BBC Two Unveils ‘Ambitious’ New Season

LONDON: BBC Two is set to deliver an "ambitious" slate of factual fare, drama and comedy across its 2010/2011 season, including Wonders of the Universe with Brian Cox.

"This new season reflects BBC Two at its most ambitious and distinctive, bearing the early fruits of the extra investment in drama and offering viewers some fantastic new mainstream comedies alongside the greatest range of factual programming on TV," said Janice Hadlow, the controller of BBC Two. "This autumn and winter, viewers can enjoy some big moments created around issues that matter, from schooling to live stargazing events; a focus on history in the autumn and then on literature in the winter; and programs that reflect the contemporary world with moving human stories, like Neil Morrissey on childcare. We’ve also got lots of exciting new factual formats, including Michel Roux’s Service, Sue And Giles Live The Good Life and James May’s Man Lab. Plus, I’m delighted to say that we have a fantastic range of inspiring, authoritative and entertaining talent on the channel in the worlds of fact and fiction."

BBC Two is showcasing several shows around the theme of education, including Gareth Malone’s Extraordinary School For Boys, Britain’s Youngest Boarders, Mind The Gap, Perfect School and Catchment. There’s also a drama, Permanently Excluded, about a newly-qualified teacher and his relationship with a difficult boy, and the television premieres of BBC Films’ Notes On A Scandal and The History Boys.

There’s also a Troubled Families Season, with Neil Morrissey—Care Home Kid and Families In Care, and a key focus on literature with Faulks On Fiction, Culture Show Special—The Books We Really Read and two BBC Films, The Edge Of Love, a portrait of Dylan Thomas and the women in his life and Brideshead Revisited based on Evelyn Waugh’s novel.

Other highlights include Behind Closed Doors, with historian Amanda Vickery, Pompeii, Ancient Worlds, The Do-Gooders and The History Of Ancient Britain. In addition, as part of a pan-BBC celebration of the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain, BBC Two will air First Light, a docudrama based on Geoffrey Wellum’s best-selling book.

On the science slate, Brian Cox presents Wonders Of The Universe as well as a live Stargazing event. There’s also Space Dive, Arctic With Bruce Parry, Men Of Rock and David Attenborough’s First Life.

BBC Two is also heavy on drama specials with Christopher And His Kind, starring Doctor Who’s Matt Smith as young writer Christopher Isherwood; When Harvey Met Bob, telling the story of Bob Geldof and Harvey Goldsmith’s roller-coaster ride to put on Live Aid in October 1984; The Song Of Lunch with Alan Rickman and Emma Thompson; and Morecambe And Wise. O

In comedy, highlights include The Stephen K Amos Show, Whites with Alan Davies, the HBO co-pro Episodes and The Rob Brydon Show.