Tag: The X Files

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 24/02/2018

First of all, sorry, I am no longer listings things on Channel 4, till they put Channel 4 HD back on Freesat.

Call the Midwife (BBC 1/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 25th February 2018)

Drama about a group of midwives in 1960s London. Barbara gets involved with a recently widowed pregnant woman. Sister Monica Joan has her cataract surgery.

Top Gear (BBC 2/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 25th February 2018)

The series kicks off with Matt LeBlanc, Chris Harris and Rory Reid taking a motorsports road trip across America’s Wild West, in the latest V8 sports cars from McLaren, Jaguar and Ford. Rob Brydon tackles the Top Gear track in the Reasonably Fast Car.

Are Scotland’s Trains Fit for the 21st Century (BBC 1 Scotland/HD & BBC iPlayer only | Monday 26th February 2018)

Documentary in which Ian Hamilton journeys along some of Scotland’s urban and rural rail services to find out if they are on the right track to meet growing customer demand. Along the way he hears from commuters on a range of issues that affect their travel experience on a daily basis, including ease of access, overcrowding and punctuality. He also examines the track record of initiatives such as the opening of the rail link between the Borders and Edinburgh and hears how infrastructure improvements are in the pipeline for parts of the north east network. In Newcastle, he checks on the progress of the manufacture of new rolling stock and catches up with transport minister Humza Yousaf.

The Unstoppable Flying Scotsman (Channel 5/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 26th February 2018)

Documentary presented by Rob Bell, charting the story of the world’s most famous steam locomotive. During her life, the Flying Scotsman has broken records, travelled the world, starred in a movie, and even bankrupted her owners. But why has she inspired such affection among steam fans? And why, almost a century coming into service, does she still attract huge crowds wherever she goes?

Rocky Mountain Railroad (Quest | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 26th February 2018)

Winter may be over but spring presents a whole new set of dangers on the Rocky Mountain railroad. Lethal rockslides threaten Canadian Pacific’s longest and heaviest train.

The X Files (Channel 5/HD | 10:00pm to 11:00pm | Monday 26th February 2018)

Revival of the classic sci-fi drama. Exploring the idea of the Mandela Effect, in which large groups of people remember an alternate history, Mulder and Scully learn how the X-Files themselves may have originated.

Shetland (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 28th February 2018)

Crime drama set on the remote Scottish islands. With Andreas Hagan their strongest lead on Sally’s killer, Tosh arrives in Norway, leaving Perez following up the leads on the Kilmuir case. Tosh accesses the CCTV from the airport and sees footage of Sally leaving the terminal, discovering she had met with a man who has far-right associations.

The Yorkshire Steam Railway: All Aboard (Channel 5/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Friday 2nd March 2018)

Documentary series going behind the scenes of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway on its 50th anniversary. To celebrate, the railway has hired headlining steam engine Royal Scot, but she has a problem with her boiler, carriages that haven’t been serviced in five years, and no-one even knows if she will fit the line.

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

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 17/02/2018

Call the Midwife (BBC 1/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 18th February 2018)

Drama about a group of midwives in 1960s London. Lucille must win the trust of a mother who is terrified of giving birth. Nurse Crane and Dr Turner are anxious to find a possible smallpox sufferer.

The X Files (Channel 5/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 19th February 2018)

Revival of the classic sci-fi drama. A spate of deaths in which the victims were plagued by their own doppelgangers lead Mulder and Scully to a pair of twins playing a dangerous game.

Rocky Mountain Railroad (Quest  | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 19th February 2018)

A spike in the temperature threatens Rocky Mountain’s shipments. The team struggle to shore up the track after mudslides and washouts devastate the rail-line.

Shetland (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Tuesday 20th February 2018)

Crime drama set on the remote Scottish islands. The hunt is on for Malone’s attacker, Malone seems to know who is responsible, but isn’t keen to share the information. Perez and Rhona believe Andreas Hagan, the health and safety officer at Forst Energy is responsible for covering up corporate manslaughter and is their strongest lead in Sally McColl’s murder. Meanwhile, DNA testing in the Kilmuir case yields a surprising result.

Flatpack Empire (BBC 2/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Tuesday 20th February 2018)

With unprecedented access to IKEA’s design studios, factories, test labs and stores over the course of a year, this series gets to know the people who work for the famous company. In episode three, we follow Mia Lundstrom as she takes on the company’s biggest challenge in a generation – pushing into India with an aggressive expansion plan.

Elizabeth: Our Queen (Channel 5/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Tuesday 20th February 2018)

Documentary series using interviews with those close to her to paint a personal picture of HM the Queen. The 50s and 60s brought plenty of challenges, as Elizabeth tried to bring the royal family’s image into the modern age. She made use of technology to get closer to her people via her first televised Christmas message, befriended Labour PM Harold Wilson, and invited the BBC into Buckingham Palace.

Death in Paradise (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Thursday 22nd February 2018)

Detective drama series set on a Caribbean island. When the lead guitarist of a popular reggae band is murdered, Jack and his team must crack a cold case that has haunted the commissioner for years, before they can arrest the killer.

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

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 10/02/2018

Village of the Year Final with Penelope Keith (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Saturday 10th February 2018)

It’s the grand final of Village of the Year. Across 19 heats and four semi-finals, 76 villages have been whittled down – and now only four remain. There’s one last chance to impress, as each of the villages put on a special event for the judges to showcase everything they think makes their village great. Then, residents from each of the final villages gather together at a Village of the Year fete. The judges consider everything they’ve seen before Penelope Keith announces which village will be crowned Village of the Year and win £10,000.

Call the Midwife (BBC 1/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 11th February 2018)

Drama about a group of midwives in 1960s London. Sister Julienne is drawn into the heart of a different culture when she is called upon to help a Pakistani family. Having come to terms with her own childlessness, Mumtaz Gani is heartbroken when her husband Saddiq brings home a second wife who is eight months pregnant. Sister Julienne must help Mumtaz come to terms with this new addition to her family. Elsewhere, Trixie struggles to cope after her break-up with Christopher and looks for comfort at the bottom of a bottle. But it is not long before she can no longer conceal her struggle with sobriety. Sister Julienne and Dr Turner are convinced Sister Monica Joan needs cataract surgery, but before having the first consultation she must acknowledge that her vision is impaired. At clinic, Lucille meets a woman with pica – but this is no ordinary craving, as Mrs Campbell cannot stop eating coal.

