Tag: Britain’s Most Historic Towns

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 19/12/2020

Britain’s Most Historic Towns (Channel 4/HD | 8:20pm to 9:20pm | Saturday 19th December 2020)

Alice Roberts visits Manchester to explore the spirit of protest and revolution that grew out of the experience of Britain’s working class during the Industrial Revolution. At the John Ryland Library, Alice is granted access to rarely-seen period documents that highlight the true human cost of the Peterloo massacre. At the Free Trade Hall, she explores how Manchester found itself at the heart of the battle against the hated Corn Laws, and at Chetham’s Library, Roberts sits at the very desk where Friedrich Engels and Karl Marx, inspired by the living conditions of Manchester’s working poor, began the discussions and research that would lead to the publication of the Communist Manifesto.

The Home Alone Story (Channel 5/HD | 8:20pm to 9:50pm | Saturday 19th December 2020)

Documentary celebrating the 1990 festive classic written by John Hughes. It’s a movie that turned its then-nine-year-old star, Macaulay Culkin, into the biggest child actor since Shirley Temple. Featuring interviews with film critics, fans, stuntmen and even a reformed burglar, who assesses the home security at the Home Alone house.

Off the Tracks: Inside Central Station (BBC Scotland/HD & BBC iPlayer only | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Sunday 20th December 2020)

A special festive peek behind the scenes at Glasgow Central. The tree is up, the Christmas shoppers are out and there is a very special visitor to the station concourse.

The Vicar of Dibley (BBC 1/HD | 8:50pm to 9:00pm | Monday 21st December 2020)

Geraldine anounces the winner of the Dibley mask competition, Hugo sets a new record as he delivers a sermon and the vicar reflects on a challenging year as Christmas draws near. The last of three mini-episodes of Richard Curtis’s comedy, starring Dawn French and James Fleet.

Spider-Man: Homecoming (BBC 1/HD | 7:55pm to 10:00pm | Tuesday 22nd December 2020)

Peter Parker balances life as an ordinary high-school student with his superhero alter-ego Spider-Man, while waiting in vain to join his mentor Iron Man on a world-saving mission. Determined to prove he is ready for bigger challenges, he investigates a spree of crimes committed with advanced weapons – leading him into a battle with a ruthless winged enemy on the hunt for priceless technology. Superhero

All Creatures Great and Small (Channel 5/HD| 9:00pm to 10:25pm | Tuesday 22nd December 2020) ** PICK OF THE WEEK **

It’s Christmas Eve and the day before Helen’s much-anticipated wedding to Hugh, and everyone is gathering to celebrate at the Skeldale Christmas party. However, James is called away to help with a dog in labour, so Helen asks to go with him to get away from all the wedding talk, only for a descending fog to trap the pair in the Dales overnight. The vet promises he will get her back in time for her wedding in the morning, all the while wondering if he will be able to suppress his true feelings for her. Festive special of the drama, starring Nicholas Ralph and Rachel Shenton.

The Yorkshire Steam Railway: All Aboard (Channel 5/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Wednesday 23rd December 2020)

It’s Christmas at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, and cameras follow staff as they prepare for the festive season. In an effort to generate more winter revenue, a brand-new train, the Northern Lights Express, has been brought in, which features 25,000 lights fixed to a moving steam train. However, the staff are faced with a multitude of problems as generators break down, computers fail, and the engine that is pulling the new service develops a last-minute fault that threatens to stop the whole show in its tracks.

Call the Midwife (BBC 1/HD | 7:40pm to 9:10pm | Friday 25th December 2020)

It’s December 1965, and everyone at Nonnatus House is looking forward to the festive celebrations, but nothing seems to go quite to plan. Sister Monica Joan is rushed to hospital, and Trixie is incensed that her dress allowance has been replaced with a marriage bureau consultation. Elsewhere, the circus arrives in Poplar, leading to an exciting adventure for Nurse Phyllis Crane. Seasonal instalment of the hit drama, starring Jenny Agutter, Linda Bassett, Judy Parfitt, Helen George, Peter Davison and featuring the voice of Vanessa Redgrave.

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

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 12/12/2020

Britain’s Most Historic Towns (Channel 4/HD | 8:30pm to 9:30pm | Saturday 12th December 2020)

Alice Roberts explores Edinburgh and its role in the union between England and Scotland. She discovers how the famous case of Burke and Hare’s bodysnatching influenced British medical law, and visits the Royal Bank of Scotland, where she uncovers evidence of the world’s first overdraft. Plus, the role played by Henry Dundas, whose statue stands in St Andrew’s Square, in the continuation of the slave trade.

