The Herald - The Herald Magazine
PICK OF THE WEEK
documentary, insiders with decades of experience working at the world’s top diplomatic institution reveal what happened when they attempted to take on the organisation’s culture of silence.
Ellie and Natasia (BBC3, 10pm)
This new sketch show, originally shown as part of BBC Three’s Comedy Feeds in 2019, is written by and starring Ellie White (The Windsors) and Natasha Demetriou (Stath Lets Flats). The series, executively produced by Harry Hill, features a range of characters, from busybody mums to coffee spotters, and active-wear mums to the thick-as-pigs Trustafarians. There are also plenty of guest stars, parodies of pop stars, and a song about snakes. In the first episode, there are special appearances from David Morrissey and Jamie Demetriou.
Everything I Know About Love (BBC1, 10.40pm)
Dolly Alderton breathlessly told her Instagram followers that this drama, adapted from her best-selling book, had “got my whole entire heart in it” and anyone who has watched will see it plain and clear. Two episodes in and we’re utterly charmed by Dolly’s “boisterous, joyful romantic comedy” following the lives and loves of two childhood best friends after they move into their first London home. This third episode catches up with the action as, struggling to come to terms with Birdy’s blossoming relationship, Maggie heads to her home town for a messy and humiliating weekend, two days that prompt her to re-evaluate her relationships. Bel Powley and Emma Appleton head the cast as Birdy and
Maggie.
WEDNESDAY
Billie Jean King: The Amol Rajan Interviews (BBC2, 7pm)
The BBC’s media editor has made a name for himself chatting to the global, eradefining pioneers, leaders and maverick thinkers shaping the world, but he hits it out of the park with his latest interviewee. Airing as part of a slew of shows to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Pride, Amol Rajan sits down with social activist and legendary tennis player Billie Jean King. A giant on the court, the former world No 1 won 39 major titles, and led the push for equal prize money and treatment of women tennis players.
Amol talks to her about her sporting glory, and how it stacks up against her achievements off the court, including the formation of the Women’s Tennis
Association and the Women’s Sports Foundation.
The Gadget Show (C5, 7pm)
Ortis Deley finds a healthier way to cook fish and chips using tech, while Jon Bentley and guest presenter Maddie Moate find out how home-grown tech compares against foreign market leaders. Craig Charles gets his mitts on an innovative UK invention: a pair of musical gloves, and resident gaming expert Jordan Erica Webber looks at some of the truly great British games. Plus, there’s the latest tech news and a deal of the week that could save our hard-earned cash.
Lenny Henry’s Caribbean Britain (BBC2, 9pm)
He’s gone from Dudley kid to Sir Lenworth George Henry CBE over his long career, so he’s the perfect person to present this joyous, two-part celebration of BritishCaribbean life, in which he is joined by a wealth of famous faces, including David Harewood, Judi Love, Trevor Nelson, Floella Benjamin and Sonia Boyce. In this opener, Lenny looks at the explosion of culture brought by post-war Caribbean arrivals, including the music of calypso and ska, to theatre and art. He explores the stories of activism, entrepreneurship and resilience behind these artforms, and examines how the early cultural pioneers laid the foundations for the next generation. Lenny also reflects on his own attempts to fit into British society.
The Savoy (STV, 9pm)
We’re back behind the doors of this elegant and luxurious establishment thanks to the fly-on-the-wall cameras, where the staff work their absolute socks off to make sure that each and every customer walks away with a smile on their face. However, in this second episode, everyone’s on tenterhooks amid the imminent arrival of a mystery hotel inspector. Under maitre’d Franck Arnold it’s easy to imagine that every i has been dotted and every t crossed, so will The Savoy retain its Forbes five-star status?
Ireland: Coast and Country (More4, 9pm)
The new series, narrated by Damien
Molony, showcases Ireland’s captivating coast and country through the eyes of those who call the Emerald Isle home. Tonight, we’re with an underwater photographer
capturing magical wild dolphin encounters in Liscannor Bay. In Drimoleague, we take in the aromas at Ireland’s first-ever edible flower farm. In Wicklow Mountains National Park, three rock climbers all over the age of 70 prove that age is just a number. And we visit a man on a mission to bring Ireland’s native wildlife back to an ancient Celtic rainforest.
The Bridge: Race to a Fortune (C4, 10pm)
Never let it be said there are any dull moments in this nail-biting show. This week, just as the teams begin to function, host AJ Odudu drops the bombshell that they can now all switch sides. At least one member has to make the leap and if they don’t, they’ll be pushed. Cue all kinds of tactical shenanigans, including a brutal vote against North Beach’s team leader. Plus, the groups get permission to work on their bridges if they wish, but are they risking exhaustion and £200,000 slipping through their fingers?
THURSDAY
Who Do You Think You Are? (BBC1, 9pm) Yorkshire actress Anna Maxwell Martin has become a much-loved household name, thanks to barnstorming performances in everything from Motherland and Becoming Jane to Line of Duty and The Personal History of David Copperfield. As well as that glittering body of screen work, Anna’s CV also includes radio and theatre, so there’s no doubting her talent. However, in this episode of the long-running genealogy show, we get a glimpse at the woman herself as she explores her lineage. Anna’s journey takes her to Northern Ireland and Scotland and, like so many famous faces who have preceded her, the research uncovers tragedy and lives built in the face of huge adversity.
