PICK OF THE WEEK

SATURDAY

Tour De France Live 2020 (ITV4, 12.30pm)

The 107th edition of race gets under way with two Grand Depart stages in Nice. The capital of the Provence-Cote d’Azur region on the Mediterranean coast is surrounded by incredibly varied and picturesque terrain, so expect stiff climbs, flat sections and scenic coastal roads. The riders will do two loops of the southern section of the city – it’s not a completely flat stage by any means, but the 156km journey should still see a sprinter take the first yellow jersey. Gary Imlach presents, with analysis from Chris Boardman and Peter Kennaugh, reports by Daniel Friebe and Matthew Rendell, and commentary from Ned Boulting and David Millar.

Jimmy’s Big Bee Rescue (C4, 8pm)

Over the past 10 years, there has been a decline in 46 per cent of bee species – and if it continues, the results could be catastrophic. Bees are vital for pollinating the crops we rely on for food and have been declared the most important species on earth. However, Jimmy Doherty, who researched entomology as a graduate student, believes that it’s not too late to do something about it. This two-part documentary follows his year-long project to tackle the crisis and hopefully double the numbers. In the first episode, he looks into the reasons why Britain’s bees are disappearing, before rallying the people of Peterborough, including residents, council officials, a primary school and a local farmer, to plant hundreds of thousands of wildflowers in a bid to encourage the insects to return.

Edward and Sophie: The Reluctant Royals (C5, 9pm)

Prince Edward and his wife Sophie made a shock decision when they got married that makes them different to other royals. Instead of taking on a duke and duchess title (Edward was set up to be the Duke of Cambridge), the pair broke with tradition and opted to become the Earl and Countess of Wessex. This documentary profiles the couple who have often gone below the radar, but are now becoming increasingly popular with fans of the royals and significant in the family. Prince Edward will one day will take on the mantle of Duke of Edinburgh from his father, along with many of his duties, while Sophie has become admired for her charity work and is one of the Queen’s closest confidantes.

When Bob Marley Came to Britain (BBC2, 9.45pm)

Bob Marley rose from relatively humble beginnings in his native Jamaica to become a global superstar, whose music remains hugely popular all over the world. He’s considered a reggae pioneer and a Jamaican icon – when he died, he was given a state funeral. But as the title of the documentary When Bob Marley Came to Britain suggests, he also had a special relationship with the UK after relocating here in the 1970s. Narrated by Obaro Ejimiwe

home. He then discovers it’s not size that matters at the country’s finest surviving 17th-century water gardens, Westbury Court in Gloucestershire, and goes back to his roots in Tyne and Wear at Washington Old Hall, the ancestral home to America’s first president. Finally, George walks around the glorious Croome Park in Worcestershire, a labour of love courtesy of England’s greatest gardener, Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown.

Strike: Lethal White (BBC1, 9pm)

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Tom Burke and Holliday Grainger make a welcome return as private detective Cormoran Strike and his sidekick, Robin Ellacott. The last time we saw them, she was tying the knot with her completely unsuitable and, frankly, horrible fiance Matthew, despite the obvious chemistry between her and Strike. In this four-part adaptation of the fourth book in the series penned by JK Rowling (under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith), the duo receive a visit from a clearly very disturbed man who claims he witnessed a child’s murder many years ago. Their subsequent investigation leads them to a seemingly wealthy family with political connections. Robert Glenister, Sophie Winkleman and Robert Pugh are among the supporting cast.

Liverpool FC: The 30 Year Wait (BBC2, 9pm)

Documentary on Liverpool’s Premier League title success, the first time they had tasted topflight glory since the 1989/90 First Division campaign. The Reds were all set to clinch the title in record time, but the enforced break due to the coronavirus put their celebrations on hold, until they were eventually crowned champions in June thanks to Manchester City’s defeat to Chelsea. Featuring interviews with key players and staff, this documentary focuses on what it means for the title to have finally returned to Merseyside after so many years.

MONDAY

Dirty Secrets of Britain’s Takeaways (C4, 7.30pm)

More than 1,000 restaurants have a hygiene rating of zero and five million people get serious food poisoning every year, so chef April Jackson and food hygiene specialist Gareth Jones set out on a mission to clean up the nation’s fast-food outlets. Gareth joins council food inspectors and discovers filth, dangerous levels of bacteria and evidence of rodent infestations, while he and April tackle a chip shop in Harrow, west London, in desperate need of a makeover, helping it to achieve a five-star hygiene rating.

