Tag: The Last Leg Goes Down Under

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 30/01/2016

The Secret Life of the Zoo - 02-02-2016 - YouView appCall the Midwife (BBC 2/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 31st January 2016)

A outbreak of typhoid erupts, and suspicion over who the carrier could be threatens to break apart a closely knit family. Sister Winfred faces a personal dilemma when a local teacher is revealed to be pregnant by a married man. When the woman takes matters into her own hands, Sister Winifred is forced to consider the role her own prejudices may have played. Meanwhile, Barbara inadvertently agrees to go to dinner with Tom, but is wracked with worry about how Trixie will react.

Great American Railroad Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Monday 1st February 2016)

Michael Portillo rides the railroads of America, armed with Appleton’s General Guide to the United States, published in 1879. Michael begins his American odyssey in New York City. Starting at Grand Central Terminal, the ‘gateway to the nation’, he boards the Manhattan subway system, the busiest rail transit system in the US. His first stop is the Rockefeller Centre, where he gets a bird’s eye view of Manhattan Island and learns how about the technology which enabled the city to build up. Portillo heads to the Financial District, where, over a Lobster Newberg, he finds out how the dodgy political dealings of the era’s famous industrialists earned them the nickname ‘Robber Barons’. He observes their better side at the Metropolitan Museum of Art as he learns that philanthropy helped the city’s burgeoning art scene, before finishing his journey midtown, among the bright lights of Broadway.

Griff’s Great Britain (itv/HD | 8:00pm to 8:30pm | Monday 1st February 2016)

Griff Rhys Jones sets out to explore some of Britain’s most stunning landscapes. In this episode, Griff looks at the British passion for being beside the sea, visiting a unique stretch of the British coastline. Beginning at the historic North Yorkshire seaside town of Scarborough, he then travels up to the picturesque port of Whitby for some ghostly adventures.

Silent Witness (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 1st February 2016)

The Lyell team investigate the shooting of a family who were picnicking by the river. DCI Butcher, leading the investigation, soon focuses on the female victim’s estranged husband. However, DS Guillam, a local detective working on the case, is haunted by the death of a young woman near the river ten years ago and sees an opportunity to redeem himself. A medical registrar is reminded of the same death a decade ago – the victim was her friend – and she is forced to confront the high-powered people she has been trying desperately to forget.

Great American Railroad Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Tuesday 2nd February 2016)

Michael Portillo rides the railroads of America, armed with Appleton’s General Guide to the United States, published in 1879. Michael continues his American journey in Manhattan’s Lower East Side, where he narrowly avoids a scrap with an historic gang of New York and visits the grim tenement buildings where thousands of the city’s immigrants lived and worked. In the West Side, Michael discovers how a once lethal run of track has been transformed into a public park, raised above the city streets. Forsaking the rails for a ferry, Michael heads for Ellis Island, where some 12 million immigrants entered America. Michael is given a privileged tour of the gleaming new transport hub under construction close to the site of Ground Zero.

The Secret Life of the Zoo (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Tuesday 2nd February 2016)

This new series reveals the secret life of the animals of Chester Zoo, Britain’s most popular zoo, using new micro-rig technology to capture in incredible detail the remarkable behaviour of the animals and their close relationships with their keepers. In the first episode, the zoo’s Asian elephant family welcome a new arrival. Grumpy matriarch Thi has been pregnant for almost two years and is reaching the end of her tether. She’s given birth to a stillborn baby in the past, so the keepers have a close eye on her. Not everyone in the family is looking forward to the birth. Playful Hari, the youngest member of the herd, is feeling left out. No longer the golden child, he starts acting up, taking his frustrations out on grandmother Sithami.

Silent Witness (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Tuesday 2nd February 2016)

As DCI Butcher moves closer to charging the estranged husband of the family killed at the picnic, Jack and Nikki join DS Guillam in search of the truth. The team begin to realise they may have been looking down the wrong end of the telescope, and their lives are thrown into mortal danger. Soon enough, they are thrust into an unexpected and depraved world, and further murders are discovered. Jack and Nikki must fight to escape and bring those responsible to justice. Meanwhile, Amy’s dark past begins to catch up with her and she must decide whether to keep it buried or confront it head-on, risking her medical career and everything else in order to escape her demons. Amy’s nightmare and the Lyell’s investigation begin to converge. And when the crimes are linked to people in very high places, the team experience the difficulty of bringing the rich and powerful to justice.

Great American Railroad Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Wednesday 3rd February 2016)

Michael Portillo rides the railroads of America, armed with Appleton’s General Guide to the United States, published in 1879. From Manhattan, Michael follows his Appleton’s Guide east, travelling on the Long Island Railroad. He begins in Brooklyn, where he learns the incredible story behind the world’s first steel suspension bridge. Divided by a common language, Michael struggles to order a pizza before continuing to Queens and the site of an ambitious engineering project that will transform New York City’s rail network. Moving east through Long Island, he visits one of the country’s most decadent mansions, owned by an oil tycoon known as Mr Monopoly, where he gets into a flap dancing the Charleston, before ending his journey on Long Island’s eastern most tip at New York’s first lighthouse.

