Programme Information

Horrible Histories Ep 1/13

Thursday 16 April

4.35-5.05pm BBC ONE (Schedule Addition 27 March)

• Feature

Jim Howick as Ugg

Some of the UK's top comedy talent join forces to introduce children to gruesome events and ghastly characters from British and international history. Sarah Hadland, Steve Punt and Meera Syal are among those bringing to life strange facts, rotten rulers, gory battles, crazy inventions and weird and wonderful moments from the past, in this new series based on the books written by Terry Deary and illustrated by Martin Brown.

Starting out in the Savage Stone Age, Horrible Histories progresses through the Awful Egyptians, Rotten Romans, Vicious Vikings, Measly Middle Ages, Terrible Tudors, Gorgeous Georgians and Vile Victorians, right up to the Second World War. Each episode features a mixture of sketches from different ages, played by the talented ensemble cast, and commentary comes from the show's host – Rattus Rattus, the talking rat.

Horrible Histories romps through the ages and features a mixture of sketches, cartoons and quizzes – including pastiches of some familiar adverts and television formats, such as Historical Wife Swap, Historical Hospital and Ready Steady Feast.

Author Terry Deary also pops up throughout the series in some cameo roles, including a Roman Emperor and a grave robber.

In today's opener, a pirate captain worries about early bedtime, a soldier from the First World War struggles to cook with fake food and the four King Georges form a boy band and sing Born To Rule – a musical journey through 18th-century British History, sung in the style of a Westlife ballad.

Horrible Histories boasts some of Britain's finest comedy talent including writers Steve Punt, Jon Holmes and Giles Pilbrow and actors Meera Syal, Sarah Hadland, Jim Howick, Simon Farnaby and Ben Ward. John Ecclestone is the puppeteer for Rattus Rattus.

VT

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Shirley accuses Phil of drinking again, which he adamantly denies, in the penultimate visit of the week to Walford.

After her argument with Abi, meanwhile, Tanya comforts an upset Lauren.

Elsewhere, Libby pesters Chelsea and says that Patrick ought to see Tommy again, but Chelsea warns her sister about interfering in Patrick's business.

Shirley is played by Linda Henry, Phil by Steve McFadden, Abi by Lorna Fitzgerald, Tanya by Jo Joyner, Lauren by Madeleine Duggan, Libby by Belinda Owusu, Chelsea by Tiana Benjamin, Patrick by Rudolph Walker and Tommy by Edward Woodward.

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Susan's old university friend, Margot, visits for some support during her divorce, as the series about the dysfunctional Harper family continues. Ben is surprised when Margot reveals how good Susan was at picking men up in her youth and is horrified to find out their sons, Nick and Michael, were named after two of her many ex-boyfriends.

Meanwhile, Janey attempts to lift Roger's spirits by assuring him women find him attractive – especially her fictitious Swedish friend, Elke. When Roger learns Swedish and decides he wants to meet Elke, Janey is forced to let him down by faking a phone call from Elke saying she's moved back to Sweden. All she has to do is persuade someone to be Elke.

Elsewhere, Margot finds out her husband has a date and decides she needs a man to make him jealous. Susan and Ben volunteer to help her, but end up distracted by a wager they have between themselves. Susan is confident she can pick up more phone numbers than Ben and, in no time, she's surrounded by men – whilst Ben struggles to get women to take any notice of him.

Margot has no more luck than Ben, so Susan very kindly loans him to her for the evening as a substitute date. When the date goes to plan and Margot's husband leaves the restaurant looking miserable, the pair celebrate with another bottle of wine. But, the following morning, it seems it may have been one bottle too many as Ben wakes up in a very sticky situation.

Susan is played by Zoë Wanamaker, Margot by Belinda Lang, Janey by Daniela Denby-Ashe, Roger by Keiron Self and Ben by Robert Lindsay.

MB3

Daniels and McNulty turn to a higher authority in an effort to continue the case, as one of television's most critically acclaimed series, The Wire, concludes.

Brianna Barksdale joins her brother in their new headquarters, while Freamon and Bunk try to trace a crucial call. Elsewhere, Pearlman and McNulty celebrate a break in the case as those caught up work out plea bargains, and D'Angelo envisions a life outside the drug culture.

The ensemble cast of The Wires includes: Dominic West, Lance Reddick, Idris Elba, Clarke Peters, Wendell Pierce, Domenick Lombardozzi, Andre Royo, Sonya Sohn, Michael K Williams and Wood Harris.

RN

My Life As An Animal

Thursday 16 April

9.00-10.00pm BBC THREE

Richard Da Costa

Eight intrepid volunteers take part in an innovative and bold experiment, in this new series. To try and learn more about animals, they sleep, eat and endeavour to communicate with horses, dogs, pigs, penguins and seals. By getting back to basics, the experiment also hopes to help the participants learn something about their own lives as well as the animals.

The volunteers closely observe the animals, using this to carefully inform their own behaviour. Among other animal activities, they try to gain a place within the strict hierarchy of the thoroughbred stallions, win the trust of a pack of foxhounds and learn more about pigs and their piglets.

In today's opener, entrepreneur and actor Richard Da Costa and BBC Radio 5 Live's travel and news reporter, Lynsey Horn, take part in a unique television experience as they volunteer to live their lives as pigs for four days. Leaving their homes and luxuries behind, Richard and Lynsey immerse themselves in the pigs' environment by sleeping with them, eating their food and even learning to speak like the animals. By the end of the programme, the real-life "Dr Dolittles" – and viewers – will have learned first-hand about a pig's life in Britain today.

While Richard lives in an indoor pig sty with 10 other pigs as part of an intensive pig farming operation, Lynsey moves into a field that houses 63 organically reared pigs. The pair learn about the lifecycle of the animals, with a lesson in artificial insemination and a visit to an abattoir. Pig expert Katy Mason teaches them how to grunt in order to communicate effectively with their fellow pigs and wildlife expert Terry Nutkins devises challenges to help them become accepted as pigs, by the pigs.

Will it be a pig's life for Richard and Lynsey or will they be trotting back home at the first hurdle?

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Aardman's loveable lamb Timmy

From the much-loved and critically acclaimed makers of Shaun The Sheep, Timmy Time, starring the "only lamb in the flock", continues.

Timmy is having a blue day today and collects all the blue toys, blue cushions and blue paint. But, when it comes to painting a picture, he quickly discovers he's going to need more than just one colour.

Only on CBeebies, Timmy Time is Aardman's first pre-school series, specially created for two- to five-year-olds. It combines the studio's world-class "stop motion" style with the colourful simplicity of classic pre-school animation. Timmy's nursery world is stylised, bright and colourful and the stories are presented with charm, humour and bags of fun.

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