TV HIGHLIGHTS
MONDAY
Autumnwatch, BBC2, 8pm The nature programme is back from a brand new location — RSPB Arne Reserve in Dorset. The usual suspects are back in the form of Chris Packham, Michaela Strachan and Martin Hughes-Games, as they watch the furry action unfold as resident sika deer fight for supremacy. There is also an exciting update on the Springwatch eagle chick. Plus, cameras follow one woman’s quest to fly with stunning migrating Bewick’s swans.
Saving Africa’s Elephants: Hugh and the Ivory War, BBC1, 9pm Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall finds out how the illegal trade in elephant ivory can be stopped. Beginning in northern Mozambique, the celebrity chef follows the ivory trail through the port of Mombasa in Kenya, where he hears tales of corruption. Heading on to Hong Kong, he bravely goes undercover to prove that traders are laundering poached ivory smuggled in from Africa. In the UK, Hugh uses radio carbon dating to show that ivory on sale is definitely not as authentic as it is made out to be.
Scorchio, RTE2, 9.30pm A team of new Irish talent unleash their own brand of crazy on poor, unsuspecting holidaymakers soaking up the sun in the most popular hot spots. The band of merry men and women target beaches, bars, bus tours and boat parties, all in the name of bringing merriment to the masses tuning in. Will the ‘victims’ take the pranks in good heart, or will they get the wrong end of the stick?
TUESDAY
The Taste of Success, RTE1, 8.30pm The culinary show returns with foodies all over the island of Ireland competing to see their product stacked on the shelves of more than 140 Lidl stores nationwide. The eye-wateringly good prize is worth €100,000, which is more than enough to whet the appetite. In this episode, the focus is on Leinster, and Irish model Roz Purcell is the mentor.
Rural Addiction, RTE2, 9.30pm Drug addiction is no longer a ‘Dublin’ problem — it has become a national crisis. This compelling two-part documentary, which concludes tomorrow, casts the harsh spotlight on the desperate epidemic that is ruining lives up and down the country. Can anything be done to curb the crisis or will things continue to get worse? The programme is certainly an eye-opener.
Fatal Experiments: The Downfall of a Surgeon, BBC4, 10pm World-famous surgeon Paolo Macchiarini is accused of using terminally ill patients as human guinea pigs in a bold attempt to create a new type of synthetic organ. The three-parter asks whether he is a genius or a criminal, gaining access to the surgeon’s closed world of organ transplants, animal experiments and stem-cell research. The series examines the fallout of his work and explores the moral and ethical questions his work poses.
WEDNESDAY
The Great British Bake Off: The Final, BBC1, 8pm Then there were three... but only one can be crowned the winner. This week’s theme is a Royal Bake Off and the remaining contestants undergo three challenges in a bid to impress. In the last signature challenge, meringues are on the menu. In the technical test, Mary gives the bakers one recipe instruction, and the rest is down to them. On the final day, the baker’s families gather outside the tent while their relatives complete the final challenge... the showstopper.
The Missing, BBC1, 9pm Julien visits Sophie Giroux’s father but he isn’t exactly pleased to see him. Elsewhere, Alice is upset by an argument at home and begs her brother to go to great lengths so she can feel safe. In Iraq, Julien finally comes face to face with the British soldier he has been searching for. Plus, Gemma searches for the truth of what happened to her daughter.
World of Weird, Channel 4, 11.05pm If you need an injection of humour, this show is for you. Brent Zillwood enrols at a wizard school in Poland for a live-action role-playing event and assumes the character of Zambini. However, his magic potions class doesn’t go to plan when his Tourette’s makes an unwelcome appearance. Michelle de Swarte meets a self-styled gigolo sex clown with quite the reputation, and in Japan, Joel Dommett meets Ladybeard, an Australian wrestler who has become a huge pop sensation.
THURSDAY
The Apprentice, BBC1, 9pm It’s week four in the hunt to find a new apprentice for Alan Sugar. The candidates will be taking a department each at the worldfamous department store Liberty in London. The teams will introduce a brand new product to promote and sell in store, and run a personal shopping service. Exploiting impulse buyers may be easy for some, but who can make the till ring the most and bring in the most cash to win another week in the running to be Sugar’s apprentice?
