PICK OF THE WEEK

mouth-watering food expected from a banquet. Among the sights to behold are a spectacular salmon and huge turbot being cooked in a giant antique copper kettle, while venison and a roast combining 12 different birds is also prepared. Don’t forget tomorrow’s episode, in which the three top chefs from today compete again.

MasterChef: The Professionals (BBC1, 9pm)

The competition is hotting up – we’re at the semi-final stage already and the 10 remaining chefs have a personal challenge to tackle next. It involves preparing a dish based on their favourite food memory, so expect a few nostalgia-tinged recipes to feature, hopefully evoking the participants’ childhoods – who wouldn’t want to see nouvelle cuisine inspired by a trip to the corner shop for a bag of sweeties or chicken nuggets? The most impressive five go through to the next round, while the rest face an invention test.

The Truth About Amazon: Can You Trust It This Christmas? (C4, 9pm)

With many of us staying inside to avoid the threat of coronavirus, more people than ever are heading online to do their Christmas shopping – and one retailer in particular is benefitting from that. Amazon is a huge multi-national business that sells just about anything your heart desires, so there’s no wonder its coffers are bulging even more than usual. But is it really as reliable as it should be? Sabrina Grant and Helen Skelton find out by investigating customer complaints and marketplace issues while also revealing how to bag a bargain.

Accused: Trial in the Outback (C5, 9pm)

In 1988, Meryl Streep received an Oscar nomination for her portrayal of Lindy Chamberlain in A Cry in the Dark. For those who were unaware of the controversial case on which the film was based, this would have been their introduction to Lindy, her husband Michael and their tragic story – and it was released just two months after their were exonerated of all charges against them. This two-part documentary, which concludes tomorrow evening, takes viewers back to the events of 1980 when Lindy was accused of the murder of her and Michael’s nine-week-old daughter Azaria while camping near Uluru during a family holiday. The couple always maintained the baby was taken by a dingo, but when no evidence of their claim could be found, and public opinion turned on them, they found themselves on trial in court and in the media.

WEDNESDAY

The Repair Shop (BBC1, 8pm)

Jay Blades welcomes more members of the public to the famous thatched barn, where the team of experts attempt to bring four treasured family heirlooms back to life. First up, four specialists pool their talents to get a battered old ventriloquist’s dummy talking again. Then, silversmith and antique specialist Brenton West takes on the restoration of a silver running

awards show would return to London’s SSE Arena Wembley in November 2020, with organisers promising “more determination and energy” than ever before. However, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the event has had to be scaled back again. Nevertheless, the awards show, which celebrates music of black origin from across the globe, are going ahead tonight, and the evening is still likely to feature some of the world’s biggest and best artists.

THURSDAY

Nadiya’s American Adventure (BBC1, 8pm)

When some people think of US cuisine, they may picture burgers and fries. But as Nadiya Hussain points out in her new two-part documentary, America is home to more immigrants than any other country, and that’s reflected in its vibrant food. So, the former Bake Off winner is visiting two culinary melting pots – Louisiana and California – to learn more about their local delicacies. She begins her adventure in New Orleans, which for centuries has attracted newcomers from Europe and the Caribbean and, more recently, Vietnam. Nadiya has timed her arrival to coincide with the first day of Mardi Gras and she joins in the celebration by making indulgent king cakes.

She also visits the Lower Ninth Ward, an AfricanAmerican neighbourhood that was devastated by Hurricane Katrina, to meet local hero Bernell and help his mum out in the kitchen of his soul food cafe.

Snackmasters: Quavers (C4, 8pm)

It’s easy to take mass-produced snacks for granted, but just how simple would it be to recreate them in your own kitchen? That’s what Fred Sirieix is finding out in the new run of the series that challenges chefs to make their own versions of popular foodstuffs. First up are play-piece legends, Quavers. Anna Haugh and Aktar Islam have just seven days to work out the secrets of the curly, cheesy snacks, but getting the right taste and texture proves to be much trickier than they may have expected. Who will get closest?

Taskmaster (C4, 9pm)

It’s the penultimate episode, so the contestants are running out of chances to pick up points if they want to become the 10th Taskmaster champion. It certainly seems some of the celebrities may want it more than others - this week, Richard Herring spills blood for the cause, but will even that be enough to impress Greg Davies? Or will he be more taken by Mawaan Rizwan volleying oranges or Katherine Parkinson counting plastic balls?

New Elizabethans with Andrew Marr (BBC2, 9pm)

The Queen’s ancestors reigned over an empire, but since she came to the throne in 1952, Britain has faced a decline in its status as a world power. The second programme in Andrew Marr’s series looks at how an eclectic collection of people have helped to project British values and influences aboard and ensure the country’s continuing relevance, from familiar figures like Earl Mountbatten of Burma, cookery writer Elizabeth David, and singer and activist Bob Geldof, to the less-well known Colonel Colin ‘Mad Mitch’ Mitchell, and

pioneering peace campaigner Helen John.

Impossible Builds: House in a Valley (More4, 10pm)

Charlie Luxton meets ambitious people who are building innovative bespoke homes in some of the UK’s most challenging locations. This episode follows a fearless single mum pioneering a brand-new, beehive-inspired ‘kit’ home on her seriously steep plot in the pictureperfect Tamar Valley. Fiona Oliver has lived in the idyllic village of Calstock in Cornwall for almost her whole life. After her marriage broke down, she had to move into rented accommodation. But she’s now managed to buy a one and a half-acre field on the edge of the village, and has a budget of £90,000 to spend on the build.

FRIDAY

Jo Brand’s How to Stay Sane in a Mad World (C4, 8pm)

Before she became a comedian, Jo Brand spent 10 years working as a psychiatric nurse. So, if anyone knows the importance of looking after our mental health as well as our physical wellbeing during the pandemic, it’s her. Here, she’s sharing her A-Z guide on the best ways to keep mentally strong during what has been a very stressful time. The emphasis is on keeping it fun, creative and, of course, Covid-friendly as she touches on everything from health to horticulture, QR codes to UV rays, and hibernation to isolation (which sounds like a lot of Hs for an A-Z, but we’re sure she’ll run the full gamut.) To prevent Jo herself getting too stressed out, there will also be a few other famous faces sharing their advice.

Walking Britain’s Lost Railways (C5, 8pm)

Rob Bell’s latest trip takes his along the 46-mile route of the Banbury and Cheltenham Direct Railway. It’s a line that passes many quarries, which produced the famous Cotswold stone, and the presenter finds that while some are now abandoned, others are still supplying sites including Hampton Court. Rob also learns more about the history of the line, and finds that while it was never an express route – the hills made sure of that – it did open up the Cotswold’s landscape to visitors and established a new local tourism industry.

The Last Leg (C4, 10pm)

One complaint about satirical shows is that they feature the same guests. Well, that’s not true tonight as The Last Leg features the one and only Shakin’ Stevens. Admittedly, he’s there to close the show with a festive musical appearance, but perhaps he can also be prevailed upon to join Adam Hills, Josh Widdicombe and Alex Brooker.

The Graham Norton Show (BBC1, 10.45pm)

Claudia Winkleman hasn’t just been working on Strictly Come Dancing lately – she’s also penned her debut book, Quite. Here, she’ll be joining Graham to chat about it. Actress Nicola Coughlan is probably best known for her role in Derry Girls, but now she’s striking out in the American period drama Bridgerton, while comedian Lee Mack discusses the return of his long-running sitcom Not Going Out. The music comes courtesy of McFly.