coast, Miriam Corowa investigates the engineering behind the 1970s Florida-style canal system of the Gold Coast. Brendan Moar dives headlong into a dangerous current to investigate first-hand the science of rips. Xanthe Mallett scours a World War Two fortification at what could have been Australia’s front line, and discovers what life was like waiting for the war to arrive. Neil Oliver heads to see the remains of a bleak chapter in history – an outpost for outcasts. Emma Johnston joins a scientific hunt for sea cows, in the hope of saving them. Finally, Tim Flannery travels to Fraser Island to investigate what’s at the end of the line for the longest sand drift system in the world.

George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 12th June 2014)

The series that shows how even the smallest of spaces can undergo big transformations continues. George Clarke meets a young couple who can’t afford to get on the property ladder and are risking their life savings on creating a family home out of an old Airstream caravan. George meets a couple who think they’ve come up with the answer to all year round camping. George and Will’s road trip across Texas continues with a visit to an abandoned UFO-style futuristic home; as well as a suburban home given a complete makeover with 50,000 beer cans. And George’s ambitious plans for a multi-purpose garden building for him and his kids get a reality check.

Clydebuilt: The Ships That Made the Commonwealth (BBC 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 12th June 2014)

Documentary series exploring the stories of four ships built on the river Clyde. This programme tells the story of the Robert E. Lee, one of the most famous Clydebuilt blockade running paddle steamers. During the American Civil War, Glasgow shipbuilders and captains made a fortune transporting war supplies to the Confederate South and returning with valuable cotton. To run the blockade of Union warships these paddle steamers had to be fast and their crews fearless.

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

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 31/05/2014

George Clarke's Amazing Spaces | 05/06/2014 (YouView app screenshot)Triathlon (BBC 1/HD | 2:00pm to 5:10pm | Saturday 31st May 2014)

Hyde Park once again plays host to the London leg of the World Triathlon Series, the fourth event of the eight-race calendar. The famous venue provides the ideal backdrop for both the men’s and women’s sprint triathlons – fast and furious action is anticipated, with both races taking place on the same afternoon. The Brownlee brothers go head-to-head in the men’s race and lead British hopes. The sprint distance is the one event in which Jonny has been able to get the better of elder brother Alistair in recent years so it should make for a great contest. 2013 world champion Non Stanford makes her 2014 debut as she returns from injury but she faces tough competition from fellow Brits Jodie Stimpson, who leads the series, and two-time world champion Helen Jenkins.

All Aboard: East Coast Trains (Pick TV | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 1st June 2014)

Train driver Steve hasn’t looked back since leaving his accountancy job, while at King’s Cross Station, customer services deal with an irate passenger.

Commonwealth City (BBC 1 Scotland/HD & BBC iPlayer only | 10:35pm to 11:35pm | Monday 2nd June 2014)

Documentary following the fortunes of some of the residents of Dalmarnock in the aftermath of the successful bid to host the Commonwealth Games. Now a local councillor, Yvonne has managed to secure five million pounds for a new community centre with a creche and doctor’s surgery attached, but must act quickly to find available land. Darren’s fortunes rebound as he takes over a local pub, opens a new shop and uses the compensation money to pay for his oldest daughter’s education a one of Glasgow’s top private schools.

Coast Australia (BBC 2/HD | 9:10pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 4th June 2014)

Series exploring Australia’s coastline. In the tranquil south-east of Tasmania, Neil Oliver probes Port Arthur’s harsh penal history. Brendan Moar examines the dramatic grip of lighthouse life on a remote island. Emma Johnston dives into an underwater battleground to see how science and industry are saving the marine neighbourhood. Neil joins the southern hemisphere’s largest wooden boat festival, and Tim Flannery investigates Hobart’s long and illustrious role in Antarctic exploration. Finally, Xanthe Mallett delves into the violent history of whaling, and a legacy that helped build a colony.

George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 5th June 2014)

Architect George Clarke helps imaginations run wild as once again he celebrates the extraordinary world of small spaces and unique builds. The new series features secret hideaways, space-saving retreats, eco-friendly bolt holes and reconditioned vehicles. He shows that with careful planning, cunning design and masses of imagination, the unachievable is doable. The new series particularly celebrates the potential to create small space builds in your own back yard. With the help of his design buddy, master craftsman Will Hardie, George sets out to transform his own wasted garden space into the ultimate family garden studio; with a games room, cinema room, planetarium and, fulfilling a childhood ambition of his own, a butterfly house. For inspiration, they travel to Texas, a Mecca for free thinkers and ingenious design, on a road trip that takes them from Houston to Austin and Dallas.

Clydebuilt: The Ships That Made the Commonwealth (BBC 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 5th June 2014)

Series exploring the stories of four ships built on the river Clyde. David Hayman tells the story of CS Mackay-Bennett, a cable repair ship launched on the Clyde in 1884. She kept information flowing along a network of underwater cables that connected Britain with her empire and the world – the Victorian internet of its day. It’s also a story of a date with disaster, as the ship and her crew recovered the bodies of those who died when the Titanic sank. David travels to Halifax in Canada to find some facts about the ship and to unravel a DNA mystery that’s taken over a century to solve.

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

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 14/12/2013

The Great Train Robbery (YouView app screenshot)Tron Legacy (BBC 2/HD | 8:00pm to 9:55pm | Saturday 14th December 2013)

Sci-fi sequel following a man haunted by the disappearance of his father, a computer programmer, as he tries to track him down. After receiving a signal from his computer that only his father could have sent, he is pulled into a digital world on a journey across a cyber universe where the pair battle an evil villain.

