SAFE (2012)

GREAT MOVIES: SUNDAY 12TH NOVEMBER AT 9PM

When ex-government agent Luke Wright (Statham) exposes the Russian mafia for rigging an illegal fight, they seek revenge on his family and threaten to kill them.

Destitute and living alone on the streets of New York, Luke has given up hope until a chance meeting with a young girl changes everything. Mei, a 10-year-old mathematical prodigy, is abducted by gangsters wanting to use her unique ability to memorise a secret code.

When the Russian mafia and a group of corrupt cops also launch a plan to kidnap Mei, Luke leaps into action to protect her.

OPERATION OUCH

Yaaas!: Available Now on Freeview

Operation Ouch is packed with incredible facts about the human body and fronted by identical twins Dr Chris and Dr Xand van Tulleken.  

A Short History of the Moors

PBS: Monday 6 November at 7.25pm

For almost eight centuries after their conquest of the Iberian peninsula, its North African invaders ruled over Granada. It would become Moorish Spain’s last outpost, finally surren- dered to Catholic monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella in 1492.

This great Islamic civilisation would leave an impressive architectural legacy. Granada’s spec- tacular palace and fortress complex, the Alhambra, once a self-contained city, remains one of Spain’s key tourist attractions. In its time ornately decorated, defaced, altered, rebuilt, neglected, rediscovered and studied, it tells its own eventful story.

This programme explores the Moors’ extensive contribution to the history of the region, and the dynasties that built an empire during the long era between the defeat of the Visigothsand the subsequent dark days of the Spanish Inquisition.

As the cold, wintery nights loom, it’s the perfect time to Get Cosy With GREAT!

GREAT! will play host to a wide array of star-studded, cosy films in the coming weeks, including Allied (Brad Pitt, Marion Cotillard), Eye For An Eye (John Travolta, Morgan Freeman, Brendan Fraser), The Alamo (Dennis Quaid, Billy Bob Thornton, Patrick Wilson) and Mirror Mirror (Lily Collins, Julia Roberts). Moreover, episodes of the renowned hit detective show, Murder, She Wrote (Angela Lansbury), will also feature, bringing that much-loved homely feel to GREAT!

Please see below for more information about the warm, hearty listings that are coming up on GREAT! 

If you would like any assets for the below listings, please visit here.

GREAT CHRISTMAS: SUNDAY 29TH OCTOBER 8PM

A Dream Of Christmas tells the story of Penny, a tired wife and mother struggling to keep up with her job, husband, and family. While in line to see Santa, she wishes that she had never married. When a Christmas angel grants the wish, she plummets into a world where she is single and without the life she once had. Realising that she took for granted what she once had, she is determined to win back the life which she has now come to miss and adore. Starring Christmas rom-com TV faves Andrew W. Walker and Nikki Deloach.

PBS: Sunday 29 October at 8.25pm

Elon Musk’s Twitter Takeover

Rebranded as X after its recent acquisition by Elon Musk, the widely-used social net- working service formerly known as Twitter faces an uncertain future.

This FRONTLINE documentary takes a look at the billionaire’s long and frequently troubled relationship with the platform, from his time as one of its most provocative users to his sub- sequent moves to make it a part of his empire, when he finally succeeded in mid-2023.

Also examined is the associated controversy surrounding the scope and limits of free speech in this volatile era. As ubiquitous online misinformation and propaganda continue to stoke conflict across the globe, reinforcing entrenched attitudes and polarising social and political debate, the consensus required to tackle pressing problems becomes increasingly elusive.

HALLOWEEN SPECIAL: THE EVIL DEAD (1983)

GREAT MOVIES: SUNDAY 29TH OCTOBER AT 9PM

The scariest time of the year is nearly upon us and GREAT! movies has some classic horror films for fans to cozy up to in the safety of their own home!

The horror classic, The Evil Dead, is directed by Sam Raimi in his feature directorial debut.

Five young friends have found the mysterious and fiercely powerful Book of the Dead deep within the rural woods of Tennessee.

As they search for more supernatural artifacts in a bid to uncover an explanation of the book, they come across an antiquated tape recorder which does exactly that.

However, in playing the recordings, they unwittingly resurrect flesh- possessing demons.

As the demons embark on a bloodthirsty quest to bedevil them all, who will be left to fight for their survival and defeat this unearthly force?

