Tag: Great British Railway Journeys

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Monday 5th January 2015)

Michael Portillo embarks on a new journey through southern Scotland from west to east. From Ayr, he admires the granite island of Ailsa Craig before getting to grips with the ancient sport of curling. The Ancient Society of Kilwinning Archers invites Michael to take part in the oldest archery competition in the world. At Barassie, he rides the footplate of a freight train hauling coal on Scotland’s oldest railway line.

Waterloo Road (BBC 3/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Monday 5th January 2015)

It’s a new term and Waterloo Road is under threat, as the council wants to merge it with Havelock High. But Vaughan is ready for battle, and his plan involves volatile new pupils Kenzie and Scott. Now all he’s got to do is let the staff in on his radical strategy.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Tuesday 6th January 2015)

Michael Portillo continues his journey through the Scottish lowlands, beginning in the industrial town of Greenock from where he sets sail in the last seagoing paddle steamer in the world. In Glasgow, Michael investigates witnesses the devastating effects of the 2014 fire at the Glasgow School of Art. In Blantyre, Michael discovers the humble beginnings of Britain’s most famous missionary and explorer, and learns to bake sour dough in Scotland’s oldest bakery in Strathaven.

Silent Witness (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Tuesday 6th January 2015)

Forensic crime drama series. DCI Jane De Freitas’s personal fallout with boss and partner chief superintendent Robert Drake is the least of her worries when three people are shot dead in a petrol station. Nikki and Jack conclude that it is the work of a concealed shooter from long range. A sniper is at large in London. They combine ballistics and wound pathology, along with DCI De Freitas’s expertise in victim and killer profiling, to narrow down the suspects. De Freitas contains her undercurrent of animosity towards Drake, as the team work to find the killer apparently striking at random.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Wednesday 7th January 2015)

Armed with his Bradshaw’s guide, Michael Portillo continues his journey through southern Scotland. He celebrates Victorian iron and steel in Motherwell and admires the Forth Rail Bridge. Michael journeys through picturesque countryside to admire the raw power of nature at the magnificent and romantic Clyde Falls. In Cumbernauld, Michael learns of the birth of one of Scotland’s best-selling soft drinks. In Linlithgow, he marvels at the ingenuity of the engineers who built the Union Canal and experiences a 21st century technological refinement at Falkirk.

Silent Witness (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 7th January 2015)

Forensic crime drama series. The sniper plays a macabre game of cat and mouse with police, while Jack forms a friendship with the teenage son of one of the victims, offering sympathy and support. Thomas tries to ensure the safety of his daughter Rosie and estranged wife Julia amidst growing public fear, while fighting his urge to interfere in their lives. Nikki and Jack look closer at the targets to elucidate the hidden motive of the killer. The investigation is scaled up by DCI Jane De Freitas, but it’s Jack’s shocking discovery at one of the victims’ homes that leads the team to the perpetrator.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Thursday 8th January 2015)

Steered by his Bradshaw’s guide, Michael Portillo begins this leg of his journey in Stirling, where he visits the scene of a bloody battle at Bannockburn. Following in the footsteps of Victorian holidaymakers, he travels north to Crieff to experience the popular Hydro. In Perth, Michael learns what it takes to make a sporran before catching the highland mainline to Pitlochry and one of Queen Victoria’s favourite haunts. He finishes for the day with a wee dram in Scotland’s smallest distillery.

Somerset: After the Floods (BBC 2/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 8th January 2015)

The Somerset Levels are one of the most beautiful parts of Britain, but in the winter of 2013 they faced a natural disaster. One village, Moorland, was entirely engulfed by the floods. Deluged by water, the villagers watched helplessly as their homes were washed away. This programme follows their year-long struggle to get home again after the water drained. Although the residents put on a brave face, the realities of their fate pile up, with insurance companies refusing to pay and months of delays with the builders.

Death in Paradise (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Thursday 8th January 2015)

Detective drama series set on a Caribbean island. When the owner of a rum distillery is murdered during a seance, all the clues point to the prime suspect being a ghost. With DI Humphrey Goodman and his team a man down, Commissioner Selwyn steps in to help them look for a more earth-bound killer.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Friday 9th January 2015)

On the last leg of his journey across Scotland from west to east, Michael Portillo pays homage to the birthplace of golf at St Andrews. In Dunfermline, Michael discovers the poor beginnings of one of the world’s wealthiest men, a remarkable philanthropist who worked on the railroads before making his fortune in steel. Crossing the Firth of Forth via the legendary red bridge, Michael arrives in Edinburgh in the middle of the world’s largest arts festival, the Edinburgh Fringe.

