FIVE THINGS FOR YOUR WEEK...
STREAMING The Eddy Netflix, streaming now
Damien Chazelle, the Oscar-winning director of La La Land, First Man and Whiplash, is the driving force behind this eight-part musical drama written by Jack Thorne, the British writer whose key works include the stage play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, and recent Channel 4 hit The Accident. Set in Paris, The Eddy focuses on Elliot Udo, a once celebrated New York jazz pianist who now runs a struggling club. His life is about to be turned upside down by the revelation that his business partner Farid is involved in all manner of dodgy deals that threaten the club’s already uncertain future. Matters get even worse when Elliot’s teenage daughter arrives, proving to be the catalyst for earthshattering events. Andre Holland, Tahar Rahim and Amandla Stenberg star.
TV VE Day: The Lost Films Channel 5, 8.30pm, Saturday
The celebrations marking the 75th anniversary of VE Day may be curtailed, but back in 1945, the nation was out in force. This documentary tells the story of that momentous date, which saw the end of the Second World War in Europe, through the eyewitness accounts and cine films of ordinary people. Rarely seen footage captured by amateur film-makers charts the extraordinary events when the entire nation took to the streets, featuring gatherings in central London, village life in Chapeltown on the outskirts of Sheffield and reaction in Tyne and Wear.
FILM
The King’s Speech
BBC One, 10.35pm, Sunday
Bertie (Colin Firth, below), the younger son of King George V, suffers from a stammer that makes public speaking an ordeal. His wife Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter) enlists eccentric Australian speech therapist Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush) to help, but their sessions take on a new urgency when Edward VIII (Guy Pearce) abdicates and Bertie, now known as King George VI, faces the prospect of addressing a country on the brink of war. There’s a reason this film picked up four Oscars - including a well-deserved Best Actor statuette for Firth - and was nominated for eight more. It’s a fascinating tale, expertly and movingly told, with a cast that’s positively groaning with class, while the flashes of humour (and some unexpectedly colourful language) mean it never feels too staid.
SPORT 1987 FA Cup Final: Coventry v Tottenham ITV, 5pm, Saturday
In the absence of live football, the big match returns to ITV in the form of a classic FA
Cup final, with Coventry City taking on Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley. This hour-long retro-tastic festival of football features Ian St John and Jimmy Greaves, aka Saint and Greavsie, hosting an hour of match highlights, pre-game atmosphere with fans, and analysis. On a sunny day in May 1987,
Sky Blues legends including Cyrille Regis, Brian ‘Killer’ Kilcline and Steve Ogrozovic took on a Spurs side packed with star names like Glenn Hoddle, Chris Waddle and Ossie Ardiles.
PODCAST Homeschool History
Fun history lessons for all the family, presented by Horrible Histories’ Greg Jenner. Full of facts and jokes, the series brings to life a broad range of historical topics.