A CANDLIT CHRISTMAS

GREAT! CHRISTMAS: SUNDAY 8TH OCTOBER FROM 12PM

In A Candelit Christmas, Ellie, a chemist and perfume maker, decides to go back home for Christmas and help her dad with the candle-making business. Little does she know however, that her father has the struggling but charming writer Logan staying with him, looking for inspiration for his writings. As Ellie shows Logan the candle-making art she’s inherited from her mother, he is fascinated by the tale that started her family’s rich heritage. What starts as Ellie’s attempts to learn more about her family becomes a magical journey through time with Logan, making Ellie realise that fairy tales do indeed exist!

BONNIE & CLYDE

PBS: FRIDAY 20 OCTOBER AT 6.15pm

The story of the most famous criminal couple in American history is a true tale of illicit romance, improbable escapes and dramatic capture.

During the height of the Great Depression, Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow became nationally known bank robbers and murders, due to the discovery of several provocative pic- tures of the couple that caught the public’s imagination. AMERICAN EXPERIENCE takes view- ers inside the story of Bonnie and Clyde’s rise to notoriety, through their two-year crime spree, and to their eventual demise on a Louisiana roadside on May 23, 1934.

Told through interviews with cultural historians and descendants of the outlaws and their cap- tors, BONNIE & CLYDE tells the fascinating true story of the most famous outlaw couple in US history.

KILL BILL: VOLUME 2 (2004)

GREAT MOVIES: SUNDAY 8TH OCTOBER AT 9PM

An amazing and blazing sequel, Kill Bill: Volume 2 is a vengeance masterpiece from the mind of genius director Quentin Tarantino.

The Bride continues her quest of vengeance against her former boss and lover Bill, the reclusive bouncer Budd and the treacherous, one- eyed Elle.

The Bride (Uma Thurman) picks up where she left off in Volume 1 with her quest to finish the hitlist she has composed of all the people who have wronged her, including ex-boyfriend Bill (David Carradine), who tried to have her killed four years ago during her wedding to another man.

Leaving several dead in her wake, she eventually tracks down Bill in Mexico. Using skills she has learned during her assassin career, she attempts to finish what she set out to do in the first place.

Secret Bunkers

PBS: Monday 9 – Tuesday 10 October at 8.40pm

After the murderous trench warfare of World War One, several European nations sought to secure their borders and protect their troops with vast concrete structures, modern equivalents of medieval castles.

Ironically, although the Nazis’ Blitzkrieg tactics would render this form of defence all but obsolete, they themselves built more bunkers than almost anyone else. And in the post-war era, the threat of nuclear conflict gave the military bunker a renewed relevance. Once top secret, many are now in ruins.

This two-part series tells the stories of some of these imposing structures, tracking down examples from the inter-war period, World War Two and the Cold War, and also explores how the paranoia of a dictator would see Albania become the bunker capital of the world.

OM NOM STORIES: BACK TO SCHOOL

TX: Available on Freeview and YouView Channel 209, Samsung Smart TVs and Google Play for Android Tablets and Smartphones and the Apple App Store.

It’s time to go back to school! Om Nom and friends make things a little easier with their super fun compilations about learning, exploration, numbers, colours, and more!  

WEEKDAY DOUBLE-BILL:

CASTLE

Great! tv: Weekdays From 11AM

In the incredibly popular crime comedy TV series, Castle, Richard “Rick” Castle is a millionaire playboy who recently killed off his main character when a serial killer starts killing people like he does in his books. He teams up with New York police detective Kate Beckett to solve the case and continues to shadow her for his next book.

Catch double-bills of Castle Season 2 episodes every weekday from 11am on GREAT! tv.

There’s a creepy case in Vampire Weekend. As Halloween draws close, a man is found murdered in a graveyard, sporting fangs with a stick through his heart. Castle and Beckett discover that the murderer may be part of a vampire cult.

The Fifth Bullet sees Castle and Beckett investigate an art dealer that is shot in his gallery, but the bullet is inexplicably missing from the crime scene. To add to that, the only witness suffers from amnesia.

Alyssa Milano guest stars in the episode A Rose For Everafter in which Castle reconnects with Kyra, a former girlfriend, on her wedding day and sparks fly. Beckett picks up on the obvious connection between the two of them, making her a little jealous.  

Christmas With A Prince (2018)

GREAT! Christmas: Sunday 24th September at 12pm

A Fairytale Christmas kicks off at 12pm on Sunday 24th September, with Christmas With A Prince. Dr. Tasha Miller finds her pride and joy in ensuring the best care is given to the patients on her children’s ward, so when the spoilt Prince Alexander is secretly hospitalized on the ward having broken his leg nearby, she is less than impressed in having to nurse him better. Tasha begrudgingly helps the Prince in return for a donation towards the underfunded children’s ward, but when the seemingly pampered Prince turns out to be a natural with children, will Tasha begin to warm to her famous new patient?

