BBC WEEK 36, 3 - 9 September 2016 Programme Information, Television & Radio BBC Scotland Press Office BBC Media Centre (Scotland) BBC iPlayer (Scotland) BBC Scotland BBC Scotland on Facebook @BBCScotland on Twitter General / Carol Knight 0141 422 6381 Hilda McLean 0141 422 6377 Jim Gough 0141 422 6376 Julie Whiteside 0141 422 6378 BBC Alba 0141 220 6040 THIS WEEK’S HIGHLIGHTS TELEVISION & RADIO / BBC WEEK 36 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ SUNDAY 4 SEPTEMBER A Very British Deterrent NEW BBC Two MONDAY 5 SEPTEMBER Grand Tours of the Scottish Islands NEW BBC One Scotland Programme NEW Channel TUESDAY 6 SEPTEMBER River City TV HIGHLIGHT BBC One Scotland _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Viewers outside Scotland can access BBC One Scotland on Sky 141 (HD) & 951, Freesat 108 (HD) & 960, Virgin Media 108 (HD) & 862. BBC Two Scotland can be viewed on Sky 142 (HD) & 970, Freesat 970. BBC ALBA is on Sky 143, Freesat 110, Virgin Media 188, Freeview 8 (Scotland only). BBC Radio Scotland can be accessed on Sky 0116, Freesat 712, Freeview 719 (Scotland only). BBC One Scotland, BBC Two Scotland and BBC ALBA are also available on the BBC iPlayer bbc.co.uk/iplayer & BBC Radio Scotland on bbc.co.uk/radioscotland EDITORIAL 2016 / BBC WEEK 36 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ GRAND TOURS OF THE SCOTTISH ISLANDS Starts Monday 5 September on BBC One Scotland at 7.30pm Paul Murton continues his island odyssey in this fourth series of the Grand Tours of the Scottish Islands, exploring the remote and fascinating places which scatter our coastline, and meeting the people who call these islands home. Over the six week filming period in the spring and summer, the production crew from Timeline Films was blessed by catching just about every good day going and the results are evident on screen. Virtually every shot of the series is bathed in beautiful Scottish sunlight, which is just as well because the team went to some extremely remote and weather dependent island destinations, many of which have no ferry or other connections to the mainland or larger isles. Their foray for series Four ranged from North Rona (even more remote than St Kilda), Heisgeir in the West, and north to the far flung parts of Shetland. Says Paul: “You certainly need good sea legs getting to some of these islands. Although the weather was usually clear, the crossings were rough enough to make members of the film crew green around the gills and feeling pretty sick. “This series has a really adventurous feel about it because of the destinations I’d chosen. Many of them are remote – some uninhabited; but all of them have an amazing story of human settlement to tell. “It never ceases to amaze me that even the most isolated and hard-to-reach islands were once home to thriving communities – and had been settled for thousands of years. Yet, despite all the conveniences of modern transport in the 21st century, many are now abandoned. “The islands are exquisitely beautiful, but there is so often a melancholy about the ruins that is powerfully evocative, communicating a powerful sense of the people who lived there. I hope viewers get a sense of that atmosphere and enjoy the windswept vistas and the stories behind the ruins.” PROGRAMME 1 - From Berneray to Pabbay: The Riddle of the Sands On his first Grand Tour of the new series Paul explores a cluster of Islands in the Outer Hebrides. His journey begins on Berneray, just off the North Uist, where none other than Prince Charles had a stint as a crofter. From there he heads off on a boat with several dozen sheep – with the high sea drama of lamb overboard - to their summer grazing grounds on a nearby island. His journey then takes him south to capture the colours of Grimsay, and then weaves through the marram grass of Kirkibost, to end on the deserted whisky island of Pabbay. PROGRAMME 2 - Bridging the Gap: Scarp, Great Bernera, and Scalpay This Grand Tour takes Paul around the coast of the “Long Island” of Harris and Lewis, beginning on Scarp, travelling north to Great Bernera, then south east to Scalpay. Scarp was finally abandoned in the 1970s because it had no bridge or ferry service. It was here in the 1930s that the famous but failed rocket post was demonstrated as a novel way to connect the island to the rest of the world. Crossing the bridge to Great Bernera Paul discover the secrets of prehistoric life in an Iron Age House. On Scalpay, he waulks the tweed and meets weaver Sheila Roderick who uses traditional techniques – albeit with linen rather than wool – to create cloth for costumes for movies ranging from The Hobbit to Pirates of the Caribbean. PROGRAMME 3 - Against the Odds: Papa Stour, Whalsay and Out Skerries In this