The Last Leg (Channel 4/HD | 10:00pm to 11:05pm | Friday 9th January 2015)

The award-winning gang show returns for a new series, live on Friday nights. Adam Hills and co-hosts Josh Widdicombe and Alex Brooker review the main talking points of the week with irreverence and satire. Each week they are joined by a live studio audience and in the first show Dara O Briain is the guest. The show sees the return of the all-encompassing question: Is It Ok? Viewers at home and the studio audience are encouraged to ask questions about anything from the week, without fear of judgement. Once again, our three hosts step into the minefield of sometimes difficult and delicate areas to answer the questions with their own inimitable insight.

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

2014

25 January 2014

gsvalentine

TV this week No Comments

Call the Midwife (BBC 1/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 26th January 2014)

Drama about a group of midwives in 1950s London, based on the memoirs of Jennifer Worth. Jenny is delighted to be promoted to acting sister, but she soon finds herself dealing with her most challenging case yet. Elsewhere, Cynthia spearheads a new birthing practice for the expectant mothers of Poplar, Sister Winifred puts her green-fingered skills to good use, and Chummy continues to juggle her work and home lives.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Monday 27th January 2014)

Guided by his 19th century Bradshaw’s guide, Michael Portillo embarks on a new journey from Norwich to Chichester. On this first leg he explores Norwich’s medieval heart. In the city’s Norman castle he uncovers the Victorian public’s gory fascination with crime and punishment and finds out how campaigners such as Elizabeth Fry, who was born in Norwich, worked to improve conditions for prisoners. At the city’s livestock market, Michael learns how to buy a calf at auction with a subtle twitch of his guidebook before heading west to Thetford to explore the rabbit warrens of the Brecks. He discovers how the Victorian appetite for rabbits and their fur led to special train services to London, known as Bunny Trains. After a painful encounter with a polecat, Michael heads northwest to Brandon, home of some of the best quality flint in Britain and tries his hand at flint-knapping.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Tuesday 28th January 2014)

Michael Portillo continues his journey from the east coast to the south coast beginning in the port of Ipswich, capital of the farming county of Suffolk. His first port of call is an agricultural implement works with its own railway sidings. Michael investigates what could have earned the Victorian manufacturer a special mention in his Bradshaw’s. Continuing his journey south west into Essex Michael dredges oysters off Mersea Island before taking the train to Witham, where he discovers a model farming establishment at Tiptree. His final destination is Chelmsford and the world’s first purpose-built radio equipment factory, established by Guglielmo Marconi.

Death in Paradise (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Tuesday 28th January 2014)

Detective drama series set on a Caribbean island. The murder of a local gigolo brings DI Goodman and his team into contact with the social elite of Saint Marie. The case proves particularly hard-hitting for Fidel, as the death of his old school friend forces him to face up to some past mistakes.

Inside the Animal Mind (BBC 2/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Tuesday 28th January 2014)

Chris Packham travels the world to uncover the secrets of the animal mind. He starts off by exploring the remarkable ways animals use their senses. Focusing on dogs, he discovers how their powerful sense of smell creates a bizarre alternative reality.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Wednesday 29th January 2014)

Steered by his Bradshaw’s, Michael Portillo heads along the Essex bank of the Thames before crossing the river into the Garden of England, Kent. He begins this leg at Barkingside, where a Victorian philanthropist called Dr Thomas Barnardo made it his life’s work to transform the lives of destitute children. From Upminster Michael takes the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway to Tilbury and finds out how the line and the old station transformed the town into one of the country’s most important ports. At the docks, Michael tries his hand at loading a container on to a pocket wagon. Over the river at Gravesend Michael discovers how one of Queen Victoria’s favourite army officers, General Gordon, left his mark on the town. Michael’s last destination on this leg is Rochester, where he encounters a host of familiar characters and explores the city which was home to one of the Victorian era’s greatest writers, Charles Dickens.

Waterloo Road (BBC 1/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Wednesday 29th January 2014)

School-based drama. George is caught off guard when his meddling mother shows up at the school unexpectedly. Lenny takes matters into his own hands when he suspects a local shopkeeper of people trafficking.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:00pm to 7:00pm | Thursday 30th January 2014)

Michael Portillo continues his journey from Norwich to Chichester beginning in Faversham in Kent, at one of the country’s oldest surviving breweries, Shepherd Neame. Michael discovers how the brewery invested heavily in the railways and even ran rolling stock with its own smart livery taking beer to London. After making his own delivery to the Railway Tavern in one of the brewery’s oldest vehicles, Michael heads for the south coast to the defensive town of Dover, little more than 25 miles from the historic enemy, the French. Here he uncovers one of Dover’s best kept secrets, the sunken fortress known as the Western Heights. In the Weald of Kent, Michael finds out how the railways helped to put Tonbridge School on track for cricketing glory before heading into Surrey where he blow-dries a hen in Dorking!