Sports Personality of the Year 2013 (BBC1 /HD | 7:40pm to 10:00pm | Sunday 15th December 2013)

After another incredible year of sport, Gary Lineker, Gabby Logan and Clare Balding present the 2013 BBC Sports Personality of the Year, live from Leeds. In front of a 12,000 crowd and millions watching at home, this star-studded event features appearances by some of the greatest names in world sport. The evening climaxes with the presentation of one of the most coveted awards in sport, which is chosen by viewers live on the night. 2013 is the 60th year of the show and this milestone in television history is celebrated in the programme, as amongst the many famous faces in attendance will be a number of the award’s great past winners. In 2012, cyclist Sir Bradley Wiggins walked away with the famous trophy and described winning it as probably his ‘greatest achievement’ – as it is the public who decides the winner. Ten contenders will be in with a chance of creating their own piece of history, but only one will be victorious.

Tales From Northumberland with Robson Green (itv/HD | 8:00pm to 8:30pm | Monday 16th December 2013)

Robson Green travels around his home county of Northumberland to discover how this mystical place has played a unique role in shaping the Britain we know today. In the seventh episode, Robson investigates the culinary heritage of the Northumberland coast. At Howich Hall, he learns about the history of Earl Grey tea and explores one of Britain’s greatest coastal gardens. At the fishing village of Craster, Robson visits one of the region’s last traditional smokehouses to find out about the origins of the famous Craster kipper.

The Choir: Sing While You Work (BBC 2/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 16th December 2013)

Choirmaster Gareth Malone challenges the four remaining workplace choirs to find their souls, rhythm and conviction in a joyful bid to be crowned the year’s best workplace choir. Three world class choral judges, an 800-strong audience and the London Community Gospel Choir await them at a celebration concert in one of the country’s biggest gospel churches. Spirits are lifted at the fire service amidst news of strike action, the besuited bankers descend into dad dancing, the council workers try to rediscover belief in themselves and the ferry staff exuberantly rock the boat during rehearsals. On the night, potential soloists wait nervously for Gareth to decide who has the courage and fervour to step forward and improvise and lead their choir into the grand final.

Don’t Ever Wipe Tears Without Gloves (BBC 4/HD | 10:00pm to 11:00pm | Monday 16th December 2013)

Swedish mini-series about the struggle the homosexual community had with AIDS. The group attend funeral after funeral for their friends and are brought ever closer together in a mood of solidarity. But Paul and the others are appalled at the prejudice they still face and the refusal of the bereaved families to acknowledge their loved ones’ homosexuality. Having finally come out to his devoutly religious parents when Rasmus received his HIV diagnosis, Benjamin is faced with not just losing Rasmus but his own family. Years later Holger, a friend of Rasmus’s parents, contacts Benjamin out of the blue and gives him an opportunity to reflect on his life, his friendships and everything he has lost. (In Swedish with English subtitles).

Heston’s Great British Food (Channel 4/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Tuesday 17th December 2013)

Heston Blumenthal takes an iconic British dish, revealing the secret history behind its evolution and finding inspiration for an incredible culinary tribute of his own. This time it’s roast beef and Yorkshire pudding. Heston discovers the origins of the great British roast, before serving up a spectacular roast beef dinner to the people who make it possible – butchers and farmers. Heston travels back to late medieval times and tries out a roast chicken dressed as a knight riding a pig into battle. Heston then finds himself in the early 1800s, uncovering just how important beef was to Nelson and his navy. He travels to Switzerland to discover how mould is being used in laboratories to create the most sublime aged beef. He creates a joint made up of different cuts, all treated differently, and stuck together with meat glue; an edible vegetable garden; a bull shot cocktail; and giant Yorkshire puddings. And Heston reveals the secrets of his signature roast potatoes.

Bad Education (BBC 3/HD | 10:00pm to 10:30pm | Tuesday 17th December 2013)

School-based sitcom. It is time for the Abbey Grove Christmas Play and with Miss Pickwell no longer around Mr Fraser decides Alfie is the obvious replacement to direct this year’s production. But with the class undecided about whether to put on the Nutcracker or Robocop, will Alfie’s decision to write and direct a plot mash-up of Robocracker and casting school bully Grayson as co-lead prove successful? Mitchell decides to do something lovely for Alfie and invite his estranged mother to the play, but will Mr Fraser and Mitchell come up with a good enough reason to lure her over from Spain with her new husband Javier? And will Miss Gulliver manage to persuade Alfie and his class to volunteer at the soup kitchen where a Scottish tramp makes quite an impression?

The Great Train Robbery: A Robber’s Tale. Episode 1 (BBC 1/HD | 8:00pm to 9:30pm | Wednesday 18th December 2013)

Based on the true story of the 1963 train robbery, this drama shows how a group of mid-level criminals masterminded by Bruce Reynolds joined forces with a corrupt solicitor to hijack the Bank Holiday mail train from Euston to Glasgow. But their meticulous planning was compromised by a violent attack on the train driver and a botched getaway. Faced with such a huge and audacious crime, worth £44 million in today’s money, the establishment hit back – and Reynolds and his men became the most wanted men in Britain.

The Great Train Robbery: A Copper’s Tale. Episode 2 (BBC 1/HD | 8:00pm to 9:30pm | Thursday 19th December 2013)

Drama based on the true story of the police investigation into the 1963 train robbery, spearheaded by the Flying Squad’s legendary DCS Tommy Butler and conducted in the full glare of public and media scrutiny. In a race against time, can Butler and his hand-picked team of detectives identify every criminal involved in the robbery and bring them to justice before they flee the country? And even if they catch the criminals – can they find the money itself?

George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 19th December 2013)

In this festive special, George visits an incredible man-made stalactite crystal grotto in Surrey, and meets a small-spaces enthusiast who has rebuilt and renovated a Victorian flat-pack tin chapel in Shropshire to create a magical holiday home. He catches up with carpenter Adam, who created a double-decker bus holiday home on the Brighton coastline, Jay and Jonathan at their ambulance-turned-campervan in Norfolk, and Barry at his hexagonal home in Lancashire. Meanwhile, it’s Christmas in the tree house with Rew from the Land Rover cocktail bar helping to get the celebrations started.

