Programme Information

Big Top Ep 1/6

Wednesday 2 December

7.30-8.00pm BBC ONE (Schedule addition 12 November)

John Thomson, Amanda Holden and Sophie Thompson star in Big Top

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

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Waterloo Road Ep 6/20

Wednesday 2 December

8.00-9.00pm BBC ONE

• www.bbc.co.uk/drama
• Press pack

Christopher Mead (William Ash) is the focus of unwanted attention

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

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Harry (Peter Firth), Ros (Hermione Norris) and Lucas (Richard Armitage) are puzzled by a spate of deaths

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

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