Last night on television Jasper Rees
China: A New World Order
BBC TWO, 9.00PM
Could there be a
better moment for
this new three-part series
on President Xi Jinping’s
six-year period as leader
of the People’s Republic
of China, and the far-
reaching changes that
he has introduced to the
country and the ruling
Communist Party? When
Xi took over as leader he
was almost unknown in
the West but China’s
economy was the fastest-
growing in the world, its
influence over emerging
economies was enormous,
and the country appeared
to be on a path towards
greater openness and
tolerance. This opening
episode explores how, just
six years later, with the
Chinese economy slowing
and a major trade war
with Trump’s US
administration in the
offing, much has changed
already.
Looking particularly
at the unprecedented
crackdown that President
Xi launched against
corruption (which may
have been used as a form
of cover for wider political
repression), the focus is
on how, today, rumours
again abound in China of
widespread crimes against
humanity – in particularagainst the Uighur Muslim
population, and how the
Chinese government’s
growing intolerance ofdissent are driving the
current instability and
protests in Hong Kong.
Gerard O’DonovanComedyThis Way Up
CHANNEL 4, 10.00PM Aine (Aisling Bea) and
Shona’s (Sharon Horgan)
mother is visiting from
Ireland, so tensions are
high. Shona doesn’t help
matters when she says, at
dinner with her boyfriend
Vish’s (Assif Mandvi) family,
that she isn’t planning to
have children. GODocumentaryStacey Dooley: Face
to Face with the Arms
Dealers
BBC THREE, FROM TODAY Travelling to Arkansas,reporter and Strictly winner
Stacey Dooley meets a
family that specialises in
selling some of the world’s
most deadly military-grade
weapons to over 100
countries – and even
tries out some of them
for herself. GOWorld War Speed
BBC FOUR, 9.00PM In this re-versioned
episode from PBS series
Secrets of the Dead, James
Holland and others explore
how the use of drugs such as
amphetamines affected the
course of the Second World
War and unleashed the first
“pharmacological arms
race”. GOAlone Against Al-Qaeda
PBS AMERICA, 9.00PM Here’s the true story of
one of the characters in the
9/11 drama The Looming
Tower, John O’Neill, FBI
agent-turned World Trade
Center security chief who
lost his life in the 2001What to watch
Radio choice Charlotte Runcie
Big business: Javid Abdelmoneim investigated the boom in sales of cannabisExamining the highs and
lows of medical cannabis
C
an cannabis be good for
you? I first heard of its
medicinal properties
when a dear and brilliant
friend used to treat his
acute bipolar depression
with pot. Alas it seemed to advance his
paranoia, persuading him to kill his
pet cat. Not long after, he ended his
own life. That was 30 years ago. He
was 24. I wonder how he might have
greeted the legal prescription of
cannabis in the UK.
As explained in Horizon: Cannabis- Miracle Medicine or Dangerous
Drug? (BBC Two), the compound in
cannabis which causes psychotic
disorders is known as TMC. It is
emolliated by another compound
called CBD, the one that triggers
euphoric laughter. They are like a
jostling devil and angel, graphically
illustrated when presenter Javid
Abdelmoneim inhaled cannabis across
four weeks. Each time the compound
ratios were varied. At one extreme he
was all happy-go-lucky giggles, at the
other an unreasoning, paranoid mess.
Abdelmoneim, an A&E doctor, told
the story of medical cannabis. First
researched as a palliative in the Sixties
in Israel, where elderly women could
be seen sparking up spliffs in a
Jerusalem clinic, it’s now going global:
a Canadian company has taken over a
vast orchid greenhouse in Denmark
to grow cannabis for a market that may
be worth $19 billion (£15.5 billion) by
2027.
For those with limited medical
knowledge, what felt missing from this
overview was a sense of how cannabis
has become a last-ditch panacea for
such a wide array of ailments. But it
can clearly make all the difference.
Alfie Dingley, now seven, no longer
suffers the type of horrific epileptic
seizure his mother once forced herself
to film. But who pays? Carly Barton,
who had a stroke in her twenties, got
her first legal batch in the post with
the media filming the event in her
home. But all her life’s savings went to
pay for only a month’s supply.
