BBC four 2026-10-25 An ambitious adventure of discovery awaits intrepid TV comedian-turned-global explorer Michael Palin, as he journeys around the Pacific rim to meet disparate communities which share a common coastline. This is his third great trek, having circumnavigated the world and traversed from North to South Poles in earlier series. Palin's personable character shines through as he makes new friends and lear 2026-10-25 Wildlife documentary featuring the fascinating lives of Britain's beautiful butterflies filmed in exquisite detail, and also a celebration of their enduring appeal to the British people. Butterfly-costumed carnival-goers dance at Notting Hill, street artist Nick Walker uses their image to brighten bare city walls, burlesque dancer Vicky Butterfly recreates butterfly dances, and women reveal their 2026-10-25 2026-10-25 Documentary series that combines biography, art and the history of fashion as host Amber Butchart, a fashion historian, explores the lives of historical figures – Marie Antoinette, Charles II, Dido Belle, Edward the Black and others, by examining the clothes that they wore. Amber looks into the history of the garments and the people depicted, visiting collections and speaking with experts. Alongsi 2026-10-25 The famous competition was established by Humphrey Burton, Walter Todds and Roy Tippin in 1978, and invites talented British musicians under the age of 18 years old to showcase their abilities. Performers of keyboard, percussion, brass, string and woodwind can enter the iconic classical competition, with five stages for them to advance through; regional auditions, category auditions, category fina 2026-10-25 A 30-year-old Shakespeare is at the top of his game: he's got a job at England's best theatre company, the Lord Chamberlain's Men, and the money is rolling in. Determined to restore his family's reputation, Shakespeare works harder than ever, producing hit after hit: A Midsummer Night's Dream, Henry IV and Julius Caesar. But as his star rises, a series of tragedies strike. Shakespeare's life, purp 2026-10-25 Sir Derek Jacobi looks back on the filmed version of Franco Zeffirelli's famous 1960s production of Much Ado About Nothing – a performance that brought together Robert Stephens, in the role of Benedick, and his soon-to-be wife – the late, great Maggie Smith – in the key role of Beatrice. For years, this recording was considered to be 'lost' by Shakespeare fans and TV historians, until a copy was f 2026-10-25 2026-10-25 2026-10-26 A 30-year-old Shakespeare is at the top of his game: he's got a job at England's best theatre company, the Lord Chamberlain's Men, and the money is rolling in. Determined to restore his family's reputation, Shakespeare works harder than ever, producing hit after hit: A Midsummer Night's Dream, Henry IV and Julius Caesar. But as his star rises, a series of tragedies strike. Shakespeare's life, purp 2026-10-26 Documentary series that combines biography, art and the history of fashion as host Amber Butchart, a fashion historian, explores the lives of historical figures – Marie Antoinette, Charles II, Dido Belle, Edward the Black and others, by examining the clothes that they wore. Amber looks into the history of the garments and the people depicted, visiting collections and speaking with experts. Alongsi 2026-10-26 2026-10-26 New Zealand was one of the last land-masses to be found and settled by people. Lush and fertile, almost everything brought here flourishes, often with surprising consequences. Told through the experiences of its native species – in particular, a charismatic and peculiar giant, flightless parrot – this is the moving story of the changing fortunes of New Zealand's wildlife, since humans first arrive 2026-10-26 The great history of Egypt is inscribed on its monuments, temples and tombs, but hieroglyphs – the written language of the ancient Egyptians – fell silent until 1822 when a young French scholar, Jean-François Champollion, became the first person to decipher their texts for over a thousand years. Champollion's insights and the work of other scholars helped bring an entire civilisation back to life. 2026-10-26 2026-10-26 2026-10-26 2026-10-26 2026-10-26 2026-10-26 2026-10-26