BBC Two's blog

7:00pm Tuesday 27 March on BBC TWO

John Sweeney investigates the beliefs of Mitt Romney, the man most likely to take on Barack Obama later this year, and asks whether America is ready for a Mormon president.

Sweeney travels to Utah to examine the appeal of the world’s fastest growing religion, which has an estimated 14 million members.

He meets the stars of the expensive ‘I’m A Mormon’ ad campaign, who tell him of their dedication to family and charity; polygamists who follow an old Mormon tradition which the official Church has turned its back on and missionaries who set out to recruit new members around the world, just like Romney did in the 1960s.

Sweeney also finds ex-members who claim that they are cut off from their families and who accuse Mormonism of being a cult and explores the faith with a Mormon Apostle.

The Mormon Church sees an opportunity in Mitt Romney’s run for the White House and is spending millions on an advertising campaign called I Am a Mormon. Mitt Romney himself very rarely utters those words, arguably because he knows his Mormonism could cost him votes.

In America people don’t criticise each other’s religion, but that doesn’t mean the voters don’t hold it against them. According to a poll*, one in four Americans has said they would be less likely to vote for a Mormon. And as Sweeney follows the campaign trail he finds a Republican party dominated by white evangelicals who can’t stand Mitt Romney.

2:30pm Sunday 26 February on BBC TWO

John Inverdale presents live coverage of Scotland v France from Edinburgh, joined by expert analysts Jeremy Guscott and Andy Nicol in the studio.

The two nations met in Paris in the first round of Six Nations matches last year, when reigning champions France grabbed a stylish 34-21 win over a spirited Scotland. Les Bleus were aiming for a second straight Grand Slam at the time, but were undone by away losses to England and, more surprisingly, Italy.

Despite turmoil and their underwhelming group stage displays, they bounced back at the World Cup – losing the final by just a point to hosts New Zealand.

For Scotland, a new era must be embarked upon: talismanic Chris Paterson, their record cap and points holder, retired from international rugby in December.

Match commentary comes from Andrew Cotter and Jonathan Davies.

9:00pm Friday 17 February on BBC TWO

Phil Agland revisits the Baka Pygmy family he filmed 25 years ago in his Bafta-winning documentary Baka – People Of The Rainforest.

He explores how life has changed for the new generation: the children of the old film are now parents; Camera, who was born at the end of the first film and named after Phil’s film camera, now has a seven-year-old daughter, Ambi. Camera’s brother Ali also has a young daughter, who is disabled.?

For the first time the Baka watch themselves in the original film on a huge screen in the forest. Seeing how their parents used to live prompts an epic journey deep into the forest to rediscover the old life of their fathers. The story that unfolds is a tragic one of a family caught helplessly between the world of the forest and the outside world that rejects them. But it is also a story of redemption inspired by the children, especially Ambi, who attends school for the first time.

10:00pm Wednesday 15 February on BBC TWO

Roger & Val continues tonight, with Alfred Molina and Dawn French in the title roles of this six part series.

Episode two joins the duo the night before Roger’s tribunal for unfair dismissal and he is very nervous. It is World Book Day at Val’s school, an excellent opportunity to further her deputy headship campaign while dressed as Mrs Danvers.

A fellow teacher has given Val a plastic toy to give Roger good luck, but it seems to be strangely multiplying itself inside the house. Meanwhile, a message on Roger’s Facebook support group threatens to bring his major misdemeanour to Val’s attention.

Roger and Val have work issues, love issues and supper issues and the half hour after they have got in is the perfect time to put the world to rights, and decide whether or not to have a takeaway.

Developed from an original idea by Dawn French, Roger & Val is written by Emma & Beth Kilcoyne (Dogtown) and produced by Jon Plowman for the BBC and directed by Mandie Fletcher. Executive producers are Hugo Blick and Mark Freeland.

8:00pm Sunday 12 February on BBC TWO

In this week’s programme Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond take charge of shooting the climactic car chase for the new Sweeney movie.

Clarkson uses his expertise to choreograph the stunt driving, whilst Hammond directs the movie’s lead actors, Ray Winstone and Plan B, and organises an explosive finale.

Back at the test track, James May casts a suspicious eye over the new Vauxhall Corsa VXR Nurburgring and gives his verdict on the brand new Fiat Panda. Plus Hollywood actor Ryan Reynolds is the star in the Reasonably Priced Car.

Ep 3/7

7:30pm Saturday 11 February on BBC TWO

John Inverdale hosts live coverage from Paris as France take on Ireland.

Declan Kidney’s side scored three tries to France’s one when the sides met at the Aviva Stadium last year, but still ended up losing the match.

And Ireland do not have a good record in Paris, beating the French there just once in the past 40 years. That famous victory came in 2000, when Brian O’Driscoll scored a hat-trick of tries – the Irish captain has been ruled out of this year’s Six Nations after having shoulder surgery, but the visitors will still be hopeful of landing a rare victory in the French capital.

Commentary comes from Eddie Butler and Brian Moore.

