4th-10th June

Visual Arts

Mark Lawson Talks to Tracey Emin

Wednesday 08 June

10:30pm - 11:30pm

BBC Four

The controversial artist discusses her artistic career, including the unmade bed installation that brought her to the attention of the media and public.

Paul Merton's Birth of Hollywood

Friday 10 June

9:30pm - 10:30pm

BBC2 Northern Ireland

3/3

The comedian traces the rise of studios by recounting the history of MGM, Metro Goldwyn Mayer, and explores the work of renowned producer Irving Thalberg. He expanded the business by challenging the power of directors, dealing with the notorious egos of film-makers including Erich Von Stroheim, to help create movies such as Mutiny on the Bounty, which steered 1930s Hollywood into the era of sound. Last in the series.

Culture

Edgar Allan Poe: Love, Death and Women

Sunday 05 June

8:00pm - 9:00pm

BBC Four

Crime author Denise Mina explores the life and work of the horror writer, focusing on the impact of the women in his life. Travelling between New York, Virginia and Baltimore, she reveals how his mother, wife, paramour and muse provided inspiration for some of the most influential short stories of the early 19th century, with dramatised inserts providing an insight into his relationships.

Words and Music

Sunday 05 June

10:25pm - 11:40pm

BBC Radio 3

Turning Points

Helena Bonham Carter and Hugh Bonneville read verse and prose on the theme of turning-points in life, including works by Shakespeare, Coleridge, George Eliot and Marc Chagall. In other excerpts, Alan Bennett describes his mother's final days, and the Industrial Revolution provokes opposing reactions from Erasmus Darwin and William Blake. The lives of Hilaire Belloc's Matilda and the Bible's Saul are changed for ever by versions of the truth, and Estelle Sylvia Pankhurst recalls her part in an episode in the fight for women's suffrage. Music includes pieces by Bach, Beethoven, Janácek, Rachmaninov, Vaughan Williams and Erma Franklin, among others.

All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace

Monday 06 June

9:00pm - 10:00pm

BBC2 Northern Ireland

The Monkey in the Machine and the Machine in the Monkey

3/3

Adam Curtis explores the work of evolutionary biologist WD Hamilton, who hypothesised that people's behaviour is shaped and guided by mathematical codes in their genes. The film interweaves the strange roots of the scientist's genetic theories with the history of the West's relationship with the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda over the past 100 years, showing how liberal attempts to help post-colonial Africa have sometimes ended in disaster. Last in the series.

Fintan O'Toole: Power Plays

Tuesday 07 June

10:15pm - 11:15pm

RTE1

Critic, biographer and columnist Fintan O'Toole discusses why he thinks the country's theatre scene failed to meet the challenge of producing provocative material during the boom, and identifies whether playwrights and performers are now ready to dramatise a society in crisis. With contributions by director Garry Hynes and actors Sean McGinley, Marie Mullen and Robbie Sheehan, who help identify instances in which Irish productions were able to touch a nerve.

The View

Tuesday 07 June

11:15pm - 12:00am

RTE1

Journalists Edel Coffey, Marion McKeone and Mick Heaney join John Kelly to review John Michael McDonagh's debut film The Guard, starring Brendan Gleeson and Don Cheadle. Also examined is John Butler's San Francisco-set coming-of-age tale The Tenderloin, a production of Stacey Gregg's play Perve, and Ian Power's drama The Runaway.

Psychology / Society

The Essay

Monday 06 June – Friday 10th

10:45pm - 11:00pm

BBC Radio 3A Letter to My Body - Sarah Graham

1/5

Thinkers, artists and writers ask themselves how they relate to their own bodies. Therapist and addictions counsellor Sarah Graham explores her relationship with her body. From the age of eight she was given medical treatment for a sexual development disorder - but only learned the real nature of her diagnosis at the age of 25 when a gynaecologist revealed that she is an intersex woman. The shock led Sarah on a path of depression and addiction that nearly killed her. Here she makes peace with her body and questions society's polarised expectations of gender.

All in the Mind

Tuesday 07 June

9:00pm - 9:30pm

BBC Radio 4

8/13

Claudia Hammond explores the effectiveness of using a compassionate approach as a basis for talking therapies. She hears from Professor Paul Gilbert, a psychologist in Derby who makes use of the method to help people from neglected or abusive backgrounds overcome feelings of shame and self-criticism, enabling them to respond better to treatment.

Poor Kids

Tuesday 07 June

11:05pm - 12:15am

BBC1 Northern Ireland

Documentary providing an insight into the lives of the 3.5million children being raised in poverty in the UK. The programme places the spotlight on a 10-year-old girl from Glasgow who hides the fact she lives in a Gorbals tower block from her friends, and an 11-year-old Leicester boy whose single-parent father struggles to bring up his family alone. Also featured are sisters from Bradford who play in a dangerous derelict building.

Wonderland - Travels with My Family

Wednesday 08 June

9:00pm - 10:00pm

BBC2 Northern Ireland

7/8

Documentary exploring the trivial and momentous aspects of family car journeys by following four different trips. The Hennessseys are taking their son, who has Asperger's, on a pilgrimage to the Stan Laurel museum in Cumbria. Ian Craig and his sister Alison are headed to a prison visitor centre, and Kerry Lewis is taking his three young sons to the Isle of Wight, to scatter their mother's ashes a year after her death.

