DECODER TIME
Stay up to date as the channels revamp their schedules and move programmes around as part of their spring make-over
Prince Albert (Tom Hughes) still struggling to find a role for himself, there is an inevitable power struggle between husband and wife. This season is airing here within days of the UK broadcast.
Queen Victoria’s Letters: A Monarch Unveiled (ITV Choice, Monday at 9pm): Directly after the dramatised account of Queen Victoria’s life, this documentary gives a psychological insight of the woman through her own words, as her experiences are recounted solely through her personal diaries and letters. Britain’s second-longest-reigning monarch penned on average 2 500 words a day every day of her adult life, which as a writer, I highly respect.
Biographer AN Wilson explores the personal life of Queen Victoria through her journals and letters, examining the monarch’s closest relationships in the four decades following Prince Albert’s death.
Man In An Orange Shirt (M-Net 101, Monday at 9pm): Based on the novel of the same name by Patrick Gale, this poignant drama explores the unfolding of two love stories 60 years apart. Linked by family and by a painting that holds a secret that echoes down the generations, the limited series explores a forbidden relationship made impossible by illegality and societal pressure, while contrasting it with present day romance as a minefield of internalised issues and temptations. Academy Award winner Vanessa Redgrave plays a grandmother struggling with her relationship with her gay grandson.
Stan Lee’s Lucky Man (M-Net City, Monday at 10pm): This British drama series follows the story of murder squad detective Harry Clayton (James Nesbitt), who is granted the power to control luck with a special bracelet. In the season premiere, Harry faces new intrigue when a woman shows up with a bracelet just like his... and isn’t afraid of its consequences. Meanwhile, a killer has been poisoning his victims and is planning a major atrocity for his next crime. The series has been renewed for a third season.
Siba’s Table (Food Network, Thursday at 8pm): Siba Mtongana is back behind the kitchen counter whipping up an array of delicious South African fusion dishes to serve to friends and family as she gives traditional food a modern spin in the third season of her show. In episode one she takes on her toughest critic – her ninemonth-old daughter – with some child-friendly snacks, like goji berry granola bars, for a family photo shoot. For lunch Siba makes baked salmon with Sriracha sauce on a bed of black ink and cashew nut pasta. Coming up this season, Siba shares her food styling secrets when she gives beef carpaccio and spicy chicken tacos a presentation makeover. Recipes include braai pork sliders and sides, international favourites like poke and Australian wagyu steak, and some romantic dinner date delights.