TV Guide Search

9: BBC FOUR

Sun Nov 10
Birth of the British Novel

Today 02:55 - 03:55

How 18th-century novelists such as Defoe and Swift established all our literary genres. Deals with adult themes. Also in HD. [S,SL]

This is BBC Four

Today 03:55 - 05:30

Programmes start at 7.00pm.

This is BBC Four

Today 05:30 - 18:58

Daily from 7.00pm.

This is BBC Four

Today 18:58 - 19:00

Programmes start at 7.00pm.

Coast

Today 19:00 - 19:20

Series exploring Britain's coastline. Nicholas Crane canoes the treacherous Menai Straits to examine the bridges across to Anglesey. Also in HD. [S]

Peace in No Man's Land

Today 19:20 - 19:55

Three soldiers recall the famous occasion during the First World War when British and German troops abandoned their trenches on the Western Front on Christmas Day 1914. Also in HD. [S]

Michael Hordern: Five to Eleven

Today 19:55 - 20:00

Michael Hordern reads the poem HMS Hero by Michael Roberts. Also in HD. [S]

War Grave

Today 20:00 - 21:00

Moving stories of loss and remembrance, told by the loved ones of those killed in action. Also in HD. [S,AD]

Dan Cruickshank's Monuments of...

Today 21:00 - 22:00

...Remembrance. Dan Cruickshank reveals the extraordinary story behind the design of iconic WWI memorials. Also in HD. [S,AD]

Peter Kosminsky: This Cultural...

Today 22:00 - 22:30

...Life. Director and screenwriter Peter Kosminsky talks to John Wilson about the experiences and influences that shaped his career. Also in HD. [S]

Tim Rice: A Life in Song

Today 22:30 - 00:00

1/2. Lyricist Tim Rice, in the company of Michael Grade, reminisces over 40 years of hit songs. Also in HD. [S]

Mon Nov 11
Peace in No Man's Land

Tomorrow 00:00 - 00:35

Three soldiers recall the famous occasion during the First World War when British and German troops abandoned their trenches on the Western Front on Christmas Day 1914. Also in HD. [S]

War Grave

Tomorrow 00:35 - 01:35

Moving stories of loss and remembrance, told by the loved ones of those killed in action. Also in HD. [S,AD]

Peter Kosminsky: This Cultural...

Tomorrow 01:35 - 02:05

...Life. Director and screenwriter Peter Kosminsky talks to John Wilson about the experiences and influences that shaped his career. Also in HD. [S]

Tim Rice: A Life in Song

Tomorrow 02:05 - 03:35

1/2. Lyricist Tim Rice, in the company of Michael Grade, reminisces over 40 years of hit songs. Also in HD. [S]

This is BBC Four

Tomorrow 03:35 - 05:30

Programmes start at 7.00pm.

This is BBC Four

Tomorrow 05:30 - 18:58

Daily from 7.00pm.

This is BBC Four

Tomorrow 18:58 - 19:00

Programmes start at 7.00pm.

Great Australian Railway Journeys

Tomorrow 19:00 - 19:30

Michael Portillo strikes west from waterside metropolis Sydney into the Blue Mountains. At Katoomba, Michael is in for the ride of his life on the steepest railway in the world. Also in HD. [S]

Canal Boat Diaries

Tomorrow 19:30 - 20:00

1/4. Narrowboater Robbie Cumming begins a 170-mile journey across the north of England and soon runs into difficulty with a problem with his craft's propeller in Wigan. Also in HD. [S]

Rome: A History of the Eternal...

Tomorrow 20:00 - 21:00

...City. 1/3. Simon Sebag Montefiore uncovers the central role played by religion in the power of the city of Rome. Every event in ancient Rome revolved around religion. Also in HD. [S,AD]

Mary Beard Remembers......

Tomorrow 21:00 - 21:15

...Ultimate Rome: Empire Without Limit. Mary Beard looks back on her 2016 series on the ancient world. Also in HD. [S]

Mary Beard's Ultimate Rome:...

