Horizon (BBC 2/HD | 9:30pm to 10:35pm | Sunday 22nd May 2016)
Michael Mosley investigates the dramatic rise in e-cigarettes. They are everywhere these days, but what does the latest scientific research on them reveal? Michael reveals what e-cigarettes are really doing to your health. Are they really better for you than cigarettes? What is actually in them? Is passive vapour harmful? And can they really stop you from smoking? Michael meets some of the scientists around the world studying them, asks a group of volunteers to try to give up smoking regular cigarettes using them, and even takes up ‘vaping’ himself, smoking an e-cigarette every day for a month to see the effects on his own health – no easy task for such a committed non-smoker.
Storm Troupers: The Fight to Forecast the Weather (BBC 4/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Monday 23rd May 2016)
Series in which Alok Jha charts the history of weather forecasting from its origins in the 19th century. To begin, he investigates how forecasting was transformed from superstition into science. At the heart of story is meteorologist Robert Fitzroy. Driven to prevent disasters at sea – like the wrecking of a passenger ship off the Anglesey coast in 1859 – Fitzroy issued Britain’s first storm warnings and came up with the first forecast to be published in a newspaper. Alok explores the knowledge Fitzroy was building on. He investigates weather folklore, asking if sayings such as ‘red sky at night, shepherd’s delight’ have any merit. He tells the stories of the other heroes of meteorology – people like Evangelista Torricelli, a student of Galileo’s, who invented the barometer; Luke Howard, who classified the clouds; and Francis Beaufort, who came up with the famous wind scale. Alok also discovers that public complaints about weather forecasts date back to the very first ones.
Boris v Dave: The Battle for Europe (Channel 4/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 25th May 2016)
With less than a month to go before the European referendum, Michael Crick examines how the campaign has become a battle between Britain’s most high-profile politicians. Through revealing interviews with their friends, families and political allies and foes, Crick examines the history behind this very public duel and how it has come to a head over Europe. David Cameron and Boris Johnson have a shared past, first at Eton, then at Oxford as members of the elite Bullingdon Club, and now in the top echelons of the Conservative Party. The documentary explores the dynamic between the two men. Crick provides his insight into the backgrounds of the two big-hitters and explores the incidents that have shaped and formed their political views. This landmark programme provides a definitive look at the personal battle that will define both Britain’s future relationship with Europe and the leadership of the Tory Party and the country.
Secret Life of the Human Pups (Channel 4/HD | 10:00pm to 10:50pm | Wednesday 25th May 2016)
A quarter of British households have a dog. But some people don’t just want to own a dog; they want to be one. Secret Life of the Human Pups introduces a previously unseen subculture of ordinary men who lead extraordinary double lives, dressing up in elaborate dog suits that cost thousands of pounds as they strive to become their very own pet. Human puppy play has become a global phenomenon in recent years and there are now an estimated 10,000 ‘human pups’ in the UK alone. But what makes these grown men covet doggy treats, belly rubs and squeaky toys? And why has it risen in popularity? Getting under the skin of this weird and wonderful world, this documentary explores what it takes to become a human pup, the impact it has on friends and loved ones and why, for some people, it has become a way of life.
The Truth About Alcohol (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Thursday 26th May 2016)
A&E doctor Javid Abdelmoneim is on a mission to find out the truth about alcohol. In January, the government released its new alcohol guidelines. For men, the recommended weekly limit was cut by a third to 14 units per week, equivalent to about seven pints of beer, bringing it in line with the amount recommended for women. So what is behind the change? This is just one question of many that Javid aims to answer as he explores the science of drinking and the new evidence for the health risks of alcohol. Why do some people get drunk quicker than others? What is behind red wine’s healthy reputation? Is a nightcap actually good for your sleep? Does lining your stomach work? And can alcohol actually make you eat more?
George Clarke’s Amazing Homes on Wheels (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Friday 27th May 2016)
George looks back across five series of Amazing Spaces and the incredible works of engineering people have achieved with their vehicles – from the scrap Learjet turned into a luxury garden studio to the restoration of the only surviving British mobile cinema truck. There is also the 1950s railway carriage converted into a three bedroom home and an incredibly stylish custom-designed Jeep transformed into a cocktail bar.
All TV guide information taken from DigiGuide — www.getdigiguide.tv/?p=1&r=15119.