The Vicar of Dibley (BBC 1/HD | 8:55pm to 9:05pm | Monday 14th December 2020)

As lockdown drags on, Geraldine finds that getting a much-needed haircut from a friend may not always result in complete gorgeousness, especially if the scissors are held by someone rather more used to working with animals. Then, given an opportunity to share some time with some of the children from the local primary school, she finds that their knowledge of the miracles of Christ is somewhat muddled with that of Dynamo and Penn and Teller. Dawn French stars, with James Fleet.

Paddington Station 24/7 (Channel 5/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 14th December 2020)

A high-speed train comes to an abrupt halt in the station as there are fears it has collided with something on the track. In Swindon’s route control, staff are dealing with the knock-on effect of an incident on a level-crossing, while a major points failure jeopardises the afternoon peak-time services.

The King’s Speech (BBC 2/HD | 9:00pm to 10:50pm | Wednesday 16th December 2020)

The younger son of George V struggles to cope with an uncontrollable stammer, prompting his wife to enlist the aid of an eccentric Australian speech therapist. The support and friendship of the doctor prove invaluable when a crisis places the repressed prince on the throne, just as the outbreak of the Second World War leaves the country in need of a strong king. Oscar-winning fact-based drama, starring Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Helena Bonham Carter and Guy Pearce.

Walking Britain’s Lost Railways (Channel 5/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Friday 18th December 2020)

Rob Bell follows traces the course of the Great Central Railway, the final great line of the Victorian era and the last main line built before the Channel Tunnel rail link more than a century later. Starting near Nottingham, Rob is taken aback by the scale of demolition and excavation needed to build this line through the city. Around Loughborough, Rob catches up with the major project that is now rebuilding bridges and 500 yards of track in order to link two heritage lines and restore a 20-mile section of the old route. He also visits Leicester Central station – once derelict but now set for a new life as a bowling alley.

The Sound of TV with Neil Brand (BBC Four/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Friday 18th December 2020)

Neil reveals how television scores have grown in importance, from their origins in the 1960s and 1970s to reach a peak in the big-budget world of Netflix and HBO. He demonstrates how music has driven the success of BBC natural history programmes, talking to George Fenton, the film composer behind such landmarks as Blue Planet. Fenton was also pivotal in the development of music in TV drama, with his score for Jewel in the Crown. Plus, maverick creators of the TV score, including Roxy Music’s Andy MacKay, who wrote the songs that powered radical ’70s drama Rock Follies and David Chase, music buff and creator of The Sopranos.

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

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 05/12/2020

Britain’s Most Historic Towns (Channel 4/HD | 7:30pm to 8:30pm | Saturday 5th December 2020)

Professor Alice Roberts is in Glasgow to investigate the impact of steam power on Britain’s major towns in the 18th and 19th centuries. She also learns about the arrival of migrant workers in the city and how the insanitary conditions in which they lived, which made Glasgow both a hotbed of disease and a place of great medical advancement. Aerial archaeologist Ben Robinson flies his drone over Loch Katrine as he tells the story of how Victorian engineers overcame geographical barriers to bring fresh drinking water to the workers of Glasgow.

Britain’s Wildest Weather (Channel 4/HD | 8:30pm to 9:30pm | Saturday 5th December 2020)

Footage of the most extreme weather conditions in the UK over the past year, from the worst floods in a decade and a freak landslide in Fife, to an account of being in a house when it is struck by lightning. The programme also explains the scientific reasons behind the wildfire that destroyed one of the UK’s most precious nature reserves, as well as a look back at record-breaking days of both heat and rain.

Paddington Station 24/7 (Channel 5/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 7th December 2020)

Staff prepare for a VIP visitor, who turns out to be Prince Harry, while a buckled rail is threatening to disrupt the timetable at Route Control in Swindon, while a failed freight train requires a rescue locomotive as delays and cancellations stack up at Paddington.

Canal Boat Diaries (BBC 1/HD 7:30pm to 8:00pm | Wednesday 9th December 2020)

On the last leg of his journey across England, Robbie Cumming crosses an epic aqueduct near Stratford-upon-Avon, and gets stuck in a lock in central Birmingham.