Tomorrow 21:15 - 22:15

...Empire Without Limit. 1/4. Mary reaches back to the myths and legends of the origins of Rome. Also in HD. [S,AD]

The Sky at Night

Tomorrow 22:15 - 22:45

The Sky at Night teams up with BBC Ideas to discover the secrets of archaeology and astronomy and to reflect on our ancestral skies. Also in HD. [S]

Colosseum

Tomorrow 22:45 - 23:30

1/8. In AD80, the Colosseum opens. Emperor Titus plans 100 days of games to commemorate. Contains prolonged violence and upsetting scenes. Also in HD. [S]

Colosseum

Tomorrow 23:30 - 00:20

2/8. Although master builder Haterius constructs the Colosseum where Nero's Golden House once stood, his work is far from over. Contains some violence and upsetting scenes. Also in HD. [S]

Tue Nov 12
Meet the Romans with Mary Beard

Tuesday 00:20 - 01:20

1/3. Historical series looking at the Roman Empire from the bottom up. Professor Mary Beard traces the story of several ordinary yet remarkable Roman citizens. Also in HD. [S,AD]

Great Australian Railway Journeys

Tuesday 01:20 - 01:50

Michael Portillo strikes west from waterside metropolis Sydney into the Blue Mountains. At Katoomba, Michael is in for the ride of his life on the steepest railway in the world. Also in HD. [S]

Canal Boat Diaries

Tuesday 01:50 - 02:20

1/4. Narrowboater Robbie Cumming begins a 170-mile journey across the north of England and soon runs into difficulty with a problem with his craft's propeller in Wigan. Also in HD. [S]

Rome: A History of the Eternal...

Tuesday 02:20 - 03:20

...City. 1/3. Simon Sebag Montefiore uncovers the central role played by religion in the power of the city of Rome. Every event in ancient Rome revolved around religion. Also in HD. [S,AD,SL]

This is BBC Four

Tuesday 03:20 - 05:30

Programmes start at 7.00pm.

This is BBC Four

Tuesday 05:30 - 18:58

Daily from 7.00pm.

This is BBC Four

Tuesday 18:58 - 19:00

Programmes start at 7.00pm.

Great Australian Railway Journeys

Tuesday 19:00 - 19:30

Michael Portillo continues his 1,700-mile rail journey from Adelaide to Perth. Also in HD. [S]

Canal Boat Diaries

Tuesday 19:30 - 20:00

2/4. Robbie Cumming crosses the Pennines on the picturesque Leeds and Liverpool Canal, and lends a hand to hire boaters in Gargrave, North Yorkshire. Also in HD. [S]

Porridge

Tuesday 20:00 - 20:30

1/6. Sitcom set in Slade Prison. Fletcher inadvertently becomes involved in the murky world of drugs. Also in HD. [S]

As Time Goes By

Tuesday 20:30 - 21:00

2/6. Jean sends Sandy to Lionel's hotel to assist him with his book revisions. But when she arrives, she is told he has checked out, and a charade of confusion follows. Also in HD. [S]

Six Wives with Lucy Worsley

Tuesday 21:00 - 22:00

1/3. Catherine of Aragon passionately defended her position as Henry pressed for annulment. Also in HD. [S,AD]

Queendom - Storyville

Tuesday 22:00 - 23:40

Film following a Russian non-binary performer pursuing art-making and protest in Moscow. Contains strong language. Also in HD. [S]

How to Get Ahead: At Medieval...

Tuesday 23:40 - 00:40

...Court. 1/3. Stephen Smith finds out what it took to get ahead at the court of Richard II. Also in HD. [S]

Wed Nov 13
Great Australian Railway Journeys

Wednesday 00:40 - 01:10

Michael Portillo continues his 1,700-mile rail journey from Adelaide to Perth. Also in HD. [S]

Canal Boat Diaries

Wednesday 01:10 - 01:40

2/4. Robbie Cumming crosses the Pennines on the picturesque Leeds and Liverpool Canal, and lends a hand to hire boaters in Gargrave, North Yorkshire. Also in HD. [S]

Six Wives with Lucy Worsley

Wednesday 01:40 - 02:40

1/3. Catherine of Aragon passionately defended her position as Henry pressed for annulment. Also in HD. [S,AD]

How to Get Ahead: At Medieval...

Wednesday 02:40 - 03:40

...Court. 1/3. Stephen Smith finds out what it took to get ahead at the court of Richard II. Also in HD. [S,SL]

This is BBC Four

Wednesday 03:40 - 05:30

Programmes start at 7.00pm.

This is BBC Four

Wednesday 05:30 - 18:58

Daily from 7.00pm.

This is BBC Four

Wednesday 18:58 - 19:00

Programmes start at 7.00pm.

