Programme Information

Pregnant Heather writes a letter to her baby's father but hesitates over whether or not to send it, in the first visit of the week to Albert Square.

Jack gives Roxy a bracelet for Amy, who is touched by the engraving.

Meanwhile, Billy receives a birthday card with a sentence inside that says: "You let Jay's dad die". Who could have sent it?

Heather is played by Cheryl Fergison, Jack by Scott Maslen, Roxy by Rita Simons and Billy by Perry Fenwick.

KS3

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Gene Hunt (Philip Glenister, right) and his team played by (from left) Marshall Lancaster, Keeley Hawes and Dean Andrews are on the trail of animal-rights activists in Ashes to Ashes

A group of animal-rights activists has threatened a series of assaults on London, and a petrol bomb attack leaves the 10-year-old daughter of a commercial lab owner critically ill in hospital, as the time-travelling police drama set in the Eighties continues.

DCI Gene Hunt is outraged at the maiming of an innocent child and gives DI Alex Drake and the team strict orders not to sleep until the culprits have been brought to justice.

Gene and Alex's first stop is a prison where known animal-rights campaigner, Robin Elliot, is serving time for killing a scientist. Robin is extremely weak from a hunger strike and, although he has had no contact with the outside world for 10 years, Alex is convinced he knows about the planned attacks. His seemingly incoherent ramblings also shock Alex when she realises that he may know about her situation and be able to help her get back to her own time.

Realising they are short on leads, the team trawl through Robin's past and visit his old lodger, Jeremy, now a respectable psychoanalyst. Jeremy agrees to help with the investigation as the team race against time to find out where the next attack will take place.

Meanwhile, Gene is drawn deeper into the web of corruption weaving its way through the force. He and right hand men, DS Ray Carling and DC Chris Skelton, are shocked when Supermac threatens to relocate Gene to Plymouth. Gene is fighting for his career, Alex is fighting for her life, could it be they're both fighting losing battles?

DCI Gene Hunt is played by Philip Glenister, DI Alex Drake by Keeley Hawes, Robin Elliot by David Bradley, Jeremy by Rory Kinnear, DS Ray Carling by Dean Andrews, DS Chris Skelton by Marshall Lancaster and Supermac by Roger Allam.

PPR

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Omid Djalili, "the man who strikes terror into the hearts of the owners of all-you-can-eat buffets", continues to bring to life a cornucopia of colourful characters while taking a uniquely grown-up look at contemporary issues such as race, religion and football in The Omid Djalili Show.

In tonight's episode, Omid's characters include the hapless water cooler delivery man who has inadvertently become an adviser to MI6 and been dispatched to the Afghan/Pakistan border to infiltrate a Taliban stronghold; and a punctuation expert who promotes the valuable work being done by the charity Apostrophes For Africa. "These people have been suffering terribly without adequate grammatical facilities," she says.

Omid also dons a cherry-red wig and false eyelashes to step into the velour leisure suit of feisty and flatulent Wag Lambrusco and gives viewers a peek into the excessive world of Darts Players' Wives.

Street fighter Steve "The Dragon" Thompson returns with some tips on how to lead a greener life, including using a baseball bat made of sustainable wood and using bio fuel in petrol bombs, and Look Eastwards' Gordon Farahani is on hand to promote some more television gold from the Middle East, including Seven Brides For One Brother and The Arabvision Song Contest presented by Tel Aviv Wogan.

Straightforward stand-up is also on the agenda as Omid's comedy musings take in recycling, Gordon Brown's schooldays and drug testing in sport.

FW

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Gabby Logan presents the latest edition of the sports magazine show which includes features and in-depth interviews.

On the show tonight, former England batsman-turned-pundit Geoffrey Boycott joins Gabby in the studio to discuss all the latest cricket news including his thoughts on England's forthcoming Test series against the West Indies.

NA

Last year's Welsh champion Stephen Terry from The Hardwick in Abergavenny defends his title against young contender James Sommerin from The Crown at Whitebrook in Monmouth, as the culinary challenge continues.

