PICK OF THE WEEK

SATURDAY

The Masked Singer (STV, 7pm)

There have been plenty of bizarre entertainment shows on the telly over the years - Dogs Might Fly, Who’s Doing The Dishes? and Flockstars, to name but a few. Although this new singing series isn’t quite as outlandish as those programmes, it is still fairly bonkers. The Masked Singer sees 12 celebrities don interesting disguises (Unicorn, Fox, Monster, Chameleon, Daisy, Octopus, Duck, Queen

Bee, etc) and belt out tunes in a bid to impress the judges and the audience, who have no idea who will be performing. Unlike other singing shows, the judges don’t actually rate the performers in terms of singing talent, but their overall performance ability.

Digging Up Britain’s Past (Channel 5, 7.05pm)

Archaeologists Raksha Dave and Alex Langlands return with a new series uncovering more fascinating periods in history. Hidden beneath the ground for nearly 1,500 years, Silchester near Reading is one of the bestpreserved Roman sites in Britain. Over the last century, archaeologists have exposed the foundations of entire streets, houses and temples, and this year, they tackle its most impressive building - the bathhouse. A team from Reading University unpicks this incredible monument brick by brick and tile by tile, to discover more about the ancient Romans who came here for the ultimate spa experience.

Tony Robinson’s History of Britain (Channel 5, 8pm)

The Blackadder actor and Time Team presenter explores the everyday lives of ordinary people, starting with life during the reign of the Tudor monarchs. Tony meets a host of colourful characters from the era, including Thomas Grimes, whose skills as the local ‘knacker’ were soon put to a more grisly use as an executioner for King Henry VIII. The host also reveals how Richard Roose rose from pot washer to being the cook for John Fisher, Bishop of Rochester. However, after being accused of poisoning members of the household, he was subsequently boiled alive.

First & Last (BBC1, 8.15pm)

It’s a shame that BBC One’s Scarborough has been cancelled after just one series, as it was one of the best sitcoms of last year. However, at least funnyman Jason Manford gets another chance to shine with this game show. The concept is simple: contestants have to make sure they do not come first or last in any game or they will be eliminated. Eleven players start each episode and compete across a range of five play-along-at-home games that will see one of them leave with a cash prize of up to £10,000.

The Voice UK (STV, 8.30pm)

New series. Emma Willis hosts the spinningchair singing contest, in which celebrity ‘coaches’ seek out the nation’s best vocal

talent. But there is a simple twist - with the four coaches selecting their teams through ‘blind auditions’, looks play no part in the selection process, meaning each singer is chosen on vocal ability alone. Meghan Trainor joins the show as the newest recruit to the judging panel, joining series regulars Olly Murs, Tom Jones and Will.i.am.

SUNDAY

Dancing on Ice (STV, 6pm)

We got our first good look at the class of 2019 in the Christmas launch show, which followed the celebs as they were paired up with their professional partners. But how accurate were our first impressions? We’re about to find out as the competition begins in earnest and we get to see how much the stars have improved (or not, as the case may be) since their first tentative steps on to the ice. Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean will be giving us the professionals’ view as they’re joined on judging panel by Ashley Banjo and new recruit John Barrowman. Diversity’s Perri Kiely has emerged as an early favourite (and not just because he was in a dance troupe with one of the judges), but will we see any surprises as six couples compete tonight?

Doctor Who (BBC1, 7pm)

Fans had a long wait for the latest series, but the recent season opener did not disappoint,

even if many were left perched on the edge of their sofas. It doesn’t hurt that Jodie Whittaker is a natural fit as the renegade Gallifreyan, while Bradley Walsh continues in his quest for media domination. In the concluding part of Spyfall, a terrifying plan to destroy humanity is about to reach fruition. Can the Doctor and her companions escape multiple traps and defeat a deadly alliance?