programme Paul explores the island outposts of Shetland; Papa Stour, Whalsay and Out Skerries, encountering new born lambs, ancient ruins, traditional Shetland sword dancing, before sailing on a £30 million Pelagic Trawler to Out Skerries Paul’s journey reveals a bittersweet story of islands where life seems to continue against the odds, in the face of declining populations and the challenges that come with being so remote. But on all of the three islands Paul discovers that they have their own voice, made proud and distinctive by the determination of the islanders to keep their communities alive. PROGRAMME 4 - Northern Skye: A Land of giants and fairies In this episode Paul heads to the northernmost spur of Skye; the stunningly beautiful Trotternish Penninsula, which has a distinct identity of its own – almost as if it were an island within an island. Here, the dramatic landscape of lava-twisted rocks is punctuated by bizarre rock pinnacles and stunning waterfalls. Paul begins his adventure at one of the star attractions of this part of the island: The Old Man of Stor. Later. His journey takes him on journey into the geological past, following in the footsteps of the dinosaurs who once walked this land, through the enchanted fairy glen and out to the seldom visited Fladda Chuain islands. PROGRAMME 5 - From Flotta to Sanday: War and Peace in the North On this journey Paul crosses the great natural harbour of Scapa Flow to the island of Flotta, before heading round the main Island of Orkney to Stronsay, and from there travelling north to the stunning beaches of Sanday. Here he visits a but-and-ben, renovated by a local couple, Jim and Rona Towrie, to commemorate their crofting heritage. Along the way Paul also discovers stories of World War One, a mysterious sea monster, and Orkney Selkies. PROGRAMME 6 - Off the Map: North Rona & the Monach Islands In the final episode of the series Paul embarks on his most difficult island Grand Tour to date. Every destination has been long abandoned by people; there are no ferries, no piers or proper landing stages at these islands making it quite a challenge. Paul travels 10 miles west of the Uists to the once inhabited island of Heisgeir, accompanied by Gaelic singer Julie Fowlis – whose great great grandmother was born on a croft there. With them on the boat over is Angus Moy MacDonald, whose family were the last of the original population to leave in the 1940s, and accordionist Padruig Morrison whose grandfather tried to resettle the island after it was abandoned. Paul then sails around the gannet city of Sula Sgeir, where men from Lewis make an annual boat trip to hunt guga – or young gannets. From the lonely sentinel of Sula Sgeir, it’s another 14 miles to North Rona. Paul is now 45 miles from the tip of Lewis and far out in the North Atlantic, well beyond the sight of land. When it was inhabited, North Rona was the remotest island community in Europe – a fitting place to end a Grand Tour of Scotland’s forgotten islands. HM _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ CBBC is Topclass A new UK-wide search for Britain’s smartest school with host Susan Calman. Comedian Susan Calman is to host a brand new show which will search for Britain’s smartest school. To be shown on CBBC in September, Top Class is a fast-paced, competitive knock-out series which pits schools from the length and breadth of the U.K against each other as they answer questions designed to test them to their limits. The 15x28’ series will feature 16 schools and show by show, they will be whittled down until just one remains to be crowned the smartest school in Britain. In each programme two teams of students will compete against each other in a series of challenging and fun rounds which will cover a wide range of subjects. Kids will have an opportunity to impress during their pet subject round whilst teachers will be in the hot seat during a pop culture round. At the end of each show, one school will be eliminated from the competition whilst the other will progress to the next round. Susan Calman said: “I had so much fun testing these fabulously talented kids; they constantly amazed me with their determination, competitiveness and all-round cleverness! I learned more from them than they did from me!" Cheryl Taylor, Controller of CBBC said: “I’m proud that CBBC is hosting this fantastic opportunity for schools to showcase their intellectual talents. All the competitors did themselves proud and Susan Calman brings her usual comedic genius to this tough tournament.” Notes to editors Top Class has been commissioned by Cheryl Taylor, Controller of CBBC and is an ITV Studios production. The Executive Producer for BBC is Melissa Hardinge and Simon Marsh for ITV Studios.