What to watch
The Invention of Boris Johnson
CHANNEL 4, 9.00PM
Five days before the coronation of the new Conservative Party leader – and, of course, the new Prime Minister – and four days before the ballot closes, Channel 4 gives serious scrutiny to the runaway favourite for the job, examining his character, his ability, his track record and his policies. Using newspaper columns, interviews and fresh contributions from significant figures, The Invention of Boris Johnson does its level best to get to grips with this ceaselessly divisive figure, a man whose colourful past and private life are no small reason why The Invention of Jeremy Hunt is unlikely to reach our screens any time soon.
While the temptation with Johnson has always been to take the path of levity, the background of the team behind the documentary tells you that the focus is very much on serious analysis. Executive producer David Nath won a Bafta for The Murder Detectives (2016), while director Toby Paton was responsible for both 2017’s excellent, poignant Jo Cox: Death of an MP and this year’s revealing film, The Brexit Storm, which was led by Laura Kuenssberg and included a memorable vignette with the thenforeign Secretary. This is likely to be essential viewing. Gabriel Tate co-founder Roger Hallam, whose tactics draw on years of research into the most effective strategies to secure new legislation. YESTERDAY, 8.00PM
This new eight-part series leaves aside military strategies and great leaders to focus on the nuts and bolts of war machines: the industrial backbones. Tonight’s opener asks how Germany’s aviation industry expanded so rapidly – and to such deadly effect – before the tide turned. GT