TV HIGHLIGHTS
SUNDAY
The Handmaid’s Tale, Channel 4, 9pm The dystopian drama continues. Commander Fred gives Offred a magazine from before the establishment of Gilead, which stirs up jarring memories from her past. Later, Serena Joy invites Offred to a meeting with Nick, who later admits he is an Eye. Elisabeth Moss stars. Glastonbury, BBC2, 9pm It’s the third and final night of the mighty Glastonbury festival of Contemporary Performing Arts. Presenters Clara Amfo and Huw Stephens present the full live performances from global pop star and celebrated redhead Ed Sheeran as he headlines the Pyramid Stage for the first time. Following the Suffolk boy’s performance, Jo Whiley and Mark Radcliffe look back on the very best bits of the day, along with their own personal highlights of the weekend. Poldark, BBC1, 9pm If you prefer things a little more refined, this period drama set in stunning Cornwall is for you. Tonight, Ross attempts to learn the fate of his brother-in-arms Dwight in revolutionary France. Back in Cornwall, nasty George and his reluctant wife Elizabeth lock horns with brothers Sam and Drake. Aidan Turner stars.
MONDAY
Five Star Babies: Inside the Portland Hospital, RTE2, 7.50pm It’s all systems go at the Portland Hospital when the influential wife of a Premier League footballer is admitted. Elsewhere, parents Bella and Leon and Alison and Roger return to the hospital to experience the firstclass care they enjoyed during their previous visits. Ripper Street, BBC2, 9pm Dark period drama set in Victorian London. Reid and Jackson have a rather dodgy plan to smoke repugnant serial killer Nathaniel Dove out of hiding. However, Shine is hot on their tail and will do anything to apprehend the pair, including intimidating those he suspects of protecting them. Reid has other things on his plate, though, with the local rag portraying him as a murderous vigilante. Can he repair his fractured relationship with his daughter? Handmade in Japan, BBC4, 10pm The last in the series follows Japan’s most celebrated family of potters – the Hamadas. Shoji Hamada played a central role in the Mingei folk art movement of the 1920s and 1930s, which helped turn rural Mashiko into a world-renowned centre of ceramics. Today, his grandson Tomoo Hamada continues the beloved family tradition and the film follows his meticulous work and also documents how he played an important role in saving Mashiko’s reputation after many of its kilns were destroyed in the 2011 earthquake. TUESDAY Vera, be3, 8pm DCI Stanhope reopens the case of Abigail Mantel following the suicide of the woman convicted of her murder 11 years earlier. However, to uncover the secrets surrounding Abigail’s death, Vera must pull at the loose threads of the tight-knit community still coming to terms with her tragic and untimely death. First Dates, Channel 4, 10pm Tonight, viewers meet ‘Deadly’, a former garage artist. He might be confident on stage but he is lost for words when it come to the fairer sex. Can he bring his A-game to impress 27-year-old teaching assistant Helen? Rock fan and old romantic Anthony, (64), meets retired nurse and amateur magician Barbara. Will he fall under her spell? Finally, Graeme, who stands at a lofty six foot five, hopes it won’t be a tall order to find romance with care worker Daniela. The Baby Boomers’ Guide to Growing Old, More4, 10pm The baby boomers look at alternative ways to make a living as they enjoy the twilight of their lives. Journalist Eve Pollard and campaigner Stanley Johnson head to the DIY store for a job, but they struggle to get to grips with what it entails. Plus, actress Amanda Barrie and singer Kenny Lynch try their hand at running a B&B, cricket commentator Henry Blofeld considers a new career in wine, and John Prescott explains why he’d rather be six feet under than retire.