Silent Witness (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Thursday 30th January 2014)

Forensic crime drama series. Following the shocking discovery of a 15-year-old girl’s body, DI Dale Carter fixates on his prime murder suspect, Ryan Kelvin. However, Jack’s personal connection to Ryan presents a conflict of interests, leading Thomas to replace him on the case with forensic scientist Helen Ferguson. But in his quest for the truth, Jack is instinctively drawn into the investigation, alienating him from Nikki and the team. Hannah, the distraught best friend of the victim, becomes consumed with grief and guilt over the murder, leading her to take drastic action.

Dan Snow’s History of the Winter Olympics (BBC 2/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Thursday 30th January 2014)

Historian Dan Snow looks back at 90 years of the Winter Olympics and shows how the political upheaval of the 20th and 21st century had an impact on the Games. He embarks on an epic journey across nine countries meeting some of the key people who helped shape the Winter Games. He tells the disturbing story of the Winter Olympics in Nazi Germany, the tense Olympic rivalry between East and West during the cold war, ending with the Miracle on Ice and the unforgettable Olympics in Sarajevo.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Friday 31st January 2014)

On the final leg of his journey between the cathedral cities of Norwich and Chichester, Michael Portillo discovers the history behind the extraordinary Pavilion at Brighton and learns that Queen Victoria was not an admirer of the Prince Regent’s flamboyant taste. Michael finds that while above ground the railways brought day trippers to frolic in fashionable Brighton, underground, Victorian engineers built a magnificent network of sewers more than 40 miles in length, which are still functioning today. At Bramber, he discovers at the time of his guide tourists flocked to the town in huge numbers due to a Victorian museum of taxidermy. Michael’s next stop is the impressive castle at Arundel and he’s pleased to find that the Duke of Norfolk was a great supporter of the railways. His rail journey ends in Chichester from where he heads up into the South Downs for a taste of life in the fast lane at Goodwood.

Silent Witness (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Friday 31st January 2014

Forensic crime drama series. Jack’s world is blown apart by the discovery of Hannah’s dead body. Nikki uncovers the truth behind Jack and Ryan’s strained relationship, but Jack’s attempts to find evidence put his job at risk. While an angry Thomas wrestles with hiring forensic scientist Helen as Jack’s permanent replacement, Dr Christy Nash fears for his marriage and business when DI Carter learns of his relationship with 15-year-old Katie. As Jack’s suspicion of Ryan grows, his lone investigation puts him in grave danger and life will never be the same again.

The Last Leg (Channel 4/HD | 10:00pm to 10:50pm | Friday 31st January 2014)

The award-winning gang show returns live to Friday nights with a joyful, offbeat take on the week. Returning as host is 2013 British Comedy Award winner Adam Hills and co-hosts Josh Widdicombe and Alex Brooker. The trio take a look at the weird and wonderful talking points of the week including the stories and highlights from the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games. Each week, Adam, Josh and Alex are joined by a live studio audience and a weekly special celebrity guest. The show also sees the return of the all-encompassing question: Is It OK? Viewers at home and the studio audience are encouraged to ask this question about anything from the week, without fear of judgement, and the three hosts attempt to step into the minefield of sometimes difficult and delicate areas and answer the questions with their own unique insight.

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

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 18/01/2014

18 January 2014

gsvalentine

TV this week No Comments

Call the Midwife (BBC 1/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 19th January 2014)

Drama about a group of midwives in 1950s London, based on the memoirs of Jennifer Worth. As Jenny struggles to care for exhausted mother Merle Vickers and her two sickly sons, it is Sister Monica Joan who holds the key to the diagnosis of their mystery illness. Meanwhile, Chummy calls on her royal connections for the official opening of the new ante-natal and baby clinic, and Nonnatus House welcomes a new resident, Sister Winifred.

