PICK OF THE WEEK

Hurricanes – with a national treasure alongside them. David also sees the pilots honing their formation flying, and there is behind-the-scenes footage in hangars and workshops where these irreplaceable historic machines are carefully maintained.

Cat Tales: In From the Wild (BBC4, 9pm)

Cats. Where do they come from? Why do we love them? What’s going on inside their heads? This programme answers the biggest questions about the world’s most popular furry pet. Detailed real-time brain scans reveal a possible explanation for why owners are besotted with their cats. A cat’s meow plugs straight into the emotional centres of our brains in exactly the same way as a baby’s cry. And adult cats only meow to humans – so they may not intend to manipulate us, but they do. However, domestic cats haven’t always had it easy. They suffered sacrifice in Ancient Egypt and were persecuted as agents of Satan in the Middle Ages.

All Creatures Great and Small (C5, 9pm)

Siegfried applies to become attending vet at Darrowby racecourse – but the position comes with conditions, and he is torn between his ambition and his loyalty to the practice. Tristan collects the debts owed to the surgery, but ends up losing all the money and resorts to placing a risky bet to cover up his mistake. When the favourite to win on the race day is diagnosed with a inoperable condition, James has his first painful experience of having to put an animal down, only to end up being threatened with legal action by the owner.

The Battle of Britain (BBC1, 9pm)

To mark the 80th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain, the conflict that prevented a Nazi invasion, brothers Colin and Ewan McGregor take us through the timeline of events during the height of the Battle. Colin, an RAF veteran of 20 years’ service, and his more famous film-star brother have always shared his passion for aviation. They take viewers on a journey to honour the heroes of 1940, bringing the story of the Battle of Britain to a new generation. Taking to the skies over southern England in Spitfires and Hurricanes, they discover the legacy of the battle and reveal the inspiring personal stories of some of the brave pilots whose part in the conflict helped changed the fate of the world.

WEDNESDAY

Mary Berry’s Simple Comforts (BBC2, 8pm)

explores the DIY route option in relation to each tip to help the viewer work out which bits of the work they can do to save money and which bits they should leave to the professionals. Each tip is packed with budget information enabling viewers to decide if the results achieved are for them and how to tackle the project if they want to go ahead.

FRIDAY

Secret Scotland with Susan Calman (C5, 8pm)