Great American Railroad Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Thursday 4th February 2016)

Michael Portillo rides the railroads of America, armed with Appleton’s General Guide to the United States, published in 1879. Michael follows America’s mighty Hudson River north, riding on the United States’ national rail carrier service, Amtrak. He learns from Amtrak’s police chief about some of the nation’s most infamous train robbers, then upriver at Tarrytown, he is spooked by the stories of one of America’s greatest writers, Washington Irving, author of Sleepy Hollow. On the east bank of the Hudson, he stops at Garrison, site of many guerrilla battles during the Wars of Independence, where he hears about the greatest turncoat in American history and learns about the many famous military leaders who trained at West Point.

Cats v Dogs: Which is Best? (BBC 2/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 4th February 2016)

Chris Packham and Liz Bonnin battle it out to find the definitive answer to the burning question – which are best, cats or dogs? Based at one of Britain’s largest cat and dog veterinary centres, Chris and Liz test different aspects of each animal. Round one tests whether either species can understand numbers. In Vienna, Chris discovers that dogs can discriminate between higher and lower numbers of dots and Liz tries out the test on cats with surprising results. Round two tests which animal has the better vision, sense of smell and hearing. Chris challenges sniffer dog Boris to find him in a busy city. The final round looks at whether cats or dogs are the most physically agile by testing which can jump the highest, which is the fastest sprinter and which the best endurance runner. Chris also comes face to face with a pack of wolves whilst Liz confronts an Arabian wild cat. Together, they put our favourite pets under the microscope to see how they compare.

Death in Paradise (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm 1o 10:00pm | Thursday 4th February 2016)

DI Goodman’s aunt Mary comes to visit him, but things take an unexpected turn when she becomes the only witness to the murder of a tourist. Some unorthodox advice on love from Dwayne leaves JP in a spin.

Great American Railroad Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Friday 5th February 2016)

Michael Portillo rides the railroads of America, armed with Appleton’s General Guide to the United States, published in 1879. Michael Portillo continues his railroad journey through New York State following his Appleton’s Guide. Beginning in the city of Poughkeepsie, he visits a famous all-female university, alma mater of Jane Fonda and Meryl Streep. He discovers the tumultuous history of the Poughkeepsie-Highland Railroad Bridge and follows the train line up to the Catskill Mountains, admiring its picturesque scenery from an altogether different type of line – a zip wire. Back on safe ground, he discovers that the dramatic landscape inspired artists of the Hudson River School. Arriving in New York’s state capital, Albany, he samples a drop of Albany Ale before rubbing shoulders with the State Senator.

Landward Special – The Great Scottish Flood (BBC 1 Scotland & BBC iPlayer only | 7:30pm to 8:00pm | Friday 5th February 2016)

A special edition of Scotland’s countryside magazine. Dougie Vipond and the team meet the homeowners, landowners and farmers who bore the brunt of this winter’s extreme flooding. They ask what can be done to protect people from such dramatic damage ever again.

Shetland (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Friday 5th February 2016)

The murder investigation takes Perez and Tosh to Glasgow as they try to uncover the reasons behind Maguire’s brutal death and his connection to Robbie Morton. But old ghosts return to haunt Perez as his enemies try to prevent him from getting to the truth.

Walks Around Britain (Community Channel | 9:00pm to 9:30pm | Friday 5th February 2016)

Series featuring inspirational walks from around Britain. Andrew White walks above and alongside 2 large bodies of water – Ladybower Reservoir and Windermere.

The Last Leg Goes Down Under (Channel 4/HD | 10:00pm to 11:10pm | Friday 5th February 2016)

Adam Hills, Josh Widdicombe and Alex Brooker – hosts of the award-winning The Last Leg – head to the Australian wilderness for the ultimate outback road trip. Adam plots his revenge after four years of verbal abuse from English co-hosts Josh and Alex about his home country, Australia with the help of blind adventure travel guide Amar Latif. In the concluding show, having driven the length of the Northern Territory, the lads have one week to get from the opal mining town of Coober Pedy to Sydney in time to meet Adam’s 97-year-old grandfather. En route they try mining for opals, survive dressing in drag in an edgy town, hunt wild boars and go the full ‘Mad Max’. Josh and Alex are struggling with Adam’s transformation from mildly Aussie suburbanite to the most Australian thing since Mick Dundee and his attempts to Aussie-up the pair of them. Will their matey rapport survive the arduous journey or is this the last straw for The Last Leg?

