Channel Hopping

COMEDY LEGENDS Today - Sky Arts, 5.45pm

I WOULDN’T quibble with Stephen Fry’s assessment of Peter Cook as ‘the funniest man who ever drew breath’, but Ronnie Barker would have to be a contender too.

His performances in Porridge and Open All Hours were flawless. I’ve a special fondness for The Two Ronnies, though, given that it is the only sketch show I can think of that was more hit than miss. Even after all these years, the classic Fork Handles exchange is still one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen. This hour-long tribute to Barker is fronted by Barry Cryer.

THE MANWHO DISCOVERED EGYPT Today - BBC4, 8pm

QUITE apart from anything else, the Victorianera archaeologist Flinders Petrie (pronounced Pea-tree) deserves to be acknowledged as one of the world’s most distinguished experts on ancient Egypt. Chris Naunton, pictured at the bottom, looks at his work excavating some of Egypt’s most

important historical sites.

TAKEN DOWN Tomorrow RTÉ1, 9.30pm

FROM the same team that produced Love/ Hate, this new crime drama centres on the violent death of a young Nigerian man in Dublin. The cast includes Lynn Rafferty, Barry Ward, both pictured, Aissa Meiga and Brian Gleeson.

BOY GEORGE’S 1970S: SAVE ME FROM SUBURBIA Friday - BBC4, 9pm

ACCORDING to the BBC blurb, this hour-long programme looks at George’s ‘musical, social and sexual coming of age, when he discovered the power of his own sexuality before setting about turning that persona into a pop star’. Contributors include Martin Degville (of Sigue Sigue Sputnik) and singer Marilyn.