Platform: BBC

Praying for Armageddon

A political thriller that explores the power and influence of American Evangelical Christians as they aim to fulfil the Armageddon prophecy. The film observes American believers as they prepare for what they call The Holy War and exposes the powerful megachurch pastors who call for the 'final battle' that they believe will trigger the Second Coming of Christ. Completed before the current crisis in Israel and Gaza, it also unveils how politicians driven by faith embrace the State of Israel as the key to their prophetic vision for the end of days.

Salman Rushdie: Through a Glass Darkly

In 2022, Sir Salman Rushdie found himself on a stage in Chautauqua, Pennsylvania, discussing the importance of protecting the freedom of writers a subject upon which he is uniquely placed to speak, despite feeling that he had moved on from the fatwa imposed on him following the publication of his novel The Satanic Verses. When a man emerged from the audience and subjected Rushdie to a 27-second knife attack, the threat that had been hanging over him for years finally became real.
Rushdie talks in detail about the attack's devastating effects - losing his right eye and almost his ability to write. A combination of archive footage, AI-generated material and a moving account of events from his wife Lady Eliza Rushdie allows viewers to share in an imaginary confrontation between Rushdie and his attacker, and ultimately discover how his near-fatal experience casts a new light on the story of his past and his previous writings.

Inis na nIontas/Islands of Wonder

AKA Islands of Wonder
Ardal O'Hanlon explores the islands off Ireland's coast.
Chapter 1: Rathlin, Tory and Arranmore
Ardal's journey begins on Rathlin Island in the far north, famous for its countless seabirds and the golden hare, which is unique to the island. Ardal learns how an astonishing archaeological find has rewritten Irish history, and he tastes some noodles made from kelp that is sustainably farmed on the island.
From Rathlin, Ardal travels to remote Tory Island, off the County Donegal coast, where he learns of its musical tradition and its mystical past, and we see how farming practices are being fashioned to encourage the endangered corncrake. From Tory, Ardal heads to Arranmore, the largest island in the north, where he learns how the islanders are encouraging new residents. And on a beautiful, small islet, the threatened little tern has found a welcome sanctuary.
Chapter 2: Aran, Blasket, Valentia and Skellig
From mighty, windswept cliffs to lush, sub-tropical gardens, the islands off the west coast of Ireland are extraordinary in their diversity.
On the Aran Islands, Ardal learns from a practising monk of their ancient Christian heritage while, all around, a remarkable range of flora blooms, encouraged by traditional farming methods. Continuing south, Ardal visits the abandoned Great Blasket Island, former home to Irish author Peig Sayers, and now home to a thriving seal colony and two young caretakers.
On nearby Valentia Island, Ardal is shown fossilised evidence of early life emerging from the sea, while in the surrounding waters, oyster conservationists are hard at work. On land, Ireland's only vermouth producers forage for ingredients. Ardal ends with a visit to spectacular Skellig Michael, a Unesco world heritage site that is home to numerous puffins and the world's most dramatic ancient monastery.
Chapter 3: Garnish, Sherkin and Cape Clear
Ardal is in the south, where he discovers beautiful Garnish Island, home to gorgeous, lush gardens and the rare white-tailed eagle. Travelling by kayak, Ardal sees the island's thriving seal colony, before heading south to Sherkin Island, where he is once again at sea and being introduced to a playful pod of dolphins. A local historian talks about the island's pirate past, and a resident artist reveals its current status as a painters' paradise.
A short hop takes Ardal to Cape Clear, Ireland's southernmost island, where he is taken on a tour in one of the island's electric buses. He is introduced to some remarkable standing stones and a gin distillery that uses foraged kelp. Meanwhile, we meet the island's resident ornithologist, who explains the huge importance of the island for migratory birds. A climactic clifftop view, looking out across the Atlantic, marks the end to a revealing and unforgettable journey.

Hiding in Starlight

Total solar eclipses, like the one seen last month in North America, allow us to see details of the Sun that can't be seen at any other time. So, this month, The Sky at Night team looks at how scientists are creating eclipses on demand and discovering the secrets that can be revealed hidden in that starlight, including habitable planets like our own.
Maggie Aderin-Pocock travels to Belgium, where the European Space Agency's Proba-3 mission is going through its final testing stages. This groundbreaking mission aims to fly two satellites together in formation, with one satellite acting like the moon during an eclipse, blocking out the central light of the Sun. This allows the other satellite to image the corona, the Sun's outer atmosphere as seen during an eclipse. Maggie meets Dr Damien Galano from ESA, who tells her all about the challenges of the mission and what it hopes to achieve. Maggie then goes on to meet satellite operations test engineer Marie Beeckman, who takes her up close to the satellites to find out how the testing is going.
Meanwhile, Pete Lawrence is out and about in Bristol, meeting a team of scientists and amateur astronomers. He discovers how input from the amateurs was crucial to the discovery of two exoplanets colliding, which had caused the dimming of a star.
Finally, Chris Lintott is in Glasgow meeting Professor Beth Biller from Edinburgh University to discover why it is only by creating eclipses of distant stars that we could potentially find exoplanets more like our own.
And as ever, our resident astronomer, Pete Lawrence, guides us through what can be seen this coming month, with a particular focus on the rewards of viewing in daylight - but as always, he reminds us of the need to take care when doing this.

