What to watch
Growing Up Gifted
BBC TWO, 9.00PM
This inspiring documentary series returns for a third run, following six bright teenagers from lowincome families to see how their background affects their potential. Last year, the participants were gearing up for their GCSES. Now, the day is upon them, with this episode focusing on the three boys as they prepare for the exams that could change their future.
First up is endearing Kian from Hartlepool, who realises his ambition to become a theoretical physicist might mean leaving his beleaguered hometown and close-knit family. Against a backdrop of rising knife crime, London-based Jarmarley faces pressure from his mother to halt his beloved music-making and get back to his books. And in Newcastle, aspiring doctor Liam faces scrutiny about his work ethic and struggles to convert his promise into the grades he needs to pursue medicine. Watching these tender boys, caught on the cusp of adulthood, battling against circumstances stacked against them, is an often heartbreaking experience. Their trials, however, are tempered by their shrewd personal insight into what lies ahead, if they overcome their challenges, and the determination needed to get there. Toby Dantzic