DUTY CALLS PickS of the week
ON YOUR MARKS, GET SET, GO! MARION McMULLEN LOOKS AT THE CELEBRITIES GETTING UNDER STARTER’S ORDERS FOR SPORT RELIEF YOUR CAN’T-MISS TV SHOWS FOR THE NEXT SEVEN DAYS
WILL the identity of Line Of Duty’s corrupt copper H finally be unveiled and why are Steves around the UK being chased by a mysterious blonde assassin?
All will be revealed as Sports Relief takes over BBC1 on Friday with Emma Willis, Rylan ClarkNeal, comedian Tom Allen, Strictly Come Dancing’s Oti Mabuse and Alex Scott hosting the fundraising night alongside Gary Lineker and Paddy McGuinness.
Paddy has wrestled McFly drummer Harry Judd in the past to raise money for the cause and says: “I’ll have a crack at anything for Sport Relief.
“Whether it be in a suit or Spandex. Money raised is used to help people living tough lives in the UK and around the world. Anything I can do to help, I’m there.
“I really enjoyed the wrestling challenge, but those young hunky boy band members are a crafty bunch.”
Paddy will be taking part in A Question Of Sport Relief hosted by Sue Barker and with guest contestants Chris Kamara, Mel Giedroyc and Tom Davis.
Other highlights this year include Line Of Duty’s DS Arnot (Martin Compston), DI Fleming (Vicky McClure)and Superintendant Hastings (Adrian Dunbar) in an exclusive “deleted” scene from the last series which sees them grilling an accused corrupt copper, played by Harry Potter actor Jason Isaacs.
They suspect he knows the identity of H, but they also have to contend with Lee Mack as his ineffective lawyer.
Presenter Emma Willis says: “I’m really excited about the Line Of Duty sketch. I adore Vicky McClure so I can’t wait to see her reunite with the rest of the team for Sport Relief.”
Hit BBC drama Killing Eve also undergoes a Sport Relief makeover and reveals a blonde assassin is on a killing spree, and targeting victims all with the first name Steve.
McDonald, sporting icon Steve Redgrave and presenter and magician Stephen Mulhern meet their comedic deaths, but who is Killing Steves?
And comedian Romesh Ranganathan challenges tennis champ Sir Andy Murray to a sporting challenge – a round of crazy golf. Comedian Tom Allen is one of the new Sport Relief presenters and admits: “I’m as surprised as you are.
“I’m terrible at sport and once at the gym I got stuck under a barbell. A cleaner had to get me out.
“I think they asked me to do the show as the relief from the sport. “I’m honoured to be involved. It’ll be a brilliant night and anyone pushing themselves physically and striving to do their best for charity is a hero in my book.”
David Walliams, Eddie Izzard, Davina McCall, John Bishop and Zoe Ball have all pushed their bodies to extreme limits over the years to raise awareness and millions of pounds for the charity.
But even before this year’s group of famous faces embarked on their own charity adventure, they faced a sizeable problem. After weeks of training for their On Thin Ice challenge – cycling, skating and trekking across a frozen lake in Mongolia – the coronavirus outbreak took hold in neighbouring China.
The challenge was moved to the Namib desert in eastern Africa and Radio 1 DJ Nick Grimshaw, CBBC’s Karim Zeroual, The Saturdays singer Frankie Bridge, “Judge” Robert Rinder, former EastEnders actress Samantha Womack, NHS doctor Zoe Williams, BBC Breakfast presenter Louise Minchin and Channel 4 News host Krishnan Guru-Murthy ended up using their skis on the sands instead of ice.
Nick Grimshaw has now rejoined the 100 mile trek challenge after being forced to pull out due to heat exhaustion.
BBC Radio 2 DJ Jo Wiley will also embark on the Dare 2 Tri triathlon challenge for Sport Relief next week.
The 54-year-old will be joined by fellow Radio 2 presenters Reverend Kate Bottley and Richie Anderson for the challenge, which will see the trio take on freezing cold open water swims, cycle routes and runs in three different UK cities, across three nations, over three days.
The first triathlon begins in Cardiff on Wednesday and will be followed by events in Glasgow and Manchester with Jo hosting her regular radio show from each city.
Jo says exercise has helped her manage stress and self-esteem issues and has jokingly said it “saves on therapy”. She says: “I know it’s going to be hard; we’re going to laugh, we’re going to cry, but all of it will be worth it.”
The first Sport Relief took place in 2002 and the money raised from the last appeal in 2018 has helped to support an incredible 13 million people across the UK and around the world. More than £4m has
been awarded to provide mental-health support, while more than 15,000 people experiencing homelessness have been helped to access safe accommodation and support.
The Battle of the Channels Celebrity Boat Race returns this year and sees teams from BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Sky going oar to oar and there is live music from Rita Ora, John Newman and Celeste, plus performances from the casts of Tony Award-winning musical Dear Evan Hansen and the Back To The Future the Musical.
This is the 10th time Gary Lineker has been part of the Sport Relief presenting team.
He says: “I’m a huge fan of the sport and entertainment collaborations that happen on the night. Where else could you find one of our most successful tennis players taking part in a round of mini golf with a comedian or a gold medal-winning Olympic rower being killed off by a mysterious blonde assassin?”
■ The Namib Desert challenge can be seen in The Heat Is On, on BBC1 on Wednesday at 8pm and Sport Relief 2020 is on BBC1 on Friday from 7pm.
■ Find out how you can get involved in fundraising at sportrelief.com/ get-involved
McDONALD & DODDS
THE second of two mystery dramas starring Jason Watkins and Tala Gouveia. The chalk-and-cheese detective duo are called to a private clinic where a wealthy patient has been killed. However, their investigation is made more difficult by the complex relationships of the victim’s former fellow residents.
MIRIAM’S BIG FAT ADVENTURE
Tomorrow, BBC2, 9pm
MIRIAM MARGOLYES loves her life, but hates her body. She’s been fat (a word she doesn’t shy away from using) for as long as she can remember but, at 78, she feels the time to do anything about it is running out. In this two-part documentary, showing on consecutive evenings, Miriam is setting out to learn more about the impact of obesity.
FIVE GUYS A WEEK
Tuesday, Channel 4, 9.15pm
A SINGLETON gets the chance to trial five live-in boyfriends over the course of five days in this new dating show. The twist is that all of them will be moving in at the same time. In the first episode, marketing consultant Amy, 34, meets surfer Trystan, country singersongwriter
Scott, stuntman Michael, fraud investigator Christian and local government consultant Glenn.
THE UNDATEABLES
THE series following extraordinary singletons as they search for romance returns. Nicholas, a 26-year-old from Berkshire who has Asperger’s, longs to find a partner to share his life with. Meanwhile, 22-year-old Shantae, who has Down’s Syndrome, dreams of meeting a religious family man.
HOSPITAL
THE documentary focuses on medically fit patients stranded in hospital due to a lack of after-care. They include a 70-year-old vascular dementia patient who is stuck in Aintree University Hospital until he and his wife can find a residential home to deal with his needs.
CELEBRITY BRITAIN BY BARGE: THEN & NOW
BILL ODDIE, Jennie Bond, Anne Diamond and Pete Waterman head to Northamptonshire to navigate the mighty Grand Union Canal. Travelling from north of Milton Keynes to the old canal port of Braunston, they celebrate the ‘boat people’, who once lived and worked on Britain’s canals.
MILES DAVIS: BIRTH OF COOL
Saturday, BBC2, 9pm DOCUMENTARY profile of the jazz legend, featuring archive footage and interviews with Davis himself.