Wednesday 29 Oct 2014
Programme Information
Network TV BBC Week 48:
28 November-4 December 2009
Transmission details in the Network TV Programme Information 7-day version are not updated after publication. For updates, please see individual day pages.
Network TV BBC Week 48: Saturday 28 November 2009
BBC ONE Saturday 28 November 2009
Rugby Union – Ireland v South Africa
Gabby Logan is in Dublin for live coverage of the rugby union match between Ireland and South Africa.
The Croke Park clash pits the southern hemisphere's best side against the northern hemisphere's current top dog. As the 2009 Grand Slam holders, Ireland should provide stiff opposition for the Springboks, who are reigning Tri-Nations and World Cup winners. The Boks actually lost on their last visit to Dublin in 2006, but fielded a weakened line-up for that match at Lansdowne Road. Peter de Villiers's side will be a far tougher proposition this time round.
Keith Wood and Andy Nicol will be offering their expert opinions in the studio while match commentary comes from Eddie Butler and Philip Matthews.
SB4
Dignitaries from rival kingdoms descend on Camelot for peace talks, but what King Alined really wants is war, as the magical family drama continues. He'll do everything in his power to stir up hostilities, even if it means using magic.
Alined's jester, Trickler, puts a spell on Arthur to make him fall madly in love with rival King Olaf's beloved daughter, Vivian. Chaos reigns in the palace and Camelot is once more poised on the brink of war. Can Merlin free Arthur's heart before the prince loses his head in battle?
David Schofield is Alined; Kevin Eldon is Trickler; Mark Lewis Jones is King Olaf; Bradley James is Arthur; Georgia Moffett is Vivian; and Colin Morgan is Merlin.
LH2
A bank robbery goes horribly wrong and an old face makes an unwelcome return to the Emergency Department (ED), as the medical drama continues.
The F2s are thrilled when the dean announces a Junior Academic Fellowship Award which will see one of them win a role in the ED with a lucrative salary. However, Adam warns them they must still work together as a team and not be tempted by individual success. May, in particular, is desperate to win the award. However, mentored by the impatient Ruth, things don't get off to a good start.
When a bank robbery goes horribly wrong, injured bank manager, Gal, is brought into casualty with a gun-shot wound. But Gal isn't quite the hero he first appears and his obsessive behaviour brings back some disturbing memories for Polly. When Gal starts waving a gun around the ED, Polly leaps into action, putting everyone at risk. It's time for the young paramedic to relive and confront exactly what happened with Alistair in order to get her life, and career, back in order.
Meanwhile, Jordan is keen to return to a more hands-on role in the ED. However, despite the department being at full stretch, Adam won't hear of it. Medical back-up soon arrives in the form of a rather unwelcome face from the past.
Trevor impresses Tess with his handling of Isabel, a lonely, elderly lady who has been injured during the bank robbery getaway. Tess bravely invites him out on a date but there's something he's failed to mention to her...
Adam is played by Tristan Gemmill, May by Laura Aikman, Ruth by Georgia Taylor, Polly by Sophia di Martino, Jordan by Michael French, Trevor by Don Warrington and Tess by Suzanne Packer. Gudrun Ure plays Isabel and Charlie Condou plays Gal.
JM3
Master impressionists Jon Culshaw and Debra Stephenson continue to run riot through celebrity culture. Among this episode's parodies is: Amy Winehouse auditioning for Doctor Who; Michael McIntyre making his debut in Bad Jobs For Celebrities; and Tess Daly and Vernon Kay trying to continue their holiday with an unwanted third party.
Culshaw and Stephenson also turn their attentions to Davina McCall, Dominic Littlewood, Paris Hilton and Jonathan Ross. And DC Gene Hunt crashes an episode of Poirot. Meanwhile, with the impressionists' assistance, Simon Cowell reads an unlikely bedtime story.
SM4
BBC TWO Saturday 28 November 2009
Tennis – ATP World Tour Finals: Semi Finals
Live coverage comes from the semi-finals of the Barclays ATP Tour World Finals, being held at London's O2 Arena for the first time.
Over the last week, the likes of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray have battled it out for the prestigious title. British star Murray will be looking to end the year on a high note, having made it to world No. 2 during the season.
CH2
John Inverdale presents live coverage from the Millennium Stadium, where Wales play host to Australia.
The Wallabies travel to Cardiff looking for revenge for last year's 21-18 defeat, when the Welsh claimed a rare win against the southern-hemisphere giants in a thrilling game. Well-worked tries from Shane Williams and Lee Byrne put the home side ahead but a Digby Ioane score set up a tense finish, with the Welsh surviving a furious late onslaught.
Nick Mullins and Jonathan Davies provide the commentary.
SB4
Matt Frei concludes his exploration of the fascinating city of Berlin by examining US President John F Kennedy's claim: "Ich bin ein Berliner". JFK was referencing the fact that Berlin was at the centre of world history, and something that everyone had a stake in.
Three hundred years before, the persecuted from around Europe were invited to come and live in Berlin, to build up a population recently decimated by war and pestilence. Thousands of French Huguenots and Jews from Vienna and Eastern Europe became fully integrated into the city.
In the 19th century, Karl Marx, a student at Berlin University, developed a philosophy promoting the supremacy of the people over the state. The Communist Manifesto triggered a wave of revolution across Europe and eventually changed the world.
The rise of Nazism in the Thirties led to a night of terror for the Jewish population of Berlin. Many Jewish Berliners were driven into exile, among them physicist Albert Einstein and film-maker Billy Wilder.