Walking Britain’s Lost Railways (Channel 5/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Friday 11th December 2020)

Starting out from the Regency splendour of Cheltenham, Rob Bell crosses the Cotswolds, following the 46-mile route of the Banbury and Cheltenham Direct Railway. The line passes many quarries, all producing the famous Cotswold stone – some now abandoned and some still supplying stone to sites like Hampton Court. With numerous hills to negotiate, this railway was never an express route, but it did open up this landscape to visitors for the first time. From the late 1800s, tourists piled in by rail to explore picture postcard villages like Bourton-on-the-Water, establishing a new local `industry”.

The World’s Most Scenic Railway Journeys (Channel 5/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Friday 11th December 2020)

A trip through Devon to the tip of Cornwall, going back in time to recapture the golden age of luxury train travel. Travelling in the elegantly restored Statesman, passengers relax in its vintage carriages and enjoy the exquisite service. The first stop is on the stunning Devon coast, which suffered devastating destruction during the heavy winter storms of 2014. From Dawlish, it heads to Cornwall and across the Royal Albert Bridge, a masterpiece of railway engineering.

The Sound of TV with Neil Brand (BBC 4/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Friday 11th December 2020)

With the advent of commercial television in the UK, ITV rivalled the BBC for airtime and lured viewers in with the new language of advertisements. However, these had not yet reached the impact they had seen in the USA, the home of the TV jingle, where a 30-second tune could make or break a brand, as seen in the competing fortunes of Coca-Cola and Pepsi. Neil reveals the lasting musical power of jingles,

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

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 28/11/2020

Britain’s Most Historic Towns (Channel 4/HD | 8:30pm to 9:30pm | Saturday 28th November 2020)

Alice Roberts explores Plymouth’s history during the Elizabethan era, visiting the home of the city’s most famous son, Sir Francis Drake, and uncovering his history of piracy and slave trading – all carried out with approval from the Queen. She also discovers the revolutionary shipbuilding techniques that helped defeat the Spanish Armada, while aerial archaeologist Ben Robinson highlights the physical characteristics that made Plymouth Harbour such an attractive base for pirates.

Paddington Station 24/7 (Channel 5/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 30th November 2020)

The Wales football team receive the VIP treatment as they travel to Paddington for a friendly with England. Storm Alex hits the network hard with the wettest day on record, and the just-completed sea wall at Dawlish faces its toughest test yet.

DIY SOS (BBC 1/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 3rd December 2020)

Nick Knowles meets the Sweet family in Weston-super-Mare, whose three children have all been diagnosed with multiple rare illnesses and will soon be full-time wheelchair-users. It may also affect their speech, fine motor skills and vision. All three children already struggle with basic normal life at home, despite the love and care of their parents Cat and Chris. So the DIY SOS team – plus hundreds of local workers – are here to give them the four walls they need.

Chris Tarrant: Extreme Railway Journeys (Channel 5/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 3rd December 2020)

Chris arrives in Mombasa to follow what was surely the greatest railway endeavour of the entire colonial era – the so-called Lunatic Line. His plan is to follow the now-crumbling line right across Kenya to the shores of Lake Victoria, discovering how the constructors overcame obstacles in their bid to make East Africa part of the British Empire.

Walking Britain’s Lost Railways (Channel 5/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Friday 4th December 2020)

Rob Bell follows the Callander and Oban Railway, an epic 70-mile route from Scotland’s Lowlands to its glorious west coast. Setting off from Callander, he recalls the 14 years of determination it took to build this railway and how, with the help of local hero Rob Roy, it changed Victorian perceptions of the Highlands. No longer a distant land of fearsome Clans, the mountains, lochs and valleys were now a romantic and accessible destination of choice. Spectacles on the line include Glen Ogle, Loch Tay and an impressive terminus still evident at Oban.

The Sound of TV with Neil Brand (BBC 4/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Friday 4th December 2020)

The composer addresses the history and use of music in television, beginning by examining the enduring power of the theme tune. On the streets of Coronation Street, he encounters a brass band playing the music that has announced the start of each episode since it began. Following the trail of the soap opera world, Neil meets composer Simon May, creator of the EastEnders theme tune, and travels to the US to talk with Matt Groening, creator of The Simpsons, to uncover how its orchestrated theme music is a homage to classic TV of the past. Themes to Z Cars, Bagpuss, Game of Thrones, Mastermind and Grandstand are also celebrated.