LEGION (2010)

GREAT! Movies: Tuesday 26th September at 9pm

Scott Stewart’s supernatural thriller Legion follows a group of strangers in an isolated café who become the first line of defence when God, believing the human race is no longer worthy of Him, decides to end their existence.

This motley crew’s only spiritual help comes in the form of archangel Michael, played by Paul Bettany.

Dennis Quaid, Tyrese Gibson, and Charles S. Dutton also star in this action-packed sci-fi feast!

Inside Japan’s War

PBS: Monday 25 – Thursday 28 September at 8.40pm

In December 1941, Imperial Japan asserted itself to menacing effect on the world stage in the midst of the fight against Hitler, attacking American forces at Pearl Harbor and bringing the USA into what had become the Second World War.

While this aspect of the conflict has been extensively documented from the Allied side, the view of the war through Japanese eyes has remained relatively unexplored. Why did Japan fight, and with what objectives? What was everyday life like for ordinary Japanese citizens during this time?

Employing archive material, personal accounts, expert interviews, graphics and animation, this series addresses such questions, offering illuminating insights into Imperial Japan’s military motives, culture, startling initial success as an aggressor, and eventual dramatic surrender.

GROJBAND

YAAAS!: AVAILABLE NOW

Grojband follows the story of a band of the same name formed by Corey Riffin as they work together to propel their band to international stardom.

GREAT! ROMANCE ON GREAT! TV  

GREAT! TV: SATURDAYS FROM 11AM

Prepare to get lovey-dovey this September, as GREAT! tv presents GREAT! romance every Saturday from 11am, showcasing some of the best love story favourites to keep you feeling charmed throughout the month!

A young caterer, Jenny Fintley (Lacey Chabert), inherits half a house in All of My Heart. She learns that the house’s co-owner is Brian Howell (Brennan Elliot), a Wall Street trader who is obsessed with nothing but work. The pair do not get on initially, but the tide soon changes direction when the two of them must work together to restore the house which they have inherited.

Jodie Carpenter (Brooke Williams) feels her sail-making company ‘The Loft’ is under threat when Charles Prescott (Mark Mitchinson) purchases the port where the business is situated looking to carry out a big expansion. In an attempt to save the local businesses located on the marina, Jodie spends her time trying to teach the architect of the redevelopment, Will Calvin (Matthew Walker), of the local community and its cultural traditions. Whilst trying to save the local community, however, the pair set sail for more than what they had initially bargained for.

Lastly, Love Struck Café follows the story of Megan Quinn (Sarah Jane Morris) who must convince an old hometown friend to sell her land so that the architect company which she works for can begin redevelopment upon it. Struggling with the task, she must also take care of her injured father and the family café, whilst also managing with the reconnection with her childhood sweetheart Joe (Andrew W. Walker), who broke her heart.

Attack of the Zeppelins

PBS America: Wednesday 20 September at 9.40pm

The early twentieth century saw the birth of a new and terrifying form of warfare: bombing from the air. Civilians were targeted in the belief that finding death raining down upon them would break their morale.

Early in World War One, the Germans began to employ this tactic on London and other targets, sending huge airships named after their inventor, Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin, on bombing raids that caused panic as well as widespread damage. Left struggling to combat this airborne menace, the British finally countered the threat, at least in part, by developing effective explosive bullets.

Along with a team of historians and weapons experts, Cambridge University engineer Hugh Hunt investigates this relatively unknown arms race and its technological background.

YAAAS!: CAN YOU IMAGINE THAT!

Can You Imagine That! combines practical and factual information about a chosen future career. Through a child’s unique voice, we see what it would be like to explore that job.

Available on Freeview and YouView Channel 209, Samsung Smart TVs and Google Play for Android Tablets and Smartphones

PBS America: Monday 11 September at 20:30

Augusto Pinochet: The Coup, The Torture & The West

Half a century ago, a coup saw General Augusto Pinochet seize power in Chile, his military junta having toppled the democratically elected left-wing government of Salvador Allende.

Ruthless toward political opponents, Pinochet maintained his grip on the country through the use of terror, imprisonment and torture – while, out in the wider world, democracies including the United Kingdom and the United States chose to look the other way.

