PICK OF THE WEEK

The Secrets She Keeps (BBC1, 9pm)

The six-part domestic noir series based on Michael Robotham’s novel of the same name comes to a close this week, and once more it features mesmerising performances from Downton Abbey veteran Laura Carmichael and Jessica De Gouw. With no money and Rory’s health faltering, Agatha finds refuge in the storeroom of her old workplace. Meghan and Jack are at breaking point until Agatha takes a phone call from Hayden, who is in police custody. How will the whole saga be wrapped up? Well, Game of Thrones proved that not all literary conversions play out the same way on screen (especially when the source material isn’t finished). TSSK is a complete work, but fans will still be on tenterhooks to see if this plays out in the same way as the novel.

Bob Ross: The Happy Painter (BBC4, 8pm)

Bob Ross’s show The Joy of Painting, famous for the host’s soothing voice and ability to whip up a masterpiece in every episode, has attracted a whole new generation of fans looking for inspiration during lockdown. This documentary takes a behind-the-scenes look at the curly-haired American painter’s journey from humble beginnings to pop culture icon, charting how one local TV commercial evolved into a viral phenomenon. The film reveals the public and private sides of Bob through accounts from close friends and family, childhood photographs and rare archive footage.

The Real EastEnders (C4, 10pm)

The docks of the Isle of Dogs were once more than just the heart of London’s East End - they also played a key part in the British empire. While those days may have gone, director Ashley Francis-Roy’s documentary, which was filmed in the summer of 2019, finds that some old ways remain, with many locals able to trace their roots back six generations. The film captures the ‘Island’ as seen through the eyes of the children growing up on its council estates, including 12-year-old Leslie, who has ambitions to combine a job as an electrician with gaming and a career as a part-time rapper. However, his mum Tina worries that some of his friends may be a bad influence.

WEDNESDAY

The Railway 24/7 (C5, 8pm)

The series reaches the end of the line as the pandemic strikes, leaving TransPennine Express facing an uncertain future. The episode begins normally enough as rookie conductor Carl prepares to sit his final exam, but the mysterious new virus that has spread from China to Europe is already starting to affect passenger numbers. At Manchester Airport Station, Billy finds customers are cutting their holidays short, while in Yorkshire, Nikki is amazed by how quiet the services are. At the company HQ, the bosses gather to discuss how to deal with the reduction in customers while still keeping services running for key workers. As the revenue plummets, the government is forced to step in, but customer

roles including James Brown, Cab Calloway, Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin.

Sweet Country (2017) (Film4, 9pm)

In 1920s Australia, Sam Kelly, a late middle-aged Aboriginal farm worker in the Northern Territory, begins work on a neighbouring farm to renovate the paddock fences. The owner is Harry March, an abusive alcoholic war veteran who assaults Sam’s wife, Lizzie, while he is away. When Harry visits the farm on which Sam is

celebrities prepare to enter the MasterChef kitchen - and they are tennis coach Judy Murray, broadcaster Riyadh Khalaf, Olympic gold-medallist Matthew Pinsent, reality star

Pete Wicks and actress and comedian Crissy Rock. Their first chance to impress comes when they visit the show’s market, stocked with ingredients they can use to make one dish that will show John Torode and Gregg Wallace their culinary potential. Then Crissy, Matthew and Pete head to Sam’s Riverside while Judy and Riyadh are dispatched to Scully to see how they cope with a busy professional kitchen and cooking for paying customers. Finally, they return to the show’s HQ to wow the judges with a signature dish. working, looking for a runaway Aboriginal youth called Philomac, Sam kills Harry in self-defence, and sets off with Lizzie across the Outback in an attempt to escape the law. Director Warwick Thornton’s award-winning drama features an excellent cast, including Hamilton Morris, Bryan Brown and Sam Neill.

FRIDAY

Ted (2012) (ITV2, 9pm)

On Christmas Eve 1985, young John Bennett stares adoringly at his favourite teddy and is granted a wish: that Ted could talk and be his best friend. Fast-forwarding to the present day, John now works for a car rental company and has a beautiful girlfriend, Lori. When their four-year anniversary dinner ends in a fractious discussion about priorities, John responds by asking his best buddy to move out of the apartment and stand on his own two paws.

The Shining (1980) (BBC1, 10.50pm)

Aspiring author Jack Torrance takes a job as a caretaker at a remote hotel which has been closed for the winter, believing it’s the perfect spot to write. But while the Overlook is supposed to be deserted, it’s actually home to a collection of evil spirits. Author Stephen King, who wrote the book on which it’s based, wasn’t impressed, but for most film buffs, The Shining is one of the greatest horror movies ever made. Director Stanley

Kubrick imbues the film with a powerful sense of dread – even the scenes of young Danny Lloyd exploring the hotel’s halls are oddly unsettling. And Jack Nicholson’s brilliantly over-the-top performance as Jack just adds to the fear factor. With Shelley Duvall and Scatman Crothers.

Mrs America (BBC2, 9pm)

It’s 1973, and with 33 of the necessary 38 states ratifying the Equal Rights Amendment, Phyllis Schlafly’s campaign has polarised opinion in the critical state of Illinois. The proponents offer her a challenge to publicly debate the issues, but are surprised by a counter-offer for a ‘couple’s debate’ on national television. Drama about the political movement to pass the Equal Rights Amendment in the US. Starring Cate Blanchett, Rose Byrne, Uzo Aduba and Elizabeth Banks.

THURSDAY

Inside Britain’s Food Factories (STV, 8.30pm)