The Hotel Inspector (C5, 9pm)
Alex Polizzi faces possibly her greatest challenge as she tries to revamp the fortunes of the 50-bedroom Gracellie Hotel in the Isle of Wight. It’s only once made a profit in more than a decade, and is shunned by locals and tourists alike, thanks to its poor reputation. Owner Philip dreams of leaving the hotel to daughter Kelly, but after years of haphazard management, compounded by Covid and then a very personal tragedy for the family, the business has fallen into deep decline. Has Alex’s visit come too late?
Coroner (More4, 9pm)
The Canadian drama series, inspired by MR Hall’s best-selling books, returns for a second run. In tonight’s emotionally intense first episode, Dr Jenny Cooper (Serinda Swan) investigates a devastating fire in a low-income apartment building. There, she connects with Nicola Correia-Damude (October Faction), a woman who survived the fire yet has lost everything. Meanwhile, Dr Allen makes a change, Liam reconnects with an old friend, and Matteo calls Ross out on a lie. On a personal front, this season will also see Jenny deal with her father’s dementia, while her son Ross turns 18.
Glastonbury 2022 (BBC2, 10pm)
After three long years, the crowds have returned to Worthy Farm in Gloucester for the one and only Glastonbury Festival, which actually kicked off on Wednesday morning but really gets into the swing of things on Friday ahead of the weekend proper. This year’s headliners include Billie Eilish, Diana Ross, Sir Paul McCartney and Kendrick Lamar, so there’s something to appeal to all musical tastes. Presenters Lauren Laverne and Jack Saunders will be the eyes and ears for everyone who couldn’t make it to this musical extravaganza, joined by BBC 1Xtra’s Remi Burgz, who will be exploring every corner of the Festival.
Expect an array of special guests and bespoke acoustic performances, as the event is previewed.
Naked Attraction: All Out and Proud (C4, 10pm)
Showing as part of Channel 4’s season of landmark shows and specials marking 50 years of Pride in the UK, Anna Richardson hosts a special edition celebrating all of the most memorable singletons from across the sexual spectrum. There’s a chance to catch up with some of the unforgettable participants, including 75-year-old bisexual Ian, the show’s oldest ever picker, Raheem the professional dancer looking to ‘pop his gay cherry’, and transfeminine singleton Callie, who came on the show to find her first ‘proper’ date.
FRIDAY
World’s Most Scenic Railway Journeys (C5, 8pm)
Starting from one of the world’s most remote cities, Walvis Bay in Namibia, we roll 1,500 miles through the Kalahari Desert to
Pretoria, the executive capital of South Africa. On the way, we hunt waterbuck with the San people, one of Southern Africa’s oldest peoples, and learn how a sheepdog can protect a flock from the world’s fastest killer, the cheetah. Crossing into South Africa, we make brandy in a desert oasis, before visiting the ‘Big Hole’, once the most productive diamond mine in the world, a place where the fortunes earned changed the face of Africa. Finally, arriving in Pretoria, we learn how one man, Nelson Mandela, helped heal centuries of bloodshed that scared these beautiful lands.
Gardeners’ World (BBC2, 8pm)
Monty Don is busy planting out annuals in the jewel garden, as well as adding flowering agapanthus plants to the mound, and finding a new home for his vibrant and fragrant pelargoniums. Adam Frost, meanwhile, visits an innovative kitchen garden at the Tottenham Hotspur Football Club’s north London training centre which provides fresh produce for Spurs’ players, coaches and staff. And finally, Carol Klein is in a glorious garden in Wiltshire where allium flowering plants are the stars of the late spring border.
One Question (C4, 8pm)
This new devilishly difficult quiz series sees Claudia Winkleman invite a pair of contestants to answer just a single question to win a £100,000 prize. They will be faced with 20 possible answers, but only one is correct. Eliminate the incorrect answers and they’ll be on the path to victory, but eliminate the one correct answer and it’s game over. Tonight, cousins Janae and Emma from Birmingham and best friends Marie and Paola from London compete – will either of the pairs manage to bag the big prize?
British Planes That Won the War with Rob Bell (C5, 9pm)
The iconic Spitfire was an engineering triumph created by Southampton-based aircraft manufacturer Supermarine. It led the fight against the Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain and sits alongside other greats such as the Hurricane and the Lancaster bomber. Rob explores what made the Spitfire such a formidable fighter: its unique design and powerful Merlin engine that gave it superior handling. Plus, we meet veteran pilots and hear what it was like to fly the Spitfire, often after just a very brief period of training, and celebrate the plane’s legacy.
Avoidance (BBC1, 9.30pm)
Jonathan and Spencer are still living at Danielle’s, and let’s just say Courtney isn’t thrilled at having them there. When Claire arrives to drop Spencer off, she questions how appropriate it is for her son to be sleeping in an office room and suggests that he spends more time with her. Jonathan is having none of it, and spins another yarn, claiming he has found a flat. Meanwhile, Spencer wants to audition for the school production of the musical Cats, but it brings back bad memories for Jonathan who is afraid he will follow a similar fate as he once did in a school production of Joseph, where he was pranked and humiliated. On the whole though, Claire seems impressed that Jonathan is finally pulling his life together.