Science / Nature

Darwin's Struggle: The Evolution of the Origin of Species

Tuesday 07 June

8:00pm - 9:00pm

BBC Four

Secret notes and correspondence, film extracts and interviews with biographers and scientists provide an insight into the process Charles Darwin went through while writing his book On the Origin of Species. This documentary reveals how he suffered family tragedies, physical illness and moments of self doubt during his time spent on the publication.

Botany: A Blooming History

Tuesday 07 June

9:00pm - 10:00pm

BBC Four

A Confusion of Names

1/3

New series. Timothy Walker explores how mankind developed its understanding of plants, and demonstrates what the study of botany has revealed about life on Earth. He begins by tracing how the study of variation in plants became regarded as a scientific rather than religious discipline, and examines the creation of the first artificial hybrid flower, which forced botanists to reassess their theories about how plants are related.

Unnatural Histories

Thursday 09 June

9:00pm - 10:00pm

BBC Four

Serengeti

1/3

New series. Mankind's impact on the world's wildernesses, beginning with the Serengeti. The programme assesses the impact of generations of hunters, traders, scientists and tourists on the region, and recalls how an Italian expeditionary force unwittingly introduced a deadly virus to Africa, devastating the continent's wildlife and livestock. Narrated by Deborah MacLaren.

History

The Country House Revealed

Tuesday 07 June

9:00pm - 10:00pm

BBC2 Northern Ireland

Clandeboye

5/6, series 1

Dan Cruickshank visits Clandeboye Estate in Bangor, Co Down, which has become a monument to the British Empire. The house is filled with relics from Lord Dufferin's various travels, including stuffed bear cubs, Egyptian monuments, tiger skins and weaponry from India, Canada and Burma, and has remained relatively unchanged since his death in 1902.

Sat 28th May - Fri 3rd June

Visual Arts

Great Lives

Monday 30 May

10:15pm - 10:45pm

BBC1 Wales

Molly Parkin

3/3

Kim Howells meets artist Molly Parkin from Pontycymer, who talks about her Welsh roots and upbringing, and her move to London. She also reflects on the evolution of her career from international fashion editor for a magazine and newspaper in the 1960s to writing erotic novels in the 1970s, and her alcoholism in the 1980s. Last in the series.

Whose Art Is It Anyway

Tuesday 31 May

10:15pm - 11:15pm

RTE1

Joe Duffy explores the rise of public art in the country's towns over the past 25 years, discovering how pieces are commissioned, and asking questions about their purpose. He hears from curators who decide which sculptures make it to the streets, as well as the artists who produce them and the members of the public who ultimately decide whether they become known as beloved features or eyesores. Includes opinions on Dublin's famous Anna Livia - the bronze monument on the banks of the River Liffey.

David Nash - Slatetown Sculptor

Thursday 02 June

7:00pm - 7:30pm

BBC2 Wales

Documentary exploring how the landscape of North Wales has inspired the artist, whose work is shown in major galleries and public spaces around the world. The programme reveals how Blaenau Ffestiniog has played a major part in his success.

Paul Merton's Birth of Hollywood

Friday 03 June

9:30pm - 10:30pm

BBC2 Northern Ireland

2/3

The comedian explores Hollywood during prohibition-era America, uncovering how the Press turned against cinema's stars to expose the decadent side of their glamorous lifestyles. He focuses on the case of Roscoe `Fatty' Arbuckle, who was charged with murdering an actress at an illegal drinks party, and argues that he was innocent, falling victim to a new type of fame and used as a scapegoat to clean up the industry's image.

The Culture Show

Friday 03 June

12:50am - 1:50am

BBC2 Northern Ireland

3/8

David Attenborough explores the work of one of his favourite artists, new romantic painter John Craxton, as an exhibition of his work opens at Tate Britain. John Mullan talks to author Alan Hollinghurst about his book The Stranger's Child and Mark Kermode meets actor Philip Seymour Hoffman to discuss his directorial debut Jack Goes Boating. Presented by Andrew Graham-Dixon.

The Arts and How They Was Done

Friday 03 June

7:00am - 7:30am

BBC Radio 4 Extra

The Taj Mahal and How It Was Done

3/6

The award-winning National Theatre of Brent recreates 17th-century India, and recounts one of the greatest love stories ever told. Comedy, with Patrick Barlow and John Ramm. First aired in 2007.

Culture

Drilling for Art

Sunday 29 May

4:00am - 4:55am

RTE1

Documentary following the efforts of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority as it launches an ambitious plan to create new opera houses, museums and art galleries.

