TV HIGHLIGHTS
SUNDAY Cabins in the Wild with Dick Strawbridge, Channel 4, 8pm The engineer and popular TV personality joins forces with master craftsman Will Hardie to spearhead a unique competition which sees designers and selfbuilders work together to create a pop-up hotel made from amazing cabins. With a budget of only £11,000, the craftsmen have to employ ingenuity and every trick in the book to keep costs down. Here, there’s a battle of buildings inspired by dragons. The Trial: A Murder in the Family, Channel 4, 9pm This pioneering series, which runs Sunday to Thursday this week, sees a fictional murder case play out in a real court. The series provides a unique insight into how both sides conduct their case. Academic Simon Davis is accused of murdering his estranged wife Carla. His defence team comprises of renowned QC John Ryder and the prosecution is steered by Max Hill QC. Tonight, a picture is painted of the night Carla Davis lost her life. Redwater, RTE1, 9.30pm The villagers are in a state of shock when news leaks out about Lance’s death. As daughter Eileen and her son Kieran return for the wake, Kat edges ever closer to finding out the identity of her long-lost son. Will she finally get the information she craves? MONDAY Food Unwrapped, Channel 4, 8pm Jimmy Doherty, Kate Quilton and Matt Tebbutt uncover more surprising food facts. Jimmy heads to Thailand to discover how much prawn is actually in a prawn cracker and what it is that makes them so deliciously crunchy. Elsewhere, Matt visits Britain’s largest producer of fresh herbs and learns about a new method that will keep herbs from wilting before they make it to your kitchen. Also, Kate puts salt under the spotlight and asks whether it really deserves its unflattering reputation. Made in Chelsea, E4, 9pm Apparently a babymoon is now a thing, at least for the Chelsea set. Binky and JP are just back from theirs and are in a bubble of bliss. However, the news that best friends Ryan and Louise have moved in together could be the pin that bursts it. Ella is thrilled to have got her man back, but Julius is still uneasy about putting a label on their fledgling relationship. Plus, Jamie is just doing what he does best — messing around. In Plain Sight, RTE1, 11.35pm New drama series, based on real events in Scotland in the 1950s, starring Douglas Henshall. Detective William Muncie is celebrating his 40th birthday at home with his friends and family when a card, signed ‘Peter Thomas Manuel’ is handdelivered. Muncie is transported back to 1946 when he saw Manuel arrested and imprisoned for sexual assault. Now, Manuel is out of prison and he has Muncie in the cross hairs. TUESDAY Secrets of our Favourite Snacks, Channel 4, 8pm Who doesn’t like munching on crisps and chocolate? This new series looks at modern-day eating habits. On average, people reach for crisps, chocolate and popcorn seven times a week, and a survey reveals which parts of Britain put the most sweet treats away, and the most popular flavour of crisp. It should definitely put you in the mood for a late-evening snack. Horizon: Space Volcanoes, BBC2, 9pm We can’t underestimate the significance volcanoes have on the planet. However, what are they like in space? This programme follows a team of volcanologists in Iceland as they draw parallels between eruptions on Earth and others in our solar system. Olympus Mons on Mars for instance has been formed in a similar way to Iceland and a small moon of Jupiter has the most violent eruptions observed anywhere. Twin Peaks, Sky Atlantic, 9pm Living legend David Lynch returns to direct the series known for its eerie and unsettling subject matter, beginning with a double bill. Kyle MacLachlan reprises his role as FBI agent Dale Cooper who led the original hunt for homecoming queen Laura Palmer’s murderer. WEDNESDAY Secrets of the Super Elements, BBC4, 9pm This special reveals the rare super elements that are shaping technological advances in our world. It’s revealed that the materials used to make our smart phones could be exhausted in a decade. Also, rather alarmingly, our ability to feed the world depends mostly on one element found in just one country. Professor Mark Miodownik reveals the amazing properties of these super minerals and finds out how we can preserve them. Paula, RTE2, 9.35pm Denise Gough heads the cast of this new hard-hitting drama from playwright