Great Australian Railway Journeys

Wednesday 19:00 - 19:30

Michael Portillo crosses the south east of Australia, from the seat of government in Canberra to the multi-ethnic heart of its second largest city, Melbourne, in the state of Victoria. Also in HD. [S]

Canal Boat Diaries

Wednesday 19:30 - 20:00

3/4. Narrowboater Robbie Cumming explores the Victorian village of Saltaire in West Yorkshire and moors up for the weekend in Leeds Dock. Also in HD. [S]

The Secret Genius of Plants

Wednesday 20:00 - 20:55

2/2. Technical developments are enabling us to see the world of plants in ever greater detail, giving us insights into their remarkable abilities to adapt and survive. Also in HD. [S,AD]

Florida: America's Animal Paradise

Wednesday 20:55 - 21:00

With the help of pioneering scientists, will Florida's wildlife continue to weather the storm of a growing human population and a cast of animal invaders? Also in HD. [S,AD]

Hardy's Wessex: The Early Years

Wednesday 21:00 - 21:30

Desmond Hawkins explores the corner of England that featured so strongly in the life of Thomas Hardy. Also in HD. [S]

Hardy's Wessex: The Later Years

Wednesday 21:30 - 22:00

Desmond Hawkins finds local features in the south and south west of England that can be identified in Thomas Hardy's novels, as well as reminders of the author's own life. Also in HD. [S]

Wessex Tales

Wednesday 22:00 - 22:50

1/6. When Farmer Lodge brings home his new bride, a mysterious enemy awaits to blight their happiness. Also in HD. [S]

Wessex Tales

Wednesday 22:50 - 23:40

2/6. Barnet has made an unhappy marriage, Downe a happy one. The lives of the 'Fellow Townsmen' become tragically interwoven. Also in HD. [S]

Wessex Tales

Wednesday 23:40 - 00:30

3/6. Like a ghost from the past, the Halborough brothers' drunken father reappears to destroy their image of respectability. Dramatised by Dennis Potter and starring John Hurt. Also in HD. [S]

Thu Nov 14
Novels That Shaped Our World

Thursday 00:30 - 01:30

3/3. This episode deals with class in all its shapes and sizes, from both sides of the class divide, in the UK, USA and India. Contains very strong language. Also in HD. [S]

Great Australian Railway Journeys

Thursday 01:30 - 02:00

Michael Portillo crosses the south east of Australia, from the seat of government in Canberra to the multi-ethnic heart of its second largest city, Melbourne, in the state of Victoria. Also in HD. [S]

Canal Boat Diaries

Thursday 02:00 - 02:30

3/4. Narrowboater Robbie Cumming explores the Victorian village of Saltaire in West Yorkshire and moors up for the weekend in Leeds Dock. Also in HD. [S]

Dan Cruickshank's Monuments of...

Thursday 02:30 - 03:30

...Remembrance. Dan Cruickshank reveals the extraordinary story behind the design of iconic WWI memorials. Also in HD. [S,AD,SL]

This is BBC Four

Thursday 03:30 - 05:30

Programmes start at 7.00pm.

This is BBC Four

Thursday 05:30 - 18:58

Daily from 7.00pm.

This is BBC Four

Thursday 18:58 - 19:00

Programmes start at 7.00pm.

Great Australian Railway Journeys

Thursday 19:00 - 19:30

Michael Portillo continues his exploration of southeast Australia in Melbourne, Victoria, guided by his 1913 Bradshaw. Also in HD. [S]

Canal Boat Diaries

Thursday 19:30 - 20:00

4/4. As Robbie makes his way to Ripon in North Yorkshire, he tackles the fast-flowing River Ouse and is forced to make an emergency stop. Also in HD. [S]

When Coal Was King - Timeshift

Thursday 20:00 - 21:00

2/7. Documentary which explores the lost world of coal mining and the rich social and cultural lives of those who worked in what was once Britain's most important industry. Also in HD. [S]

David Nicholls Remembers... Far...

Thursday 21:00 - 21:15

...from the Madding Crowd. Writer David Nicholls looks back on his 2015 film adaptation of Thomas Hardy's novel. Also in HD. [S]

Far from the Madding Crowd

Thursday 21:15 - 23:10

Romantic drama adapted from the classic novel by Thomas Hardy, starring Carey Mulligan. Also in HD. [2015] [S,AD]

The Sky at Night

Thursday 23:10 - 23:40

The Sky at Night teams up with BBC Ideas to discover the secrets of archaeology and astronomy and to reflect on our ancestral skies. Also in HD. [S]

Hurricanes and Heatwaves: The...

