TV HIGHLIGHTS
SUNDAY
Pat Shortt’s Music from D’Telly, RTE1, 8.30pm The entertainer is back in business, ready to unleash a new run of his entertaining clip show which sees him pillage the RTE archives in search of the best music performances to have ever graced our screens. He has managed to unearth a huge selection for his latest series, with this opener including memorable moments from Luke Kelly and The Dubliners, Paul Cleary and The Blades, Philip Lynott, Sinead O’Connor, U2 and many more.
Guy Martin: The World’s Fastest Van? Channel 4, 9pm There’s no stopping the presenter on his mission to boldly go where no petrolhead has gone before, and this new special is certainly no exception. Here, he preps his beloved transit van for a truly unique test — he wants to break the van lap record at Germany’s Nurburgring racetrack. Guy has to pour his blood, sweat and tears into the project to make sure that his ride is ready to take on the many challenges the course will throw at him.
Taken Down, RTE1, 9.30pm Lynn Rafferty, Aissa Maiga and Orla Fitzgerald star in this new crime drama from Stuart Carolan, the man behind the criticallyacclaimed series Love/Hate. A shocking discovery is made when the body of a young Nigerian migrant is found dumped at a bus stop in Dublin city centre. Inspector Jen Rooney and her team are sent in to investigate, but their hunt for the truth sends them all down a dark path.
Louis Theroux’s Altered States, BBC2, 10.30pm The much-loved documentary filmmaker returns with this new three-part series, which takes him back to America to look at three major aspects of life — birth, love and death — and how the US is changing its perspective on them. This opener takes Louis to Portland, Oregon, where he looks at everything from polyamory — intimate relationships that involve more than one partner — to people who allow their other halves to search for romance elsewhere.
MONDAY
Tastes Like Home, RTE1, 7.30pm It’s always nice to have Catherine Fulvio back on our screens, and tonight the chef returns for a new run of her culinary series, which sees her find ways to reconnect families and loved ones through their shared experiences with food. In this opener, she begins in Cabinteely, Co Dublin. It is there that Catherine gets to know Liz, and starts devising a way to make her feel closer to her son James, who currently lives in Wellington, New Zealand. Perhaps a mouth-watering recipe for fish molee curry is the key.
Brexit: What the Nation Really Thinks, Channel 4, 8pm It has been a hotly-contested issue for quite some time. Now, reporter Krishnan Guru-Murthy presents this one-off special, which offers an insight into what the British people actually think of Brexit. A huge public survey saw 20,000 quizzed on the issue, and this evening those findings are presented to a panel of politicians who offer their thoughts and feedback.
We Need to Talk About Mam, RTE1, 9.35pm Brendan Courtney embarks on an emotional journey for this one-off special, as he addresses a number of issues surrounding his mother’s declining health, and asks the big questions regarding what can be done to help people in similar situations. Nuala is now in her 70s, and issues regarding her health and the recent loss of her husband are putting a strain on her. Brendan also opens up about the concerns he has about his own life. Finally, the host looks into what else Ireland can do to help the elderly.
Goodbye Big Brother: The Live Final, Virgin Media 2, 10pm It’s going to be an emotional night, as Emma Willis not only announces the winner of this year’s reality competition winner, but also says goodbye to the entertainment juggernaut that has been on our screens since the turn of the millennium. The remaining contestants have gathered, and with the world watching, we find out which of them walks out of the iconic abode with their arms raised.
TUESDAY
MasterChef: The Professionals, BBC2, 8pm It’s going to take something extra special to impress judges Monica Galetti, Marcus Wareing and Gregg Wallace, as they welcome the latest batch of expert chefs into the kitchen to take part in the culinary competition. Over the course of the series, 48 top talents get the chance to prove themselves, but only one will walk away with the grand prize. In this opener, the first six face a number of challenges, including tempura squid with a roasted garlic and saffron mayonnaise.