Stobart: Trucks, Trains and Planes (Channel 5 | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Friday 20th December 2013)

Observational documentary series about one of the world’s biggest haulage firms. Tim Fox arrives at Penrith fire station just as the alarm bells start ringing, while the rail team call upon the services of a mega machine to make safe a dangerously subsiding slope beside a track.

2013: Moments in Time (BBC 2/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Friday 20th December 2013)

The story of 2013 told through the high-impact images of the year, exploring how photography has changed in the age of smartphones, social media and the selfie. From the helicopter crash in London to the bush fires in Tasmania and the Boston Marathon bombing, this was a year in which the best camera was the one you had in your hand and saw ordinary people taking some of the most striking pictures of 2013. Meeting photographers, news editors and members of the public who were in the right place at the right time, this film reveals how these extraordinary pictures were taken and argues that the image remains as powerful as ever in the modern world.

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

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 07/12/2013

Britain and the Sea (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Sunday 8th December 2013)

David Dimbleby explores how the sea emerged as a source of pleasure, Punch and Judy and sand sculpture. Starting at Gorleston-on-Sea, David explores the creation of a seaside holiday culture that remains uniquely British to this day. Sailing down the Suffolk and Essex coasts and into the Thames, David also shows how the sea became an irresistible subject for our most celebrated artists and architects, before finally docking in the very heart of British maritime power: Greenwich.

The Choir: Sing While You Work (BBC 2/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 9th December 2013)

In the quarter-final, all of the choirs finally come face to face when they arrive at Gareth’s alma mater, the prestigious Royal Academy of Music, the place where he learnt his musical trade, along with the likes of Sir John Tavener, Sir Elton John and Lesley Garrett. The choirs undertake three days of intense tuition and tackle some of the giants of classical music which, after just 72 hours, they will perform to three world-class judges. Birmingham City Council struggles to make Vivaldi glorious, the Cheshire firefighters tackle operatic Verdi with all sirens blaring, and Sainsbury’s says a prayer as they attempt Schubert’s Ave Maria, while the Citi bankers are desperate to come up smelling of roses with their Flower Duet, and P&O Ferries delve into the depths of Mozart’s Lacrimosa. After three of the most musically intense days of The Choir so far, which choirs will satisfy Gareth’s determination that they achieve musical excellence?

Don’t Ever Wipe Tears Without Gloves (BBC 4 | 10:00pm to 11:00pm | Monday 9th December 2013)

Having met at Paul’s Christmas party and fallen in love, Benjamin and Rasmus quickly move in together. But Benjamin has not told his Jehovah’s Witness parents that he is gay, leaving Rasmus feeling hurt. HIV has taken hold in Stockholm and is regularly on the news. Reine has already succumbed to the virus and the gay community begin to say goodbye to their friends while facing daily prejudice at the hands of the media as well. Rasmus’ parents are concerned about him and call repeatedly to make sure he’s being careful. But his fiery relationship and frequent arguments with Benjamin see him take a number of different partners. When HIV tests for some the group begin to come back positive they are forced to confront the awfulness of the situation in different ways. (In Swedish with English subtitles).

One Wild Winter in the Scottish Mountains (BBC 1 Scotland/HD & BBC iPlayer only | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 11th December 2013)

Archive material and footage recorded by the people who live, work and play in the Scottish mountains reveal what happened during the winter of 2012 – the longest coldest and busiest on record – which saw the deaths of 14 people as extreme weather and avalanches hit the Highlands. The programme also explores the meteorological phenomenon that helped shape that unique winter.

Hours in A and E (Channel 4/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 11th December 2013)

The award-winning series, filmed round the clock at King’s College Hospital in South London, continues with an episode focusing on mums. Twelve-year-old Eddie is brought into A&E by ambulance after being hit by a car on his way home from school. Eddie’s head ‘bullseyed’ the windscreen and he was thrown, somersaulting twice before landing on the pavement. Eddie’s accompanied by his sister Chloe while his mum, Justine, rushes back from a rare day out with friends in central London to be by his side.

Keeping Britain Safe 24/7 (BBC1 1/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 12th December 2013)

The series meeting the everyday heroes who keep Britain safe through each passing season looks at the challenges brought by the most extreme season of the year, winter. Julia Bradbury and Matt Allwright follow the paramedics of the Scottish Ambulance Service as they deal with new year and the country’s biggest street party, the RAF search and rescue teams as they work in the most remote wilderness in Britain, and the teams who keep the roads moving through the cold and darkness.

George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 12th December 2013)

In the last episode of the series, George prepares to unveil his own small-space project, an ambitious, accessible, multi-functional tree house within the Calvert Trust, an outward bound activities centre for families with disabilities, set against the backdrop of the beautiful Kielder Water and Forest Park. He meets a couple with big plans to build a theatre in a 1970s caravan. A 19th century shepherd’s hut undergoes restoration using super-sized Victorian steam powered machinery. And George meets the man who doesn’t have to go for a pint as he’s built an entire pub in his garden shed.

Christmas Supermarket Secrets (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Thursday 12th December 2013)

Gregg Wallace goes behind the scenes with Britain’s biggest food retailers over the course of a year to discover how they source, make and move the food we find on the supermarket shelves. Gregg reveals how the supermarkets gear up for the biggest challenge of their year – Christmas. He sees what it takes to deliver millions of turkeys, finds out about the battle to make sprouts a crowd pleaser, and discovers how the supermarkets make sure we have got enough of our favourite Christmas tipple.