The Forest (BBC 1 Scotland/HD & BBC iPlayer only | 7:30pm to 8:00pm | Monday 12th February 2018)

Mark Bonnar narrates a series revealing the hidden world of Galloway Forest, the country’s largest afforested area. John ‘Cool’ Coughtrie and his Recreation Team boss Archie McNeillie spend the days leading up to the Galloway Hills Rally preparing safe places for attending crowds along the route to stand. Reigning champion and local legend Jock Armstrong hopes to defend his title and is thinking of nothing but the finish line. On the day of the rally, a troop of the event’s safety marshalls are on duty helping Archie to keep a watchful eye over proceedings. At Penninghame, tree planter Alastair Livingstone restocks a recently felled site with sycamore and oak. The Forestry Commission plant 4.5 million trees a year and Alastair has single-handedly planted over a million. Wildlife ranger Grant Carson works to manage the thousands of deer that roam the Forest Park to prevent them from damaging valuable recently planted trees.

The X Files (Channel 5/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 12th February 2018)

Revival of the classic sci-fi drama. After a violent home invasion, Mulder and Scully go on the run from Russian gunmen while following a trail of clues left by their long-dead friend Langly.

Rocky Mountain Railroad (Quest | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 12th February 2018)

Train crews in the Rockies must haul their 15,000 ton grain train through ice-encrusted tunnels to make their delivery on time.

Shetland (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Tuesday 13th February 2018)

Crime drama set on the remote Scottish islands. Thomas Malone returns to Shetland after serving 23 years in jail for the murder of teenager Lizzie Kilmuir, a crime he swears he didn’t commit. Whilst most of the islanders are convinced of Malone’s guilt, the appeal and his subsequent release have thrown up the possibility that someone else could be responsible for Lizzie’s murder, but as Malone arrives back on Shetland, local journalist Sally McColl is found murdered. Perez and the team must investigate both cases.

Flatpack Empire (BBC 2/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Tuesday 13th February 2018)

With unprecedented access to IKEA’s design studios, factories, test labs and stores over the course of a year, this series gets to know the people who work for the famous company. In episode two, we see what it takes to get new products from initial design to stores around the world. One of IKEA’s newest designers, Hanna-Kaarina Heikkila, wants to challenge mass production by creating an ‘imperfect vase’ that has the finger-marks of the creator – she travels to China to see if her idea is possible.

Impossible Railways (Yesterday | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Tuesday 13th February 2018)

From tunnelling through the mighty Swiss Alps to overcoming a cliff face in Southern Australia, see how railway engineers have skilfully conquered mountains.

Death in Paradise (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Thursday 15th February 2018)

Detective drama series set on a Caribbean island. Long-buried memories are raked up for JP when someone from his past is caught red-handed at a murder scene and Jack must unravel a complex mystery to find the truth.

Walks with My Dog (more4 | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Thursday 15th February 2018)

TV presenter Anna Richardson takes her Staffie to the Peak District, including a walk through Dovedale and a spot of trout fishing. Jimmy Doherty is by the Suffolk seaside with his Irish terrier, visiting Aldeburgh and Thorpeness. And comedian Bill Bailey takes a pleasant stroll through Richmond Park with his dingoes Boolay and Banjar and tries a session of yoga for dogs.

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

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 03/02/2018

Village of the Year with Penelope Keith (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Saturday 3rd February 2018)

Five villages from the Village of the Year Central Zone compete for a place in the final – and the chance to be crowned Village of the Year. With £10,000 up for grabs, Penelope Keith and her team of expert judges are searching for the very best of what British village life has to offer. From the west of Ireland to the heart of the Midlands, five villages show they have even more strings to their bow as they continue to try to woo the Judges. Which village will be selected to represent the Central Zone in the Village of the Year Grand Finale?

Call the Midwife (BBC 1/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 4th February 2018)

Drama about a group of midwives in 1960s London. A pregnant mother hears a devastating diagnosis. Fred and Violet organise a beauty contest. Trixie and Christopher’s relationship feels the strain.

The Biggest Little Railway in the World (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 4th February 2018)

The tiny train’s in bad shape, it’s only halfway to Inverness, and the volunteers are due to head home in two and a half days. The train battles bad weather, steep hills, rocky terrain and poor track-laying while, nearer Inverness, the track teams try to insert a rack and pinion solution to steep sections of track. As the weather closes in the security team call off track-laying for safety reasons. But the train battles on, and Dick decide.

Village of the Year with Penelope Keith (Channel 4/HD | 3:00pm to 4:00pm | Monday 5th February 2018)

Penelope Keith and her team of judges weigh up four contenders in this first heat from the Northern Zone, stretching from Scotland to Cumbria, North Yorkshire and Northumberland. In Inverness-shire Penelope discovers Boat of Garten, the village that brought ospreys back to the British Isles. Alex plays king of the castle in Bamburgh, Northumberland. Juliet takes in the beauty of the Lake District in Grasmere and Patrick explores the once independent state of Embo in the Scottish Highlands. Which will be the first village from the Northern Zone to secure a spot in the semi-finals?

The Forest (BBC 1 Scotland/HD & BBC iPlayer only | 7:30pm to 8:00pm | Monday 5th February 2018)

Mark Bonnar narrates a new series revealing the hidden world of Galloway Forest, the country’s largest afforested area. When two fishing huts are discovered on remote Forestry Commission harvesting sites, Community Liaison Forester Lyndy Renwick must investigate and decide if the huts should be demolished. Specialist chainsaw contractor Dewi Williams prepares to take part in the UK Logging Competition, but the former champion will be up against his employee Gethin. With Galloway Forest becoming the continent’s first gold tier Dark Sky Park, the observatory near Dalmellington gives the public an open-air, hands-on observing experience, and at a Wednesday evening stargazing event, all they need is clear skies for a perfect view of Saturn.

Silent Witness (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 5th February 2018)

Forensic crime drama series. Nikki, Jack, Thomas and Clarissa are just settling down for their respective festive celebrations when they are interrupted by a call-out to a tragedy at a family home.

The X Files (Channel 5/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 5th February 2018)

Gillian Anderson, David Duchovny, Lauren Ambrose, Robbie Amell, Naiah Cummins, Annabeth Gish. Revival of the classic sci-fi drama. Scully wakes from a vision that warns her of the end of the world, and that only one who can stop it is her and Mulder’s long-lost son William.

Rocky Mountain Railroad (Quest | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 5th February 2018)

Canadian Pacific Railway crews transport a huge payload of coal across the Rockies. Plus, a hockey team is stranded in the frozen wilderness.

Village of the Year with Penelope Keith (Channel 4/HD | 3:00pm to 4:00pm | Tuesday 6th February 2018)

Searching for the very best of British village life, Penelope and her team explore four more worthy contenders from the Northern Zone. In Aberdeenshire, Penelope discovers the inspiration for great art in Catterline. Alex checks out the North Yorkshire village of Goathland that’s no stranger to the cameras. Juliet Sargeant pops into the Lancashire local that’s reviving the heart of Bolton-by-Bowland. On the Isle of Skye, Patrick Grant explores Tarskavaig, a unique community who are thriving on the edge of the Atlantic.

