91Èȱ¬ TWO
Spring & Summer highlights 2004
91Èȱ¬ TWO challenges
preconception and intolerance in a new season of programming
91Èȱ¬ TWO challenges society's preconceptions about -
and our own intolerance against - the issues of disability, old age
and the rehabilitation of offenders head on, in a summer season of thought-provoking
drama and documentaries.
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Says Jane Root, Controller of 91Èȱ¬ TWO: "I aim to
constantly surprise, engage and provoke the 91Èȱ¬ TWO audience and the
range of programming we have on offer this spring-summer will deliver
just that.
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"It may not always be comfortable watching, but
the subjects are important for us as a society to bring into the open
and discuss.
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"From a ground-breaking mentoring scheme for ex-criminals
in Make Me Honest, via a modern love story starring two disabled
actors in lead roles, to a season looking at the changing nature of
ageing in the UK, there is plenty of vintage programming from 91Èȱ¬ TWO
as it approaches its 40th anniversary this spring.
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"In comedy I Am Not An Animal we encounter
the bizarre world of over pampered animated animals let loose on the
world, while at Jimmy's Farm the animals are real and he has
to make the business work against the odds and with little experience.
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"And for Diarmuid Gavin the challenge is to convince
the Royal Horticultural Society that he is worthy of winning a gold
at The Chelsea Flower Show."
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Written by Lizzie Mickery, Everytime You Look At
Me is a searching insight into the choices of two people drawn into
a relationship that is both liberating and painful.
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Nicky is a small person, four feet and one inch tall,
and Chris is a thalidomide-impaired person.
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Everytime You Look At Me tells their love story, and
in so doing calls into question the prejudices of the outside world,
their own families and each other to their disabilities.
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Preconceptions are challenged again this season in Trading
Ages.
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Building on the success of Trading Races, and with
the help of advanced prosthetics and make up, Trading Ages gives two
individuals a unique insight into their future as elderly people.
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As they reflect on the experience, we learn if growing
old is merely a state of mind, or whether we will think, feel and act
differently in old age.
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Trading Ages is part of The Time of Your Life,
a season devoted to challenging perspectives and attitudes to growing
older.
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Also included in The Time of Your Life is a Would
Like to Meet Special on Esther Rantzen. Four years after the death
of her husband, we follow her on a very personal journey to find companionship.
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Says Esther Rantzen: "Would Like To Meet is one
of my favourite programmes.
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"Not only is it beautifully crafted, but the people
who take part undertake a journey of self discovery.
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"Last summer, I met Jane Root, Controller of 91Èȱ¬
TWO, at a party and told her how much I loved the show.
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"On the spur of the moment,
I offered myself as a subject, because I believe that there are many
people in my situation.
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"I was extremely lucky in my marriage to Desmond
Wilcox. We were great friends as well as being lovers and partners,
and I do not for one moment think I can replace him.
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"But there are many exciting
and enjoyable experiences in my life which I would love to be able to
share with someone - so I would like to meet someone, but who, and why,
and how, I really don't know - perhaps the programme could teach me.
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"Certainly, it's the most dangerous, professional
challenge I have set myself since I sang as Edith Piaf in Celebrity
Stars in their Eyes!"
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Make Me Honest tackles the serious problem of
crime and re-offending head on. NACRO statistics from 2003 show that
75% of young offenders leaving prison service institutions re-offend
within one year.
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In a groundbreaking new series, five ordinary members
of the public are given six months to help five criminals - whose stories
fall into the category above - go straight by acting as their mentors.
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Compelling and emotional, the series asks if one committed
individual can really change an offender's life, and have the impact
to help keep them on the straight and narrow.
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The volunteers – ranging from a criminal lawyer
to a stay-at-home dad - use their experience, common sense and sheer
determination to guide the repeat offenders as they face life outside
prison.
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In the eight months since we have begun filming none
of the five young offenders have re-offended.
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A different set of prejudices are challenged by Diarmuid
Gavin as he takes on the challenge of building a show garden for the
prestigious Chelsea Flower Show this Summer.
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His design is ambitious and controversial - Chelsea
will never have seen anything like it - but has Diarmuid bitten off
more than he can chew, and can he win the gold he so desperately wants?
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91Èȱ¬ cameras have been following him every step of the
way in Diarmuid's Big Adventure.
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Drama and biography reflect two different faces of London
this season on 91Èȱ¬ TWO.
