Tag: The Thames: Britain’s Great River with Tony Robinson

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 23/01/2021

The Architecture The Railways Built (Yesterday | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Tuesday 26th January 2021)

Tim Dunn visits the Royal Albert Bridge and finds out how it was constructed. He also visits Wolverhampton to learn about the history of its train stations, old and new.

Grand Designs (Channel 4/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 27th January 2021)

Kevin McCloud meets energy conservationist Andrew, who has decided to build a radical, self-heating home for his family – the first of its kind in the UK. He aims to heat the house all year round by storing the warmth of the summer sun into insulated earth banks over and around the house, and then drawing the warmth back into the living spaces in winter. However, this pioneering construction seems an exercise in trial and error from the start, and what began as a seemingly simple, pure concept becomes a complicated feat of engineering.

The Thames: Britain’s Great River with Tony Robinson (Channel 5/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 27th January 2021)

The presenter watches a tunnelling machine being transported up the river into central London, and discovers plans to build a new tunnel under the Thames to take pressure off the crossing at Dartford. He also makes a late-night visit to New Covent Garden Market, and meets a Paralympian in training at Marlow Rowing Club.

Death in Paradise (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Thursday 28th January 2021)

Neville tries to embrace island life with a game of beach volleyball, only for a rogue sandfly bite to land him in hospital. His time on the ward takes a shocking turn when a nurse takes her own life – although the DI suspects foul play and starts to build a case against his key suspects. Meanwhile, JP and Marlon are struggling to achieve a good working relationship.

Hadrian’s Wall with Robson Green (Channel 5/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Thursday 28th January 2021)

The actor makes an early start for the remaining 46 miles of his trek along Hadrian’s Wall, crossing the border from Northumbria to Cumbria at Gilslan, where he finds playful graffiti from the Romans. Moving on, he learns how to link a Cumbrian sausage, takes to the skies for a bird’s-eye view of Carlisle and finally reaches the end of his journey at Bowness-on-Solway.

Susan Calman’s Grand Day Out (Channel 5/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Friday 29th January 2021)

The comedian takes a tour of the Cotswolds, beginning in Tetbury, where she gets some tips for a practice run for the market town’s famous woolsack races, before moving on to Westonbirt, home to forest bathing and a club devoted to puddings. Susan moves on to Bourton-on-the-Water miniature village, makes a spoon under the guidance of a special silversmith, and explores the gardens of an Indian palace in the midst of the Cotswolds.

It’s a Sin (Channel 4/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Friday 29th January 2021) ** PICK OF THE WEEK **

As Ritchie and Jill embark on a scheme to become professional actors, Colin is excited to be offered a trip to New York. Roscoe hides his fury when he finds himself excluded from his sister’s wedding, while Jill finds herself entering a world of mystery and fear. The stories in the headlines are becoming true, and the shadow of Aids looms, but Ritchie’s denial is ferocious and Jill finds herself unable to tell the truth as the situation gets worse. Drama, starring Olly Alexander, Omari Douglas and Callum Scott Howells.

The World’s Most Scenic Railway Journeys (Channel 5/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Friday 29th January 2021)

A journey through the mountains of the Italian Riviera in a restored vintage 1920s train, beginning at Cinque Terre national park, and concluding in the historic port city of Genoa. Along the way, the train stops at the elegant resort of Santa Margherita and the remote 10th-century abbey of San Fruttuoso.

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

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 16/01/2021

The Architecture The Railways Built (Yesterday | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Tuesday 19th January 2021)

Tim Dunn visits Weymss Bay Station in Inverclyde and also explores the engineering marvel that is Blackfriars station in central London.

The Truth About Improving Your Mental Health (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 20th January 2021)

Over the past 12 months, a team from Imperial College London, in collaboration with the BBC, have surveyed the mental health of over 350,000 people across the UK during the Covid-19 pandemic. Now, clinical psychologist Professor Tanya Byron joins former England footballer Alex Scott to discover how the latest science can help us gain greater control over our state of mind and improve mental health and wellbeing.

Grand Designs (Channel 4/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 20th January 2021)

Kevin McCloud follows the progress of Nathan and Amye as they build a giant cathedral-like property modelled on Dutch barn style houses, but with a contemporary twist. It is a hugely ambitious plan, and with Nathan project managing and setting themselves just a year to finish the build, the pressure to pull it off is huge.

The Thames: Britain’s Great River with Tony Robinson (Channel 5/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 20th January 2021)

Tony goes behind the scenes at the iconic Cutty Sark in Greenwich, meeting with the passionate team who care for this historical tourist attraction. Later, Tony visits a metal recycling yard on the banks of the river, before heading out of London to the Hoo peninsula in Kent, where he discovers a rich history of military defence in one small fort.