Call the Midwife (BBC1, 8pm)

It’s the end of an era, as the ninth series of the hugely popular period drama begins with the funeral of Winston Churchill in January, 1965. However, just because the medics and midwives are entering a brave new world, it

doesn’t mean the show’s days are numbered series 10 and 11 have already been commissioned ensuring it will be on our screens until at least 2022. And there are still plenty of baby-related dramas to explore as in this episode Fred goes to fix a power outage, only to find an infant abandoned in a dustbin. Nurse Crane helps a heavily pregnant woman, but it’s her 10-year-old son who is causing the most concern when he is discovered to be suffering from an infectious, and supposedly eradicated, illness.

Crime Files (BBC Scotland, 9pm)

Professor David Wilson looks at the process of body disposal and how it can reveal as much about the murderer as the murder itself. He looks at the murder of Karen Buckley and the extraordinary lengths her killer went to dispose of her body; interviews forensic anthropologist Professor Dame Sue Black about her unique work; and speaks to crime author, and co-founder of the international Bloody Scotland festival, Lin Anderson. Elsewhere, investigative journalist Fiona Walker looks at the 1923 ‘Go Kart Murder’ case which would result in the last ever death sentence for a woman from a Scottish court.

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Celebrity Special (STV, 9.30pm)

Actress-writer Ruth Jones, who was seen in the

Gavin & Stacey special over Christmas, has a go at answering the 15 questions that could bag £1million for her chosen charity. Also joining quizmaster Jeremy Clarkson on tonight’s show is comedian and Benidorm actor Johnny Vegas, as well as former world heavyweight boxing champion and 2012 I’m A Celebrity contestant, David Haye.

MONDAY

Celebrity Coach Trip (E4, 7.30pm) Legendary international tour guide Brendan Sheerin welcomes a new set of celebrity sunseekers for another action-packed tour. Taking part this time are TOWIE power couple Tommy Mallett and Georgia Kousoulou; Gogglebox father and daughter Amy and Jonathan Tapper; Radio 1’s Adele Roberts and partner, actor Kate Holderness; boys from Blue Antony Costa and Simon Webbe; internet pranksters Woody and Kleiny; and First Dates waitress Cici Coleman and Rustie Lee. Starting off in glamour hot-spot St Tropez, the group do their best to avoid beginning the holiday with a wrong stroke at a caricature class, before Brendan goes missing at survival training.

Midsomer Murders (STV, 8.30pm)

Neil Dudgeon and Nick Hendrix are back for another edition of the long-running and muchloved crime drama. As DCI John Barnaby and DS Jamie Winter, they have dealt with some extraordinary murders over the years, and the latest is pretty weird too. It begins in an ordinary way, with Barnaby reluctantly attending the marriage of his wife Sarah’s friend’s son. However, the bride, Laurel, never shows up because she’s been squeezed to death by her own wedding dress corset. There, we told you it was odd. Laurel had plenty of enemies - she was a controversial radio talk show host who often rubbed people up the wrong way - so there are plenty of suspects.

The Choir: Aylesbury Prison (BBC2, 9pm)

Part one of two. Gareth Malone undertakes a challenge to form a choir in HMYOI Aylesbury, a prison for young offenders serving sentences from four years to life. First he meets Governor Laura Sapwell, who feels that a choir might be a different and unique way to engage with the young men as part of a programme aimed at trying to prevent people reoffending. At the end of his first week, Gareth has met almost all the prison’s 200 residents, with 20 having expressed real interest in working with him.

24 Hours in Police Custody (C4, 9pm)

The first of two editions taking viewers behind the scenes of the police investigation into the premeditated and brutal murder of a young man after officers were called to woods in Hinchingbrooke Country Park in Cambridgeshire when a dog walker found a blood-soaked body. It quickly becomes clear that with no witnesses and no CCTV, there are few clues for DCI Adam Gallop to work with, and cameras follow every twist and turn of an enquiry that involves unravelling what lies behind the murder.

