PICK OF THE WEEK TV CHOICE

SATURDAY

Live Women’s Six Nations (BBC2, 4.30pm)

The opening weekend begins with the French hosting last year’s bottom nation Ireland in Le Mans (that game is available on the BBC iPlayer). That’s followed by Wales against Scotland at Cardiff Arms Park. The Welsh prevailed 34-22 when the teams met in Edinburgh last year, with props Sisilia Tuipulotu and Gwenllian Pyrs both crossing twice, and Ffion Lewis adding a late fifth. The Scots showed plenty of fight though, with tries from Lana Skeldon, Coreen Grant and Chloe Rollie. Last year’s Grand Slam winners England get their title defence under way against Italy in Parma tomorrow (BBC Two, 2.45pm).

Gladiators (BBC1, 5.50pm)

When it was first revealed that the BBC were reviving the 1990s TV classic, it’s fair to say that there were a few raised eyebrows. However, it’s has gone onto be a massive hit with viewers every Saturday night – although it did have to make way for the FA Cup football last week. Tonight, there’s an Eliminator to remember as the contenders battle it out for a place in next week’s Grand Final. But before that, former firefighter-turned-bodybuilder Giant faces his toughest test yet in Duel. Bradley and Barney Walsh are the hosts.

Secrets of the Royal Palaces (C5, 8.15pm)

Tonight’s stories of scandal begin with Princess Diana on holiday at Marivent, the Spanish royal family’s summer palace on Mallorca. We hear first-hand from Royal Protection officer Ken Wharfe about an extraordinary pool-side confession that Diana made to him revealing that her marriage to Charles was ‘a sham’. Meanwhile, Professor Kate Williams tells the remarkable story of George III’s six unmarried daughters whose illicit affairs with servants and numerous illegitimate children at Frogmore House were kept hushed up by any means necessary.

Diana Ross at the BBC (BBC2, 9.15pm)

With a career spanning over six decades, Diana Ross achieved worldwide fame as the lead singer of legendary Motown group The Supremes, before going on to have an halcyon career as a solo artist, record producer, and Oscar-nominated actress. As she prepares to celebrate her 80th birthday on Tuesday, BBC Two is dedicating its Saturday evening music schedule to the entertainment icon. The evening begins with a selection of performances from the singer on programmes like Top of the Pops, Wogan and the National Lottery Show. Among the tracks featured are Baby Love, I’m Still Waiting, Why Do Fools Fall in Love?, Upside Down, and Love Hangover. That programme is followed by Diana Ross: Live at The Royal Albert Hall 1973 (10.15pm), and a welcome airing for her third movie, The Wiz (11.15pm).

SUNDAY

The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up to Cancer (C4, 7.40pm)

All of the celebrity contestants featured in this series have had a personal experience of cancer. None more so than comedian Rhod Gilbert, who was diagnosed with stage four throat, neck, tongue and tonsil cancer in 2022. He is joined in the tent by former EastEnder Danny Dyer, comedian Leigh Francis, and radio and TV presenter Yinka Bokinni. Under the watchful eyes of Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith, the quartet will be attempting miniature biscuit people in the Signature and a fancy tea-time classic in the Technical, before recreating their biggest failure in cake form for the Showstopper.

The Tube: Keep London Moving! (C5, 8pm)

With the Coronation of King Charles III taking place at Westminster Abbey, it’s the responsibility of TfL to make sure that thousands of people can get to the procession and back safely. This means removing street lights, diverting over 100 roads, managing foot traffic and fixing engineering issues. Plus, protests have been scheduled and there are reports of terror threats. Meanwhile, in west London, engineers at the depot get ready for some ballast replacement work, and at Acton Town Station, an 85-year-old art-deco train is temporarily being brought back into service.

Atlantis: The Discovery with Dan Snow (C5, 9pm)

We’ve all heard the legend about an ancient city that disappeared under the sea, but is it grounded in fact, or all simply an elaborate myth? Dan Snow attempts to answer that question during a trip to Greece, where he swims through the streets of a sunken conurbation known as Pavlopetri – could it have formed the inspiration for Atlantis? He also visits other sites whose history seems to match that of the famed aquatic area, including

Knossos on Crete, whose residents loved wine and worshipped bulls, and Akrotiri, which was destroyed by a volcano during the 16th century.

Death in Paradise (BBC1, 9pm)

Richard Fleeshman, the Coronation Street actor-turned-West End star, makes a guest appearance in the final episode of the current run. A passenger boards a flight to Dominica, then vanishes mid-flight, before turning up again in Saint Marie – dead. The pilot and flight attendant immediately become suspects, but a messy love affair involving the victim makes the team wonder if there’s even more to the case than they first imagined – the solution to

the issue certainly leaves them surprised. Neville, meanwhile, has a big decision to make.

Sport Gives Back Awards 2024 (STV, 10.15pm)

Former triple jumper Connie Henry founded Sport Gives Back to celebrate charities, organisations and individuals who have used sports of various kinds to transform the lives of others. In 2020, the initiative’s first awards ceremony took place; the latest was held at Cadogan Hall in London last month, and now we can all see what happened. Among those featured handing out awards are Mo

Farah, Fatima Whitbread, and Frank and Christine Lampard, while those in the running for awards include mental health advocates and youth groups. Listen out too for some incredibly inspirational stories – as well as a message from Prince

Harry, whose Invictus Games

Foundation chooses the winner of the

Unconquered award.