The division of the city after the war forced everyone to choose the kind of freedom they wanted. Overnight, on 13 August, 1961, Berlin was forcibly divided by barbed wire as the Berlin Wall was built. During these frantic weeks, Berliners had to choose between a communist workers' state or a capitalist West Berlin.
Berlin is co-produced by the Open University. A free bi-lingual guide to the city is available to accompany the series. This can be obtained by calling 0845 366 8013 or visiting open2.net.
KM
With the Prime Minister away at a summit in Spain, Malcolm Tucker is left at home to mind the shop, as the award-winning political comedy starring Peter Capaldi, Rebecca Front, Chris Addison, Joanna Scanlan and James Smith continues.
But, just as Social Affairs And Citizenship Secretary Nicola Murray is about to launch her Fourth Sector Initiative, the media decide what they really want is for someone to launch another leadership contest.
Does Nicola have what it takes and, if she does, can Malcolm take it away from her before she does any damage?
The Thick Of It is simulcast on the BBC HD channel – the BBC's High Definition channel, available through Freesat, Sky and Virgin Media.
Digital viewers who press the Red Button after the programme can find exclusive additional content. There are also exclusive features with key members of the cast and crew on the BBC Comedy blog, at bbc.co.uk/blogs/comedy.
JD/PA
An impending solar flare threatens the crew of the Antares with dangerous radiation, as the space drama continues. The strange force in Pod 4 finally sends out a siren call that proves utterly irresistible.
Although it is supposedly only a storage facility, Donner, Zoe and Paula are unable to enter the mysterious Pod 4.
Donner enlists Ajay's help in trying to find a way in, while Goss orders Ted to distract his crew from the off-limits area. The argument is interrupted when they receive word that the Antares is in the direct path of a solar flare, giving them only moments to get into protective cover.
Everyone heads for the bunker, except Jen and Zoe, with potentially disastrous consequences. Later, the crew emerges only to be drawn towards Pod 4, where the door to the unimaginable finally stands open.
Ron Livingston is Donner; Laura Harris is Zoe; Paula Garces is Paula, Malik Yoba is Ted; Christina Cox is Jen; Laura Harris is Zoe; and Andrew Airlie is Goss.
AF
Network TV BBC Week 48: Sunday 29 November 2009
Sunday 29 November 2009
Fern Britton Meets ... Dolly Parton Ep 1/4
Fern Britton launches a new series for BBC One for the run-up to Christmas with a heart-to-heart interview with Dolly Parton.
The Queen of Country music has a devoted army of fans in the UK and around the world. In her last concert here, Dolly packed out London's giant O2 Arena, attracting a sell-out crowd.
But away from the stage and her flirtatious rhinestone image, Dolly has a faith forged in her poor upbringing in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. As a 10-year-old girl, she used to pray by herself in an old abandoned church – and that's where she believes she found God.
Dolly recalls how she danced home, passing a neighbour on the way: "He said 'where are you going on such a fine day so happy?' and I said I'm going to Paradise."
Dolly went on to stardom too, on stage and in films, and has had a theme park built in her honour. But spirituality has remained a central part of her life. "I don't claim to be anything. Let God judge me. I think God wants us to have fun."
As the four-part series continues, Fern talks to former Prime Minister Tony Blair about the significance of his conversion to Catholicism and why he's set up a faith foundation to get people of different religions to work together. She also asks him why faith is so important in the modern world.
She meets Nobel Peace Prize winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu, still campaigning at 78 after a lifelong battle against injustice in South Africa. Tutu has always deployed humour as a weapon and his staff reveal how he's nicknamed "Arch", after an early protest banner which said: "March with the Arch".
In the fourth programme, Fern talks to Sheila Hancock, renowned for being one of Britain's best-loved actors but less well known for being a Quaker. She lost two husbands to cancer and after the death of the second, actor John Thaw, she wrote two inspiring books. But Sheila doesn't like being portrayed as a victim and once penned her own newspaper headline which read: "I'm not a dreary cow". Sheila is currently starring as a singing and dancing Mother Superior in a West End musical.
GD/JF
BBC TWO Sunday 29 November 2009
BBC Two brings viewers live coverage of the ATP World Tour Final at London's 02 Arena this afternoon.
Today's match brings down the curtain on a gruelling season for the world's top players, but both finalists will be determined to end the year on a high by claiming the title.
Last year's tournament saw Serb Novak Djokovic produce a superb display to overcome Russia's Nikolay Davydenko in straight sets.
CH2
Network TV BBC Week 48: Monday 30 November 2009
BBC ONE Monday 30 November 2009
Rip Off Britain Ep 1/5
Angela Rippon, Jennie Bond and Gloria Hunniford team up to help the nation in its battle against Rip Off Britain, in a new, five-part series for BBC One Daytime.
At a time when every penny counts, the series investigates the sharp practices by some of the biggest names on the High Street – exposing the hidden costs and the deals that really are too good to be true.
Every day this week, the team digs into the facts to show consumers what they need to do to fight back. They tackle a different area each day, including finance and banking, travel, utilities, shopping and housing.
Rip Off Britain also features a new nationwide survey, investigations into how companies don't always give consumers the best deals and information aimed at helping people make informed choices about their finances.
CI2
Shaun The Sheep and his farmyard pals are set for some more hair-raising animated adventures this week, as the Emmy-winning series, made by the Academy Award-winning Aardman Animations, continues.
