Television Time: BBC Shows – October 2021

Airing this October on BBC Earth is Brian Cox’s Adventures in Space and Time, following the beloved physicist as he tackles some of the most challenging and intriguing questions facing science today – how far can we go and are we alone? – by using his best material from past programmes and the latest scientific research.

For homeowners looking for fresh ideas to renovate their home, take inspiration from George Clark’s Remarkable Renovations on BBC Lifestyle as the English architect turns buildings never intended for domestic use, such as a 1910 electricity tower and a giant granary, into welcoming homes.

This month on BBC First sees two successful series returning to screens. In Vera Series 11, BAFTA and Golden Globe-winning actress Brenda Blethyn stars as the titular character once more in two feature length episodes. Set against the picturesque Northumberland countryside, she and her team of detectives investigate the mysterious death of well-respected local builder Jim Tullman and delve deep into his life of family tensions, jealousies and lies. Acclaimed Scottish thriller Guilt returns with its second series, featuring four new episodes which picks up two years after brothers Max (played by Mark Bonnar) and Jake (Jamie Sives) faced the consequences of a hit-and-run. With Max out of prison on license, his freedom lies in the hands of an undercover cop, but without coming at a price.

BBC Earth

Brian Cox’s Adventures in Space and Time

Premieres Tuesday, 5th October at 9.55pm, on StarHub channel 407 and BBC Player

Discovering our place in the universe. Brian Cox looks back on a decade of discovery and towards the next space frontier, asking the biggest question of all – what’s next?

Chasing Monsters Series 4

Premieres Sunday, 10th October at 9.00pm, on StarHub channel 407 and BBC Player

This new season of the adrenaline-packed series finds extreme angler and adventurer Cyril Chauquet tracking down more of the world’s mysterious and dangerous underwater beasts. He takes the viewer on an epic adventure to remote areas of the world, braving alligators, snapping turtles and poisonous snakes, to discover where these amazing creatures live.

The Mating Game

The story behind the most fascinating, hilarious and dramatic quests to find a mate and leave a lasting legacy. Some species need to overcome the challenges of a vast environment just to find a member of the opposite sex. Others find themselves pitched against their neighbours in mass mating aggregations. Some must impress with complex displays. Others build extraordinary structures just to prove their worth. One thing, however, connects them all – the drive to succeed at all costs. Exploring five different habitats across six continents, this series reveals the varied, fascinating and downright bizarre strategies different animals use to find a mate. It is the ultimate inside view on what it takes to succeed at the mating game.

BBC Lifestyle

George Clarke’s Remarkable Renovations

Premieres Monday, 18th October at 9.15pm, on StarHub channel 432 and BBC Player

How do you turn a building that was never intended for domestic use into a welcoming home? In this uplifting series, George Clarke breathes new life into industrial, commercial and agricultural buildings. From a former bank to a giant granary, George helps homemakers convert their property into a beautiful place to live. Meet the retired couple setting up home at the end of their daughter’s garden – in a 1930s stable block. The owners of a 1910 electricity tower surrounded by coastal views. The postal office owners challenged with turning their shop into a cosy haven for retirement. And the three generations of a family restoring a coach house they can all occupy. Inspired by the relaxation of planning regulations and the current enthusiasm for renovation, this is inventive and instructive entertainment.

CBeebies

Swashbuckle Series 6

Premieres weekends, 2nd October at 10.50am, on StarHub channel 303 and BBC Player

The return of the BAFTA-winning, swashbuckling game show that pits teams of youngsters against pesky pirate foes. All aboard for adventure as Gem, Squawk and their team of young swashbucklers come face to face with a new pirate foe. Captain HeyHo and her friend, Wall the Welly, live on a brand-new island. For the Swashbucklers it’s back to playing games, retrieving stolen jewels and making naughty pirates walk the plank. And with Captain HeyHo at the helm, expect plenty more chaos, and lots of singing and dancing.

My Pet and Me: Teeny Tiny Creatures 

Premieres Weekdays, 12th October at 8:40pm, on StarHub channel 303 and BBC Player

My Pet and Me’s animal experts Ferne and Rory give children a bug’s eye view of nature’s tiniest creatures. This delightful series helps young viewers understand the big impact tiny creatures have on our world. It shows how to find and identify invertebrates such as bumblebees, earthworms or frogs, learn what they do for the environment, discover what they eat – and what eats them! Packed with cool facts, stunning archive footage and great locations, Teeny Tiny Creatures is an inspirational guide to the invertebrates all around us.

BBC First

Vera Series 11

Premieres Friday, 8th October, on StarHub channel 502 and BBC Player

BAFTA® and Golden Globe® -winning actress Brenda Blethyn stars as the unorthodox but brilliant DCI Vera Stanhope in this hit crime drama. Vera may be unconventional and unglamorous, but she faces the world with her caustic wit, guile and courage, and what she lacks in charm she more than makes up for in wisdom and insight. Vera and her trusted team investigate tragic and intriguing cases, chasing ruthless killers, unravelling complex mysteries and uncovering secrets that sometimes stray a little too close to home. Set against the atmospheric landscapes of the breathtaking Northumberland countryside, this top-rating drama is inspired by the bestselling novels and characters created by acclaimed author Ann Cleeves.

Guilt Series 2

The twisting and twisted, cool and compelling Scottish thriller is back, drenched in black humour and smouldering with intrigue. Guilt has been absolved by punishment. Now revenge takes over. Max steps out of prison on licence. His fate is in the shaky hands of an undercover cop. She offers him freedom, at a very high price: informing on his dangerous enemy, Roy Lynch. But can Max really trust her? The dark wit, duplicity and dynamism of the first series made Guilt a genuine word-of-mouth smash, with record catch-up figures and a clutch of awards. This time things are even more dangerous. And even less predictable.

BBC iPlayer

Strictly Come Dancing Series 19 

Celebrities take to the Strictly dance floor to perform a dazzling display of ballroom and Latin routines.

The Mating Game

The story behind the most fascinating, hilarious and dramatic quests to find a mate and leave a lasting legacy. Some species need to overcome the challenges of a vast environment just to find a member of the opposite sex. Others find themselves pitched against their neighbours in mass mating aggregations. Some must impress with complex displays. Others build extraordinary structures just to prove their worth. One thing, however, connects them all – the drive to succeed at all costs. Exploring five different habitats across six continents, this series reveals the varied, fascinating and downright bizarre strategies different animals use to find a mate. It is the ultimate inside view on what it takes to succeed at the mating game.

My Pet and Me: Teeny Tiny Creatures 

Premieres Weekdays, 12th October at 8:40pm, on BBC Player

My Pet and Me’s animal experts Ferne and Rory give children a bug’s eye view of nature’s tiniest creatures. This delightful series helps young viewers understand the big impact tiny creatures have on our world. It shows how to find and identify invertebrates such as bumblebees, earthworms or frogs, learn what they do for the environment, discover what they eat – and what eats them! Packed with cool facts, stunning archive footage and great locations, Teeny Tiny Creatures is an inspirational guide to the invertebrates all around us.