PICK OF THE WEEK

SATURDAY

Athletics: British Championships (BBC1, 1.15pm)

Gabby Logan introduces the second and final day of action from the Manchester Regional Arena, as the best of Britain’s athletes go head to head to become domestic champion. Today’s headliners include experienced pole vaulter Holly Bradshaw, the former European indoor champion, who is bidding for her eighth outdoor national title. The men’s and women’s 200m finals are also taking place in the city, which is hosting the championships for the first time since 2007. Other highlights include the final of the women’s triple jump, which features rising star and local favourite Naomi Ogbeta.

The Palace vs the Press: Royals Under Fire (C5, 9pm)

The relationship between the press and the royal family has long been a fraught one, but for many years the Queen has seemingly stuck to the mantra of “never complain, never explain”. However, some of the younger members, most notably Prince Harry and Meghan, have clearly chosen to take a different approach. This documentary looks at the Windsors’ evolving relationship with the media, focusing on the younger generation who are ready to give as good as they get and may want to take a more active role in shaping their own images. The new generation may be more savvy in some respects, but the programme finds the press is still out to regain the upper hand in their search for new stories.

The Chase Celebrity Special (STV, 7pm)

It’s a pretty impressive line up this week as Bradley Walsh invites celebrity contestants comedian Jenny Eclair, presenters Ore Oduba and Richard Madeley and actor Perry Fenwick, better known to soap fans as Billy from EastEnders, to pit their wits against one of the ruthless Chasers in the hope of winning a potential prize pot worth thousands of pounds. They must work as a team and play strategically to answer general knowledge questions against the clock and race down the game board to the exit without being caught.

Britain’s Got Talent (STV, 8pm)

Ant and Dec host the first semi-final of this year’s talent contest, making a return to screens following the auditions episodes broadcast in the spring. Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon, David Walliams and Ashley Banjo are on the judging desk, as the acts that impressed them the most return, including the golden buzzer acts – singer Fayth Ifil, comedian and singer Jon Courtney, choir Sign Along With Us, comedian Nabil Abdulrashid, and mother and daughter singing duo, Honey and Sammy. Eight acts perform in each semifinal, with two finalists selected by the judges and the votes of viewers.

Piers Morgan’s Life Stories (STV, 10pm)

Piers Morgan’s chat show often makes for emotional viewing, in part because instead of

romance isn’t going all that well, and Robin’s marriage reaches crisis point - if it hadn’t already.

Better Things (BBC2, 10pm)

The bittersweet US comedy drama returns for a fourth run, and once more Pamela Adlon is very much hands on bringing it to the small screen; she wrote, directed and starred in this episode centring on the long suffering Sam Fox (not that one). In the first of a double bill, Sam and Phil pick up Frankie and Duke, who have been visiting their father, and Frankie surprises Sam by saying she wants a big party for her 15th birthday. That’s followed by episode two, which also features Ms Adlon on all three lead showrunner duties, and another fine turn from series regular Celia Imrie.

MONDAY

Inside Animal A&E (STV, 8pm)

This new series explores life in two of the UK’s busiest animal hospitals, following the fortunes of the staff, volunteers and patients at the A&E departments of Blue Cross in London Victoria and Grimsby. Ambulance drivers Sonia and Angela pick up a 50kg Dogue de Bordeaux that has a mysterious bedwetting problem, which vet Cristina must get to the bottom of, while Lawrence tries to find out why a guinea pig is anxious and upset. Meanwhile, volunteer Helen is caring for a tiny orphaned kitten.

Jamie: Keep Cooking Family Favourites (C4, 8.30pm)

Jamie Oliver gives roast chicken a makeover with a kimchi glaze and sauce, dressing it in toasted sesame seeds and serving with fluffy white rice and a refreshing slaw, to create a truly memorable meal. He then stuffs a salmon fillet with creamy prawns and wraps it in bacon, cooking it on a bed of greens for a traybake fit for family, friends and special occasions, and finishes off by rustling up a super-speedy, all-inone cake with the flavours of pistachio, tahini and pomegranate.

