Documentary
Invasion! With Sam Willis BBC FOUR, 9.00PM
The final part of this engaging series sees historian Sam Willis examine one of the more unusual military ideas in history: Napoleon’s plan to use a fleet of balloons as part of his invasion plans during the War of the Third Coalition. The French first crossed the English Channel by hot air balloon in 1785 and Napoleon appointed aeronaut Sophie Blanchard as air service chief to carry out the idea. The plans ultimately came to nothing, but that didn’t stop stories and caricatures of balloons carrying arms, men and even horses spreading through the media. SH
The First Silent Night YESTERDAY, 9.00PM
The mournful Silent Night is one of the world’s most beloved carols, and was declared an intangible cultural heritage by Unesco in 2011. This film follows actor Simon Callow as he heads to the Austrian village of Oberndorf to uncover its origins before considering why this carol above all others resonates so strongly. SH
Extraordinary Teens: Young, Gifted and Broke CHANNEL 4, 10.00PM
Pianist and composer Shane Thomas hit the headlines aged only 10 when his precocious talent saw him hailed as the British Mozart. Seven years later his career has stalled. What emerges is a depressing but well-told story of ambition tampered by poverty and a system in which privilege and connections count as much, if not more than raw talent.