BBC four

Alison Steadman looks back at Dennis Potter's The Singing Detective, hailed as one of the most important and influential TV dramas ever made, and once described by Stephen King as 'television's Citizen Kane'. From memories of happy times working with leading man Michael Gambon, and the pride of being involved in a piece that got the whole nation talking, to the stresses of being caught up in the c

Skin is an incredible, multi-function organ that science is still learning so much about. It has adapted to allow animals to conquer virtually every habitat on the planet. In this episode, Professor Ben Garrod reveals some ground-breaking new science and amazing, specialist, factual insight as he discovers how human skin is an ecosystem in its own right, playing host to demodex mites, that might r

Rugby legend Gareth Edwards and wife Maureen head to one of Wales's most popular holiday destinations. They arrive just as a heatwave hits, turning Llandudno into a resort to rival the best sunny seaside locations. Llandudno is known for its seafront hotels and B&Bs and the pair check in to a room with a sea view before going in search of the pier and ice cream. Once, people flocked here for a tra

Two-part series in which Professor Jim Al-Khalili shows how scientists have used light to reveal almost everything we know about the universe. The story begins in the 3rd century BC when, by trying to understand the tricks of perspective, the Greek mathematician Euclid discovered that light travels in straight lines, which meant that if we could change its path we could change how we see the world

Join Professor Brian Cox as he explores the planets of our solar system in this fascinating and stunning, five-part documentary series. Brian traces our knowledge as a species of these giant, celestial bodies, examining each planet's story and makeup. He looks back at their existence over billions of years, revealing each planet's journey with dazzling cinematography and compelling detail. Whether

Deutschland 1944: Beim Bombenangriff der Alliierten auf Nürnberg wird die Maschine des US-Generals George Carneby abgeschossen. Im Nazi-Hauptquartier „Bergschloss Adler“, das hoch in den Alpen liegt und nur mit einer Seilbahn zu erreichen ist, will man Carneby zum Reden bringen. \n\nWeil der Gefangene über die Interna der geplanten Invasion in Europa Bescheid weiß, sollen der britische Abwehrspezi

Lauren Laverne presents the Mercury Prize Album of the Year from the Newcastle Arena. (Senderinfo).

Den gemütlichen Theaterabend mit seiner geliebten Frau Mama kann sich Roger O. Thornhill (Cary Grant) abschminken. Feindliche Agenten halten den harmlosen Werbefachmann für den amerikanischen Top-Spion George Kaplan und entführen ihn. Von den Bösewichtern abgefüllt, kann er entwischen, doch weder die Polizei noch seine Mutter kaufen dem Volltrunkenen seine abstruse Geschichte ab. Als er selbst unt

In September 1977, police attend a house in Enfield, London, to investigate a reported home invasion. There had been loud knocking on the wall and furniture moved. The two officers can find no evidence of a break-in, but they do hear rapping on the walls, see furniture tilt independently and a chair slide several metres across the room on its own. This is to be the first of many extraordinary even

When Andrea Perron moves into her new home in Rhode Island with her parents and four sisters, the previous occupants seem in a hurry to leave. Soon, the Perrons are experiencing multiple disturbances, hearing whispers and seeing visions. Andrea's mother seeks help from the now world-famous ghost hunters Ed and Lorraine Warren. Their investigations leads to a séance, which changes the lives of the

Travel back in time with a compilation of legendary performances of classic acts straight from the archive of one of the most popular music chart shows in history. Top of the Pops was broadcast weekly from 1964 until 2006, welcoming the greatest stars who performed their biggest hits. This special brings you unforgettable musical moments of pop and rock icons like The Rolling Stones, The Beatles,

Travel back in time with a compilation of legendary performances of classic acts straight from the archive of one of the most popular music chart shows in history. Top of the Pops was broadcast weekly from 1964 until 2006, welcoming the greatest stars who performed their biggest hits. This special brings you unforgettable musical moments of pop and rock icons like The Rolling Stones, The Beatles,

Travel back in time with a compilation of legendary performances of classic acts straight from the archive of one of the most popular music chart shows in history. Top of the Pops was broadcast weekly from 1964 until 2006, welcoming the greatest stars who performed their biggest hits. This special brings you unforgettable musical moments of pop and rock icons like The Rolling Stones, The Beatles,

Travel back in time with a compilation of legendary performances of classic acts straight from the archive of one of the most popular music chart shows in history. Top of the Pops was broadcast weekly from 1964 until 2006, welcoming the greatest stars who performed their biggest hits. This special brings you unforgettable musical moments of pop and rock icons like The Rolling Stones, The Beatles,

Travel back in time with a compilation of legendary performances of classic acts straight from the archive of one of the most popular music chart shows in history. Top of the Pops was broadcast weekly from 1964 until 2006, welcoming the greatest stars who performed their biggest hits. This special brings you unforgettable musical moments of pop and rock icons like The Rolling Stones, The Beatles,

