SBS On Demand: quick links
SBS On Demand: new this week
Dolly Parton: Here I Am – 19 January
Documentary. A landmark documentary that explores the extraordinary life and music of Dolly Parton. Featuring incredible archive footage and exclusive interviews with Dolly and stars like Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin, this film lifts the lid on the songwriting genius behind ‘I Will Always Love You’, ‘Jolene’, ‘9 to 5’ and a host of other chart-topping hits.
From her humble beginnings to her global success, we discover how a young girl from the Smoky Mountains conquered Nashville to become the Queen of Country Music.
James May And The Dull Men – 19 January
Documentary series (8 parts). James May recently discovered the online phenomenon of ‘Dull Men’s’ forums. Now, from his Wiltshire home, his shed and the pub he owns, he will embark on a glorious ‘summer of dull’. Inspired by these forums, James will create his own solutions to the questions he finds there.
Rachael Ray’s Meals in Minutes (Season 2) – 19 January
Series. Rachael Ray demonstrates her creativity and flair from her personal home kitchen and cooks a complete meal in minutes, from comfort food to sophisticated fare for entertaining.
River Cottage Everyday – 19 January
Series. Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall is going back to basics with simple recipes for everything, from breakfast to baking, to bring a little bit of River Cottage to our lives.
Portillo’s 200 Years of the Railways – 20 January
Documentary series (2 parts). 2025 marked the 200th anniversary of Britain’s greatest gift to the world: the passenger railway. Michael Portillo embarks on a journey to explore what the railways have done, what they continue to do, and the potential they hold to improve our future.
He looks at how the railways propelled a second wave of the Industrial Revolution and shaped the social landscape of modern Britain and the world at large. He travels around the UK, visiting areas like Shildon – home to a branch of the National Railway Museum which houses the world’s first ever passenger steam locomotive, Locomotion No 1. Ultimately, he reveals how this feat of British engineering changed the course of history.
The Great Cookbook Challenge With Jamie Oliver – 21 January
Series. The Great Cookbook Challenge is a new cooking competition format in which the UK’s best undiscovered cooks compete against each other to win a life-changing prize: a book deal with a major UK publisher to have their very own cookbook published. Over the course of seven episodes, cooks of all abilities, representing all kinds of cuisines, will compete for this first-of-its-kind deal. Hosted by Jamie Oliver.
Robson Green: World’s Most Amazing Walks – 22 January
Documentary series (8 parts). Robson Green tackles some of the world’s most spectacular walks, exploring a rich seam of history, culture and community with every step. In each episode, Robson explores one iconic route, getting to know the amazing people and places along the way, delighting in the local culture, food and incredible views.
These walks include the ruggedly beautiful Great Glen Way in Scotland, the fascinating Hadrian’s Wall in the north of England, Dorset’s UNESCO World Heritage Site on the Jurassic Coast, a bountiful Wachau Valley Trail in Austria, Poland’s historic Eagle’s Nests Trail, the relaxed Douro Valley in Portugal, the pilgrimage of the Camino de Santiago in Spain and finally the D-Day Landing Beaches of Normandy, France. Lace up your walking boots and join Robson on the World’s Most Amazing Walks.
Icons Unearthed: The Simpsons – 24 January
Documentary series (6 parts). Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie Simpson are household names around the world thanks to the longest-running scripted primetime television series of all time: The Simpsons. This series dives into who and what has kept this beloved series rolling for so long, unpacking backstage stories, legal and creative disputes, production changes, and the continual comedy gold that has made this series the ultimate animation juggernaut.
Our Tiny Islands – 24 January
Documentary series (4 parts). Our Tiny Islands explores a set of magical island-hopping adventures across Britain’s greatest hidden treasures. Celebrating the secret places, extraordinary people, surprising jobs and gripping local history that make their ‘tiny islands’ wonders of the world.
There are 6289 islands scattered across Britain’s waters, but only 803 are large enough to be drawn on a map. Yet what they lack in size they make up for in character, culture and community. These rugged and breath-taking landscapes are unique, yet all with a story to tell about Britain.