Planet Earth: A Celebration (BBC1, 8pm)

Sir David Attenborough turned 94 in May, but there’s no stopping the national treasure, and next month will see the cinematic release of his new film A Life on Our Planet. But before that arrives, Sir David has teamed up with a gaggle of award-winning musicians for this retrospective aiming to “lift everyone’s spirits”. The special programme brings together eight of the most extraordinary sequences from Planet Earth II and Blue Planet II, with a stunning musical performance courtesy of composer Hans Zimmer, Jacob Shea, the team at Bleeding Fingers, and Mercury Awardwinning UK rapper Dave. Among the sequences that are featured is the Baftawinning racer snakes vs iguana scene, which sees our plucky hero, a hatchling marine iguana, sprints across the beach followed by a hunting mob of snakes.

African Renaissance: When Art Meets Power (BBC Four, 9pm)

In the final episode of the series, Afua Hirsch is in Kenya where she explores the extremes of life today, the urban sprawl and untouched outback, and a young population still pushing away the British imperial past. In an epic narrative that takes in railway building, author of

Out Of Africa Karen Blixen, President Jomo Kenyatta and the brutal British suppression of the 1950s Mau Mau Uprising, she charts how artists have responded to history happening around them. She meets acclaimed Kenyan painters Dennis Muraguri and Michael Soi and discusses the after-effects of the British presence and China’s growing influence as a new power in East Africa.

The Diagnosis Detectives (BBC2, 9pm)

After tackling lockdown obesity earlier this month with his dieting show Lose a Stone in 21 Days, Michael Mosley is back on the box as he and a team of medical experts investigate strange and inexplicable illnesses. By combining their knowledge, and using cuttingedge technology to test their theories, they’ll try to solve complex medical mysteries. Tonight, we meet Paul, whose dreams of a happy retirement have been ruined since his face started swelling so dramatically that he struggles to see. “It’s distressing”, says his daughter. “Is it something life threatening?” Also in the show, the experts help Judy, whose problems began in 2007 when she started being sick and finding swallowing uncomfortable. She has now reached a point where she struggles to eat solid food.

Ambulance: Code Red (C5, 9pm)

This new documentary series follows Critical Care and Air Ambulance Response cars staffed by doctors and consultant paramedics based in the West Midlands. They deal with only the highest-priority cases, often involving car crashes, cardiac arrest and crushing injuries, and are called upon to use cuttingedge trauma techniques and perform roadside surgery. Using body cams, rigged go-pros and highly mobile camera crews, the series aims to capture every crucial minute as the teams work to save lives.

TUESDAY

The Truth About Cosmetic Treatments (BBC1, 8pm)

The two-part investigation into the impact procedures can have on our physical and mental health concludes as activist and blogger Mehreen Baig researches a nonsurgical bum lift and an expensive procedure that claims to remove cellulite permanently but requires a high pain threshold. Then, Michael Mosley scrutinises the science behind fat freezing and fat heating, and learns about the use of anabolic steroids for body enhancement. Finally, with the help of volunteers, he also compares the latest infrared-light weight-loss technology with traditional exercise.

The Yorkshire Vet (C5, 8pm)

Channel 5 has been the home of the documentary series The Yorkshire Vet since 2015, but now the channel is tackling the most famous Yorkshire-based vet of them all with a new period drama based on the books by James Herriot. Newcomer Nicholas Ralph takes on the role played by Christopher Timothy in the BBC version as newly qualified vet James, who is struggling to find work in 1930s Glasgow. His mother thinks he should

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Police Code Zero: Officer Under Attack (C5, 9pm)

Code Zero is the radio call sign used by police officers who need urgent assistance, often when their lives are in danger. And this returning series explores the rising number of brutal physical assaults on UK police. In Southampton, a Friday night descends into violence. Sergeant Nicolas Tucker is singlecrewed and the first on scene. He identifies a suspect, but before he can cuff the person, he is left helpless on the floor after someone sucker punches him. In County Durham, PC Caryn Fairburn is on shift when she and her colleague are asked to respond to an argument on Christmas day.