Get your dancing shoes on for a show of disco mania as Steve Wright and the TOTP2 team return to the dance floor for some boogie fever. The Bee Gees are here in all their glory, along with Gloria Gaynor, Liquid Gold, Sylvester, The Village People, The Weather Girls, The Three Degrees, Chic, George McCrae, Hi-Tension, Heatwave, The JALN Band, Earth Wind and Fire, Tina Charles, The Gibson Brothers,

Travel back in time with a compilation of legendary performances of classic acts straight from the archive of one of the most popular music chart shows in history. Top of the Pops was broadcast weekly from 1964 until 2006, welcoming the greatest stars who performed their biggest hits. This special brings you unforgettable musical moments of pop and rock icons like The Rolling Stones, The Beatles,

Travel back in time with a compilation of legendary performances of classic acts straight from the archive of one of the most popular music chart shows in history. Top of the Pops was broadcast weekly from 1964 until 2006, welcoming the greatest stars who performed their biggest hits. This special brings you unforgettable musical moments of pop and rock icons like The Rolling Stones, The Beatles,

Travel back in time with a compilation of legendary performances of classic acts straight from the archive of one of the most popular music chart shows in history. Top of the Pops was broadcast weekly from 1964 until 2006, welcoming the greatest stars who performed their biggest hits. This special brings you unforgettable musical moments of pop and rock icons like The Rolling Stones, The Beatles,

Wildlife documentary featuring the fascinating lives of Britain's beautiful butterflies filmed in exquisite detail, and also a celebration of their enduring appeal to the British people. Butterfly-costumed carnival-goers dance at Notting Hill, street artist Nick Walker uses their image to brighten bare city walls, burlesque dancer Vicky Butterfly recreates butterfly dances, and women reveal their

An ambitious adventure of discovery awaits intrepid TV comedian-turned-global explorer Michael Palin, as he journeys around the Pacific rim to meet disparate communities which share a common coastline. This is his third great trek, having circumnavigated the world and traversed from North to South Poles in earlier series. Palin's personable character shines through as he makes new friends and lear

Schweden im Mittelalter:Kreuzritter Antonius Blok (Max von Sydow) kehrt in die Heimat zurück. Dort wütet die Pest. Als er dem Tod (Bengt Ekerot) begegnet und sterben soll, begehrt er auf: Er will erst den Sinn des Lebens erfahren. Bei einer Partie Schach ringt er dem Sensenmann eine Gnadenfrist ab…\r\nDas Mysterienspiel zählt zu den faszinierendsten Werken von Regiestar Bergman (1918–2007).

A gentle sitcom set in the fictional village of Grantleigh, and the aristocratic family seat of the fforbes-Hamilitons. The widow of the deceased Lord of the Manor is Audrey, who inherits the Grantleigh Manor, which has been in her family for hundreds of years. But her husband's debts have left the estate bankrupt and Audrey has no option but to sell up. The new Lord of the Manor is Richard DeVere

The story revolves around Hyacinth Bucket, a housewife from a lower class whose only aim in life is to impress others with her etiquette and social skills and climb the social ladder. She is terrified that her background will be revealed one day, and goes above and beyond to hide it. She insists her inharmonious surname is pronounced Bouquet. All her attempts as a rule lead to awkward comic situat

An ambitious adventure of discovery awaits intrepid TV comedian-turned-global explorer Michael Palin, as he journeys around the Pacific rim to meet disparate communities which share a common coastline. This is his third great trek, having circumnavigated the world and traversed from North to South Poles in earlier series. Palin's personable character shines through as he makes new friends and lear

Wildlife documentary featuring the fascinating lives of Britain's beautiful butterflies filmed in exquisite detail, and also a celebration of their enduring appeal to the British people. Butterfly-costumed carnival-goers dance at Notting Hill, street artist Nick Walker uses their image to brighten bare city walls, burlesque dancer Vicky Butterfly recreates butterfly dances, and women reveal their

Documentary series that combines biography, art and the history of fashion as host Amber Butchart, a fashion historian, explores the lives of historical figures – Marie Antoinette, Charles II, Dido Belle, Edward the Black and others, by examining the clothes that they wore. Amber looks into the history of the garments and the people depicted, visiting collections and speaking with experts. Alongsi

The famous competition was established by Humphrey Burton, Walter Todds and Roy Tippin in 1978, and invites talented British musicians under the age of 18 years old to showcase their abilities. Performers of keyboard, percussion, brass, string and woodwind can enter the iconic classical competition, with five stages for them to advance through; regional auditions, category auditions, category fina

A 30-year-old Shakespeare is at the top of his game: he's got a job at England's best theatre company, the Lord Chamberlain's Men, and the money is rolling in. Determined to restore his family's reputation, Shakespeare works harder than ever, producing hit after hit: A Midsummer Night's Dream, Henry IV and Julius Caesar. But as his star rises, a series of tragedies strike. Shakespeare's life, purp

