Freeview 9 · Sky 116 · 89 programmes this week
BBC Four is the BBC's arts, culture and documentary channel. It broadcasts music performances, archive television, history documentaries and international drama. Available on Freeview and Sky. Much of its content is also available on BBC iPlayer.
Freeview 9 · Sky 116
14 programmes
A quick look at the jet stream â that highâaltitude ribbon of fastâmoving air â and how our knowledge of it has evolved, from baffling WWII bomber crews to turboâcharging modern transatlantic flightsâŠ
JaninaâŻRamirez and AlastairâŻSooke take
Lost Cities of the Ancients is a BBCâŻFour documentary that explores the mystery of Piramesse, the Egyptian city founded by Ramesses the Great. This first episode of a threeâpart series follows the arâŠ
The schedule kicks off at 7âŻpm, broadcast in HD.
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The schedule kicks off at 7âŻpm, broadcast in HD.
Paul Rose finishes his Yorkshire Dales trek in Wharfedale, where he meets the Calendar Girls and learns why the local bat population is under threat. The episode offers a relaxed view of the areaâs qâŠ
Canal Boat Diaries follows presenter Robbie Cumming as he steers a narrowboat from Stourport Basins down to Kingswood Junction. In this 28âminute episode he tackles the mighty River Severn and ends uâŠ
The Lost Neanderthals follows an international team of archaeologists digging in Mandrin Cave in southern France, where a 50,000âyearâold Neanderthal named Thorin was uncovered in 2015 alongside earlâŠ
A documentary follows the race to build a 36,000âtonne steel âmegaâtombâ for the damaged Chernobyl reactor before the original concrete sarcophagus fails. Director Martin Gorst follows an internationâŠ
Patricia Hayes plays Edna OâCasey, a 60âyearâold homeless alcoholic who drifts from hostels to riverbanks looking for a place to sleep. Jeremy Sandford wrote the script and Ted Kotcheff directed it. âŠ
Stephen Smith, the Newsnight arts writerâbroadcaster, looks at what it took to climb the ladder in RichardâŻIIâs glittering yet treacherous medieval court. Heâs joined by actor David Tennant and chefââŠ
13 programmes
The Lost Neanderthals follows an international team of archaeologists digging in Mandrin Cave in southern France, where a 50,000âyearâold Neanderthal named Thorin was uncovered in 2015 alongside earlâŠ
The Empire State Story on Timewatch looks back at how the iconic NewâŻYork skyscraper was built. It includes footage and interviews with the engineers, workers and planners who made it happen. First aâŠ
A documentary follows the race to build a 36,000âtonne steel âmegaâtombâ for the damaged Chernobyl reactor before the original concrete sarcophagus fails. Director Martin Gorst follows an internationâŠ
The schedule kicks off at 7âŻpm, broadcast in HD.
The schedule kicks off at 7âŻpm, broadcast in HD.
Archaeologist Ben Robinson digs into Warkworthâs past, tracing clues that stretch back almost a thousand years to the Norman Conquest. He shows how the villageâs pubs, ponds and power structures haveâŠ
Robbie Cumming steers his narrowboat down the canal from StratfordâuponâAvon to Birmingham, tackles an aqueduct and then gets stuck at a lock. The episode shows Britainâs waterways with occasional snâŠ
Hercule Poirot, played by Albert Finney, hops off the Orient Express back to England and is pulled into a murder mystery on the train. The allâstar cast â Ingrid Bergman, Lauren Bacall, Sean Connery,âŠ
A look back at AlbertâŻFinneyâs TV career, with archive interviews and classic clips that chart his milestones on the small screen. SylviaâŻSyms narrates, adding an insider feel. Whether youâre a fan oâŠ
15 programmes
Kate Humble joins physicist Helen Czerski to pull back the curtain on our star. They show how solar eruptions and cycles ripple through to Earthâs climate. The program includes the latest satellite fâŠ
Richard EâŻGrant takes you on a breezy walk along the CĂŽte dâAzur, where the glitzy Riviera turned into a playground for modernâart pioneers. He points out how the sunâsoaked towns became both a hedonâŠ
"The Jet Stream and Us" is a 58âminute documentary that follows the evolution of our knowledge about the jet stream, the highâaltitude band of fastâmoving air. The film has interviews with climate exâŠ
The schedule kicks off at 7âŻpm, broadcast in HD.