In Monday's show, the farmer comes across his old golf clubs and decides to knock a few balls around, instantly putting his back out in the process. Shaun takes the opportunity to learn how to play, while Bitzer is forced to tend to his injured master inside the house.
The farmer gets ready for a date in Tuesday's episode and wants to look his best, so it's time to dust off his prized hairpiece. Shaun can't resist trying the wig on but loses it while showing off to the flock. The race is on as Shaun and Bitzer try to return the wig in time for the farmer's big night.
On Wednesday, the sheep discover a set of bagpipes on the rubbish dump which they immediately misidentify as a sick emu. They set about trying to nurse it back to health before releasing it back into the wild.
Timmy accidentally eats a tomato grown with "Miracle-Grow" fertilizer, in Thursday's episode, and expands to become the King Kong of sheep. Shaun must keep the giant toddler out of sight while trying to figure out how to return him to normal size.
Finally, on Friday, while preparing for bed, the farmer manages to lock himself out of the house and is stuck outside in his pyjamas. He decides to spend the night in the barn but his incessant snoring drives the flock mad. Shaun concocts a plan to return him to his bed without waking him up.
VT
Phil advises Max that it's in his best interests to pay back the £13k he owes, in tonight's first visit of the week to Walford. He says he'll be waiting in the Vic.
Ronnie, meanwhile, bursts into Roxy's bedroom to announce her return home, but discovers her in bed with Dr Al.
Phil is played by Steve McFadden, Max by Jake Wood, Ronnie by Samantha Womack, Dr Al by Adam Croasdell and Roxy by Rita Simons.
JM3
Life – Creatures Of The Deep Ep 8/10
Marine invertebrates are in the Life spotlight this week as the series from the BBC's Natural History Unit, narrated by David Attenborough, continues.
Marine invertebrates are extraordinarily diverse, outnumbering fish by 10 to one and ranging from some of the most primitive creatures to some of the most intelligent.
Many of them make a nightly migration to shallower water. For the first time, a huge number of six-foot long carnivorous Humboldt squid are filmed hunting co-operatively to attack a shoal of fish.
Conditions under the ice in Antarctica's Ross Sea are similar to the deep ocean. The sea bed is carpeted with thousands of sea stars, sea urchins and huge nemertean worms. Seen in tracking time-lapse for the first time, they swarm across the sea bed to feed on a dead seal pup carcass.
Off the coast of Australia, giant spider crabs emerge from the deep to congregate in vast numbers in the shallows to moult. Once they've moulted they are soft-bodied – ideal for mating – but it is also a time when they are vulnerable to attack from sting rays.
A large male giant Australian cuttlefish attracts and mates with a female and then guards her from his rivals. If another large male challenges him, he flashes colours and stripes that pulse along his side. However, devious smaller males can change colour to look like a female and hold their tentacles just like a female who wants to mate. In this disguise, they slowly swim towards the female and, right under the larger male's nose, quickly mate with her.
In the warm but nutrient-poor seas of the tropics, microscopic coral polyps multiply and grow, creating the largest living structures in the world that harbour a quarter of all marine life. And yet coral reefs are built by the tiniest of creatures, occupying less than half of one per cent of the ocean's floor.
Tonight's diary section, Sink Or Swim, reveals the depths the Life team went to film under the Antarctic ice and to create their own coral reef.
Life is simulcast on the BBC HD channel – the BBC's High Definition channel, available through Freesat, Sky and Virgin Media.
BR/LS2
BBC TWO Monday 30 November 2009
After a spot of duck versus caterpillar racing in the shop, and telling a customer that she and Gary have two little boys with two little toys, named Cliff and Richard, Miranda realises she needs to be a bit reckless and wild, as the semi-autobiographical writing of comedy actress Miranda Hart continues.
She's young, free and happily single, after all, so why not book a spontaneous short break to Thailand? That's the Thailand down the road, in the shape of her local hotel, Hamilton Lodge – the definite perks being no travel, no language barrier and, most importantly, no sand/towel/lolly/wasp scenarios to deal with.
After 26 hours at the hotel Miranda has done everything – she's had six baths; eaten every room service meal; pressed every pair of trousers she owns; mistakenly ordered an overly familiar escort; and reached verbal diarrhoea levels with the young porter. Her trip away reaches an even weirder level when she's mistaken for the hotel's visiting seminar leader.
When Gary works out where Miranda actually is he turns up at her room. A regally drunk Miranda suggests that to prove the ease of their friendship they should just sleep together, before promptly passing out.
On returning from her spontaneous holiday, Miranda defends her choice of location to her disapproving friends and mother – what's not wild about getting drunk, ordering an escort, making new friends, running a seminar and jumping out of a window?
Miranda is played by Miranda Hart, Gary by Tom Ellis and the young porter by Luke Pasquilino.
RD4
Charles Saatchi's nationwide search to discover the next generation of artistic talent continues and his six chosen artists are commissioned to produce large-scale pieces of public art for the seafront in Hastings. They have only two weeks to try to make artworks which must appeal to the locals.
For these avant-garde, contemporary artists, this poses a considerable challenge, but this is precisely what Saatchi wants. The idea behind this commission is to force them to create big, bold and accessible work that will appeal to a non-art-world audience. Up to now, they've only ever created small work for an arty audience, but to make a mark in the art world they'll have to prove they can create pieces with scale and ambition, which will make an impact on a wide audience.
