Planet Earth II (BBC 1/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 11th December 2016)
Wildlife documentary series presented by David Attenborough. Cities are growing at a faster rate than any other habitat on Earth. They may seem an unlikely place for animals to thrive, but they can be a world of surprising opportunity. Leopards prowl the streets of Mumbai, peregrine falcons hunt amongst New York’s skyscrapers, and a million starlings perform spectacular aerial dances over Rome. In Jodhpur, langurs are revered as religious deities and in Harar, locals live in harmony with wild hyenas. Many animals, however, struggle to cope in the urban jungle. As the architects of this environment, can humans choose to build cities that are homes for both them and wildlife?
The River (BBC 1 Scotland/HD & BBC iPlayer only | 7:30pm to 8:00pm | Monday 12th December 2016)
Documentary series charting life along the River Tweed. In this episode, as the summer comes to an end, the Floors Stud team prepare for the sales at Newmarket. In Peebles, Fiona and Neil Dalgleish organise the International Enduro at Glentress Forest, where international pro riders hit some of the valley’s steepest and fastest trails. On the river, ghillie Colin Bell strims more grassy riverbanks and sees to his summer fishing clients, and on Cowbog Farm, Lottie blowdries her dad’s prized Hereford herd. Finally, it is judgement day for the Floors Stud team, as they make it to the Tattersalls auction with their best six horses.
The Adventure Show (BBC 2 Scotland & BBC iPlayer only | 7:00pm to 8:00pm | Thursday 15th December 2016)
The Adventure Show is at the Glen Coe Skyline, one of the toughest adventure races in the world. The event takes place in the rugged mountains of Lochaber and attracts a top-class international field. The Adventure Show follows competitors as they tackle a course which includes nearly 5000 metres of ascent over terrain that many would describe as rock climbing.
The Secret Life of the Zoo (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 15th December 2016)
There’s an escape at Chester Zoo in this episode. The Sumatran orangutans have been getting used to new quarters, when keepers see from CCTV that Subis, Tuti, Siska and Indah have gone missing. They find Subis in the roof of the Monsoon Forest: an area that’s strictly off-limits to orangutans. But Subis seems to be enjoying a day out, trying on a fire hydrant cover and some vet’s gloves for size. The keepers must rely on their understanding of the escapees to try to tempt them back inside. Family dynamics are always shifting in Chester’s animal groups. In the meerkat house, the dominant female is facing trouble, from her own daughter. Known as Number 13, the daughter is launching physical attacks on Mum, in a struggle for dominance.
Grand Designs (Channel 4/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Thursday 15th December 2016)
Kevin McCloud reveals the winner of the Royal Institute of British Architects House of the Year 2016. First though, there are four extraordinary nominated houses to review, all of which offer a creative response to a tricky site. There is a house stitched into a wall that sits between a Zen courtyard and an English walled garden; a clever, open plan family home built in a former allotment; a house made from a group of red tin pods on a piece of urban wasteland; and a large, glamorous home in Northumberland that creatively pulls northern light through the house.
The Last Leg (Channel 4/HD | 10:00pm to 11:05pm | Friday 16th December 2016)
The award-winning show continues with its unique brand of irreverent satire. Hosts Adam Hills, Alex Brooker and Josh Widdicombe examine the biggest and most entertaining news stories via the #isitok twitter handle, where viewers tweet in edgy current affairs questions that other shows might duck. In this edition, Miranda Hart joins Adam and the team in the studio to help dissect the week’s events.
All TV guide information taken from DigiGuide — www.getdigiguide.tv/?p=1&r=15119.