TV HIGHLIGHTS
SUNDAY Sue Barker: Our Wimbledon BBC1, 5.20pm
Arguably the most prestigious tournament on the tennis calendar, Wimbledon has, for the past 90 years, been a fixture on the BBC. Sue Barker looks back on the broadcaster’s TV and radio coverage of the action at the grass court event with tennis stars past and present.
Planet Earth II RTE1, 6.30pm
Grasslands and the savannah take centre stage in the latest instalment of the series of nature programmes narrated by the great David Attenborough. Lions, antelope and anteaters are just a few of the creatures that call these habitats home, and this documentary examines how miliennia of evolution has prepared them for the hardships of grassland life in intriguing and surprising ways.
Poldark BBC1, 9pm
A popular fixture on Sunday nights for multiple reasons, this period drama shows no signs of slowing down as it approaches the halfway point of the third series. Demelza gives birth to a baby girl and switches her attention to reining in Morwenna, who has become smitten with Drake. Elsewhere, George resorts to drastic measures to flaunt his authority after a group of starving villagers raid a grain ship. Has he gone a step too far this time?
MONDAY Kitchen Garden Live with the Hairy Bikers BBC1, 11am
Si King and Dave Myers are best known for their love of motorbikes and food, but here they’re setting up shop at the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show to combine their culinary talents with some of horticulture’s best growers and gardeners. Coming live from the show all week, the bikers’ first guest is chef Jeremy Pang, who’s going al fresco to give the lads a stir-fry lesson using a barbecue.
Giles RTE1, 9.35pm
He started as a promising member of the Busby Babes, but his star shined brightest at Elland Road with Leeds, and John Giles continued to be involved in the beautiful game even after his playing career was over. This documentary looks at Giles’s career, from his early days as a footballer to his punditry career alongside childhood friend Eamon Dunphy, recapping the highs and lows of his 60 years in the limelight.
50 Shades of Gay, Channel 4, 10pm
Actor Rupert Everett looks back on 50 years since homosexuality was decriminalised in England and Wales back in 1967. He examines how the law changed with the signing of a piece of paper, although perceptions and culture took longer to adapt, and asks some tough questions about the current state of modern Britain. Just how much has the nation’s outlook on homosexuality changed in the past half century?
TUESDAY Broken BBC1, 9pm
Inquests, violence and secrets are still to come as the final episode of the first series of this brilliant drama concludes. Sean Bean has been outstanding thus far as Father Michael, but his parishioners still need him. The Demichelis children are struggling, and the Father’s efforts draw the ire of Chloe, while he is also called to provide evidence as part of the police inquest into Vernon’s death.
Nathan Goes to Nashville RTE1, 9.35pm
The home of country music plays host to a country star, as Liverpudlian Nathan Carter heads to Tennessee to immerse himself in the spiritual home of six-strings and slow jams. Taking in the sights and sounds of the city, Nathan gets a chance to record in the city, meets his hero Crystal Gayle and visits the famous Bluebird Café, where stars including genre icon Garth Brooks and crossover sensation Taylor Swift were discovered.
The Leftovers Sky Atlantic, 10pm
Viewers rejoin the dystopian drama seven years after the initial incident which purged the world of 2% of the population. There are new questions to be asked following the season two finale, as well as an impending catastrophe which could be worse than the first Sudden Departure. Can Kevin (Justin Theroux) return to a normal life, or will the work of Reverend Matt force him back into the spotlight?
WEDNESDAY RHS: Hampton Court Flower Show, BBC2, 9.30pm
It’s one of the biggest events on Britain’s horticultural calendar, and presenters Monty Don and Joe Swift have a front row seat for the start of this year’s Royal Horticultural Society’s Hampton Court Palace Flower Show. They will be checking out the diverse exhibits the event offers, and chatting with a revolving door of experts about the most eye-catching pieces. There are also contributions from guests including Andy Sturgeon, Arit Anderson and Carol Klein.