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

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 21/11/2020

Britain’s Most Historic Towns (Channel 4/HD | 7:45pm to 8:45pm | Saturday 21st November 2020)

Professor Alice Roberts visits Portsmouth to investigate the history of the Royal Navy, uncovering some uncomfortable truths behind the myth surrounding Lord Horatio Nelson and getting first-hand experience of what life would have been like in the heat of battle at Trafalgar. She also visits an archaeological dig on Burrow Island and a lantern show at the New Theatre Royal, and discovers the brutal punishments doled out for even minor offences by the Victorian penal system.

Paddington Station 24/7 (Channel 5/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 23rd November 2020)

Staff at Bristol Temple Meads have their work cut out as they prepare for the station’s 180th birthday celebration, while Slough station is evacuated when a suspicious package is found underneath a stairwell. At Paddington, there is a commotion on Platform 12 as staff attempt to find the source of a fire alarm before the station’s automatic evacuation message is activated.

Saving Lives at Sea (BBC 2/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Tuesday 24th November 2020)

Volunteers in Hastings rush to the aid of a surfer, who had sought to take advantage of the huge waves created by a storm at sea, but has now ended up going missing. On the north coast of Cornwall, the crew of St Agnes race to reach three people caught in a treacherous rip current that is pulling them out to sea, while in Scotland, the crew of Invergordon lifeboat is called out when two men are spotted clinging to an oil rig’s anchor chain.

DIY SOS (BBC 1/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 26th November 2020)

After 15 years of fostering, Stephen and Lynn Smedley were looking forward to their well-earned retirement in Carbis Bay, Cornwall. However, the dream dramatically changed when their daughter died, leaving them caring for their three grandsons. The boys, still grieving for their mum’s untimely death, are forced to share a single bedroom with a triple bunkbed. There is only one bathroom and Lynn is forced to do the ironing in the shed due to lack of space. Enter Nick Knowles and the team. Their plan is to reconfigure and enlarge their home to accommodate three growing boys – with the help of hundreds of volunteers.

Saving Britain’s Pubs with Tom Kerridge (BBC 2/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 26th November 2020)

Coronavirus is spreading and the British public are told to stay away from pubs. Tom and the landlords he has been supporting face a moral dilemma. Do they keep trying to trade or do they close their doors to fight the virus? However, on March 20 the decision is taken out of their hands when the Prime Minister tells all pubs to close until further notice. Tom started this journey to save four pubs from going under, now every pub in Britain, his own included, find themselves in a fight for survival.

Walking Britain’s Lost Railways (Channel 5/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Friday 27th November 2020)

Rob Bell discovers the now-abandoned lines that unlocked the wild coastline of north Devon. He begins by following the dramatic Barnstaple and Ilfracombe Railway, which once built, proved an instant success, eventually carrying the glamorous Atlantic Coast Express service, direct from London Waterloo. He crosses to the Lynton and Barnstaple Railway, which traverses the wild terrain of Exmoor up to the cliff-top village of Lynton. Rob follows the adventurous, narrow-gauge route, discovering the extraordinary tale of the line’s construction and the very short section that has been fully restored.

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

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 14/11/2020

Britain’s Most Historic Towns (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Saturday 14th November 2020)

Alice Roberts explores London’s Restoration history, including the founding of the Royal Society and the violent dark side behind Charles II’s carefully crafted public image. She visits St Paul’s Cathedral, reveals how women performed on stage for the first time during this period, and uncovers shocking details of the slave trade at the National Maritime Museum. Plus, a look at parallels between the plague that struck London during the 1660s and the Covid-19 pandemic.

Great Canal Journeys (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 15th November 2020)

Sheila Hancock and broadcaster Gyles Brandreth tackle their first manual lock and some terrifyingly tight turns, but find themselves relaxing into life at 4mph, and marvel at how secret histories reveal themselves. They visit the Royal Gunpowder Mills, which built its own canal system to transport volatile ammunition – vital to Britain’s success in both world wars.

Cornwall with Simon Reeve (BBC 2/HD | 8:10pm to 9:10pm | Sunday 15th November 2020)

In the conclusion of his two-part journey, Simon Reeve investigates the environmental challenges facing Cornwall and the rest of the country. He discovers how the region’s farmers are adopting new, less intensive approaches that are both more profitable and environmentally friendly, and reveals how reintroducing beavers to the uplands could tackle the problem of widespread flooding. He also encounters some of the county’s iconic wildlife, including grey seals that live in constant risk of getting caught up in discarded fishing nets.

