Round up week 16 (14-20 April)

A round up of BBC announcements, press releases and blogs, plus some highlights from our TV, radio and online output from the last week.

Proms 2018

On Thursday the BBC Proms announced its 2018 season.

BBC Live At Hay 2018

On Monday we unveiled the full BBC Tent line-up for the 31st Hay Festival (24 May to 3 June).

BBC Cymru Wales

On Wednesday BBC Cymru Wales was handed the keys to its new broadcast centre in Central Square in Cardiff today.

Announcements and blogs

Drama

Media packs for BBC One's The Woman in White and The Split were published this week. 

Meanwhile, an all star cast are to join Ruth Wilson in BBC drama Mrs Wilson, also for BBC One. 

Comedy

After the recent cliff-hanger at the end of This Country’s second series, BBC Three has commissioned both a one-off special and a third series of the award-winning mockumentary.

Entertainment

As the NHS marks its 70th year, viewers of BBC One’s The One Show have been nominating candidates for the first ever NHS Patients Awards. The NHS awards special will air on Friday 11 May. 

Meanwhile, it was confirmed that The Great British Sewing Bee will return to BBC Two next year with new host, award-winning British comedian Joe Lycett. The network also revealed details of Love in the Countryside, a brand new six-part series that sees eight rural dwellers from across the UK enlist the help of farmer’s daughter Sara Cox in their quest for love.

BBC Arts

On Monday, BBC Arts announced an upcoming focus on Cuba in the week that Raúl Castro steps down from the presidency and a new era begins.

Meanwhile, BBC Four is to celebrate the UK’s thriving dance scene with season of programming.

Factual

BBC One confirmed that Zoe Ball is to present The Queen’s Birthday Party on BBC One and BBC Radio.  BBC One also confirmed that, 100 years since suffrage, Anne Robinson is to meet British women from across the social spectrum to explore the most current and challenging questions around equality, examining how far we’ve come and what is still left to achieve in What Women Want.

Elsewhere, BBC Two announced a new five-part documentary on Margaret Thatcher.

Radio

BBC Radio 4 confirmed that Professor Margaret MacMillan will go on tour recording her Reith Lectures - entitled The Mark of Cain - this June, beginning in London and concluding in Canada. Meanwhile, Controller of Radio 4, Gwyneth Williams, has announced a range of forthcoming programmes which explore the experiences of people and communities across the United Kingdom.

Regional

On Friday BBC Scotland welcomed Ofcom’s decision to approve provisionally the new BBC Scotland channel.

International

On Tuesday, BBC World Service confirmed that news in Russian from the BBC will now feature on prime-time news bulletins of Belsat TV broadcasts to Belarus.

Blogs

Alun Jones' gave a progress report on BBC Wales' relocation to Central Square in Cardiff.

We also published three Proms blogs,  Director of BBC Proms, David Pickard's introduction to the festival for 2018; Controller Alan Davey looks ahead to the upcoming treats in store for Radio 3 listeners as part of the BBC's classical music festival; and Francesca Kent Executive producer of BBC Proms Television shares highlights of the BBC Proms season across BBC TV.

The weekly BBC iPlayer Highlights 21-27 April  was also published. 

Broadcast Highlights

• The Gettys: The Worlds Richest Art Dynasty, Saturday 14 April, BBC TWO
• Britain’s Biggest Warship, Sunday 15 April, BBC TWO
• Heir Hunters, Monday 16 April, BBC ONE
• Britain In Bloom, Monday 16 April, BBC TWO
• Stephen: The Murder That Changed A Nation, Tuesday 17 April, BBC ONE
• Drama On 3: Lady Windermere's Fan, Sunday 15 April, BBC RADIO 3
• CrowdScience: Are Screens Bad For My Child’s Eyes?, Friday 20 April, BBC WORLD SERVICE