The Windsors, Channel 4, 10pm
The ridiculous parody show that offers comedic situations of the British Royal Family returns for a second series, with a huge cast that includes Harry Enfield, Hugh Skinner and Haydn Gwynne. In this opener, longsuffering Prince Charles is bullied into helping PM Theresa May, and William doesn’t know what he’s getting himself in for when he agrees to be a hands-on dad.
The Secrets of Sleep, More4, 10pm
It’s the final edition of the informative series that offers help to the sleep-deprived, as the team of experts — featuring Dr Guy Leschziner, Stephanie Romiszewski, James Wilson and Anjula Mutanda — aid their final batch of patients. They include Yvette, whose recently-diagnosed narcolepsy is getting worse by the night, Laura, whose night terrors leave her crippled, and Rebecca, whose restless legs are so out of control that she and her husband are in separate beds.
ThUrSDAY Féilte, TG4, 8.30pm
Caitlín Nic Aoidh hosts this study of the rich music, song and dance heritage from the Gaeltacht regions, with this opener taking her to Hiúdaí Beag’s bar and lounge in Gaoth Dobhair, Co Donegal. She hears performances from musicians including Emma Ní Fhíoruisce, Diane Cannon and An Crann Óg, and watches dancers including Megan Ruddy and Annabál Coyle.
Who Do You Think You Are? BBC1, 9pm
The lineage-tracing series returns, giving more celebrities the opportunity to follow the roots of their family trees back as far as they can. This opener sees former Game of Thrones star Charles Dance look back at his family line. He is very eager to see where his mother, who toiled all her life as an under-house parlour maid, came from, and unearths more about his father, who passed away when Charles was four years old.
Vermeer, Beyond Time, RTE1, 10.15pm
Jean-Pierre Cottet’s feature length documentary examines the remarkable life and worldrenowned works of Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer. The filmmaker learns more about the artist’s creative process and the personal trials that transformed him, and looks at the effect of his conversion to Catholicism and the influence of his contemporaries. He also discovers the impact that Vermeer’s death at the age of 45 had in almost wiping his work from the pages of history forever.
FrIDAY Dicte — Crime Reporter, More4, 9pm
The channel’s Walter Presents strand of subtitled shows welcomes the second series of this gripping Danish crime drama. It follows the work of investigative reporter Dicte Svendsen (Iben Hjejle), who works closely with the Aarhus Police Department. Their latest case is one of their darkest yet, as they attempt to unravel a woman’s murder that soon leads them to a prostitution ring controlled by a powerful figure.
The Best of the Late Late Show, RTE1, 9.35pm
Host Ryan Tubridy continues to reflect on the best moments from his most recent run of the Friday night entertainment extravaganza, with this edition of highlights fully dedicated to The Late Late Country Special. Among his musical guests were Daniel O’Donnell, Nathan Carter and Charley Pride, so expect quality songs by the barrel load.
Big Brother: Live Eviction, 3e, 10pm
Emma Willis is on hand to make sure that another housemate is welcomed back into the real world in style. She presents the latest Diary Room confessions and breaks down the drama from inside the abode, before welcoming the evictee out of the house and into the studio for a chat about their time inside.
SATUrDAY The Voice Kids, TV3, 7.30pm
Emma Willis presents the next stage of the talent contest aimed at younger singers, with this week ramping up the pressure on those who proved themselves worthy in the blind auditions. It’s time for the battle round, which sees coaches will.i.am, Pixie Lott and Danny Jones divide up their hopefuls into teams of three. From there each team must work together and out-do the competition if they are to advance to the semi-finals, but only one from each trio will make it.
Saturday Night with Miriam, RTE1, 9.15pm
Miriam O’Callaghan returned to our screens last week with her new series of the late-night chat show, and although she started things with a bang, the host raises the bar this week. As always she will be chatting to some of the biggest names from the world of entertainment, be they Irish stars, international sensations or Hollywood A-listers.