With the aid of archive footage, expert analysis, personal accounts of torture and declassified gov- ernment files, this sobering documentary exam- ines Pinochet’s path to power. Also revealed is the shocking extent to which his brutal regime would benefit from overseas enablers, key players on the international stage who regarded his dictator- ship as expedient.

GREAT! ACTION: MONDAY 11TH SEPTEMBER AT 9PM

PUNISHER: WAR ZONE (2008)

The crime thriller reboot, Punisher: War Zone, follows The Punisher (Ray Stevenson), as he continues turning the streets of New York City red as he wages a one-man war against crime and corruption. Aided by his trusted sidekick, Microchip, The Punisher has his sights set on revenge against Billy “Jigsaw” Russoti (Dominic West).

Jigsaw, along with his frenzied brother Loony Bin Jim, seeks the help of criminals from all over the city to take on The Punisher and Microchip, resulting in a gruesome last stand firefight between the infamous opponents.

Looking for your festive flicks fix already? Everyone’s favourite Christmas TV channel, GREAT! christmas, is returning!

From Thursday 7^th September GREAT! christmas will be showing feel-good seasonal films 24/7 and bringing non-stop festive spirit into everyone’s homes all the way through to 4^th January 2024.

GREAT! christmas is available on Freeview 52, Sky 319, Virgin 424, and Freesat 303 (temporarily replacing GREAT! romance) and will be bursting with heart-warmingly festive films, channel premieres, comfortingly cheesy romantic classics and much, much more. 

All day, every day, there’s a sparkling line-up including:

• Cosy channel premieres such as A Blueridge Mountain Christmas, A Dream Of Christmas and many more

• Famous faces such as Samaire Armstrong and Matthew Lawrence in My Santa, Melissa Gilbert in The Christmas Pageant, Downton Abbey’s Robert James Collier in A Christmas Star, and Robert Wagner and Tiffani Thiessen in Northpole

• Special themed days and weekends such as Santa Saturday, Christmas Wedding Day and A Romantic Christmas Weekend for viewers to enjoy

So, if you’re pining for some festive sparkle in your home, tune in to GREAT! christmas from Thursday 7^th September on Freeview 52, Sky 319, Virgin 424, and Freesat 303.

NERDS & MONSTERS

YAAAS!: AVAILABLE ON FREEVIEW

A group of nerdy kids are washed up on an island inhabited by a tribe of hideous monsters.

TED (2012)

Great! Movies: SATURDAY 2^nd SEPTEMBER AT 9PM

Starring Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis and Seth Macfarland, Ted tells the story of John Bennett (Mark Wahlberg), a Boston native whose childhood wish was to bring his teddy bear friend Ted (Seth Macfarland) to life.

The two grow up together, but in adulthood, their dream friendship soon becomes a nightmare when Ted and John’s friendship begins to interfere with the progression of John’s relationship with his girlfriend, Lori Collins (Mila Kunis).

Vikings: The Rise and Fall

PBS: Monday 4 September at 8:45pm

Centuries later, their name and reputation still inspire awe, conjuring up images of fierce Norse warriors setting sail in their longboats to plunder and pillage. Yet does the truth measure up to the myths and legends sur- rounding the Vikings?

Calling upon rigorous research through mythical sagas and bioarchaeological finds, with input from an impressive gallery of experts, this series sets out to answer such questions.

From their Scandinavian beginnings, through the attack on a religious community on Lindisfarne in AD 793 that began their age of conquest, the series traces how the Vikings would expand not only into Europe, but as far afield as Constantinople and even the land later known as America before their empire finally receded into history.

GREAT TV: MONDAY 28TH AUGUST FROM 12PM

MURDER, SHE WROTE

Join Jessica Fletcher, the smart writer, as she helps the authorities catch crooks! There’s a whole afternoon of intrigue and suspense with the best-selling sleuth from 12pm this bank holiday Monday, only on GREAT! tv.

GREAT! MOVIES ACTION: TUESDAY 29TH AUGUST AT 9PM

THE DEVIL’S OWN (1997)

Harrison Ford and Brad Pitt star in this gripping thriller about an IRA gunman who draws an American family into the crossfire of terrorism.

Frankie McGuire (Pitt) is one of the IRA’s deadliest assassins. But when he is sent to the U.S. to buy weapons, Frankie is housed with the family of Tom O’Meara (Ford), a New York cop who knows nothing about Frankie’s real identity.​

Their surprising friendship and Tom’s growing suspicions forces Frankie to choose between the promise of peace or a lifetime of murder.

