The Scotsman

The must watch TV in the next seven days

-

DRAMA

Gentleman Jack

Sally Wainwright swaps the gritty contempora­ry drama of Happy Valley for Halifax in 1832 to retell the story of lesbian landowner Anne Lister. The eight- part series, based on Anne’s extensive diaries, follows her efforts to revive her rundown ancestral home by establishi­ng a coal mine on the land; the travails of her extended family and her love affairs with women. Suranne Jones stars as Anne, who was nicknamed Gentleman Jack by locals. The first episode sees Anne returning broken- hearted to Shibden Hall from Hastings, having discovered that her lover Vere Hobart ( Jodhi May), has accepted a marriage proposal from a man.

Also starring Gemma Jones, Timothy West and Sophie Rundle. Tomorrow, BBC1, 9pm

DRAMA

Summer Of Rockets

Stephen Poliakoff ’s Cold War drama is set in the summer of 1958, when Russia and America are at the start of the Space Race. The espionage plot centres around Samuel Petrukhin, played by Toby Stephens, a Russianbor­n Jewish inventor ( loosely based on Poliakoff ’s father), who is asked by MI5 to gather informatio­n about an affluent, glamorous and charming family he has become friendly with. The couple in question are Kathleen and Richard Shaw MP ( Keeley Hawes and Linus Roache) who are also friends with Lord Arthur Wallington ( Timothy Spall), another person the spooks are interested in. Wednesday, BBC2, 9pm

HISTORY Victorian Sensations With Hannah Fry

We might think our era of technologi­cal change is unrivalled, but this fascinatin­g three- part series shows how scientific and social advances transforme­d society in the 1890s. In the first episode mathematic­ian Dr Hannah Fry investigat­es how innovation­s in science and technology – including the X- ray, safety bicycle and protoaerop­lane – transforme­d Britain, giving rise to the modern world. Wednesday, BBC4, 9pm

CRIME Hatton Garden: The Inside Story

As a companion piece to ITV’S fourpart drama Hatton Garden running this week ( see our cover story for more), Ross Kemp tells the untold story of the police investigat­ion into the heist – Britain’s biggest burglary.

Interviewi­ng key officers, and using unseen police surveillan­ce footage and the gang’s secretly recorded conversati­ons, the film takes us inside one of the Flying Squad’s longest and most challengin­g operations, ending in the conviction of the final gang member in April this year.

Friday, STV, 9pm

DANCE BBC Young Dancer 2019 Grand Final

Anita Rani and Ore Oduba host as the winners of heats in South Asian, contempora­ry, ballet and street dance, plus one wildcard, compete for the title.

Today, BBC2, 8pm

MUSIC Eurovision Song Contest 2019

Graham Norton hosts as the pop circus moves to Tel Aviv following Israel’s victory last year. The UK, looking for its first win since 1997, is represente­d by Michael Rice and his anthemic song Bigger.

Today, BBC1, 8pm

HISTORY Britain’s Most Historic Towns

The new series, presented by Alice Roberts, begins in Dover and the undergroun­d base beneath the cliffs, where the Dunkirk evacuation was mastermind­ed. ■

Today, Channel 4, 8pm

 ??  ??
 ??  ?? Suranne Jones in Gentleman Jack, main; Summer Of Rockets, inset
Suranne Jones in Gentleman Jack, main; Summer Of Rockets, inset
 ??  ??

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United Kingdom