TV PICKS OF THE WEEK
LINE OF DUTY TONIGHT, BBC1, 9PM
ACRONYMS. They’re all well and good if you know what they stand for. If you don’t, you’re left scratching your head and hoping it will all become clear eventually. Certainly the world of AC-12 is full of them, and you just have to go with the flow. No doubt a couple more baffling ones will pop up, but for now we prefer to concentrate on Arnott and co’s investigation into Jo Davidson.
Kate’s caught between her old mate and loyalty to her new boss, which isn’t making life easy. Maybe she can distract herself with some fresh information from a potentially crucial new witness.
LOUIS THEROUX: SHOOTING JOE EXOTIC
TOMORROW, BBC2, 9PM
LAST week, Ross Kemp jumped on the bandwagon of Tiger King’s success by presenting the first of two documentaries about Britain’s own big cat-owning residents. Now Louis Theroux is going one better by speaking to Joseph Maldonado-Passage, better known as Joe Exotic, the man at the centre of the hit Netflix series.
They have, however, met before. Theroux spoke to Joe while making America’s Most Dangerous Pets, but it’s fair to say that life has changed a lot in the intervening decade.
Joe is still living in Oklahoma, but rather than residing at his personal zoo, he’s behind bars in a federal prison, having been found guilty of animal cruelty and of plotting a murder. Theroux also catches up with others from his original programme and meets those working to get Joe out of jail.
REMARKABLE PLACES TO EAT
TUESDAY, BBC2, 8PM
FRED SIRIEIX heads to the New Forest with former greengrocer Chris Bavin as his guide. Chris spent many a happy family holiday camping in the forest as a child and is a huge fan of the area and its delicious food. With his background in fruit and veg, Chris is passionate about sourcing the freshest ingredients, and believes the New Forest national park is a truly unique gastronomic destination.
The duo do a spot of wood-fired cooking, before sampling pork pies and visiting a country pub serving a special Ploughman’s.
PAUL O’GRADY:
FOR THE LOVE OF DOGS WEDNESDAY, ITV, 8PM
IT’S been reported that the demand for dogs has risen during lockdown – and there’s evidence of that during the opening episode of this latest series – yet the canine residents of Battersea Dogs and Cats Home are still looking for new owners. Luckily, Paul O’Grady is here to share their stories.
Tonight, he meets two Maltese Terrier puppies who staff suspect may have come from a puppy
farm in Romania. They were bought for £4,000 by a family in the UK, but their new owners struggled to cope with them.
BRITAIN’S BRIGHTEST CELEBRITY FAMILY
THURSDAY, ITV, 8.30PM EASTENDERS star Shaun Williamson and his family won the first series of Britain’s Brightest Celebrity Family in 2020. Chaser Anne ‘The Governess’ Hegerty begins another run of the quiz series, as eight more celebrity families battle it out.
Tonight, with their families in tow, Vanessa Feltz takes on Matthew Wright.
HAVE I GOT NEWS FOR YOU
FRIDAY, BBC1, 9.30PM
THE long-running satirical show is back for a 61st series.
In this episode, stalwarts Paul Merton and Ian Hislop are joined by guest host David Tennant and panellists comedian Jack Dee
and journalist Helen Lewis. As ever, there should be plenty for them to talk about, even as the roadmap (hopefully) offers some light at the end of the pandemic tunnel.
I CAN SEE YOUR VOICE SATURDAY, BBC1, 7.20PM
IN the latest twist on a singing competition, contestants, helped by a celebrity panel, try to sort the good singers from the lip-synching imposters, to win up to £10,000.
Paddy McGuinness hosts and the celebrity panel includes Jimmy Carr, Alison Hammond, Amanda Holden and Danny Jones.