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

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 30/11/2013

The Lakes: Walking Through History (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Saturday 30th November 2013)

The second series continues, with Tony Robinson embarking on more spectacular walks through some of Britain’s most historic landscapes in search of the richest stories from our past. It was 30 years after the Romans invaded Britain that they were ready to take on the challenge of conquering the Lake District. With the toughest landscape they had encountered in the country, peopled by a rebellious tribe, it was no small task. Two full legions – 11,000 armed men – marched north, led by two top generals. This extraordinary commitment was rewarded, and within a few years, the whole of Lakeland was under Roman control. Tony Robinson tackles the journey, but, as he discovers on this 50-mile walk from Penrith past Ullswater to Ambleside and on to the Irish Sea at Ravenglass, the Romans encountered beauty and danger in equal measure.

Great Continental Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 1st December 2013)

Following in the footsteps of early 20th century British tourists, Michael Portillo sets off with his 1913 railway guide to sample the delights of the French and Spanish Atlantic coast. Heading first to Bordeaux, he uncovers an historic British connection to the fine clarets of the region and marvels at the ingenuity of the city’s trams. In Biarritz, he discovers how Britain’s ‘railway king’ Edward VII made the region popular and how he amused himself in the fashionable resort. Across the border in San Sebastian, Michael learns how dynastic diplomacy brought Britain and Spain closer together and rides a hair-raising scenic railway. Heading into the Spanish Basque country, in Bilbao, Michael explores the industrial ties between the two nations and learns to cook a traditional Basque dish.

Britain and the Sea (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Sunday 1st December 2013)

Documentary tracing the crucial importance of the sea to Britain’s trade and to individual livelihoods of coastal communities. Joined on this leg of his epic sail by his son Fred, David follows the trade routes of the west coast of Scotland along the monumental channels that cut through the Romantic Highlands and brought wealth and prosperity to the heart of Scotland. The journey starts at Craobh Haven and takes David along the Crinan Canal, around the Isle of Bute and up the River Clyde towards Glasgow.

Tales From Northumberland with Robson Green (itv/HD | 8:00pm to 8:30pm | Monday 2nd December 2013)

Eight-part series in which Robson Green travels across his native county and discovers how it has played a role in shaping contemporary Britain. In episode six, Robson examines how Northumberland’s heritage is being reinvented for a modern age. He visits the medieval fortress of Alnwick Castle, ancestral home of the Percy family and familiar to millions as Hogwarts in the Harry Potter films. At Barter Books in the town of Alnwick, he learns about the origins of the Keep Calm and Carry On slogan. Robson’s final stop is the giant land sculpture of Northumberlandia, recently created from the waste rock from an opencast mine.

A Great British Christmas with Sarah Beeny (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Monday 2nd December 2013)

Sarah Beeny and her husband, artist Graham Swift, explore the history of Christmas through the ages in their stately home, Rise Hall. After spending ten years restoring the Yorkshire property, the family investigate how festive celebrations in Britain have changed in the past 200 years as they delve into the history of Georgian, Victorian, wartime and present-day conventions. Sarah, Graham and their four children take on the challenge of harnessing the best bits of Christmas past as they don historical costumes and experience the reality of bygone festive frolics, finding out what the festive season meant both in their house and across the country. While making Georgian garlands and discovering the first ever Christmas card, the show explores some of the oldest festive traditions and their historical contexts.

The Choir: Sing While You Work (BBC 2/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 2nd December 2013)

As the contest to be crowned ‘best workplace choir’ continues, choirmaster Gareth Malone enters the embattled world of high finance, high flyers and rock bottom reputation at one of the biggest investment and trading banks in the world, Citi, in London’s Canary Wharf. With Gareth imagining long lunches and cigars, he finds himself in a lock down during an anti-capitalist protest, learns how many noughts there are in a trillion and creates his most musically accomplished workplace choir yet. When the bankers choose to sing Man In The Mirror could it signal a moment of reflection or will they drive on with technical ambition and ignore Gareth’s attempts to find some heart?

24 Hours in A and E (Channel 4/HD | 9:00pm t0 10:00pm | Wednesday 4th December 2013)

The award-winning series, filmed round the clock at King’s College Hospital in South London, continues with an episode focusing on a busy day in A&E, with over 400 patients treated in just 24 hours. Peggy, who’s 85, arrives at King’s by ambulance with her doting husband Clement. She’s fallen at home and hurt her knee. It’s the second time she’s fallen in two months and medics want to find out if there’s something more serious going on. Peggy suffers from Alzheimer’s, and Clement reminisces about their life together, including how he proposed to her by accident. But he knows her condition is getting worse.

George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm t0 9:00pm | Thursday 5th December 2013)

George catches up with designer Max McMurdo, who converted a shipping container into a garden office. This time Max has gone back to his old middle school in Bedford to create a classroom out of two rusting shipping containers. George also visits a prototype for a mini home named QB2, that includes a living area, bathroom with shower, kitchen, double bed and storage space, and is so small it can be driven on the back of the truck. In Somerset, George meets a couple who have turned a vintage vehicle into a mobile cinema business. And there’s also a garden office and a beauty emporium run from a rare 1947 caravan.
(Subtitles, Part 7 of 9, Audio Described, 2012, 3 Star)

Keeping Britain Safe 24/7 (BBC 1/HD | 8:30pm to 9:30pm | Thursday 5th December 2013)

Series meeting the everyday people who keep Britain safe. In autumn, we witness the teams that keep the country moving in the face of the dreaded leaves on the line. Also we see the work of the fire crews of the Cleveland Fire Brigade on Bonfire Night – their busiest night of the year; and as the national birth rate rockets, the midwives of St Thomas’s Hospital in London face an autumnal baby boom.

