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91Èȱ¬ Four puts science at the heart of its Autumn/Winter schedule
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Introduction
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From Charles Darwin's fervent pursuit of his theory of evolution to the latest developments in technology that allows us to take a fresh look at pregnancy in the womb, this autumn and winter 91Èȱ¬ Four presents an illuminating and rewarding collection of programmes that celebrate humankind's pursuit of scientific knowledge.
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Janice Hadlow, Controller, 91Èȱ¬ Four says: "91Èȱ¬ Four is proud to be passionate about challenging subjects and we have approached our new science programmes with the conviction, energy and verve that has become the signature of the channel."
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In a new season of science programmes, Growing Babies uses cutting-edge technology to take a fresh look at pregnancy and its role in determining human development and behaviour.
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In the first programme, War In The Womb, infant psychologist Laverne Antrobus investigates the theory of foetal-maternal conflict, an idea that has been linked to pre-eclampsia as well as disorders in later life such as depression and autism.
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The second programme, Brainpower, sees Laverne Antrobus discover how babies just weeks old are able to make complex inferences about people and objects, music and language and how recent developments in 3D ultrasound scanning have shown that conscious life before birth develops to a much greater degree than previously imagined.
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What Darwin Didn't Know explores new insights gained from the science of genetics to tackle some of the questions left unanswered by Britain's greatest naturalist.
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In Science And Islam, Professor Jim Al-Khalili traces the lives and achievements of the great scientists of the medieval Muslim world, and rediscovers an intellectual tradition that has so often been overlooked.
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And Professor Marcus du Sautoy journeys around the world in a bid to understand how key mathematical discoveries underpin the science, technology and culture that shape our world in The Story Of Maths.
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Elsewhere on the channel the season also sees 91Èȱ¬ Four building on its strengths in bringing audiences an ambitious range of stimulating, intelligent and high-quality documentaries, dramas and comedies that are entertaining, smart and culturally enriching.
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There will also be themed nights and seasons that will feature striking new content as well as some moments to cherish from the 91Èȱ¬'s extensive archive.
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Janice Hadlow continues: "As more and more people continue to tune into 91Èȱ¬ Four we hope to delight them with the range and depth of the channel which remains unique in the multi-channel world."
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A panoply of arts programmes
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Living up to its reputation as the home of the arts, 91Èȱ¬ Four boasts an impressive panoply of programmes which travel the globe to reveal the forces that drive some of the world's greatest artists and its most important movements.
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For the Art Of Italy season, in Travels With Vasari, Andrew Graham–Dixon offers a portrait of Giorgio Vasari, writer, historian and Renaissance gossip, who more than anyone created the modern idea of what it is to be an artist.
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In Baroque! Waldemar Januszczak traces the expansion of the world's first global art movement from its origins in Italy, and follows the spread of its influence to Northern Europe and South America. Ìý
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Among the musical highlights is Classical Legends, a celebration of the work of the distinguished film-maker Christopher Nupen, who has spent a lifetime capturing the creative essence of some of the most exciting and brilliant classical musicians of our time, from established greats such as Placido Domingo, Itzhak Perlman and Jacqueline Du Pré to young prodigies like Karim Said.
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91Èȱ¬ Four also showcases Gergiev Conducts Mahler, in which one of the world's most exciting conductors leads the London Symphony Orchestra in performances of the composer's Second and Sixth symphonies.
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In a rare TV interview, one of rock's great originals looks back on his career with a candour not seen before on television for Neil Young – Don't Be Denied, while Prog Rock Britannia charts the rise and demise of an oft-derided yet surprisingly rich and influential pop music genre.
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Counter-intuitive drama
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Securing its reputation for brilliant and counter-intuitive drama that is talked about, 91Èȱ¬ Four casts BAFTA-winning actress Anne Reid as Barbara Cartland in Men Are Wonderful, an affectionate and emotionally charged dramatisation of her life and loves.
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And Consuming Passion marks the centenary of that other icon of mass-market romance, Mills & Boon.
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It is accompanied by the documentary How To Write A Mills & Boon which shows what happens when an established novelist tries to pen a Mills & Boon classic.
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And an event that for many will be one of the television highlights of the year – after its first series won two Golden Globes and secured 16 Emmy nominations in 2008 - the new series of Mad Men receives its British TV premiere.
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Arresting documentary
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Burning the torch for international documentary, the Storyville strand makes a confident return, leading with an unflinching portrait of Roman Polanski's brilliant but troubled career.
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The quintessentially British institution of The Department Store comes under the scrutiny of film maker Richard Macer as he takes an affectionate look at two traditionally run independent stores in Wales and Yorkshire as they struggle for survival in the face of today's high-pressure competition on the high street.
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Personal passions Ìý
Children's Laureate Michael Rosen wants to share his passion for literature with a group of primary school children and get them as fired up about reading as he is.
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Just Read features in a season on literacy that celebrates the pleasures and benefits of losing oneself in a good book.
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Paul Merton continues his love affair with silent movies as he reviews the early career of Alfred Hitchcock in Paul Merton On Hitchcock.
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We discover that it was in the great director's British films, most of which were silent, that the master of cinematic suspense learnt his trade.
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Richard Wilson and Penelope Keith indulge in The Joy Of Motoring, a short season of programmes that celebrates that bygone age when driving was more of a pleasure and less of a chore, including Britain's Best Drives.
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Ian Hislop and others are in a similarly nostalgic mood as The Golden Age Of Steam recalls the heady days of steam travel, before the network was derailed by the merciless axe of the Beeching report. Ìý
Brilliant comedy
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The award-winning comedy quartet The Cowards make their TV debut on 91Èȱ¬ Four, with a new sketch show that gives a gently surreal flavour to comedy on the channel, and throws the cat of impropriety among the pigeons of social convention.
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And 91Èȱ¬ Four is pleased to welcome back Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe which regularly delivers a well-aimed bucket of bile at all that's simply wrong in television.
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The hapless duo Bret and Jemaine also return to our screens as they continue their slow and easily distracted progress to musical fame and fortune in Flight Of The Conchords.
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Notes for Editors
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91Èȱ¬ Four's performance:
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91Èȱ¬ Four's average weekly reach continues to grow, up from 12.4% / 5.7m to 13.6% / 6.8m year on year
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91Èȱ¬ Four's share has also grown to 1.0% from 0.8% last year
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So far this year 91Èȱ¬ Four has reached 73% of adults in multi-channel homes – that's 31m viewers
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Since the beginning of 2008 programmes which have been particularly popular both in first showings and repeats include (cumulative reach):
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Curse Of Steptoe - 3.2m
Margaret Thatcher: Long Walk To Finchley - 1.9m
Hughie Green: Most Sincerely - 2.4m
The Thirties In Colour - 3.1m over
Inside The Medieval Mind - 3.2m
Stephen Fry And The Gutenberg Press - 1.9m
Pop Britannia - 3.8m
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