Speed with Guy Martin (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 19th January 2014)

Motorcycle racer and lorry mechanic Guy Martin loves pushing the boundaries of speed in search of a buzz. He claims that nothing can match the adrenaline rush he gets when he’s racing on public roads around the Isle of Man TT course at 200mph. Now he wants to see if he can find anything that can give him the same kick. In this new series, he creates four-speed based challenges, exploring the boundaries of physics and learning about the science of speed. Guy sets out to break the record for the world’s fastest gravity powered sled. With the help of top sports science engineers, athletes and experts in composite engineering, Guy builds a toboggan to ride on the unforgiving slopes of the Pyrenees as he attempts to claim the record from a group of thrill-seeking Germans who set it three years ago.

Don’t Look Down (Channel 4/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Sunday 19th January 2014)

This documentary explores one of the world’s most dangerous and most terrifying new crazes. Urban free climbers are a new breed of daredevils: young men and women who illegally climb cranes and buildings without any safety equipment, then hang from them, hundreds of metres above the ground, one slip from certain death… Having originated in Eastern Europe, urban free climbing has recently spread to Britain. James Kingston is a 23-year-old who lives with his mother near Southampton.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Monday 20th January 2014)

Assisted by his Bradshaw’s guide, Michael Portillo embarks on a new journey from Southampton to Wolverhampton. On this first leg he learns to set table aboard the luxury liner Queen Elizabeth before she sets sail and discovers how Cunard steamers began by transporting post across the Atlantic. He then heads to Netley, where he discovers the remains of an extensive military hospital built by order of Queen Victoria and from there to Basingstoke, where he finds out about a pitched battle between townspeople and the Salvation Army.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Tuesday 21st January 2014)

Michael Portillo continues his journey from the Hampshire coast to the West Midlands in a distinctly military vein. At Winchfield, he discovers the vast carriage which carried the Duke of Wellington’s coffin to his state funeral at St Paul’s Cathedral in 1852 and hears how the Duke’s chestnut stallion also received full military honours when he was buried at the Duke’s seat, Stratfield Saye. Michael then heads for Farnborough and the army camp at Aldershot, where he joins the regulars to be put through his paces under military instruction. Sanctuary is not far away in Farnborough North at the Benedictine Monastery of St Michael, where Michael visits the tomb of the French Emperor Napoleon III and his family. He ends this second leg of his journey in Crowthorne, where in the year his Bradshaw’s was published, there opened a notorious new institution: England’s first Asylum for the Criminally Insane, Broadmoor.

Death in Paradise (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Tuesday 21st January 2014)

Detective drama series set on a Caribbean island. When DI Humphrey Goodman and his team are called to investigate a murder on a film set, they are left baffled when they realise the wrong person has been killed. The team have to work fast to solve the case before the murderer strikes again.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Wednesday 22nd January 2014)

Steered by his Victorian guidebook, Michael Portillo heads north from the south coast towards the West Midlands. The third leg begins in Wokingham, where Bradshaw’s reports the proprietor of The Times newspaper resided and where he was a great benefactor. Michael finds out how demand from a growing number of rail commuters fuelled the development of the modern printing press and learns how to print on an iron press. He then heads to Newbury, where he encounters a Tudor captain of industry, who manufactured cloth in enormous volumes. Michael’s next destination is Trowbridge, where Sir Isaac Pitman invented his famous shorthand. He ends this leg of the journey in Bradford on Avon, where he hears from a local manufacturer how his Victorian forebears were the first in Britain to be licensed to vulcanise rubber. They supplied springs, buffers and hoses for the locomotive industry and now make rubber suspensions systems for bicycles.

Waterloo Road (BBC 1/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Wednesday 22nd January 2014)

School-based drama. Gabriella sees a chance to drive a wedge between Imogen and Dynasty’s friendship when she offers to take Imogen on a wild night out. Meanwhile, Simon is busy organising an event to promote the Resilience Camp, but he has forgotten to clear it with a preoccupied Christine.

The Restoration Man (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Wednesday 22nd January 2014)

Recession-hit builders Ian and Jayne Hall Edwards have brought a five-and-half-thousand square foot derelict Victorian school in the village of Pencader in Carmarthenshire, with the aim to turn it into both a place of business and their family home. Having failed to win a grant to help finance the build, they are left battling through harsh winters while living in a caravan on site, and with their family business hanging in the balance.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Thursday 23rd January 2014)

Michael Portillo continues his journey from Southampton to Wolverhampton beginning today in Chippenham, where at Lacock Abbey he discovers how the world’s first photographic negative was made and learns how to make a print. He travels on to Bristol to visit the Victorian Clifton Zoo, where he finds tigers and polar bears before him also arrived by train. Next stop is Severn Tunnel Junction in Wales, where he explores an extraordinary piece of Victorian engineering with its own pump house pumping out millions of gallons a day to keep it dry. Michael then heads for Gloucester to find out why the station became infamous for lost luggage. At the city’s cathedral, Michael meets a stonemason who bravely invites him to chip away.

