Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Monday 28th April 2025)

Loughton to Audley End. Series 16, episode 16. Michael Portillo embarks on a journey around Essex. He starts out in the ancient woodland of Epping Forest and visits a historic London Transport signal cabin in Epping which has been preserved by enthusiasts. He then visits the home of Harlow’s chief architect Frederic Gibberd, who talks about his plans for the town, before reaching Audley End, where he sees a miniature railway and learns of Audley End House’s role as a secret wartime military school.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Tuesday 29th April 2025)

Romford to the Blackwater Estuary. Series 16, episode 17. Michael Portillo’s exploration of Essex continues in Romford. He arrives on the London Overground’s Liberty Line to visit a state-of-the-art rail operating centre and discovers how signallers and operators control the movements of over 4,000 trains a day. On the River Blackwater, he takes a trip to the Ross Revenge ship, home to Radio Caroline since the 1980’s.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Wednesday 30th April 2025)

Chelmsford to Tollesbury. Series 16, episode 18. Michael Portillo’s exploration of Essex reaches Chelmsford, where the city’s bishop tells her story of escape from Iran after the Islamic revolution of 1979. He visits the historic riverside town of Maldon, where he learns about a medieval battle and handles a rare Viking sword. Michael finishes this leg of his Essex journey in the coastal village of Tollesbury, with its strong maritime heritage and marshy landscape.

Race Across the World (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 30th April 2025) ** PICK OF THE WEEK **

The teams set out on their journey to the second checkpoint in Sanya, one of China’s most southerly cities, located on Hainan Island. To get there, the teams must choose between city-hopping down the coast of the East China Sea or venturing inland on a more rural route that takes in some of China’s most impressive landscapes but it’s a race against time as a fast-approaching typhoon threatens to stop all ferries to the island.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Thursday 1st May 2025)

Witham to Saffron Walden. Series 16, episode 19. Michael Portillo arrives in the Essex market town of Witham, then heads off to country house Terling Place, before visiting two medieval barns that are thought to be the oldest timber framed structures in England. In Braintree, Michael learns about the town’s wool and silk industries, then views a depository of thousands of silk patterns in the Warner and Sons’ archive.

Great British Railway Journeys (BBC 2/HD | 6:30pm to 7:00pm | Friday 2nd May 2025)

Colchester to Chappel and Wakes Colne. Series 16, episode 20. Michael Portillo’s exploration of Essex draws to a close as he visits Colchester, first mentioned in AD 77 and proudly claims to be Britain’s oldest recorded town. He learns about the rebellion in AD 60 by warrior queen Boudica against the Romans and visits the Norman castle, which was built on top of the foundations of the Temple of Claudius. He finishes his tour of the county by driving an old Intercity 125 high-speed train through the picturesque countryside.

Beyond Paradise (BBC 1/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Friday 2nd May 2025)

When nurse Lucy vanishes on her way to work, suspicion falls on Josh Woods – Kelby’s rival. However, after Josh receives a chilling voicemail, the team starts to suspect that something far more sinister is at play. In the recording, Lucy can be heard shouting ‘devil” followed by a beastly growl. Could the legend of the Devil’s Hump hold a vital clue to solving her disappearance? As the case intensifies, Humphrey finds himself torn between the personal and professional. With Rosie’s birthday fast approaching, he and Martha are determined to throw her the perfect party. Kris Marshall and Sally Bretton star.

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