Counter Culture

Saturday June 4 2022

Depp Vs. Heard: The Winners and the Losers Channel 5 9pm

A look at the defamation trial in Virginia in which Johnny Depp is making a claim for damages against his ex-wife Amber Heard over an op-ed the Washington Post written in 2018. The pair have spent the last six weeks locked in court, with accusations of adultery, drink and drug abuse, and allegations of domestic and sexual abuse from both parties.

Sunday June 5 2022

Radioactive (2019) BBC2 9.30pm

The incredible true story of Marie Sklodowska-Curie and her Nobel Prize-winning work that changed the world.

Monday June 6 2022

The Untold: The Suing Seafarer BBC RADIO 4 FM 11am

When P&O Ferries suddenly fired its staff on the spot on 17th March, there was an outcry from politicians, unions and the press with widespread scathing condemnation of the company.

P&O claimed it had made huge losses during the pandemic and that its current business model was unsustainable.

It offered severance packages but the nearly 800 staff who accepted them also needed to agree not to make any legal claims against P&O or talk to the media.

Sous chef John Lansdown was the only staff member to reject the redundancy offer and to fight P&O, and their Dubai-based parent company DP World, in the courts for ‘Unfair Dismissal’.

As the only person speaking out, John was quickly thrown into the media spotlight for a rollercoaster ride he wasn’t prepared for. He’s also been navigating his legal options and coming to terms with the abrupt end of a relationship with P&O – which he joined as a 16 year old an apprentice chef – and a crew which was his second family.

Untold producer Neil McCarthy follows John through the ups and downs of these turbulent 8 weeks as he prepares for a lengthy battle.

Tuesday June 7 2022

Prejudice and Pride: The People’s History of LGBTQ Britain (1/2) BBC4 9pm

This is the story of ordinary LGBTQ people and their extraordinary lives, loves and struggles over the last 50 years. Presented by Stephen K Amos and Susan Calman.

Wednesday June 8 2022

Secret State (1/4) ITV 9pm

Secret State explores the relationship between a democratically elected government, big business and the banks.

The Falklands Play (2002) BBC4 10pm

On April 2, 1982, Britain went to war to regain the Falkland Islands after . This movie is a gripping account of how Prime Minister Rt Hon Margaret Thatcher MP’s government handled the biggest crisis in British foreign affairs since the Suez Canal. It tells the story of how Argentina, an ally of the British, fought the Conservative government and invaded the Falklands. This play charts the backroom maneuverings between Thatcher’s government and the military, between the British and the Americans, and the Americans and the Argentinians that led to a breakdown in diplomacy, to war, and to Britain’s eventual victory.

The Falklands Play Row BBC4 11.30pm

In 1987, the BBC commissioned a play to mark the fifth anniversary of the Falklands conflict (see above). But the play was not shown until 2002. This documentary examines the political furore surrounding the decision not to show it and talks to the main players in the drama.

Thursday June 9 2022

The Cannabis Question PBS America 7.45pm

As state-legalised cannabis spreads, NOVA investigates the latest scientific evidence for its potential benefits and risks, and how criminalisation has disproportionately harmed communities of colour.

Judy (2019) BBC4 9pm

Legendary performer Judy Garland arrives in London in the winter of 1968 to perform a series of sold-out concerts.

Friday 10 June 2022

British Planes that won the war: Sopwith Camel (1/4) Channel 5 9pm

During World War One, the Allies and the Germans were battling for superiority in the air, and Herbert Smith, chief engineer at the Sopwith Aviation Company, was challenged to come up with a plane that was fast, agile and could take the fight to the enemy. His so-called Sopwith Camel entered battle in the summer of 1917 and made an immediate impact.

Killing Me Softly: The Roberta Flack Story BBC4 9pm

Documentary profile of Roberta Flack, telling the story of the emergence of a different kind of soul singer, set against the turbulent backdrop of America’s Civil Rights movement.

The Old Grey Whistle Test BBC4 11pm

Performances from Roberta Flack and Mike Absalom

Selections by Pat Harrington