Silent Witness (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Thursday 23rd January 2014)

Forensic crime drama series. When the body of a pregnant Northern Irish girl is discovered, the team face the urgent task of finding the baby snatched from her womb. The child’s father, married man Simon, is the prime suspect in DS Sally Kirchner’s eyes. Meanwhile, Thomas uncovers the teenage girl’s connections to a criminal underworld. Nikki and Jack encounter her addict boyfriend Nuri and ruthless drug dealer Bekir, suspected of masterminding the killing of a Drugs Squad cop. The dead detective’s partner, DI John Brooke, is out to avenge his colleague’s murder.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Friday 24th January 2014)

On the final leg of his journey from Southampton to Wolverhampton, Michael Portillo’s first destination is the elegant spa town of Cheltenham, where he discovers a very early locomotive carriage which ran not on rails but on the road and is lucky enough to get behind the wheel. His next stop is the medieval town of Tewkesbury, scene of a grisly battle during the Wars of the Roses. Armour-plated and sword at the ready, Michael joins a group of re-enactors for a taste of the action.

Silent Witness (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Friday 24th January 2014)

Forensic crime drama series. Martin, the sole eyewitness in the murder case, is found dead in suspicious circumstances. Threatened by an angry Bekir, Nuri grows increasingly desperate to find the missing drugs, with tragic consequences. Nikki helps grieving William come to terms with his daughter Alice’s death and his missing baby granddaughter. Under pressure from his wife Ellie, DI John Brooke finally comes face-to-face with his nemesis, drug dealer Bekir. However, Jack’s growing frustration over DI Brooke’s meddling in the case unearths a new line of enquiry.

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

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 11/01/2014

11 January 2014

gsvalentine

TV this week No Comments

Speed with Guy Martin (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 12th January 2014)

Motorcycle racer and lorry mechanic Guy Martin loves pushing the boundaries of speed in search of a buzz. He claims that nothing can match the adrenaline rush he gets when he’s racing on public roads around the Isle of Man TT course at 200mph. Now he wants to see if he can find anything that can give him the same kick. In this new series, he creates four-speed based challenges, exploring the boundaries of physics and learning about the science of speed. Guy is on a mission to do the seemingly impossible: fly using muscle power alone. He wants to build the world’s fastest human powered aircraft: a plane without an engine that Guy will cycle into the air. He heads to Southampton University where, on 9 November 1961, Derek Piggot became the first man to fly under his own power. Forty two years later, Guy is ready to break into the history books with another team from the university.

Sherlock (BBC 1/HD | 8:30pm to 10:00pm | Sunday 12th January 2014)

Contemporary crime drama, based on the stories by Arthur Conan Doyle. Sherlock Holmes encounters Charles Augustus Magnussen, the one man he truly hates, through a case of stolen letters. How will he tackle an enemy who specialises in blackmail and knows the personal weakness of every eminent person in the Western world?

Operation Grand Canyon with Dan Snow (BBC 2/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Sunday 12th January 2014)

Dan Snow and his team continue down the Grand Canyon in antique wooden boats as they rediscover one of the Wild West’s great adventures.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Monday 13th January 2014)

Michael Portillo embarks on a new journey guided by his Bradshaw’s Handbook from London’s Euston station to Leeds. In this first leg, he finds out what happened to the once proud Euston Arch then braves the watery depths under Camden Town to see how goods were transported by rail, road and canal. Clad in his old school blazer, Michael heads north to explore the Harrow of his childhood and remembers the tragic rail disaster of 1952. At the country estate of one of the world’s wealthiest banking families in Tring, he discovers an exotic collection in need of special attention before alighting at Cheddington, scene of the Great Train Robbery.

Dogs: Their Secret Lives (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Monday 13th January 2014)

Following the public response to his original programme, vet Mark Evans looks again at how our lives and those of our dogs have radically changed in the last 50 years. Man’s best friend is spending more and more time home alone. Using hidden cameras, a ground-breaking study from the world’s leading dog scientists and the results of an extensive viewer survey, this updated documentary reveals what our dogs get up to while we’re out. Footage from dozens of homes shows sleepy, active, howling and fretful dogs. Infrared cameras reveal what’s happening inside Bruno the boxer/Rottweiler cross’s head, while a dog vocalisation expert analyses Max the Alsatian’s howling to understand what he’s trying to communicate. Evans, the former chief vet at the RSPCA, catches up with the treatment of these dogs’ separation issues. He discovers whether new technology allowing dogs to make phone calls and watch TV is the key to keeping our canine companions happy in the modern British home.

