TV & Radio
Highlights and listings
DRAMA
The Long Song
Set during the final days of slavery in 19th century Jamaica and adapted from the award-winning novel by Andrea Levy, The Long Song follows the trials, tribulations and survival of July (Tamara Lawrance), a slave on a plantation owned by her odious mistress Caroline Mortimer (Hayley Atwell).
July is born to a field slave Kitty (Sharon Duncan-brewster) at the Amity sugar cane plantation, run by John Howarth (Leo Bill) and his younger sister Caroline. On a whim, Caroline decides she wants to train July as her personal maid, so she is taken from her mother and forced to live in the great house.
The Christmas riots and the abolition of slavery turn the world of Amity upside down and throw July’s destiny into question. But when order is restored and a new overseer Robert Goodwin (Jack Lowden) arrives at Amity, July and Caroline are both intrigued by his seemingly revolutionary plans to improve the plantation. Could his ideals change everything?
As a companion programme, look out for Imagine: Andrea Levy: Her Island Story to find out more about the acclaimed author, the daughter of the Windrush generation (Wednesday, BBC1, 11:15pm).
Tuesday to Thursday, BBC1, 9pm
WILDLIFE Grizzly Bear Cubs And Me
Scottish wildlife cameraman Gordon Buchanan travels to the snowy Russian wilderness to help a pioneering family of biologists return six orphaned bear cubs back to the wild, in this heartwarming two-part Christmas special.
Every winter thousands of baby bears are left orphaned when their mothers abandon them due to human activity. Gordon, who arrives in the bone-chilling Russian winter, just days after the cubs have been rescued, must, with the help of the Pashetnov family, become a surrogate mother to the cubs, bottle feeding them every four hours, teaching them how to climb trees and showing them where to find food in the forest.
Tuesday and Wednesday, BBC2, 9pm
ENTERTAINMENT Happy Hour With Olly Murs
The singer heads back to his Essex roots as he takes over a pub to put on an evening of games, chat and music.
Bradley Walsh is the pub landlord for the night, with Sir Tom Jones and Jennifer Hudson, who will be singing a duet with Olly, among the guests.
Today, STV, 9pm
INVESTIGATION Disclosure: Dead In Police Custody
In amongst the seasonal froth is this sobering but important programme which examines the death of Sheku Bayoh, who died following his arrest in Fife three years ago. Following the decision not to prosecute the officers who restrained him, Mr Bayoh’s family claim there has been a cover-up, and say they have been denied justice. Mark Daly investigates the circumstances surrounding the death, using previously unseen material. The film poses fresh questions about the police response and asks if racism could have played a part.
Monday, BBC1, 8:30pm
FILM Mark Kermode’s Christmas Cinema Secrets
In a seasonal edition of his acclaimed series, Mark Kermode celebrates one of the most perennial of all genres: the Christmas movie. The critic reveals what exactly makes a great festive film and illustrates his points with clips from much-loved classics, Hollywood blockbusters and international films. ■
Thursday, BBC4, 9pm