As the artists conceive and start creating their works, they receive advice and critique from controversial Turner Prize-winning artist Martin Creed and art writer Matthew Collings. Creed – who made the famous piece The Lights Going On And Off – advises them to keep it simple and make sure their work stands out from the environment around them. The worst thing they could do is create pieces that the public didn't even know was art. Collings fears that their work could be boring and commit the ultimate art crime of being worse than the empty space that was there before it; something, he feels, which bad contemporary art is often guilty of.
When their work is finally constructed on the seafront in Hastings, the artists come face to face with the public and find out exactly what they think of their creations. And what does Saatchi think of their work? He's very impressed with most of the pieces, particularly given the short time and limited budget available to them. But one of the works doesn't impress at all and comes in for significant criticism. He deems the others so good he'd be happy to exhibit them in his gallery. Praise indeed!
School Of Saatchi is part of the Modern Beauty Season, a range of programmes coming to BBC Two and BBC Four which look at the concept of beauty in modern art.
KA
BBC FOUR Monday 30 November 2009
Anne-Marie Duff stars as Margot Fonteyn in Margot, the final drama in BBC Four's Women We Loved season.
Margot tells the story of the prima ballerina assoluta's dancing partnership and complex relationship with Russian dancer Rudolf Nureyev, forged towards the end of her career.
The partnership propelled them into the stratosphere of international stardom, creating a kind of celebrity that had never existed before and securing their place in the hearts of audiences and the history of ballet.
Viewers meet Fonteyn aged 40 in a dark prison cell, having been caught up in her husband, Tito's, attempt to overthrow the Panamanian government. Despite her surroundings she remains elegantly poised but behind this façade is a woman painfully aware of the future.
Along with knowledge of her diplomat husband's infidelities, Margot senses mounting pressure from the Royal Ballet to consider retirement. But, in 1962, everything changes when Margot is introduced to the young Russian émigré Rudolf Nureyev, and they begin a professional partnership that would captivate the world for years to come.
As Margot's private life collapses, her passionate performances with Nureyev turn her into a worldwide celebrity. With tensions mounting at home, and the strain beginning to affect her marriage, Margot's relationship with Nureyev grows stronger and the divide between her public and private life more pronounced – will she be forced to choose between her career and her husband?
Anne-Marie Duff is Margot Fonteyn, Michiel Huisman is Rudolf Nureyev, Con O'Neill is Tito, Penelope Wilton is Margot's mother, BQ, Sir Derek Jacobi is choreographer Frederick Ashton and Lindsay Duncan is Ninette de Valois, founder of The Royal Ballet.
LH2
Network TV BBC Week 48: Tuesday 1 December 2009
BBC ONE Tuesday 1 December 2009
Phil feels confident about his financial situation and tells Ben to write up a Christmas list, in tonight's visit to Albert Square.
Amira, meanwhile, asks Masood if he can still afford to pay her rent. He says it's all under control, then makes a call to Janine asking for more taxi shifts.
Phil is played by Steve McFadden, Ben by Charlie Jones, Amira by Preeya Kalidas, Masood by Nitin Ganatra and Janine by Charlie Brooks.
JM3
Joseph tries to convince the police and Vanessa that potassium killed Archie, as the medical drama continues. But Elliot loses confidence in Joseph's professionalism when he realises Joseph's shortcomings as a consultant.
Elsewhere, Judith uses a new approach to spreading the message of infection control as a way of building bridges with Chrissie, but ends up creating an even bigger rift.
Oliver, meanwhile, is desperate to complete an assessment but, when he sees Daisha needs a friend, he passes up his chance to finish it.
Joseph is played by Luke Roberts, Vanessa by Leslie Ash, Elliot by Paul Bradley, Judith by Shelagh McLeod, Chrissie by Tina Hobley, Oliver by James Anderson and Daisha by Rebecca Grant.
JM3
Yesterday's event is weighing heavily on Rebecca's mind, as the intriguing, high-concept, high-octane, investigative drama starring Tamzin Outhwaite and Emun Elliott continues. Rebecca also struggles to come to terms with whether or not she really could have the ability to alter the future.
To make matters worse, a new series of images are beamed into Dr Christian King's Prometheus lab, again showing fragments of a serious incident that is set to take place in 18 hours' time.
The numerous images don't appear to make any sense and the team question whether they should be messing with the future. However, the pictures clearly spell disaster and Rebecca's heart begins to race when she learns the identity of the dead body in one of the images – it is Ben.
Rebecca doesn't know how or when Ben will die but, suddenly, her quest to change the future becomes even more frantic. Can she keep the shocking image from Ben and does she have the power to change his destiny?
DI Rebecca Flint is played by Tamzin Outhwaite, Dr Christian King by Emun Elliott, DS Ben Holt by Mark Bonnar and DC Callum Gada by Chiké Okonkwo.
PPR
Own Art, the latest film in the Imagine series, presented by Alan Yentob, looks at a new breed of art collector on the block. Many of them have incomes equal to or below the national average, and a high proportion have never bought original art before.
Imagine uncovers a variety of people who are part of a small revolution in the art world. A pig farmer, a factory worker and a policeman are just some of those who tell how they came to appreciate art, how they chose their pieces and what they mean to them.
They have all signed up to an Arts Council scheme called Own Art. Created five years ago to encourage the public to enjoy greater access to and engagement with the arts, Own Art enables people to borrow up to £2,000 interest free to buy original contemporary works. Since then, 12,500 people have signed up, many of whom grew up with no art on the walls at all, yet some have developed a passion that borders on addiction.