Go Hard or Go Home (Channel 5 | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Monday 13th January 2014)

Adventure challenge series in which transatlantic yachtswoman Hannah White prepares ordinary members of the public for some of the world’s most extreme endurance races. In this episode, four GPs must train for The Bonebreaker, a 127-mile bicycle race across the towering peaks of the Pyrenees, twice crossing the border of France and Spain. The event has around 8,000 entrants, all of whom train 12 months a year and consider themselves to be amongst the best cyclists in the world.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Tuesday 14th January 2014)

Michael Portillo is guided by his Bradshaw’s Handbook on a journey from London’s Euston station to Leeds, on Robert Stephenson’s first inter-city railway line from the capital. Along the line at Bletchley he meets one of the Second World War’s most secret agents, discovers a poet in Olney whose words are still sung today and explores the first purpose-built railway town at Wolverton. Michael’s last stop on this leg is Newport Pagnell, where he learns the ancient craft of vellum making.

Death in Paradise (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Tuesday 14th January 2014)

Detective drama series. A university reunion party that DI Richard Poole is attending is brought to an abrupt halt when one of the group is murdered with an ice pick. With the case proving particularly sensitive, a new British detective, DI Humphrey Goodman, arrives on the island to help the team get to the bottom of the mysterious case. As the station’s newest recruit with his own set of methods, will Humphrey be able to adjust to his new team and surroundings?

Underage and Over the Limit (BBC 3/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Tuesday 14th January 2014)

Documentary which follows Phil Tye, a youth worker on the frontline fighting against the underage drink epidemic in the north east of England. The region has the country’s highest percentage of 11 to 15-year-olds drinking alcohol and it also has double the national average of under-18s in treatment for drink-related problems. The film also asks teenagers why they start so early and drink so much.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Wednesday 15th January 2014)

Michael Portillo is guided by his Bradshaw’s Handbook on a journey from London’s Euston station to Leeds, on Robert Stephenson’s first inter-city railway line from the capital. Heading north, Michael stops in Northampton, the land of shoemakers, where Victorian ‘clickers’ have been making shoes for more than 130 years. In Rugby, Michael discovers the legacy of Dr Thomas Arnold and trains with the school’s 1st XV before heading to Coventry, where he finds out how the city’s craftsmen learned to adapt to survive. Michael ends this leg of his journey in Nuneaton, birthplace of an author whose identity was once a closely guarded secret.

The Restoration Man (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Wednesday 15th January 2014)

Having never lived together before, architect Neil Worrell and his partner Jackie Robinson decided to cement their relationship by purchasing a forgotten church in the picture perfect fishing town of Brixham in Devon. What began as a project that would bring them closer together, becomes the ultimate test as the restoration pushes them to their limits. George Clarke brings his own design expertise to the project to help them realise their dream; and at the same time discovers the rich history that links this church directly to Brixham’s celebrated fishing community.

Waterloo Road (BBC 1/HD | 8:30pm to 9:30pm | Wednesday 15th January 2014)

School-based drama. In an attempt to resolve her money worries, Carol gets a temporary job in the school kitchen, until George gets in the way. Meanwhile, Nikki considers the future of her relationship with Vix, and George and Christine go on a date to the theatre.

Britain’s Oldest Family Businesses (BBC 4/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm)

Series of three documentaries following the bosses of three of Britain’s oldest family businesses as they go on a journey into their remarkable pasts. Richard Balson’s family have been butchers for almost 500 years, since Henry VIII was on the throne. He goes back through centuries of butchery, to the origin of the British high street. Along the way he discovers how the Balsons have stayed in the butchery business despite scandal and tragedy.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Thursday 16th January 2014)

Michael Portillo is guided by his Bradshaw’s Handbook on a journey from London’s Euston station to Leeds, on Robert Stephenson’s first inter-city railway line from the capital. He begins this leg in Leicester, where he picks up the trail of ‘the famous crook-backed King Richard III’, who Bradshaw’s informs him was buried at the Grey Priory. Michael finds out about the hunt for the king’s remains and how scientists managed to prove that the skeleton found under a car park was him. From Rothley, Michael works his passage on the Great Central Railway to Loughborough, where the bells have been tolling since 1839.

