BBC Four TV Guide — Wednesday, 1 July 2026

The first of the semi-finals sees two teams of four students battling it out to make it to the grand final of the competition and the chance to take home the trophy. Jeremy Paxman asks the questions

In the last of the quarter-finals, three gamblers compete against a team of ten-pin bowlers to try to make connections between items that initially do not appear to be linked. Chaired by Victoria Coren

Professor Brian Cox continues his exploration of the universe with a journey into darkness. The centre of the galaxy is home to an invisible monster of unimaginable power - a supermassive black hole named Sagittarius A*. Weighing four million times the mass of the sun, it's an object with such an immense gravitational field that nothing can escape - not even light. For decades, black holes existed purely in the minds of theoretical physicists - the idea was so absurd, scientists thought they couldn't possibly exist in nature. But recent astronomical breakthroughs have confirmed not only that black holes like Sagittarius A* exist, but that these bizarre invisible objects may be the ultimate galactic protagonists

Polish survivors of a savage ethnic cleansing scheme explore the political machinery of the wartime Reich. Their recollections reveal that while the Germans portrayed themselves as a model of efficiency, the Nazi rulers of Poland frequently indulged in petty infighting that undermined the occupation of the country

Lucinda Lambton visits Europe's last ornamental farm, at Larchill, west of Dublin. It features rustic follies, lakes and a vast collection of animals. First broadcast August 14, 2000

Christopher Eccleston shares behind-the-scenes stories of the making of Peter Flannery's acclaimed 1996 BBC drama series, which turned its young cast into household names

Nicky and Geordie meet for the first time in years and realise how far apart they've drifted - but their respective involvements in anarchism and the porn business mean they've both attracted the attention of the police. In Newcastle, Mary drifts into politics as Tosker's business prospers. Drama, starring Christopher Eccleston, Daniel Craig and Tony Haygarth

Eddie sweeps to election victory thanks to the efforts of Mary and Nicky, who begin to rekindle their relationship as Tosker becomes more deeply involved in his highly successful business. Meanwhile, Geordie is released from prison and scours Soho for Barratt - only to find the police have got to him first