Hunted, Channel 4, 9pm In the series finale, the clock is ticking for the professional hunters with just a few days to track down the remaining fugitives. Chief Bleksley and his team are leaving nothing to chance in their quest to hunt down their prey. Anna and Elizabeth are relying on their fellow Yorkshiremen not to reveal their location, while the jig may be up for Nick when the Hunters reveal that they are just 24 hours behind him. Can any of them evade their pursuers and win a share of the £100,000 prize?
Neven’s Food Trails, RTE1, 7pm The chef ’s Spanish journey takes him to the beautiful Hotel Marques de Riscal, designed by architect Frank Gehry. The hotel is also home to a winery and Neven, naturally, takes a tour. He travels on to Lantziego to meet olive oil expert and producer Peter Lacuesta. If that’s not enough to get your taste buds going, he prepares roasted red pepper gazpacho with basil oil ice cubes and garlic toasts, and stuffed beef rolls with red wine sauce. Delicious.
FRIDAY
Nicky and Wynton: The Making of a Concerto, BBC4, 8pm This documentary explores the musical collaboration between American jazz legend Wynton Marsalis and Scottish violinist Nicola Benedetti. The film follows the pair as they embark on a journey that results in the creation and performance of a violin concerto written by Marsalis especially for Benedetti. From the process of composition to the gruelling rehearsal process, the film shows the blood, sweat and tears that went into the world premiere at the Barbican.
Unreported World, Channel 4, 7.30pm Reporter Ade Adepitan and director Vicki Cooper investigate the devastating legacy of Agent Orange — the toxic herbicide dropped by US forces during the Vietnam War. Dr Phuong, a tireless campaigner in the fight to highlight the connection between Agent Orange and children born with deformities, discusses the concerns that many doctors have. The US government has donated millions in aid to clean up Agent Orange hotspots, but have not accepted any blame. However, if the US and Vietnam work together, it might stop more children being born with disabilities.
Later... with Jools Holland, BBC2, 11.05pm Joining Jools for viewers’ delectation tonight is Scottish singer-songwriter Emeli Sande, who made her debut on the show back in 2011. She performs tracks from her second LP, Long Live
the Angels. Also returning to the show are Chicago band Wilco playing from their 10th studio album Schmilco. LA art-rockers Warpaint also perform, and Regina Spector returns to the show with a few tracks from her seventh studio album, Remember Us to Life.
SATURDAY
The Humpback Whales of Cape Verde, TG4, 7.15pm Marine biologist Dr Simon Berrow has led many expeditions from Ireland to Cape Verde to prove that the humpback whales feeding off Ireland in summer and winter are the same ones breeding in Cape Verde in spring. However, in 2014, his theory didn’t compute as the humpbacks showed up in Cape Verde in September and he discerned that the humpbacks must be visiting from the southern hemisphere. In this special, Dr Berrow tries to find a common ground for northern and southern hemisphere humpback whales in the Eastern Atlantic.
imagine... The Seven Killings of Marlon James, BBC2, 10.10pm In 2015, novelist Marlon James became the first Jamaican writer to win the Man Booker prize for his novel, A Brief History of
Seven Killings, about the events surrounding the attempted assassination of Bob Marley and its aftermath. Presenter Alan Yentob accompanies the charismatic writer, who came out as gay in an article in The
New York Times, back to his native country and finds that his three novels echo the turbulent homophobic history of Jamaica.
Asian Provocateur: Mum’s American Dream, BBC1, 11.45pm Romesh Ranganathan’s younger brother Dinesh joins the family on a tour of the Deep South, with their Uncle Guru. In New Orleans, the siblings get a chance to prove their manliness in a professional wrestling match — an event which leaves Romesh humiliated. The brothers go cat-fishing in Mississippi, where things don’t get much better for Romesh. Will he finally get the chance to redeem himself by joining a troupe of male cheerleaders in Alabama?