Thursday 23:40 - 00:40

...Highs and Lows of British Weather. 6/7. A look at the evolution of the weather forecast from print via radio to TV and beyond. Also in HD. [S]

Fri Nov 15
Great Australian Railway Journeys

Friday 00:40 - 01:10

Michael Portillo continues his exploration of southeast Australia in Melbourne, Victoria, guided by his 1913 Bradshaw. Also in HD. [S]

Canal Boat Diaries

Friday 01:10 - 01:40

4/4. As Robbie makes his way to Ripon in North Yorkshire, he tackles the fast-flowing River Ouse and is forced to make an emergency stop. Also in HD. [S]

When Coal Was King - Timeshift

Friday 01:40 - 02:40

2/7. Documentary which explores the lost world of coal mining and the rich social and cultural lives of those who worked in what was once Britain's most important industry. Also in HD. [S]

Mary Beard's Ultimate Rome:...

Friday 02:40 - 03:40

...Empire Without Limit. 1/4. Mary reaches back to the myths and legends of the origins of Rome. Also in HD. [S,AD,SL]

This is BBC Four

Friday 03:40 - 05:30

Programmes start at 7.00pm.

This is BBC Four

Friday 05:30 - 18:58

Daily from 7.00pm.

This is BBC Four

Friday 18:58 - 19:00

Programmes start at 7.00pm.

TOTP: 1996

Friday 19:00 - 19:35

Steve Lamacq and Jo Whiley present the pop chart programme, first broadcast on 25 October 1996 and featuring Suede, Faithless, Babybird, Gina G, Enya, E-Motion, Cast and Spice Girls. Also in HD. [S]

TOTP: 1996

Friday 19:35 - 20:10

With Reef, Livin' Joy, Alisha's Attic, Space, Toni Braxton, Jimmy Nail and Spice Girls. Also in HD. [S]

TOTP: 1980

Friday 20:10 - 20:45

With Iron Maiden, David Bowie, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Spandau Ballet, ABBA and Blondie. Also in HD. [S]

TOTP: 1990

Friday 20:45 - 21:15

Bruno Brookes present the pop chart programme, first broadcast on 15 November 1990 and featuring Black Box, Inspiral Carpets and Caron Wheeler. Also in HD. [S]

Simple Minds: Radio 2 In Concert

Friday 21:15 - 22:45

Simple Minds take to the stage at the Hackney Empire to perform stripped-down and reimagined versions of songs spanning their career. Hosted by Jo Whiley. Also in HD. [S]

Neil Diamond: Electric Proms

Friday 22:45 - 23:50

3/7. Neil Diamond in concert from London's Roundhouse with his six-piece band performing tracks from his album Dreams, which explores 60s and 70s songs, and reinventing his classics. Also in HD. [S]

Ray Davies: Electric Proms

Friday 23:50 - 00:20

5/6. Legendary singer-songwriter and former Kinks' frontman Ray Davies is the star of the last night of the Electric Proms, presented by Stuart Maconie at Camden's Roundhouse. Also in HD. [S]

Sat Nov 16
KT Tunstall at Glastonbury 2005

Saturday 00:20 - 01:05

KT Tunstall on the Other Stage on Saturday 25 June 2005. Contains some strong language. Also in HD. [S]

Tony Joe White: In Concert

Saturday 01:05 - 01:40

American singer-songwriter and swamp rock pioneer Tony Joe White in a performance from 1974, featuring songs Groupie Girl and Polk Salad Annie. Also in HD. [S]

TOTP: 1996

Saturday 01:40 - 02:15

Steve Lamacq and Jo Whiley present the pop chart programme, first broadcast on 25 October 1996 and featuring Suede, Faithless, Babybird, Gina G, Enya, E-Motion, Cast and Spice Girls. Also in HD. [S]

TOTP: 1996

Saturday 02:15 - 02:45

With Reef, Livin' Joy, Alisha's Attic, Space, Toni Braxton, Jimmy Nail and Spice Girls. Also in HD. [S]

TOTP: 1980

Saturday 02:45 - 03:20

With Iron Maiden, David Bowie, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Spandau Ballet, ABBA and Blondie. Also in HD. [S]

TOTP: 1990

Saturday 03:20 - 03:50

Bruno Brookes present the pop chart programme, first broadcast on 15 November 1990 and featuring Black Box, Inspiral Carpets and Caron Wheeler. Also in HD. [S]

This is BBC Four

Saturday 03:50 - 05:30

Programmes start at 7.00pm.

