The Herald - The Herald Magazine
PICK OF THE WEEK TV CHOICE
in the hit musical Hamilton, for many people, George III is most famous as the British king who went mad – Alan Bennett even wrote a play on the subject, which was turned into a successful film. But how accurate is that depiction? In the last in her fascinating series, historian Lucy Worsley takes a closer look at what we know about the monarch’s illness and its causes. She also examines royal papers to find out how an attempt on George III’s life by a mentally ill subject changed psychiatry forever.
Everything I Know About Love (BBC1, 11.25pm)
For many people, tuning into the opening episode of this comedy drama last week, adapted from Dolly Alderton’s wildly funny, occasionally heart-breaking, internationally bestselling memoir, time stood still as we were introduced to Maggie and Birdy (the brilliant Emma Appleton and Bel Powley). The same can’t be said for this second episode, which whisks by so fast it’s almost a blink-and-youmiss-it experience, the audience is hanging on so hard. We catch up with the girls as they start to settle into their new lives in London, and Birdy continues to date Nathan. However, as things between them start to get serious between the couple, Maggie realises that
Birdy is starting to slip away. Ryan Bown also stars.
WEDNESDAY
The Repair Shop (BBC1, 8pm)
If you’ve had one of “those” days, grab a cuppa, put your feet up and let it all fade away in the company of this truly uplifting series that reveals the love and stories behind an array of possessions. Cameras follow wood restorer
Will Kirk as he pulls out all the stops to repair a beloved pine table that’s so warped and split that it’s almost no longer fit for purpose, while master cobbler Dean Westmoreland is asked to breathe new life into a pair of enormous, vintage clown shoes. David Burville has his hands full as he takes receipt of a delicate Victorian diorama of a racing track, while Amanda and Julie are on hand to give Blue Bear, given as a gift to a premature baby, a new lease of life.
The Savoy (STV, 9pm)
Love him or loathe him, it’s hard to deny that Gordon Ramsay makes some compulsive telly, and this fly-on-the-wall series is one of the best. It’s back for a second run to offer a glimpse behind the scenes of life at the London hotel. The first season attracted a healthy 5.4 million viewers and ended just as the Covid-19 pandemic was starting to bite. This season picks up where we left off, and sees the staff of the posh eatery pulling out all the stops to bounce back. Keep your eyes peeled for head chef Matt Worswick, who Gordon signed up after reaching the semi-finals of MasterChef: The Professionals and who left following an “explosive incident in the kitchen”. Your guess is as good as ours.
The Great British Sewing Bee (BBC1, 9pm)
It’s quarter-final time and things are getting serious for the remaining Sewing Bees. They’re whisked back to the 1930s, and a Pattern Challenge featuring a pair of women’s sailorinspired trousers that have a complex bib-front button opening and equally tricky pockets. Next, they must think fast while turning men’s shirts into 1930s’ women’s blouses, before perfectly fitting a bias cut evening gown reminiscent of those worn by golden age Hollywood glamourpusses Katharine Hepburn and Bette Davis.
George Clarke’s Flipping Fast (C4, 9pm)
It sounds so easy: buy a property for £100,000, renovate it and sell it on for more than you spent, making a hefty profit in the process. But the six teams taking part in this competition have discovered it really ain’t that simple. George Clarke and sibling property experts Scarlette and Stuart Douglas are on hand as, this week, the battle to be the first to flip a second property hots up. Early leader Harriet plans a super-quick makeover in Bolton, but it’s the end of the road for one team who have to bow out.
DNA Family Secrets (BBC2, 9pm)
Presenter Stacey Dooley meets five sisters in Lancashire who only found each other as adults. They know they all share the same mum, but do they also have the same father? Meanwhile, Luke was a sperm donor as a university student in the late 1980s and has now come forward to find out if any potential children might be looking for him. Plus, identical twins Diane and Louise want to test their DNA to discover if they both carry the potentially deadly BRCA genetic mutation since they lost their mother to cancer.
Secrets of the Civil War: Drain the Oceans (5SELECT, 9pm)
This week, we discover forgotten wrecks from the American Revolution and cutting-edge computer graphics shed new light on the struggle for independence. In the lakes and rivers of the modern United States, teams of explorers are discovering forgotten shipwrecks from the Revolution. By combining their data with cutting-edge computer graphics, the water is drained away to reveal these ships after 240 years of submersion. This modern investigation exposes startling new evidence about a nation’s against-all-odds battle for independence.
THURSDAY
Britain’s Dog Poo Scandal (C5, 8pm)
It’s on our streets, in our parks and, worst of all,
on our shoes – yes, dog poo really does get everywhere. So, Alexis Conran and his trusty pooch Gelmer are learning more about why some owners aren’t picking up after their pets. Speaking to vigilantes and campaigners, he discovers which part of the UK gets the most complaints about dog dirt, and investigates the impact it can have on the environment and the health of our children and wildlife. He also looks at ways to tackle the issue, including whether changing our mutts’ diets could cut down on the problem.
The Hotel Inspector (C5, 9pm)
Now that Covid restrictions have lifted, hotel owners are facing even more competition as holidaymakers consider going abroad – making it the perfect time for Alex Polizzi, right, to return, ready to give them advice on how to turn struggling businesses around. First up, she meets husband-and-wife Hasmeeta and Bharat, who run the LG Thai Derm Spa and Guest House in Loughborough. The couple plunged their hearts, souls and life savings into survived the pandemic, it’s currently losing money and Alex checks into find dirty rooms – and chaotic management.
