7 Days of Top TV
Saturday August 10 Joan Jett: Bad Reputation, Sky Arts & NOW TV
Put another dime in the jukebox baby for this retrospective of the one and only Joan Jet, from her teenage years as a founding member of The Runaways to her enduring presence over four decades later as a rock ’n’ roll icon.
Midsomer Murders, Virgin Media One
Dianne Price is drowned in the style of the Brides in the Bath murders of almost a century earlier. ‘Blessed Be the Bride’ is scrawled in lipstick on her bathroom mirror. Her grieving flatmate is Jo, who works at a donkey sanctuary run by hard-drinking Liz Tomlin and her antagonistic son Sam.
The Saturday Game Live, RTÉ 2
Joanne Cantwell is joined by Colm O’Rourke, Joe Brolly and Tomás Ó Sé for live coverage from Croke Park of the first of this year’s All Ireland Senior Football semi-finals (teams TBC). Throw-in 5.00pm, commentary from Darragh Maloney and Kevin McStay.
Sunday August 11 Laochra Gael, TG4
Hailed as a tactical genius, Tyrone football manager Mickey Harte has 3 All Ireland Titles and 6 Ulster Championship Titles to his credit. He is also a grief counsellor, spiritual mentor and motivational speaker. Mickey has risen above the Troubles, bitter controversy, as well as intense personal tragedy.
Rescue: River Deep Mountain High, Virgin Media One
This eight-part series follows the work of search and rescue services across Ireland and the UK. From a high stakes mountain rescue up Carrauntoohil in Kerry, to high speed surfing accidents on the Atlantic coast, we get up close and personal with volunteers saving lives in extreme conditions.
The Queen’s Lost Family, Channel 4
Using personal letters, diaries and photograph albums, this new series tells the inside story of the UK’s royal family over three turbulent decades from the 1920s to the end of World War II.
Monday August 12 Nadiya’s Time To Eat, BBC Two
Nadiya Hussain shares the recipes she relies on when she’s busy. A deliciously naughty French toast spiced up with turmeric is the perfect feel-good fix. A tin of baked beans is the surprise ingredient in family-friendly falafel burgers. Finally, crispy apple pies are ingenious time savers.
Step Up To The Plate, CBBC
Maître d’ Fred Sirieix and head chef Allegra McEvedy challenge a group of 10-14 year-olds to run their own restaurant. Fred and Allegra put the contestants through their paces as they set out to uncover the future chefs and restaurateurs who have the potential to be stars of the industry.
Born Famous: Mel B, Channel 4
What would life have been like if the progeny of celebs hadn’t been born famous? This time, Phoenix, who is 20, discovers what life might have been like if her mother Mel B hadn’t been one of the Spice Girls. Phoenix was raised in Beverly Hills. Now she travels to Hyde Park, in Leeds.
Tuesday August 13 Manifest, Sky One & NOW TV
Ben and Michaela investigate a shocking murder in fear that it’s connected to Flight 828. Meanwhile, Ben struggles to accept the life Grace led in his absence, while Olive and Cal realise that being twins after five and a half years apart is harder than they thought.
Kathy Burke: All Woman, Channel 4
“Everyone seems to have an opinion on what a woman should be. Well, this is my opinion.” So says actor and writer/director Kathy Burke, who travels around the UK talking to all sorts of women, asking all sorts of questions, while giving revealing insights into her own personal experiences.
Vitamin Pills: Miracle Or Myth? RTÉ 2
Documentary from the BBC’s Horizon team. Nearly half of us take a vitamin or mineral supplement every day, but what are these pills actually doing? Dr Giles Yeo investigates who really needs a supplement by putting our diets to the test.
Wednesday August 14 Sacred Wonders, BBC One
Many of the world’s best-known landmarks are inspired by faith, but why do they provoke such passion? In this episode, a young Muslim man helps to re-plaster Djenne’s Great Mosque in Mali, whilst a Shinto devotee undertakes a gruelling challenge at the sacred Nachi Falls in Japan.
The Blacklist, Sky Witness & NOW TV
Liz and the Task Force make a play to uncover the truth about an international assassination in a last-ditch e ort to save Red’s life. Christopher Lambert (there can be only one!) returns in his guest starring role as the assassin Bastien Moreau.
Game Face, Channel 4
Marcella (Roisin Conaty) atones for her drunken behaviour at Billy’s party by giving up booze. She visits Jon to apologise but he has a guest there and doesn’t invite her in. She goes to stay at Simon’s nan’s country cottage. At the cottage Marcella calls Jon to confess about her lie. Jon visits Marcella’s at to try and nd out more.
Thursday August 15 Fake Or Fortune? BBC One
Philip and Fiona investigate a highly desirable Venetian view. It was inherited by owner Nick Hopkinson from his great-grandfather Meyer Spielman. Nick grew up with the painting and has always loved it, but there’s a mystery about it that he would love to solve.
A League of Their Own, Sky One & NOW TV
The comedy game show returns, with Freddie, Jamie and Romesh back as the series’ regulars, while a diary full of singing in cars means James Corden will be handing the hosting duties over to some special guests over the course of the series.
Ross Kemp Living With…. UTV
In this nal episode, Ross meets some of Britain’s problem online gamblers. Among those, he speaks to one who cannot afford to buy their kids birthday presents because they’ve gambled their gift money away and another who has to go o grid to escape their addictions.
Friday August 16 Mindhunter, Netflix
The rst series following the work of the FBI’s serial killer profilers – aka the Behavioural Science Unit – is back for a second season. The work moves from theory into action when the FBI joins in a high-pro le hunt for a serial child murderer.
8 Out Of Cats Does Countdown, Channel 4
Jimmy Carr hosts with Sean Lock and Rob Beckett, as special guest team captain Alan Carr and Sarah Millican take part in the classic words and numbers quiz. Mr Swallow joins Susie Dent in Dictionary Corner, while Rachel Riley looks after the letters and numbers.
Russia with Simon Reeve, RTÉ 2
In the third leg of the BBC travel guy’s Russian journey, he travels from the illegally annexed peninsula of Crimea to the historic Baltic city of St Petersburg. Crimea is part of neighbouring Ukraine but was taken over by Russia in 2014.