Lego Masters, Channel 4, 8pm Melvin Odoom presents as the entertaining hobby competition returns. Pairs of talented builders have weeks of tough challenges ahead of them, as the judging panel of scientist Fran Scott and the Lego group’s vice president of design Matthew Ashton watch on. In this opener, the experts are joined by comedian Rob Beckett who helps them evaluate challenges including the construction of a bridge that must be 1.3m long and take the weight of a remote-control truck.
WEDNESDAY
Tabu, TG4, 9.30pm Eoghan McDermott presents the first edition of this new eyeopening series, which looks at the big questions being faced by modern day Ireland. This instalment takes him on a very personal journey, as he hears that random acts of violence appear to be on the rise across the country. Eoghan wants to know why this is the case, and examines the horrifying and long-lasting effects that such assaults can have on the victims. Brendan O’Connor’s Cutting Edge, RTE1, 10.05pm The host is back for another instalment of his informative and entertaining show, in which he and a panel of special guests, including Baz Ashmawy, Yvonne Connolly and Larissa Nolan break down the major talking points and issues affecting the nation today.
Killer by the Lake Channel 4, 10.35pm This new French crime drama carries on from the highlyacclaimed Vanished by the Lake, with stars Julie de Bona, MarieAnne Chazel and Lannick Gautry among those returning. Three years have passed, and Lise and Clovis are attempting to live a quiet life together. However, this is shattered by the brutal actions of a merciless serial killer, who must be found quickly, before they can strike again.
A Woman’s Place, RTE1, 11.10pm Artist Noel Murphy is the focus of this special, as he spends six months capturing the 53 women members of the Houses of The Oireachtas and translating their image onto a canvas. It’s a massive undertaking, and as it unfolds, Eamonn Mallie sits down with the women to discuss a variety of issues.
THURSDAY
Young Sheldon, E4, 8.30pm Iain Armitage returns to the role of the boy genius for the second series of the prequel to the muchloved Big Bang Theory. Things don’t start off well for Sheldon, as his decision to dismantle his parents’s fridge to find out why it’s making an annoying noise lands him in trouble. Now he has to get a paper round to pay for the damage that he’s caused.
WWI: The Final Hours, BBC2, 9pm This one-off special mixes expert analysis and dramatic reenactment to paint a vivid picture of the events that played a massive part in the final days of the First World War. We witness the story of how Britain’s Admiral Rosslyn Wemyss, France’s Marshall Ferdinand Foch and Germany’s Matthias Erzberger, gathered in secret on board a train to see if they could figure out an alternative to the fighting.
FRIDAY
Alone at Home, Channel 4, 8pm This new four-part series puts families to the test, as parents go away for four days, leaving the kids in charge to fend for themselves. What could go wrong? This opener takes us to Surrey, where partners Natalie and Dan get to see how 16-yearold Millie, 13-year-old Laurel and 14-year-old Ethan get on without their support and guidance.
Cosain Cheoil, RTE1, 8.30pm The entertaining show that joins the dots between Irish and Scottish trad music concludes. Here, our journey takes us up to the present day, and features performers including Generic, Atlas, Jarlath Henderson, Moxie, Chris Stout and Catriona McKay.
The Graham Norton Show, BBC1, 11.05pm This week the host is joined by actors Ian McKellen, Carey Mulligan and Taron Egerton, who discuss their latest projects. Then, Michael Buble takes to the stage to perform his new track I Only Have Eyes for You.
SATURDAY
Oireachtas, TG4, 7.15pm Micheál Ó Ciaraidh presents this special round up, as he reflects on the superb music, song and dance that happened at Oireachtas na Samhna 2018, which took place in Killarney.
Egon Schiele: Dangerous Desires, BBC2, 9pm The Austrian painter’s striking work is loved around the world, and to mark the 100 years since his death, this one-off special looks back on his provocative contributions to modern art that still ring true today. It features a selection of A-list contributors and admirers, including rock star Iggy Pop, model Lily Cole, visual artist Jake Chapman and many others.