Composer of the Week: Gustav Mahler 

Monday 30 May-Fri 3^rd June

12:00pm - 1:00pm

BBC Radio 3

1/5

Donald Macleod profiles Gustav Mahler (1860-1911), drawing on a famously controversial biography by the composer's wife Alma. To open the week, he sets the scene for Mahler's relationship with Alma, from her unflattering account of his clumsiness at their wedding to happy memories of the private symphony premieres he gave at the piano. Gustav Mahler: Introduction: Symphony No 5 (arr Uri Caine) (excerpt). DJ Olive (electronics). Mahler: Liebst du um Schönheit (Rückert Lieder). Stephan Genz (baritone), Roger Vignoles (piano). Symphony No 5 (Scherzo). Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, conductor Riccardo Chailly. Alma Mahler: Licht in der Nacht. Iris Vermillion (mezzo), Cord Garben (piano). Mahler: Symphony No 6 (1st mvt). Vienna Philharmonic, conductor Leonard Bernstein.

The View

Tuesday 31 May

11:15pm - 11:55pm

RTE1

Writer Hilary Fannin and critics Declan Long and Dylan Haskins join John Kelly to review Artemis Fowl creator Eoin Colfer's latest novel Plugged. Also examined are Bafta-winning film-maker Asif Kapadia's documentary about racing driver Ayrton Senna, Annabelle Comyn's production of Pygmalion, and the Art Books of Henri Matisse exhibition at the Chester Beatty Library in Dublin.

Rogha Imeall

New series

Thursday 02 June

10:00pm - 10:30pm

TG4

1/5

New series. Highlights from the arts and cultural affairs magazine show.

Psychology / Society

All in the Mind

Tuesday 31 May

9:00pm - 9:30pm

BBC Radio 4

7/13

Claudia Hammond hears from Christine Barter of the University of Bristol, who is conducting research into whether the increasing popularity of social networks and mobile phones has had an impact on instances of emotional and physical bullying among teenagers. She pays particular attention to abuse within sexual relationships, and the damage it can have on the victim's self-esteem.

Irish Interest

Coiscéimeanna

Friday 03 June

10:55pm - 11:25pm

TG4

5/6

Harry McGee traces the journey made in 1920 by 36 IRA volunteers led by Tom Barry to Kilmichael, West Cork, where they ambushed British Auxiliaries during the War of Independence, killing 17 soldiers.

History

A History of Christianity

Sunday 29 May

7:05pm - 8:05pm

BBC4

God in the Dock

6/6

Diarmaid MacCulloch concludes his exploration of Christianity by looking at scepticism. Tracing its origins back to 17th-century Amsterdam, he examines the ideas of Jewish philosopher Baruch de Spinoza, who refused to see God as a supernatural being, while Isaac Newton quietly pursued a similar approach. He challenges the notion that faith has been steadily eroded by the advance of science, explores its resilience, and contemplates the future of the Church. Last in the series.

The Country House Revealed

Tuesday 31 May

9:00pm - 10:00pm

BBC2 Northern Ireland

Wentworth Woodhouse

4/6, series 1

Dan Cruickshank explores Wentworth Woodhouse in South Yorkshire, which was built in the 18th century, and is still one of the largest privately owned properties in Europe. Commissioned by one of the weathiest families in the country at the time, the house has since become something of a mystery, and the historian sets out to unravel its hidden story - revealing a tale of intrigue, family feuds and political wrangling set over the course of 200 years.

May 21st - 27th

Visual Arts

The Arts and How They Was Done

Friday 27 May

7:00am - 7:30am

BBC Radio 4 Extra

How Michelangelo Done the Sistine Chapel

2/6

Desmond Olivier Dingle and the National Theatre of Brent recreate the Renaissance, telling the story of Michelangelo, Pope Julius, and the famous ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Comedy, with Patrick Barlow and John Ramm. First aired in 2007.

Paul Merton's Birth of Hollywood

Friday 27 May

9:30pm - 10:30pm

BBC2 Northern Ireland

1/3

New series. The comedian travels to America to explore how Hollywood's pioneers created the blueprint for the country's cinema industry to mark its 100th anniversary. He begins with a look at the career of influential director DW Griffith, who progressed from making short cliffhangers to producing epics including The Birth of a Nation and Intolerance during the 1910s. Griffith was also instrumental in establishing the star system after co-founding the United Artists film studio in 1919 with Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks.

Culture

Words and Music

Sunday 22 May

10:15pm - 11:30pm

BBC Radio 3

Works on the subject of the gothic, from the surreal, macabre beginnings of the genre in Horace Walpole's The Castle of Otranto to the tortured wanderings of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Writings by Coleridge and Keats show the romantic impulse that was extended and darkened by later gothic writing, until it reached a peak in the late 19th century with Oscar Wilde's haunting Picture of Dorian Gray. Music includes work by 12th-century composer Pérotin, who wrote amid the gothic splendour of Notre Dame cathedral, as well as pieces by Bach, Berlioz, Paganini and Rachmaninov.

The View

Tuesday 24 May

11:15pm - 11:55pm

RTE1

Actress Carrie Crowley, producer Bill Hughes and writer Machan Magan join John Kelly to review Le Quattro Volte, Italian director Michelangelo Frammartino's second feature film. Also examined are John Cronin's oil painting exhibition Augmenting Reality, Alan Bennett's book Smut and Hiroaki Umeda's dance performance Haptic/Adapting for Distortion at the Dublin Dance Festival.