The schedule kicks off at 7âŻpm, broadcast in HD.
Jamie Theakston hosts this Top ofâŻPops episode fromâŻ24âŻSeptemberâŻ1999. The show highlights the yearâs biggest chart moments. Youâll see the Vengaboys perform their danceâfloor anthem, Everything but âŠ
Jayne Middlemiss hosts this Top of the Pops from the Ikon venue in Newcastle, first shown on 1âŻOctoberâŻ1999. The show rolls out the weekâs chart with performances by DJâŻJean, KelleâŻBryan, SâŻClubâŻ7 anâŠ
This Top of the Pops episode first aired onâŻ28âŻAprilâŻ1988. Gary Davies and Nicky Campbell host. It has performances by Pat and Mick, JamesâŻBrown, Fairground Attraction, TheâŻPrimitives and Bananarama âŠ
Top of the Pops returns with the 25âŻAprilâŻ1991 edition, hosted by Nicky Campbell. The episode has chart hits from EMF, a surprise cameo by VicâŻReeves, and a set from Electronic. If you like earlyâ90sâŠ
Monty Don returns to the garden. This week he shows how everything bursts into colour when spring arrives. He walks you through planting ideas, maintenance tips and a few tricks that make a garden loâŠ
Dusty at the BBC gives a fresh look at the BBCâs vaults, bringing together Dusty Springfieldâs classic 1960s performances and guest spots from her own variety show. The legendary singerâs silky voiceâŠ
18 programmes
Sad Songs at the BBC pulls together moving tracks from the BBCâs vault. The show has PaulâŻMcCartney, KateâŻBush, TheâŻSmiths, RandyâŻCrawford, Coldplay, DollyâŻParton, EricâŻClapton and EricâŻCarmenâs âAllâŠ
Dusty at the BBC gives a fresh look at the BBCâs vaults, bringing together Dusty Springfieldâs classic 1960s performances and guest spots from her own variety show. The legendary singerâs silky voiceâŠ
Jamie Theakston hosts this Top ofâŻPops episode fromâŻ24âŻSeptemberâŻ1999. The show highlights the yearâs biggest chart moments. Youâll see the Vengaboys perform their danceâfloor anthem, Everything but âŠ
Jayne Middlemiss hosts this Top of the Pops from the Ikon venue in Newcastle, first shown on 1âŻOctoberâŻ1999. The show rolls out the weekâs chart with performances by DJâŻJean, KelleâŻBryan, SâŻClubâŻ7 anâŠ
This Top of the Pops episode first aired onâŻ28âŻAprilâŻ1988. Gary Davies and Nicky Campbell host. It has performances by Pat and Mick, JamesâŻBrown, Fairground Attraction, TheâŻPrimitives and Bananarama âŠ
The schedule kicks off at 7âŻpm, broadcast in HD.
The schedule kicks off at 7âŻpm, broadcast in HD.