Taskmaster (C4, 9pm)
From Chris Ramsey balancing a ladder on his chin to Bridget Christie managing to be one of the only contestants in Taskmaster history to visibly annoy sidekick ‘Little’ Alex Horne, this series has offered us many memorable moments – and that’s before we get to Judi Love’s incredible ability to argue her case, even if it rarely resulted in points. But tonight, we’re about to find out who has won the
Taskmaster trophy as we reach the final. We’ll also discover whether Ardal O’Hanlon ever gets to wear his red leather jacket and why Sophie Duker is using chopsticks to remove valve caps.
Who Do You Think You Are? (BBC1, 9pm)
Comedian, presenter and actor Matt Lucas was very close to his late grandmother Margot, who arrived in the UK in 1939 as a Jewish refugee from Nazi Germany. So, he’s keen to understand more about her experiences as a young woman in Berlin in the years leading up to the Second World War, and to find out what became of the extended family she left behind. It’s a journey that begins in Berlin, but then takes him to Amsterdam, where he learns about the fate of relatives who fled to Holland and discovers an extraordinary connection to Anne Frank.
Trucking Heavy (5ACTION, 9pm)
In Shoreham-by-Sea, on the south coast of England, Allelys a crack team of heavy hauliers, are gearing up for a record-breaking challenge. A 150-tonne reactor and a 195tonne transformer need shifting to an electrical substation 40 miles away in Ninfield. Two huge rigs with specially adapted cabs and cleverly adapted trailers have been readied for the journey east. However, tensions run high when it looks as though the convoy might struggle to squeeze through the exit gates. Two hundred miles north, the team transport a famous bronze statue to Centenary Square in Birmingham.
The Real Derry: Jamie-Lee O’Donnell (C4, 10pm)
The sitcom Derry Girls, which came to an end last month, was an international hit, proving it struck a chord with viewers who had never set foot in Northern Ireland. However, for actress and real-life Derry girl Jamie-Lee O’Donnell, who played foul-mouthed Michelle, the series had a deeper resonance. Now in this documentary, she’s charting the city’s complex history as well as talking about her own experiences of growing up there as part of a Catholic community. There’s also a look at what the future may hold, as she speaks to pupils from her old school about the legacy of the Troubles, the city’s regeneration and why so many of them still feel they need to leave Derry in search of new skills and experiences.
FRIDAY
Isle of Wight Festival 2022 (Sky Arts, 7pm)
Coverage of the opening day at Seaclose Park in Newport, with Lewis Capaldi headlining the main stage. The Scottish singer-songwriter cemented his position as an international superstar in 2019, with his debut album, Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent, spending six weeks at No.1. The LP also spawned the smash-hit single of the year, Someone You Loved, which spent seven weeks at the top of the Singles Chart and bagged Lewis first Grammy nomination. Also appearing are Madness and Nile Rodgers & Chic.
This Is MY House (BBC1, 8.30pm)
Four more people all claim to be the same person and to own the same house, but only one is telling the truth – the other three are liars. Tonight, a quartet of people called Erwin say they own a two-bedroom 17th-century Scottish hunting lodge just outside Glasgow, along with his ballet dancer partner Preston. Whoever persuades the celebrity panellists that they are the real homeowner walks away with a cash prize. Those trying to uncover the truth from a series of clue-filled videos are Joel Dommett, Judi Love, Richard Madeley and Sindhu Eve.
The Big Fight Live (C5, 9pm)
Hard-hitting Cheshire heavyweight Nathan Gorman takes on Czech fighter Tomas Salek at Echo Arena in Liverpool. It has been over a year since Gorman entered the ring for a fight, having missed the previous card due to illness. And he will be looking to pick up where he left off with a third straight win since his first career defeat at the hands of Daniel Dubois in 2019. Richard Lartey and Pavel Sour were his previous opponents, while Salek has also won his last two contests, overcoming Michal Reissinger before also defeating Sour.
Avoidance (BBC1, 9.30pm)
Spencer isn’t coping well with his parents’ split, and as the lad arrives at Danielle and Courtney’s, where Jonathan is temporarily living, his father tries to get him to open up. However, the conversation is derailed by the news that Jed, a cool kid Spencer is keen to befriend, has invited him to Laser Tag. Over at the gym, Courtney complains to Dan about Jonathan’s continued presence in the house. Then, as they head home, Jonathan’s boss Keith calls saying that he hasn’t been at work and isn’t returning his calls. Is Jonathan about to lose his job as well as blowing his marriage?
Bump (BBC1, 10.40pm)
The delightful comedy drama, set in and around a Sydney high school, returns for a second season. Oly (Nathalie Morris) and Santi (Carlos Sanson Jr) are continuing to get to know each other and trying to even up the parental load. Oly is unsure about letting baby Jacinda have a sleepover with her father, while Santi is want to know when or how he’s supposed to suck the snot out of the baby’s tiny nostrils. Meanwhile, Oly’s parents Angie (Claudia Karvan) and Dom (Angus Sampson) deal with the fallout of their separation and the complicated new relationships and dramas they find themselves in. Then, in the second episode, Oly keeps her future ambitions high while trying to get on the same page as Santi, who continues to be overwhelmed by fears.