BBC Four

World News Today

The latest news and business developments.

World News Today: 15/04/2009

15/04/2009

BBC News Channel - World News Today, 15/04/2009

The latest news, exploring the day's events from a global perspective.

The latest national and international news, exploring the day's events from a global perspective.

BBC News Channel

An impartial and independent news service offering breaking news, analysis and insight.

A 24-hour impartial and independent news service offering breaking news, analysis and insight. It provides fast and comprehensive coverage of local, UK and international events.

World News Today; Weather

Wainwright Walks: Coast to Coast

Wainwright Walks: Coast to Coast: Episode 1: Gateway to the Lakes

Episode 1

Episode 1: Gateway to the Lakes

Gateway to the Lakes

BBC Four - Wainwright Walks: Coast to Coast, Gateway to the Lakes

Julia Bradbury begins her adventure in appalling weather just outside the Lake District.

Julia Bradbury walks across northern England from west to east coast, beginning her adventure in appalling weather at the western extremity, St Bees Head.

Julia Bradbury follows in the footsteps of legendary guidebook writer Alfred Wainwright by walking across the whole of northern England from the west to the east coast.

This was Wainwright's last great venture and has become his greatest legacy - a beautifully simple proposition, linking three national parks that lie between the Irish and the North Sea. 

36 years after its creation, Julia is off, through sunshine, wind and rain to cross the changing landscape, understand the history and meet the people that make up almost 200 miles of northern England.   

Enthusiasm and expectation are high as Julia begins her grand adventure at the western extremity of northern England, St Bees Head. The coast of west Cumbria is an oft-forgotten industrial strip lying just outside the Lake District, but as Julia reaches the doorway to Wainwright's favourite playground, the weather deteriorates quickly, leaving her no choice but to tackle her first Lakeland valley in appalling conditions.

Knowledge, arts, music and culture from the UK and the world.

BBC Four reflects arts, music and culture with an ambitious range of intellectually and culturally enriching programmes, taking an expert and in-depth approach to its subjects.

Julia Bradbury walks across northern England from the west to the east coast

Julia Bradbury follows in the footsteps of guidebook writer Alfred Wainwright by walking across the whole of northern England from the west to the east coast

1/6. Gateway to the Lakes.
Julia Bradbury follows in Alfred Wainwright's footsteps and walks across northern
England, beginning at St Bees Head on the coast of Cumbria.

Victorian Farm

Victorian Farm: Episode 1

BBC Two - Victorian Farm, Episode 1

Ruth, Alex and Peter move into a Victorian smallholding on the Acton Scott estate.

Historical observational documentary series following a team who live the life of Victorian farmers for a year. Their first task is the restoration of the cottage.

Historical observational documentary series following a team who live the life of Victorian farmers for a year. Wearing period clothes and using only the materials that would have been available in 1885, historian Ruth Goodman and archaeologists Alex Langlands and Peter Ginn are going back in time to relive the day-to-day life of the Victorian farmer.

The project is based on the Acton Scott estate in Shropshire - a world frozen in time, lost in Victorian rural England. Its buildings and grounds are cluttered with antique tools and machinery collected by the Acton family, who have lived on the estate since the 12th century.

Working for a full calendar year, Ruth, Alex and Peter are rediscovering a lost world of skills, crafts and knowledge, assisted by an ever-dwindling band of experts who keep Victorian rural practices alive. 

The team move into a Victorian smallholding on the Acton Scott estate that has not been used in nearly half a century. Their first task is the restoration of the cottage. As incoming tenants, they help thresh the previous summer's wheat crop, their first experience of steam-powered machinery. Alex attempts to sow a wheat crop using horse-power. Ruth and Peter install a range in the cottage and take a trip to the canals to load up on coal. It's time for the apple harvest, so Alex and Peter turn their hand to making cider. Ruth explores the challenges of Victorian cooking by making preserves ready for winter and cooks her first meal on the range. And the team must learn shepherding skills the hard way as the first livestock arrive on the farm - a flock of Shropshire ewes.

BBC Two

BBC Two is a TV channel that started broadcasting on the 20th April 1964.

BBC Two is a lively channel of depth and substance, carrying a range of knowledge-building programming complemented by great drama, comedy and arts.