WEDNESDAY
Victoria, be3, 9pm The young royal clashes with Albert within minutes of them meeting, leaving the latter licking his wounds. Ernest encourages his brother to flirt, but Albert is too humiliated by the situation. Meanwhile, Victoria rants about her would-be suitor to Melbourne. Secretly hoping to impress Albert, Victoria whisks the household to Windsor where the tension builds. Killer Women with Piers Morgan, TV3, 9pm Murderess Rebecca Fenton continues to claim her innocence, despite being sent down for shooting dead her husband Larry. It took six years and the work of dedicated case detective Mike Hasty to come up with the crucial pieces of the jigsaw to put her behind bars. Famously brash presenter Piers Morgan sits down with the striking woman to try and get to the truth, and comes to realise that she is either a callous murderer and fantastic liar or the victim of an awful miscarriage of justice. Fearless, TV3, 10pm Kevin’s retrial begins and Heather is under pressure to get him back in jail and close the case once and for all. Elsewhere, determined Emma has a major breakthrough when new evidence presents itself, but outside factors seem set to crush her crusade to prove Kevin’s innocence.
THURSDAY
Dirty Britain, be3, 8pm It’s no fun cleaning up after people and this series shines a light on those who do it for a living. Portaloo cleaners Silvo and Alex get a little too close for comfort to the by-products of builders’ junk food diets, and it’s not pleasant. In the Cotswods, Richard and his expert team are called in to tackle a squalid house after a couple moves out. On the other end of the scale, Sandra cleans some of the country’s most expensive houses, but wealthy clients do not necessarily make for clean ones. Naked Attraction, Channel 4, 10pm This warts-and-all series helps brave singletons find ‘the one’ through the power of nudity. Males and females strip down to their birthday suit, putting all on display for a prospective partner. The more old-fashioned among us might think it’s a case of putting the cart before the horse, but in this world of fake social media accounts and heavily filtered images, could this brutally honest dating show provide a useful service to those genuinely looking for love? Here, Dan (21) is desperate to end his dating drought and 22-year-old pansexual Izzy is not limiting herself to either gender. Outlander, More4, 9pm Romantic time-travel drama, based on the novels by Diana Gabaldon. While on a second honeymoon in Scotland with her husband after the Second World War, army nurse Claire Randall steps through an ancient stone circle and awakens in 1743. In this parallel world, Scottish rebels save her from attack by a British army officer and take her away with them. Catriona Balfe stars.
FRIDAY
Babushka, 3e, 7pm Rylan Clark-Neal presents this brand new game show that tempts contestants to push their luck as they open a set of giant Babushka dolls. While some of the dolls are empty, others are worth up to an amazing £10,000. Contestants must answer a question correctly to open a doll, but, the more dolls they open, the greater the risk of losing everything. The Crystal Maze: Celebrity Special, Channel 4, 9pm Maze master Richard Ayoade guides a team of celebrities on a game show adventure through four fantastical zones. In each zone, the team must tackle tricky challenges in a bid to win elusive crystals. Each crystal will give the team five seconds in the Crystal Dome to collect as many gold tickets as they can. Steve Jones, Scarlett Moffatt, David Coulthard, Joey Exssex and Jodie Kidd form the team with proceeds going to Stand Up to Cancer. Frankie Boyle’s New World Order, BBC2, 10pm The straight-talking, no-nonsense comedian tries to make sense of the bewildering world in which we live. Expect an eclectic mix of stand-up, review, debate and audience interaction. Frankie will also be joined by a range of guests, including fellow comics and experts.
SATURDAY
Manchester International Festival: Everyone Welcome, BBC2, 8pm This is a timely reminder of Manchester’s long reputation as a beacon of hope and creativity following the terrible terrorist attack at the Manchester Arena on May 22 which claimed 22 lives. The festival is staged every two years and brings together artists from different art forms and backgrounds to create innovative and forward-thinking work. Lemn Sissay gives viewers an insight into the preparations for the festival with access to rehearsals by acts such as New Order and Shunt Collective. Saturday Night with Miriam, RTE1, 9.25pm The welcoming Miriam is back with a summer chat-show fix featuring a mix of entertainment and human interest stories. Fans of the show can look forward to interviews with leading Irish and international guests and top-notch musical performances. Stars who have previously appeared on the show include actors Colin Farrell and Kate Beckinsale.