BBC Four TV Guide — Tuesday, 19 May 2026

Browse the full BBC Four TV guide for Tuesday, 19 May 2026. 10 programmes listed , including 7 tonight. UK listings updated daily — scroll down to tonight's highlights or use the day tabs above to browse the weekly schedule.

Early Morning

00:00 1h

Art That Made Us

S1 · E7 · Wars and Peace

The savagery of the world wars changes British art forever

The world wars force artists to grapple with destruction and savagery, challenging conventions and the old imperial order, while those fleeing war bring new ideas to Britain. Contemporary war photographer Oliver Chanarin traces the story of William Orpen's subversive protest image, To the Unknown British Soldier in France, picturing a lone draped coffin amid the magnificence of the Palace of Versailles where peace delegates met in 1919, while artist Ryan Gander examines how sculptor Barbara Hepworth tried to make sense of war by reaching for beauty in abstract human forms and Denzil Forrester looks ahead to the post-colonial aftermath of war

01:00 1h

Margot Fonteyn

A tribute to the ballerina

A tribute to the ballerina, first broadcast shortly after her death in 1991, with interviews with colleagues and friends and extracts from ballets from throughout her career

02:00 1h

Art That Made Us

S1 · E7 · Wars and Peace

The savagery of the world wars changes British art forever

Tonight's Highlights

19:00 30m

University Challenge

S29 · E10

Jesus College, Cambridge takes on St Catherine's College, Oxford

Jeremy Paxman asks the questions as two new teams join the competition. Jesus College, Cambridge and St Catherine's College, Oxford are both hoping to secure themselves a place in the second round

19:30 30m

Only Connect

S1 · E10

The Crossworders take on the Edinburgh Scrabblers

Victoria Coren Mitchell presents a quiz show of patience and lateral thinking, where successful contestants make connections between things which at first do not appear to be linked. In this episode, the Crossworders do battle with the Edinburgh Scrabblers

20:00 30m

Keeping Up Appearances

S2 · E7 · Singing for Emmett

Hyacinth plans to show off her singing talents

Hyacinth discovers Emmet has planned a piano concert for the senior citizens at the church hall, and decides to treat the lucky audience to her own brand of sing-song. Suburban comedy, starring Patricia Routledge and David Griffin

20:30 30m

Sorry!

S2 · E5 · The Next Best Man

Timothy is asked to be Best Man at Frank's wedding

Timothy, after some initial complications, is asked to be best man at his friend Frank's wedding. He ends up in trouble as a result of trying to encourage the idea of marriage in spite of his parents

21:00 1h

A History of Britain by Simon Schama

S2 · E4 · The Wrong Empire (1750-1800)

The expansion of imperialism

Simon Schama continues his journey through British history, discovering how the expansion of imperialism was built on the Empire's slave trade and relied on the subjugation of native peoples to enrich the mother country. This was despite Britons' natural distrust of large armies and all-powerful governments

22:00 1h 30m

The Corinthians: We Were The Champions

The original rebel girls of football, who defied the FA ban on women playing

The incredible real-life story of the original rebel girls of football, Corinthians Ladies FC from Manchester, who defied the English Football Association's 50-year ban on women playing to become global champions. Told exclusively by ten of the surviving players in their own words

23:30 50m

Berlusconi: Condemned to Win

S1 · E3

How Berlusconi dodged scandal, won with Milan and grew his controversy and cult

A look at how Silvio Berlusconi managed to dodge corruption charges, win again with Milan and blur the line between football and politics, all while controversy and his cult grew

Early Morning

Tonight's Highlights

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