TV HIGHLIGHTS
SUNDAY
Poldark, BBC1, 9pm It’s the third series of the broody period drama set against a jawdropping Cornwall landscape. Who cares if the titular hunk spends much of his time staring into the sea? This opener sees Ross and Demelza try to move on from the fact that Ross slept with his first-ever love (again) but new arrivals threaten their fragile reconciliation. More time gazing into the horizon we think. The Handmaid’s Tale, Channel 4, 9pm The adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s famous novel of the same name about the subjugation of women in a totalitarian society. Central protagonist Offred visits Janine’s baby with Serena Joy, and reminisces about the early days of the revolution before Gilead. Meanwhile, Ofglen reveals that she might be pregnant. Elisabeth Moss stars. Inside God’s Observatory: A Sky at Night Special, BBC4, 10pm The astronomy institution comes from The Vatican. Maggie and Chris have been granted special access to the hub of Christianity and its little known Observatory, the Specola Vaticana. There, they will explore The Tower of the Winds and the modern labs, manned by priest scientists, who study everything from meteorites to the birth of the universe itself. MONDAY The Loch, TV3, 9pm A murder in a small town sends shock waves through the community. It’s up to local detective Annie Redford to decipher the truth from the lies – but it is her first murder case. The initial investigation, headed by DCI Lauren Quigley, throws up more questions than it answers and another terrible discovery raises the stakes even further. Siobhan Finneran stars. Handmade in Japan, BBC4, 10pm On Kyushu, the most south western of Japan’s main islands, the country’s last remaining families of Samurai sword makers are continuing an ancient tradition. Working with his brother and son, Shiro Kunimitsu is dedicated to perfecting the art of sword making. Viewers also discover the importance of the sword in the ancient Samurai code and the challenges facing the dwindling number of sword makers. How to Stay Well, Channel 4, 8.30pm Here’s a myth-busting health series which informs us how to be healthy and happy. GPs Phil Kieran and Helen Lawal and A&E doctor Javid Abdelmoneim are channelling their brain power, finding out which health scares we should be concerned about, and which ones we should ignore. Here, Javid discovers whether you can get Lyme disease from walking the dog, and Phil carries out an experiment to see if smartphones can affect a man’s fertility.
TUESDAY
Tried and Tasted: The Ultimate Shopping List, Channel 4, 8pm Michelin-starred and very likeable chef Michel Roux Jr and a panel of food experts blind-taste some of the nation’s favourite grub and tipples. This week, the three supermarket staples up for digestion are tortelloni pasta, coffee and sausages. For the snack lovers among us, four popular brands of cheese and onion crisps will face the quick-fire taste test. That’s a job we wouldn’t refuse. Donal’s Meals in Minutes, RTE1, 8.30pm Just to get you in the mood to cook up a storm, all-round nice chap and TV cook Donal is here to help us whip up a nutritious meal in mere minutes. Here, he cooks up pasta dishes and fish suppers using just six ingredients. That’s definitely something we can stomach. Mike and Jules: While We Still Have Time, BBC1, 10.45pm When Jules Peters set about making a documentary about her singer husband, Mike of The Alarm who had had cancer, she didn’t expect the narrative to include her. A visit to the doctor confirmed that she needed a mammogram — resulting in her being diagnosed with breast cancer. The couple decided to carry on with making the documentary, now tinged with sadness as she undertook a gruelling battle with cancer — a disease Mike has fought three times.
WEDNESDAY
Missing You, RTE1, 8.30pm Sentimental series which follows expats who keep familial or romantic relationships alive via modern technology. Here, the Flood family is reunited in Australia, but Gemma is in for a shock when her mum reveals she has been keeping a secret. Joanna Fazel works on her long distance marriage and Romy and Cole reminisce about their younger brother who has passed away. Keep the tissues handy for tears. The Passengers That Took On the Train Line, BBC2, 9pm It’s unprecedented but Jacques Peretti has a potentially groundbreaking idea — to build a train line to replace London’s deeply inadequate South Eastern rail network. He gathers a crew of like-minded people who raise £50 million to carry out the mammoth task. They also uncover shocking truths; higher fares subsidise commuters in France, Holland and Germany, and the complicated compensation system means train operators make money out of trains being late. Can they do the impossible and make the British government sit up and take note? White Gold, BBC2, 11.15pm Sitcom set in the world of double-glazing salesmen in the 1980s. Vincent and Lavender collude in high-jinks when they discover that Fitzpatrick is a CB radio enthusiast. Unsurprisingly, their prank backfires in a spectacular fashion. Meanwhile, Vincent receives exciting news that he’s been nominated for entrepreneur of the year in the Essex Business Awards.
ThUrSDAY
Riviera, Sky Atlantic, 9pm This sumptuous thriller is set against the breathtaking backdrop of the French Riviera. Julia Stiles stars as Georgina Clios, the smart and resourceful wife of billionaire banker Constantine. Hers is a life of curating and buying art, and flying in private jets. However, everything changes when her husband is killed in an explosion on board a Russian oligarch’s yacht, leaving Georgina questioning everything she knew about the man she loved. Wife Swap: Brexit Special, Channel 4, 9pm This one-off reveals what happens when a family of Leavers meet a family of Remainers from last year’s British vote on whether or not to leave the EU. Pauline, who lives on Canvey Island with partner Andy and daughter Katie, voted to leave. She will be swapping lives with psychotherapist and Green party councillor Kat, who lives in rural Nottinghamshire with her partner Roger and daughter Sophie. Across one week, these two strong women face controversial issues around immigration, class and racism. First Dates USA, E4 10pm Drew Barrymore narrates this new series based on the UK show. With daters representing all ages and backgrounds, the viewers have a front seat to both embarrassing and hilarious firstdate encounters. Here, a serial dater meets a virgin and a seventime bridesmaid is ready to be a bride. At the end of each episode, it’s revealed whether the daters want to see each other again.
FrIDAY
Frankie Boyle’s New World Order, BBC2, 10pm The brilliant comic dissects the week’s news and tries to make sense of the bewildering world that we live in. Each week, Frankie will make bold, and often outrageous statements and will be joined by a range of guests, including comics and experts. The Graham Norton Show, BBC1, 10.35pm The effervescent host is joined by A-listers who’ll be chatting about their latest projects. Mark Wahlberg is starring in Transformers: The Last Knight and will be chatting to Graham about the experience. Viewers will also meet Tom Holland who’ll be spinning yarns about playing the title role in SpiderMan: Homecoming. Woody Harrelson and Andy Serkis are co-starring in War for the Planet of the Apes. Finally, 1980s pop legend Alison Moyet sings Reassuring Pinches. The Summer of Love: How Hippies Changed the World, BBC4, 9pm This episode explores how the Summer of Love of 1967 set in motion an era of social upheaval that pitted America’s youth against its elders. The hippies failed to change the establishment, but their cultural influence changed the world. The resurgence of feminism and the explosion in alternative health treatments grew out of this social phenomenon.
SATUrDAY
The Autistic Gardener, Channel 4, 7pm Alan Gardner is back and launching himself into surburbia, to transform tired, unloved gardens into wonderlands. He travels to New York, Los Angeles and Austin, Texas, for ideas and finds inspiration in wind turbines, jet engines and oldschool geometry. He also meets Pinky and Joe, who need help with their unruly triangular plot. Pitch Battle, BBC1, 7.30pm This all new choir competition, inspired by hit movie Pitch
Perfect, features a capella challenges, soloist head-to-head rounds and choral performances. It will also feature a riff-off where groups have to improvise. Mel Giedroyc presents and Gareth Malone is among the judges.