10 switch-ons
OUR PICKS OF THE WEEK’S BEST TV
Sam & Shauna’s Big Cook Out BBC2, 7pm, Monday
Having written a best-selling cookbook, opened their own restaurant and won numerous awards, Sam Evans and Shauna Guinn now hit the road to change the way we BBQ.
The pair kick off by cooking a whole pig, Hawaiian-style, in a huge firepit on the beach, before the succulent pork is served with pit beans, cornbread and an apple and fennel slaw, with fruit-filled toffee apples for dessert.
Ben Fogle: New Lives In The Wild Channel 5, 9.15pm, Tuesday
It may not be as extreme as his recent televised expedition up Everest but, in this new series, Ben Fogle will be heading to some remote and harsh environments.
He begins by journeying to the Ozark National Forest in Arkansas, to live with master craftsman Robert, learning why this 70-year-old former medical student bought 200 acres of land deep in the woods, and raised a family of six children.
The Martin Lewis Money Show Live: Christmas Countdown ITV, 8pm, Tuesday
Yes, it is far too early for Christmas shows, especially as there’s another three months until the big day, but Martin Lewis says this is more about preparation than early celebration.
Apparently, this is the optimum time to plan for a financially savvy festive season, and he has plenty of top tips for consumers.
Joanna Lumley’s Silk Road Adventure ITV, 9pm, Wednesday
Joanna travels to the Islamic Republic of Iran, where she meets many people eager to share the culture and innovations of the Persian civilisation.
From ancient water gardens, through desert cities, endless bazaars and majestic mosques, Joanna discovers a country brimming with hospitality and warmth. Her adventure finishes in the Persian Empire’s ancient ceremonial capital, Persepolis.
Queen Of The World ITV, 9.15pm, Tuesday
She may occupy a special place in the hearts of her British subjects, but the Queen is also an important figure on the global stage.
Filmed over the course of more than a year and drawing on interviews with world leaders and members of her family, as well as footage from the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh’s private archives, this documentary explores the central role the Commonwealth has played in the monarch’s life.
Alex Channel 4, 11.05pm, Wednesday
Swedish thriller about a crooked cop who is racked with guilt after accidentally killing his partner and best friend Martin in a gunfight, and decides to go straight, but it proves easier said than done.
As Alex struggles to cover the tracks that connect him to the scene of his best friend’s death, he is assigned a new partner, by-the-book cop Frida Kanto.
Starring Dragomir Mrsic, Rakel Warmlander, Maximilian Mrsic, Jerker Fahlstrom and Anja Lundqvist.
Michael Palin In North Korea Channel 5, 9pm, Thursday
Michael leaves Pyongyang and is put under the protection of armed guards as he is shown the Joint Security Area on the border with South Korea.
There, he has a tense exchange with a lieutenant about the DPRK’s nuclear weapons programme.
He also travels to the east coast of the country and the seaside town of Wonsan, where a new airport remains eerily empty.
Bodyguard BBC1, today, 9pm
It was clear right from the first episode’s tense opening sequence, in which soldier-turned-Specialist Protection Officer David Budd (Game Of Thrones’ Richard Madden, left) realised there was a would-be suicide bomber aboard his train, that Bodyguard was going to keep viewers hooked. The series hasn’t let up since, with some literally explosive scenes, and Jed Mercurio’s compelling political thriller comes to a conclusion with an extended final episode tonight. With time running out, David makes a major breakthrough as he goes in search of the truth behind the attack on Julia. However, his interference in the case has placed him in mortal danger, and he comes to realise that there is no one left who believes his story.
Bargain Hunt BBC1, 12.15pm, Friday
To mark BBC Music Day, two bands are going head to head.
Jarvis Cocker and Candida Doyle of Pulp are taking on Mark “Bez” Berry and Rowetta Satchell of the Happy Mondays to see who can make the most profit at auction (with all proceeds going to charity, of course).
They’ll be let loose with two experts and £300 at the Kent County showground.
Meanwhile, presenter Charlie Ross visits a legendary recording studio in Wales.
The Graham Norton Show BBC1, 10.35pm, Friday
The host is joined by Oscar nominee Bradley Cooper and pop superstar Lady Gaga, both featuring in the hotly anticipated musical romance A Star Is Born.
Plus, Broadchurch star Jodie Whittaker, shortly to begin her new incarnation as Doctor Who, enjoys a chat alongside double-Oscar nominee Ryan Gosling, who is playing astronaut Neil Armstrong in biopic First Man. Rod Stewart performing his single Didn’t I.