Britain’s Loudest Snorers (C5, 9pm)

You may remember Christian Jessen from shows such as Embarrassing Bodies, which he presented between 2007 and 2015;

Supersize vs Superskinny (2008 to 2014), or books like Dr Christian’s Guide to Growing Up. Now he’s back on the box with this offering looking at a problem that can drive many of us up the wall. The physician is on a mission to tackle the nation’s snoring epidemic by bringing together some of the loudest and most prolific sufferers and attempting to treat them. Assisted by experts, Jessen enlists snorers from across the UK to spend the night at Snore Camp, a hi-tech sleep clinic where they are examined and monitored overnight. It might focus on snoozefests, but the show should be anything but.

TUESDAY

Cornwall: This Fishing Life (BBC2, 8pm)

New series. Documentary about the Cornish fishing village of Mevagissey. While many fishing communities are struggling, this one has thrived owing to protection from prevailing winds and returning fish stocks. Boats have been handed down through generations and currently 74 operate out of the harbour. As young captains prepare to follow in their father’s footsteps, tourism also becomes a major boost to the town - but leaves it feeling deserted in winter. A veteran skipper prepares to retire, and questions what the next generation will learn from his example.

Food Unwrapped: New Year Health Secrets (C4, 8pm)

A special guide to healthy eating for the New Year. Jimmy Doherty takes a trip to Thailand to discover if ginger makes people more resistant to cold and puts the belief that beer should be drunk before wine, not after, to the test. Amanda Byram learns some surprising facts about the fitness benefits of spinach and presents some dietary tips to help with working out, Matt Tebbutt discusses easy ways to get a daily dose of fruit and vegetables, and Andi Oliver learns if chocolate may actually be good for teeth.

The National Television Awards Celebrate 25 Years (STV, 9pm)

In three weeks’ time, the nation’s best-loved TV stars will gather at The O2 in London for the 25th National Television Awards. To celebrate the show’s special anniversary, this one-off programme narrated by Dame Julie Walters looks back at its history which has been laden with high-octane drama, special guest performances and red-carpet glamour. Sharing behind-the-scenes stories and personal memories are Graham Norton, Ant & Dec, Holly Willoughby, David Tennant, Simon Cowell, Paul O’Grady, Richard & Judy, Danny Dyer, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Brendan O’Carroll, Phillip Schofield, Julie Hesmondhalgh and Michael Barrymore.

Ben Fogle: New Lives in the Wild (C5, 9pm)

The adventurer and presenter returns with the 11th run of the travelogue series in which he meets people who have turned their back on the rat race and set up home in some of the most remote locations on Earth. Tonight, he journeys to the freezing coastal waters of Iceland to live with his host Hakon. He discovers how this former carpenter overcame an addiction to alcohol during his city years and went on to embrace a clean, solo life in the Icelandic wilderness on an inherited private island. Ben gets stuck in fishing, harvesting and swimming, as well as helping to maintain his creative host’s yurt business, and joining him to climb Iceland’s most famous volcano, Eyjafjatlajoktull. Along the way, Ben learns that the country’s volatile environment could end up having serious consequences for Hakon’s island.

Silent Witness (BBC1, 9pm)

New series. Part one of two. Nikki is called to the in when a private jet crashes in a forest outside London, and finds herself forced to be the bearer of bad news when she learns that the casualties include a former US ambassador who is also an old friend of Matt’s. Meanwhile, Thomas investigates the suspicious suicide of a successful businessman, and uncovers an unexpected connection to the plane crash - which suggests the two cases are linked, and that the plane may have been deliberately sabotaged as part of a coordinated attack.

WEDNESDAY

Bradley Walsh & Son: Breaking Dad (STV, 8pm)

Given the fact The Chase is on ITV most days, and Doctor Who is back, you’d think Bradley Walsh wouldn’t have time to slot in any other projects, but not a bit of it. Now he and son Barney return for a second series as they embark on another road trip across America. They begin their journey in Florida, the southernmost point of the country. From there, the pair head to the Palm Beach International Raceway, before getting up close and personal with sharks.