Abdelmoneim persuasively argued
that the NHS can’t be expected to fund
treatment which has not yet been
subjected to stringent national trials.
Meanwhile, out in the streets, TMC-
enriched skunk is ushering in a mental
health epidemic. This two-faced plant
may give with one hand but sure
knows how to take with the other.W
hen a celebrity noses around
their family tree in Who Do
You Think You Are? (BBC
One), the instinct is to find genetic
evidence of what shaped them. Thus,
on his English father Albert’s side,Paul Merton was pleased to dig up a
couple of buskers operating on the
streets in Victorian London, one of
whom was imprisoned for her part in
an assault involving a banjo.
Not that much of Merton’s
performative A-game was on display.
Anyone tuning in for an hour of
madcap improvised wit had to settle
for one opening gag: “Family history is
a mystery. I couldn’t speculate as to
whether I’m related to the Duke of
Cumberland, or any other pub.”
There was a reason for this. The real
meat of his story was on his mother
Mary’s Irish line. You can tell when a
genealogical discovery has compelling
richness – it hoovers up the lion’s share
of the allotted time. Merton’s mother
and aunt spent much of their early
years in children’s homes, so were
forgivably ignorant of their father’s
story. All Merton knew from his sister
Angela was that his grandfather, James
Power, was said to have drowned at
sea.
It was a reflective Merton who went
in search of the facts, in which the
forces of history played out in one
short life. An agricultural labourer’s
only way of escaping lowly farmwork
was to enlist with the Royal Irish
Regiment, but instead of shooting at
the enemy he found himself firing on
his fellow countrymen in the Easter
Rising, prompting him to hand back
his medals and join the Irish
Republican Army.
Even for a format which demands it,
Merton spent an unusual amount of
time mutely absorbing the words of
sundry Irish historians. Not that there
were any quips in this narrative, which
only worsened when, after a hellish
stint in the merchant navy delivering
Welsh coal to South America, his
grandfather keeled over with a heart
attack and toppled into the
Glamorganshire canal in Cardiff.
So much for drowning at sea.
Merton had cause to reflect beside
his mother’s baptismal font in County
Waterford and, later, at her father’s
unmarked grave in Cathays cemetery.
He didn’t cry, but nor for once did he
make us laugh.BBC Proms 2019
RADIO 3, 10.15PM Duke Ellington’s Sacred
Concerts were described by
Ellington himself as “the
most important thing I have
ever done”. The energetic
revues mixed together
big-band jazz, gospel and
Broadway-style melodies
on Christian themes, and intonight’s late-night Prom,
the BBC Singers and Nu
Civilisation Orchestra
premiere a new sacred
concert with music by
Ellington in a celebration of
his work, featuring Monty
Alexander on piano, Carleen
Anderson and the UK Vocal
Assembly, plus tap dancer
Annette Walker – a sound
not often heard at a Prom.Kevin Eldon Will See
You Now
RADIO 4, 11.00PM The actor Kevin Eldon –
whose career has been
proudly built, for the most
part, around starring in
other people’s sitcoms
and sketch shows – is back
for the fourth series of his
own comedy show, set ina mansion populated by an
Italian genius, a brace of
pedantic sons, a giraffe on a
pulley, and Britain’s noisiest
toast. The cast includes
Morwenna Banks, Kate
Duchêne, Justin Edwards
(The Thick of It), Miles Jupp,
Paul Putner (Little Britain),
David Reed (The Penny
Dreadfuls), Catherine
Shepherd and Dan Skinner.terror attacks after years
trying to bring Osama bin
Laden to justice. GODramaHigh Life
BBC ONE, 10.35PM; WALES, 11.05PM This multi-award-
winning drama, previously
aired on digital-only
channel BBC Three, is about
an overachieving 17-year-
old, Genevieve (Odessa
Young), whose privileged
life begins to unravel when
she experiences the first
shocking symptoms of
bipolar disorder. GOFactualThe Secret Teacher
CHANNEL 4, 9.00PM In the last of the series,
recruitment agency owner
Darren Ryemill goes
undercover at the Forest
School in Wokingham,
focusing his search for
hidden talent on the school’s
Return to Learn initiative,
where pupils are sent as
an alternative to exclusion.
