BBC Week 21 Week Commencing 23/5/2015

Programme Information Television & Radio

BBC Northern Press Office

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THIS WEEK’S HIGHLIGHTS TELEVISION & RADIO / BBC WEEK 21

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SUNDAY 24 MAY

The Foodie BBC Radio Ulster

MONDAY 25 MAY

Michael Smiley: Something to Ride Home About  NEW BBC One

WEDNESDAY 27 MAY – FRIDAY 29 MAY

The Irish Open BBC One Northern Ireland & BBC Radio Ulster

Places of interest: Newcastle (The Irish Open); , Strangford, Killyleagh (Michael Smiley: Something To Ride Home About)

EDITORIAL 2015 / BBC WEEK 21 ______

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SUNDAY 24 MAY TELEVISION & RADIO HIGHLIGHTS / BBC WEEK 21 ______

The Foodie 3/6 Continues on Sunday 24 May BBC Radio Ulster, 12.30pm bbc.co.uk/radioulster

Keen cook and self-professed enthusiastic eater Kim Lenaghan continues to travel the length and breadth of Northern Ireland meeting people with a passion for food, on Sunday 24 May on BBC Radio Ulster at 12.30pm.

The Foodie follows Kim as she meets up with dedicated artisan producers and chefs creating culinary magic. The series considers how new trends in food production and an increasing interest in how we eat are influencing every aspect of the place where we live - putting pride back on our plates, enhancing the economy and making Northern Ireland a top destination for committed foodies from around the globe.

In the third programme in the six-part series Kim is in Belfast, a city now widely considered to be one of the top UK food destinations. Whilst there she meets up with the chef generally considered to have started our local restaurant revolution, Paul Rankin, and chats over the cream of today’s crop with Belfast Telegraph critic Joris Minne. Also on the menu is the decadent first class dinner served on board Titanic and being faithfully recreated in Rayanne House, a young chef Eddie Attwell who turns foraged food into fine dining, and a Belfast food tour that searches out the finest ‘Fifteen’ ever tasted.

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MONDAY 25 MAY TELEVISION & RADIO HIGHLIGHTS / BBC WEEK 21 ______

Michael Smiley: Something To Ride Home About  NEW Starts on Monday 25 May BBC One Northern Ireland, 10.40pm

Michael Smiley is back on his bike and in the saddle to meet the people and visit the places who share his liking for biking. It’s 50 percent comedy show. It’s 50 percent travel and talk show. But it’s a 100 percent bespoke cycle show.

The Holywood man, star of TV, comedy, film and stand up, left home for the bright lights of more than 30 years ago. But his first love is cycling and he’s back for a second series of Michael Smiley: Something to Ride Home About, starting on Monday, May 25 on BBC One Northern Ireland at 10.40pm.

Michael’s back with his trusty ‘bongo’ motorhome to help him chalk up the miles for a new three-part series. Once again he indulges his passion for cycling, peddling through some of Northern Ireland’s most stunning scenery. He’ll be meeting cycling legends, champions and a cycling dynasty as well as sharing humorous and poignant flashbacks connected to some of his old stomping grounds. In the first programme Michael meets a pedalling politician and puts Belfast’s new shared bike scheme to the Smiley test before stopping off at a new cycle start-up business that offers a personal touch to bike building.

Leaving the city, it’s off down the Strangford coast to Killyleagh to meet award-winning artist Deepa Man-Kler whose work is inspired by cycling. Michael talks to Deepa about some of her most famous works and she has a surprise for him that means no one can say that Michael’s no oil painting anymore. Next, it’s time to rest the legs and put the bike in the back of the ‘bongo’ again for the trip to picturesque Castle Ward as it’s the chance for Smiley to challenge record-breaking time-trailer and writer, Michael Hutchinson.

Presenter Michael Smiley said: “It’s a real pleasure to be able to share two things I love with viewers in this show. One, is coming back home. The second is cycling around this place and meeting some extraordinary and talented people who share my love of cycling. And what a year it’s been for cycling in Northern Ireland – the success of the Giro – I meet an ex-pro who was involved in its planning and we cycle up the stunning Antrim coast road.

“And we’ve the new bike scheme in Belfast - the Lord Mayor lets me swap my bike chain for her Chain of Office when we’re testing it out. Not to mention I come within a whisker of beating a time-trail champion at his own game. Well, I’ll let you make your own mind up about how close I was. And of course, I’m back with the ‘bongo’ – I love cycling but I need a little help from my four-wheeled friend now and again – we even make a couple of excursions across the border. But author Dervla Murphy didn’t need any such help when she cycled from Ireland to India in 1963. What a story and a real highlight to meet this wonderful woman. So saddle up for the new series – it’s great to be back.”

During the series, made for BBC Northern Ireland by independent production company, Green Inc, Michael takes viewers to one of Northern Ireland’s most photographed locations made famous on TV, and revisits his old school.

He’ll be rounding off the series by sharing some comedy moments and historic facts in Cookstown with fellow Kevin McAleer, taking part in a charity cycle from Strabane to Londonderry and putting his cycling prowess to the test by tackling a right-of-passage for cyclists - the fearsome Mamore Gap in Co Donegal - with a local legend.

The new series of Michael Smiley: Something to Ride Home About starts on Monday, May 25 on BBC One Northern Ireland at 10.40pm.

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WEDNESDAY 27 MAY TELEVISION & RADIO HIGHLIGHTS / BBC WEEK 21 ______

Irish Open Special Wednesday 27 May BBC Radio Ulster, 6.30pm

Joel Taggart presents a preview of this year's Irish Open. Hosted by the Rory McIlroy Foundation this year's event at Royal County Down boasts five of the world's top 20. We'll hear from the leading players in what promises to be a very special event, with sell-out crowds of 20,000 expected for all four days of competition.

MD

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THURSDAY 28 MAY TELEVISION & RADIO HIGHLIGHTS / BBC WEEK 21 ______

The Irish Open – Highlights Thursday 28 May BBC One NI, 10.45pm

As the Irish Open returns to Northern Ireland, BBC Sport NI will be there bringing golf fans highlights of all the action.

From Thursday 28 May to Sunday 31 May, Stephen Watson will present four hour-long programmes each night on BBC One NI packed full of that day’s golf from the Royal County Down, Newcastle. Local Major Champions Rory McIlroy, Graeme McDowell and Darren Clarke will be joined by a star studded field for the competition.

MD

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Irish Open Special Thursday 28 May BBC Radio Ulster, 6.30pm

BBC Sport NI will have coverage of the Irish Open from the Royal County Down on BBC Radio Ulster.

Joel Taggart reports live as the opening day draws to a close. He will be joined by local golf coach Johnny Foster and we'll hear from the players who have been making the headlines on day one.

MD

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FRIDAY 29 MAY TELEVISION & RADIO HIGHLIGHTS / BBC WEEK 21 ______

The Irish Open – Highlights Friday 29 May BBC One NI, 10.35pm

Highlights from day two as the world's best golfers compete for the title of Irish Open champion at the iconic Royal County Down. Northern Ireland's major stars, including World Number One Rory McIlroy, headline a star studded field.

MD

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Irish Open Special Friday 29 May BBC Radio Ulster, 6.30pm

Joel Taggart reports from Royal County Down on day two of the Irish Open as we hear which players make the cut ahead of the weekend. We will follow world number one Rory McIlroy and other golfing greats on their progress around the historic course.

MD

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