Conor McPherson. A woman shares a passionate one-night stand with the exterminator who deals with the rats in her cellar. However, she quickly realises that he is unhinged, and each part of life — her job, family and friends — is dragged into a game of cat-and-mouse. A detective tries to help, but Paula has to dig into reserves she didn’t know she had in an attempt to survive. Tom Hughes and Owen McDonnell are among the cast. Black Widow, Channel 4, 10pm Walter Presents, the channel’s showcase for foreign-language programmes, presents this Dutch crime drama, starring Monic Hendrickx. Carmen, the daughter of a notorious Amsterdam drug lord, reluctantly takes the reins of the family business and is shocked to discover that her husband’s illegal business concerns have impacted the lives of their children. She confronts her husband, who admits he lives in fear of retribution since a stash of drugs were stolen by Carmen’s siblings. On the night before Carmen’s younger sister’s wedding, she plans to leave the country, but on the big day there’s an awful surprise in store. White Gold, BBC2, 11.45pm Comedy set in Essex in the 1980s. Vincent Swan is a handsome, cocksure double-glazing salesman who will stop at nothing to get a sale. His team at Cachet Windows includes Fitzpatrick, a smarmy reprobate, and Lavender, a failed musician who is often crippled by his staunch moral code. In this opener, Vincent attempts to convince an old colleague to join the doubleglazing business, but things take an unexpected turn. Ed Westwick and James Buckley star. ThUrSDAY Heathrow: Inside Britain’s Busiest Airport, TV3, 10pm The series capturing life at the airport focuses on passengers catching connecting flights, and how staff get them to where they need to be in a five square-mile establishment with 200 gates spread over four terminals. Passenger experience manager Jawad struggles as he tries to get 72 Chinese tourists where they need to be. Problems abound when the group is split in two, and there’s only one translator... Good Vibrations, RTE1, 10.15pm Documentary telling the inspiring story of Orla O’Sullivan from Cork, who was only six weeks old when she became deaf as a result of medicine given to her for pneumonia. However, as an adult, she learned to ‘feel’ music through the vibrations it creates, and uses her ability to teach both deaf and hearing students to play the piano. FrIDAY Versailles, BBC2, 9pm There’s potential for trouble at every turn while the King is away at war. William of Orange has tempted King Louis XIV to take the field against his Dutch army, while back at court, Madame de Montespan has sinister intentions as she tries to lead her potential rival Isabelle astray. The Late Late Show, RTE1, 9.35pm The series comes to a close, but you can be sure that host Ryan Tubridy will have a collection of big-hitters to help him celebrate in style. Damien Dempsey is on hand to pay tribute to the past 50 years of the Community Games, and there’s a duet by Big Tom and Margot, who are still on a high from the country music special. While these are the only confirmed guests right now, expect many more to show up on the night. Sharon Osbourne Presents Rock ’n’ Roll’s Dodgiest Deals, BBC4, 10pm She’s not only half of one of the most famous couples in the history of rock music, but is also a music manager and promoter. Here, Sharon delves into the history of rock and pop acts who signed contracts that later went really sour, including notorious howlers for The Beatles and The Animals, and ones that turned out a little better for acts including Led Zepplin, The Police and 1990s dance pioneer Moby. SATUrDAY Doctor Who, BBC1, 7.45pm It’s another existential edition of the cult sci-fi drama. The world wakes up to an ancient pyramid that has appeared overnight. Every clock in the world begins counting down to the end of days. As three opposing armies get ready to go to war against one another, an alien race offers humanity a deal which will see them become slaves. Can the Doctor find another way? Jane Austen: Behind Closed Doors, BBC2, 9pm Lucy Worsley traces the houses the famous novelist lived in and finds out how much they influenced her work. She begins her journey at Stoneleigh Abbey, Warwickshire, and discovers that the Austens spent much of their life navigating between wealth and genteel poverty — something which influenced her work.