9:00pm Thursday 9 February on BBC TWO

The final episode of the series, New Start, tells the inside story of two relationships: Barack Obama’s charm campaign with President Dmitry Medvedev and Medvedev’s own complex relationship with his once and future boss, Vladimir Putin.

Obama became president determined to start ridding the world of nuclear weapons. To do so he needed Russian help. Obama set out to reset relations with Russia, especially with his counterpart, Dmitry Medvedev.

Top officials on both sides take us deep inside the negotiations and describe how a phone call between these two young lawyer Presidents clinched the agreement which cut their nuclear arsenals in half. After years of tense relations, the US and Russia seem to be back on track.

But in Russia, Medvedev struggled to become his own man. He responded to the 2008 global economic crisis with a call to make Russia into a modern democracy. Nothing happened. He promised Obama that Russia’s most famous dissident would get a fair trial. He failed. And in the end, when Putin asked for his old job back, Medvedev meekly steeped aside and let Putin be nominated the party’s presidential candidate for the 2012 election. Top Kremlin insiders – including Medvedev and Putin, tell how the deal was made for Putin’s return.

Ep 4/4

10:00pm Wednesday 8 February on BBC TWO

Roger & Val Have Just Got In returns to BBC Two, starring Alfred Molina and Dawn French in the title roles in this new six-part series.

Married for over 20 years, Roger and Val Stevenson have work issues, love issues and supper issues. And the half hour after they’ve both got in is the perfect time to put their world to rights, and decide whether or not to have a takeaway. Food Technology teacher Val has ambitions to climb to the dizzy heights of Deputy Headship, while botanist Roger is campaigning against unfair dismissal for sexual harassment that he claims was a misunderstanding. But a bizarre revelation is set to change everything in their safe, domestic world.

Episode 1 ‘The Shock’ sees Roger and Val return from a family wedding to discover whether Val’s bid to become Deputy Head has fallen at the first hurdle. Val shows Roger her novel way of overcoming interview nerves with a little help from her friends . Meanwhile, among the weekend’s post is a hand-delivered note for Roger that will change every aspect of their world and shatter the balance they have worked so hard to achieve. .

Developed from an original idea by Dawn French, Roger & Val is written by Emma & Beth Kilcoyne (Dogtown) and produced by Jon Plowman for the BBC and directed by Mandie Fletcher.

Married for over 20 years, Roger and Val Stevenson have work issues, love issues and supper issues. And the half hour after they’ve both got in is the perfect time to put their world to rights, and decide whether or not to have a takeaway. Food Technology teacher Val has ambitions to climb to the dizzy heights of Deputy Headship, while botanist Roger is campaigning against unfair dismissal for sexual harassment that he claims was a misunderstanding. But a bizarre revelation is set to change everything in their safe, domestic world .

Episode 1 ‘The Shock’ sees Roger and Val return from a family wedding to discover whether Val’s bid to become Deputy Head has fallen at the first hurdle. Val shows Roger her novel way of overcoming interview nerves with a little help from her friends. Meanwhile, among the weekend’s post is a hand-delivered note for Roger that will change every aspect of their world and shatter the balance they have worked so hard to achieve.

Developed from an original idea by Dawn French, Roger & Val is written by Emma & Beth Kilcoyne (Dogtown) and produced by Jon Plowman for the BBC and directed by Mandie Fletcher. Executive Producers are Hugo Blick and Mark Freeland.

Confirmed for Wednesday 8 February on BBC Two at 10.00pm – 10.30pm

Ep 1/6

9:00pm Monday 6 February on BBC TWO

Following a year and a half of negotiating access with Bristol City Council, the police and the NHS, Expecting Trouble follows social workers as they work with a couple living on the edge of society.

Shaun and Marva’s past has been blighted with homelessness, violence and alcohol. The cameras follow Annie, their social worker, as she works with them during Marva’s fourth pregnancy. The couple have already had three children removed after social workers decided they were not fit to care for them.

Hospital-based social worker Annie has to make complicated decisions in order to protect Shaun and Marva’s unborn child. Meetings are difficult because their previous behaviour means she has to be accompanied at all times by two security guards.

Remarkably, Marva makes progress that no one thought possible. She stops drinking, splits up with Shaun and is housed in a woman’s safe house up until the birth. It’s an outcome that no one would have predicted, but whether she can bring up her own baby hangs in the balance.

Protecting Our Children is made in partnership with The Open University.

Confirmed for Monday 6 February on BBC Two at 9.00-10.00pm

Ep 2/3

8:00pm Sunday 5 February on BBC TWO

In this week’s programme Jeremy Clarkson and James May travel to Beijing for a look at China’s ever-expanding car industry – and have a violent encounter with The Stig’s Chinese cousin.

Meanwhile, Richard Hammond is in Texas to immerse himself in the surprisingly interesting world of NASCAR racing. Plus, the Mercedes SLS Roadster makes an enormous amount of noise and smoke on the test track and Matt LeBlanc is the star in the Reasonably Priced Car.

Ep 2/7