Off-Air Recordings for Week 20th October to 26th October

20/10/2012

Maid in Britain

BBC 2, 7.30pm 8.30pm

A look at how domestic servants have been portrayed on television, from The Forsyte Saga in the 60s to Downton Abbey and Upstairs, Downstairs today. Why are butlers, cooks and nannies such staples of television drama long after their real-life roles have declined? Are these shows socially relevant or mere escapism, and how accurately does television reflect the experiences of real-life servants? Featuring archive from Brideshead Revisited, Jeeves and Wooster and The Duchess of Duke Street, contributors include Julian Fellowes (Downton Abbey), Jean Marsh (Upstairs, Downstairs), Susan Hampshire (The Forsyte Saga) and Wendy Craig (Nanny).


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21/10/2012

How Britain Worked (1/6)

Channel 4, 8.00pm 9.00pm

Guy Martin celebrates the workers of the Industrial Revolution by getting stuck into six of the country's biggest restoration projects, bringing some of the 19th century's most impressive engineering achievements back to life.



You've Been Trumped!
BBC 2 10.00pm 11.30pm

Anthony Baxter's film on the David and Goliath-style conflict between a group of proud Scottish homeowners and American tycoon Donald Trump, as he gets set to build a huge golf resort on an environmentally protected site in Aberdeenshire.

Baxter follows the local residents as they make their last stand in the face of security harassments, legal threats and the loss of their water and electricity supplies. Baxter himself becomes international news after being thrown in jail following an interview with Mr Trump's green keeper. Told entirely without narration, the film captures the cultural chasm between the glamorous, jet-setting and media-savvy Donald Trump and a deeply rooted Scottish community. For the tycoon, the golf course is just another deal, with a possible billion dollar payoff. For the residents, it represents the destruction of a globally unique landscape that has been the backdrop for their lives.


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22/10/2012

Monty Python's Fliegender Zirkus!

Radio 4, 4.00pm 4.30pm

Roll up, it's Monty Python's Fliegender Zirkus! This is the extraordinary tale of when the Pythons went Bavarian.

German Comedy Ambassador, Henning Wehn, tells the story of how in 1971 the Pythons were flown into Bavaria, full of new original ideas for sketches, including pieces about the German artist Albrecht Durer, William Tell and The Merchant of Venice. They also adapted the popular Flying Circus Lumberjack Song into German and planned to sing it with the Austria Border Police Choir.




Do You Know Your Partner's Past?

Channel 4, 8.00pm 8.30pm

Earlier this year Tina Nash's boyfriend was jailed for life after gouging her eyes out.

In this film, with exclusive access to the police, Tina investigates 'Clare's Law', a new controversial pilot scheme in which men and women are warned by the authorities about their partners' history of violence.

Tina wants to know if it will make a difference for other victims of domestic abuse.

She meets supporters and opponents to find out whether it is an effective way of pre-empting domestic violence or simply an invasion of privacy.

You can take part in a live chat with Tina Nash after the programme on October 22nd. You can send your question in then or join the conversation on Twitter using the hash tag #DomesticViolence.

You can follow Tina on Twitter at @Tina_Nash_




Gambling Nation: Panorama

BBC 1, 8.30pm 9.00pm

Even in recession-hit Britain, the gambling industry is still making a profit - £5.6 billion last year. With casino-style gambling now available day or night at the touch of a button in our homes and on our phones, Panorama explores its popularity... and reveals a darker side.
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23/10/2012

Law in Action (2/4)

Radio 4, 4.00pm 4.30pm

The plans of Kenneth Clarke, the Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary, for changes to sentencing in England and Wales have already proved highly controversial. But how are they likely to work in practice and what are their effects going to be?

Golden Oldies

BBC 1, 10.35pm 11.35pm

This affectionate insight into being old today sees three Golden Oldies pass on their astute and humorous insights on becoming old and poor, and the stark choices they now face in their twilight years. Full of wisdom, independent spirit and hard-earned perspective, their stories make you ask, 'Could this happen to me?'

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24/10/2012

Sam Mendes: Licence to Thrill - a Culture Show Special

BBC 2, 10.00pm 10.30pm

Mark Kermode talks to director Sam Mendes about his latest film, Skyfall - the 23rd outing of the James Bond series. Featuring contributions from Skyfall stars Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem and Dame Judi Dench, this Culture Show Special also reflects on Mendes' prolific career in both film and theatre. From directing Dench in the West End at just 24 years of age, to sweeping the board at the Oscars with his debut movie American Beauty, Mendes has always done things his way. Celebrated for his visual elegance and ability to coax great performances from his actors, the director reveals why he wanted to take on Bond and what surprises lie in store for Skyfall audiences around the world.



Getting On (2/6)

BBC 4, 10.00pm 10.30pm

Another shift, another shuttle bus to miss. The appearance of Dr Kersley and his commissioning consortia plans hints at the changes ahead for K2. Den enjoys her new-found treats, nice Damaris has her feet firmly under the desk, Kim makes a bold career move and Pippa deals with a pressing legal issue. Vag-At research under way, Dr Moore has plenty to take her mind off marital disharmony until a nasty online surprise brings her crashing back down to ground. But it's her cafetiere, brought in from home, that steals the show courtesy of Doris and a mix-up with the dementia care assistant.

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25/10/2012


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26/10/2012

Universities Challenged

Radio 4, 11.00am 11.30am

The Coalition insists their reforms to the English university system will create a healthy marketplace where universities have to compete to fill their places and students become consumers shopping around for value for money, and driving up quality. But - as the Secretary of State responsible for universities, Business Secretary Vince Cable, tells this programme - that part of the reforms is "experimental".

So how is the experiment working out ?

For more than a year, Radio 4 has been given inside access to the University of Bedfordshire as it, along with every other university in England, tries to recruit as many students as it can, setting fees as high as it dares.