PBS: Friday 1 September at 8.30pm

Prince Albert: A Victorian Hero Revealed

Overshadowed by his wife, who would outlive him by several decades, and initially regarded with suspicion and hostility by the British public, Queen Victoria’s German consort has long remained a rather enigmatic figure.

Yet new historical evidence suggests that Prince Albert wielded considerable influence over the culture of his era, with his untimely death robbing the world of a forward-thinking reformer, a man of innovative ideas. However, making his voice heard in Victorian society had required a good deal of determination and tenacity.

Drawing upon over 20,000 of Albert’s private papers and photographs stored in Windsor Castle’s Round Tower, Professor Saul David examines how Albert would leave his imprint on the culture, governmental policy and even international relations of his adopted country.

CAMP LAKEBOTTOM

YAAAS!: AVAILABLE NOW ON FREEVIEW

When McGee’s bus takes a wrong turn he ends up at run-down, spooky Camp Lakebottom. McGee quickly discovers that Lakebottom isn’t a typical camp – it’s the best camp ever!

10 MINUTES GONE (1995)

GREAT! Movies: SATURDAY 19TH AUGUST AT 9PM

Action legends Bruce Willis and Michael Chiklis light up this edge-of- your-seat thriller.

Crime boss Rex (Willis) hires Frank (Chiklis) and his crew to steal a priceless jewel stash — but the job goes wrong when someone tips off the cops.

After Frank suffers a blow to the head, he wakes up to find the jewels gone and no memory of his attacker. Now, Frank must confront his team members one by one to find the traitor — before Rex covers his tracks by having Frank murdered.

The 100 Days That Defined Modern History

PBS: UK PREMIERE Starts Monday 21 August at 8.45pm

The period between Napoleon’s re-emergence from exile in 1815 and his defeat at Waterloo came to be known as ‘The Hundred Days’, and demonstrated that the world could change dramatically within a matter of weeks.

This six-part series applies a comparable timespan to key events from the 20th century – The Fall of France, D-Day, the Suez Crisis, The Assassinations of Martin Luther King & Robert F. Kennedy, The Fall of the Berlin Wall and the Gulf War – as a useful framework for examining the backdrop and context.

Often highlighting unfamiliar aspects, graphics, maps, archive material and expert contributors all offer insights into how these historical storms came about, how they developed and evolved, and the changes they would leave in their wake.

THE FLU THAT KILLED 50 MILLION

PBS: Friday 18 August at 20:25

The Armistice of November 1918 brought the curtain down on four years of savage conflict that had seen millions slaughtered in the trenches and elsewhere. Yet, following closely on its heels, was a deadly pandemic that would claim countless more lives.

Although its earliest documented case was in the USA, and its origins remain indeterminate, the so-called ‘Spanish Flu’ soon found its way to a Europe still locked in battle. Ravaging populations already weakened by warfare, it would prove every bit as lethal as machine guns and poison gas.

Drawing upon new evidence, this documentary focuses on the human stories behind the rapid spread of the pathogen and the desperate efforts to get to grips with this invisible, indiscriminate enemy .

SEVEN POUNDS (2008)

GREAT! Movies: SUNDAY 13TH AUGUST AT 9PM

Will Smith stars as Ben Thomas, a man at a crossroads searching for a way to redeem his heavy conscience.​​

He discovers he has the power to change the circumstances of seven strangers who deserve a second chance.​​

But when one of them captures his heart, he must decide if he should reveal his secret – even if it means giving up on his plan.​​

From the creators of The Pursuit of Happyness, it’s an emotionally charged, captivating and inspiring film. ​​

Rosario Dawson and Woody Harrelson also star.

DANIELLE STEEL’S HEARTBEAT

GREAT!: SATURDAY 12TH AUGUST 11.10AM

Make sure you have enough hankies at the ready for these best-selling, tear-jerking romance stories from the pen of Danielle Steel which are showing on GREAT! tv every Saturday.

Polly Draper plays a woman whose husband leaves her when she gets pregnant in Danielle Steel’s Heartbeat. Devastated, she struggles to get over her ex, that is until she meets Bill. Bill wants to welcome her into his life with his own children. But can she forget her old existence and move on with her new one? Also starring the late John Ritter.

Ruthless: Monopoly’s Secret History

PBS: UK PREMIERE Thursday 10 August at 7.20pm

The origins of that perennially popular board game in which table-top tycoons battle it out on the property market are put under the microscope in this revealing documentary.

A pastime that has players competing to pile up paper money and drive their rivals into bankruptcy would appear to embody – and even promote – capitalism red in tooth and claw. Yet as the programme explains, the true story of Monopoly and the ideas that inspired it, back at the turn of the 20th century, is not quite so politically clear-cut.

