What’s On BBC Four Today Thursday 25 May 2023
A full run down of everything airing on BBC Four today.
02:15
Secrets of Size: Atoms to Supergalaxies
S01E01
Part one of two. Jim Al-Khalili explores the universe at the smallest scales
Part one of two. Jim Al-Khalili explores the universe at the smallest scales, from tiny atoms to vast galaxies. The first episode examines objects too small to glimpse with the naked eye, and reveals how nanomaterials such as graphene are revolutionising engineering, medicine, computing, electronics and environmental science
03:15
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19:00
Railways: The Making of a Nation
S01E06
Documentary examining class divisions on trains
Liz McIvor presents a documentary examining class divisions on trains, with separate carriages for first, second and third class passengers. Over time, trains acted as a catalyst, with people travelling to regions and places for the first time, as well as changing the nation’s relationship with royalty and developing a stronger sense of shared identity and culture
19:30
Fred Dibnah’s Building of Britain
S01E01
Norman engineering techniques
Fred uncovers the construction techniques of stonemasons and carpenters through the ages, focusing on Norman cathedrals. The former steeplejack admires Peterborough Cathedral and Rochester Castle, where he demonstrates how tactics used to invade the fortress centuries ago resemble today’s demolition methods
20:00
A House Through Time
S03E02
David Olusoga traces the house’s fortunes in the 18th and 19th centuries
David Olusoga traces the house’s fortunes in the 18th and 19th centuries. He begins by investigating the death of owner Joseph Holbrook, and discovering why his daughter was written out of the will. A later resident of the home rises to become mayor in the 1830s, but had to find a way to prevent riots that had ravaged the city years earlier from occurring again. David also delves into the life of a servant who worked in the house in the 1870s, only to leave domestic servitude for an abusive marriage, and discovers how a successful teacher who later owned the house ended up committed to an asylum
21:00
Whoopi Goldberg: This Cultural Life
Whoopi Goldberg reveals the most important influences that shaped her career
Whoopi Goldberg talks to John Wilson about the influences that shaped her career, including her earliest experiences of acting with a children’s community project in New York, and being encouraged by her mother to make the most of free cultural opportunities in the city
21:30
The Color Purple
Drama, starring Whoopi Goldberg
1985 – Drama
Movie cast
A much-abused black woman is separated from her children and her sister, and doomed to a life of virtual slavery at the hands of her brutish new husband on an impoverished farm in rural Georgia. Steven Spielberg’s drama, based on Alice Walker’s novel, starring Whoopi Goldberg, Danny Glover, Oprah Winfrey, Margaret Avery and Willard E Pugh
23:55
Italy’s Invisible Cities
S01E02
Alexander Armstrong and Dr Michael Scott explore Venice
Alexander Armstrong and Dr Michael Scott explore the Italian city of Venice, using 3D technology to discover how a city built in a swamp came to be one of the most powerful locations in Medieval Europe. The pair dive deep into the many canals in this unique place to experience how its buildings still remain standing to this day, and highlight how Venice’s beauty once masked a ruthless secret state, and a world of excess and vice
00:55
Hans Zimmer: Hollywood Rebel
Profile of the acclaimed composer
Profile of the Oscar-winning composer responsible for some of the best-loved film and TV scores of the past few decades. Contributors include directors Christopher Nolan, Denis Villeneuve, and Steve McQueen. In this portrait, Zimmer reveals the musical secrets of his craft – how he goes about terrifying, moving and raising people’s spirits through his work
01:55
Railways: The Making of a Nation
S01E06
Documentary examining class divisions on trains
Liz McIvor presents a documentary examining class divisions on trains, with separate carriages for first, second and third class passengers. Over time, trains acted as a catalyst, with people travelling to regions and places for the first time, as well as changing the nation’s relationship with royalty and developing a stronger sense of shared identity and culture
02:25
Fred Dibnah’s Building of Britain
S01E01
Norman engineering techniques
Fred uncovers the construction techniques of stonemasons and carpenters through the ages, focusing on Norman cathedrals. The former steeplejack admires Peterborough Cathedral and Rochester Castle, where he demonstrates how tactics used to invade the fortress centuries ago resemble today’s demolition methods
02:55
A House Through Time
S03E02
David Olusoga traces the house’s fortunes in the 18th and 19th centuries
David Olusoga traces the house’s fortunes in the 18th and 19th centuries. He begins by investigating the death of owner Joseph Holbrook, and discovering why his daughter was written out of the will. A later resident of the home rises to become mayor in the 1830s, but had to find a way to prevent riots that had ravaged the city years earlier from occurring again. David also delves into the life of a servant who worked in the house in the 1870s, only to leave domestic servitude for an abusive marriage, and discovers how a successful teacher who later owned the house ended up committed to an asylum
03:55
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