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

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 23/01/2016

The Restoration Man - 28-01-2016 - YouView appHorse (BBC 2/HD | 7:20pm to 9:35pm | Saturday 23rd January 2016)

Wartime drama. It is 1914, and struggling Devon farmer Ted Narracott buys a remarkable but unsuitable horse at auction. His son Albert names him Joey and, under pressure from their unscrupulous landlord, somehow trains Joey to work the farm. But when war breaks out, Joey is requisitioned by the army to serve at the front and begins a remarkable adventure that takes him far from Albert and the fields of Devon.

Call the Midwife (BBC 1/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 24th January 2016)

Barbara experiences the biggest test of her career when a struggling dockworker’s wife is forced into a difficult decision about her impending delivery. Nurse Crane meets a new friend who promises great adventure but conceals a secret. Sister Evangelina is forced to take action when a mistake comes to light.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Monday 25th January 2016)

Michael begins a new journey through the home counties in Ashford, Kent, lending a hand at a state-of-the-art train maintenance plant, home to the High Speed 1 rolling stock – a modern railway hub in a Victorian railway town. A visit to a historic make-up brand reveals the foundations of the Victorian cosmetics industry. Taking the tracks east to Marden, Michael is moved by music played on Queen Victoria’s personal piano before ending his journey in Sevenoaks at Knole House, seat of the Sackville-West family, where he learns of its colourful history.

Griff’s Great Britain (itv/HD | 8:00pm to 8:30pm | Monday 25th January 2016)

Griff explores Dartmoor National Park, the largest and wildest area of open country in the south of England. The park is home to ancient woodlands, high granite tors, vast tracts of rolling moorland as well as churches, cream teas, llamas and legends.

Silent Witness (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 25th January 2016)

The accidental fatal shooting of a Polish teenager in an armed police operation puts the firearms division responsible under immense public scrutiny. After the inquest delivers a lawful killing verdict, the mutilated body of a Turkish man is found in close proximity to the original incident, leading IPCC investigator Vicky Sharpe to question whether there is a link. Sharpe approaches the Lyell to seek their help in reviewing the armed police shooting evidence. As revelations about the shooting threaten to emerge, further bodies are discovered and the team are drawn into the world of Turkish gangsters, a grieving Polish family hell bent on justice and a fractured firearms unit attempting to put a year of accusations and interrogations behind them.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Tuesday 26th January 2016)

At East Grinstead, Michael dons a boiler suit and takes to the footplate of a loco on the Bluebell Railway, Britain’s first passenger carrying heritage line. Travelling north to Merstham, Surrey, Michael experiences an explosive encounter as he witnesses the power of dynamite first-hand. Moving east through Surrey countryside, he visits the stunningly situated Leith Hill Place to explore the compositions of the great British composer Ralph Vaughan Williams. The journey ends near Guildford with the story of a giant of Victorian art – GF Watts.

Tricks of the Restaurant Trade (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 8:30pm | Tuesday 26th January 2016)

In the fourth episode of the series that lifts the lid on the restaurant industry, Kate Quilton and Simon Rimmer chow down on fried chicken, focusing on the two big players: KFC and Nando’s. KFC has over 890 outlets in the UK, but Simon’s never eaten there. As well as sampling his first ever KFC, he attempts to recreate Colonel Sanders’ famous secret recipe; can a KFC superfan tell the difference? Peri-peri chicken chain Nando’s inspires cult-like devotion among its customers. Celebrities like Ed Sheeran, JLS and Dizzee Rascal have all raved about it, which may have something to do with their celebrity High Five card. Apparently you’ll never get one if you ask; nonetheless Simon tries to procure one of these mysterious cards.

Silent Witness (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Tuesday 26th January 2016)

When the body of an armed police officer is found, the team join the manhunt for supposed cop killer Bruno, hoping to apprehend him before more officers can be killed. Jack hopes to reach the suspect first and talk him into handing himself in before more damage is done. In doing so, he uncovers links to London’s small but devastating gun trade. Meanwhile, the murder of their colleague forces the other armed police officers to question their safety, and soon their paranoia leads them to scrutinise each other’s behaviour. As further victims fall prey to the killer, the pathology and forensics begin to point to a highly trained individual. The team rally round Jack as he searches for the truth. He must put himself in jeopardy in order to discover who is responsible for the murders, and what really happened during the armed police operation.