Robbie Williams: One Night at the Palladium (BBC 1/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Friday 6th December 2013)

Robbie Williams takes over the London Palladium for an evening of swing classics and new songs. Special guests joining Robbie and his big band on stage are Lily Allen, Rufus Wainwright and Muppets Miss Piggy, Kermit the Frog, and grumpy old men Statler and Waldorf.

Stobart: Trucks, Trains and Planes (Channel 5 | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Friday 6th December 2013)

Observational documentary series about one of the world’s biggest haulage firms. Trucker Tim watches his weight on a mega trip around Scotland, firefighter Darren reveals his scary side at Southend Airport and Adam, the boss’s son, gets to grips with the timber trail.

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

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 23/11/2013

Doctor Who (BBC 1/HD | 7:50pm to 9:05pm | Saturday 23rd November 2013)

Sci-fi drama. The Doctors embark on their greatest adventure in this 50th anniversary special. In 2013, something terrible is awakening in London’s National Gallery; in 1562, a murderous plot is afoot in Elizabethan England; and somewhere in space an ancient battle reaches its devastating conclusion. All of reality is at stake as the Doctor’s own dangerous past comes back to haunt him

Walking Through History (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Saturday 23rd November 2013)

Tony Robinson returns for a new three-part series of Walking Through History, embarking on more spectacular walks through some of Britain’s most historic landscapes in search of the richest stories from our past. In this first episode, Tony heads off for a 45-mile walk across Wiltshire to tell the story of life and death in the last centuries of the Stone Age. His route over chalk downlands and Salisbury plain takes him through the greatest concentration of prehistoric sites in Europe.

Doctor Who Live: The Afterparty (BBC 3 | 9:05pm to 10:05pm | Saturday 23rd November 2013)

Zoe Ball and Rick Edwards are live, getting the party started for the ultimate celebration of 50 years of Doctor Who. With an impressive guest list of Doctors and companions both past and present, celebrity fans and some very special surprises, this is the afterparty not to be missed. As well as all the gossip on the new episode The Day of the Doctor, there are exclusive interviews, showstopping monster moments and plenty of fun.

Great Continental Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 24th November 2013)

With his 1913 guidebook in hand and clad in a luminous pink jacket, improbable Bohemian Michael Portillo explores the stunning art nouveau architecture of the Czech capital. In a cafe popular with artists of the time he discovers the dance craze of the day – the tango – and gamely gives it a go. In the spa of kings, Marienbad, now known as Marianske Lazne, Michael samples the sulphurous waters and wallows in peat and mud. At the Skoda factory in Pilsen he investigates how the machine products of peacetime gave way to the manufacture of armaments for war and test drives a state of the art passenger train locomotive made there today. Crossing the border from Bohemia to Bavaria, Michael encounters a fire breathing dragon in Furth-im-Wald and in Nuremberg he rides German railway history – made in Britain. Arriving in Munich, he discovers an early 20th century pioneer who laid the foundations for the city’s pre-eminence in science and technology today.

Britain and the Sea (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Sunday 24th November 2013)

David Dimbleby continues his voyage round Britain, sailing his boat Rocket along the south east coast from Hampshire to Kent. This was the front line coast, the edge of Britain essential to its defence and the first point of attack for invasion forces. From the great battleships of Nelson to the sea forts of Henry VIII, this is a story that embraces Britain’s darkest and most heroic moments.

Tales From Northumberland with Robson Green (itv/HD | 8:00pm to 8:30pm | Monday 25th November 2013)

Eight-part series in which Robson Green travels across his native county and discovers how it has played a role in shaping contemporary Britain. In this edition, Robson meets some of the proud Northumbrians who are keeping some of the region’s oldest traditions alive in the 21st century. He goes fishing for sea salmon with one of the last remaining fishermen to use a traditional Northumbrian coble boat, a vessel that dates back centuries, before heading to the Rothbury Traditional Music Festival to meet the young poets who are helping to preserve the region’s dialect. He also meets musician Kathryn Tickell, who has taken the traditional sounds of the Northumbrian pipe and fiddle to a global audience.

The Choir: Sing While You Work (BBC 2/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 25th November 2013)

Choirmaster Gareth Malone returns to create harmony in five of Britain’s biggest workplaces. He feels the heat at Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service, as he continues his bid to find the year’s best workplace choir. Bells and blue lights disrupt auditions but when rehearsals finally get underway Gareth tries to give the backroom staff the confidence to stand tall and be heard amidst the firefighters who attack choral singing with all sirens blaring.

24 Hours in A and E (Channel 4/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 27th November 2013)

The award-winning series, filmed round the clock at King’s College Hospital in South London, continues with an episode that focuses on the strong bonds within families and the challenge of breaking bad news. Bill, who’s 92, arrives at King’s with breathing difficulties and a swollen leg. He’s accompanied by his stepdaughter Jo. As he’s treated, doctors suspect the shortness of breath and swelling could be due to a clot and send him for X-rays. But the test results suggest there may be something more seriously wrong. Meanwhile, Bill talks about reaching his nineties and his strong bond with his stepdaughter. Andy comes into King’s with stomach cramps. The 45-year-old had a liver transplant ten years ago and, as doctors investigate the cause of his discomfort, Andy reflects on living with someone else’s liver, growing up in the East End, his time as a punk living in a squat in Waterloo and his career with the Royal Navy

George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 28th November 2013)

George is invited onboard a blinged-up double decker bus, which has been converted into a posh restaurant and bar. He meets a couple living in an old railway station and sees their amazing plans for the waiting room, and gets to see the next generation of high spec beach huts. George also meets the French couple who have converted an old 1974 Citroen van to bring a bit of haute cuisine to West Yorkshire. And on his own build, George has a radical idea that he hopes will open his tree house to the elements.

