Round Up Week 45 (4-10 November)

A round up of BBC announcements, press releases and blogs, plus some highlights from our TV, radio and online output last week.

BBC Local Radio at 50

On Wednesday, BBC Director General Tony Hall pledged a "renaissance" for BBC local radio as the service marks its 50th anniversary. 

BBC Reith Lectures

BBC Radio 4 announced on Saturday that the eminent historian Professor Margaret MacMillan will be the BBC Reith Lecturer in the 70th year of the series, delivering five lectures in the Summer 2018 which will explore the relationship between humanity and war.

Awards

On Monday night the Grierson Award ceremony took place. The Griersons celebrate the best in documentary making, and BBC Two won five awards with BBC programmes taking seven awards in total.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday BBC Hausa announced the Women’s Short Story Award winner - Maimuna S Beli from Kano State, for her story “Bai Kai Zuci Ba” (Not from the heart).

Announcements and blogs

Drama

Media packs for BBC Two's The Boy With The Topknotand BBC One's Howard's End were published this week.

Elsewhere, BBC One confirmed that Emmy and Golden Globe winner Toni Collette is to lead a stellar cast in new drama Wanderlust. The network also announced on Wednesday a new adaptation of John Le Carré's The Little Drummer Girl.

Entertainment

On Monday Strictly Come Dancing announced the line-up for this year’s Christmas Special.

Factual

BBC Two announced on Thursday a new documentary revealing the untold stories of some of Grenfell Tower’s hidden victims, fronted by filmmaker and broadcaster Reggie Yates.

Sport

The BBC and ATP announced on Wednesday an extension to their broadcast deal for the Nitto ATP Finals which will see the tournament broadcast live in 2019 and 2020.

Children in Need

The BBC Children in Need 2017 media pack was published, and in Northern Ireland TV presenters Jo Scott and Barra Best launched the local appeal with a challenge to people: "Whatever your 'thing' is, why not give it a go by turning it into a fantastic fundraiser that will help change children’s lives throughout Northern Ireland?"

Music

On Tuesday, BBC Music launched a new digital home for jazz.

Online/Digital/Interactive

Fans of sci-fi comedy drama can now immerse themselves in a new experimental interactive voice experience from the BBC called The Inspection Chamber.

Radio

Celebrities Stacey Solomon, Rochelle Humes and Giovanna Fletcher will join BBC 5 live presenter Anna Foster to host the UK’s biggest conversation about mums and mental health at an event at Blackpool Tower later this month (28 November 1-3pm).

Blogs

BBC Radio Lincolnshire's Michael Hortin blogged about Reunited - A journey of Remembrance; sculptor Martin Jennings talks about his inspiration and the process behind producing a statue of George Orwell that was unveiled at New Broadcasting House on Tuesday 7 November, 2017; Gareth Roberts, Head of Local Radio Development, shares a few things he's learnt about BBC Local Radio on the occasion of its half century; and Bob Shennan, Director BBC Radio & Music introduced Podcasting House – a resoruce bringing the BBC’s best podcasts together in one place. There was also the weekly BBC iPlayer Highlights 11-17 November.

Broadcast Highlights

• Love And Drugs On The Street: Girls Sleeping Rough, Sunday 5 November, BBC THREE
• Women At War - 100 Years Of Service, Monday 6 November to Friday 10 November, BBC ONE
• Dennis & Gnasher: Unleashed, Monday 6 November to Friday 10 November, CBBC
• The A Word, Tuesday 7 November, BBC ONE
• Hotel For Refugees, Tuesday 7 November, BBC ONE
• Motherland, Tuesday 7 November, BBC TWO
• George Orwell Back At The BBC, Sunday 5 November, BBC RADIO 4
• Radio 2 In Concert: Paloma Faith, Thursday 9 November, BBC RADIO 2