James, a native Welshman, is currently the only Michelin-starred chef in Wales and comes to the competition determined to beat Stephen. To do this, he plans a poached chicken starter with pea ravioli and Caws Mynydd Du cheese. His fish course, shown in Tuesday's programme, is smoked eel with pigs' trotters and creamed cauliflower, maple and sherry vinegar. On Wednesday's show he prepares a main course of loin of wild rabbit, asparagus and mushroom mousse and smoked butternut squash. Dessert, featured on Thursday, is summer pudding, local honey and lavender.

But Stephen is used to the taste of success and proud of his adopted homeland. He took his fish dish (organic salmon and smoked salmon with crab fritters and cockle "popcorn") all the way to the banquet at the Gherkin in last year's Great British Menu. This year, he won't give up his title without a fight and begins with a starter of Welsh rarebit. On Tuesday he follows that with sea bass with cockles, bacon and laver bread. His main course on the Wednesday show is Pen-y-Wyrlod lamb with Umble Pie. He concludes his defence of the title with a dessert of strawberries with jelly and ice cream.

Welsh pride is at stake, as two very different chefs battle it out in a fierce week of creative cooking.

CI2

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The Wire Eps 1-3/12

Monday 4 to Wednesday 6 May

11.20pm-12.20am BBC TWO (Schedule Addition 22 April)

Detective Jimmy McNulty – exiled to police boat – finds the body of a woman floating in the Baltimore Harbour, as the second series of the American crime drama, which can be seen from Monday to Wednesday, begins. Bodie drives to Philly to make a connection for the Barksdale crew and Stringer Bell takes the train to New York to feel out the crew's reticent suppliers. Major Valchek looks like a fool when his generous gift to a heavy Polish-American Catholic parish is trumped by Frank Sobotka – a rival in the local stevedores union.

On the waterfront, a shipping container destined for "The Greek" languishes in the sun with perishable cargo...

In Tuesday night's episode, Collateral Damage, Major Valchek gets back at Sobotka for the church gift fiasco and a feud begins. Valchek ups the ante by asking Deputy Commissioner Burrell for a detail to go after Sobotka. Avon Barksdale continues to run his empire from a prison cell, counselling his nephew, D'Angelo, and going after a guard who is harassing the organisation's convicted hit-man, Wee-Bey.

On the waterfront, port police officer Beatrice Russell gets stuck investigating the contraband found in The Greek's container. McNulty lends a hand with the investigation, albeit for vindictive reasons. Ultimately, Detectives Bunk Moreland and Lester Freamon are assigned to help Russell investigate the deaths.

In Wednesday night's episode, Hot Shots, Bunk and Freamon chase their crime scene, a container ship, to Philly, where none of the crew speaks English. Lt Cedric Daniels – disgusted with his exile to the evidence control unit – lets it be known he's going to leave the department.

On orders from Barksdale, Bell finds a way to set-up the correctional officer, Tilghman, who's been harassing Wee-Bey. McNulty pursues the identity of the Jane Doe found floating in the harbour. A pair of young longshoremen – Frank Sobotka's son, Ziggy, and his nephew, Nick – heist a container of digital cameras and sell them to men working for The Greek. After an ominous visit from his Uncle Avon Barksdale, D'Angelo agrees to stop getting high in prison, a wise move in more ways than one...

The cast for The Wire includes: Dominic West (McNulty), Sonja Sohn (Greggs), Lance Reddick (Daniels), Wendell Pierce (Bunk), Wood Harris (Barksdale), Idris Elba (Bell), Deirdre Lovejoy (Pearlman), Clarke Peters (Freamon), Domenick Lombardozzi (Herc), Seth Gilliam (Carver), Jim True-Frost (Prez), JD Williams (Bodie), John Doman (Rawls), Larry Gilliard Jr (D'Angelo), Frankie R Faison (Burrell), Andre Royo (Bubbles), Michael K Williams (Omar), Robert F Colesberry (Cole), Chris Bauer (Sobotka), Paul Ben-Victor (Vondas), James Ransone (Ziggy), Amy Ryan (Russell), Pablo Schreiber (Nick), Bill Raymond (The Greek) and Ted Feldman (Double-G).

