What to watch

EXPLORE THE REAL LIVES OF ICONIC FIGURES WITH THESE BINGE-WORTHY BIOGRAPHIES…

BECOMING Netflix The former First Lady is one of the most influential women in the world and now uses her platform and publicity to help young girls realise their own untapped potential. This engrossing one-off documentary tells her story, beginning with her upbringing in a modest, workingclass Chicago neighbourhood and her fight to overcome the low expectations that others, including her high-school teachers, had for her.

ATTENBOROUGH

AT 90 Britbox

First shown in 2016, this celebration of the life and work of Sir David Attenborough shows why he has become a national treasure. Among the gems he shares is how he got into television by accident – as he didn’t even own a TV! Not a bad start for someone who became one of the most influential figures in naturalhistory programming.

BEING GAIL PORTER BBC iplayer

In the 1990s, Gail Porter was one of the UK’S most famous TV presenters, but as she says in this one-off documentary, ‘the celebrity fairytale became a nightmare’. This brave film follows Gail as she speaks to old friends, relatives and medical professionals to help her understand her fall into depression, anorexia, self-harming and homelessness.

IMAGINE… LENNY HENRY: YOUNG, GIFTED AND BLACK BBC iplayer Coinciding with the publication of his autobiography earlier this year, Sir Lenny looks back at his early years before finding fame in 1975 on talent show New Faces. He relates his mum’s experiences of arriving here from Jamaica in 1957, his childhood in the West Midlands and learning his trade as a comedian on the working men’s club circuit.

JAMES DEAN: THE FIRST AMERICAN TEENAGER Amazon Prime Video

This is a thoughtful 1970s account of James Dean’s short life and career. Best remembered for just three films, including 1955’s Rebel Without a Cause, it looks at his lesser-known TV roles with interviews featuring Hollywood legends including Sammy Davis Jr and Natalie Wood.

GEORGE MICHAEL: FREEDOM All 4 When George Michael died on 25 December 2016, he had almost finished working on this documentary which looks back at his life and career. Directed and narrated by George, it features previously unseen footage and many contributions from famous friends and fans, including Mary J Blige and Stevie Wonder.

WHITNEY: CAN I BE ME Netflix

This in-depth biopic investigates Whitney Houston’s professional and personal struggles prior to her untimely death in 2012. As well as featuring her early days as a gospel singer, it looks at her rise to fame, her relationships with family members and friends, and reveals how Kevin Costner, her co-star in The Bodyguard, had a hand in the success of her 1992 hit I Will Always Love You.

HILLARY Sky On Demand/now TV This four-parter profiles the former First Lady who once seemed a dead cert to become the first female President of the United States. As she opens up about her life and career, Hillary Clinton talks candidly about everything from her husband Bill’s affair with intern Monica Lewinsky to her views on political rivals.