MUHAMMAD ALI: A LIFE IN TEN PICTURES TV PICKS OF THE WEEK
Tonight, BBC2, times vary
He was the most beloved sports hero of the 20th century, battling fearsome opponents in the ring, political adversaries out of it, and later in life, the cruel effects of Parkinson’s disease.
The latest edition of this series uses 10 photographs to reveal the defining moments in iconic boxer Muhammad Ali’s remarkable life which transcended sport to race, politics and foreign policy.
Interspersed with the images are interviews with those who knew Ali best.
FARGO Tomorrow, Channel 4, 10pm
The first three series brought us great performances from Martin Freeman, Billy Bob Thornton, Kirsten Dunst and Ewan McGregor among others. So expectations are high for this fourth instalment, which unfolds in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1950 and sees two crime syndicates vying for control.
This time around, the cast is led by
Chris Rock as a crime boss who has come up with an intriguing business idea, with support from Ben Whishaw and rising star Jessie Buckley.
THE QUEEN AND HER COUSINS WITH ALEXANDER ARMSTRONG Monday, ITV, 9pm
Although Alexander Armstrong is not of royal blood himself, the Pointless host is nevertheless curious to know what it means to be part of the extended royal family.
He travels across the country to meet Her Majesty’s cousins. Using
the monarch’s vast family tree as his road map, he catches up with relatives from many branches of her family.
THE BRIT AWARDS 2021 Tuesday, ITV, 8pm
Tonight’s Brit Awards will play an important role in paving the way for the return of live music. A total of 4,000 people will be in attendance at The O2 in London, and for the fourth year running, Jack Whitehall is hosting the show. British singersongwriter Rag’n’Bone Man and US superstar P!nk (remotely) will perform their track Anywhere Away From Here, backed by the Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust choir. Plus, there will also be performances by Dua Lipa, Olivia Rodrigo, Arlo Parks, Headie One and Griff.
DAVINA MCCALL: SEX, MYTHS AND THE MENOPAUSE Wednesday, Channel 4, 9pm
For many women, entering the menopause is something they don’t want to talk about. In fact, as McCall reveals here, she was advised, when hers began at the age of 44, not to discuss it publicly because it could
ruin her image. Nine years on, she’s determined that others shouldn’t go through such a situation and hopes that by opening up about her own symptoms – which included hot flushes, depression, mental fog and confusion, all of which she tried to hide – women everywhere will be encouraged to chat about their own experiences.
LEIGH-ANNE: RACE, POP & POWER Thursday, BBC1, 9pm
Winning the X Factor as part of Little Mix was a dream come true for Leigh-Anne Pinnock, but she quickly received a wake-up call. She was on the set of her first video
rehearsal when Beyonce’s Creative Director Frank Gatson told her “you’re the black girl, you have to work ten times harder”. It’s a remark that has stayed with her.
Now, she’s exploring her experiences of racism and what it’s
like to be a black woman in the music industry, while also addressing wider issues around unconscious bias and colourism.
LATER – WITH JOOLS HOLLAND Friday, BBC2, 10pm
The Piano Man returns with a second six-part series of the year.
Tonight, he welcomes Noel Gallagher, who looks back at 10 years of his band the High Flying Birds. Also this week, Jorja Smith will be singing Home, a track from her new project Be Right Back, and The Black Keys perform a rendition of a RL Burnside track, Going Down South.