Impossible Railways (Yesterday | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Tuesday 6th February 2018)

From the iconic Forth Bridge to a vertigo-inducing viaduct in rural New Zealand, discover how railway engineers have conquered valleys, canyons and waterways.

Village of the Year with Penelope Keith (CHannel 4/HD | 3:00pm to 4:00pm | Wednesday 7th February 2018)

Penelope Keith, Patrick Grant, Alex Langlands and Juliet Sargeant are in the Northern Zone looking to crown one village Village of the Year. Penelope visits a Moray village that was planned to perfection: Fochabers. Alex explores the smuggling stronghold of Robin Hood’s Bay in North Yorkshire. Patrick dances to a Scottish tune in Acharacle and Juliet is in hot pot heaven in Croston, Lancashire.

Silent Witness (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 7th February 2018)

With the conclusion of a challenging Christmas, the team are reunited with their families. Nikki learns that her colleagues have bought her an open return to see Matt.

Village of the Year with Penelope Keith (Channel 4/HD | 3:00pm to 4:00pm | Thursday 8th February 2018)

In the last of the Northern Zone heats, Penelope enjoys going back to the land in Kinloch Rannoch in Scotland. Alex Langlands draws his sword in Great Ayton in Yorkshire. Patrick Grant tries his hand at the local lingo in Avoch in Ross-shire. In Cumbria, Juliet Sargeant immerses herself in the hustle and bustle of Staveley. With stunning landscapes and exceptional traditions.

Death in Paradise (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Thursday 8th February 2018)

Detective drama series set on a Caribbean island. The leader of a spiritual retreat is strangled and Jack and his team are baffled by the fact that all their suspects were in a meditation circle at the time of the murder.

Village of the Year with Penelope Keith (Channel 4/HD | 3:00pm to 4:00pm | Friday 9th February 2018)

It’s the Northern Zone semi- final. Four villages compete for a slot in the final and the chance to be crowned Village of the Year. From the north of Scotland to the heart of Lancashire, four villages have made it on to the judge’s shortlist, but only one will be in with a chance to win £10,000. We’ll see a bit more from each of the semi-finalists, including hearing what they would spend the prize money on.

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

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 12/03/2016

Jo Brand's Hell of a Walk for Sport Relief - 17-03-2016 - YouView appSteve Backshall’s Extreme Mountain Challenge (BBC 2/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 13th March 2016)

Adventurer Steve Backshall embarks on one of the most dramatic and dangerous expeditions ever filmed by a BBC crew. The second episode picks up where episode one left off with Steve and the climbing team halfway up the unclimbed, sheer-sided face of a remote tepui, about to make one last desperate attempt to reach the summit. It is then on to the second stage of the expedition. Joining up with a team of elite Italian cavers, Steve ventures deep within a tepui – inside a newly discovered cave. Within this dark underworld, the team encounter strange creatures, ancient mysteries and the raw geological forces that give the tepuis their unique shape. But nothing can prepare them for an attempt to forge a path into unexplored areas of the cave – a dangerous mission of intense claustrophobia and nerve-shredding tension. To end the adventure, Steve reunites with the climbing team to abseil alongside the Angel Falls – the highest waterfall on earth.

The X Files (Channel 5 | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 14th March 2016)

Revival of the classic sci-fi drama. As a mysterious and fatal pandemic sweeps across the USA and other parts of the globe, Scully desperately tries to find a cure using her own altered DNA. Meanwhile, a desperately ill Mulder confronts the Cigarette Smoking Man who is behind it all, but another figure from Mulder and Scully’s past may prove to be the key to their salvation.

Inside Obama’s White House (BBC 2/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Tuesday 15th March 2016)

100 Days. The story of how Barack Obama tried to reshape America, as told by his inner circle and the president himself. A month after his victory, Obama discovered America was on the verge of a great depression. He puts his plans for change on hold to pass the largest stimulus in history. Obama promises to close Guantanamo within a year – and it is still open. His attorney general admits that evidence against many of the prisoners could not be used to prosecute because they had been tortured. And at the Copenhagen summit, the president crashes a meeting between three fellow heads of government in his desperation to do something about climate change.

Ugly House to Lovely House with George Clarke (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 17th March 2016)

Tammy and Stuart live in an outdated bungalow in a pretty village in West Sussex. The bungalow’s main living rooms are completely starved of light. Tammy and Stuart are desperate to create a family home but with a budget of just £50,000, their options are severely limited. Will Alsop is arguably one of the country’s most renowned architects. Will designs a dramatic barrel-vaulted extension to the rear of Tammy and Stuart’s bungalow, complete with specially constructed exposed curved beams, a shiny aluminium roof and four porthole windows. It’s an audacious, unique design. In such a sleepy part of the country, what will the neighbours think?

Jo Brand’s Hell of a Walk for Sport Relief (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Thursday 17th March 2016)

A raw and revealing documentary following comedian Jo Brand as she attempts to walk across the width of England for Sport Relief in just seven days. Jo admits she is not athletic, but she has decided to take up the walking challenge to inspire all the overweight middle-aged women across the nation and to raise money for a range of causes funded by Sport Relief that matter to her personally. Suffering from extreme fatigue, she battles through the biting cold, gale-force winds of over 70mph and torrential rain. It is a hellish week where Jo is tested to the limit, both physically and mentally. But she still summons the energy to share a joke or two with friends Davina McCall, Bill Bailey, Lee Mack, Alan Davies, John Bishop and Gabby Logan.

Best Walks with a View with Julia Bradbury (itv/HD | 8:00pm to 8:30pm | Friday 18th March 2016)

Julia Bradbury chooses some of her favourite and most accessible family treks from across the UK, in search of the perfect walk with a view suitable for all experience levels. The series explores coastal, mountain, valley and river walks and features accessible route maps, pub and picnic options and stunning aerial perspectives. Julia follows in the footsteps of Sherlock Holmes in a classic English walk on the South Downs, taking in the white cliffs of Seven Sisters, Beachy Head and the seaside charm of Birling Gap, where the sea is eroding the cliffs at an alarming rate. Her walk ends at the Belle Tout lighthouse which had to be moved away from the cliff edge at the cost of a quarter-of-a-million pounds.

The Last Leg (Channel 4/HD | 10:05pm to 11:10pm | Friday 18th March 2016)

The critically acclaimed award-winning show continues with its unique brand of irreverent satire for a seventh series. Adam Hills, Josh Widdicombe and Alex Brooker tear into the weird and wonderful talking points of the week. In this edition, filmmaker and broadcaster Louis Theroux joins the team in front of a live studio audience.

