BBC Four TV Guide & Listings (United States 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 Tuesday 20 January 2026 in the United States timezone with full listings and upcoming programmes.
Times shown in the United States timezone.
Heads up: you're viewing listings from Tuesday 20 January 2026. Jump to today's schedule.
Channels
BBC One (BBC1)
BBC Two (BBC2)
ITV1
ITV1 Anglia
ITV1 Anglia West
ITV1 Border
ITV1 Central East
ITV1 Central West
ITV1 Granada
ITV1 Meridian East
ITV1 Meridian North
ITV1 Meridian South
ITV1 North
ITV1 Tyne Tees
ITV1 Wales
ITV1 West Country
ITV1 West
ITV1 Yorkshire East
ITV1 Yorkshire West
STV Central
STV North
UTV
Channel 4
Channel 5
BBC Three (BBC3)
Film4
BBC Four
CBeebies
BBC News
BBC ALBA
ITV2
ITV3
ITV4
E4
More4
GREAT! movies
Sky Arts
RTÉ One
Al Jazeera English
BBC Parliament
BBC Scotland
Blaze
Bloomberg TV Europe
CBBC
Challenge
Challenge (IE)
Channel 4+1
Court TV
Dave ja vu
DMAX
DMAX+1
Drama+1
E4 Extra
E4+1
Eden
Eden+1
Euronews English
Film4+1
Food Network
Food Network+1
GREAT! action
GREAT! action+1
GREAT! mystery
GREAT! mystery+1
GREAT! romance
GREAT! tv
GREAT! tv+1
ITV Quiz
ITV1+1
ITV1+1 Granada
ITV1+1 Meridian
ITV1+1 Midlands
ITV2+1
ITV3+1
ITV4+1
LBC News
Legend
Legend Xtra
Legend Xtra+1
London Live
More4+1
Movies24
Movies24+
Newsmax TV
PBS America
Quest Red+1
Quest+1
Really
Really+1
Rewind TV
RTÉ Kids Jr
RTÉ News
RTÉ One+1
RTÉ Two
RTÉ Two+1
S4C
Sky Arts (IE)
Sky Mix (IE)
Sky News
STV Central+1
STV North+1
Talking Pictures TV
TG4
TLC
TLC+1
True Crime
True Crime Xtra
True Crime+1
Virgin Media Four
Virgin Media One
Virgin Media One+1
Virgin Media Three
Virgin Media Two
W+1
Yesterday+1
Dates
BBC Four Schedule — Tue 20 Jan
Programming hasn’t started yet.
The first program is at 12:05 AM (12:05 AM UK Time )
12:05 AM
The Fairy-Tale Castles of King Ludwig II with Dan Cruickshank — 00:05
Dan Cruickshank looks at the extravagant 19th-century castles and palaces of King Ludwig II of Bavaria, believing them to be the work of an architectural genius ahead of his time.
1:05 AM
I Am Martin Parr — 01:05
Capturing Britain on camera
Discover the maverick behind some of the most iconic images of the past century on an intimate and exclusive road trip with a photographer whose work has revolutionised contemporary photography.
2:10 AM
Face the Music — 02:10
Joseph Cooper invites viewers to match their musical wits against guests Angela Down, Robin Ray and John Julius Norwich. With guest musician Bernard Haitink.
Runtime:
30 min
2:40 AM
Art of Persia — 02:40
Episode 1
Documentary series. Samira Ahmed journeys to places rarely seen by western audiences to reveal how the Persian Empire was born.
3:40 AM
This is BBC Four — 03:40
This is BBC Four
Programmes start at 7.00pm.
Runtime:
1 hr 50 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
Great British Railway Journeys — 19:00
Preston to Rawtenstall
Michael Portillo strikes out to explore the Britain of his youth, starting at Preston’s Fulwood Barracks and heading across to Bury Bolton Street station in Greater Manchester.
Runtime:
30 min
7:30 PM
Wainwright Walks — 19:30
Helvellyn
Series in which Julia Bradbury explores the work of fell walker and author Alfred Wainwright. She sets off to climb Helvellyn via the fearsome ridge of Striding Edge.
8:00 PM
Yes, Prime Minister — 20:00
Official Secrets
Classic political sitcom. When Jim Hacker's predecessor decides to publish his memoirs, the PM tries to suppress a chapter in which he appears unfavourably.
8:30 PM
Yes, Prime Minister — 20:30
A Diplomatic Incident
Classic political sitcom. When Jim Hacker discovers the French are planning some dirty tricks to get political advantage, the PM turns the tables on them.
9:00 PM
JLB: The Man Who Saw the Future — 21:00
Profile of John Logie Baird, the man who invented television, concentrating on how his dedication and drive made his achievements possible, presented by his son, Malcolm.
Runtime:
1 hr 15 min
10:15 PM
The Birth of Television — 22:15
Leslie Mitchell traces the origins of television, from the beginning of the 20th century to the first outside broadcast - the coronation of George VI in 1937.
Runtime:
1 hr 30 min
11:45 PM
The Lost World of Tibet — 23:45
Uncovering a hidden kingdom
Dan Cruickshank presents a documentary revealing the story of the Dalai Lama, his secret Himalayan kingdom and his exile, using eyewitness accounts and colour archive footage.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is on BBC Four tonight?
Tonight (Tuesday 20 January) on BBC Four, you can watch This is BBC Four, Great British Railway Journeys, Wainwright Walks, and Yes, Prime Minister. 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 00:45 (19:45 your time) with The Lost World of Tibet.
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.