If, like us, you’re exhausted and skint after the bank holiday weekend and just not up to taking advantage of all the fun things London has to offer this week, here are a few things you can watch and listen to from the comfort of your front room.
On TV, Londonist likes:
Thursday, 30 August
Robbie Coltrane: B-Road Britain (ITV1, 21:00-22:00) Robbie Coltrane takes to the roads and travels from London to Glasgow using only B-roads. Londonist loves a road trip, so we think this is a fabulous idea. In this last episode he makes a few stops, including visiting Britain’s strangest listed building.
The Sorcerers (1967) (BBC2, 00:05-01:25) If you’re up for a late night Thursday/early Friday film, check out this cult sci-fi horror film starring Boris Karloff. Set in swinging London, it involves well meaning professors, mind control, hypnotism and Boris Karloff in swinging London. What’s not to like?
Friday, 31 August
Big Brother: Live Final (Channel 4, 20:30-21:30 & 22:00-23:05) You know you’re curious. Who will win series 8 of Big Brother? This Londonista is supporting Brian, as we’ve found him consistently hilarious. And he really seems very sweet. Shall we place bets on first person to burst out sobbing and saying that they don’t actually want to win but are just on the programme to learn about themselves?
Sunday, 2 September
Dumped (Channel 4, 21:00-22:00) Eleven contestants living on a rubbish dump in South London? We’re intrigued. The contestants move in and must construct shelters out of anything they can find in this first episode. This has the potential to be really interesting, and possibly a bit gross. This should help with your Big Brother withdrawal.
On the radio, Londonist likes:
Tuesday, 28 August - Sunday, 2 September
BBC Proms 2007 (BBC Radio3, times vary) The Proms are wrapping up shortly, so make sure you catch some culture before they finish. We like the sound of Shostakovich's epic Symphony No 5 in D minor on Saturday. Sounds epic!
Wednesday, 30 August
Poetry Slam (BBC Radio 4, 23:00-23:30) For all you poetry fans, it’s the semi-finals of the Radio 4 Slam Competition from the Drill Hall in London as competitors from around the country battle it out for the title.
Saturday, 1 September
Blood and Fire: Roots, Reggae and Rastafari (BBC Radio 2, 20:00-21:00) After the fun of Carnival, here’s a look at the reggae movement in Jamaica from the 1930’s to the present. The programme takes a look at the big names, but also some of more unknown names. We always enjoy a chance to learn a bit as we enjoy some music.
Online, Londonist likes:
Walk It - Recommended by a clever Londonist reader, we love this website. It’s a walking route finder for London (as well as Birmingham and Edinburgh), which should make walking your recommended 10,000 steps each day a bit easier. Enter your start and end addresses, and your route pops up, along with distance, walking time, calorie burn and carbon output avoided. We like the directions as well, with helpful notes like “You'll pass METROPOLITAN POLICE SERVICE Police Station” making sure you stay on the right track.