Death in Paradise (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Thursday 21st January 2021)

It seems money doesn’t buy happiness when lottery winner Cherry is found dead at her luxurious villa, much to the horror of her husband and their visiting friends. As usual, Neville and the team are presented with a real head-scratcher when it turns out no one was in the house at the time – and the mystery deepens when the victim’s body apparently vanishes into thin air. Meanwhile, JP is training unruly new officer Marlon, aware that his wife Rosey is due to give birth at any time. Kelvin Fletcher, Jason Manford and Faye McKeever guest star.

Hadrian’s Wall with Robson Green (Channel 5/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Thursday 21st January 2021)

The actor travels from Chollerford to Walltown Crags, and learns more about how the Romans took care of themselves so far from home. He samples natural cuisine and checks out the spa at Chesters Fort, before paying a visit to the latrines of Housesteads Fort, which were once the envy of an empire. He goes on to pit his fishing abilities against an angling rival, gladiator-style, before climbing Steel Rigg to reach the route’s highest summit.

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

The comedian ventures east of the Pennines on a 126-mile journey that begins at the North Yorkshire village of Runswick Bay, where she goes hunting for a rare gemstone called Whitby Jet. Susan samples the local cod and chips before exploring the gothic ruins of Whitby Abbey – famed for inspiring some of the most dramatic scenes in Bram Stoker’s Dracula. After a spell at Mother Shipton’s Cave – the oldest tourist attraction in England – she meets up with a group whose members reconstruct Roman gladiatorial battles in York. Finally, Susan ventures to Malham Cove, a huge curving amphitheatre-shaped cliff.

It’s a Sin (Channel 4/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Friday 22nd January 2021) ** PICK OF THE WEEK **

Russell T Davies’ drama, set in the 1980s during the Aids crisis, following the lives of a group of young gay men. September 1981 finds 18-year-old Ritchie leaving the Isle of Wight to go to university. In London, Roscoe walks out of parents’ home, while Colin arrives from Wales to start a new career on Savile Row. The three men meet, and along with fellow student Ash and best friend Jill form a gang and move into a flat, christened the Pink Palace. However, a distant threat on the horizon means that life in the 1980s might be all too precious. Olly Alexander, Omari Douglas and Callum Scott Howells star.

The World’s Most Scenic Railway Journeys (Channel 5/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Friday 22nd January 2021)

Luxury heritage train The Northern Belle, aka steam locomotive 6201 Princess Elizabeth, travels through England’s rural north west. Beginning in Preston, the passengers of its stylish 1930s Pullman carriages are soon whisked up through Cumbria and the spectacular landscapes of the Lake District. The train continues on to historic Carlisle, the site of a world-class medieval cathedral and home to supposedly England’s most haunted station. It then joins the Settle to Carlisle line, considered one of the most scenic railway routes in the world.

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

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 09/01/2021

London’s Greatest Bridges With Rob Bell (Channel 5/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Wednesday 13th January 2021)

Rob Bell explores the extraordinary stories of four of London’s most iconic bridges, uncovering the history behind how – and why – they were built. In the second episode, Rob focuses on the story of London’s Tower Bridge, looking closely at he bridge’s ingenious engineering, and how this bridge has become entwined with the people of the east-end, the Blitz, and the end of Empire.

Grand Designs (Channel 4/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 13th January 2021)

Kevin McCloud meets Greg and Georgie who are taking on the highly ambitious task of converting a dilapidated, 35-year-old barn in Kent. The build will be a huge challenge involving the painstaking conservation of the existing rotten structure, building a new two-storey internal steel frame and recycling everything they can to stretch their £250,000 budget.

The Thames: Britain’s Great River with Tony Robinson (Channel 5/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 13th January 2021)

In the second episode, Tony explores the river’s role as a vital trade artery connecting the country to the outside world, going behind the scenes at London Gateway, the newest and largest container port on the Thames. Later, he visits Whitstable, famous for its oysters that come from the Thames estuary.

Saving Lives at Sea (BBC 2/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 14th January 2021)

A teenage paddleboarder is being swept out to sea off the coast of north Wales, so the crew of the Abersoch lifeboat race to reach him before he is lost for ever. The crew of the Lizard lifeboat station face two missions, as they are called out to a cargo ship taking on water and in danger of sinking with its crew still on board, followed by a small yacht being battered by a storm in the Atlantic.