This is BBC Four

Saturday 05:30 - 18:58

Daily from 7.00pm.

This is BBC Four

Saturday 18:58 - 19:00

Programmes start at 7.00pm.

The Flying Gardener

Saturday 19:00 - 19:20

Chris Beardshaw visits Hampshire to find out the best way to get summer colour into the garden. Also in HD. [S]

All Creatures Great and Small

Saturday 19:20 - 20:10

9/13. Some farmers like to do their own vetting, but James discovers that sometimes the vet can cure the farmer. Also in HD. [S]

All Creatures Great and Small

Saturday 20:10 - 21:00

10/13. Richard Carmody, a superior student, accompanies James on his rounds to learn, but it becomes clear that there is very little that he doesn't know. Also in HD. [S]

Justice: Those Who Kill

Saturday 21:00 - 21:45

7/8. Louise seeks comfort at Gunnar and Lena's apartment only to discover a new shocking lead. Contains some strong language. Also in HD. [S]

Justice: Those Who Kill

Saturday 21:45 - 22:35

8/8. Teaming up with Jacob, Louise tries to prove the killer's guilt and uncover their motive. Contains some scenes which some viewers may find upsetting. Also in HD. [S]

No Bears

Saturday 22:35 - 00:20

A dissident film-maker, who is trying to direct a movie in Turkey while being forced to remain in a nearby Iranian border town, finds himself embroiled in a local scandal. Also in HD. [2022] [S]

Sun Nov 17
Porridge

Sunday 00:20 - 00:50

1/6. Sitcom set in Slade Prison. Fletcher inadvertently becomes involved in the murky world of drugs. Also in HD. [S]

As Time Goes By

Sunday 00:50 - 01:20

2/6. Jean sends Sandy to Lionel's hotel to assist him with his book revisions. But when she arrives, she is told he has checked out, and a charade of confusion follows. Also in HD. [S]

All Creatures Great and Small

Sunday 01:20 - 02:10

9/13. Some farmers like to do their own vetting, but James discovers that sometimes the vet can cure the farmer. Also in HD. [S]

All Creatures Great and Small

Sunday 02:10 - 02:55

10/13. Richard Carmody, a superior student, accompanies James on his rounds to learn, but it becomes clear that there is very little that he doesn't know. Also in HD. [S]

The Flying Gardener

Sunday 02:55 - 03:15

Chris Beardshaw visits Hampshire to find out the best way to get summer colour into the garden. Also in HD. [S]

This is BBC Four

Sunday 03:15 - 05:30

Programmes start at 7.00pm.

This is BBC Four

Sunday 05:30 - 18:58

Daily from 7.00pm.

This is BBC Four

Sunday 18:58 - 19:00

Programmes start at 7.00pm.

BBC Proms Encores: Schubert Rondo

Sunday 19:00 - 19:15

14/21. From the 2016 BBC Proms, Martha Argerich performs Schubert's Rondo in A. Also in HD. [S]

Proms Chamber Music: Britten...

Sunday 19:15 - 19:45

...and Dowland. 3/3. Ian Bostridge, Elizabeth Kenny and Fretwork perform galliards and laments by John Dowland, and James Gilchrist and Ruby Hughes perform songs by Benjamin Britten. Also in HD. [S]

Curlew River

Sunday 19:45 - 21:00

Spellbinding new film of Benjamin Britten's hauntingly beautiful chamber opera. Also in HD. [S]

1984: The Read with Sacha Dhawan

Sunday 21:00 - 22:00

A bleak dystopian future plays out before us as Royal Television Society award-winning actor Sacha Dhawan narrates George Orwell's profoundly impactful and thought-provoking classic. Also in HD. [S]

Nineteen Eighty-Four (1954)

Sunday 22:00 - 23:55

Rudolph Cartier's 1954 BBC adaptation of George Orwell's story about a man who tries to rebel against the totalitarian state in which he lives and works. Also in HD. [S]

Jazz 625: The British Jazz...

Sunday 23:55 - 01:30

...Explosion. The biggest bands on the buzzing UK scene play in a new edition of the iconic jazz show. Also in HD. [S]