In this film, collectors, young and old, speak from the heart about how art has affected their lives. The programme also follows two people on their journeys to commission their own paintings. A commission is a brave step and a big investment that was once the preserve of the gentry. Not any more. Now everyone can own art.
AH
BBC TWO Tuesday 1 December 2009
Presenter Neil Oliver continues the story of Scotland, covering the period in the wake of the 1688 revolution which brought William of Orange to power on the throne of England and Scotland, through to the Battle of Culloden in 1746.
Neil says: "Culloden is the most iconic battle, but there still persists the myth that it was an England versus Scotland event, when it was much more complex than that. It was a pivotal event, not only in Scotland but also as part of an international power struggle."
The Glorious Revolution of 1688/89 was triumphed as a win for Protestantism over Catholicism and liberty over the absolutist power of kings, but it was not accepted by all. The new thinking led to some mania of its own, such as the Darien project, a daring proposal to create a Scots trading colony in Panama – a mind-blowingly ambitious scheme, supported by vast swathes of the population, which virtually bankrupted the country.
In the wake of the revolution and the Darien disaster, a financially bereft Scotland signed up to the 1707 Union of Parliaments, but its "hearts and minds" were not remotely on board with the concept, especially as, in its early days, its effects seemed wholly negative. Taxes were hiked up and trade restrictions – contrary to the articles of the agreement – made even pro-Union nobles disappointed by the insensitive way Westminster was handling Scottish issues. Nor in Scotland did the Glorious Revolution necessarily make good on its promises of libertarian modernity.
The clamour from some Scots for the rule of the past found an outlet in the Jacobite cause and its crescendo and swansong was Culloden; the accepted story of these times. But A History Of Scotland reveals the Stewarts in exile had "evolved" and were making strides, with policies more liberal and forward thinking than the general rule of the land by William of Orange or his Hanoverian successors. And it reveals how close these new-style would-be monarchs came on several occasions to coming back to power.
Says Neil: "It isn't quite the doomed romantic story we tend to know in Scotland but a sophisticated power play across Europe."
HM
For the first time since 1990, Delia Smith is back on our screens this Christmas. In this 60-minute special she will unveil a celebration feast packed with indulgent, scrumptious recipes.
Delia is a firm believer that the festive period of cooking and feasting should be cherished, not feared. But, in a season which can be fraught with panic, Delia is here to allay people's worries. She'll steer them through the minefield of timings and planning in the hectic weeks ahead; the key, of course, being to prepare as much as possible in advance ... and take time to make sure you enjoy yourself.
Delia will treat viewers to an exciting modern take on festive eating alongside a serving of classic Christmas dishes personally chosen from her own extensive archive, including gloriously fragrant homemade mincemeat, a traditional Christmas pudding and a glossily bronzed turkey with all the trimmings. She'll also spoil viewers with a delicious chocolate and sour cherry crumble, her very best cranberry and orange relish, and delectable scallops in the shell. Diners will be in culinary heaven with her fillet of beef with wild mushroom and red wine sauce and roasted bacon with blackened crackling, and there's a twinkly delight as Delia indulges with her truly gorgeous panettone trifle.
Delia's Classic Christmas is a sumptuous celebration of festive cooking crammed with the very best of her Christmas recipes and packed with practical tips and step-by-step guides to enjoying the preparations.
KA
BBC FOUR Tuesday 1 December 2009
A failed coup attempt; an old Etonian British mercenary in a grim African prison; a dictator accused by the West of torture; and, beneath it all, a spectacular underwater oil reserve that the world's major powers would love to get their hands on.
It may sound like the plot from a novel, but it's actually the real-life intrigue behind Simon Mann's African Coup, Storyville's penetrating look at mysterious goings on in Equatorial Guinea – a tiny West African nation newly rich from oil and infamous for corruption.
Filmed over 18 months, with access to key players, the film offers a unique look inside a country that rarely allows in the foreign press. The story begins in 2004, when a group of mercenaries, headed by Mann, is arrested in Zimbabwe. Equatorial Guinea's president, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, accuses them of plotting a bloody coup d'état to steal his country and its oil.
When Mann is sentenced to 34 years in the country's notorious Black Beach jail, he claims to be only a part of a Western plot to grab the country's vast oil resources.
This fast-paced thriller of a film travels the globe to unravel the truth behind one of the most controversial attempted coups in history.
Shedding new light on the uncomfortable realities of 21st-century oil politics, the film also explores the latest relationship forged between China and President Obiang. The Chinese government showers the country with largesse and a new capital city rises from the jungle. Accused by the US of corruption and horrifying human rights abuses, Obiang is now welcoming China as his new best friend.
BR/LS2
We Need Answers Ep 1/13
The anarchic comedy game show, in which celebrity guests answer questions set by the public, returns for a second series.
Mark Watson hosts, Tim Key is in the question-master's chair and Alex Horne provides expert analysis from a booth. Each week, two celebrities battle it out to be crowned the winner and avoid the shame of donning the "clogs of defeat".
In tonight's opener, BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour host, Jenni Murray, competes with former rugby league international Martin Offiah.
The rules are simple – contestants must match their answer to the one given by a text-answering service. Questions could be anything; how many gerbils would have to be stacked on top of each other to reach the moon? How heavy is the sky? Or is gravy a condiment?
Each show also features a cunning physical challenge which pits the contestants against each other. This week sees Jenni and Martin shouting extracts from their own autobiographies.