Iain Robertson Rambles (BBC Scotland/HD & BBC iPlayer only | Thursday 14th January 2021)

In the second of two programmes, actor Iain Robertson treks the last 52 miles of the West Highland Way, joined by some familiar faces along the way. He and his River City co-star Lesley Hart begin with a six-mile walk from Crianlarich to Tyndrum, before he ventures into the mist-swirling valley of Glencoe, and a rained-off climb sees him reunited with Small Faces actor Steven Duffy for an unscheduled day trip. He then makes it across the Devil’s Staircase and visits the town of Kinlochleven, where his father grew up, before finally descending into Fort William and facing Ben Nevis.

Death in Paradise (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Thursday 14th January 2021) ** PICK OF THE WEEK **

An archaeologist is poisoned during a dig, and with only two suspects and a quick confession, it looks like this is going to be an open-and-shut case. However, it turns out the archaeologists were not alone – and the team realise they have little to no evidence. Meanwhile, Neville and Florence realise they might get along better than they originally thought, although the DI’s attempts to embrace island life do not find favour with the Commissioner.

Susan Calman’s Grand Day Out (Channel 5/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Friday 15th January 2021)

The comedian aboard her vintage camper van, explores the mountainous region of north-west England and the Lake District. She begins her 142-mile journey just south of Penrith, travelling down through the lakes, before heading west to finish near Keswick. Along the way she meets the people and visits the places that make this most scenic part of Britain unique. On Ullswater, Susan gets a chance to take charge of the oldest working passenger vessel in the world, the Lady of the Lake. Then she hears of Beatrix Potter’s love of the region before heading the spooky Muncaster Castle.

The World’s Most Scenic Railway Journeys (Channel 5/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Friday 15th January 2021)

A journey through Sicily that takes in seven Unesco World Heritage sites, with the first stop being a visit to a castle whose baron was inspired by Hampton Court. There’s a meeting in Modica with Sicily’s most famous chocolatier, a trip on the unique railway that travels around Etna, and a visit to Ragusa, a baroque-inspired city famous for its beauty and for its spiral railway that travels within a mountain.

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

? UK TV programmes to watch this week : 15/06/2019

Britain’s Most Historic Towns (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Saturday 15th June 2019)

Alice Roberts visits Canterbury to explore the Plantagenet era, when the powerful house held the throne between 1154 and 1485. She discovers the secrets of the city’s cathedral, a centre of ecclesiastical power and also the site of the shocking murder of Thomas Becket. She also discovers the lasting impact of the Black Death and joins a modern-day pilgrimage in medieval garb. Aerial archaeologist Ben Robinson provides a bird’s-eye view of how the religious institutions of the era still dominate the city’s topography.

Top Gear (BBC 2/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 16th June 2019)

Freddie Flintoff, Chris Harris and Paddy McGuinness take over as the latest hosting team of the motoring show. Their first episode takes them to Ethiopia, where they test cars to see how they can endure in the searing heat. Back at the track, Chris puts the Ferrari 488 Pista and McLaren 600LT through their paces.

Great Canal Journeys (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 16th June 2019)

Part two of two. Timothy West and Prunella Scales’ final journey takes them through Vietnam’s Mekong Delta and across the border into Cambodia. They visit the capital city of Phenom Penh, and conclude their travels at Angkor Wat, an ancient temple built by the clever use of canals.

Thatcher: A Very British Revolution (BBC 2/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 17th June 2019)

The concluding part of the documentary looks at how Margaret Thatcher’s leadership style and the issues of Europe and the poll tax split her cabinet and created public anger, leading to her downfall. Protests against the poll tax resulted in violence in central London, but more damagingly there was widespread disenchantment in Tory strongholds across the country. Fractures emerge with senior cabinet colleagues, worsened by her European policy and Geoffrey Howe’s resignation leads to a leadership challenge.

The Thames: Britain’s Great River with Tony Robinson (Channel 5/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Tuesday 18th June 2019)

Reaching central London, the actor and presenter boards an industrial working ship on the Thames, learning it is a route not without risks as ships must squeeze under bridges at high tide and avoid running aground at low tide. At the Chelsea embankment, Tony explores the Physic Gardens where early botanical remedies were created from exotic plants brought in by river from all over the world. On the south bank, he goes mudlarking, scouring the shore at low tide for objects discarded by revellers past, before getting a bird’s-eye-view of the river from the Shard. Tony’s final stop is Tower Bridge.

The Yorkshire Steam Railway: All Aboard (Channel 5/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Friday 21st June 2019)

Under pressure to bring in extra revenue now that the somewhat challenging season is nearing its end, the North York Moors Railway team decides to put on a special `curry train” night together with a massive bash for Halloween. Visitors and staff alike put in the effort to make it a night to remember, though proceedings are threatened when the lights in the carriages suddenly stop working. The Bishop of Wakefield comes to bless Eric Treacy, an engine that has been through a £500,000 overhaul taking over two years.

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