What to watch
A House Through Time
BBC TWO, 9.00PM; N IRELAND/SCOTLAND, 11.15PM
David Olusoga’s enjoyable look at the history of Liverpool through the inhabitants of one house reaches its conclusion. The episode tells an intriguing story of upheaval, destitution and gentrification, with the modern-day house serving as both a symbol of change and a cautionary tale about how the transformation of an area can price out those who have lived there for generations.
Before we get to the ending, however, there are some fascinating stories to hear along the way, all the more intriguing because the programme has reached an era where Olusoga can interview those who actually lived in the house. We watch as young married couples rent rooms there only to flee for the suburban dream; we see the city diversify during the Sixties, bringing with it new clubs, exhibitions and, most of all, music; and learn how it survived being destroyed in the Seventies, adapted during the Eighties, and was embraced by a bohemian crowd even as riots and poverty threatened to engulf the area.
It all adds up to social history at its best – a sometimes sad but always illuminating look at the way that a city can change. We hope that Olusoga returns with more soon. Sarah Hughes