RN

POETRY SEASON
A Poet's Guide To Britain

Bank Holiday Monday 4 May

8.30-9.00pm BBC FOUR

• www.bbc.co.uk/poetryseason
  Website available closer to date of transmission

Poet and author Owen Sheers presents this enlightening series, in which he explores six great works of poetry set in the British landscape.

The poems by William Wordsworth, Matthew Arnold, Lynette Roberts, Sylvia Plath, Louis MacNeice and George Mackay Brown explore a sense of place and identity across Britain and open doors to captivating stories about the poems, the places and the lives of the poets themselves.

Owen begins by examining William Wordsworth's Upon Westminster Bridge. In writing its opening line: "Earth has not anything to show more fair", Wordsworth was not referring to a mountain or lake but celebrating the beauty of London at dawn on 31 July 1802. But how did this famously nature-loving poet come to praise the city so enthusiastically?

The sonnet describes the morning that Wordsworth journeyed through London to Calais to visit his former French lover, Annette Vallon, and his illegitimate child, Caroline, whom he had never seen. Wordsworth met Annette during the French Revolution, but 10 years of war had kept them apart. This trip to tie-up the loose ends of his youth would leave him free to marry his beloved Mary, waiting for him back in the Lake District. The poem marks both this crucial moment in his life and a fascinating moment in the history of English poetry.

Tracing the poet's journey from Grasmere to Calais and home again, Owen explores Wordsworth's history and reveals the exquisite craftsmanship and relevance of his sonnet today.

He also discusses Wordsworth with Simon Armitage, who reads his own city poem, A Vision.

A Poet's Guide To Britain is part of the BBC's Poetry Season on television, radio and online at bbc.co.uk/poetryseason.

KA

Marking the 30th anniversary of the 1979 General Election, BBC Parliament offers viewers the chance to relive the historic moment when Margaret Thatcher swept into power.

The 1974-1979 Parliament had been packed with incident. All the main parties had changed leader, the UK had voted to remain in the Common Market in a referendum and the country had undergone a series of economic crises and the notorious Winter Of Discontent (1978-1979).

The election itself got under way in extraordinary conditions. After the results of two devolution referendums in Scotland and Wales went against James Callaghan's minority Labour Government, the nationalists withdrew their support. They tabled a confidence motion in Parliament, which the Government lost by a single vote.

The election was called in circumstances far from favourable for Labour. Strikes over pay by unions such as the National Union Of Public Employees caused public outrage and enraged headlines. With unemployment at well over one million, inflation – and the Tories' poll lead – were in double figures.

The campaign itself was conducted mostly for television, with Margaret Thatcher proving skilled in managing photo opportunities. The Conservatives heavily outspent Labour, with much of the money paying for the services of the advertising agency Saatchi And Saatchi.

Although Jim Callaghan had a greater personal popularity rating than Thatcher, Labour could feel the election slipping away, with strikes from printers and teachers continuing throughout the campaign.

David Dimbleby presents the BBC's 15-hour Decision 79 election results programme from Thursday 3 May 1979, with analysis by David Butler and Robert McKenzie (aided by his trusty swingometer); interviews by Robin Day with leading political figures and commentators; and an hourly results round-up with Angela Rippon.

Joining Sue Lawley to give a lighter view of the election for Decision 79 Breakfast Special are humourist Glyn Worsnip, songwriter Richard Stilgoe, cartoonist Richard Cole and impressionist Janet Brown.

Robin Day's interviewees include Chancellor Of The Exchequer Denis Healey, Shadow Chancellor Geoffrey Howe, Home Secretary Merlyn Rees, Sunday Telegraph editor Peregrine Worsthorne; and columnists Peter Jenkins, Anthony Howard and Paul Johnson.

PR

Timmy, Mittens and friends have fun playing trains

Timmy and his classmates are playing trains, as Aardman's first pre-school animation series continues, but both he and Mittens want to be the leader.

By trying to outdo each other with increasingly impressive train costumes, they attempt to win the admiration of their pals, but soon realise that it's no good being the best-looking train if there aren't any passengers left to play with them.

Only on CBeebies, Timmy Time combines the Aardman studio's world class "stop-motion" style with the colourful simplicity of classic pre-school animation, presented with charm, humour and bags of fun.

FW