Doing It in the Street

Thursday 26 May

11:30am - 12:00pm

BBC Radio 4

Martin Reeve charts the history of street theatre from its roots in the turbulent political climate of the 1960s to the young professionals of today. The presenter has occasionally performed as Mr Lucky, the Man with the Raining Umbrella, over the past 25 years, and shares his fascination with the way this art form can affect people's perceptions of the spaces around them.

The Culture Show

Friday 27 May

1:20am - 2:20am

BBC2 Northern Ireland

2/8

Andrew Graham-Dixon presents from the recently revamped Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon, where Clemency Burton-Hill goes behind the scenes as the RSC celebrates its 50th birthday. Mark Kermode explores a new exhibition at the British Library examining science fiction through literature, film, illustration and sound. Jon Ronson discusses his new book The Psychopath Test, and Lindsay Johns investigates the links between 14th-century Italian scholar Petrarch and hip-hop.

Psychology / Society

Between the Ears

Saturday 21 May

10:00pm - 10:30pm

BBC Radio 3

Anatomising a Portrait: An Epileptic Journey

Artist Susan Aldworth, who has been commissioned to make a series of works reflecting epilepsy for St Thomas' Hospital in Westminster and the National Portrait Gallery, follows her close friend Max Eilenberg, who has the condition, to find out about the way it is being studied. Epilepsy affects one person in 100, but there are many public misconceptions and prejudices about it. In recent years neuroscience has begun to find out more about the brain's activities, and now it is possible to hear the sound of a brain having a fit. The sound of epilepsy is not a jagged rasping, not spikes of sound - but more like the sound of whale song, a plaintive cry for help, a call in the wild. How does an artist go about creating a work of art to reflect this? Susan Aldworth tries to find out.

The Jukes - Bad Blood or Bad Science

Monday 23 May

11:00am - 11:30am

BBC Radio 4

Professor Steve Jones explores the theory that people can be born bad, debating whether criminal behaviour is genetically inherited, as was believed to be the case with the infamous Jukes family in 19th-century America. Joined by leading genetic scientists, he discusses what light new research and recent revelations about the notorious relatives can shed on the controversial idea.

ADHD and Me

Monday 23 May

8:00pm - 8:30pm

BBC Radio 4

Comedian Rory Bremner undertakes a personal journey to uncover the effects of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in adults after the diagnosis of the condition within his family. He examines the changes in attitutde toward ADHD two decades since it was first recognised, and looks ahead to what can be done to support the next generation of people living with the life-changing illness.

Strangeways

Monday 23 May

9:00pm - 10:00pm

ITV1 London

3/3

The programme looks at how the Manchester prison has changed since the infamous riots in April 1990, when inmates protested against an outdated system and inhumane conditions. Cameras follow Mark Greenwood, who has gained catering qualifications while serving his sentence, as he leaves Strangeways to start a new job in the outside world, and persistent offender David Charlton returns to cause more trouble for staff. Last in the series.

All in the Mind

Tuesday 24 May

9:00pm - 9:30pm

BBC Radio 4

6/13

Claudia Hammond reports on new findings that suggest people think in more stereotypical and even racist ways when they are in a messy and disordered environment. The presenter considers the implications the research has for social policy, and explores the importance of keeping areas prone to racial violence tidy.

Breaking a Female Paedophile Ring

Thursday 26 May

9:00pm - 10:00pm

Channel 4

Documentary taking an in-depth look at the members of a criminal gang who made international headlines when their sexual offences against children came to light in 2009. Police interviews and testimonies from the offenders' relatives build a picture of how the web operated and what could have motivated Colin Blanchard, Vanessa George, Angela Allen, Tracy Lyons and Tracy Dawber to commit their crimes. The programme also reveals the painstaking police operations that led to their convictions.

Science / Nature

Inside the Human Body

Thursday 26 May

9:00pm - 10:00pm

BBC1 Northern Ireland

4/4

Michael Mosley reveals how the human body defends itself against a hostile world, following a bull jumper whose muscles give him the strength to avoid a violent death, and exploring how a three-year-old is able to fight off the flu virus. He also finds out how doctors are able to exploit the body's natural powers of healing when injuries are too severe to be repaired. Last in the series.

History

Barbarians

Saturday 21 May

3:05am - 4:05am

Channel 4

The Vikings

3/3

Richard Rudgley travels to Scandinavia, home of the Vikings. He discovers how conflicts between clans drove them to seek out new lands to plunder and how they were able to establish new centres of civilisation in Europe following the fall of the Roman Empire.

A History of the World Special

Sunday 22 May

1:30pm - 2:00pm

BBC Radio 4

Peter Lewis explores the story of the object he added to the BBC History of the World website, a portrait of his Uncle Bryn's girlfriend Peggy, painted for him by a Jewish prisoner in Auschwitz during the Second World War. Peter hears about his uncle's time as a PoW, his 12 escape attempts and his eventual reunion with the girlfriend who later became his wife.

A History of Christianity

Sunday 22 May

7:00pm - 8:00pm

BBC4

Protestantism: The Evangelical Explosion

5/6

Diarmaid MacCulloch traces the growth of Evangelical Protestantism. Although now associated with conservative politics, it was initially driven by a concern for social justice, and allowed the faith to spread around the globe. In America, its preachers marketed Christianity with the same flair used for the country's commerce, while in Africa, it converted much of the continent by adapting to local traditions.