Documentary series following a team who live the life of Victorian farmers for a year

Historical observational documentary series following a team who live the life of Victorian farmers for a year

1/6. Ruth Goodman. Alex Langlands and Peter Ginn relive the life of a farmer back in 1885, wearing clothes and using the materials from the period. 
First shown on BBC2

Mud, Sweat and Tractors: The Story of Agriculture: Episode 1: Milk

Episode 1: Milk

Mud, Sweat and Tractors: The Story of Agriculture

Milk

BBC Four - Mud, Sweat and Tractors: The Story of Agriculture, Milk

How the production and selling of milk were revolutionised during the 20th century.

Series looking at the history of 20th-century farming in Britain. This episode features the stories of two dairy farmers who survived the supermarket revolution.

Documentary series looking at the history of 20th-century farming in Britain opens by focusing on milk. 

In the early years of the century, 150,000 dairy farmers milked by hand and sold milk door to door. By the end of the century, the 15,000 that were left were breeding cows that increased yields by 400 per cent and milk was sold through supermarkets. 

This episode features the home movies and stories of two dairy farmers who survived to tell the story of how and why the revolution happened.

Documentary series looking at the history of 20th century farming in Britain.

Mud, Sweat and Tractors: the Story of Agriculture

New series 1/4. Documentary exploring our relationship with the land, charting the revolution that food production in Britain underwent in the 20th century and examining the impact this had on the lives of farmers. The first programme features the home movies of two dairy farmers from the south of England. See panel.

As 7.30pm.

Newswipe

Charlie Brooker sets his sights firmly on news

Charlie Brooker sets his sights firmly on news and current affairs

Newswipe: Series 1: Episode 4

Episode 4

Series 1

BBC Four - Newswipe, Series 1, Episode 4

Charlie Brooker looks at how graphics on news programmes have changed over the years.

Charlie Brooker looks at how graphics have changed on news programmes over the years. He also charts how the media handled both the politics and the protests of the G20 summit.

Charlie Brooker sets his satirical sights on news and current affairs, taking a look at how graphics have morphed over the years from modest explaining devices to shouty, scary, video game-style extravaganzas. 

Brooker also charts the way the media handled both the politics and the protests of the G20 summit in London, while Ben Goldacre, author of Bad Science, vents his anger over its coverage of science stories.

Newswipe: Series 1

Newswipe with Charlie Brooker

New. 4/6. Looking at how graphics have changed in style over the years, from modest explaining devices to video game-style extravaganzas. There is also a review of the recent G20 summit.

I've Never Seen Star Wars

Chat show in which celebrity guests try five new cultural experiences

Chat show in which celebrity guests try five new cultural experiences - things they have always avoided, from playing bingo to reading Proust

I've Never Seen Star Wars: Series 1: Episode 5: Hugh Dennis

Episode 5

Episode 5: Hugh Dennis

Hugh Dennis

BBC Two - I've Never Seen Star Wars, Series 1, Hugh Dennis

Marcus Brigstocke invites his guest Hugh Dennis to try some new cultural experiences.

Marcus Brigstocke hosts a chat show in which he invites guests to try new experiences for the first time. Hugh Dennis is challenged to eat road kill and visit a mine.

Marcus Brigstocke hosts a chat show in which he invites someone to step out of their comfort zone and try five new cultural experiences. Comedian Hugh Dennis's tasks include eating road kill and visiting a mine.

I've Never Seen Star Wars: Series 1

Chat show in which Marcus Brigstocke invites a guest to try five new cultural experiences

Marcus Brigstocke hosts a chat show in which he invites someone to try five new cultural experiences, things they have always avoided, from playing bingo to reading Proust

5/8. Marcus Brigstocke invites comedian Hugh Dennis to try five brand new cultural experiences.

Pop Britannia

Pop Britannia: Episode 2: A Well Respected Man

Episode 2

Episode 2: A Well Respected Man

A Well Respected Man

BBC Four - Pop Britannia, A Well Respected Man

In the 60s Britain went pop mad as artists created a truly authentic British sound.

Series telling the story of British pop music since the 1950s. In the 60s a group of artists and entrepreneurs prised pop out of the grasp of showbiz interests.