Silent Witness (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Thursday 16th January 2014)

Forensic crime drama series. Nikki and Jack head to Scotland to help earnest rural detective DS Jason Ross investigate the chilling murder of a lap dancer found in a remote forest. In their search to find a suspect, the team clash with rogue city detectives DS Mike MacNeil and DI Simon Laing. But as more human remains are unearthed in the forest, it becomes horrifyingly apparent that a dangerous serial killer is at large. News of the murders unsettles new mother Sarah, who is harbouring a dark secret from her partner Steve.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Friday 17th January 2014)

Michael Portillo is guided by his Bradshaw’s Handbook on a journey from London’s Euston station to Leeds, on Robert Stephenson’s first inter-city railway line from the capital. On the final leg of his journey, Michael Portillo rediscovers a once-famous poet in Nottingham. In Mansfield he travels on a railway line resurrected by popular demand after falling victim to Beeching’s cuts, then heads to Worksop, where he learns about the burrowing activities of an eccentric Duke. Michael’s next stop is ‘railway city’ Doncaster, where in the nineteenth century thousands laboured to build trains and where in the twentieth century, rail workers shaped British political history. His last stop on this journey is Leeds, where he auditions at the Venus and Venice of Variety on the stage at Britain’s oldest continuously working music hall.

Silent Witness (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Friday 17th January 2014)

Forensic crime drama series. Nikki, Jack and DS Ross find themselves under pressure to urgently close the net on a serial killer abducting young women. Concerns grow over missing Sarah, and solving her mysterious disappearance becomes an urgent priority for Nikki and Jack. Local huntsman Niall Wallacemakes a surprising admission under questioning from DS MacNeil. However, Nikki’s confidence in the detectives is diminished when she suspects a cover-up in the past case of a murdered prostitute and her pimp.

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

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 04/01/2014

4 January 2014

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TV this week No Comments

Speed with Guy Martin (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 5th January 2014)

Motorcycle racer and lorry mechanic Guy Martin loves pushing the boundaries of speed in search of a buzz. He claims that nothing can match the adrenaline rush he gets when he’s racing on public roads around the Isle of Man TT course at 200mph. Now he wants to see if he can find anything that can give him the same kick. In this new series, he creates four-speed based challenges, exploring the boundaries of physics and learning about the science of speed. Guy attempts to set the world record for riding a motorcycle on the surface of water. With the help of a Cambridge professor and a team of marine engineers, Guy’s stunt hinges on Sir Isaac Newton’s Third Law of Motion: that every action has an equal and opposite reaction. If he can maintain enough speed on his bike, the 250-year-old theory says he should be able to achieve the seemingly impossible: to ride on water.

Sherlock (BBC 1/HD | 8:30pm to 10:00pm | Sunday 5th January 2014)

Contemporary crime drama, based on the stories by Arthur Conan Doyle. Sherlock faces his biggest challenge of all – delivering a best man’s speech on John’s wedding day.

Operation Grand Canyon with Dan Snow (BBC 2/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Sunday 5th January 2014)

Dan Snow and team take on the rapids of the Grand Canyon in antique wooden boats to rediscover one of the wild west’s great adventures of discovery.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Monday 6th January 2014)

Michael Portillo embarks on a new journey from Manchester, birthplace of George Bradshaw, the publisher of his trusted guide, to Chesterfield, burial place of George Stephenson, the father of the railway. In the first leg of the jourey, Michael finds out how the world’s first industrialised city also gave birth to a revolutionary political movement and hears how railway workers founded one of the most successful football clubs in the world. Along the way, Michael does the washing in Port Sunlight and discovers the legacy of an American named George Francis Train in Birkenhead.

Secrets of the Sales (BBC 1/HD | 10:35pm to 11:35pm | Monday 6th January 2014)

With exclusive access to some of Britain’s biggest high street chains, Cherry Healey goes behind the scenes to find out how the sales work from the inside. Cherry goes backstage in the John Lewis summer sale, gets inside a critical mark down meeting where sale prices and sale strategy are set, and she discovers the addictive way bargain hunting can affect our bodies. Cherry also uncovers hidden sales offering huge price cuts, learns how major high street retailers use scent to try and influence our behaviour, and meets with a sofa manufacturer willing to admit furniture sales can be a psychological trick.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Tuesday 7th January 2014)

Michael Portillo continues his journey through the North West of England. He begins in the elegant Lancashire resort of Southport, where the railways brought thousands of visitors to enjoy the pier and all the fun of the fair. Michael discovers Victorian entrepreneurship in Wigan, traces the beginnings of the Industrial Revolution in Bolton and drives a hundred-year-old commercial vehicle in Leyland.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Wednesday 8th January 2014)

Michael Portillo continues his journey through the North West of England. He celebrates Victorian trade with the Preston Guild then heads to Rochdale where he discovers a pioneering movement that helped improve the lot of working families. Michael follows in the tracks of swathes of nineteenth-century working people who made day trips from the industrial towns to Hebden Bridge to walk in the beautiful Calder Valley.

