with Frank Bough Sally Magnusson and Jeremy Paxman
With Bob Friend 's view of life across the Atlantic.

Have you reached the end of the line with British Rail? In today's Hot Seat is
Jim O'Brien - BR's Managing Director who's ready to brave the complaints of even the angriest commuter.
Presented by John Stapleton Producer DEBORAH WITHINSAW

Join Robert Kilroy-Silk , his studio audience and guests as they discuss a topic that touches your life.

Margo MacDonald looks at self-help schemes that can ease the job of caring for a bedridden relative at home. (e)

Phillip Schofield with programme news and your birthday greetings.

Presenter Elizabeth Watts Guest Stuart Bradley Story: Norah's Ark by ANN CARTWRIGHT
Illustrated by REG CARTWRIGHT

(R)

with Rudolph Walker

with Pattie Coldwell Bob Wellings and Eamonn Holmes including at
12.0 News and Weather

Today Tom puts the people of Blackpool 'on the spot' as members of the public go on stage to perform their favourite party piece.
Debbie Greenwood goes 'out and about'.

with Martyn Lewis
Weather IAN MCCASKILL

Lucy sees more than she bargained for on an observation project.

(R)

2.0 The Sapling Novices' Steeplechase (2m)
Year after year this is the most significant trial for the Arkle Challenge Trophy.

A See-Saw programme (R)

The Introduction of HRH The Duke of York to the House of Lords
Live coverage of the ceremony in the Upper Chamber as HRH The
Duke of York takes his seat - the first royal introduction to be seen on television.
Christopher Jones describes the scene as the new duke takes his place supported by his royal cousins, HRH The Duke of Gloucester and HRH The Duke of Kent. Director KIT PLANT
Producer TIM MARSHALL

3.5 The Charterhouse Steeplechase (3m)
Gold Cup and Grand National entries clash for a first prize of over £15,000.
3.40 The Reynoldstown
Novices' Steeplechase (3m) The season's top novice chasers take a final step towards Cheltenham's Sun Alliance Chase.

Phillip Schofield - starting with:

Stilgoe's On
Presenter Richard Stilgoe. Bill Tidy is the guest today.
(R)

(R)

by Jill Paton Walsh
Told for Jackanory by Christopher Guard

starring Vince Purity It's the Grand Finale!
Who will win the fabulous Vinny Award?
Competing in today's final are:
Comedian Richard Smith from JACKIE PALMER STAGE SCHOOL
Singer Natalie Powers from WALSALL ACADEMY
Impressionist Lee Broom from BETTY FOX STAGE SCHOOL Comedienne Leesa Cameron from SHANDY STAGE SCHOOL Dancer Christopher Bailey from JANET DUPONT STAGE SCHOOL
Only one can take home the ultimate in showbiz awards.
Written and devised by COUN BENNETT
Assistant producer CLAIRE WINYARD Producer CHRISTOPHER PILKiNGTON

with Mark Curry
The last in the series
Queen Victoria's Holiday Home by DOROTHY SMITH
'A perfect little paradise' is how Queen Victoria described Osborne House - the get-away-from-it-all holiday home by the sea.
Costume designer BARRY SIMMONS Film cameraman PETER CHAPMAN Film editor LES NEWMAN Produced and directed by EDWARD BARNES

The Video Quiz
It's quarter-final time, and tonight REGIS SCHOOL, Wolverhampton, meet
CHRYSTON HIGH SCHOOL from Glasgow. Who will win the video battle? And who has the greatest general knowledge?
Debbie Greenwood takes them through to find out who will make it to the semi-final. Designer JIM LONGMUIR Director JUSTIN C. ADAMS Producer ANNE SOMERS
Series producer CHARLES NAIRN BBC Scotland

with Nicholas Witchell and Andrew Harvey
Weather MICHAEL FISH

Join Terry and his guests for conversation and entertainment, live from the Television Theatre.
Programme associate NEIL SHAND Director JOHN BIRKIN
Producer PETER ESTALL
Series producer JOHN FISHER

The Muppet Management regrets that tonight's guest star Bob Hope may only drop in for a flying visit. Owing to his busy schedule, Mr Hope is also booked to perform at two other benefits - for the Pole Vaulters and the Flying Zucchini Brothers. Producer JIM HENSON

Cat and Mouse
Sue Ellen's absence raises old doubts and fears but J.R. suspects the truth - and his torment grows.
Ray is caught in an emotional tangle and Cliff succumbs to the inevitable ...
Written by LEAH MARKUS
Directed by MICHAEL PREECE
* CEEFAX SUBTITLES

Anne Robinson with your comments in the programme you help to write
Producer VICKI MARRIOTT Please send letters to:
Points of View, BBCtv Centre London W12 8QT
0 RADIO TIMES LETTERS: p80

Julia Somerville and Andrew Harvey present the day's news with BBC teams at home and abroad
Regional News Weather

The Foolish Wise Ones
Queen Victoria died on 22 January 1901. Do you know what day of the week that was? David Kidd does - in fact he'll tell you (as fast as a mini-computer) that it was
Tuesday - like 12 March 1996 and even 1 March 2044. But ask him to add eight and seven, and the chances are he'll get it wrong. How come? Because he has an astonishingly low IQ of 65. Like David, Noel Patterson and Stephen Wiltshire are also classified as severely mentally impaired. Yet their musical talent and artistic ability respectively, impressed Antony Hopkins and Sir Hugh Casson.
Q.E.D. explores a bizarre psychological phenomenon - Idiots Savants to the 19th-century Frenchman who first identified it - in English 'the foolish wise ones'. Series editor DAVID FlLKIN Producer TONY EDWARDS
* CEEFAX SUBTITLES

Introduced by Steve Rider and featuring tonight: Cup Football
Highlights of tonight's first-leg match in the semi-final of the Littlewoods Cup. You can see the final live on BBC television on 5 April. Commentator BARRY DAVIES
World Indoor Bowls from Coatbridge
Tonight's five-set match should feature Roy Cutts , the England Indoor National
Champion, against Ireland's Alan McMullan or Don Peoples of Australia.
Total prize money of E52,400 makes this championship the richest bowling event in the world.
Commentators
DAVID RHYS JONES and JIMMY DAVIDSON
Plus action and comment from the second final of The World Series Cup played under the lights at Sydney Cricket Ground.
Television presentation:
Football JOHN SHREWSBURY Bowls BILL MALCOLM
Cricket CHANNEL 9, Australia Producer CHARLES BALCHIN Editor JOHN ROWUNSON