Three-part documentary series telling the story of British popular music and its place in British culture since the 1950s. In the 60s Britain went pop mad. The architects were a group of artists and entrepreneurs who would prise pop out of the grasp of showbiz interests to create a truly authentic British sound of the Beatles, Stones and Who and at the same time prepared the way for a new, more corporate pop business. With Pete Townsend, Sir George Martin, Bryan Ferry, Sandie Shaw and Lulu.

Documentary charting the history of British pop music.

2/3. The story of British pop music swings on into the 1960s, when a true British pop identity was at last forged.

Pop on Trial

Pop on Trial: Episode 2: 1960s

Episode 2: 1960s

1960s

BBC Four - Pop on Trial, 1960s

Neil Innes and Tony Blackburn argue for the 1960s as most influential musical decade.

Stuart Maconie puts pop in the dock to decide which has been the most influential musical decade. Neil Innes and Tony Blackburn help make the case for the 1960s.

Stuart Maconie puts pop in the dock to decide which has been the most influential musical decade. Neil Innes and Tony Blackburn help make the case for the 1960s, from the very British pop of the The Beatles and The Rolling Stones to the California sound of The Beach Boys.

Pop is put in the dock to decide which has been the most influential musical decade.

Stuart Maconie puts pop in the dock to decide which has been the most influential musical decade.

Batman

Classic adventure series following the adventures of the dynamic duo in Gotham City.

Classic adventure series following the adventures of dynamic crimefighting duo Batman and Robin in Gotham City.

Batman: Series 1

Batman: Series 1: Episode 3: Fine Feathered Finks

Episode 3

Episode 3: Fine Feathered Finks

Fine Feathered Finks

BBC Four - Batman, Series 1, Fine Feathered Finks

The Penguin awaits his release from prison, but has already begun to plan his next caper.

Sixties fantasy series. As the Penguin awaits his release from prison, he plans his next caper. The devious villain uses exploding umbrellas to trick Batman.

Sixties fantasy series.

As the Penguin awaits his release from prison, he has already begun to plan his next caper. The devious villain uses exploding umbrellas as part of a plot designed to trick Batman into committing crimes for him.

Batman: Series 1: Episode 4: The Penguin's a Jinx

Episode 4: The Penguin's a Jinx

The Penguin's a Jinx

BBC Four - Batman, Series 1, The Penguin's a Jinx

The Penguin plans to kidnap beautiful actress Dawn Robbins, who falls in love with Batman.

Sixties fantasy series. The Penguin plans to kidnap beautiful actress Dawn Robbins. The situation becomes more complicated when Dawn falls in love with Batman.

Sixties fantasy series.

Batman and Robin calculate that the Penguin's next crime will be the kidnapping of beautiful actress Dawn Robbins. The situation becomes more complicated when Dawn falls in love with Batman.

Mad Men

Drama series set in the world of advertising in 1960s New York.

Drama series which takes an unflinching look at the world of advertising in 1960s New York.

Mad Men: Series 1

Mad Men: Series 1: Episode 5: Five G

Episode 5: Five G

Five G

BBC Four - Mad Men, Series 1, Five G

Don wins an award and gets his picture on a prominent industry periodical.

Drama series set in the world of advertising in 1960s New York. Don's past catches up to him when he wins an award and gets his picture on a prominent industry periodical.

Drama series which takes an unflinching look at the world of advertising in 1960s New York. Don's past catches up to him when he wins an award and gets his picture on a prominent industry periodical. Ken makes his colleagues envious when he gets a short story published in a national monthly magazine.

Mad Men: Series 1: Episode 6: Babylon

Episode 6

Episode 6: Babylon

Babylon

BBC Four - Mad Men, Series 1, Babylon

Peggy's ideas get noticed during a pitch meeting and her future looks more promising.

Drama series set in the world of advertising in 1960s New York. Peggy's ideas get noticed during a pitch meeting and her future begins to look more promising.

Drama series which takes an unflinching look at the world of advertising in 1960s New York. Adultery is the new fashion at the agency - the ladies try on lipstick while their husbands dally. Peggy's ideas get noticed during a pitch meeting and her future begins to look more promising. Don asks Rachel's advice about an ad campaign.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Batman

Series 1

Episode 4: The Penguin's a Jinx

Contributors

Genres

Brand

Series

Mad Men

Series 1

Episode 6: Babylon

Contributors

Genres

Brand

Series

BBC Four

About BBC Four

Appears in

About this data

About this data