Africa Turns the Page: The Novels That Shaped a Continent (BBC4, 9pm)

Africa has become a superpower in the world of the novel. Shortlists for the world’s major literary prizes are packed with African authors, while novelists like Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie have become international celebrities. But how did Africa become such a hotbed of literary talent? In this insightful film, Nigerian-born historian David Olusoga looks at how, as African nations fought for independence during the 1950s, writers such as Chinua Achebe, Ngugi wa Thiong’o and Wole Soyinka became the conscience of a continent. Then, in their wake, writers such as Buchi Emecheta and Ben Okri created masterpieces from their adopted home of the UK.

Sue Perkins: Along the US-Mexico Border (BBC1, 9pm)

The comedian and presenter has had a nice sideline in travel documentaries in recent years. Her trips have taken her to Japan and the Ganges, among other places, and now she’s adding one of the most contentious places on the planet to the list. President Trump’s determination to build a wall between the US and Mexico has been hugely controversial, and Perkins wants to find out what impact the tightening of border controls has had on the people who live on either side of the divide. She begins in Tijuana on the Pacific coast, and discovers it lives up to its reputation as a party town, before hearing from Honduran volunteers who are building a hostel for fellow refugees fleeing the violence in their nation. The two-part programme concludes on Tuesday.

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (STV, 9pm)

Jeremy Clarkson is back all week with a new run of the potentially life-changing quiz show. Chris Tarrant may have been the original host, but it’s fair to say that the former Top Gear presenter has made the show his own in recent years. It’s not a spoiler to reveal that somebody during the run wins the jackpot – the first person to do so since Ingram Willcox in 2006 – although their name has been kept out of the limelight so that viewers can play along and watch the drama unfold. “All of a sudden, confetti was falling from the ceiling and I was saying ‘You’ve just won one million pounds’,” said Clarkson of the winning moment. “I’m not embarrassed to say, it was a little emotional, but boy did it feel good.”

TUESDAY

Eat Well for Less? (BBC1, 8pm)

Whether it’s due to concerns about the future, or only shopping once a week at the height of lockdown, many people have been thinking about what they eat and how much they spend on it recently. So it’s a good time for Gregg Wallace and Chris Bavin to return with a new series, ready to help us improve our diets and our bank balances. They begin in Windsor, where single mum Holly is looking after her two sons, Spencer, 16, and Fletcher, 11. Spencer has cerebral palsy, and caring for him leaves Holly little time to cook, while Fletcher, who has recently been diagnosed with autism, is something of a fussy eater. So, the family often end up falling back on microwave meals and sugary snacks, but Gregg and Chris hope to show them that by cooking from scratch, they can still have tasty meals and save enough cash for a holiday.

Love Your Family Garden (STV, 8pm)

Ever since the days of Ground Force, Alan Titchmarsh has been the king of the garden makeover. However, whereas back in the late 1990s and early 2000s, decking and water features were all the rage, the series Love Your Garden has seen more unusual designs - and in these specials, Alan is looking back at some of his favourites. He’ll be revealing the secrets behind them and offering an extra insight into the work of his team. In this episode, the focus is on gardens for families, as he remembers episodes which featured three very deserving clans. While one had their garden transformed into a perfect hangout for teenagers (with a design that is a lot more appealing than that might sound to some cynical viewers), there was also a magical transformation for younger children and a woodland adventure garden.

Dog Tales: the Making of Man’s Best Friend (BBC4, 9pm)

Dogs have been at our side longer than any other animal in history. They have made us better hunters, better farmers, saved our lives and protected us from harm. This show unravels the scientific secrets that explain what makes a dog, a dog, and reveals that the emotional bond between human and dog is so profound it is helping transform the lives of hardened criminals in the US prison system. There is an examination of a 30,000 year-old Belgian wolf skull that some believe marks the first transition from wolf to dog, while cuttingedge science reveals that the secret of our bond with dogs may be love. But not our love for them – their love for us.

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