The Restoration Man (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Wednesday 8th January 2014)

Alan Appleby and his wife Dora might be restoration experts, but they’ve never taken on a project as ambitious as this. They’ve saved a flint mill in Stone, Staffordshire, which was about to fall down. Since Alan is a building surveyor, he shouldn’t have a problem fixing the massive structural damage. But his passion for old buildings soon takes over and they end up ploughing everything they have into this build. George Clarke helps them every step of the way and uncovers its unique history and the link between this building and the world-renowned pottery and ceramics of Josiah Wedgwood.

Waterloo Road (BBC 1/HD | 8:30pm to 9:30pm | Wednesday 8th January 2014)

The school drama returns, and chaos descends when what appears to be a masked intruder disrupts the start-of-term assembly. However, the intruder is soon revealed to be new PE teacher Hector Reid. Meanwhile, new girl Gabriella Wark causes a bit of a stir.

24 Hours in A and E (Channel 4/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 8th January 2014)

The award-winning series, filmed round the clock at King’s College Hospital in South London, returns with an episode filmed on Red Nose Day. For most of the people being treated at King’s it may be no time to laugh, but patients and staff reflect on the importance of being able to focus on the brighter side of life. Dilson, who’s 33, is rushed in by ambulance with severe knife wounds after being repeatedly stabbed in the head and neck as he tried to stop a fight outside a nightclub. Dilson is agitated when he arrives and the staff have to calm him down before they can properly assess his injuries. It’s vital he has a CT scan as it’s incredibly difficult to judge how serious a stabbing is from a visual inspection.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Thursday 9th January 2014)

Michael Portillo begins this leg of his journey from Manchester to Chesterfield at the home of the three Bronte sisters in Worth Valley, Yorkshire. He then moves on to Oakworth where he learns how the station and its heritage railway line secured a starring role in one of the most popular films ever made. In Bradford, Michael finds out how nineteenth-century workers could save to buy a home of their own, and in Halifax discovers how the railway contributed to the town’s sweet success.

Dolphins: Spy in the Pod (BBC 1/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 9th January 2014)

Remote-controlled Spy Creatures reveal dolphins as never before, as we meet the orca and discover the intimacy of its remarkable family life. There are also the dolphins that wear sponges on their noses, and the Dall’s porpoise, the fastest dolphin in the world. There is the story of a real dolphin secret agent that carries a camera into the pod to uncover their mysteries of communication and interactions, and a young bottlenose begins a life on his own.

Silent Witness (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Thursday 9th January 2014)

This episode of the crime drama sees Nikki delivering ground-breaking testimony in the high-profile appeal court case of David Bennetto, a convicted killer who has spent the last six years behind bars for the murder of two gay teenagers. But bitter DI Rachel Klein remains unconvinced that she caused a miscarriage of justice and cannot hide her contempt, especially when another young man is found dead bearing the same hallmarks of the previous murders. Meanwhile, Nikki’s professionalism is brought into question due to her increasingly close relationship with lawyer Greg Walker.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Friday 10th January 2014)

On the last leg of his journey from a notorious slum in Manchester to the grandeur of a ducal seat in Derbyshire, Michael Portillo tunes in to the music of the mills and collieries of Victorian England, testing his puff with the brass band at Honley. In Holmfirth, Michael finds out about a nineteenth-century tragedy that struck the town and led to a tourist boom on the railways. At Chesterfield, Michael pays homage to the father of the railway, George Stephenson, before finishing his journey in style at one of the first stately homes to welcome visitors by rail – Chatsworth.

Silent Witness (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Friday 10th January 2014)

Nikki’s professional reputation is on the line in the latest episode of the forensic crime drama, as her romantic involvement with lawyer Greg Walker leads her face-to-face with a raging Bennetto. Thomas is under mounting pressure from DI Rachel Klein and the Home Office as he battles to save the Lyell Centre’s reputation in the midst of a media storm. Grieving for the death of his murdered son, newspaper hack Peter Masham strikes an unlikely deal with Bennetto’s brother-in-law. Meanwhile, Jack and Clarissa uncover the true identity of murder victim Byron Lee.

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

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