The Country House Revealed

Tuesday 24 May

9:00pm - 10:00pm

BBC2 Northern Ireland

Easton Neston

3/6

Dan Cruickshank examines Easton Neston in Northamptonshire, designed in the English Baroque style by Christopher Wren in the 18th century, but completed by his protege Nicholas Hawksmoor. He sets out to determine which of the property's two architects was responsible for crafting its distinctive features, and charts its colourful history to the modern day.

Irish Interest

Coiscéimeanna

Sunday 22 May

8:15pm - 8:45pm

TG4

4/6

Harry McGee investigates the Irish leader Daniel O'Connell and his mass movement for independence in 1843. The host's walk takes him from Kilcullen to the prehistoric site of Mullaghmast where up to a million people gathered to listen to the man they called the Liberator.

Sat 14th may - Fri 20th

Visual Arts

Storyville - Last Days of the Arctic: Capturing the Faces of the North

Sunday 15 May

1:15am - 2:15am

BBC4

Documentary following celebrated photographer Ragnar Alexsson as he endeavours to capture the vanishing lifestyles of people from far northern countries. The film examines his fascination with people who survive in extreme circumstances and the inspiration for his latest work, which is to preserve the cultures of Arctic people who are being affected by climate change.

This Green and Pleasant Land: The Story of British Landscape Painting

Tuesday 17 May

9:00pm - 10:30pm

BBC Four

Artists, critics and academics examine depictions of the British landscape in art. The programme charts the genre's development from the earliest Flemish paintings in the court of Charles I to David Hockney's digital drawings. Featuring contributions by film-maker Nic Roeg, historian Dan Snow and novelist Will Self. Part of the Landscape season.

Show Me the Monet

Monday 16 May – Friday 20th

5:15pm - 6:00pm

BBC2 Northern Ireland

6/10

David Cobley put his reputation on the line when he submits 81 self-portraits for scrutiny by the panel of art critics, in a bid to secure a place in a potentially lucrative exhibition and sale at London's Royal College of Art.

The Mountain That Had to Be Painted

Wednesday 18 May

9:00pm - 10:00pm

BBC4

Documentary exploring the work of artists Augustus John and James Dickson Innes, focusing on the landscape paintings they created while living near the Arenig Valley in Snowdonia, North Wales, between 1910 and 1913. Part of the Landscape season.

The Arts and How They Was Done

Friday 20 May

7:00am - 7:30am

BBC Radio 4 Extra

The Birth of Art and How They Done Cave Paintings

1/6

Desmond Olivier Dingle and his National Theatre of Brent explore some of the earliest art known to man, located in the Lascaux Caves in south-west France. Comedy, with Patrick Barlow, John Ramm and Harriet Walter. First aired in 2007.

Culture

Something Understood

Sunday 15 May

6:05am - 6:35am

BBC Radio 4

Rhythm

Mark Tully investigates mankind's historical fascination with rhythm, and explores its importance in people's daily lives. He also talks to Russell Foster, professor of Ciracadian neuroscience at Oxford University, who believes that many people are excessively determined to overpower their own rhythmic cycles - a course of action that could have disastrous consequences. With readers Samantha Bond, Joseph Kloska and Frank Stirling.

Words and Music

Sunday 15 May

10:15pm - 11:30pm

BBC Radio 3

Brave New Worlds

Works on the theme of the future, including words from Margaret Atwood, Tennyson and Shelley and music by Tallis, Berlioz and Stockhausen. Traditionally the subject has provided artists with the freedom of imagination to envisage new worlds, drive through change and reinvent traditional art forms. These imagined worlds might be places where robots shoulder the burden of manual labour or fear stalks the streets of rain-washed cities. Obsession with the future has also inspired composers to drive through change and reinvent their own art form, pushing the boundaries of composition.

Composer of the Week: George Gershwin

Monday 16 May – Friday 20th

12:00pm - 1:00pm

BBC Radio 3

Tin Pan Alley to Broadway

1/5

Donald Macleod presents an overview of some of the most brilliant works by George Gershwin (1898-1937) from both the concert stage and the world of musicals - showing off his gift for melody, and discussing his often-overlooked originality and daring as a so-called `serious' composer. He also presents a series of numbers from Gershwin's voluminous songbook, in performances and arrangements by artists as diverse as George Martin, André Previn, Ella Fitzgerald, Meat Loaf and the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson, and a number of `lost' and rarely heard works.

The View

Tuesday 17 May

11:20pm - 12:05am

RTE1

Journalist Sinead Gleeson, writer Peter Murphy and politician Alex White join John Kelly to review Thomas McCarthy's drama Win Win, starring Paul Giamatti. They also examine Anne Enright's novel The Forgotten Waltz, Guillem Morales's Spanish thriller Julia's Eyes, and Vanessa Fielding's production of Scottish playwright Rona Munro's Iron.