Stobart: Trucks, Trains and Planes (Channel 5 | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Friday 29th November 2013)

Observational documentary series following one of the world’s biggest haulage firms. On a mammoth 500-mile multi-drop trip across Scotland carrying a load of luxury 4x4s, Gareth is hit by delays on the notorious A9. Adam, the CEO’s son, has completed his training and joins the trucking team, taking the wheel of a fully-loaded 44-tonne log wagon.

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

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 16/11/2013

Great Continental Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 17th November 2013)

Armed with his 1913 railway guide, Michael Portillo explores Scandinavia and discovers the royal roots of early 20th century British travellers’ close dynastic ties with the kingdoms of Denmark and Norway. After braving one of the world’s oldest rollercoasters in Copenhagen’s famous Tivoli Gardens, Michael takes the train across the Oresund Bridge linking Denmark to Sweden, where he retraces the tracks of a train which carried a revolutionary Russian passenger on an epic voyage. In Lund, he samples a Smorgasbord before having a Highland fling in Gothenburg, where he test drives a vintage Volvo. Crossing the border again into Norway, Michael discovers how in 1913 this young nation expressed its own distinctively modern identity in plays, paintings and polar exploration.

Britain and the Sea (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Sunday 17th November 2013)

David Dimbleby sails the south west coast of England – along the coast of Devon and Cornwall – in his own sailing boat, Rocket, exploring maritime history, art and architecture as he goes. Caught up in stormy weather, he makes it to safety in the nick of time, to tell the story of Sir Francis Drake and a fantastic array of adventurers, explorers, pirates and smugglers. It’s also a chance for David to enjoy some of Britain’s most beautiful coastline and turn his hand to a bit of art himself. David also gingerly submits himself to one of the oldest maritime art forms of all – the art of the tattoo!

Africa 2013: Countdown to the Rains (BBC 2/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Sunday 17th November 2013)

Kate Humble and Simon King report from Zambia, following the lives of the animals living along the Luangwa River at a critical time in the seasons. It’s been the longest dry season in living memory but the rains have finally come and now everything has changed. Thirst has trapped the elephants, buffalo and antelope close to the river where they’ve been easy prey for the lions, leopards and wild dogs. But now the grazing animals can spread out across the valley and the predators are going to have to work a whole lot harder for their food.

Tales From Northumberland with Robson Green (itv/HD | 8:00pm to 8:30pm | Monday 18th November 2013)

Eight-part series in which Robson Green travels across his native county and discovers how it has played a role in shaping contemporary Britain. In episode four, Robson discovers how Northumberland’s border with Scotland has affected British history and how the bloody battles of the Middle Ages turned the area into a constant war zone. He visits Berwick-upon-Tweed, a town that changed hands between the English and the Scots thirteen times, and drops in on a training session with Berwick Rangers. Uniquely, they are the only English football team to play in the Scottish league. He also attends the Flodden Ride Out, when hundreds of locals cross the border on horseback to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the Battle of Flodden, where King James IV and the flower of Scottish nobility were slain on 9 September 1513.

The Choir: Sing While You Work (BBC 2/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 18th November 2013)

Choirmaster Gareth Malone returns to create harmony in five of Britain’s biggest workplaces. As the contest to be crowned ‘best workplace choir’ continues, Gareth checks out the talent at supermarket giant, Sainsbury’s. When the choir’s deepest bass breaks cover with his passion for Dolly Parton will the head office high flyers and the shop and depot workers finally sing with one voice, united by the Queen of country?

24 Hours in A and E (Channel 4/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 20th November 2013)

The award-winning series, filmed round the clock at King’s College Hospital in South London, continues with a touching episode dedicated to love. Concerned young parents Nicole and Stefian arrive in Resus by ambulance with their 19-month-old baby daughter Xah’Nae. She’s been vomiting, has a high fever and has become floppy and unresponsive. The King’s medical team are concerned that Xah’Nae may have a life-threatening infection around her brain and in her spine, possibly encephalitis. Doctors hope a strong mixture of antibiotic and anti-viral drugs will stabilise her.

George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 21st November 2013)

George visits the ultimate in compact designer living – the Yo! Home, a futuristic living area that boasts ingenious space-saving technology, where the double bed rises from the floor and into the ceiling, to reveal the gorgeous living area, and the kitchen and bathrooms are cleverly hidden from view. Inspired by this design, George and William put together the main rectangular living area for the tree house, and prove that by folding everything into the walls it is possible to place the kitchen, living and bedroom into a 12-square-metre box. George also meets a couple in the Wirral who are willing to put all their savings towards building the ultimate wilderness beach hut.

An Adventure in Space and Time (BBC 2/HD | 9:00pm to 10:30pm | Thursday 21st November 2013)

This special one-off drama travels back in time to 1963 to see how Doctor Who was first brought to the screen. Actor William Hartnell felt trapped by a succession of hard-man roles. Wannabe producer Verity Lambert was frustrated by the TV industry’s glass ceiling. Both of them were to find unlikely hope and unexpected challenges in the form of a Saturday tea-time drama. Allied with a team of unusual but brilliant people, they went on to create the longest running science fiction series ever made.

Stobart: Trucks, Trains and Planes (Channel 5 | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Friday 22nd November 2013)

Observational documentary series following one of the world’s biggest haulage firms. Tim has his biomass credentials put to the test, a dodgy tyre puts Roy on the back foot on a bank holiday, a concrete staircase destined for Southend airport’s new terminal has a weight problem and Paul tries to get a 16-foot trailer through a 15-foot bridge.

The Graham Norton Show (BBC 1/HD | 10:35pm to 11:20pm | Friday 22nd November 2013)

The award-winning host continues his anarchic talk show. Together on Graham’s sofa are Oscar-winning actress and writer Emma Thompson, starring in new movie Saving Mr Banks; double Doctor Whos Matt Smith and David Tennant; top comedian Jimmy Carr; and pop star Robbie Williams, chatting and performing I Wanna Be Like You.

