Joanna Lumley’s Spice Trail Adventure
From Sunday 29 October 7.30pm
Joanna sets off to one of her most epic voyages yet. In this episode she is heading to a remote Indonesian island, Banda, which was once the only place on earth where nutmeg grew.
Discover the fascinating origins and histories of our staple spices as actor Joanna Lumley travels halfway across the globe on an epic culinary voyage.
Lumley takes an intrepid 15,000-mile voyage from the remote Banda Islands in Indonesia to the stunning natural landscapes of Jordan in the Middle East, revealing the story of how West met East and how the battle to control the cultivation and sale of spices dictated the course of history for centuries.
Following in the footsteps of pharaohs, crusaders, explorers and kings – and tasting spice-laden dishes along the way – Joanna traces an ancient route that crosses two continents and the Indian Ocean, taking in remote islands, jungles, mountains and the arid plains of the Middle East where she ends her journey.
In episode one, Joanna is heading to a collection of remote Indonesian islands, so small that her first challenge is finding them on the map. The Banda Islands were once the only place on earth where nutmeg grew. Joanna meets a family who make their living from harvesting them, she uncovers the dark history of Banda’s past and discovers that Banda’s charms once attracted A listers, including Mick Jagger. In the capital of Indonesia, Jakarta Joanna finds out what the attraction is of the 200 million clove cigarettes that are smoked in Indonesia every day. She pops into a cool speakeasy bar to taste a cocktail that is all about the spice and ends up discovering a newfound love of Indonesia’s national pop music.
Production credit: Executive Producers Clive Tulloh and Joanna Lumley. A Burning Bright production for ITV. Distributed by BBC Studios.
Annika - Season 2
From Sunday 29 October 8.20pm
Annika Strandhed and the Marine Homicide Unit return to solve more brutal murders that wash up on Scotland’s waters.
In the second series of this acclaimed crime drama, Annika Strandhed (Nicola Walker) and the Marine Homicide Unit return to solve more brutal murders that wash up on Scotland’s shores. The team are challenged as they encounter murders more complex than ever before.
The crimes take them to diverse landscapes across Scotland, from the remote Hebridean Isles to the vibrant capital city of Edinburgh. Meanwhile, Annika balances a family dynamic that grows more complicated as long-held secrets about her daughter, Morgan, (Silve Furneaux) begin to impact her relationships.
As always, Annika shares with us her wry and humorous observations through a literary lens.
Production credit: Produced by Black Camel Pictures.
Under The Vines - Season 2
From Friday 3 November 8.30pm
A charming romantic comedy drama featuring Sydney socialite Daisy Monroe and ex-London lawyer Louis Oakley trying to run a struggling vineyard in southern New Zealand.
Charming romantic comedy drama Under the Vines features Sydney socialite Daisy Monroe (Rebecca Gibney) and ex-London lawyer Louis Oakley (Charles Edwards) trying to run a struggling vineyard in southern New Zealand.
As Daisy comes to terms with her new life, Louis tries to repair his old one before returning to England. But ultimately his marriage fails and he stays on to help Daisy run Oakley Wines. The two unlikely partners in wine continue to navigate life in Peak View and its population of quirky locals and Machiavellian rivals. But any chance of romance between the two is muddied when Daisy meets David (Kirk Torrance) the handsome local doctor.
Meanwhile Oakley’s young vintner Tippy (Trae Te Wiki) has her world shaken by the arrival of Shimmering Lake’s new rockstar French vintner, Philippe Bidois (Milo Cawthorne).
Production credit: A LIBERTINE PICTURES and EQ MEDIA GROUP PRODUCTION. In association with HARDY WHITE PICTURES