North West 200 Highlights Part 3 2024

Road racing from the 2024 North West 200, with highlights of Saturdays race action, including the Superbike, Superstock and Supertwin classes. Presented by Stephen Watson.

North West 200 Highlights Part 2

Highlights of the prestigious event, featuring the Superbike, Supersport and Supertwin classes at the nine-mile triangle circuit on the Causeway Coast.

Eurovision Song Contest 2024

The 68th Eurovision Song Contest. Graham Norton provides the commentary, live from Malmo, Sweden.
Twenty-six incredible acts perform in a bid for the most points, but only one will be crowned the new Eurovision champion.
As the nation collectively crosses its fingers for Olly, the show promises spectacular performances ahead of the world-famous, nail-biting results sequence as the all-important points are called out.
Following Loreen's victory in Liverpool last May, seven-time winner Sweden takes over as host of the much-loved competition. This year also marks the 50th anniversary of ABBA giving Sweden their first iconic win.

North West 200 Highlights Part 1

Road racing from the 2024 North West 200, with highlights of Thursdays race action including the Superbike, Supersport and Superstock classes. Presented by Stephen Watson.

ABBA: Against the Odds

2024 is the 50th anniversary of ABBA's iconic performance and victory at Eurovision. With the contest taking place in Sweden, this film celebrates that historic occasion by telling the epic story of ABBA's greatest period of musical achievement.

The Other War

Isobel Yeung and a team of BBC Investigative journalists navigate gun battles, combat raids and secretive meetings as they conduct an investigation deep inside the occupied West Bank. What they find raises serious questions about the conduct of the Israeli Military and uncovers a dangerous situation that is on the brink of exploding.

The New Wild

A look at mammals which have adapted to the changes humans have made to their environment, from sea lions competing with stray dogs for food in the fish markets of Chile to pig-tailed macaques in palm oil plantations in south east Asia. Plus, a look at how elephants have learnt to use the cover of darkness to venture into towns in search of a midnight feast, often leaving destruction in their wake.

Cookstown 100 Highlights

Road racing action from the 2024 Cookstown 100, as the sport's best return to the Orritor circuit for the longest-running event in the country. Presented by Stephen Watson.

Planet Earth III: Narrated by Kids

This special Earth Day episode of Planet Earth III is narrated by schoolchildren across the UK. Because you don't have to be Sir David Attenborough to become a voice for nature.

Dark

Focuses on animals that thrive in the dark, from leopards that use night vision to hunt their prey to bats using echolocation to navigate the night skies.

Water

How air-breathing mammals have found remarkable ways to overcome the many challenges of a life in water, from freshwater jungle ponds to the dark depths of the open ocean. Featuring footage of the birth of a huge sperm whale calf, never-before-filmed orca hunting behaviour, and coastal coyotes in Mexico that have learnt they can benefit from the daily offerings washed up on the shore with each new tide.

Cold

From ice-covered seas to snow-capped mountains, mammals have conquered the cold, living in the harshest places on earth thanks to their remarkable intelligence and adaptations. The programme features polar bears on the Arctic islands of Svalbard, arctic foxes in Canada's Hudson Bay, and snow leopards in the lofty mountains of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in China.

Heat

David Attenborough reveals how, by pushing themselves and their bodies to the limit, mammals have found remarkable ways to survive in the hottest places on earth. In South America, thirsty capuchins need all their natural curiosity as they search for water on the forest floor. Camels roam the vast outback of Australia, where they can go for weeks without water thanks to their distinctive hump as an energy store. White sifaka lemurs hug trees to avoid the heat in Madagascar's spiny forest and the echidna has an even stranger way of keeping cool - it blows snot bubbles.

Forest

David Attenborough reveals why forests are the ultimate test of survival for mammals, including a tiger whose stealth and hunting strategies are put to the test in the heat of an Indian summer. The programme also features footage of young chimpanzees learning how to get honey without angering bees and Siberian flying squirrel gliding elegantly and effortlessly from tree to tree.