Sir Derek Jacobi looks back on the filmed version of Franco Zeffirelli's famous 1960s production of Much Ado About Nothing – a performance that brought together Robert Stephens, in the role of Benedick, and his soon-to-be wife – the late, great Maggie Smith – in the key role of Beatrice. For years, this recording was considered to be 'lost' by Shakespeare fans and TV historians, until a copy was f

A 30-year-old Shakespeare is at the top of his game: he's got a job at England's best theatre company, the Lord Chamberlain's Men, and the money is rolling in. Determined to restore his family's reputation, Shakespeare works harder than ever, producing hit after hit: A Midsummer Night's Dream, Henry IV and Julius Caesar. But as his star rises, a series of tragedies strike. Shakespeare's life, purp

Documentary series that combines biography, art and the history of fashion as host Amber Butchart, a fashion historian, explores the lives of historical figures – Marie Antoinette, Charles II, Dido Belle, Edward the Black and others, by examining the clothes that they wore. Amber looks into the history of the garments and the people depicted, visiting collections and speaking with experts. Alongsi

New Zealand was one of the last land-masses to be found and settled by people. Lush and fertile, almost everything brought here flourishes, often with surprising consequences. Told through the experiences of its native species – in particular, a charismatic and peculiar giant, flightless parrot – this is the moving story of the changing fortunes of New Zealand's wildlife, since humans first arrive

The great history of Egypt is inscribed on its monuments, temples and tombs, but hieroglyphs – the written language of the ancient Egyptians – fell silent until 1822 when a young French scholar, Jean-François Champollion, became the first person to decipher their texts for over a thousand years. Champollion's insights and the work of other scholars helped bring an entire civilisation back to life.

In the last of the series, archaeologist and historian Richard Miles examines the rise and fall of the Roman Empire. At the height of its power, the Roman Empire extended the benefits of its civilization to a 60 million citizens and subjects in a swathe of territory that extended from Hadrian's Wall to the banks of the Euphrates. Even under the rule of mad, bad and dangerous emperors, the imperial

The great history of Egypt is inscribed on its monuments, temples and tombs, but hieroglyphs – the written language of the ancient Egyptians – fell silent until 1822 when a young French scholar, Jean-François Champollion, became the first person to decipher their texts for over a thousand years. Champollion's insights and the work of other scholars helped bring an entire civilisation back to life.

The magical islands of New Zealand are explored in this fascinating documentary series, highlighting the country's rugged landscapes and dazzling species. Narrated by Kiwi actor Sam Neill (Jurassic Park), the series also examines New Zealand's natural history; a country that has been isolated in the South Pacific since the Jurassic period, with predators from that era still roaming its forests to

What makes sharks built for speed? How do snakes move without limbs? How do sugar gliders fly without feathers? The answer all lies in their skin. Professor Ben Garrod uncovers the secrets of how skin has evolved to enable animals to solve some of the most remarkable challenges on Earth. To do this, Ben heads to the specialist flight centre at the Royal Veterinary College to analyse the way a suga

Gareth and Maureen Edwards head to St Davids, a place which holds half a lifetime of special memories for them. After making 53 appearances for Wales, Gareth retired from rugby in 1978. After years in the public eye, he and Maureen booked a holiday in St Davids for them and their young boys. The holiday was such a hit, they returned every summer for more than 40 years. Gareth and Maureen begin wit

A gentle sitcom set in the fictional village of Grantleigh, and the aristocratic family seat of the fforbes-Hamilitons. The widow of the deceased Lord of the Manor is Audrey, who inherits the Grantleigh Manor, which has been in her family for hundreds of years. But her husband's debts have left the estate bankrupt and Audrey has no option but to sell up. The new Lord of the Manor is Richard DeVere

The story revolves around Hyacinth Bucket, a housewife from a lower class whose only aim in life is to impress others with her etiquette and social skills and climb the social ladder. She is terrified that her background will be revealed one day, and goes above and beyond to hide it. She insists her inharmonious surname is pronounced Bouquet. All her attempts as a rule lead to awkward comic situat

In the second of this three-part series, Professor Robert Bartlett explores the impact of the Norman conquest of Britain and Ireland. Bartlett shows how William the Conqueror imposed a new aristocracy, savagely cut down opposition and built scores of castles and cathedrals to intimidate and control. He also commissioned the Domesday Book, the greatest national survey of England that had ever been

Professor Jim Al-Khalili tells the story of how we went from thinking we were close to a complete understanding of the universe to realising we had seen almost none of it. Today, our best estimate is that more than 99 per cent of the cosmos is hidden in the dark, invisible to our telescopes and beyond our comprehension. The first hints that there might be more out there than meets the eye emerged