MONDAY

Grand Indian Hotel (C4, 8pm)

For the first time in its 90-year history, luxury hotel chain The Oberoi Group is opening its doors to four of its most glamorous hotels to reveal life behind the gilded façade. This three-part series begins at The Oberoi Rajvilas on the outskirts of the ancient ‘Pink City’ of Jaipur. New recruits are preparing for the most important event of the year, a lavish dinner for the Maharaja of Jaipur. And as managers work out how to deal with incontinent elephants, the young waiting staff feel the pressure to put on the biggest show of their careers so far. Meanwhile, over at The Oberoi Vanyavilas Wildlife Resort, on the edge of Ranthambore National Park, guests are expecting to see one of the big cats on safari. But are the notoriously shy tigers coming out to play?

Immigration: The UK’s Record Rise – Panorama (BBC1, 8pm)

The UK’s net migration hit record levels in 2022 and 2023, driven by an increase in non-EU citizens coming to the UK. And those figures are still high in 2024, despite the Conservative government’s promise to cut the amount of people arriving on our shores. So how has that happened? The BBC’s analysis editor Ros Atkins crunches the numbers and explores the political choices behind them. He meets the people running businesses who say they need immigration, and those who say the UK simply can’t sustain the current numbers.

Ukraine: Enemy in the Woods (BBC2, 9pm)

The latest portrait of lives compromised by Europe’s bloodiest war in living memory follows a single Ukrainian infantry company as they attempt to fend off intense Russian attacks in a snow-covered forest near Kupyansk on the eastern front. The Special Battalion’s mission is to defend a railway line, a key strategic asset that, if captured, will enable Russia to mount a direct attack on Ukraine’s second largest city Kharkiv. The eye-opening film examines the lives of the 99-strong military company as they operate from hand-dug bunkers and engage in fierce life-or-death gun battles, with their personal stories told through intimate interviews and footage filmed by the troops themselves.

The Underdog: Josh Must Win (E4, 9pm)

This reality show with a twist sees a largerthan-life cast compete in a popularity contest, which they believe is called The Favourite, hosted by presenter Nick Grimshaw. However, among the players there is an underdog no one is expecting. His name is Josh. While all the players (including Josh) believe they are battling it out to be the most popular, and win a cash prize, living next door is a group of celebrities – Nick, along with Amber Rose Gill, Vicky Pattison and Pete Wicks, who are masterminding their own game of strategy, and doing everything they can to ensure that Josh wins.

Anton & Giovanni’s Adventures in Spain (BBC1, 9pm)

The Strictly duo waltz their way up the south coast to one of Britain’s favourite holiday hot spots, Benidorm, dubbed by Anton as the ‘Blackpool of Spain’. On the famous strip, showman Gio gets into the spirit of Benidorm night life and prepares a surprise for his pal. Back on the road, Anton takes Giovanni to the rural flatlands just outside Valencia to harvest rice, an integral part of iconic Spanish dish paella. Their next stop is the capital Madrid, and it happens to be festival weekend, so they take part in a traditional Paso doble dance competition.

24 Hours in A&E (C4, 9pm)

Fifty-five-year-old Chris is rushed into Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham after his leg is crushed by a 12-tonne lorry at work. Doctors are worried that not only has his leg been broken, but he may have developed a rare condition that can lead to amputation. Meanwhile, Elizabeth, 65, has had a fall while cleaning a pub. As she is stitched up, we hear how much of a support she’s been to her 19-year-old granddaughter Tia. Retired miner Alan has also had a fall while he was out walking the dog. As the team X-ray his face and dress his wounds, Alan speaks about going underground with his pit pony Morris.

TUESDAY

Interior Design Masters with Alan Carr (BBC1, 8pm)

The designers are heading to Ascot Racecourse, but they are not there to show off their hats and have a flutter. Instead, they are being let loose on the exclusive hospitality as they demonstrate their personal take on high-end luxury. As part of the makeover, they’ll have to transform the entrance, cloakroom and bar area, and set up a table for a posh afternoon tea. Then it’s up to judge Michelle Ogundehin and guest Kelly Hoppen to decide who has won Stand Out Space and whose gamble hasn’t paid off.

Kate Garraway: Derek’s Story (STV, 9pm)

In January, TV presenter Kate Garraway made the heart-breaking announcement that her husband, Derek Draper, had died. The couple’s lives had changed forever in March 2020, when he was diagnosed with covid, and Kate spoke out about his battle with the illness and her family’s experiences in the 2021 documentary Finding Derek, which won a National Television Award. In 2022, she made the follow-up, Caring for Derek, which showed what happened when her husband returned home. The couple were working on a third film before his death, and it is now being shown as a tribute. As well as charting the last year of his life and the effect of his illness upon his family, the documentary also shines a light on the challenges faced by the UK’s carers.

Wreck (BBC3, 10pm)

The comedy horror series created and written by Ryan J Brown, returns for a second season. We re-join Jamie, Vivian and their found family of survivors back on land, as they strike back against Velorum, the corporate murder machine that claimed Jamie’s sister. In a daring and desperate attempt to bring the company down, the gang go undercover to infiltrate Velorum’s newest venture – an exclusive ‘wellness’ festival for millionaires in the remote Slovenian countryside. Former Neighbours actor Alan Dale joins the cast for series two, alongside Oscar Kennedy, Thaddea Graham and Jodie Tyack.

Night Coppers (C4, 10pm)

Brighton has been hailed as the UK’s best