Paddington Station 24/7 (Channel 5/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 16th November 2020)

A major track circuit failure results in the closure of one of the busiest platforms and the technicians trying to fix the problem race against time to complete the job before rush hour begins. Staff and passengers are excited about the arrival of a West Country heritage steam train, while reports come into Route Control at Swindon of a very serious incident of suspected track sabotage.

DIY SOS (BBC 1/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 19th November 2020)

Nick Knowles meets Scunthorpe woman Caroline Blanchard, a single mum who has twice had to make the decision to turn off the life support for people she loves. She and her children live in the shadow of the garage, where seven-year-old Natasha banged her head in 2007, and the conservatory, where husband and father Paul had a heart attack four years later. The volunteers plan is to give them a new home for a new start, including demolishing the conservatory and garage where these two tragedies occurred.

Saving Britain’s Pubs with Tom Kerridge (BBC 2/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 19th November 2020)

Tom visits the Black Bull in the village of Gartmore in Stirling. Struggling to survive, it was put on the market and 250 locals clubbed together to buy it. Now the pub is staffed entirely by volunteers and the management are planning to renovate the bedrooms to attract tourists. But Tom has his concerns. He also catches up with the staff of the pubs he is helping in Cornwall, south London and Stroud – but just when all the hard work seems to be paying off, the pandemic strikes. Now every pub in Britain faces a fight for survival.

Secret Scotland (Channel 5/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Friday 20th November 2020)

The isles of Lewis and Harris form Britain’s largest offshore island, with a rich history dating back thousands of years. Susan seeks out the home of the world-famous Harris Tweed, visiting a local weaver where she tries her hand at making some of the fabric. Then in Habost, she learns how to Step Dance – a centuries old practice that was almost lost from Scotland for ever. At Callanish, Susan visits some awe-inspiring Neolithic giants – 49 standing stones, predating Stonehenge and steeped in mystery. Nearby, she learns the secret to jewellery making that captures the texture of these ancient standing stones.

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

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 07/11/2020

Britain’s Most Historic Towns (Channel 4/HD | 8:10pm to 9:10pm | Saturday 7th November)

Professor Alice Roberts explores the medieval history of Lincoln, visiting the cathedral that was once the tallest building in the world and re-living the battle at Lincoln Castle. She discovers how moving up the social ladder in medieval times required a whole new wardrobe of clothing and accessories and gets top grips with a historically accurate crossbow. Aerial archaeologist Ben Robinson uses the latest drone technology to look at the geographical features that shaped the city’s development.

Cornwall with Simon Reeve (BBC 1/HD | 8:10pm to 9:10pm | Saturday 7th November)

The first of two programmes in which Simon Reeve travels through Cornwall as the county emerges from lockdown, discovering the impact of Covid-19 on a part of the country highly reliant on tourism. Simon discovers the ongoing impact of the collapse of the tin-mining industry in the 1980s when he visits one of Britain’s poorest estates, and meets the entrepreneurs who sell homemade food on the beach who are struggling to make enough money to last the winter.

Paddington Station 24/7 (Channel 5/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 9th November 2020)

A passenger drops her overnight bag on the tracks and threatens to jump down to retrieve it, while a major power cut at Maidenhead has caused signalling to fail on all the tracks, including the main line into Paddington. At Great Western Railway’s Long Rock Depot, the famed Night Riviera sleeper service departs once more after a three-month suspension due to the pandemic, but with radical changes.

The River Thames: Then & Now (Channel 5/HD | 10:00pm to 11:05pm | Monday 9th November 2020)

A look at the development of the London railway terminus from its opening in 1852 to the present, as it has been transformed it into one of the best connected places in Britain. In Victorian Britain, King’s Cross became a thriving industrial hub, bringing in goods to feed and power London, while 20 industrial buildings that once its beating heart have been given a new lease of life and is now a tech hub that is home to Google, Facebook and Youtube.

Holby City (BBC 1/HD | 8:15pm to 9:00pm | Tuesday 10th November 2020)

Ric wakes up from his coma to find the world in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic – and that the ongoing crisis threatens his chance of surviving his recent brain surgery. Sacha’s colleagues are concerned by how he is taking Essie’s death, but he turns his back on them in favour of a stranger, while Cameron struggles to prove that he can be a hero.

Saving Lives at Sea (BBC 2/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Tuesday 10th November 2020)

The crew of a Weston-super-Mare lifeboat race to the aid of three casualties who have been caught by a rising tide and are exhausted from trying to swim against the current. On the northeast coast of England, volunteers come to the aid of a father and son trapped against a cliff face, while in Swanage, two lifeboats are launched to attend to a grounded yacht and a badly injured sailor.

