TV HIGHLIGHTS
SUNDAY
Dancing with the Stars, RTE1, 6.30pm It’s the third week of elimination in the popular dancing competition. Each nervous celebrity still fighting to remain in the extravaganza must anxiously await to see if they’re safe. Which of the well-known faces will take a quickstep closer to the coveted trophy? Call the Midwife, BBC1, 8pm Nurse Crane and Trixie involve themselves with the Lunt family when matriarch Doreen starts acting oddly. They refer her to a neurologist, who gives a devastating diagnosis. Elsewhere, Christopher confesses that Alexandra has been unhappy since the divorce which is adding pressure on his relationship with Trixie. Meanwhile, Magda shares a secret with Valerie, with catastrophic consequences. Maltese: The Mafia Detective, Channel 4, 10pm Elegant and nostalgic drama set in Sicily from the Walter Presents strand. Inspector Dario Maltese is a talented detective who returns to his native Trapani to attend the wedding of his best friend Gianna Peralta. Far from it being a day of joy, Maltese is quickly drawn into a murder investigation when Peralta and his fiancee are gunned down in front of him by a complete stranger. Maltese is certain that his friend was executed by the Mafia, but an article in a local newspaper suggests otherwise.
MONDAY
How to Lose Weight Well, Channel 4, 8pm The series concludes as Dr Xand van Tulleken and dietician Hala El-Shafie ask ordinary people to road test popular and trendy diets and give viewers the lowdown on whether they worked for them. This time around, bus driver John and children’s entertainer Mark want to get lean for a holiday to Florida and Angela and Jacinta want to get trim for a charity run. Horizon: My Amazing Brain, BBC2, 9pm The documentary follows the story of Richard Gray and his miraculous recovery from a life-altering event — a stroke. Recorded by his filmmaker wife Fiona over four years, it shows, in unflinching detail, the very hard work of recovery. Despite the initial outlook being bleak, there were still chinks of light coming through. Fiona captures the precious moment Richard first moved his fingers and started walking again. The oneoff film also looks back on his time spent as a peacekeeper with the United Nations. We Won the Lotto, RTE1, 9.35pm It’s a very nice daydream: what’s the first thing you would do if you had millions at your disposal? For some lucky homegrown winners, this is a question they can answer. This two-part documentary follows people whose numbers have come. But, along with the benefits, there are disadvantages. Has the money changed their lives for the better or the worse?
TUESDAY
Back in Time for Tea, BBC2, 8pm Intriguing series looking at how changing food trends reflect the vast change in circumstances for working class people living in the North of England over the past century. The Ellis family from Bradford are embarking on a time-travelling adventure, using their own home as the vehicle, to see how times have changed from the sparse furnishings and meagre provisions of 1918 to modern home comforts and a generously-stocked freezer. Bolton-born presenter Sara Cox and social historian Polly Russell guide the family as they experience the lives and times of those who lived through this remarkable age of change. Flatpack Empire, BBC2, 9pm Many of us will have IKEA furniture in our homes. It’s good value, stylish and reasonably easy to assemble, although a few may argue with that. Still, they’re doing something right and with 900 million customers a year, it shows no sign of loosening their grip on the home improvement market. With it’s founder Ingvar Kamprad having recently passed, this documentary is timely. This new series has unprecedented access to IKEA’s design studios, factories, test labs and stores over the course of a year and looks at how they are expanding around the world. We also follow a group of new managers from Sheffield who travel to the small Swedish town of Almhit, where the company started 70 years ago, to understand the unique culture that lies at the heart of the successful organisation.
