Seven days of top TV

Saturday March 16 Great Canal Journeys Channel 4

In their new series, Timothy West and Prunella Scales explore one of the world’s great waterways, the River Nile. Travelling from Luxor to Aswan, the couple uncover the secrets of this great artery of an ancient civilisation including how some of the first-ever canals were used to build the temple at Karnak.

Live: Six Nations Live Virgin Media One

It’s the final weekend of this year’s Six Nations Championship and all Irish eyes will be on Cardiff, where Joe Schmidt’s men face a tricky challenge against an excellent and well motivated Welsh side (KO 2.45pm). Commentary is from Alan Quinlan and Dave McIntryre.

The Beatles – Eight Days a Week More 4

Director Ron Howard’s award-winning documentary charts the brief but wildly successful period the Beatles spent on the road. Their first gigs with the classic line-up took place around Liverpool in 1961 and their last ever concert was in San Francisco in 1966.

Lá ’le Pádraig Psychic, Sky Arts

Brendan Gleeson directs and stars in this short film about a psychic forced out of retirement by his two manipulative sons (played by Domnhall and Brian Gleeson). Looking for a cult following, the boys secure a spot for their Dad on a TV show, but the host is determined to put an end to this family’s supposed charade.

Daniel and Majella’s USA Road Trip RTÉ One

In the second instalment of Daniel and Majella’s Stateside odyssey, the couple meet Phoebe and Aaron who themselves have travelled 12,000 miles in their RV. They also spend a night in Dead By Dawn, a Hallowe’en themed B&B; and Dublin man Cormac O’Sé welcomes them to his Celtic art centre in Minneapolis.

Australian F1 Grand Prix Sky Sports Main Event

The 2019 Formula 1 World Championship kicks off in Melbourne with reigning champion Lewis Hamilton again the man to beat, as he begins his campaign for a sixth world title. Ferrari’s Sebastien Vettel will be looking for another strong start to the season after winning here last year.

Monday March 18 Fleabag BBC One

The sharpest, most subversive comedy on TV right now is not about a bunch of schoolgirls from Derry. Phoebe WallerBridge’s study of a family tearing itself apart is essential viewing, with Fleabag ( Waller-Bridge) attempt at helping out inevitably ending in disaster.

This Time with Alan Partridge BBC One

Now more established as the show’s co-host, Alan is able to produce the kind of brave, no-nonsense TV other broadcasters can only dream of. Today, he talks police dog bravery and product placement, before meeting his own celebrity lookalike. Dial up the cringe in a show that is more clever than it is comic.

Cheat Virgin Media One

A new psychological thriller charting the dangerous relationship between a university professor, Leah, and her student, Rose where what begins as a seemingly open and shut case of academic deception, quickly spirals out of control, triggering a devastating sequence of events.

Tuesday March 19 Shetland BBC One

The final episode in the final series of this compelling crime show, anchored by flint-faced Douglas Henshall as DI Jimmy Perez, has Olivia (Rakie Ayola) has almost given up hope of ever finding her daughter again. Then some terrible news breaks.

Kevin Roche: The Quiet Architect RTÉ One

Kevin Roche, an Irish-American architect, was still working up to his death at the age of 95. He reached the top of his profession but eschewed the label ‘Starchitect’ despite work that including the Ford Foundation, Oakland Museum of California and 40 years designing galleries for The Met in New York.

The Internet’s Dirtiest Secrets: The Cleaners BBC Four

In Manila, a secret team trawl through the world’s most disturbing and contentious online material, including terrorist videos, images of child abuse, self-harm material and political propaganda. ‘The cleaners’ then decide what stays online and what gets removed.

Wednesday March 20 How To Go Viral: The Art Of The Meme With Richard Clay BBC Four

Art historian Richard Clay immerses us in the febrile world of viral media, exploring the popularity and meaning of internet memes, from LOL cats to emoji, pratfall videos to ‘dank’ alt right satire.

Billions Sky Atlantic & NOW TV

The war between hedge fund kingpin Booby Axelrod (Damian Lewis) and US Attorney Chuck Rhoades (Paul Giamatti) may have reached a ceasefire, but their battles are far from over in this zinging drama with new opponents emerging played by Asia Kate Dillon and John Malkovich.

Brendan O’Connor’s Cutting Edge RTÉ One

What’s eating BO’C? The self-style grump returns with his popular talking heads panel show in which he is joined around the table by three familiar faces to chew the fat over the issues of the day. Good clean fun, mostly.

Thursday March 21 Pose BBC Two

Groundbreaking US series about the underground world of 1980s ball culture, set at the height of the Aids epidemic. Black transgender woman Blanca Rodriguez works at a nail salon by day and serves as a member of the House of Abundance by night. After receiving a life-changing HIV diagnosis, she is determined to open her own house.

Guns & Rosaries RTÉ One

Father Patrick Peyton was an Irish-American priest who became an unlikely Hollywood mogul, recruiting celebrities to a global prayer campaign that reached millions. Secretly, he also worked for the CIA in its Cold War battle with communism. Martin Sheen narrates this fascinating documentary.

First Dates Ireland RTÉ 2

Now here’s an interesting twist! Nora (32) from Cork got married on TV on Don’t Tell The Bride but now she’s back on the box looking for a second chance at love. Will she tell her date Vicky (26) from Tipperary about her past?

Friday March 22 Can I Improve My Memory? Channel 4

In this one-o special, Michael Buerk presents a unique memory challenge in which three celebrities compete to become experts in unlikely topics they know nothing about. The aim of the competition is to encourage each celebrity to learn new memory techniques.

Brian Johnson’s A Life on the Road Sky Arts

AC/DC frontman Brian Johnson swaps road stories with a Sultan of Swing – Dire Straits’ legend Mark Knopfler. Knopfler spent more than a thousand weeks in the UK albums chart. Their 1985 release, Brothers in Arms, was the first album to sell one million copies on CD.

Modern Family, Sky One & NOW TV

Haley needs a little motherly advice from Claire as she weighs up her future with Dylan and her career. Meanwhile, Jay and Cam’s less than politically correct coaching style earns them a class on sensitivity from Manny and Phil.