Delving deep beneath the various myths surrounding the game’s gestation, RUTHLESS: MONOPOLY’S SECRET HISTORY uncovers a hitherto untold tale in which theft, obsession and corporate double-dealing would all play a part.

AN AURORA TEAGARDEN MYSTERY

TX: Weekends from 9pm

If you’re looking for an intriguing and entertaining murder mystery, you’ll never fail to find one on GREAT! tv.

An Aurora Teagarden Mystery is the latest fun series and is based on the best-selling books which see Aurora Teagarden, a librarian and amateur sleuth, use her skills of observation to solve crimes in her small Georgia town of Lawrenceton.

Sally’s wealthy Aunt Gladys dies from poisoning after giving a wedding toast, prompting Aurora to inspect Gladys’ will for clues as to who would have wanted her gone in An Aurora Teagarden Mystery: An Inheritance To Die For.

A taunting clue left for Aurora at a meeting begins a cat-and-mouse game between her and a mysterious criminal who commits increasingly serious crimes that leave the town rattled in the riveting episode, An Aurora Teagarden Mystery: A Game Of Cat And Mouse.

In An Aurora Teagarden Mystery: The Disappearing Game Aurora moves into a new home and suddenly four students from a nearby college vanish. When one of the missing students turns up dead, Aurora and her new neighbour, Nick, begin their own investigation.​

YAAAS!: Available on Freeview now

Welcome to Barbie’s vlog, where she shares information about her life, inspirations and favourite things! Remember… Positive Attitude Changes Everything.

GREAT! tv: Sautrdays

Best-selling romance stories from the pen of Danielle Steel are showing on GREAT! tv every Saturday from 11am.

Danielle Steel’s Full Circle stars Teri Polo and Corbin Bernsen and is the story of a young woman who, traumatised by rape at an early age, slowly learns to trust and love again as she struggles to avoid repeating her mother’s mistakes.

A woman helps her best friend leave her unhappy marriage, only to discover that the husband, an old flame, has renewed feelings for her in Danielle Steel’s Secrets starring Christopher Plummer and Stephanie Beacham. Danielle Steel’s Family Album: Part 1 is the beginning a heart-rending story of love and strength as a beautiful Hollywood actress and a handsome young Lieutenant meet, fall in love and marry. They appear to have it all – passion, talent, wealth and four beautiful children. A look into their family album, however, tells a different story. Starring Jaclyn Smith.

PBS: UK PREMIERE Wednesday 2 and Thursday 3 August at 7.10pm

The extent to which the human brain shapes – and even generates – what we subjectively perceive as ‘reality’ has been a question addressed by philosophers, scientists and speculative writers down the centuries.

What, ultimately, drives our decisions? Is what might appear to be our own conscious control, our free will, actually no more than an illusion? How deeply can science delve into the subconscious and its secrets? Where does the brain end and the mind begin?

In this two-part NOVA documentary, neuroscientist Heather Berlin applies the latest scientific research and insights to an age-old topic, shedding new light on some of the perceptual tricks and shortcuts employed by this most complex and enigmatic of organs, and revealing some surprising discoveries.

GREAT ! romance: 5 August

It’s never too early for Christmas lovers to start thinking about the festive season, and GREAT! romance is here to make wishes come true with a whole day of merry romances on Saturday 5^th August 2023.

The free-to-air TV channel dedicated to bringing feel-good, romance films to TV screens all day, every day, is showing back-to-back Christmas themed movies to spread joy and lift everyone’s spirits during the long hot days of summer.

From 6am on Saturday 5^th August 2023, GREAT! romance is gifting everyone a truly magical and heart-warming selection of festive films:

6am – Enchanted Christmas

Interior designer Laura returns to Utah to spearhead the renovation of an old hotel in time for the annual Christmas Eve show run by Ricardo, her ex-boyfriend and dance partner. When Laura steps in to dance in the finale with Ricardo, she is pulled between her job, her family, and her reawakened feelings for Ricardo. Stars Alexa and Carlos PenaVega.

8am – Marry Me At Christmas

Organising a Christmas wedding is a true treat for bridal boutique owner Madeline Krug. She loves the challenge of finding the perfect dress for the bride and orchestrating an exquisite event. What Madeline didn’t expect was to be swept off her feet by the bride’s gorgeous brother, movie star Jonny Blaze. Jonny came to the quirky town of Fool’s Gold to support his sister — not to fall in love. Yet Madeline is the most extraordinary woman he’s ever met. Planning the perfect wedding leads to candlelit dinners and strolls through snow-covered streets. 

