Introduction - Comedy
warms up summer on Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ TWO
Comedy headlines the spring/summer season on Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ TWO, with some hot
new shows from some of television's top comedic talent.
Combined with fresh approaches to factual subjects and ambitious landmark
series, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ TWO promises a schedule that's full of warmth, energy and
impact.
Says Roly Keating, Controller of Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ TWO: "This spring, we'll
be turning up the temperature on Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ TWO with some great new comedy
from some of Britain's best comic talent.
"Ricky Gervais returns to Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ TWO for Extras,
the eagerly awaited follow-up to The Office; rising star, Catherine
Tate, is back for a second series of The
Catherine Tate Show; and there's a welcome return to Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ TWO
for the fabulous Joanna Lumley in Sensitive
Skin.
"In Factual we'll be taking refreshing new approaches to traditionally
less accessible subjects, like religion in The
Monastery, an experiment to discover if age-old values can
still talk to a new generation, and politics in How
To Start Your Own Country, one man's quest to start his own
country.
"There will also be plenty of the depth and scale that viewers
expect from Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ TWO landmark series. Drama takes to the high seas for
an epic adaptation of Golding's To The Ends
Of The Earth, Coast takes an ambitious journey around the entire
coastline of Britain and Northern Ireland, Soul
Deep takes a fresh perspective on the evolution of soul music,
and The Strange Case Of Sherlock Holmes & Arthur Conan Doyle uses drama to explore the tortured relationship
of the author and his famous subject."
Comedy talent
Extras is the hotly-anticipated
new comedy series from the creators of The Office, Ricky Gervais
and Stephen Merchant.
Ricky plays Andy Millman who, having given up his day job to be an
actor, finds he just can't land the big parts.
In fact, he rarely gets a speaking role so spends most of his days
stuck in a green room with other extras, envying the A-list stars, with
his fellow actor, Maggie Jacobs (Ashley Jenson).
Each week Extras has a different setting and cameo appearances from
guest artists including Samuel L Jackson, Kate
Winslet, Ben Stiller, Ross Kemp,
Vinnie Jones and Les Dennis.
Stephen Merchant plays Andy's agent.
Fresh from winning Best Newcomer at this year's British Comedy Awards,
Catherine Tate returns with a second series of her
critically acclaimed comedy sketch show.
The Catherine Tate Show sees the
return of some old favourites and the introduction of some brilliant
new characters too.
Joanna Lumley and Denis Lawson star
in Sensitive Skin, a dark comedy
that looks at life through the eyes of a successful couple living in
metropolitan London.
Al and Davina Jackson struggle with sexual temptation, professional
jealously and their fear of the future.
Fresh approaches
Danny Wallace created a stir with his Random Acts of Kindness collective,
where he managed to get thousands of people to join in random acts of
spontaneous kindness.
Now he is aiming bigger - he wants to start his own country. How
To Start Your Own Country follows the intrepid Wallace on his
unlikely odyssey.
The Monastery is an experiment
to discover if age-old values can still talk to a new generation.
Over 40 days and 40 nights five laymen take a remarkable spiritual
journey in a Benedictine monastery.
Will the lessons they learn have the power to transform their everyday
lives?
Scale and ambition
To The Ends Of The Earth is an
intimate journey on an epic scale.
William Golding's classic sea trilogy details the rites of passage
of a young English aristocrat (Benedict Cumberbatch)
as he makes a voyage to Australia in the early 19th century.
Continuing the sea-faring theme, the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ is an official Sea Britain
partner and this summer Coast, a
major new documentary series, takes an epic journey around the UK's
coastline in a unique celebration of our maritime history and our coastal
communities.
Elusive Peace: Israel And The Arabs
brings Norma Percy's award-winning The Fifty Years War: Israel And The
Arabs (1998) right up to date.
With remarkable access to the key players on both sides, three one-hour
films follow the last eight years in the fraught history of the Arab-Israeli
peace process.
Arts and culture
From the makers of Lost Highway, Soul Deep
is the definitive story of soul music.
Conductor Charles Hazlewood presents a major drama-documentary
about the life and genius of Beethoven
starring Paul Rhys as the great composer and with music
performed by a specially created period orchestra.
The series is accompanied by Beethoven Uncovered
on Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ FOUR and a week of programmes dedicated purely to the works of
the great composer on Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 3.
From great composers to great novelists, Douglas Henshall
stars in a feature-length drama about Arthur Conan Doyle's tortured
relationship with his famous fictional creation in The
Strange Case Of Sherlock Holmes & Arthur Conan Doyle.
Other highlights
This spring Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ TWO will also be kicking the schedule into shape with
a great sporting first.
As England plays host to the Women's European
Football Championships 2005, the channel has comprehensive
coverage - a first for terrestrial television.
Storyville stays at the leading edge of documentaries with a new series
of features fresh from the cinema starting with Errol Morris' Oscar-winning portrait of Robert S McNamara in Fog
Of War.
Single documentaries continue to punch their weight in the schedule
with some surprising subjects.
Taxidermy is a billion dollar concern
and yet very little is known about it. Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ TWO gets inside the World
Taxidermy Championships, otherwise known as the stuffing Olympics.
The irrepressible Dick and Dom make the transition
into peak time on Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ TWO. In Ask The Family
With Dick & Dom they will reinvent one of television's best-loved
shows.
Bill Oddie and the Springwatch team set out to discover
whether global warming is changing the nature of spring.
In Springwatch With Bill Oddie
they enlist viewers' help to track the movement of wildlife across Britain.
Finally, Car Nation takes a novel
approach to Britain's obsession with cars, exploring what our relationship
with them and our behaviour behind the wheel tell us about ourselves.
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