Programme Information

So You Think You Can Dance

Saturday 26 March

7.10-8.10pm BBC ONE

Sisco Gomez, Louise Redknapp, Arlene Phillips and Nigel Lythgoe are the judges as a new series of So You Think You Can Dance begins

Cat Deeley returns in search of the nation's hottest dance talent for a second series of the award-winning So You Think You Can Dance. Fresh from seven seasons of the hit show in the US, Nigel Lythgoe takes up his position as head judge along with renowned choreographer Arlene Phillips, dancer/choreographer Sisco Gomez and presenter and former singer Louise Redknapp to critique this year's finalists competing for the title of the UK's Favourite Dancer. On top of the title comes a once-in-a-lifetime invitation to dance in Hollywood on the US version of the show, as well as prize money.

Talented competitors from all over the UK come to parade their unique take on hip-hop, Latin, contemporary, commercial, jazz and any number of free-style moves in a bid to win over the judges. The lucky Top 20 (10 men and 10 women) who make it through both the auditions and Choreography Camp get to strut their stuff in front of the nation, live on BBC One every Saturday night.

Each week they're taught to perform a new routine by world-renowned choreographers, and struggle as they step out of their comfort zones – ballet dancers could, for example, be asked to attempt hip-hop routines, and tap dancers could tackle contemporary dance.

It's not just the judges that the dancers have to impress. Viewers have the ultimate power to vote for their favourite dancer; for two contestants each week (one man and one woman) who don't hit the mark, the journey ends. The results programme is also an opportunity for dancers to showcase their skills in a visual extravaganza as they take part in a weekly group performance.

Tonight, the journey begins with the first round of auditions where dancers from all over the UK bring their best moves to London, hoping to impress the judges and win a "golden ticket" to take them straight through to Choreography Camp. Among those whose fortunes viewers will follow are a partially deaf jazz dancer, a mother and daughter who brought the carnival vibe, and a phenomenal tap talent.

JD/PA

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The life and times of renowned novelist Leo Tolstoy are examined in this Imagine Special

In this two-part Imagine Special, commissioned as part of Books On The BBC 2011, Alan Yentob examines the life and times of renowned novelist Leo Tolstoy. The centenary of Tolstoy's death last year was marked around the world. Now Yentob investigates why he thinks there was a deafening silence in official Russian circles and why this great Russian writer is still an awkward hero in his own country today, thanks to his outspoken political and religious beliefs.

Discovering what made Tolstoy into one of the greatest novelists in the world, he reveals a difficult, restless and ferociously brilliant man with an appetite for causing trouble.

Guided by the writer's astonishingly honest and confessional diaries, Yentob embarks on an epic train journey through Tolstoy's Russia. It's an expedition that brings to life the story of one of the most extraordinary and influential men of the 19th century.

Stopping at the idyllic world of Yasnaya Polyana, Tolstoy's family home, university, battlefields, palaces, monasteries, grand cities and remote rural Russia, Yentob meets local experts and Tolstoy enthusiasts to hear a powerfully Russian version of the great man's story. It's a journey complemented by contributions from leading Tolstoy experts from around the world and extraordinary film footage of the tragic scenes surrounding his death.

Throughout his life, Tolstoy was fearlessly willing to go his own way, challenge everything and offend anybody in his pursuit of truth. These films explore this compulsion in Tolstoy, how it made him into a writer of almost unequalled stature and how it still makes him unpopular in some quarters in Russia today.

The BBC, in partnership with Oxford Literary festival, will host a screening of Imagine – The Trouble With Tolstoy on Sunday 10 April at 4pm followed by a 30-minute discussion led by presenter Alan Yentob.

JB

Goldie's Band – By Royal Appointment Ep 1/3

Saturday 26 March

9.00-10.00pm BBC TWO

Drum 'n' bass pioneer, DJ and former BBC Two Maestro finalist Goldie is on a mission

Drum 'n' bass pioneer, DJ and former BBC Two Maestro finalist Goldie is on a mission to discover young people whose talent and passion for music is at the centre of their lives, and who have strived to overcome difficult circumstances for the opportunity to flourish, in a brand-new three-part series.

Goldie scouts raw musical talent from across the country and sees his specially chosen group perform at Buckingham Palace, in the presence of guest of honour Prince Harry, as the grand finale of his mentoring programme.

After a personal nationwide search, 12 young musicians have been mentored by a team of industry experts including composer Guy Chambers, singer and rapper Ms Dynamite, jazz artist Soweto Kinch, and singer/songwriter Cerys Matthews.

The series showcases the exciting talent of the young musicians as they are given the opportunity to learn and train with intensive master classes and workshops under the guidance of some of the best names in the business.

In this first episode of the series, Goldie and the mentors travel across the country meeting many talented musicians. After a lengthy and thoughtful short-listing process, they eventually select the 12 performers to make up the band.

RK2