10am – A Star-Crossed Christmas 

Rival tree farm-owning families the Spruces and the Pines have been feuding for years. When respective heirs Julie Pine and Rick Spruce unwittingly fall head over heels for each other during the holiday season, they must keep their growing romance a secret or they’ll risk a Christmas blow-up that could destroy their relationship, their businesses, and any hope at bringing the feud to an end once and for all.

12pm – The Christmas Pageant

Vera Parks (Melissa Gilbert), an overly intense and demanding Broadway director, gets fired from yet another job, leaving her no choice but to take a gig directing a small-town Christmas pageant in upstate New York. Stunned at how basic the production is, Vera attempts to back out, but is convinced by some of the locals to give their town a chance. To her surprise, the warmth and charm of the small town grows on Vera and she even enjoys the experience of directing the pageant. When Vera discovers her former fiancé Jack (Robert Mailhouse) recommended her for the job, she is outraged. But over time Vera appreciates the gesture, as she grows close to both Jack and his young daughter.

2pm – Love At The Parade

The organiser of Chicago’s Thanksgiving parade is furious when a consultant is brought in to take charge of the event’s finances, thinking he is only interested in profit. When she suffers an unexpected crisis, she finds support in her previously unwanted colleague, and falls for him.

4pm – Christmas Catch

Detective Mackenzie Bennett loves Christmas. But her plans to spend the holidays with her family, friends – not to mention a handsome new stranger who just moved to town – are put on hold when the F.B.I. tells her that her gorgeous new friend is a suspect in a diamond heist. Now, under cover (and under tight supervision), Mack finds herself getting close to a man who might be a criminal, but who also might be the man of her dreams!

Monster High

YAAAS!: AVAILABLE NOW

The pupils of Monster High combine their wits to become The Ghoul Squad, as they solve spine-tingling mysteries and rescue monsters who are hiding from a world that fears them.

AN AURORA TEAGARDEN MYSTERY

GREAT! TV: Weekends at 9pm

With charming characters and a mix of humour, crime-solving and suspense, this new show to GREAT! tv is guaranteed to appeal to a wide audience.​

The “Aurora Teagarden” series is a mystery TV movie franchise based on the novels by author Charlaine Harris and revolves around the character Aurora Teagarden, a librarian and amateur sleuth who uses her skills of observation and deduction and with the help of the enthusiasts in the Real Murders Club to solve crimes in her small Georgia town of Lawrenceton.

​In the exciting episode, A Bundle Of Trouble, Aurora and her boyfriend Martin are thrilled when they get an unexpected visit from his niece and her new baby. Their excitement is short lived, however, when his niece disappears, and the baby is left behind.​

In The Julius House Aurora finds her dream home, unaware of its strange history. Just as she’s ready to move in, she discovers that its previous owners disappeared without a trace.​

Former librarian and true crime buff Aurora doesn’t like Detective Sergeant Frederick Burns, but she never wanted to see him dead. When his body is found outside her house, she must find his killer and clear her name in Dead Over Heels.  

12 Rounds (2009)

GREAT! Action: Saturday 15^th July at 9pm

WWE star John Cena stars as New Orleans Detective, Danny Fisher, who discovers that his wife has been kidnapped by an arms dealer from his past in this action-packed thriller.

In order to save her, he must complete 12 dangerous challenges set up as revenge by her captor in order to secure her safe release.

Pan Am: Crossing the Pacific

PBS: UK PREMIERE Monday 24 – Wednesday 26 July at 20:35

During the interwar period the flying boat would enjoy its golden age, as long-distance air travel brought the furthest reaches of the planet closer than ever.

With no need for expensive runways, these increasingly large planes were an attractive proposition for commercial operators, who would eventually complete a chain of airways spanning the globe. Among the most famous flying boats of the time was the China Clipper, built for Pan Am in 1935. In a series of island-to-island hops from the starting point of San Francisco bay, it successfully delivered airmail across the vast expanse of the Pacific.

Employing dramatic re-enactments, interviews with experts and archive material, this three-part documentary reveals the daunting multitude of technological challenges that lay behind a key moment in aviation history.