The Great Pottery Throw Down (More4, 9pm)

Ever since its axe by the BBC in 2018, fans of this series having been crying out for its return. Thankfully, it’s back tonight, and as before, we are at Middleport Pottery in Stoke-on-Trent, where new host Melanie Sykes (replacing Sara Cox) is joined by old judge Keith Brymer Jones and newbie Sue Pryke. We start off with 12 Britain’s best home potters competing to become champion, as Keith and Sue set them two opening challenges - to throw a breakfast set and then some egg cups.

Lose Weight and Get Fit with Tom Kerridge (BBC2, 8.30pm)

No prizes for guessing what this six-part series is about. Yes, Tom Kerridge will be helping folks fight that post-Christmas battle of the

bulge. More specifically, a group of volunteers from Gloucester, who embark on an eight-week weight loss and fitness journey, doing regular exercise and eating lower calorie meals in an effort to get in shape and reach their health and fitness goals. In the first episode, the chef calls the group to a sports faculty at a university to reveal what they have signed up to for the next two months.

White House Farm (STV, 9pm)

In 1985, five members of the same family were murdered at an Essex Farmhouse - Sheila Caffell, her twin six-year-old sons, Daniel and Nicholas, and her parents, Nevill and June Bamber. It was a shocking case and a

controversial one as the man convicted of the killings, Nevill and June’s son Jeremy, has always protested his innocence. This new sixpart drama, which draws on interviews and extensive research, aims to bring a fresh perspective to the tragedy. It begins in the early hours of Wednesday, August 7, 1985, as the Jeremy (Freddie Fox) calls the police to an incident at his parents’ farmhouse.

Murder Trial: The Disappearance of Margaret Fleming (BBC2, 9pm)

In 2016, an application for a Personal Independence Payment raised suspicions. It also led to the trial of two carers accused of murdering 35-year-old Margaret Fleming, and

claiming benefits in her name for 16 years. Bafta award-winning director Matt Pinder helmed this documentary which takes the audience into the centre of the trial at Glasgow’s High Court and beyond. The twoparter offers a compelling insight into the work of the police and prosecutors in bringing the two suspects to trial.

THURSDAY

Best Home Cook (BBC1, 8pm)

Claudia Winkleman hosts the culinary contest. Mary Berry ask the cooks to produce their ultimate meringue dessert for a family celebration lunch - leading to stunning pavlovas, inventive fruit curd pies and even a

woodland-themed roulade. This is followed by Chris Bavin’s one-hour challenge to rustle up a dish from scratch featuring a humble vegetable as the star of the show, before the judges decide who has to take on Angela Harnett’s elimination cook for their place in the contest a single recipe that requires precision timing and perfect seasoning.

Baby Chimp Rescue (BBC2, 8pm)

New series. Documentary following life in a home for orphaned chimpanzees run by wildlife vet Jimmy Desmond and his wife Jenny. The Desmonds started with just two rescued baby chimps, saved from the illegal pet trade, but now their home is bursting at the seams with 21 orphans to look after. Many of the primate lost their mothers before they had a chance to learn key survival skills, meaning they will not be able to return to the wild, but the Professor Ben Garrod is on hand to help

Jimmy and Jenny teach the chimps important skills such as climbing, finding food and recognising danger.

The Supervet: Noel Fitzpatrick (C4, 8pm) New series. A six-month-old collie appears to have a developmental deformity where the bones in its elbows don’t fit together, but after CT scans, Noel sees that the situation is even more complex. A Burmese mountain dog has a painful bulging disc, which Noel hopes to replace with a bespoke titanium spacer screw, while cat Elmo has a complex fracture to its left back leg after being hit by a car. Even though the bone has exploded into fragments, the vet believes the limb can be saved, but it’s going to require a tricky operation involving metal implants.

The All-Inclusive: How Do They Do It? (Channel 5, 9pm)

Following a fun one-off special in 2019, the series returns to follow three groups of very different holidaymakers as they all descend on the same resort for a week. The Greens are a family who think they have all the tips and hacks to get the best out of an all-inclusive stay. On the other hand, the Wests are firsttimers, and as a young family that usually holidays in the UK, it will be interesting to see how they fare in all-inclusive land. Finally, we have a group of ladies from Crewe. They are supermarket colleagues who have been holidaying together for years - can a group of friends get enjoyment out of a family-friendly allinclusive resort?

