We’ve hand-picked what to watch across our network next week, so you don’t have to! Next week we've got the epic action adventure film The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, a celebration of the world of takeaways and fast food in our Food Unwrapped special, an honest and no-holds-barred look into the world of Swingers, a close look at one mans fight against motor neurone disease as Peter Scott-Morgan turns himself into a cyborg in an attempt to overcome the disease and much more!
Monday 24th August
The Hobbit An Unexpected Journey - 9pm on Film 4
Martin Freeman stars as Bilbo Baggins, the reluctant adventurer and the eponymous hobbit, in the first instalment of Peter Jackson's epic action adventure trilogy based on JRR Tolkien's novel, The Hobbit. With Ian McKellen as wizard Gandalf. Bilbo Baggins isn't a natural adventurer. Indeed, it may be said that he's something of a homebody. So why has the wise wizard Gandalf chosen him to help a fierce band of dwarves reclaim their homeland of Erebor? Well, because hobbits can pass unseen by almost anyone. But first you must convince the hobbit to come on the adventure. Then you must convince the dwarves that they want the hobbit to come on the adventure. Then, and only then, can you actually go on the adventure. While this is all going on, 13 dwarves are eating Mr Baggins out of hobbit-hole and home. So he may as well go on the adventure. And what an adventure! It's going to be by turn dangerous, character forming, surprising, sumptuously shot and, of course, emotional. Freeman and McKellen are joined by a host of British acting talent as the Dwarves of the Lonely Mountain, including Richard Armitage as Thorin, Aidan 'Poldark' Turner as Kill, Ken Stott as Balin and James Nesbitt as Bofur.
First Play on Film4.
Swingers - 10pm on Channel 4
This observational documentary sheds light on a lifestyle that is often sensationalised. There are now a reported one and a half million people on the British swinging scene, the rise of the internet means it's no longer just about leaving your keys in a bowl, and many major towns and cities in the UK boast swingers' clubs. This intimate one-off programme takes an honest and no-holds-barred look at one of Britain's most popular swingers' clubs: what kinds of people attend and why? Swingers follows the men and women, from all backgrounds, at the club's big Valentine's Day party to find out.
Tuesday 25th August
Food Unwrapped: Fast Food Special - 8pm on Channel 4
A celebration of the world of takeaways and fast food. Matt Tebbutt's with KFC. He wants to know why takeaway chips tend to go soggy between the restaurant and your front door and what can be done about it. Kate Quilton heads to Papa John's to explore the logistical challenges of making the same consistent pizza across 400 different retail outlets. She also investigates alarming reports that our lunchtime sushi could be harbouring parasites. Jimmy Doherty and Helen Lawal team up to uncover the secret behind quick-cook instant noodles. In Cyprus, Matt learns how they put the pocket in pitta bread. And Jimmy gets to the bottom of why we can eat our steak rare, while pink burgers are definitely not OK.
How To Avoid A Second Wave - 9pm on Channel 4
Britain is at a critical junction. The lifting of lockdown restrictions has finally enabled a return to work, leisure and travel for millions of people. At the same time, our infection rate is creeping up, local lockdowns have been introduced and other countries, where it was thought the virus was under control, are locking down again. The balancing act between protecting the economy and public health is, once again, under the spotlight. The end of summer and the return of children to schools are impending significant changes. The months ahead are uncertain and come with enormous risk for us all. Our biggest fear? A second wave. Dr Xand van Tulleken and Dr Guddi Singh answer the questions we're all asking: is a second wave coming? What can we do to avoid it? And are we prepared for it? They meet the experts and scientists on the frontline of the fight against the virus to find out what lies ahead, they assess the impact of the return of schools, ask if our test and trace system is working well enough and find out if the NHS is ready, if a second wave is coming.
Wednesday 26th August
The Secret Life Of The Zoo - 8pm on Channel 4
The Secret Life of the Zoo is back and remixed as the show revisits some of the most compelling stories filmed over the past five years, bringing the best moments back to the screen. In this themed episode, Extraordinary Births, Asian elephant Thi is pregnant with her ninth baby. Elephant pregnancies usually last an epic 22 months but keepers believe Thi is now three months overdue. Rhinoceros hornbill Liv and her partner Manu have a loving relationship but are yet to produce any offspring. When they're moved to a new love nest, Liv quickly produces a fresh clutch of eggs. In the past, none of her chicks has survived but could luck finally be on their side? The reproductive life of seahorses is controlled by the phases of the moon. Seahorses are one of the few species on the planet where the male is responsible for giving birth, and clumsy underdog Seabiscuit only has a week to attract a female and give himself enough time to incubate the eggs and give birth in time for the next full moon. For some species, reproducing is the stuff of nightmares. Jewel wasp Ripley needs to find the perfect cockroach to help give birth to her offspring. She plans to lay her eggs on Karl and then paralyse him with venom. With Karl effectively transformed into a zombie, Ripley's young will feast on him until they're ready to hatch.
Peter: The Human Cyborg - 9pm on Channel 4
The story of the extraordinary journey of super-scientist Peter Scott-Morgan, as he turns himself into a cyborg in an attempt to overcome the Motor Neurone Disease (MND) that will otherwise kill him. With unprecedented access to Peter and an international group of doctors, scientists, engineers and designers, the programme follows 18 months of one of the most audacious transitions ever undertaken, employing radical surgery, artificially intelligent computers and robotics technology. From the moment when he was diagnosed with MND in 2017, Peter saw this terminal diagnosis as an opportunity to put his fascination with robotics into practice and become the world's first human cyborg. As his physical condition deteriorates, Peter and his team attempt to capture as much of his old self as possible, from synthetised speech to a facial avatar. With much of the technology being applied for the first time, Peter's journey has profound implications for many people who suffer from conditions like MND, and opens up the biggest question of all: what does it mean to be human?
