PICK OF THE WEEK

Shameless (C4, 10pm)

When writer Paul Abbott created this comedy drama in the early noughties he naturally hoped it would do well, but had no idea it would run for nine years and inspire an equally successful American version; the latter’s 11th, final, season is on hold due to Covid-19 in case you’re a fan. For newcomers, the UK version centres on the Gallaghers. Mum went missing years ago and dad Frank hit the bottle with six kids at home. Mouthy 16-year-old Lip is one step closer to losing his virginity when he offers to help Karen Jackson with her homework, while newcomer Steve makes a beeline for big sister Fiona. With top turns from stars-on-the-rise Anne-Marie Duff and James McAvoy, not to mention a stunning turn from David Threlfall as Frank, this is well worth another look.

WEDNESDAY

Desperate to Drive: Our Lives (BBC1, 7.30pm)

In a quiet corner of Cardiff is a unique driving centre where lives are transformed every day. Here, higher risk drivers, who through illness or accident have been stopped from driving, have the chance to prove they’re safe to be on the road. Cameras follow the fortunes of four drivers: mum-of-four Fand, who had to surrender her licence after a debilitating stroke at 38; former lorry driver Glyn, who has been diagnosed with dementia; Huw, who lost a leg following a life-threatening infection, and 17-year-old Emily, who lives with cerebral palsy and would love to be the first of her friends to get her licence.

Diana: Her Last Summer (C5, 9pm)

Harry and Meghan have been making headlines, Princess Anne’s 70th birthday was recently marked by an ITV documentary, and the Queen’s lockdown speech reminded us of her ability to bring the nation together. But arguably no current royal has captured the public’s imagination quite like Diana, Princess of Wales. Now, Channel 5 is reflecting on her life and legacy with three documentaries broadcast on consecutive evenings, beginning with Diana: Her Last Summer. As the title suggests, it focuses on the final months of her tragically short life.

Lose a Stone in 21 Days with Michael Mosley (C4, 9pm)

Doctor and dietician Michael Mosley puts five volunteers on a low-calorie diet to help get their health back on track after the UK’s Covid-19 lockdown. It is week two of their very low-calorie diet and the volunteers’ tempers are beginning to fray, but Michael gets them doing highintensity work-outs and yoga. He also explores

stunts in a madcap misadventure based on a true story. Deshawn Carver (Knoxville) – DC to friends – owns the ramshackle amusement park Action Point, which is badly neglected and flouts safety laws on many of its rides. However, when a rival park with rollercoasters and a working chairlift opens for business nearby, attendance at Action Point plummets and DC is forced to rally the troops in the shape of his buddies. DC’s gang modifies rides to provide a hair-raising experience none of the visitors will ever forget. The fun is ably directed by Tim Kirkby, who worked on awardwinning comedy Fleabag.

campaign with a superstar influencer. The design team are up against it as they try to create the hottest new style and the brand is going against its rivals to land Love Island star Molly Mae to front a new collection. The question is: will they outmanoeuvre their fierce rivals? If this leaves you hungry for more, then the whole series is available, to stream or download on All 4, following transmission of this episode.

THURSDAY,

Celebrity MasterChef: A Recipe for Success (BBC1, 8pm)

13/8/2020

The first serving of a special run of episodes celebrating 15 years of the show as Gregg

FRIDAY

The Railway Man (2013)

(BBC One, 10.45pm)

Ardent train enthusiast Eric (Colin Firth) finds love with Patti Wallace (Nicole Kidman) following a chance encounter. It quickly becomes clear to Patti that there is something in Eric’s past which is troubling him, but her efforts to help are swatted aside. So she seeks out his best friend, Finlay (Stellan Skarsgard), hoping he can reveal the scars of the past and ease her spouse’s suffering. Ultimately, he recounts to Patti, and us, the horrors faced by young Eric (played by Jeremy Irvine) and his fellow soldiers at the Sakamoto Butai prisoner-ofwar camp. Based on the bestselling autobiography of Eric Lomax,

The Railway Man is a respectful and polished drama, which uses a patchwork of flashbacks to recount the writer’s treatment at the hands of the Imperial Japanese Army after the fall of Singapore.

American Gangster (2007) (ITV, 10.45pm)

Wallace and John Torode look back on the best moments. In the inaugural edition, the duo relive some of the best and worst food from the early rounds of the competition and reflect on the stars’ first experience of the MasterChef kitchen. Gregg and John also revisit two of their favourite challenges. First, it’s back to 2012, when footballer Danny Mills, writer and comedian Emma Kennedy and TV presenter Michael Underwood were sent to a film set to cater for more than 100 cast and crew of drama New Tricks.

To Catch a Sex Offender: Crime & Punishment (C4, 9pm)

New series. Today, in Britain, there are more