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

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 05/03/2016

The X Files - 07-03-2016 - YouView appPenelope Keith’s Hidden Villages (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Saturday 5th March 2016)

Penelope returns to a landscape she knows and loves, as she travels across the South Downs and The Weald of Sussex and Kent. Going in search of quintessential village scenes such as the country garden, the timeless war memorial and cricket on the green, Penelope’s journey starts in Sussex, where she spent her school days. She relives the marvellously eccentric Cuckfield Donkey Races. At Burwash and Batemans she sheds light on the life and times of Rudyard Kipling, and his role in the war memorial movement. Penelope visits the village workshop that’s made cricket bats for the greats of the game, from WG Grace to the current England captain. She boards a steam train into Kent through the former hop fields of the Rother Valley and uncovers the remarkable tale of the Biddenden maids.

Call the Midwife (BBC 1/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 6th March 2016)

As Poplar moves towards the season of goodwill, the time has come to accept the things that have passed and look to the future. Dr Turner is forced to do so when the cause of the recent spate of infant limb deformities is finally uncovered. Realising that his own prescriptions could have exacerbated the tragedy, he jumps into action in an attempt to prevent further damage. Meanwhile, Nonnatus House is thrown into disarray by a tragedy even closer to home. Although Sister Evangelina is back at work it is clear that her recent stroke has affected her badly, and that her health problems are not over. Elsewhere, Poplar matriarch Tessie is forced to accept that her grandchild has been conceived out of wedlock, but there’s joy all round when the baby is born at the couple’s wedding reception.

The X Files (Channel 5 | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 7th March 2016)

A younger version of Mulder and Scully apply to our heroes for help in an effort to communicate with a terrorist in a coma in an effort to prevent other members of his cell from carrying out a future attack. Mulder’s suggestion involves magic mushrooms.

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

Chester Zoo is home to ten critically endangered black rhinos. With numbers in the wild dwindling rapidly, the zoo’s breeding programme is a key part of preserving the species. In the final episode of the series, female rhino Kitani is introduced to her new mate Magadi. But with injury a high risk during mating, keeper Babs is concerned that Kitani may struggle to defend herself, since she lost her horn after the death of her calf earlier in the year. When there’s a surprise birth in the orangutan house, older sibling Tuti has to fend for herself and set out on the road to independence. There’s a glimpse into the complex and fascinating courtship behaviours of Rodrigues fruit bats. A new male Sulawesi macaque is introduced to 30 eager females. And young jaguars Napo and Goshi go head to head in a battle of wills.

Dunblane: Our Story (BBC 1 Scotlannd/HD & BBC iPlayer only | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 9th March 2016)

Documentary commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Dunblane shooting, the worst firearms atrocity to date in the UK, when a gunman shot and killed 16 primary schoolchildren and their teacher in the school gym. The film features testimony from people who have never spoken about the event before, including a young woman who was shot as a five-year-old, Ron Taylor, the headmaster of Dunblane primary at the time of the shooting, and Debbie Mayor, whose mother Gwen Mayor was the teacher who was shot dead. Other contributors include two girls who speak about the sisters they never knew and parents of the survivors and the deceased.

Ugly House to Lovely House with George Clarke (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 10th March 2016)

George Clarke shows that even the ugliest house can be transformed into a home to be proud of. Sue and Simon believe that their Hertfordshire house is the ugliest on their street. The couple bought the four-bedroom property in 2014 for £440,000, but a bizarre fake-Victorian extension means the bad layout is a nightmare. Architect Laura Jane Clark specialises in breathing new life into unlovely spaces, but Sue and Simon have a tight budget of just £50,000. Can Laura unlock the property’s internal space by moving the staircase, introducing an innovative revolving wall, and putting in some skylights? And what about the brash exterior? And can she do all of this on budget and on schedule?

Best Walks with a View with Julia Bradbury (itv/HD | 8:00pm to 8:30pm | Friday 11th March 2016)

Julia Bradbury chooses some of her favourite and most accessible family treks from across the UK, in search of the perfect walk with a view suitable for all experience levels. The series explores coastal, mountain, valley and river walks and features accessible route maps, pub and picnic options and stunning aerial perspectives. Julia sets off from the ancient village of Dufton in search of one of Britain’s best kept secrets. Hidden beneath the hulking mass of the Pennines is High Cup Nick, a remarkable natural formation known as the Grand Canyon of the North. Part of the Pennine Way, this hanging valley was 500 million years in the making and commands a magnificent view not to be missed.

The Last Leg (Channel 4/HD | 10:00pm to 11:10pm | Friday 11th March 2016)

The critically acclaimed award-winning show continues with its unique brand of irreverent satire for a seventh series. Adam Hills, Josh Widdicombe and Alex Brooker tear into the weird and wonderful talking points of the week. A celebrity guest joins the team each week in front of a live studio audience.

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

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 27/02/2016

Shetland - 04-03-2016 - YouView appPenelope Keith’s Hidden Villages (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Saturday 27th February 2016)

Penelope travels through Royal Deeside, a remote and mountainous part of Aberdeenshire. It’s a land of enormous estates served by tiny communities, with just five people for every square kilometre. Penelope explores how important Queen Victoria was in shaping modern Deeside. Her journey largely runs alongside the River Dee. The first stop is the village of Aboyne, where she takes to the sky in a glider. She then explores the royal link by visiting Ballater station, the terminus of the railway built for Queen Victoria in the 1860s. She then moves on to Balmoral, where she discovers the secrets of the present Queen’s vegetable patch. Penelope then heads to Finzean, where she’s out amongst the gorse and heather with the local gamekeeper. Her final village is Braemar, nestled deep in the Highlands, where she experiences the Highland Games.

Call the Midwife (BBC 1/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 28th February 2016)

Drama about a group of midwives in 1960s London. With autumn on its way, the appetite for change is rife across Poplar. As Dr Turner shares his excitement about the impending release of the contraceptive pill, not all of his counterparts at Nonnatus House are as keen for the social change it may bring. Meanwhile, Patsy realises that change isn’t always for the best as she struggles to help a transient Bargee woman, who is determined to give birth among her own community, rather than the modern comforts of the maternity home. As a huge storm threatens Poplar, Nurse Crane is called upon to assist a new mother in a post-natal emergency, the danger bringing a once-distant young couple closer as a result. As the storm subsides, it brings with it the welcome return of Sister Evangelina, herself changed by the time she has spent away from Nonnatus House.

