+    def _download_playlist(self, playlist_id):
+        try:
+            playlist = self._download_json(
+                'http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/%s/playlist.json' % playlist_id,
+                playlist_id, 'Downloading playlist JSON')
+
+            version = playlist.get('defaultAvailableVersion')
+            if version:
+                smp_config = version['smpConfig']
+                title = smp_config['title']
+                description = smp_config['summary']
+                for item in smp_config['items']:
+                    kind = item['kind']
+                    if kind != 'programme' and kind != 'radioProgramme':
+                        continue
+                    programme_id = item.get('vpid')
+                    duration = int(item.get('duration'))
+                    formats, subtitles = self._download_media_selector(programme_id)
+                return programme_id, title, description, duration, formats, subtitles
+        except ExtractorError as ee:
+            if not (isinstance(ee.cause, compat_HTTPError) and ee.cause.code == 404):
+                raise
+
+        # fallback to legacy playlist
+        playlist = self._download_xml(
+            'http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/playlist/%s' % playlist_id,
+            playlist_id, 'Downloading legacy playlist XML')
+
+        no_items = playlist.find('./{http://bbc.co.uk/2008/emp/playlist}noItems')
+        if no_items is not None:
+            reason = no_items.get('reason')
+            if reason == 'preAvailability':
+                msg = 'Episode %s is not yet available' % playlist_id
+            elif reason == 'postAvailability':
+                msg = 'Episode %s is no longer available' % playlist_id
+            elif reason == 'noMedia':
+                msg = 'Episode %s is not currently available' % playlist_id
+            else:
+                msg = 'Episode %s is not available: %s' % (playlist_id, reason)
+            raise ExtractorError(msg, expected=True)
+
+        for item in self._extract_items(playlist):
+            kind = item.get('kind')
+            if kind != 'programme' and kind != 'radioProgramme':
+                continue
+            title = playlist.find('./{http://bbc.co.uk/2008/emp/playlist}title').text
+            description = playlist.find('./{http://bbc.co.uk/2008/emp/playlist}summary').text
+            programme_id = item.get('identifier')
+            duration = int(item.get('duration'))
+            formats, subtitles = self._download_media_selector(programme_id)
+
+        return programme_id, title, description, duration, formats, subtitles
+