The Culture Show

Friday 20 May

1:05am - 2:05am

BBC2 Northern Ireland

1/8

Andrew Graham-Dixon presents from London's South Bank at the Festival of Britain's 60th anniversary celebrations. Nancy Durrant talks to Tracey Emin about her retrospective at the Hayward Gallery, while Tom Dyckhoff explores the militarisation of urban architecture. Mark Kermode plays LA Noire, a new video game inspired by film noir, record producer Danger Mouse discusses his latest album Rome, and Alastair Sooke examines this year's shortlist for the Museum of the Year Art Fund Prize.

Psychology / Society

Strangeways

Monday 16 May

9:00pm - 10:00pm

UTV

2/3

The documentary takes a look at the prison's healthcare unit, where staff assess and manage prisoners who may be mentally ill and could pose a threat to themselves or others. Regular visitors to the wing include David Charlton, known as Strangeways' most disruptive inmate, who claims to be disabled. Cameras also capture a prisoner trying to escape from the unit after biting a guard.

All in the Mind

Tuesday 17 May

9:00pm - 9:30pm

BBC Radio 4

5/13

Claudia Hammond investigates the effectiveness of placebo medication, hearing from Harvard University's Ted Kaptchuk about how his research into the unorthodox treatment. He discusses how his work seems to indicate that even sceptical patients undergo a positive reaction when issued pills with no active ingredient, and attributes this result to the ritualistic nature of administering medicine twice a day.

Home Is Where the Heart Is

Tuesday 17 May

9:00pm - 10:00pm

Ulster

2/3

The celebrities focus on improving the situations of their guests before they leave. Colin and Justin encourage Jim to speak to a medical expert about his alcohol dependency, while Alex James arranges for 18-year-old Danny to have an interview at a restaurant. Bobby struggles with his work in one of Aldo Zilli's kitchens, while 23-year-old Bridgette gives Anneka Rice a tour of where she grew up in Birmingham - with surprising results.

True Stories: Dolphin Boy

Tuesday 17 May

10:00pm - 11:40pm

More4

Morad, a 17-year-old Arab-Israeli, sits in a doctor's room, staring blankly ahead and mumbling "Mama, mama". He is suffering from post-traumatic disassociation after a sickeningly brutal and prolonged attack and has withdrawn himself from the world. This tender, heart-warming film follows Morad as he embarks on an unconventional course of treatment - dolphin therapy. The theory is that the dolphins will teach Morad to trust again and be able to communicate with others. But it's a lengthy, costly process and involves Morad living 500 miles away from his village. And it's here that we get to the heart of the film, the story of a father's love for his son, as Morad's father sells almost all he has to finance his son's treatment and camps out under the stars to be near him. By the end you'll be wiping the tears from your eyes.

The Essay

Monday 16 May – Friday 20th

10:45pm - 11:00pm

BBC Radio 3

The Mystical Turn

1/5

Dr Jane Shaw, Dean of Grace Cathedral in San Francisco, explores the revival of interest in mysticism, and religious experience at the end of the 19th and start of the 20th century, beginning by examining the rôle of Anglican priest and academic WR Inge, whose book Christian Mysticism, published in 1899, had a profound influence on Christian thought and gave rise to a deluge of books on the subject, notably William James's Varieties of Religious Experience and Evelyn Underhill's Mysticism.

Science / Nature

Julia Bradbury's Iceland Walk

Sunday 15 May

2:15am - 3:15am

BBC Four

The presenter embarks on a 38-mile journey along Iceland's most famous hiking route. She navigates daunting mountain climbs, red-hot lava fields, freezing river crossings and deadly clouds of sulphuric gas to reach the volcanic crater at the centre of the Eyjafjallajokull glacier.

Secrets of the Superbrands: Technology

Tuesday 17 May

9:00pm - 10:00pm

BBC3

Alex Riley places the spotlight on some of the world's leading technological innovators, revealing how the people responsible for producing popular gadgets manage to maintain consumer loyalty. Along the way, he meets the inventors, technicians and designers responsible for pushing their industries forward, and discovers how powerful companies manage to make their billions.

Inside the Human Body

Thursday 19 May

9:00pm - 10:00pm

BBC1 Northern Ireland

Building Your Brain

3/4, series 1

Michael Mosley traces human development from birth to adulthood, exploring how a newborn makes sense of the world and revealing how many brain connections are lost between the ages of 11 and 20 as an essential part of growing up. Plus, Moken sea gypsy children who train themselves to see clearly underwater and a Vietnamese girl who speaks 11 different languages.

History

The Great Wall of China

Saturday 14 May

10:05pm - 12:20am

More4

Archaeological finds and first-person accounts tell the story of the most ambitious building project ever attempted. More than 3,000 miles in length, the wall was built in just 20 years by a workforce of nearly 50,000 using technology and construction techniques that continue to inspire awe today. The creation of the engineering triumph is told through three individuals - an emperor whose kingdom is under threat, a military hero and a soldier forced to work in harsh conditions.

A History of Christianity

Sunday 15 May

7:00pm - 8:00pm

BBC4

Reformation: The Individual Before God

4/6

Diarmaid MacCulloch examines the religious revolution of the Reformation, and reveals how a faith based on obedience to the clergy gave way to one of individual accountability to God. He explores the ways in which key reformers Martin Luther and Ulrich Zwingli challenged the dominance of the Catholic Church, and sheds light on the compromises that helped form the Church of England.

