TV HIGHLIGHTS
SUNDAY A Wild Irish Year, RTE1, 6.30pm
This mesmerising four-part series allows viewers access to our countryside, from our wild coasts, majestic mountains and wonderful woodlands to farms, towns and cities through the glorious spring season. Presenting team Tara Shine, Rob Gandola and Eoin Warner guide us through some spectacular natural events and meet a diverse range of people whose lives are connected to the ever-changing seasons. This opener marvels at bluebell-filled woodlands, the deafening dawn chorus and the mass gatherings of cute seals on our offshore islands.
The British Academy Television Awards, BBC1, 8pm
Here’s a chance to enjoy highlights from the glittering awards ceremony at the Royal Festival Hall. The stars were out for one of the most glamorous nights in the television calendar, and all eyes were on the nominees and of course, the to-die-for dresses. Nominees included Claire Foy, Thandie Newton, Michael McIntyre, Graham Norton and Adrian Dunbar while nominated programmes included This Country, Line of Duty, Blue Planet II and Peaky Blinders.
Realta Agus Gaolta, TG4, 8.30pm
Sile Seoige presents the allsinging, dancing and music talent search show, which will transport Ireland’s most talented family from the sitting room to the national stage. On the judging panel are musicians Ronan O Snodaigh, Aoife Scott and author Sinead Ni Uallachain.
MONDAY Innocent, TV3, 9pm
We could all do with a little escapism on the dreariest day of the working week and here is an engrossing drama to sink your teeth into. After spending seven years in prison, David Collins is finally acquitted of the murder of his wife. With vengeance burning in his heart, he vows to bring the real killer to justice, expose those who lied at his trial and regain custody of his beloved children. However, he is surrounded by suspicion and hostility at every turn as he attempts to rebuild his shattered life. Lee Ingleby and Hermione Norris star.
Heart Transplant: A Chance to Live, BBC2, 9pm
It’s 50 years since the first heart transplant in Britain and this documentary takes a look at the lives of seven people who are in desperate need of a new heart and the outstanding medical teams using cutting-edge technology to save their lives. Sadly, there is a chronic shortage of suitable organs being donated for transplant, with fewer families consenting to donation in the UK than anywhere else in Europe. This film meets patients and their families on the waiting list and also looks into an extraordinary process called Ex Vivo Perfusion, which enables doctors to reanimate hearts, medicate them and keep them alive outside the body.
Claire Byrne Live Referendum Special, RTE1, 9.35pm
The presenter hosts an extended programme focusing on the upcoming Referendum on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution. She is joined by leading campaigners from the Yes and No sides of the debate who face questions from the live studio audience. Abortion is a divisive and controversial issue and as May 25 looms, we hear both sides of the debate.
TUESDAY Daniel & Majella’s B&B Road Trip, RTE1, 8.30pm
Ireland’s golden couple are on the road again and over six episodes they’ll negotiate the winding roads and experience the hidden treasures known only to locals. Daniel and Majella’s journey gets off to a luxurious start as they enjoy the resplendent surrounds of Beechpark Country House in Bunratty, Co Clare, which features an interactive disco shower. Next, the lovebirds
embark on their first glamping experience at Burren Glamping, a cosy, vintage and eco-friendly farm located in Kilfenora. Nigeria’s Stolen Daughters, BBC2, 9pm
In April 2014, 276 school girls between the ages of 16 and 18 were kidnapped from a school in Chibok, northern Nigeria. They were snatched by Boko Haram, a Jihadist militant movement and hidden in the Sambisa forest. Four years later, thanks to a global social media campaign backed by Michelle Obama, among others, more than 100 of the girls have been freed, and are being kept in a secret safe house in the capital Abuja. In this special, cameras are granted access to the girls’ quarters for the first time as they are reunited with their families. However, their fate could not be more different to the thousands of Nigerian women who remain missing, and in Maiduguri, we meet these ‘Forgotten Girls’.
