THIS WEEK’S TOP TV PICKS
The Vicar Of Dibley In Lockdown Monday, BBC1, 8.50pm
The blessed return of the muchloved sitcom and Dawn French (right) sees the format cleverly adapted for th these times. The three episodes provide a rapid run-through of the Rev Geraldine Granger’s sage advice and wisdom to her congregants via Zoom, from the panic-stricken moment the Easter eggs ran out during the first lockdown, going all the way through to Christmas. This is a show that has entered the nation’s hearts, and in between the many laughs French and creator Richard Curtis also deliver an inspirationally powerful message of love, and a tearful tribute to Alice Tinker, the verger played by Emma Chambers, who died suddenly two years ago.
Coronation Street
Monday, Wednesday & Friday, ITV, 7.30pm
It is the world’s longestrunning soap opera, and for millions still the greatest. This s week, Corrie celebrates an extraordinary 60 years since the Rovers Return was first seen on our screens. Marking the occasion on Wednesday (7.30pm), there’s an hour-long special, as the trial of Yasmeen (Shelley King, above) finally decides whether she was guilty of the attempted murder of Geoff. Then, Queens Of The Street (Wednesday, 9pm) is an all-star celebration of those mighty matriarchs who have always dominated the show. And on Monday (8.30pm), Coronation Street: 60 Unforgettable Years is an unmissable trip down the cobbled memory lane.
The Royal Variety Performance 2020 Tuesday, ITV, 8pm
How could anyone have ever thought it was grim up North? Blackpool rocks with raucous entertainment as the Royal Variety Performance leaves London for the first year since 2011, albeit with a virtual audience. An all-star bill is presented by comedian Jason Manford. Centenarian war hero and charity fundraiser Captain Sir Tom Moore is paired with singer Michael Ball and the NHS choir for a reprise of their charttopping version of You’ll Never Walk Alone. Look out, too, for Sheridan Smith (above) with a segment from stage show Cilla The Musical, performances by Mel C and Steps, plus a feast of magic and comedy.
Nadiya’s American Adventure Thursday, BBC1, 8pm
It seems only two minutes since the former Bake Off champ was on our screens, but Nadiya Hussain (right) ht) is back with a twopart programme. As a child of immigrants herself, she’s witnessed first-hand how the cuisine from her parents’ homeland of Bangladesh has been adapted to British tastes while keeping their culture alive. Now she wants to know how that works in America, so she’s visiting two places with vibrant immigrant communities. The first episode sees her in Louisiana learning how old Creole traditions are mantained in Cajun country. Next week she is in California, where southern Vietnamese crayfish dishes are popular.
Tin Star: Liverpool
Thursday, Sky Atlantic, 9pm & 10pm
They wreaked ed mayhem and d left a long and bloody trail of bodies in their wake across the distant wilds of North America ica in the first two seasons. But now Jack Worth (Tim Roth, above) – the deathdealing police officer who has any number of dark secrets buried in his past – and his family are coming home to Britain for a final showdown with the enemies that forced them to flee across the Atlantic in the first place. Brace yourself for the violence to reach an even more shocking high in the third and final series of the Tarantino-esque drama thriller, as Liverpool plays host to a battle royale you fear may leave hardly anyone standing by the end of the six-episode run.