Great Lives

Tuesday 17 May

4:30pm - 5:00pm

BBC Radio 4

Jack Johnson

7/8

Journalist and broadcaster Matthew Syed nominates boxer Jack Johnson for recogition, exploring his efforts to become the first African-American heavyweight boxing champion. With help from Kasia Boddy, author of Boxing: A Cultural History, Syed details how the Galveston Giant's victory over Tim Jeffries in 1910 struck a blow against white supremacy in the US. Presented by Matthew Parris.

The Country House Revealed

Tuesday 17 May

9:00pm - 10:00pm

BBC2 Northern Ireland

Kinross

2/6, series 1

Dan Cruickshank tours Kinross House, a 17th-century property designed by William Bruce, who introduced the first fully classical house to the Scottish landscape. He reveals how the stately home's history provides an insight into the story of its architect, and his integral role in the restoration of King Charles II as monarch of England, Scotland and Ireland.

Petworth House - The Big Spring Clean

Wednesday 18 May

8:30pm - 9:00pm

BBC4

Waking up the House

6/6, series 1

Andrew Graham-Dixon's winter working at Petworth House in West Sussex draws to a close, as the conservation team prepares to reopen the building to the public. However, before the house's valuable items can have their covers removed, Andrew must tackle a moth invasion in one of the bedrooms. Last in the series.

Barbarians

Thursday 19 May

3:30am - 4:25am

Channel 4

1/3

Richard Rudgley explores the tribes that succeeded the Romans - the Vandals, Goths and Huns - dispelling the myth that these so-called `barbarian' tribes destroyed the civilised society created by their predecessors.

Barbarians

Friday 20 May

3:10am - 4:10am

Channel 4

2/3

Richard Rudgley continues his exploration of the so-called `Barbarians' in Germany, where he investigates two fifth-century tribes, the Angles and the Saxons, who profoundly affected the future of the British Isles. Unearthing the beautiful craftwork left behind on the shores of Britain, Rudgley considers why these people invaded the country.

Irish Interest

Coiscéimeanna

Sunday 15 May

8:15pm - 8:45pm

TG4

3/6, series 1

Harry McGee retraces the tragic journey of the Famine Death Walk of 1849 along Doolough on the Mayo-Connemara border, where hundreds of paupers crossed the mountains in bitter winds searching for food.

What Have the Brits Ever Done for Us?

Sunday 15 May

9:30pm - 10:30pm

RTE1

David McWilliams charts the complex relationship between Ireland and Britain, exploring how Irish social development has been influenced by its nearest neighbour. He talks to academics, economists, writers and comedians as he investigates the links between the two countries, and asks whether the British Empire's impact on life in Ireland needs to be reassessed.

The Story of Ireland

Monday 16 May

7:00pm - 8:00pm

BBC2 Northern Ireland

The Age of Invasions

1/5

Fergal Keane explores Ireland's cultural, economic and social history, documenting its role on the international stage. He begins by revisiting the origins of the Celtic people, detailing the impact of Christianity and monasticism, the emergence of early literature, and the formation of law tracts that provide an insight into the day-to-day life of people nearly 1,500 years ago.

7th – 13th May

Visual Arts

Perspectives: Robson Green and the Pitmen Painters

Sunday 08 May

10:15pm - 11:15pm

Ulster

The actor visits his native Northumberland to tell the story of the Ashington Group, which started in 1934 as an art class for miners and found fame as the men achieved recognition for depicting their daily lives on canvas. Green - whose father worked at the same pit as some of the artists - learns more about them as he explores one of Britain's deepest coal mines and talks to ex-England footballer Jack Charlton, who briefly worked underground.

Storyville - Last Days of the Arctic: Capturing the Faces of the North

Monday 09 May

9:00pm - 10:00pm

BBC Four

Documentary following celebrated photographer Ragnar Alexsson as he endeavours to capture the vanishing lifestyles of people from far northern countries. The film examines his fascination with people who survive in extreme circumstances and the inspiration for his latest work, which is to preserve the cultures of Arctic people who are being affected by climate change. Part of the Wonders of Iceland season.

Show Me the Monet

Monday 09 May – Friday 13th

5:15pm - 6:00pm

BBC2 Northern Ireland

1/10

Artists seek approval from three critics in a bid to secure a place in a potentially lucrative exhibition and sale at London's Royal College of Art. The first episode follows Parkinson's disease sufferer Ronnie Shahmoon, whose creations are made out of plugs and sockets.

Culture

Words and Music

Sunday 08 May

10:15pm - 11:30pm

BBC Radio 3

All the World's a Stage

Works on the theme of showbusiness, reflecting how the theatre has been both celebrated as a grand metaphor for life and denigrated as the arena of moral decay. Readings from the writings of Shakespeare, Thomas Hardy, John Dryden, TS Eliot, Dorothy Parker and Frank O'Hara are accompanied by the music of Puccini, Irving Berlin, Purcell, Sondheim and Thomas Adès.