The Works Presents, RTE1, 11.10pm
John Kelly chats to John O’Conor, who is widely acknowledged as ‘one of the greatest pianists of our time’, about his remarkable career. The musician has given recitals in many of the world’s best halls, performing in Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. O’Conor has been awarded honorary doctorates by the National University of Ireland, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin Institute of Technology and Shenandoah University. He was also recognised by the Emperor of Japan in 2011 when awarded the Order of the Rising Sun.
WEDNESDAY Healthy Appetite, RTE1, 8.30pm
It’s Galway v Dublin as Michelin Bib holder Jess Murphy from Kai Cafe in Galway competes with Gareth Mullins of The Marker Hotel in Dublin. The two chefs are tasked with reducing the fattening elements of their decadent and delicious restaurant signature dishes and turn them into healthy options which don’t scrimp on flavour.
The Hardest Harvest, RTE1, 9.35pm
In this final episode, forester Jamie Hawan travels to Uganda where he harvests timber in a steep rainforest using an axe and a machete, helping villagers track down illegal loggers in the dead of night and transporting bee colonies by hand. How will Jamie cope in the Ugandan forest which is fraught with danger, from falling trees to illequipped security forces?
What Makes a Woman? Channel 4, 10pm
Transgender model and social activist Munroe Bergdorf looks at the continuously evolving world of gender and identity. The fascinating film follows her as she undergoes dramatic facial feminisation surgery as a way of tackling her gender dysphoria. Munroe also looks at the social norms of gender and how our brains help define who we are. She also meets with others who have opposing thoughts and opinions to her own.
THURSDAY Super Garden, RTE1, 8.30pm
Former suit Catriona Hassett has big dreams of bringing stunning Ayers rock to the heart
of Co Tipperary. Her clients Caroline and Peter Egan in Nenagh, have always dreamed of visiting Australia but will such an extreme design of cracked earth, red tin roofs, clay paths and aboriginal art be the relaxing garden they truly crave? Judge Brian Burke paid a surprise visit to the site and was critical of the lack of vegetation, but will Catriona manage to create a beautiful show garden that the Egans will be happy with?
Humans, Channel 4, 9pm
The critically acclaimed drama returns for a third season. The newly-conscious Synths return to a world that both despises and fears them. Synths live in a designated area for their kind and try to broker an uneasy peace with the human world. Meanwhile, the Hawkins family adjust to their new lives with Laura and Joe living apart.
My Trans Life, RTE2, 9.30pm
This new two-part series tells the remarkable stories of five young transgender people who live in Ireland. Cameras capture their personal journeys along the various stages of their transitions, including that of trans couple Jamie and Harry and 19-year-old Luke, who has struggled from a young age with the issue of gender dysphoria.
FRIDAY The Meghan Markle Effect, Channel 4, 11pm
On the eve of Britain’s royal wedding, here’s a look at what the Hollywood actress and campaigner will bring to the monarchy and whether her influence will represent something more powerful than just the meeting of a man and woman. Hosted by Fatima Manji, the debate will feature a diverse panel of high-profile guests.
The Graham Norton Show, BBC1, 11.05pm
Joining the host tonight are Emilia Clarke who is starring in Solo: A Star Wars Story, pop icon Gloria Estefan chats about her new show On Your Feet and Miriam Margolyes, on appearing in Call The Midwife. Music comes from Leon Bridges.
SATURDAY The British Royal Wedding, RTE1, 11.30am
The big day is finally here, and Maura Derrane, Evelyn O’Rourke and Darren Kennedy are on hand to guide us through the glitz and the glamour of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s big day.
All Round to Mrs Brown’s, RTE1, 9.20pm
You never know who is going to pop by when eccentric matriarch Agnes Brown opens her doors, as the second series of her wild and wacky chat show finally arrives. In this opener, she welcomes famous faces including actor Danny Dyer, presenter Kate Humble and boxer Amir Khan in for a chat, while Tito Jackson provides the soundtrack.