The X Files (Channel 5 | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 29th February 2016)

Drama series about two FBI agents who investigate UFOs and the supernatural. While Scully sits by her dying mother’s bedside in Washington, Mulder investigates one of the most repulsive creatures he has ever encountered – a giant garbage monster who tears apart enemies of the homeless with his bare hands.

The Secret Life of the Zoo (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Tuesday 1st March 2016)

Chester Zoo’s four new fledgling Humboldt penguins are being brought up apart from the main colony until they’re old enough to compete for fish in the main pool. They’re keen to make a break for it and join the adults, but when they’re finally free to go they have other ideas. Niall the chimp keeper has known chimp Boris for 44 years and has developed a special relationship with him. When Boris captures a moorhen chick Niall must use all his powers of persuasion to negotiate the safe release of his hostage. Sunda gharial crocodile François recently arrived at Chester from France along with his partner Françoise.

Inside Buckingham Palace (Channel 5 | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 2nd March 2016)

This two-part series explores one of the most famous buildings in the world, and its roles as a family home, the official office of the Queen as Head of State and a stage for pomp and ceremony. With the help of previously unseen documents including secret letters to the former Edward VIII, personal memoirs and first-hand accounts from people such as Margaret Rhodes, the Queen’s cousin, this episode looks at some of the stormier years experienced at the Palace including the war years.

Ugly House to Lovely House with George Clarke (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 3rd March 2016)

In this new Channel 4 series, George Clarke shows that even the ugliest house can be transformed into a home to be proud of. Rachel and James bought their Berkshire home nine years ago for £220,000 – but with two young sons, they’re fast outgrowing the property and can’t afford to move. What’s more, the classic 60s kitchen diner layout doesn’t work for family living and there’s no direct access from the hallway to the kitchen, meaning the living room has become a corridor. The couple tried to rectify the situation by extending to the side of the house but this addition failed to alleviate their problems.

Best Walks with a View with Julia Bradbury (itv/HD | 8:00pm to 8:30pm | Friday 4th March 2016)

Julia Bradbury chooses some of her favourite and most accessible family treks from across the UK, in search of the perfect walk with a view suitable for all experience levels. The series explores coastal, mountain, valley and river walks and features accessible route maps, pub and picnic options and stunning aerial perspectives. Julia goes on a three-hill walk that starts with the distinctive Colmer’s Hill in Symondsbury, a near-conical sandstone ridge topped by pine trees. The walk ends at the top of Golden Cap – the highest point on England’s south coast – where there are spectacular views of the Jurassic Coast, itself a World Heritage Site.

Shetland (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Friday 4th March 2016)

As the investigation reaches its final stages, Detective Inspector Perez and his team discover the person responsible for the deaths of Robbie Morton and Michael Thompson is closer to home than any of them thought.

Walks Around Britain (Community Channel | 9:00pm to 9:30pm | Friday 4th March 2016)

Series featuring inspirational walks from around Britain. Andrew White walks from Banavie to Gairlocky and around the Ribblehead Viaduct.

The Last Leg (Channel 4/HD | 10:00pm to 11:05pm | Friday 4th March 2016)

The critically acclaimed award-winning show continues with its unique brand of irreverent satire for a seventh series. Adam Hills, Josh Widdicombe and Alex Brooker tear into the weird and wonderful talking points of the week. A celebrity guest joins the team each week in front of a live studio audience.

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

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 20/02/2016

Ugly House to Lovely House with George Clarke - 25-02-2016 - YouView appPenelope Keith’s Hidden Villages (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Saturday 20th February 2016)

Penelope Keith explores the world of our smallest communities. In this episode Penelope learns about life amid the renowned landscape of Cumbria. The wonder of the Lake District can’t be ignored, but from Morecambe Bay to the Pennines, Penny finds there’s much more to life in a Cumbrian village than tourists and tea shops. Penny starts in Coniston, a village that has seen everything from copper mining to hill farming, high-class Victorian tourism and the speed records of Donald Campbell. Further north, Penny meets the community buying its local mountain, before indulging in the unique Cumbrian pursuit of hound trailing.

The Adventure Show (BBC 2 Scotland & BBC iPlayer only | 6:20pm to 7:20pm | Sunday 21st February 2016)

In this month’s Adventure Show, Dougie Vipond and Deziree Wilson are in the Borders for the Jedburgh Three Peaks Ultra Marathon. 250 racers face almost 3,000 feet of ascent and descent over the three extinct volcanoes that make up the Eildon hills. With 38 miles of running in total, this demanding race attracts the UK’s top endurance athletes. Plus the Adventure Show explores the psychology of extreme sport and finds out if one runner can increase both performance and enjoyment at the Glencoe Skyline.

Call the Midwife (BBC 1/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 21st February 2016)

A spate of violent attacks on women brings a state of fear to Poplar, and impacts directly on the residents of Nonnatus House. A secret pregnancy threatens the life of a young girl, after her mother takes matters into her own hands. Meanwhile, a long-overdue holiday for the Turner family fails to live up to expectations.

Griff’s Great Britain (itv/HD | 8:00pm to 8:30pm | Monday 22nd February 2016)

Griff Rhys Jones sets out to explore some of Britain’s most stunning landscapes. In this episode, he travels to the beautiful borderlands of the Shropshire countryside where he takes to the air to survey the landscape in all its glory. He explores medieval Ludlow, and revels in the engineering marvel that is Chirk Aqueduct. In his challenge to ‘catch a dragon’, he travels around the region the Victorians called Little Switzerland, taking in the historic Llangollen Canal.

The X Files (Channel 5 | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 22nd February 2016)

Revived sci-fi drama series about two FBI agents who investigate the paranormal. Mulder and Scully travel to Oregon to follow up on accounts of a slaying by a bizarre lizard-human hybrid during a full moon.

The Secret Life of the Zoo (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Tuesday 23rd February 2016)

There’s a tragedy in Chester Zoo’s elephant house. The Hi Way elephant family have been hit with a potentially deadly virus affecting animals in captivity and in the wild. With the youngest members of the family most at risk, the keepers and the zoo’s veterinary team do all they can to combat the mysterious illness. Mac the stallion zebra is introduced to the zoo’s three mares in the hope that they will produce much needed offspring for this endangered species. But the reaction from the mares isn’t quite what the keepers had hoped for and Mac must try to earn his stripes among the herd. There’s also a fascinating look into the bizarre world of the naked mole rat. Matriarch Janet rules her empire with an iron paw. She’s the head of a 38-strong colony of worker rats and is expecting her next litter.

Inside Buckingham Palace (Channel 5 | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 24th February 2016)

This two-part series explores one of the most famous buildings in the world, and its roles as a family home, the official office of the Queen as Head of State and a stage for pomp and ceremony. This episode looks back over the more than sixty years since the Queen ascended to the throne and looks ahead to ask what might happen to the Palace when Charles becomes King.

