In the first of a new series of posts, we've drawn together a thorough (but not exhaustive) list of broadcasting highlights from across the BBC. We'll be doing this every week, around 3-5pm on Fridays.
From this week .. Happy Valley
Tuesday saw the climax of the BBC One drama Happy Valley, bowing out with an astonishing audience appreciation figure of 93 (out of 100) and a consolidated series average of over 7 million viewers. Popular with critics and audiences alike, the Radio Times described it as “The drama of the year”, adding that it was “…a thriller to rival anything from the other side of the Atlantic”. You can still catch up on the series on BBC iPlayer.
D-Day 70
Chris Evans broadcast from Arromanches to commemorate the 70th anniversary of D-Day
Our coverage of the commemorations of the 70th anniversary of D-Day continue this week. Later tonight on Radio 2, Friday Night Is Music Night (8.00pm, and on the Red Button) comes from London’s Royal Albert Hall.
Clips of Benedict Cumberbatch, Patrick Stewart and Toby Jones re-reading selected bulletins from D-Day 1944 are available on the Radio 4 website. So too, other D-Day related programming we've been broadcasting this week.
World Cup 2014
The football World Cup 2014 begins next Thursday, with England's final International Friendly (9.45pm, Radio 5 Live) against Honduras tomorrow.
Home side Brazil get the action underway on the first day against Croatia (9.00pm, Thursday, Radio 5 Live). You can watch highlights (11.20pm on Thursday, and 7.40am on Friday, BBC Two) with a re-run of the match (1.00am, BBC Two).
On Friday, Gary Lineker has live coverage of Group B’s opening match Spain v Netherlands (7.30pm, Friday, BBC One). Keep up-to-date with fixtures, analysis and scores on the BBC's FIFA World Cup website.
Gary Lineker is joined by former England captains Rio Ferdinand and Alan Shearer in a World Cup Preview (10.35pm, Wednesday, BBC One); as part of the BBC’s FIFA’s 14 World Cup Films being shown in the run-up to the tournament, FIFA World Cup 1970 (9.45am, Saturday, BBC Two) and FIFA World Cup 1974 (9.00am, Sunday, BBC Two) look back on the tournament from those years using archive footage.
Other World Cup-related programming includes:
- Welcome To Rio (9.00pm, Tuesday, BBC Two) looks at the reality of life in the city and the resourcefulness of some of its poorest residents living in the favelas;
- David Beckham travels through Brazilian Amazon meeting local tribes in new BBC One programme Into The Unknown (8.30pm, Monday);
- Lineker In Brazil: The Beautiful Game (10.35pm, Tuesday, BBC One) explores the world’s fascination with Brazil and its love of football;
- In Just Like Hearing Brazil (8.00pm, Saturday, Radio 5 Live) Jonathan Overend selects Brazil’s best World Cup goals accompanied by the ultimate Brazilian soundtrack from 6 Music’s Gilles Peterson;
- 6 Music marks the tournament with 6 Music Celebrates South America beginning with Steve Lamacq (4.00pm, Monday) who plays football World Cup anthems;
- Peter White meets referee Howard Webb who grew up a miner’s son in Rotherham and become one of the world’s most respected referees, in Howard’s Way (11.00am, Wednesday, Radio 4).
Radio 2 Comedy Week
Tune in to Radio 2’s Comedy Week for
- a new panel show, Listomania (10.00pm, Thursday) presented by Susan Calman;
- Kate Thornton talks to Jennifer Saunders about her life and extensive career in Paper Cuts (10.30pm, Wednesday and Thursday);
- To Hull And Back (10.00pm, Wednesday) - the eagerly anticipated sitcom pilot from the BBC New Comedy Award 2012 winner Lucy Beaumont; and
- Steve Wright (2.00pm, Thursday) launches the BBC Radio New Comedy Award, now in its 4th year, which exists to find the best new up-and-coming stand-up talent in the UK…
Arts
John Ogdon - Living With Genius (7.30pm, tonight, BBC Four) profiles one of Britain's greatest classical pianists and speaks to those who knew him best including his wife and musical partner Brenda Lucas-Ogdon.
Radio 4 Extra looks back on the remarkable life and works of artist Henri Matisse(6.30pm, Thursday).
Journalist Marie-Louise Muir is joined for Dinner at Annaghmakerrig (4.00pm, Monday, Radio 4) by Irish composer Neil Martin, Belfast-born visual artist Rita Duffy and former Creative Director of Dublin's Abbey theatre Christopher Fitzsimon as they share their views on the legacy of Sir Tyrone Guthrie (4.00pm, Monday, Radio 4).
On the opening night of Lyndsey Turner's Donmar Warehouse production of Turgenev's novel Fathers And Sons, Free Thinking (10.00pm, Tuesday, Radio 3) looks at his exploration of the author’s political ideals and radicalism.
Entertainment
Sandi Toksvig returns with the News Quiz (6.30pm, today, Radio 4).
The future of “Pucks!” hangs in the balance as the network hosts its annual part for television press in Episodes (10.00pm, Wednesday, BBC Two).
Comedy writer Seth MacFarlane joins Edith Bowman for a Screen 6 Special (1.00pm, Sunday, 6 Music) to talk about his influences and picks a selection of his favourite tracks.
Radio 4's Book Of the Week Rebecca Front reads from her new book, a collection of anecdotes and yarns exploring all that is remarkable about everyday life, Curious: True Stories and Loose Connections (9.45am, Mon-Fri).
Russell Davies in in conversation with musician Rufus Wainwright in The Art of Artists (11.00pm, Monday, Radio 2).
Drama
Reporter Maeve Flynn gets a call from a prison and a man who says he knows what happened to Amber (10.00pm, Tuesday, BBC Four), in the second episode of the BBC Four crime drama.
David Edgar’s drama If Only (2.30pm) about the rise and possible fall of the coalition is Radio 4’s Saturday Drama this week.
15 Minute Drama this week is Val McDermid’s Deadheading (10.45am, Mon-Fri, Radio 4) about a murder on an allotment.
Music
Prince, pictured amid some dry ice.
To mark Prince’s 56th birthday Mary Anne Hobbs (7.00am, Saturday, 6 Music) plays the singer’s best hits and speaks to his collaborator Lianne La Havas.
Donald Macleod introduces important figures who each played a key role in Strauss's burgeoning career as both conductor and composer in this week’s Composer of the Week (12.00pm, Mon-Fri, Radio 3).
Alison Goldfrapp (4.00pm) spins her favourite tracks as she covers for Iggy Popp on the 6 Music Sunday afternoon show.
As part of BBC Radio 2’s Guitar Season, David Quantick presents the ultimate guide to one of the world’s most popular instrument in The Blaggers Guide To The Guitar (10.30pm, Monday, Radio 2).
Children's
Bing (10.05am, Mon-Fri, CBeebies) celebrates the noisy, joyful, and messy reality of life when you’re a pre-schooler in this new animation series.
Alex gets the chance to play Romeo in the school play in Worst Year of My Life… Again (1.30pm, Monday, CBBC).
Deadly Pole To Pole (5.25pm, Tuesday, CBBC) explores the wildlife and extreme conditions of Antarctica.