GREAT! Action: WEDNESDAY 19TH JULY AT 9PM

IN HELL (2003)

Action icon, Jean-Claude Van Damme, must survive in a prison where hardened criminals battle to the death for the wardens’ entertainment. ​

When Kyle LeBlanc (Van Damme) is prosecuted for killing the man who murdered his wife, he is sent to the most notoriously violent prison in Eastern Europe, where brutality is an understatement. ​

Guards force the prisoners into death matches for their own personal profit, and the already violent inmates are provoked until they’re barely recognisable as human beings. ​

Though Kyle initially holds nothing but contempt for his fellow cell mates, it isn’t long before their rage takes root in his own mind.​

When it’s his turn to fight, channelling that rage may be the only chance he has at survival.

MIKE THE KNIGHT: MIKE’S BRAVEST MISSION

Available on Freeview

Edward steals the legendary ‘Knight’s Puzzle’ just as Mike is trying to solve it. Mike sets off on a brave journey to retrieve the Puzzle and protect the Kingdom of Glendragon!

Available on Freeview and YouView Channel 209, Samsung Smart TVs and Google Play for Android Tablets and Smartphones and the Apple App Store.

GREAT! Movies: TUESDAY 18TH JULY AT 9PM

THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT (2004)​

This terrific sci-fi thriller will have you on the edge of your seat! Growing up Evan Treborn (Ashton Kutcher) and his friends, Lenny, Tommy and Kayleigh (Amy Smart) suffered many severe psychological traumas that caused Evan to blackout.​​

Evan keeps a diary of each occurrence throughout his childhood until he eventually moves away from the small town leaving his friends and his blackouts behind.​​

As an adult, Evan discovers that he is able to return to traumatic events of his past by reading his diaries and change his history. But every time he meddles in the past, there are drastic consequences on his present and Evan finds himself in a desperate spiral trying to undo the damage he has done.

GREAT! romance will be available to watch Nationwide from 19^th July!

The UK’s only dedicated romantic and rom-com channel, GREAT! romance, will be available nationwide from Wednesday 19th July 2023 – previously it was only accessible in selected regions.

GREAT! romance is home to an unrivalled selection of heart-warming romantic movies.  You’ll get to enjoy love-led films featuring the channel’s familiar faces including Brendan Penny, Marcus Rosner, Autumn Reeser and more, plus gems from A-listers like Chris Evans and Liam Hemsworth. 

GREAT! romance launched in January and is the fastest growing channel in the UK this year and from 19^th July the whole nation will be able to share in the love story! 

It is no surprise that with GREAT! romance being the fastest growing channel in the UK this year, it is now set for its nationwide debut. Sister channel GREAT! tv – which specialises in classic series such as Murder, She Wrote and M*A*S*H – has now also launched nationally, having previously also only been available in selected Freeview regions. 

GREAT! romance’s exciting array of content includes:

Valentine In The Vineyard – Winemakers plan a wedding while also executing a high-stakes business expansion in this delicious rom-com starring Rachael Leigh-Cook and Brendan Penny.

Love On The Menu – The channel serves up a very sweet romance in which a popular chef and a food executive, played by Autumn Reeser, go into business together and it’s not long before they begin to fall for each other.

Paris, Wine & Romance – Ooh-la-la! Jen Lilley plays Isabella, the ambitious new owner of her family’s Oregon winery whose dream of becoming world-renowned takes a big step forward when she enters a prestigious wine competition in Paris. Upon arrival, Isabella meets her biggest competitor, Jacques, from one of the world’s foremost winemaking families. A budding romance soon starts to develop!

Love & Honor – Liam Hemsworth stars in this romantic drama set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War and the moon landing in July 1969 where two charming and passionate young soldiers will go to any length for love! While fighting for his country in Vietnam, Dalton finds out that his girlfriend back home has dumped him. He has one week’s leave coming up so decides to escape the war and fly halfway round the world to get her back.

Playing It Cool – Chris Evans and Michelle Monaghan star in this quirky romantic comedy. Evans plays a screenwriter who wants to write action movies, but his agent is insisting he writes a romance story first. The only problem is that he doesn’t believe in love and hates the idea of commitment. But when he meets a beautiful woman at a charity gala (Monaghan), he thinks that she may be the one to change his opinion and help him write about love.

Love At First Sight – Adrian Grenier and Amy Smart star as a couple separately searching for love. After being dumped by her fiancé for being unadventurous, a woman sets out to prove him wrong by tracking down the handsome stranger whose mobile phone she’s found. It’s a heartfelt journey that becomes the ultimate love story.

Supa Strikas

YAAAS!: AVAILABLE NOW ON FREEVIEW

Packed with adventure, comedy and heart-stopping football action, Supa Strikas is a journey through the world of soccer like you have never seen before!