CS
CBBC Tuesday 1 December 2009
Inside Life, the series which goes behind the scenes of the BBC Natural History Unit's landmark series, Life, continues as expert climber Jacob trades the rolling hills of Wales for the tropical islands of Hawaii on an unusual mission to help the Life team film an extraordinary journey of a fish with the amazing ability to rock climb.
The fish is known as a Gobie, and Jacob will need all the tips that wildlife cameraman Gavin can give him if he is to film the spectacular waterfalls where this fish makes its incredible journey.
Jacob encounters a giant of the ocean, the Manta ray; a smiling spider; and an overactive volcano on his travels to track down the amazing Gobie.
Inside Life is narrated by Barney Harwood.
MF2
Network TV BBC Week 48: Wednesday 2 December 2009
BBC ONE Wednesday 2 December 2009
Big Top Ep 1/6
Amanda Holden returns to the BBC to star in a colourful, upbeat comedy series set in and around a travelling circus. Big Top is about the performers and backstage staff who make up Circus Maestro and also stars John Thomson, Sophie Thompson, Ruth Madoc and Tony Robinson.
Each week a story is unfolded, erected, performed and taken down, just like the Big Top itself. The circus is fraught with problems which the ring-mistress, Lizzie, must overcome, such as what do you do when you've advertised a death-defying stunt which everyone has bought tickets to see, and the performer is just that little bit too injured? Or how do you manage a group of people who are so jealous of each other that they are happy to sabotage their colleagues' performances? And when the star acrobat is being chased by immigration, how do you hold on to him?
The characters clash with a cacophony of egos and Lizzie must keep the whole thing going ... somehow.
In the first episode, Circus Maestro gets into a turf war with a rival show, just as the health and safety inspection is due. The circus is, of course, a death-trap, but luckily the inspector is more interested in chatting Lizzie up than closing the place down.
When Lizzie goes on a date with the safety inspector, the rest of the troupe are left to fend for themselves for the first time. Unfortunately, this happens to be the night that the rival circus chooses to mount an attack.
Meanwhile, David the dog is kidnapped and Plonky the Clown experiments with a new act involving ferrets.
Amanda Holden plays ring-mistress Lizzie; John Thomson and Sophie Thompson play Geoff and Helen, husband-and-wife clowns; Tony Robinson plays cynical soundman Erasmus; Ruth Madoc plays the grande dame of Circus Maestro, Georgie; and Bruce Mackinnon plays talented Eastern European acrobat Boyco.
Big Top is simulcast on the BBC HD channel – the BBC's High Definition channel, available through Freesat, Sky and Virgin Media.
AN
New deputy head Christopher Mead becomes the focus of unwelcome romantic attention when his Year 10 fan club become increasingly brazen, as Waterloo Road continues. Christopher becomes concerned that one of his best students, Vicki MacDonald, is acting strangely, missing classes and handing work in late.
When he discovers that Vicki has been sneaking off during school hours to work as an exotic dancer, he visits the club to talk her out of it, inadvertently putting himself in a vulnerable position. Vicki won't give up work and threatens to accuse Christopher of sexual harassment if he tells anyone. When Rachel gives Christopher a warning about not letting his female pupils behave so inappropriately towards him, he doesn't feel able to ask her advice about Vicki, and attempts to deal with the situation himself, putting his professional reputation at risk.
Marion James's lawyer informs Lindsay that, as a witness in the case of her father's murder, she won't be able to see her mother until the trial and that acquittal does not seem likely. Lindsay confesses to Rachel that her father had been sexually abusing her for years and that she had told her mother about the abuse on the day that her father was stabbed; Marion killed him to protect her daughters.
Elsewhere, Ros sets up a Waterloo Road comedy club to showcase Philip's stand-up talents and, against all odds, is impressed by the result. After school, Josh is delighted to see his mother and Tom getting along over dinner, but when Georgia reveals the truth about Josh's unconventional conception, sparks fly. The tension between Rachel and Max continues but Kim's growing relationship with Max means that Rachel has to find a new confidant.
Christopher Mead is played by William Ash, Vicki MacDonald by Rebecca Ryan, Rachel by Eva Pope, Lindsay by Jenna Louise Coleman, Ros by Sophie McShera, Josh by William Rush, Tom by Jason Done, Georgia by Fiona Allen, Max by Tom Chambers and Kim by Angela Griffin.
Waterloo Road is simulcast on the BBC HD channel – the BBC's High Definition channel, available through Freesat, Sky and Virgin Media.
JP2
The sudden death of CIA boss Samuel Walker is puzzling Harry Pearce, as the spy drama continues. The official line is that he committed suicide, but Harry doesn't buy it and, when another CIA agent dies, he begins to wonder whether the deaths have something to do with the power meeting at Basel. Walker had arranged to meet Harry to talk about Basel, but he never made it and something really doesn't add up.
Meanwhile, Ros Myers is contacted by her old mentor, Jack Coleville, an ex-MI6 golden boy who suddenly quit the service. Coleville asks Ros to read his memoirs, paying special attention to a chapter about Harry and Gibraltar. However, Harry insists he was never in Gibraltar, so what is Coleville's motive for lying?
Soon, two more intelligence officers are dead and it becomes apparent that the murderer has access to sensitive information. The horrifying truth suddenly dawns on Ros; it's Coleville.
Ros and Lucas North race to find Coleville at his London address. But when Ros goes in there's no sign of him and she soon realises the house is booby-trapped. Ros escapes, but it's clear that Coleville means business.
