Saturday television radio
Live England
International Football
6pm, Channel 4
The international break means a brace of friendlies for England, starting with Brazil at Wembley Stadium (kick-off at 7pm). The hosts are unbeaten in their last three meetings with the Brazilians (all, incidentally, also friendlies), but the last two contests have ended in draws. Joining Joe Cole and Jill Scott on punditry duties is former Arsenal and Brazil midfielder Gilberto Silva.
Kate: Our New Diana? 7.15pm, Channel 5
The chosen title of this repeat documentary seems to be a lot more prescient than it first appeared in 2023 as it compares the lives and styles of the two most recent Princesses of Wales. The programme has been given a quick dusting down (and perhaps a spot of updating) following the events surrounding Catherine over the past two weeks.
Casualty
8.25pm, BBC One
There’s no time to miss Charlie Fairhead (or to ponder the now officially denied rumours that Casualty is going to be axed) as it is straight back into the action at Holby General. Rash (Neet Mohan) hogs the story line in the latest double bill. Is he fit to return to work following the death of his father after being hit by a bus?
The Gone
9pm, BBC Four
“I’m a tax-paying businessman… all above board,” Derry Fallon (Aaron Monaghan) tells our sceptical Irish-Maori cop duo Theo Richter and Diana Huia (Richard Flood and Acushla-Tara Kupe). Never mind that he has just kidnapped a journalist who has been writing about his affairs and told her to dig her own grave. Meanwhile, Theo and Diane have been forced to release their prime suspect in the abduction of the Irish couple.
Diana Ross at the BBC 9.15pm, BBC Two
The latter part of the evening on BBC Two is dedicated to the Motown legend, starting with a selection of the singer’s visits to the BBC on programmes such as Top of the Pops, Wogan and the The National Lottery, both as the frontwoman of The Supremes and as a solo artist. Featured songs include “Baby Love”, “Why Do Fools Fall In Love?”, “Upside Down” and “Love Hangover”.
Edward & Wallis: The Bahamas Scandal – Revealed 9.15pm, Channel 5
A look at the exiled royals’ littleknown years in the Caribbean during the Second World War, where, as colonial governor and wife, it was hoped they would be far from danger and the machinations of German agents in Europe. Using British government
and FBI documents, this film uncovers in detail the Windsors’ disastrous stay in the Bahamas, which included extravagant spending, prejudice and murder.
The Jonathan Ross Show 9.35pm, ITV1
Jonathan Ross’s pre-Oscars coverage a fortnight ago was widely criticised for being “amateurish”, although it seemed to me to be entirely in line with Ross’s approach to his chat show – informal and a bit cheeky. Anyway, he is joined this week by Paul Rudd, Mel B, Billie
Piper and stand-up comedian
Leo Reich, while singersongwriter Cat Burns performs. Gerard Gilbert
Tom Cruise has a crew of eager new recruits to train in ‘Top Gun: Maverick’, 9.10pm, Channel 4
Mirror Mirror
4.55pm, 5Star
(Tarsem Singh, 2012)
Cutting between the Evil Queen’s Gaudí-esque palace and the Klimtlike forest where Snow White (Lily Collins) falls in with seven dwarf bandits, this is a visually ravishing retelling of the Brothers Grimm fairytale, dominated by Julia Roberts’ hilarious turn as the deliciously catty queen.
Top Gun: Maverick
9.10pm, Channel 4
(Joseph Kosinski, 2022)
Tom Cruise climbs back in the cockpit for the benefit of viewers who liked the macho posturing and youthful hijinks at an elite naval academy in the 80s smash Top Gun, but would now prefer the focus be on one of the teachers – a middleaged bachelor with Peter Pan syndrome. The plot is perfunctory but the aerial photography is undeniably superb.
Border
1.20am, Film4
(Ali Abbasi, 2018)
This offbeat fantasy romance and modern fairy tale is about an unglamorous Swedish customs official with a chromosomal abnormality and a sense of smell so acute as to border on ESP. It is a sensual film, with deep reserves of sympathy, about a woman finding late in life her true nature and deciding to be her authentic self. Laurence Phelan