Thursday 27th August
Location, Location, Location: 20 Years And Counting - 8pm Channel 4
On the 20th anniversary of Location, Location, Location, in this new series Kirstie Allsopp and Phil Spencer look back on their 20 years of house-hunting, from chocolate box cottages and future-proof pads, to tackling tough markets and the most memorable offers made. In this episode, Kirstie and Phil look back on 20 years of helping first time buyers. Starting with their first ever televised house-hunt with Kate, Kirstie and Phil pull out all the stops to help get people on the property ladder. Doctors Michelle and Philip live three hours apart and are desperate to buy and start living together. Sam and Jess want a character property and while Jess is keen on renovating, Sam isn't, which makes for a tricky search. And Ben and Laura are relocating to Birmingham and need help to find the right level of project property to put their stamp on.
Cops Vs Criminals: Crime & Punishment - 9pm on Channel 4
This documentary follows Hampshire Constabulary's Chief Constable Olivia Pinkney and her officers, as they tackle offending in two areas of serious crime: domestic violence and the reporting of historic sex offences. Almost 20% has been stripped out of police budgets since 2010 and 22,000 officers have been lost, while, at the same time, the reporting of serious crime has increased, and more is expected. The police are under pressure like never before. Navigating the inundation of cases of domestic violence are CID teams across the country, where there's a call every 30 seconds in England and Wales. In Southampton, Detective Sergeant Will Whale, who's been with the police for over 30 years, is leading the team. They understand just how serious a threat these cases pose. And in this force alone, they attend around 100 domestic abuse incidents every day. Meanwhile, in the wake of cases like Savile's and Rotherham, there was an exponential increase in reports of historic sex offences. In 2015 Hampshire Constabulary set up a team exclusively to deal with these cases. Detective Constable Paul Longhurst has worked for the team for over four years. Alongside the CPS, he's investigating and working towards the trial of a PE teacher accused of sexually abusing a number of his pupils. Over a decade later, they came forward to police and one of his victims explains how important it is to be believed, in a way that, historically, victims so often weren't. And as Chief Olivia Pinkney explains: 'it is as painful today as it was then, fact. It really doesn't diminish with time.' These cases paint a compelling picture of the complexity of modern policing. Boris Johnson's recent pledge to increase police officer numbers has been welcomed by police forces, but is it enough? Priti Patel says they now have 'no excuses'. But as Chief Constable Olivia Pinkney says 'There is no way that the police on their own could, or rather frankly would want to, be able to solve all of these very complex societal issues... You cannot arrest your way out of this.'
Friday 28th August
Lodgers For Codgers - 8pm on Channel 4
With the majority of under-30s struggling to get on the property ladder, and millions of over-60s sitting on empty rooms, in this new series young and old tackle Britain's housing crisis by trialling a unique solution: moving in together. In this first episode, 19-year-old manager Liam moves in with 83-year-old straight-talker Flo in Brighton, but how will Liam cope with his first taste of independence and what will Flo make of a night out on the town? And Londoner Nicole heads to Hastings to live with Claudine and Ted. Can they show her a more affordable way to live?
The whole series will be available on All 4 for free, to stream or download, following the transmission of this episode.
Ghost Bait - 10pm on Really
Paranormal pioneer Bob Magill and empathic investigator Tina Storer investigate haunted locations across America. They are on a mission to help victims reclaim their sense of peace and control.
Saturday 29th August
Jimmy’s Big Bee Rescue - 8pm on Channel 4
Bees have been declared the most important species on earth. They're vital for pollinating the crops we rely on for food - but they are disappearing, fast. In the last 10 years, 46% of bee species have declined. Farmer Jimmy Doherty - who researched entomology as a graduate student - is on a mission to prove that we can all help reverse the decline. In a year-long project, Jimmy confronts the crisis and recruits farmers, council planners and residents of Peterborough to join him in the battle to rescue Britain's bees. Having organised a mass bee count across the city and surrounding countryside, Jimmy sets about transforming bee deserts into bee havens to see if he can double their numbers. In this first episode, Jimmy investigates the shocking reasons for the decline of Britain's bees. To show the way forward, he rallies the people of Peterborough and persuades residents, council officials, a primary school and a local farmer to plant hundreds of thousands of wildflowers to bring the bees back.
The Fast Show: Just A Load Of Blooming Catchphrases - 9pm on Gold
Bono estente! It's been over 25 years since quickfire sketch show classic The Fast Show first hit our screens, and what better way to celebrate its enduring success than with a two-hour extravaganza of archive clips, cast interviews and rarely seen footage?
Sunday 30th August
Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix Highlights - 6.30pm on Channel 4
Steve Jones, with David Coulthard, presents highlights from one of the most historic races on the F1 calendar, Spa-Francorchamps, the Belgian Grand Prix. While Valtteri Bottas will be trying to get his first win on this track, Lewis Hamilton will be aiming for his fourth. With the Brit so far ahead in the championship, Bottas will need to win here in order to stay in touching distance of Hamilton in the standings.