As the pieces start to come together, Ros puts herself in the firing line in a bid to draw Coleville out. Will she be able to keep her cool when faced with the man who taught her everything she knows?
Harry Pearce is played by Peter Firth, Ros Myers by Hermione Norris, Jack Coleville by Stephen Boxer and Lucas North by Richard Armitage.
PPR
Gabby Logan highlights the achievements of the 10 contenders vying to become BBC Sports Personality Of The Year 2009, in this Inside Sport special. Famous faces from the world of sport and entertainment show their support for one of the contenders who have been nominated for the award, which was won last year by legendary Olympic gold medal cyclist Sir Chris Hoy.
The event, now in it's 56th year, is broadcast live from Sheffield in December.
Athlete Sir Christopher Chataway was the first winner, in 1954, and since then a whole host of world-famous names have lifted the iconic trophy, including Sir Bobby Moore, Sir Henry Cooper, Virginia Wade, Lord Sebastian Coe, Nigel Mansell, Sir Steve Redgrave, David Beckham, Dame Kelly Holmes and Joe Calzaghe.
The public will decide this year's winner by voting live on the night and tonight's programme may help viewers make up their minds.
CH2
BBC TWO Wednesday 2 December 2009
The final film in Andrew Marr's series is a vivid account of Britain's role in the Second World War.
His story of "the people's war" begins with the epic national defeat that came to define modern Britain's national spirit: Dunkirk. In 1940, Britain stood alone against the might of the German war machine. Prime Minister Winston Churchill produced the words that stirred the Blitz spirit, but a Nazi invasion seemed inevitable. How could Britain fight on?
The "Dad's Army" of the Home Guard was a bit of a joke, but Britain was forced to pull together in ways it had never done before. Andrew finds some surprising twists to legendary stories; the Battle of Britain was not simply a tale of reckless bravery, but also one of lethally efficient command and control. The Blitz was a devastating attack from the air that everyone had dreaded, and yet it didn't break the spirit of the people or dim their humour.
Despite sometimes seeming like a relic from the Victorian era, Churchill understood the importance of morale and of science. This was also the boffins' war. Britain was prepared to give away the most highly classified scientific and military secrets to help bring the Americans into the conflict. This wooing would help bring victory. But it came at a price: a bankrupt nation; a crumbling empire; and a US cultural influence that defines modern Britain to this day.
PR
Network TV BBC Week 48: Thursday 3 December 2009
BBC ONE Thursday 3 December 2009
Archie goes to the Vic and pressures Roxy and Ronnie to tell him what happened to Phil, in tonight's visit to Albert Square. He feigns concern, offering his financial assistance but fearing they, too, will get hurt, Roxy and Ronnie tell him he is not welcome.
Meanwhile, Zainab overhears Masood on the phone to Janine, chasing work. She can see how tired he is and worries that his health will suffer just for the sake of a little extra money.
Archie is played by Larry Lamb, Roxy by Rita Simons, Ronnie by Samantha Womack, Phil by Steve McFadden, Zainab by Nina Wadia, Janine by Charlie Brooks and Masood by Nitin Ganatra.
JM3
The Bang Goes The Theory team return for a one-off special, entitled Human Power Station, in which viewers discover just how much electricity people use and abuse when an average British family are taken off the National Grid and their entire house is powered by a team of 80 cyclists for 12 hours.
In a Heath Robinson-style spectacular – and a genuine world first – viewers find out the real cost of home appliances as a team of cyclists, based in the studio next door to the house, generate enough pedal power to keep the Collins family's electricity running, without them knowing. As the family switch on power showers, kettles, iPods and washing machines, the cyclists are faced with the challenge of keeping a typical family of four in the manner to which we have all become accustomed.
Bang Goes The Theory presenters Liz Bonnin, Dallas Campbell and Jem Stansfield, and a team of energy experts, watch in the sidelines and count the pennies, tracking how much electricity the Collins family really use and how much energy they waste, while also offering some unusual tips on energy conservation – including roasting a chicken with nothing more than the heat of two light bulbs.
Packed with fascinating facts about what it takes to keep the average modern home running like clockwork, Human Power Station offers viewers a unique insight into electricity prices and domestic energy demands and raises interesting questions about how much energy supply is taken for granted in a world where energy shortages are increasingly becoming a matter of pressing global concern.
VAA
Stacey is looking for a new job while insuring Gavin sticks to his recent promise, as the critically acclaimed comedy, written by James Corden and Ruth Jones, continues.
Dave's not a happy bunny when Nessa tells him she's taking baby Neil to Essex to see his dad. Meanwhile, over at the Shipmans's house, Dawn and Pete have joined Pam and Mick for a beer and curry night of huge proportions – at the Billericay house of fun.
Stacey is played by Joanna Page, Gavin by Mathew Horne, Dave by Steffan Rhodri, Nessa by Ruth Jones, Dawn by Julia Davis, Pete by Adrian Scarborough, Pam by Alison Steadman and Mick by Larry Lamb. James Corden and Rob Brydon also star.
CS
BBC TWO Thursday 3 December 2009
In what are effectively the quarter-finals in Raymond Blanc's search for new restaurant partners, love is on the menu; a challenge guaranteed to put pressure on the couples and increase the enjoyment for viewers.
First, there's a romantic takeaway dinner for two, followed by a singles' night. When one of the couples starts by asking: "What happens on a singles night? These people are on their own ... where do they sit?" viewers can expect the worst!