The Mad World of Donald Trump (Channel 4/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Tuesday 26th January 2016)

Matt Frei enters the colourful and mad world of presidential hopeful Donald Trump, whose meteoric political rise comes amid one of the most controversial political campaigns America has ever seen. Trump’s plans to ban all Muslims from entering the States and to build a wall to keep Mexican immigrants out have outraged many in the States and beyond. Discover the man behind the brand, from the multiple divorces, the bankruptcies and the public insults aimed at women who crossed him to claims of bullying Scottish residents who stood in the way of his golf resort. It’s the all-consuming story of a privileged multi-billionaire tycoon who has now decided to use his considerable resource to become the most powerful person on the planet. Frei is also on the campaign trail, meeting those who oppose Trump as well as his fervent supporters who believe he is the epitome of American success and will deliver on his promise to ‘Make America great again’.
(High Definition, Subtitles)

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Wednesday 27th January 2016)

Michael’s journey through the home counties continues at Woking, Surrey, where Michael uncovers the story of Britain’s first purpose-built crematorium, a response to overcrowded cemeteries and London’s ever-expanding population. A trip to world-famous Wisley Gardens sheds light on the work of the Royal Horticultural Society, as Michael gets green fingered. Swapping trees and tranquillity for the roar of a motor car, at Weybridge Michael visits Brooklands the birthplace of motor racing and gets behind the wheel of a vintage Bentley racing car. As this journey leg draws to a close, Portillo goes camping at Walton-on-Thames and learns about the unlikely origins of a leisure pursuit that is going strong today.

Children Saved from the Nazis: The Story of Sir Nicholas Winton (BBC 1/HD | 10:45pm to 11:45pm | Wednesday 27th January 2016)

Documentary telling the extraordinary story of how Nicholas Winton rescued 669 children from the clutches of the Nazis, bringing them by train to Britain. In 1939 Europe was on the brink of war, and with Hitler invading Czechoslovakia, the lives of the Jewish population was threatened. Winton, a young British stockbroker, decided to do everything possible to save the lives of as many Jewish children as he could. In order to provide a degree of credibility with both the British and Nazi governments of the day, Winton single-handedly established the British Committee for Refugees from Czechoslovakia – Children’s Section, using it to obtain passports and visas for the children. He then organised for each child to be adopted by families throughout the country and their safe passage across Europe and into Britain. For nearly fifty years, Nicholas told no-one of his heroic deeds.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Thursday 28th January 2016)

A royal residence beckons for Michael as he is treated to a behind-the-scenes tour of the world’s longest vine at Hampton Court Palace. Maintaining a royal theme, Michael is drawn to Esher to visit stately Claremont House, where tragic circumstances led directly to the birth of the Victorian era. Moving up the line to Wimbledon, Michael is challenged to a duel on the common, the site of a historic and memorable duelling event. This journey ends in Teddington, where the story of a Victorian reformer whose work revolutionised the care for those living with learning disabilities is uncovered.

Death in Paradise (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Thursday 28th January 2016)

The team must solve a deeply personal case when Dwayne’s old mentor is found dead and a text message indicates it was murder. DI Goodman tries to unleash his inner gourmand.

The Restoration Man (Channel 4/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Thursday 28th January 2016)

Restoration novices Mark Hinchcliffe and Laura Rushton have hatched a risky plan to convert two beautiful but crumbling church buildings into family homes in Harrogate. The project hangs on them successfully transforming the listed Sunday school building – as all the profits from its sale are needed to turn the cavernous Victorian church into Mark and Laura’s own home. The stunning Sunday school conversion shows they are born restorers, but can they keep up their high standards as the hidden costs of modernising these neglected structures start to spiral?

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Friday 29th January 2016)

Michael begins the final leg of this journey through the home counties at Egham, where a perfectly preserved, historic steam fair offers the original white-knuckle ride. Across town lies the palatial Royal Holloway College, now part of the University of London, where Michael discovers the institution’s philanthropic roots. Moving on to Berkshire, Michael drops in at a factory that manufactures a famously sleep-inducing beverage with historic roots. This journey ends riverside at Henley-on-Thames, where Michael takes to the water and learns that rowing in an eight is a challenging business.

Walks Around Britain (Community Channel | 9:00pm to 9:30pm | Friday 29th January 2016)

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

The Last Leg Goes Down Under (Channel 4/HD | 10:00pm to 11:05pm | Friday 29th January 2016)

Adam Hills, Josh Widdicombe and Alex Brooker – hosts of the award-winning The Last Leg – head to the Australian wilderness for the ultimate outback road trip. Adam plots his revenge after four years of verbal abuse from English co-hosts Josh and Alex about his home country, Australia. He wants to show the lads that Australia isn’t the silly place they thought it was, but in fact a searing hot, unforgiving hell hole, stuffed full of people who are hard as nails. In the first episode, they head from Darwin to Uluru where their fantasies of beaches and sunshine are replaced by camping out with deadly snakes and spiders, confronting hard-faced biker gangs and generally embracing a real-life Crocodile Dundee experience. Adam seems transformed, but Josh and Alex wonder if a nervous breakdown looms. The guys find out a few new things about each other along the journey while turning each encounter into an exciting and richly comedic journey.

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