Ugly House to Lovely House with George Clarke (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 25th February 2016)

We are a nation obsessed with property. But many of us are stuck with houses which we feel embarrassed to call home. Sky high prices mean that the drabbest, most outdated property on the street is often all we can afford. But rather than waste time dreaming of the perfect home, the solution could be right under your nose. In this new series, George Clarke shows that even the ugliest house can be transformed into something to be proud of. George matches some of Britain’s most unloved houses with some of the country’s leading architects, who join cutting-edge conception to a tight budget, proving that great design doesn’t have to cost the earth. In the first episode, Tony and Sarah feel uninspired by their 70s house in the Vale of Glamorgan, including its dirty pebbledash facade, small windows and dated décor.

Winter Road Rescue (Channel 5 | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 25th February 2016)

Series following patrols who make sure the UK does not grind to a halt when winter weather hits. In the Highlands, snow plough driver Chris has his work cut out keeping Applecross Pass open, patrolman Steve has to help a driver stuck in the mud without getting trapped himself and the heavies are called in to deal with a serious accident involving a lorry.

Death in Paradise (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Thursday 25th February 2016)

Detective drama series set on a Caribbean island. The team is faced with an impossible murder when a young backpacker is shot inside a sealed room. DI Goodman has a date, plus it is the day of JP’s wedding – but will he make it to the altar?

Best Walks with a View with Julia Bradbury (itv/HD | 8:00pm to 8:30pm | Friday 26th February 2016)

Julia Bradbury chooses some of her favourite and most accessible family treks from across the UK, in search of the perfect walk with a view which anyone can manage. The series explores coastal, mountain, valley and river walks and includes accessible route maps, pub and picnic options and stunning aerial perspectives. Episode two sees Julia in the Lake District, on the Borrowdale Walk – a haven for the adventurous and many a Viking sheep. She heads for one of her favourite fells – the much-loved and rugged little peak of Castle Crag. From the lush green valley floor to magnificent views over Derwent Water, it is an unforgettable walk.

The Last Leg (Channel 4/HD | 10:00pm to 11:05pm | Friday 26th February 2016)

The critically acclaimed award-winning show continues with its unique brand of irreverent satire for a seventh series. Adam Hills hosts alongside co-hosts Josh Widdicombe and Alex Brooker, who tear into the weird and wonderful talking points of the week. A celebrity guest will join the team each week in front of a live studio audience.

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

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 13/02/2016

Penelope Keith's Hidden Villages - 08-02-2016 - YouView appPenelope Keith’s Hidden Villages (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Saturday 13th February 2016)

Penelope Keith takes to the road once again for a second series, exploring the world of the nation’s smallest communities. Thatched cottages, the local shop, quaint church spires and games on the green – are just some of the things to be found amongst the 10,000 villages up and down the country. A proud villager in the home-counties for nearly 40 years, Penelope heads to four very different regions: Devon and Cornwall; Sussex and Kent; the stunning Cumbrian landscape of the Lake District; and Deeside in Scotland. In this first episode Penelope is in Devon and Cornwall – a land of rugged coastal communities and distinct identities forged over centuries, but also a region visited by five million people each year. Penelope travels to a former silver mining village, a cliff-edge fishing village, the most exposed theatre in the country, and the small communities near Fowey Harbour.

Countryfile (BBC 1/HD | 7:00pm to 8:00pm | Sunday 14th February 2016)

Matt Baker and Ellie Harrison are in Norfolk. Matt joins students training to be gamekeepers on a clay pigeon shoot – however, he discovers that conservation is also a big part their education. Matt sees how to butcher a haunch of venison and sits down with the students to enjoy some home-made venison stew. Ellie reveals how cranes have returned to Norfolk after an absence of four hundred years from the UK countryside. It is thanks to the efforts of naturalist John Buxton, who kept their presence secret, that the birds have made a comeback. On Hickling Broad, Ellie sees cranes beginning their courtship rituals, and she also visits Berney Marshes to find out how the RSPB has teamed up with local land owners and farmers to help manage water levels for wetland birds. Meanwhile, Adam Henson is in Scotland at the world-famous Stirling bull sales, and Olympic boxer Nicola Adams talks about her favourite part of the British countryside.

Call the Midwife (BBC 1/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 14th February 2016)

New mother Roseanne’s past continues to haunt her, wreaking havoc on her family life, and a back injury forces Violet to put her beloved shop in the care of Fred with unforeseen consequences. When Dr Turner sets up a new chest clinic, he and Shelagh are forced to consider whether their own lifestyles are as healthy as they could be.

Great American Railroad Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Monday 15th February 2016)

In Baltimore, home of the first railroad in the United States – the Baltimore and Ohio – he discovers how the first American steam engine, the Tom Thumb, owed much to pioneering British technology. He investigates race relations in the troubled city, taking a drive downtown with a former drug dealer, now a teacher. On the city’s beautiful east coast, Michael discovers the impressive star-shaped Fort McHenry and learns how the Star-Spangled Banner national anthem was born. Medics at the city’s Johns Hopkins Hospital show Michael how their institution has grown from its 19th-century foundation by the railroad magnate into a world-leading centre for healthcare. And at the city’s Lexington Market, Michael learns what gives a Maryland crab cake the edge.

Griff’s Great Britain (itv/HD | 8:00pm to 8:30pm | Monday 15th February 2016)

Griff Rhys Jones sets out to explore some of Britain’s most stunning landscapes. This week he visits the breathtaking vistas and butterscotch-coloured villages of the Cotswolds, exploring the region by horse-drawn dray. Griff’s latest challenge is to exhibit a giant vegetable, and the Winchcombe Country Fair seems like the ideal venue to do just that.

The Not So Secret Life of the Manic Depressive: 10 Years on (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 15th February 2016)

In 2006, in an award-winning series, Stephen Fry first spoke about living with manic depression and began a national conversation about mental health. A decade later, this film returns to the subject to understand where he and thousands of others diagnosed with bipolar (as it is now called) are now. As a society, do we need to do more for those with the illness? Is the treatment better? Has the stigma reduced?

The X Files (Channel 5 | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 15th February 2016)

During an investigation into the strange suicide of a scientist specialising in biochemical engineering, FBI special agents Mulder and Scully contend with memories of their missing son William.

Great American Railroad Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Tuesday 16th February 2016)

Michael arrives in the nation’s capital, Washington DC. He admires its fine public buildings, including the largest library in the world, and discovers how the capital was built from scratch after a political compromise between north and south. At the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, Michael meets the man responsible for engraving the portrait of President Abraham Lincoln on the current five-dollar bill and gets his hands on more money than he has ever held in his life. In the offices of the Washington Post, Michael learns about corruption in the corridors of power and how the newspaper toppled a president. He finishes this leg of his journey in the auditorium of the theatre where, in 1865, President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated.