Death in Paradise (BBC1, 9pm)

The island of Saint Marie has such a high murder rate, it’s probably not surprising that there also seems to be an unusually high level of burnout among its detectives. DI Jack Mooney (Ardal O’Hanlon) will soon become the latest cop to leave the island, to be replaced by newcomer Neville Parker (The Royle Family’s Ralf Little, who has previously appeared in the series as a suspect). Before that happens though, Jack has another case to deal with when a woman is stabbed by a masked man during the island’s New Year’s Eve celebrations. The team faces a race against time to identify the killer before they strike again. As ever, there are some celebrity visitors to the island, including Adrian Edmondson, Nina Wadia and Samuel West.

QE2 (BBC Alba, 10.30pm)

For 40 years the QE2 reigned as the world’s most illustrious cruise liner - travelling six million miles, circumnavigating the globe 25 times and carrying over two and a half million passengers. These programmes tell the story of this feat of maritime engineering - from its beginnings in a Clydeside shipyard; its maiden voyage across the Atlantic; its golden heyday and iconic journeys, brushes with controversy, and requisition during the Falklands War. Charting the QE2’s story with a wealth of archive alongside interviews with former crew, passengers, historians and engineers, this compelling two-part series tells the story of how the most luxurious ship in the world became the flagship of Britain.

FRIDAY

Monty Don’s American Gardens (BBC2, 8pm)

New series. The keen horticulturalist visits some of the most famous and interesting gardens in the US. He begins his trek in a prairie, the original American flowering wilderness, only to find much of it has disappeared. In New York, he explores vegetables being grown on the city’s rooftops, visits an enthusiastic allotment community in the Bronx and learns about the history of America’s most famous public green space, Central Park. In Philadelphia, Monty examines one of the country’s most famous gardens and enjoys a modern version of a prairie garden.

Grantchester (STV, 9pm)

James Norton may have moved on, but it seems there’s still plenty of life in Grantchester. Tom Brittney joined the cast last year as wetbehind-the-ears new parish priest Will Davenport, who quickly settled in, righting wrongs and making new friends along the way - although he did rattle a few cages on his initial arrival. The fifth series picks up 12 months after its predecessor; it’s now 1957 and Prime Minister Harold Macmillan is insisting that the British people have never had it so good. Initially, it seems he’s right - everything seems rosy. However, Geordie Keating knows that trouble is never far away... The first episode sees Will and Geordie join forces to solve the mystery surrounding the death of a student from a prestigious all-female college.

Deadwater Fell (C4, 9pm)

David Tennant is going back to his Broadchurch roots with another drama about a small community that is rocked by a terrible crime, but this time he’s one of the suspects rather than a cop. He plays Tom Kendrick, a popular local GP in the sleepy Scottish village of Kirkdarroch, who lives with his teacher wife Kate (Anna Madeley) and their three daughters. Their life seems perfect, until one night there’s a fire at their house. Tom gets out, but his wife and children don’t - and the tragedy takes a sinister twist when it emerges that it wasn’t the blaze that killed them. Kate’s best friend Jess (Cush Jumbo) is determined to find out what really happened, but in the process her own relationship with her police officer husband Steve (Matthew McNulty) is tested.

TV Extra: David Tennant: Page 79

Chris Packham: Forever Punk (BBC4, 9.30pm)

TV presenter Chris Packham is a massive fan of punk rock, so much so that back in October, he managed to slip 14 song titles into an episode of Autumnwatch as a tribute to Eddie and the Hot Rods frontman Barrie Masters, who had recently passed away. Here, Chris looks back on his love of punk as a teenager and explains how it galvanised him to become an environmental campaigner. However, he also wonders if he has turned into the kind of ‘establishment figure’ who his younger self would have hated. Chris meets other former punks, including Tom Robinson.