What not to miss in the week ahead
DRAMA
Death And Nightingales
Matthew Rhys, Ann Skelly and Jamie Dornan lead the cast in a three-part story of love, betrayal, deception and revenge, set over 24-hours across the countryside of Fermanagh in 1885.
Growing up, Beth Winters (Skelly) was caught between two warring parents, her Catholic mother Catherine having married her Protestant step-father Billy when she was already pregnant by an unknown Catholic man.
On her 23rd birthday, her mother long dead, Beth has planned to escape the claustrophobic grip of Billy and their closed community by running away with charming, mysterious Liam Ward (Dornan, who can also be seen in cinemas in Robin Hood). But with the hour of reckoning fast approaching, can Beth hold her nerve?
Wednesday, BBC2, 9pm
DRAMA
Mrs Wilson
Ruth Wilson stars in this fascinating three-part series as she plays her own grandmother, Alison Wilson, who discovered after the death of her husband, Alexander, in 1963 that he was also married to Gladys.
Alison then sets out on a journey to discover who Alexander Wilson, played by Iain Glen, really was, dissecting their 1940s romance and uncovering her husband’s mysterious career in the secret service.
Tuesday, BBC1, 9pm
MUSIC Evita: The Making Of A Superstar
Suzy Klein travels deep into the world of musical theatre and the colourful landscapes of Argentina, to discover the story behind one of the West End’s most celebrated characters.
Interweaving the stories of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s creation with the true story of Eva Peron, she celebrates the extraordinary show in the 40th year since its creation.
Meeting musical stars including Elaine Paige, Hal Prince and Tim Rice, Suzy hears how the show came into being, all inspired by a face on a postage stamp. She then travels to Argentina, meeting politicians, performers and Eva fans to hear how this intensely divisive figure – loved by the poor, loathed by the rich – became one of the enduring icons of our time.
Today, BBC2, 9pm
DOCUMENTARY John And Yoko: Above Us Only Sky
Previously unseen archive footage and material from John Lennon’s estate are used to tell the story behind the iconic song Imagine, and the album of the same name.
The first demo of the song is promised, as are interviews with the former Beatle and footage of Lennon and his wife, Yoko Ono. Contributors include David Bailey, whose photograph of the couple in 1971 ended up on the cover of Vogue.
Today, Channel 4, 8:30pm
DOCUMENTARY A Great British Injustice: The Maguire Story
The Maguires were an ordinary Northern Irish family living in London during the 1970s, until they were wrongly convicted and imprisoned for making the bombs used in the Guildford pub bombings. The convictions were declared “unsafe and unsatisfactory” and finally quashed in 1991, but not before the family had been vilified and imprisoned, as this documentary explores.
Tomorrow, BBC2, 10pm
MUSIC Stevie Wonder: A Musical History
The genius of Stevie Wonder as a singer, songwriter and producer is celebrated in this programme.
With contributions from actor Martin Freeman and singers including Alexander O’neal, James Morrison and Beverley Knight. ■
Friday, BBC4, 10pm