Back in Time for the Weekend (BBC 2/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Tuesday 16th February 2016)

The Ashby-Hawkins family give up their 21st-century technology and travel back in time to discover the radical transformation of our leisure time since 1950. Guided by presenters Giles Coren and social historian Polly Russell, the family’s entire experience is underpinned by the Family Expenditure Survey, a government study which ran from the 1950s right through to 1999. The survey gives us the best clue as to what families were doing with their leisure time across the five decades. The family strut into the 70s and discover some unexpected upsides to the economic and political turmoil the decade is often remembered for. Rob and Steph share more time together, playing darts with Eric Bristow and taking on some period-appropriate home improvement – cork tiles, anyone? Daughter Daisy lets her hair down at a roller disco with DJ Trevor Nelson and the family receive a visit from Top Gear’s original presenter Angela Rippon, who brings them a brand new Renault 5.

The Secret Life of the Zoo (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Tuesday 16th February 2016)

Rothschild giraffe Orla has got the keepers guessing. She’s about to give birth to her second calf but is three weeks overdue. This episode captures the astonishing arrival of the giraffe family’s youngest member and its introduction to the rest of the herd. Chester Zoo is home to nine of some of the world’s most endangered frogs. With only two mountain chicken frogs left on the island of Montserrat, the dedicated team at Chester must do all they can to save the species. Frog keeper Pip sets out to create a state-of-the-art love den for the giant amphibians in the hope that one of the seven females will lay eggs. But getting frogs in the mood for love is trickier than Pip thought… The programme also discovers the secret world of the aardvark.

Great American Railroad Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Wednesday 17th February 2016)

Michael Portillo continues his American railroad journey. On this leg, Michael soaks up some old-school jazz in Washington’s U Street neighbourhood, where the big band jazz king Duke Ellington was born and began his career. He also grabs a bite at Ben’s Chili Bowl, the legendary diner chosen by President Obama for a snack before his inauguration. He follows his guidebook to the United States Naval Observatory, the nation’s timekeeper, where he discovers how and why the railroads established four time zones across the continent in 1883. Heading south to Alexandria in Virginia, Michael explores a former slave market and hears how African-Americans were bought and sold. He ends this leg in Mount Vernon, the palladian home of the nation’s first president George Washington, where he gets into a spot of bother at an archaeological dig.

Great American Railroad Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Thursday 18th February 2016)

Michael Portillo arrives in Manassas, scene of two crucial battles during the American Civil War – the first railroad battles in US history. In Fredericksburg, Virginia, he tries his hand at bottling bourbon corn whisky and learns how it became the nation’s spirit. In Richmond, a plate of ham and eggs with southern grits sets Michael up for a tour of the Virginia State Capitol building, where he learns about the terrible dilemma faced by one of its most famous sons, General Robert E Lee. Charmed by the English heritage of this former colony, Michael puts on his dancing shoes and heads for a cotillion ball, where it seems manners are the name of the game.

Death in Paradise (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Thursday 18th February 2016)

When a marine salvage hunter is killed, the evidence seems to point to one man. It would be an open-and-shut case for the team if it wasn’t for the suspect’s solid alibi. Meanwhile, it is JP’s stag do – and with Dwayne as best man, what could possibly go wrong?

Great American Railroad Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Friday 19th February 2016)

In Petersburg, Virginia, the choir of the First Baptist Church is in fine voice as Michael discovers how, during the 19th century, coded messages were delivered to slaves who hoped to escape via the so-called Underground Railroad. Michael ploughs his own furrow in a field in colonial Williamsburg, a living history park, where he learns from costumed re-enactors what life was like for both master and slave. It’s battle stations in Norfolk, home to the United States Atlantic Fleet, where Michael is invited on board the USS Wisconsin to hear about the first duel fought between iron-clad vessels in 1862 and Britain’s role in it. Michael reaches the end of this American journey in Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in North America, where he finds out about the settlers’ grim struggle for survival led by Captain John Smith and Pocahontas.

Best Walks with a View with Julia Bradbury (itv/HD | 8:00pm to 8:30pm | Friday 19th February 2016)

Series in which Julia Bradbury shares some of her favourite walks from around the UK. Heading out on the Welsh island of Anglesey beside the Menai Strait and overlooking Snowdonia, Julia’s coastal walk in this programme uncovers the birth place of the Land Rover and ends on the romantic Llanddwyn Island, the home of Wales’s own female St Valentine which offers stunning sea views.

Shetland (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Friday 19th February 2016)

Perez struggles to deal with what has happened to Tosh as he continues to investigate the murders of Robbie Morton and Michael Thompson, but a shocking discovery finally leads him to the identity of who Thompson was going to testify against.

The Last Leg (Channel 4/HD | 10:00pm to 11:05pm | Friday 19th February 2016)

The critically acclaimed award-winning show returns with its unique brand of irreverent satire for a seventh series. Adam Hills hosts alongside co-hosts Josh Widdicombe and Alex Brooker, who tear into the weird and wonderful talking points of the week. This week Catherine Tate joins the team in front of a live studio audience.

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

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 06/02/2016

The X Files - 08-02-2016 - YouView appCall the Midwife (BBC 1/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 7th February 2016)

As the modern world begins to encroach on traditional Poplar life, everyone is starting to notice the changes. On secondment at a busy local hospital, Sister Julienne is impressed by the medical advances that are saving the lives of mothers and babies. But a traumatic birth raises moral questions for her which she struggles to answer. As the medical world is changing, so is society at large, with opportunities in education increasingly open to all. Despite his working class background, Ian is overjoyed to be accepted into university and embraces his chance to escape Poplar, much to the disappointment of his more traditional mother Sadie. But his plans appear to be in ruins when girlfriend Linda falls pregnant. Trixie and Tom help the family, which begins to break apart under the pressure of this unplanned pregnancy.

Great American Railroad Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Monday 8th February 2016)

Michael heads west through New York State. He has a lightbulb moment in Schenectady, when he discovers how Thomas Edison’s General Electric Company also leads the way in modern rail technology. In Utica, he investigates Lock 20 of 57 along the early 19th-century Erie Canal – 325 miles of waterway which connected the Great Lakes with the Atlantic coast via the Hudson River. A yellow brick road beckons Michael to Chittenango, where a Kansas farm girl introduces him to a lion and a tin man. On a hillside near Palmyra, Michael finds out about a farm boy, Joseph Smith, and his Book of Mormon, from one of the 15 million believers who follow his religion today. Further west in Rochester, Michael discovers the story behind another famous 19th-century name still trading today: George Eastman, who launched mass market photography with his Eastman Kodak company.

