PBS Takes Viewers on a British Summer Holiday Categories: Network TV Press Releases Written By Amanda Kondolojy May 23rd, 2012 (TV BY THE NUMBERS)

via press release:

ARLINGTON, VA, MAY 23, 2012 -- The mega-hit “Downton Abbey” made all things British cool again in America. With much of the world focused on Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee in June and the London Olympic Games starting in July, PBS presents a summer of programs exploring the stories of England past and present, new episodes of esteemed British mysteries and the return of two fan favorites. In September, PBS presents the runaway BBC hit, CALL THE MIDWIFE, a new drama that depicts midwifery in 1950s London, leading into MASTERPIECE CLASSIC“Upstairs Downstairs.”

See a preview here:www.pbs.org/special/brits/

“This summer, as the world’s attention turns to London, viewers can delve into the fact and fiction of all things British through four fascinating history shows and a new season of MASTERPIECE MYSTERY! It’s just a warm up for the fall, when PBS turns Sundays into a destination for drama with back-to-back episodes of the hit CALL THE MIDWIFE paired with MASTERPIECE CLASSIC ‘Upstairs Downstairs’,” said John F. Wilson,Senior Vice President & Chief TV Programming Executive.

Series Premieres:

 QUEEN & COUNTRY,Sundays, July 1-22, 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET – This summer, all eyes are on Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s second longest-reigning monarch, as she marks her Diamond Jubilee. PBS celebrates her 60 years on the throne with Trevor McDonald’s QUEEN & COUNTRY,offering viewers a look at the customs surrounding the monarchy – from Changing  the Guard at Buckingham Palace to the Queen’s royal visits — and tours of historic royal places.

MICHAEL WOOD’S STORY OF ENGLAND,Tuesdays, July 3, 8:00-10:00 and July 10-17, 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET – Historian Michael Wood filters the 2,000-year history of England through the story of one small town located in the heart of the country: Kibworth, Leicestershire. From the Roman era to the Norman Conquest, the Black Death, the English Civil War, the Industrial Revolution and World War II, the four-part series intertwines the local and national narratives, marking the milestones that changed the town and country forever.

READ MORE FOR MANY MORE SHOWS:  http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2012/05/23/pbs-takes-viewers-on-a-brittish-summer-holiday/135503/