Am coming to the UK - what do I need to watch??

[mit]

Hi Y'all
Am finally coming to the UK this afternoon for a few weeks - escaping the boiling heat of Texas. So ladies, what do I need to watch? I hardly watch telly here as it's all cr*p. I've been reading (on MN of course!) about lots of interesting programmes - super nanny (?), some about schools......I've of course forgotten them now I need to list them. I'll be staying with my mother - she can't get channel 5 (really is in the sticks) so any good suggestions for the original 4 channels??
Am hoping you can rescue me from a million nights with my mum playing the piano (which is lovely but after a week gets a bit much!).
Will of course be watching EastEnders in the vain hope I'll recognise a character (haven't been to the UK since last August!).
Thank you so much in advance, and I know this is a super sad question but I keep feeling jealous when you lot discuss TV and I haven't a clue!
mit xxx

there are lots of property progs onte hmoment - like on channel 4.

Thanks coddy - I do seem to go through a phase in the first week of soaking up British architecture (the oldest houses in Houston seems to be 1920's - and there aren't that many of them!!) - so this might be a good starting poing for my UK TV guide!
mit x

or even a good starting point!

boing boing boing...

you could also read Heat Magazine to see all the British Celebrity gossip

would also say to try another soap - Coronation Street, and maybe a hospital type soap/drama- Holby city

don't watch much telly tho - someone can give you a better idea in a bit

Hi MummytoSteven
Thanks! I'll be buying my copy of Hello! at the airport.....see what the lovely Beckhams have been up to (last I heard he was having an affair?). No, seriously, couldn't care less what those 2 are up to!
Not a big Corrie fan - but might have a look at a hospital drama if there are any good ones.
mit x

Yes, agree with mts, defo get Heat magazine for gossip etc!

Theres Who Rules the Roost thats weds on 2 at 8 err and thats all I can think of, think Super nannys finished for now could be wrong though.
Where about in the country will you be...surely you can think of something better to do than watch the TV ???!!!

Don't worry Charliecat - I'll be doing something better than watching TV 99.5% of the time. I'll be in Norfolk in a tiny little village... lots of walking and nature observing with the odd trip to the sea thrown in. Looking forward to it immensly - just thought there might be a couple of evenings when I'm trying to recover from the jetlag, too tired to read and the TV is tempting me - I seem to have the idea that TV in the UK is better than over here, but that could be the rose tinted specs coming out .
mit x

Rose tinted I expect, why do you think we are all here on Mumsnet???!!! If you go to yahoo.co.uk and scroll down the page a bit theres a tv guide with brief explanations of everything, you could have apeek there...and it goes weeks ahead.

This might be a bit drastic, but if you look up your mums postcode at www.freeview.co.uk you can see if she recieves the signal for freeview tv, you buy a box for £40 and get a load of extra channels..including 7-7 cbeebies which is ideal for kiddies.
Or is that too drastic?

To get the true flavour of Engerland you should listen to Radio 4.

yes, sorry, radio again for me - i'd say comedy weeknights at 6.30 on Radio 4, Jonathan Ross at 10 on Saturday mornings on Radio 2 (is he still doing it?) and Late Junction on Radio 3 if you're up late. Of course you could listen to these now on the internet!
Trouble is, right now we're just shifting over between summer and autumn schedules so i think that's why we're having trouble thinking of meaty stuff going on at the moment.

I haven't been watching much in the last few weeks but for years past an awful lot of the good stuff I've watched has been American... if Time Team is on while you're here, catch it though. Fun archaeology.

Green Wing, Channel 4, 9.30pm, Friday nights.
Late night Radio 2 with Mark Radcliffe (minus Lard these days) is also excellent, even though he gets on my nerves a bit sometimes.
Who Rules the Roost is brilliant - a world away from more "sensationalist" fly on the wall family docs.