The View

Tuesday 10 May

11:15pm - 11:55pm

RTE1

Review of the arts, with John Kelly.

Psychology / Society

Something Understood

Sunday 08 May

6:05am - 6:35am

BBC Radio 4

The Two Sides of Hope

Mark Tully considers the dangers of false optimism, and reflects on how having high expectations can lead to despair if they are not realised. However, he also uses the words of Martin Luther King Jr and the music of Frank Sinatra to illustrate how enduring hope can be valuable.

Strangeways

Monday 09 May

9:00pm - 10:00pm

Ulster

1/3

New series. Documentary following day-to-day life at HM Prison Manchester in the city's Strangeways area, which was opened in 1868 and is currently the largest high-security prison in the UK, housing more than 1,200 inmates. In the first episode, a new arrival enters the Category A unit on remand due to his alleged involvement in a multimillion-pound drugs conspiracy, which he claims to know nothing about, and armed robber Adrian Fielding marries his fiancee Kelly Hansen. 

Home Is Where the Heart Is

Tuesday 10 May

9:00pm - 10:00pm

Ulster

1/3

Four homeless people are taken off the streets and invited to live for a fortnight with Blur bassist Alex James, presenter Anneka Rice, chef Aldo Zilli and interior designers Colin McAllister and Justin Ryan, who hope to address the problems their guests are battling. They begin by moving into the celebrities' homes, where rough sleeper Jim Gilraine faces the prospect of spending the night in a bed after 18 years on the streets, and 23-year-old Bridgette Harvey, whose parents were alcoholics, adjusts to her new surroundings.

All in the Mind

Wednesday 11 May

4:30pm - 5:00pm

BBC Radio 4

4/13

Psychologist Claudia Hammond reveals the latest scientific findings as she investigates the workings of the brain, the mind and the wider mental health agenda.

Wonderland: The Trouble with Love and Sex

Wednesday 11 May

9:00pm - 9:50pm

BBC2 Northern Ireland

4/8, series 3

Animated documentary following people trying to work out their personal issues with the help of Relate, a charity working to promote healthy and respectful romantic and family relationships. A man and woman reveal they cannot stand each other any more, a long-term bachelor tries to overcome his fears, and a 51-year-old man struggles to understand why his wife refuses to have sex with him.

In Our Time

Thursday 12 May

9:00am - 9:45am

BBC Radio 4

The Anatomy of Melancholy

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Robert Burton's book The Anatomy of Melancholy, which was published in 1621. The priest and mathematician created the compendium of writing partly to alleviate his own depression, and the work offers an insight into 17th-century medical theory.

Science / Nature

Inside the Human Body

Thursday 12 May

9:00pm - 10:00pm

BBC1 Northern Ireland

First to Last

2/4, series 1

Michael Mosley demonstrates how the human body keeps itself alive, from the first breath to the last. A dramatic water birth is captured in slow-motion and the programme shares the last moments of an 84-year-old as he passes away at home. Plus, people who have adapted to extreme environments, including a world champion free driver and a man who can swim in glacial lakes.

The Cell

Thursday 12 May

10:55pm - 11:55pm

BBC4

The Spark of Life

3/3

Adam Rutherford examines how scientists are trying to build cells in the laboratory. By identifying the components that first sparked life on earth billions of years ago, experts are now capable of understanding the basic elements needed to create life. He also takes a look at the new technical and medical advances in biology, with artificial cells now being able to produce diesel.

History

Irish Blood English Hearts

Friday 13 May

11:00am - 11:30am

BBC Radio 4

Writer and broadcaster Joseph O'Connor considers the complex cultural relationships between England and Ireland, in light of the Queen's first visit to the country on May 17. He discusses the misunderstandings and anxieties associated with the Anglo-Irish relationship and writes a letter to the monarch describing the land she will visit and the nature of the reception she can expect.

A History of Christianity

Sunday 08 May

7:00pm - 8:00pm

BBC4

Orthodoxy: From Empire to Empire

3/6, series 1

Diarmaid MacCulloch charts the development of Eastern Orthodox Christianity, which flourishes in the Balkans and Russia and has more than 150 million members worldwide. He visits a collection of early icons in the Sinai desert, a surviving relic of the iconoclastic crisis in Istanbul, and Ivan the Terrible's Cathedral in Moscow to discover the secret of its durability.

The Country House Revealed

Tuesday 10 May

9:00pm - 10:00pm

BBC2 Northern Ireland

South Wraxall

1/6, series 1

New series. Architectural historian Dan Cruickshank tours country homes not open to members of the public, beginning with South Wraxall Manor in Wiltshire, a relic from the medieval and Tudor periods. He explores the history of the Longs. who built the property, and rose to prominence due to their association with Henry VIII and Elizabeth I, and also examines how a murder in the family may have inspired one of Shakespeare's most famous plays.

Irish interest

Coiscéimeanna

Sunday 15 May

8:15pm - 8:45pm

TG4

3/6, series 1

Harry McGee retraces the tragic journey of the Famine Death Walk of 1849 along Doolough on the Mayo-Connemara border, where hundreds of paupers crossed the mountains in bitter winds searching for food.