There he meets twochallenging teenagers that
he’s convinced have the
potential to shine. GOSportGolf: European Masters
SKY SPORTS MAIN EVENT/GOLF, 10.30AM The glitterati of European
golf are in Crans-Montana,
Switzerland, for one of the
tour’s most spectacular
events, set against the
backdrop of the towering
Alps. Matt Fitzpatrick will
defend the title he’s won
for two years running,
with Rory McIlroy, Danny
Willett and Lee Westwood
giving chase.Horizon: Cannabis – Miracle
Medicine or Dangerous Drug?
★★★★
Who Do You Think You Are? ★★★Face to Face: Stacey DooleyGolf: Matt FitzpatrickStrongman: Xi Jinping, president of the People’s Republic of ChinaRadio 1
FM 97.6-99.8MHz
6.30am The Radio 1 Breakfast Show
with Greg James 10.00 Radio 1
Anthems with Clara Amfo 11.00 Clara
Amfo 12.45pm Newsbeat 1.00 Scott
Mills 4.00 Nick Grimshaw 5.45
Newsbeat 6.00 Nick Grimshaw 7.00
Radio 1’s Future Sounds with Annie
Mac 9.00 Rickie, Melvin and Charlie
11.00 Radio 1’s Indie Show with Jack
Saunders 1.00am Radio 1’s
Soundsystem with Toddla T 3.00
Radio 1’s Chill Mix 3.30 Radio 1
Anthems 4.00 - 6.00am Early
Breakfast with Adele RobertsRadio 2
FM 88-90.2MHz6.30am The zoe Ball Breakfast Show
9.30 Ken Bruce 12.00 Jeremy Vine
2.00pm Craig Charles in the
Afternoon 5.00 Sara Cox 7.00 Jo
Whiley. Richard Hawley plays live in
session 9.00 The Country Show with
Ben Earle. Ben sits in for Bob Harris
10.00 Trevor Nelson’s Rhythm Nation
12.00 OJ Borg 3.00am Tracks of My
Years 4.00 The Craig Charles House
Party Mixtape 4.30 Huey Morgan’s
The Times of Our Lives 5.00 - 6.30am
Nicki ChapmanRadio 3
FM 90.2-92.4MHz
6.30am Breakfast 9.00 Essential
Classics 12.00 News 12.02pm
Composer of the Week: Dufay 1.00
Radio 3 Lunchtime Concert 2.00
Afternoon Concert 5.00 In Tune 7.00
BBC Proms 2019. Andrew Davis leads
the BBC Symphony Orchestra in Elgar
and Vaughan Williams 9.30 FreeThinking. Anne McElvoy asks whether
doctors should show emotions 10.15
BBC Proms 2019. See Radio choice
11.45 Late Junction 12.30am -
6.30am Through the NightRadio 4
FM 92.4-94.6MHz; LW 198KHz
6.00am Today 9.00 Her Story Made
History 9.30 One to One 9.45 Book of
the Week: My Name Is Why 9.45 LW:
Daily Service 10.00 Woman’s Hour
11.00 Crossing Continents 11.30 The
Art of Now: The World in Their Hands
12.00 News 12.01pm LW: Shipping
Forecast 12.04 The Offing 12.18 You
and Yours 12.57 Weather 1.00 The
World at One 1.45 Our House 2.00
The Archers 2.15 Drama: The Man
with the Hammer 3.00 Open Country
3.27 Radio 4 Appeal 3.30 Open Book
4.00 The Film Programme. Director
Mark Jenkin talks about the influence
of Derek Jarman 4.30 BBC Inside
Science. Presented by Gareth Mitchell
5.00 PM. Presented by Carolyn Quinn
5.54 LW: Shipping Forecast 5.57
Weather 6.00 Six O’Clock News 6.30
The Tim Vine Chat Show. Comedy
chat, featuring entertaining tales from
everyday life 7.00 The Archers. Emma
makes a horrifying discovery 7.15
Front Row. Arts programme 7.45 The
Country Girls. By Edna O’Brien 8.00
Making History 8.30 In Business 9.00
BBC Inside Science 9.30 Her Story
Made History 10.00 The World
Tonight 10.45 Book at Bedtime: The
Offing 11.00 Kevin Eldon Will See
You Now. See Radio choice 11.30
Beyond Today 12.00 News; Weather
12.30am Book of the Week: My Name
Is Why 12.48 Shipping Forecast 1.00
As World Service 5.20 Shipping
Forecast 5.30 News Briefing 5.43Prayer for the Day 5.45 Farming Today
5.58 - 6.00am Tweet of the DayRadio 5 Live
MW 693 & 909KHz
6.00am 5 Live Breakfast 9.00 Your
Call 10.00 The Emma Barnett Show
with Chris Warburton 1.00pm Nihal
Arthanayake 4.00 5 Live Drive 7.00 5
Live Sport 10.00 Sarah Brett 1.00am
Up All Night 5.00 Morning Reports
5.15 - 6.00am Wake Up to MoneyClassic FM
FM 99.9-101.9MHz6.00am More Music Breakfast 9.00
John Suchet 1.00pm Anne-Marie
Minhall 5.00 Classic FM Drive 7.00
Smooth Classics at Seven. Relaxing
sounds 8.00 The Full Works Concert.
