BBC Four TV Guide & Listings (Australia Timezone)
BBC Four dives into culture, history, arts and world cinema with thoughtful documentaries, acclaimed drama and curated film seasons. See what's on BBC Four on Wednesday 21 October 2026 in the Australia timezone with full listings and upcoming programmes.
Times shown in the Australia timezone. How to watch BBC iPlayer in Australia
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Dates
BBC Four Schedule — Wed 21 Oct
Programming hasn’t started yet.
The first program is at 12:20 AM (12:20 AM UK Time )
12:20 AM
Secrets of Bones — 00:20
Ben Garrod seeks out the big part that bones can play in reproduction. Through sexual selection, the skeleton has adapted to aid courtship, competition and even copulation.
Runtime:
30 min
12:50 AM
Gareth Edwards’s Great Welsh Adventure — 00:50
Sir Gareth and wife Maureen get a castle to themselves for a night – perfect to mark their 49th wedding anniversary. Also, they go wildlife spotting and get competitive at golf in Tenby.
Runtime:
30 min
1:20 AM
Ancient Worlds — 01:20
The Republic of Virtue
Archaeologist and historian Richard Miles examines the phenomenon of the Roman Republic, from its mythical beginnings to the all too real violence of its end.
2:20 AM
The Normans — 02:20
Documentary series. A look at how the Normans developed from a band of marauding Vikings into the formidable warriors who conquered England in 1066.
Runtime:
55 min
3:15 AM
This is BBC Four — 03:15
This is BBC Four
Programmes start at 7.00pm.
Runtime:
2 hr 15 min
5:30 AM
This is BBC Four — 05:30
This is BBC Four
Daily from 7.00pm.
Runtime:
13 hr 28 min
6:58 PM
This is BBC Four — 18:58
This is BBC Four
Programmes start at 7.00pm.
Runtime:
2 min
7:00 PM
Secrets of Skin — 19:00
Adaptability
Professor Ben Garrod explores how versatile the basic skin structure truly is, revealing how slight adaptations have created birds' feathers and a rhinoceros’s horn.
Runtime:
30 min
7:30 PM
Gareth Edwards’s Great Welsh Adventure — 19:30
Episode 3
Gareth and Maureen are in the coastal resort of Llandudno as a heatwave hits. They still squeeze in everything from ice creams and strolls on the pier to a nerve-wracking abseil down the Great Orme.
Runtime:
30 min
8:00 PM
Asteroids: Spark of Life? — 20:00
Scientists explore if the destructive impacts of asteroids on Earth four billion years ago may have provided the essential ingredients needed for life to ignite on our planet.
Runtime:
50 min
8:50 PM
Building Sights — 20:50
County Arcade, Leeds
Writer Alan Bennett wanders through the architecturally exotic County Arcade in Leeds, designed by Frank Matcham in 1900.
Runtime:
10 min
9:00 PM
The Planets — 21:00
The Two Sisters - Earth and Mars
Professor Brian Cox continues his tour of the solar system, revealing that it was once home to not one, but two blue planets.
10:00 PM
Remembers... — 22:00
Alison Steadman Remembers... The Singing Detective
Alison Steadman looks back at Dennis Potter’s influential TV drama series The Singing Detective, once described by Stephen King as ‘television’s Citizen Kane’.
Runtime:
15 min
10:15 PM
The Singing Detective — 22:15
Lovely Days
Dennis Potter's drama serial with music. Marlow thinks back to the war when he was a little boy and remembers seeing his mother having illicit sex in the Forest of Dean.
Runtime:
1 hr 5 min
11:20 PM
The Singing Detective — 23:20
Clues
Dennis Potter's classic drama serial with music. Marlow as a child visits London, but is not impressed. A film option on Marlow's novel thickens the plot.
Runtime:
1 hr 10 min
Frequently Asked Questions
What is on BBC Four tonight?
Tonight (Wednesday 21 October) on BBC Four, you can watch This is BBC Four, Secrets of Skin, Gareth Edwards’s Great Welsh Adventure, and Asteroids: Spark of Life?. Check the full schedule for more details.
How can I watch BBC Four live?
You can watch BBC Four live on the official bbc.co.uk website or app. Use the 'Watch Live' button to go directly to the player.
When does programming end on BBC Four today?
Today's programming on BBC Four ends at 00:30 (10:30 your time) with The Singing Detective.
Is this TV schedule shown in UK time or my local time?
All times shown on this page are automatically converted to your local device timezone for easy viewing, though the original UK broadcast time is also displayed.