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In London, critically acclaimed author Peter
Ackroyd tells the story of England's capital city as seen through the
eyes of artists, writers, visionaries and the man on the street.
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Based on Ackroyd's successful book, London – The
Biography, the programme also boasts an exciting and innovative interactive
application.
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Inspired by the content of the series, 'London mobile
journeys' will offer viewers the chance to call into a phone line, via
their mobile, and be guided on personal historical journeys around areas
of the capital.
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In contrast, the dark underbelly of Sixties London is
brought into focus in Joe Penhall's adaptation of Jake Arnott's critically
acclaimed novel, The Long Firm.
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It tells the story of Harry Starks, played by Mark Strong,
through the eyes of four characters who come into his orbit: a Tory
Lord (Derek Jacobi), a fading movie star (Lena Headey) a lowlife speed
dealer (Phil Daniels) and an academic (Shaun Dingwall).
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91Èȱ¬ TWO leaves the city behind and heads to the country
in Jimmy's Farm.
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Until recently, 28-year-old Essex boy Jimmy Doherty
was immersed in academic life studying insects.
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But he had a dream to 'live the good life' by turning
a deserted old dairy farm into a thriving business. We follow him as
he tries to turn this dream into reality, and turn the farm into a profitable
business.
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I Am Not An Animal is an animated comedy series
about the only six talking animals in the world, whose cosseted existence
in a vivisection unit is turned upside down when they are liberated
by animal rights activists.
It is the first production from Baby Cow Animation and is written and
directed by Peter Baynham (I'm Alan Partridge, Brass Eye, The Day Today)
and features the voices of Steve Coogan, Simon Pegg, Julia Davis, Kevin
Eldon, Amelia Bulmore and Arthur Mathews.
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There is an explosion of arts on 91Èȱ¬ TWO this summer.
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The Culture Show is a brand new programme dedicated
to UK arts and culture, and launches as the centrepiece to a major commitment
by the 91Èȱ¬ to topical arts journalism.
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It will celebrate and critique the range and diversity
of arts in the regions as well as the metropolis, and use some of the
most passionate, vociferous and opinionated voices to reach the heart
of UK cultural life.
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Art critic Andrew Graham-Dixon tells the fascinating
story behind Lord Elgin's mission to remove one of the world's greatest
treasures from its homeland in The Elgin Marbles and Robert Hughes
returns to our screens with The Shock of the Now?
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In a summer filled with classical music and opera across
the 91Èȱ¬, 91Èȱ¬ TWO presents performances of Don Giovanni, Turn
of the Screw and a live performance from London's Royal Opera House
of Faust.
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Also Arena looks at the life and career of one
of opera's modern icons, Luciano Pavarotti.
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Other highlights
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Other highlights of the 91Èȱ¬ TWO Spring-Summer season
include:
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Éù The Keith Barret Show – Rob Brydon's
comedy creation Keith Barret is the unlikely host of a new relationship
discussion series
Éù D-Day To Berlin – as part of the pan-91Èȱ¬ celebrations
to commemorate the 60th anniversary of D-Day, this powerful series recounts
the Allies' remarkable progress from the beaches of Normandy to their
ultimate victory in Germany eleven months later
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Éù Father and son team Peter and Dan Snow use amazing
graphics to re-create the epic scale of war in Battlefield Britain
Éù To mark the 50th anniversary of one of sport's milestones, The
Four Minute Mile explores Roger Bannister's extraordinary athletic
feat
Éù Restoration returns for a second series this Spring
Éù And Britain Goes Wild With Bill Oddie, in the biggest
ever event for British wildlife
Éù This World returns with a new run of compelling international
current affairs programmes opening with One Day of War, taking
a snapshot of conflict around the world in a twenty four hour period
Éù From the team behind Grumpy Old Men comes What I Wish I'd
Known When I Was 20, part of The Time of Your Life season
Éù Starring Eighties screen idol Andrew McCarthy, Kingdom Hospital
is based on Stephen King's adaptation of Lars von Trier's cult mini
series.
Notes to Editors
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Diarmuid Goes to Chelsea (in PDF press pack only) is
now known as Diarmuid's Big Adventure.
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Kicks (in PDF press pack only) is now known as Football
Diaries.
The New Shock Of The New (in PDF press pack only) is now known as The
Shock Of The Now?
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