Catherine Bott takes listeners on a
musical trip to Bohemia 10.00
Smooth Classics 1.00am - 6.00am
Jane JonesWorld Service
DIGITAL ONLY
6.00am Newsday 8.30 Business Daily
8.50 Witness History 9.00 News 9.06
The Forum 9.50 Sporting Witness
10.00 World Update 11.00 The
Newsroom 11.30 The Food Chain
12.00 News 12.06pm Outlook 1.00
The Newsroom 1.30 Assignment 2.00
Newshour 3.00 News 3.06 The
Inquiry 3.30 World Business Report
4.00 BBC OS 6.00 News 6.06 Outlook
7.06 The Newsroom 7.30 Sport Today
8.00 News 8.06 The Inquiry 8.30
Science in Action 9.00 Newshour
10.00 News 10.06 Assignment 10.30
World Business Report 11.00 News
11.06 The Newsroom 11.20 SportsNews 11.30 The Food Chain 12.06am
The Forum 12.50 Sporting Witness
1.00 News 1.06 Business Matters
2.00 News 2.06 The Newsroom 2.30
Assignment 3.00 News 3.06
HARDtalk 3.30 World Football 4.00
News 4.06 Newsday 5.00 News 5.06
The Newsroom 5.30 - 6.00am Science
in ActionRadio 4 Extra
DIGITAL ONLY
6.00am To Be Sung Underwater 6.30
Ali: Me, My Family and Muhammad Ali
7.00 Double Science 7.30 Fresh from
the Fringe 2019 8.30 The Goon Show
9.00 The Motion Show 9.30 Richard
Barton: General Practitioner! 10.00
The Castle 11.00 A Pocketful of Rye
11.15 The End of the Pier 12.00 The
Goon Show 1.00pm To Be Sung
Underwater 1.30 Ali: Me, My Family
and Muhammad Ali 2.00 E=mc2 2.15
Charisma: Pinning Down the Butterfly
2.30 Bindi Business 2.45 My Life in
Houses 3.00 The Castle 4.00 The
Motion Show 4.30 Richard Barton:
General Practitioner! 5.00 Double
Science 5.30 Fresh from the Fringe
2019 6.00 Haunted 6.30 Great Lives
7.00 The Goon Show 8.00 To Be Sung
Underwater 8.30 Ali: Me, My Family
and Muhammad Ali 9.00 A Pocketful
of Rye 9.15 The End of the Pier 10.00
Comedy Club 12.00 Haunted
12.30am Great Lives 1.00 To Be Sung
Underwater 1.30 Ali: Me, My Family
and Muhammad Ali 2.00 E=mc2 2.15
Charisma: Pinning Down the Butterfly
2.30 Bindi Business 2.45 My Life in
Houses 3.00 The Castle 4.00 The
Motion Show 4.30 Richard Barton:
General Practitioner! 5.00 Double
Science 5.30 - 6.00am Fresh from
the Fringe 2019Television & radio
34 ***^ Thursday 29 August 2019 The Daily Telegraph
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