JD/PA
Eighty-year-old former concert pianist Pauline is marooned in an ocean of clutter within her five-bedroom South London house, as the observational documentary series continues to seek out the people and places that offer a glimpse of today's Britain usually hidden from view.
Pauline has brought her son, Frederick, who is fluent in seven languages and an expert in robot repairs, face-to-face with a problem that affects millions across Britain – how to deal with an elderly parent. But Frederick's mother is not like other mothers.
This is the story of what happened when Bafta Award-winning film-maker Daniel Vernon went to meet Frederick and his mum. "You are about to enter another dimension," says Frederick, as Daniel enters the house for the first time.
What he finds is not only a house so crammed with hoarded objects that most rooms are inaccessible, but also a poignant and turbulent mother-son relationship. Frederick's mission to clear up the mess of his mother's house unravels an intriguing family history of love, power and dysfunction lying beneath the chaos of her home.
CD3
BBC THREE Thursday 3 December 2009
Russell Howard's Good News Ep 7/7
Russell Howard's Good News concludes tonight as the Mock The Week star offers his unique perspective on the big stories dominating the media this week.
Put together on the brink of transmission, and recorded in front of a live studio audience, each show also gives viewers at home the chance to shape the news agenda by allowing them to submit stories online at bbc.co.uk/russellhoward (where they will also be able to view exclusive extra features) or via Twitter at twitter.com/russellhoward.
Russell Howard's Good News is simulcast on the BBC HD channel – the BBC's High Definition channel, available through Freesat, Sky and Virgin Media
APR
BBC FOUR Thursday 3 December 2009
Professor Diarmaid MacCulloch traces the growth of Evangelical Protestantism, an exuberant expression of faith, driven by a concern for social justice and the claim that you could stand in a direct emotional relationship with God, in the penultimate episode of A History Of Christianity.
It's an explosion that might never have happened were it not for the exiled Moravian Brethren of Central Europe, who revolutionised Protestantism by making missionaries out of ordinary people.
Professor MacCulloch follows the spreading flame of Evangelical Protestantism around the globe – first to England where, inspired by the radical open-air preaching of John Wesley, Methodism thrived during the upheavals of the industrial revolution.
The programme then traces the explosion of Evangelical Christianity to America, where a clash between two Protestant preachers sparked the Great Awakening – the first of two big religious revivals. In America, Christianity cut its ties with the state, paving the way for unprecedented religious liberty and yet further growth as Christianity was marketed with all the flair and swashbuckling enterprise of American commerce.
With Catholicism faltering in the wake of the French Revolution, Evangelical Protestantism then set out to conquer the rest of the world. In Africa, Professor MacCulloch examines how much of the continent was converted to Protestantism when Evangelicals adapted to local traditions, while in South Korea, he asks whether contemporary Pentecostalism – where the devout are rewarded with prosperity – is an adaptation too far.
A History Of Christianity is a co-production with the Open University. Further information can be found at open2.net.
GD/JF
Network TV BBC Week 48: Friday 4 December 2009
BBC ONE Friday 4 December 2009
Janine tells Archie she's heard that Phil suddenly has money and is going to pay the loan sharks off, in the final visit of the week to Albert Square. Janine thinks they are scuppered and Archie suspects Ian, asserting that they have to get him to sell them Phil's debt.
Whitney, meanwhile, makes a phone call to the prison to arrange a visit with Tony, but ends up crying in the Square, as nobody will let her see him. Ryan finds her and tries to reason with her but she tells him he is just like everyone else and storms off.
Janine is played by Charlie Brooks, Archie by Larry Lamb, Phil by Steve McFadden, Ian by Adam Woodyatt, Whitney by Shona McGarty, Tony by Chris Coghill and Ryan by Neil McDermott.
JM3
BBC TWO Friday 4 December 2009
The Doonan family are all set for their first-ever foreign holiday, as the second series of the glitzy award-winning comedy, inspired by the memoirs of New York fashionista Simon Doonan, and written by Jonathan Harvey, continues.
However, an untoward plumbing problem – also known as a run-in with Kylie's mum, Reba – forces them to change their plans. Auntie Hayley's suggestion of a holiday in their front room with the curtains drawn seems to be the perfect solution. That is until Kylie discovers their secret and his dad, just out of prison, decides to pay an unwelcome visit to Melody Crescent.
Kylie is played by Layton Williams, Auntie Hayley by Meera Syal, Debbie by Olivia Colman, Andy by Aidan McArdle, older Simon by Samuel Barnett, young Simon by Luke Ward-Wilkinson and Ashlene by Sophie Ash.
PA/JD
CBBC Friday 4 December 2009
After unsuccessfully attending 17,000 auditions, it looks like Emily and Monty's luck is about to change, as the comedy continues in the fast-paced CBBC sketch show. They attend an audition for a show that is literally "made for them".
Meanwhile, in Game Over, the unfit commando needs some help from his computer-gaming companions to get his physique back in shape; the fearsome Vikings attempt a sponsored silence; and there are more language misunderstandings with the 40-year-old French exchange student.
Over on North Barrasay, Archie becomes the supply teacher when Miss Carpenter falls ill, and Timmy's mother comes up with another explosive idea to beat the school run.
Sorry I've Got No Head features the comedy talents of Marcus Brigstocke, Mel Giedroyc, David Armand, Anna Crilly, James Bachman and Nick Mohammed.
VT
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