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

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 09/11/2013

Africa 2013: Countdown to the Rains (BBC 2/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 10th November 2013)

Kate Humble and Simon King report from Zambia, following the lives of the animals living along the Luangwa River at a critical time in the seasons. There has been no rain for seven months but the clouds are building and the drought could break any day. The river is the only water around, and predator and prey are squashed uncomfortably close. Lions and wild dogs, one of the most endangered animals on Earth, compete for territory as elephants try to keep cool in the fierce heat and leopards enjoy days of plenty. 75 cameras capture every moment as it happens through the last days of the longest dry season in memory to the arrival of the rains that will change everything.

Great Continental Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Sunday 10th November 2013)

Steered by his 1913 railway guide, Michael Portillo explores Germany, powerhouse of today’s European Union, and learns how tourists in the early 20th century would have been visiting quite a new country, which they admired and envied but also feared. Beginning in Dresden, Michael explores the city of one of his favourite opera composers, Richard Wagner. He learns about the health craze of the time and attempts the equivalent of a 1913 Jane Fonda workout. He travels to Leipzig on an historic railway line, built by British engineers in 1839. In Brunswick he learns how the arrival of the railway added its own flavour to the local beer before moving on to Hamburg, where he discovers model railway making on the grandest of scales. In Kiel, Michael learns about the intense rivalry between Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany and his uncle, British King Edward VII, at the Kiel Week yacht races. Michael boards an early 20th Century yacht to experience the thrill for himself.

Tales From Northumberland with Robson Green (itv/HD | 8:00pm to 8:30pm | Monday 11th November 2013)

Eight-part series in which Robson Green travels across his home county and discovers how this mystical place has played a unique role in shaping contemporary Britain. In this episode, Robson travels along one of the country’s most stunning stretches of coastline, where he learns how Northumberland’s past has shaped the Britain we know today. He meets the family who live in Bamburgh Castle and finds out how it once dominated the region as seat of the kings of ancient Northumbria. Robson then follows the Pilgrim’s Way to Lindisfarne, known as the cradle of English Christianity, and goes swimming with grey seals off the Farne Islands

The Choir: Sing While You Work (BBC2 /HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 11th November 2013)

Choirmaster Gareth Malone returns to create harmony in five of Britain’s biggest workplaces. As the contest to be crowned ‘best workplace choir’ continues, Gareth travels to Birmingham to the biggest council in Europe. He discovers a singing traffic warden, a social worker soloist and a high-pitched gardener. With the next round of government cuts announced mid-rehearsals, some choir members may not have jobs at the end of the year.

999: What’s Your Emergency? (Channel 4/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 11th November 2013)

The documentary series that reveals modern Britain through the eyes of our ambulance staff concludes with an episode focusing on babies – from births to over-protective parents and from very poorly children to those facing neglect and abuse. Across the UK 2200 women go into labour every day. Most make it to hospital, but for those who can’t the ambulance service is there to help. The programme features call handlers talking worried partners through what to do while ambulance crews race to help deliver the baby. When the medics leave it’s up to the parents to look after their bundles of joy. However, some parents over-react and call 999 at the first sign of a cough or a bump to the head – there’s been a 42% increase in parents seeking emergency medical help for routine childhood complaints in the last ten years. But at the opposite end of the spectrum, reports of child neglect have risen 30% in the last year and it’s often paramedics who are first to step in.

The Escape Artist (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Tuesday 12th November 2013)

Legal drama series. The case against Foyle is crumbling. The profession that has sustained Will Burton all his life is no longer supporting him. Can Will find another way for justice to be served?

Grand Designs (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Wednesday 13th November 2013)

Six years ago Lucie Fairweather and Nat McBride began to build an affordable eco home in Woodbridge for themselves and their two young children. They were determined to create an exciting, modern landmark home. However, their journey was to be about more than bricks and mortar. Just before they got started, Nat discovered he had cancer, and after just a few months he passed away. Lucie decided to carry on with the project Nat had devised. Kevin McCloud returns to find out just how life has moved on for Lucie and to discover whether her wonderful and striking house has become part of the landscape.

Britain by Bike: The Welsh Borders. Series 1, episode 2 (BBC 4 | 8:00pm to 8:30pm | Wednesday 13th November 2013)

Clare Balding attempts to re-discover Britain from the saddle of a touring cycle, following in the wheeltracks of compulsive cyclist and author Harold Briercliffe, whose evocative guide books of the late 1940s lovingly describe by-passed Britain. Clare’s journey into Wales is rich in literary connections to both Bruce Chatwin and AE Housman. She reveals how a cycle factory went to war and finds out about the Bride’s Tree – a bizarre village ceremony with a dark secret.

George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 14th November 2013)

George meets a woman who wants to build a shop and a mobile home out of an old horsebox, but only has £500 to spend. He meets a couple who are creating a holiday let out of a 1960s milk float. He visits an extraordinary 100-foot-long balancing barn, half of which is hanging over the edge of the Sussex countryside. And George and William make plans for a rectangular pod for their tree house.

The Science of Doctor Who (BBC 2/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Thursday 14th November 2013)

For one night only, Professor Brian Cox takes an audience of celebrity guests, including Charles Dance and Rufus Hound, and members of the public on a journey into the wonderful universe of the Doctor, from the lecture hall of the Royal Institution of Great Britain. Drawing on the latest theories as well as 200 years of scientific discoveries and the genius of Einstein, Brian tries to answer the classic questions raised by the Doctor – can you really travel in time? Does extra-terrestrial life exist in our galaxy? And how do you build something as fantastical as the TARDIS?

