PICK DAY

ELEVEN-YEAR-OLD Rosie is at the library with her family but within seconds she is screeching at the top of her lungs and pulling all the books from the shelves.

She has a severe learning disability and her family are well used to staring from members of the public.

“Sorry, sorry everyone,” mutters her frantic dad Simon, played by David Tennant. While her mum Emily, played by Jessica Hynes, stresses: “I thought you had her!” Then suddenly, Rosie calms down and quietly says “Ma ma”. For the first time ever.

Emily and Simon lurch from stressed-out to stunned, proud parents in seconds.

The whole scene perfectly displays the rollercoaster of emotions of having a disabled child, and sets the pace for this witty comedy-drama.

Based on the real life experiences of writers Shaun Pye and Sarah Crawford, whose daughter was born with a rare and undiagnosed chromosomal disorder, it follows the life of Rosie (Miley Locke) and her parents and brother as they cope with everyday situations.

The timeline flashes back and forth from present day to when she was a toddler.

And while there are heart-rending moments as it tackles an emotionallyfraught issue, it is also very funny, largely thanks to Tennant and Hynes as Rosie’s worn-out, sarcastic parents.

“Mr Tumble doing Makaton on an iPad isn’t enough!” scolds Emily, who thinks they need to make more effort with the signing.

Meanwhile, Simon wants to avoid the school fundraiser sports day full of “earnest” parents and “wacky races”.

This show shines a perfectly pitched spotlight on a family’s life that for many is a reality. clean slate and all the joys of revenge in his heart.

Meanwhile, Rick (Romano) gives us an update on his latest adventures with ‘most wanted’ drugs queen Amara.

He heads all the way to Guatemala where he is greeted by Amara and her henchmen, and he’s keen to set up a life with her. But as he warns: “It takes a dark turn.”

Expect a pacy, crime caper, with a satire on Hollywood to boot.

Jessica Hynes and David Tennant, as Rosie’s parents Emily and Simon, bring a perfect touch of humour to this witty comedy-drama

IN the final instalment, one of Alan Bennett’s two new monologues, Monica Dolan plays a grieving woman. Lorna has lost Clifford, who was killed after he crashed his motorbike. “Flaming thing,” she says. “He wanted it for bird watching.” “The policeman said, ‘Did I want to see where it happened?’ I said, ‘What good would that do? He said, ‘It might help towards closure’. I said, ‘Closure? It was only last Sunday.’” Lorna does decide to visit the spot after all, although it she explains it was hard to find at first. She follows the skid marks, brings flowers and gets to know the sheep in the nearby field. She wonders if it was a Widow Lorna (Monica Dolan) badger or a bird that Clifford saw that made him swerve. The place has become a bit of a shrine. But one day she finds someone else has left flowers. And the police have got some information about how Clifford died that doesn’t make that much sense.

Happy ever after? Rick (Ray Romano) and Amara (Lidia Porto)