WEDNESDAY
Silent Witness, BBC1, 9pm The team reunites after a challenging Christmas and Nikki is shocked to learn that her colleagues have saved up to buy her an open return to see Matt in the States. The question is, will Nikki uproot or will Matt return to the Lyell Centre? Emilia Fox and Michael Landes co-star. My Millionaire Migrant Boss, C4, 9pm Liverpool-based Palestinian Marwan Koukash is living proof that blood, sweat and tears pay off. Arriving in Britain in 1976 with just £200 in his pocket, he is now a multi-millionaire with an impressive portfolio of business interests including a luxury hotel and a rugby club. Marwan is now in the position to give something back and offers four unemployed people a twoweek trial, with the chance of employment at the end. Don’t Tell the Bride Ireland, E4, 10pm When it comes to the most important day of a woman’s life, getting a man to organise it is probably the worst thing she could agree to. Still, that’s the gamble brides-to-be take on this reality show, and it makes for very entertaining TV. Meet chalkand-cheese couple Eduardo from Brazil and Paulina from Poland. They met more than five years ago on a dating website and despite a shaky start — Paulina kept him waiting for more than two hours on their first date — they have remained together. The couple have very different ideas of what they want for their wedding, Eduardo is eager to bring a flavour of Brazil, while Paulina dreams of a royal-themed wedding inducing the green-eyed monster in her guests. Oh dear. The Pat Kenny Show, TV3, 10pm The veteran broadcaster returns with a live studio audience to debate important issues that matter to the everyman. From the high cost of living, to housing and human interest stories, Pat listens to members of the public, giving his own unique take and also looks for solutions, holding those at the top accountable.
THURSDAY
James Bulger: A Mother’s Story, TV3, 9pm In February 1993, a toddler was snatched by two 10-year-old boys in a busy shopping centre in Liverpool after he wandered away from his mother’s side. They went on to torture and kill him before dumping his body at a railway line. News at Ten anchor at the time, Trevor McDonald, broke the news to a shocked Britain. He is back to reexamine the heinous crime that continues to raise many troubling questions. Robert Thompson and Jon Venables were the youngest children to be charged with murder in the 20th century. What could have driven them to commit such an unspeakable act? Trevor also speaks to James’s mother of the horror of the day that followed his abduction. It will be a sobering watch. The Young Offenders, RTE2, 9.30pm Coming-of-age six-part comedy series starring Alex Murphy and Chris Walley as lovable rogues Conor and Jock, who can’t help but get into trouble as they navigate the tricky path to adulthood. Hoping to escape their difficult home lives, the mischief-making pair hatch plans to help distract them, causing no end of aggro for their family. Derry Girls, Channel 4, 10pm The comedy that has conquered the airwaves concludes tonight. Erin is thrilled when she secures herself the position of editor of the school magazine — but will the methods she employed to further her ambition be exposed? Orla becomes obsessed with step aerobics, and there’s romance on the cards for Aunt Sarah.
FRIDAY
Jamie and Jimmy’s Friday Night Feast, Channel 4, 8pm Our culinary hosts welcome Hollywood star Josh Hartnett to the famous cafe on the pier. Jamie shows the Pearl Harbor star how to cook his favourite ramen dish while he also whips up a delicious curry made from game and aubergine. Plus, Jimmy takes on the challenge of building a butcher’s block. The Late Late Show: Valentine’s Special, RTE1, 9.35pm It’s coming around to one of the most commercialised occasions of the year and Ryan Tubridy is all set to play Cupid for 200 singletons who are hoping for love’s arrow to strike. Along with some match-making, there will be the usual mix of music, games and interviews, with a romantic flavour of course.
SATURDAY
Village of the Year Final with Penelope Keith, Channel 4, 8pm The host concludes her colourful competition, as the final four entrants look to prove that their habitat stands above the rest. The judges will be inspecting every detail, before the winner is announced. Hard Sun, BBC1, 9.30pm The gripping drama concludes in fitting fashion. Mooney connects the dots, leading to a breakthrough in the case of the Internet Killer — will he be able to use this new momentum in their favour and catch their man? Meanwhile, Hicks and Renko change their tactics and go on the attack — all the way directly to Grace’s door.