24 Hours in A and E (Channel 4/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 13th November 2013)

The RTS award-winning series returns for a new series, capturing dramatic and emotional stories of love, life and loss on the frontline of the NHS. The series is filmed around the clock at one of Britain’s busiest A&E departments at King’s College Hospital in South London. This episode focuses on patients rushed into King’s after being involved in serious traffic accidents, and shows that not all problems are immediately obvious.

Stobart: Trucks, Trains and Planes (Channel 5 | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Friday 15th November 2013)

Observational documentary series following one of the world’s biggest haulage firms. Ian ‘Spit’ Wilson has to deliver a 15-tonne rail repair machine, known as the Gopher, to Sunderland. He battles through traffic and heavy rain, but then has to get the monster machine onto the rails. Matt Ekins makes a return to his spiritual home – tramping. He goes on a tour of the East Midlands on a multi-drop mission, but it seems that around every corner is another massive queue.

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

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 02/11/2013

Africa 2013: Countdown to the Rains (BBC 2/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 3rd November 2013)

Kate Humble and Simon King report from Zambia, following the lives of the animals living along the Luangwa River at a critical time in the seasons. There has been no rain for seven months and every animal, large and small, is locked in a struggle to survive – the elephant and her new born baby, the tiny lion cubs threatened by a power struggle in the pride and the hundreds of hippos and crocodiles squashed uncomfortably close as the river bed dries up. 75 cameras capture every moment as it happens through the last days of the longest dry season in memory to the arrival of the rains that will change everything.

Great Continental Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Sunday 3rd November 2013)

Steered by his 1913 railway guide, Michael Portillo takes the train from the former political capital of Italy, Turin, to Casanova’s capital of romance, Venice. Along the way, he recreates the famous Italian Job on an historic Fiat test track and follows fashion in Milan before investigating the early 20th century British love affair with Lake Como in a seaplane. In Verona, Michael discovers the ‘House of the Capulets’, bought to attract Edwardian tourists to the scene of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. He then heads over the rail bridge across the lagoon to Venice, where he finds a microcosm of pre-First World War Europe in the Venice Biennale art exhibition.

Tales From Northumberland with Robson Green (itv/HD | 8:00pm to 8:30pm | Monday 4th November 2013)

Eight-part series in which Robson Green travels across his home county and discovers how this mystical place has played a unique role in shaping contemporary Britain. Robson explores the rich history of a region that has been occupied by Romans, invaded by Vikings, played a key role in the founding of English Christianity and has been the setting for many bloody battles between the English and the Scots. In this episode, Robson ventures off the beaten path to explore the rugged wilderness of the Northumberland National Park, where he passes a night in a ramshackle shepherd’s hut – known locally as a bothy. Meeting a young shepherdess, he learns about the origins of the border collie sheepdog, and goes stargazing into a night sky that is totally unpolluted by artificial light.

The Choir: Sing While You Work (BBC 2/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 4th November 2013)

Choirmaster Gareth Malone returns to create harmony in five of Britain’s biggest workplaces. As the contest to be crowned ‘best workplace choir’ begins, he sets sail with P&O, the UK’s longest-running cross-Channel ferry service. With choir members based at sea and on both sides of the English Channel, can Gareth create a musical entente cordiale?

999: What’s Your Emergency? (Channel 4/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 4th November 2013)

The series that reveals modern Britain through the eyes of our ambulance staff continues. This episode focuses on the older generation, who now account for two thirds of ambulance calls. With 11 million people in Britain over the age of 65, the NHS is feeling a greater strain than ever before. In the wake of significant cuts to the social care budget, if they’re to live independently for as long as possible the ambulance service have to step in. The personal stories in this film offer an insightful, touching and sometimes humorous take on life for older people today. In Nottingham, paramedic Dave Seaton is dispatched on blue lights to the home of an 86-year-old woman who has collapsed.

The Escape Artist (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Tuesday 5th November 2013)

Legal drama series. Liam Foyle is back in the dock, and Will’s courtroom nemesis, Maggie Gardner, is defending him. Will’s central moral tenet that ‘everyone deserves a defence’ has come back to haunt him.

Britain by Bike: North Devon. Series 1, episode 1 (BBC 4 | 8:00pm to 8:30pm | Wednesday 6th November 2013)

Clare Balding attempts to rediscover Britain from the saddle of a touring cycle, following in the wheeltracks of compulsive cyclist and author Harold Briercliffe, whose evocative guide books of the late 1940s lovingly describe by-passed Britain. She begins on the Atlantic coast of north Devon – from Lynmouth, scene of Britain’s worst flood disaster in the early 1950s, to Ilfracombe via Little Switzerland, and a hidden silver mine whose riches probably helped England win the Battle of Agincourt.

Grand Designs (Channel 4/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 6th November 2013)

Ten years ago Gil and Hillary Briffa decided to retire to southern Spain. Rejecting the coastal sprawl around Malaga they found a virgin plot of land up in the Andalucian hills for just £35,000. But instead of building a home like the traditional old fincas nearby, their architect son’s design was a confrontational, modernist glass box, surrounded by boldly colourful connected rooms, hidden behind a giant citadel wall. Construction proved stressful. The couple put all their trust in a local Spanish builder who had never built a house like this before. The local residents didn’t like it and the mayor tried to get it re-painted white.

Waterloo Road (BBC 1/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 7th November 2013)

As Christine and Simon go up for the headship they clash over how to deal with a bullied pupil. Meanwhile, Kacey’s boxing fund is stolen, jeopardising her training trip to America.

George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 7th November 2013)

George Clarke continues his adventures in the world of micro builds. This time he meets carpenter Adam, who wants to turn a 30-year-old double decker bus into a luxury holiday retreat. George visits a couple who have given up their jobs and thrown their life savings into designing a boat hotel. There’s also a house in Oxford made of mud and straw. And George and William’s tree house dream now includes an alfresco camping deck made out of a giant motorway drainage pipe.

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