DIY SOS (BBC 1/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 12th November 2020)

Nick Knowles and the team descend on Caswell Bay, Swansea, to transform a dilapidated, out-of-use bus shelter into the first, fully adapted surf centre Surfability UK, a charity that provides surfing lessons and experiences for people with disabilities and learning difficulties, and which receives funding from Children in Need. Throughout, Nick presents stories of how children and young people have benefitted from the support of the charity, but the challenge remains tough as this is the team’s first build during Covid-19.

Saving Britain’s Pubs with Tom Kerridge (BBC 2/HD| 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 12th November 2020)

For the past 20 years, pubs have been closing down at an alarming rate. Concerned by a crisis in the industry he loves, Tom Kerridge sets out on a mission to revive struggling pubs. He begins at the White Hart in Chilsworthy, Cornwall, where a 300-year-old freehouse, the only pub in the village, is in danger of closing.

Secret Scotland (Channel 5/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Friday 13th November 2020)

The comedian ventures off the mainland to the Isle of Bute for a privileged look at what is said to be Scotland’s first million-pound home – Mount Stuart House. In Argyll, Susan visits Kilmartin Glen, an ancient valley and home to the Scotti people who gave Scotland its name. She visits a Bronze Age tomb and learns how to make a copper axe in the way they were made thousands of years ago. Then, on the shores of Loch Fyne, she discovers the secrets of oyster cultivation before looking for beavers in the beautiful Knapdale Forest.

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

? UK TV programmes to watch this week : 15/06/2019

Britain’s Most Historic Towns (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Saturday 15th June 2019)

Alice Roberts visits Canterbury to explore the Plantagenet era, when the powerful house held the throne between 1154 and 1485. She discovers the secrets of the city’s cathedral, a centre of ecclesiastical power and also the site of the shocking murder of Thomas Becket. She also discovers the lasting impact of the Black Death and joins a modern-day pilgrimage in medieval garb. Aerial archaeologist Ben Robinson provides a bird’s-eye view of how the religious institutions of the era still dominate the city’s topography.

Top Gear (BBC 2/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 16th June 2019)

Freddie Flintoff, Chris Harris and Paddy McGuinness take over as the latest hosting team of the motoring show. Their first episode takes them to Ethiopia, where they test cars to see how they can endure in the searing heat. Back at the track, Chris puts the Ferrari 488 Pista and McLaren 600LT through their paces.

Great Canal Journeys (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 16th June 2019)

Part two of two. Timothy West and Prunella Scales’ final journey takes them through Vietnam’s Mekong Delta and across the border into Cambodia. They visit the capital city of Phenom Penh, and conclude their travels at Angkor Wat, an ancient temple built by the clever use of canals.

Thatcher: A Very British Revolution (BBC 2/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 17th June 2019)

The concluding part of the documentary looks at how Margaret Thatcher’s leadership style and the issues of Europe and the poll tax split her cabinet and created public anger, leading to her downfall. Protests against the poll tax resulted in violence in central London, but more damagingly there was widespread disenchantment in Tory strongholds across the country. Fractures emerge with senior cabinet colleagues, worsened by her European policy and Geoffrey Howe’s resignation leads to a leadership challenge.

The Thames: Britain’s Great River with Tony Robinson (Channel 5/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Tuesday 18th June 2019)

Reaching central London, the actor and presenter boards an industrial working ship on the Thames, learning it is a route not without risks as ships must squeeze under bridges at high tide and avoid running aground at low tide. At the Chelsea embankment, Tony explores the Physic Gardens where early botanical remedies were created from exotic plants brought in by river from all over the world. On the south bank, he goes mudlarking, scouring the shore at low tide for objects discarded by revellers past, before getting a bird’s-eye-view of the river from the Shard. Tony’s final stop is Tower Bridge.

The Yorkshire Steam Railway: All Aboard (Channel 5/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Friday 21st June 2019)

Under pressure to bring in extra revenue now that the somewhat challenging season is nearing its end, the North York Moors Railway team decides to put on a special `curry train” night together with a massive bash for Halloween. Visitors and staff alike put in the effort to make it a night to remember, though proceedings are threatened when the lights in the carriages suddenly stop working. The Bishop of Wakefield comes to bless Eric Treacy, an engine that has been through a £500,000 overhaul taking over two years.

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