The Good Old Days is a vintage musicâhall variety show filmed at the Leeds City Varieties, with LeonardâŻSachs introducing the acts. This 1973 edition stars BernardâŻCribbins, popâqueen SandieâŻShaw, BiâŠ
David Attenborough narrates a short profile of the pelican, the large water bird known for its huge pouch and a clumsy, waddling gait. It offers a quick look at how the bird feeds,
When a roadârage victim asks retired sleuth Hetty Wainthropp to find the attacker, the case lands on her doorstep. Patricia Routledge plays Hetty, heading a small crime team. Her assistant Geoffrey, âŠ
The Count of Monte Cristo opens with Edmond DantĂšs (SamâŻClaflin) set up on his wedding day, framed for treason and thrown into the grim ChĂąteau d'If. After a daring escape, he assumes the identity ofâŠ
Sam Claflin plays Edmond DantĂšs, a sailor wrongly locked away. He escapes, finds a massive hidden treasure, and assumes the identity of the mysterious Count of MonteâŻChristo. Returning to a world thaâŠ
Hyacinth Bucket (Patricia Routledge) drags her husband Richard (CliveâŻSwift) to a hotel for a weekend golf getaway with the Major. The Major bails on playing and sends a friend to tee off with RicharâŠ
Timothy (Ronnie Corbett) starts sleepwalking just as his promotion interview looms, and things quickly go pearâshaped. His domineering mum Phyllis and longâsuffering dad Sidney are there, and the famâŠ
15 programmes
The Good Old Days is a vintage musicâhall variety show filmed at the Leeds City Varieties, with LeonardâŻSachs introducing the acts. This 1973 edition stars BernardâŻCribbins, popâqueen SandieâŻShaw, BiâŠ
When a roadârage victim asks retired sleuth Hetty Wainthropp to find the attacker, the case lands on her doorstep. Patricia Routledge plays Hetty, heading a small crime team. Her assistant Geoffrey, âŠ
David Attenborough narrates a short profile of the pelican, the large water bird known for its huge pouch and a clumsy, waddling gait. It offers a quick look at how the bird feeds,
Kate Humble and physicist Helen Czerski guide you through a 58âminute journey around our star. They rely on the latest satellite footage to explain how solar eruptions and cycles work. Along the way âŠ
The schedule kicks off at 7âŻpm, broadcast in HD.
The schedule kicks off at 7âŻpm, broadcast in HD.
Michael Bracewell uses NikolausâŻPevsnerâs *Buildings of England* as a springboard and wanders through Surrey. He stops at PolesdenâŻLacey and the quirky Whitely Village. Along the way he mixes the guiâŠ
Inside Classical â DvoĆĂĄkâs New World Symphony sees the BBC Philharmonic, conducted by Ben Gernon, take on Bruchâs First Violin Concerto with virtuoso JenniferâŻPike before moving into DvoĆĂĄkâs SymphoâŠ
David Attenborough returns to one of his favourite films, âLost Worlds, Vanished Livesâ, a 1989 documentary that takes you to the planetâs most important fossil sites. He talks about why the ancient âŠ
Dame Darcey Bussell takes you on a quick tour of the BBC archive programâŻThe Magic of Dance, originally presented by the famous ballerina Margot Fonteyn. It offers historic ballet footage and a hint âŠ
Margot Fonteyn talks about how male dancers changed the scene, sharing her own memories and insights. The episode includes performances by some of the worldâs top dancers and classic routines that stâŠ
14 programmes
In the final instalment of BBCâŻFourâs *Genius of the Ancient World*, Bettany Hughes travels to China to follow Confucius, the philosopher whose ideas have shaped the country for about 2,500âŻyears. ShâŠ
Michael Bracewell uses NikolausâŻPevsnerâs *Buildings of England* as a springboard and wanders through Surrey. He stops at PolesdenâŻLacey and the quirky Whitely Village. Along the way he mixes the guiâŠ
Inside Classical â DvoĆĂĄkâs New World Symphony sees the BBC Philharmonic, conducted by Ben Gernon, take on Bruchâs First Violin Concerto with virtuoso JenniferâŻPike before moving into DvoĆĂĄkâs SymphoâŠ
The schedule kicks off at 7âŻpm, broadcast in HD.
The schedule kicks off at 7âŻpm, broadcast in HD.
University Challenge pits two university teams against each other in a rapidâfire quiz. In this opening match, the University of Bristol faces Durham University, each hoping to reach the second roundâŠ
Only Connect is a British quiz show where teams find links between unrelated clues. Youâll need knowledge, patience and a bit of lateral thinking. VictoriaâŻCorenâŻMitchell hosts, and the show has aireâŠ
A documentary series that digs up lost civilizations. This episode goes to northern Peru to locate the remains of about 250 pyramids. It has onâtheâground footage and expert commentary, which shows wâŠ
Fiona Bruce leads a whirlwind tour of Leonardo daâŻVinciâs life, moving from Florence and Milan to Paris, Warsaw and even New York. She explores the story behind his few surviving works and gives a snâŠ
The second instalment of British Art at War has Andrew GrahamâDixon examine Walter Sickert, an earlyâ20thâcentury painter who treated the battlefield like a stage instead of just mudâfilled trenches.âŠ