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

In this episode, he is in the Lake District where he meets the man who made the longest Cumberland sausage in the world. He also attempts to speed along the steepest road in Britain, crosses the terrifying Infinity Bridge before attempting to break the record for the slowest water ski in history.

The X Files (Channel 5 | 8:30pm to 9:00pm | Monday 8th February 2016)

An exciting look behind the scenes of the thrilling return of the series. Chris Carter, David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson and all the key players reveal secrets from the set and take you on the journey of bringing the beloved series back to TV.

The X Files (Channel 5 | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 8th February 2016)

Revival of the classic sci-fi drama. Mulder and Scully are reunited after the collapse of their relationship when a TV host contacts them, believing he has uncovered a significant government conspiracy.

Great American Railroad Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Tuesday 9th February 2016)

Michael braves the awesome power and drenching spray of Niagara Falls on the Maid of the Mist to share what artists, daredevils and millions of tourists have billed as one of the most spectacular experiences on the planet. Reaching Buffalo, he lunches on the city’s famous buffalo wings and discovers it was once the centre of the world’s grain trade. Touring Silo City, Michael learns about the invention which propelled the port of Buffalo into its dominant position – the grain elevator – and how the railroads sealed the deal. Awe-inspiring engineering is revealed at the 12-acre Colonel Ward water-pumping station, the largest construction ever built on the Great Lakes, and capable of delivering 30 million gallons of water per day to the city of Buffalo.

Back in Time for the Weekend (BBC 2/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Tuesday 9th February 2016)

The Ashby Hawkins family give up their 21st-century technology and travel back in time to discover the radical transformation of our leisure time since 1950. Guided by presenters Giles Coren and social historian Polly Russell, the family’s entire experience is underpinned by The Family Expenditure Survey, a government study which ran from the 50s right through to 1999. The survey gives us the best clue as to what families were doing with their leisure time across the five decades. As they enter the 60s, they get first-hand experience of the radical spirit of the age as Giles encourages the family to get rid of their piano in smashing 60s style. Special guests help the decade go with a swing. Sir Trevor Brooking joins dad Rob and son Seth for a game of Subbuteo in the dining room, proving that he’s a demon on felt as well as grass. Daisy and mum Steph meet Sandie Shaw to discover how the decade’s daring fashions reflected the growing freedoms and confidence enjoyed by young people.

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

The Secret Life of the Zoo captures in incredible detail the remarkable behaviour of the animals at Chester Zoo and their close relationships with their keepers. Chester’s Penguin Island is home to one of the most enduring love stories in the zoo. Rud, at 22, is the oldest penguin on the island. He has been with his partner, Spike, for over 15 years and they’re inseparable. However, keepers are concerned that Rud’s arthritic hip could be affecting his quality of life, and if an x-ray shows his condition has deteriorated, his future with Spike might be in jeopardy. Meanwhile, one of the zoo’s most dangerous families are on the move. The Sumatran tigers are upgrading to a luxury new enclosure on the other side of the zoo as part of Chester’s huge expansion. But they’ve lived in their home for most of their lives so it’s not going to be an easy move. Little tiger cub Kasarna is especially nervous, and keepers must do all they can to settle the family into their new home.

Great American Railroad Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Wednesday 10th February 2016)

Michael embarks on a new railroad journey from the city of brotherly love, Philadelphia, south to the first permanent English colonial settlement in North America, Jamestown. He feasts on a gargantuan Philly cheesesteak, then looks to work off the calories with a run past the city’s famous landmarks, in homage to one of Philadelphia’s most famous sons, Rocky Balboa. All pumped up, he heads to Pennsylvania cbd shop University to tackle the football team under the instruction of its fearsome coach. In the cradle of American independence, Michael discovers how, in 1776, liberty was proclaimed throughout the land yet millions remained enslaved. Alone in a cell, Michael reflects on the 19th-century Pennsylvania system of incarceration at the Eastern State Penitentiary, before heading to the gambling resort of Atlantic City and its famous boardwalk.

Great American Railroad Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Thursday 11th February 2016)

Michael hitches a ride with the Amish in a horse-drawn buggy through rich countryside settled in the 18th century by religiously oppressed Europeans. Charmed by their modest way of life, he watches as they sell their beautiful quilts at auction. In Strasburg, known as Traintown USA, Michael joins the crew of the oldest continuously operated railroad in the United States. After oiling the magnificent engine, he rides on the footplate of the vintage steam locomotive. His last stop on this leg is Gettysburg, the most famous battlefield of the American Civil War, where, in 1863, President Abraham Lincoln made a momentous speech.

Cats v Dogs: Which is Best? (BBC 2/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 11th 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 two looks at communication. Chris knows that humans can understand most dog barks, but how well do cat owners understand cat meows? In round three, Liz runs her version of the ‘stress factor’ where, along with a team of researchers, she finds out which is better at reducing stress, a cat or a dog? Round four is about independence. Liz meets Bob, a cheeky roving cat with several owners. Closer to home, Chris is dismayed to see his own poodles display signs of anxiety when he leaves the house. The final round looks at the big question: do our cats and dogs really love us?

Death in Paradise (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Thursday 11th February 2016)

The team enter the high-pressure world of fine dining when a well-known chef is murdered in his own restaurant. Florence has one final lesson on love for DI Goodman and Dwayne gets a chance to repay an old debt.

Great American Railroad Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Friday 12th February 2016)

Michael reaches a milestone on his American journey: the boundary between the northern and southern states, known as the Mason-Dixon line. He discovers the origins of what became for black Americans the border between slavery and freedom, in an 18th-century English dispute over land. On the Wilmington and Western Railroad, Michael meets the passenger train Phoebe Snow, created by the railroads at the turn of the 20th century to reassure passengers that clean burning coal wouldn’t make their clothes dirty. Michael uncovers the explosive history of gunpowder production in Delaware, begun by a Frenchman, whose chateau still stands. He then takes a boat trip up the Susquehanna River following the route taken by one of the first English settlers, John Smith.

Walks Around Britain (Community Channel | 9:00pm to 9:30pm | Friday 12th February 2016)

Series featuring inspirational walks from around Britain. Andrew White treks up The Great Orme in North Wales and beside a railway in West Yorkshire.

The Last Leg (Channel 4/HD | 10:00pm to 11:05pm | Friday 12th February 2016)

The critically acclaimed award-winning show returns with its unique brand of irreverent satire for a seventh series. Adam Hills hosts alongside co-hosts Josh Widdicombe and Alex Brooker, who tear into the weird and wonderful talking points of the week. A celebrity guest will join the team each week in front of a live studio audience.

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